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“That’s because both were insanely powerful. Do you think it’s possible that the experience was real instead of computer generated?” I scanned the room, certain he wasn’t ready to let me go.
Tory narrowed her eyes, glaring at me as if my skin had turned green. “Um. They are called fantasies for a reason.”
“Have you ever experienced one?”
She raked her hand through her hair. “Honestly? No. I’ve been terrified to after what you told me.”
“You little bitch!” I teased, the fire in my system remaining. “Interesting. I chose the possible future selection. Do you think that’s real?” When she didn’t answer me right away, I turned my head. “What? What do you know and aren’t telling me?”
She shrugged and sucked on the straw in her drink.
I smacked her arm. “Talk or I’ll kick your butt.”
“Don’t you remember the near shut down of the company like six months after you had your experience?”
Exhaling, I thought about her question, allowing my brain to process it. “Kinda. What happened?”
“Look, my father was one of the people investigating the firm.” She pulled me further away from any chance we’d be overheard, which was ridiculous considering the loudness of the music.
“Okay. I had no idea.”
“Yeah, well, it’s one of the many secretive projects he was working on. Anyway, he didn’t tell me much other than forbidding me to ever consider going to them for a fantasy fulfilled, but he did say that the owners of the company had developed some crazy technology.”
Why did I have cold shivers jetting down my spine? “As in what, the ability to make what happens real?”
She nodded. “I didn’t know before I gave you the gift or I never would have done that to you. Was it horrible?”
Now I was the one raking my hand through my hair. “The thing is, I loved it. Every. Single. Second. When it was over, I felt a loss. It was as if I was close to this alien, connected somehow.”
“Okay, then why ask about it now? Obviously, you weren’t hurt?”
“Does it mean others were?”
After biting her lip, she wrinkled her nose. “From what I overheard, yes. There were at least twenty unexplained deaths. Supposedly, the company said that the guests to their facilities lied on their forms about a physical condition, but that’s the reason the investigation was started in the first place.”
“But they’re still in business.”
“Yeah, but from my understanding, they paid out a lot of trident coins to keep people from suing their asses. Plus, their fantasies are little more than vanilla custard now.”
Exhaling, I glanced around the club, the prickly sensations remaining. “Good to know.”
“Why are you curious?”
“Just because.”
“You beast of a friend. I’ll get it out of you before the night’s over with,” she said through clenched teeth. “Incidentally, I sent you something. It should be delivered by the time you return to your apartment tonight.”
I grabbed her drink, and she glared at me. What she’d told me was far more unnerving than I wanted her to know. Was it really possible the entire experience had been real? How many times had I asked myself the same question? Now I had my answer. Yes. Insanity or not, there was no way I’d imagined the big bad dude coming to my rescue.
I thought about the bite marks, which by the time I’d returned home that night had faded. Granted, my body had been aching, but it had been conceivable that I’d been thrashing around. That’s why I’d been told to wear comfortable clothes when seeking adventure.
Now I was mind fucking myself. Finally, her words registered, pulling me back to reality.
“Oh, dear God. What did you do? And what did you send?” I sniffed her fruity beverage and handed it back to her. What I was drinking was much stronger. Within seconds, the faceless android rolled forward, placing the drink on the gyrating bar that had already made me dizzy. I faced the steel machine, allowing him to scan my face not only for recognition purposes but so a bill would eventually arrive in my planetary email system.
“It just seemed like such a waste that you threw out all those sexy toys of yours.” She burst into laughter and heat shot across my face. “I just sent you a subscription. Soon, you’ll have all the kinky shit you need to use on a brand-new boyfriend.”
“That’s not funny and I’ve given up men for a long time.”
