“You do that,” he said dryly.
The two dragons were patiently waiting, side-by-side, for something succulent to fall from the tree. They could afford to be patient; they Weren’t players with a deadline.
She focused her pyrokinesis on the neck of one of the dragons. She made a hot spot.
A wisp of steam curled up. The dragon whipped his head to the side, nipping at the other. It thought the other had nipped it. That was the idea.
The second dragon angrily denied it. After a moment the issue faded, and both dragons oriented on the prey again.
Fotina projected her pyro heat again, at the same place on the same dragon. The steam rose sooner; she was getting better with practice.
This time the dragon was outraged. It turned and chomped its companion on the neck, returning the favor. The other, bitten, reacted as angrily, biting back.
Then it was war. The two dragons went at each other viciously, forgetting the prey.
“Now we can get away,” Fotina said. She scrambled down to the lower branch, dropping to the ground.
Norris followed. “That was clever,” he said. “But their distraction won’t last long.”
“Long enough,” she said. She put her arms around him.
“What are you doing?”
“We have privacy,” she said. “Monsters don’t count as witnesses.” She pulled him close and kissed him. “Get it up.”
“But there is no certainty that they’ll continue fighting,” he protested.
She reached down and took hold of his penis. “Now.”
“This is ridiculous!” But his member was solidifying in her hand. This was private, and they were male and female. That made the sexual response almost automatic.
“The sooner we do it, the sooner we can get away from here,” she said. “Pick me up. Back me up against the tree trunk.”
He obeyed almost unconsciously, still protesting. Now she was high enough against him, with the trunk bracing her and her hands still free. She oriented his hardening penis and stuffed it into her vagina. She made sure of the lodging, then settled down on it, taking it all the way in.
The tip touched her cervix, and the orgasm was upon them both. They stood there, transfixed by its rapture, while the dragons still fought.
It finished. The exchange had been made. “Good show,” she said, and kissed him. Then she dropped off his softening member and was back on the ground.
They skirted the fighting dragons, found the path, and hurried back to the main glade. The dragons finally realized that their quarry was escaping, and broke off their quarrel to pursue. But they were too late; the couple ran across the line and was safe.
“You’re some woman!” Norris said.
“I’m just another player,” she said, remembering Pedro’s advice to keep her profile low. “Just grabbing an opportunity. If you exchange with another woman with magic, you’ll be able to mess up dragons too. Bye.” She moved away, leaving him staring.
It was time to find another man. The problem of privacy was paramount. The uphill pavilion was too far, as Norris had pointed out; it would take half an hour to make the round trip, each time, leaving nothing for locating prospects and exchanging. She needed privacy close by.
She saw others still milling about, similarly balked. She realized that many would be washed out simply because they could not manage to make enough exchanges. Smart ones surely were figuring out ways, as Pedro had. But the boats were all out now, no chance there.
She walked around in circles, pondering. How could she find a close, private spot, that no one else knew of? She got an idea. Could she make one? Out of illusion? Perhaps an opaque pavilion they could enter for the deed, just like a real one? But the moment others saw it, they would converge on it, wanting to use it, and the ruse would quickly be discovered and ruined.
Unless they couldn’t see it. An invisible dome? They would see through it!
Or, maybe not. Suppose it was invisible from outside, opaque from inside? Or simply invisible from both sides? Not transparent, but also not visible. In order for those who looked at it to see nothing, but also not see its contents, —maybe see the illusion of ground.
She worked on it, in a grassy unoccupied alcove of the central glade. A dome that showed the ground below and the trees beyond, but as images, not reality. Invisible because it was decorated with the scenery around it. From its other side it showed the milling players, another illusion image. From no side did it show its real interior.
It took frustrating time, but finally she had it. She stepped through its wall—it was visual, not tactile, illusion—and stood inside. And saw—nothing. Just the surrounding scenery and people. But how could she be sure no one could see her in here?
She exited, went to the edge of the forest, found a large fallen branch with some drying leaves, and dragged it into the dome. Then she stood outside and looked. She saw nothing. It worked.
She dragged out the branch, and smoothed out the turf. She had her private place. Now all she needed was a man.
She returned to the group and surveyed prospects. The one who appealed most was a Nubian man labeled LUCK/integrity. Luck struck her as an extremely valuable trait. Integrity—there was surely little market for that, in a game where lying and cheating were considered tools to get ahead. Still, he would surely have had a lot of business, if only there had been privacy for it.
She approached him. He was Oliver, a handsome man of his species. “Would you like to exchange?” she inquired coyly. She could not enhance her appearance, because all her magic was focused on maintaining the invisible dome, but her Arts trait was available, enabling her to move her body in an interesting manner.
“I have promised my first exchange to Clover,” he said. “But we have no privacy.” He indicated a nearby woman, a lovely Faerie with flowing green hair, labeled INTEGRITY/magic.
Fotina already had magic, but duplication for the sake of acquiring a new trait could be tolerated. Not that she could exchange with a woman anyway. “If I find privacy, so you can exchange with her, will you exchange with me next?”
“Yes.”
“Come with me, the two of you.”
They accompanied her without question. It wasn’t as if they had anything else to do.
She led them to the dome. “I have an invisible dome,” she said. “I have crafted it by magic. I must demonstrate it so you can believe me. Stand here and watch.” She stepped inside.
She heard their muted exclamations. She had disappeared. But she could see them. It didn’t matter, as long as what was inside could not be seen from outside.
She stepped outside, reappearing. “Now you go,” she told Clover. “Just take three steps forward and you’ll be in.”
Clover stepped forward. Her feet, legs, and torso disappeared as she crossed the slanting wall of the dome. Finally her head went too. “That is amazing,” Oliver breathed. “I didn’t quite believe it when you did it, but I know she has no magic, no illusion.”
Soon Clover reappeared. “Did it work? I saw you standing there.”
“It worked,” Oliver said. “Let me try it.” He walked in, disappearing in stages. In a moment he reemerged. “I am satisfied. I will make your deal.”
“Take Clover in,” Fotina said. “Meanwhile I will quest for another man to do both Clover and me, while you recover.”
“We can see out!” Clover protested. “That’s not private.”
“Yes it is, dear,” Oliver said. “Outsiders don’t have to be private, just insiders. If That’s not so, it won’t work. We can verify its legitimacy by game rules by trying it.”
Clover nodded, agreeing. They disappeared into the dome.
Fotina returned to the group, checking the men. She found one labeled COURAGE/integrity. That would give her one trait and fill out another. She approached him. He was a Mongol, named Brand.
“Would you like to exchange?” she murmured when she got his attention.
“Yes, of cours
e. But—”
“I have a private place.”
“Say no more.” He followed her to the dome. Others watched them go, but ignored them; there was only the glade, the dangerous lake, and the unsafe forest. What could they do?
“It is an invisible dome I crafted with magic,” Fotina explained as they walked. “You can see out from within, but not in from outside. So it is private.”
“If others outside know we’re there, it’s not private.”
“When using a pavilion, others know a couple is inside, but can’t see the people, so it is private. This is the same.”
“Ah. Good point.”
They reached the dome. Oliver and Clover had finished and now stood outside. “I have brought a man for you, Clover,” Fotina said. “After I exchange with Oliver. Then I will exchange with Brand. Then we will seek others.”
They went through the demonstration routine for Brand, who was soon satisfied. Fotina took Oliver inside.
“I am not ready yet,” he said.
“That’s all right. We can take it slowly.” She lay beside him and stroked his body.
“You seem amorous.”
“I want to exchange as soon as possible, so I am trying to work you up. You may kiss my breasts if you like.”
“I like your attitude. Such interaction is fun even if I can’t yet do the act.” He put his face to her bosom and kissed her breasts.
“It is a game of sex,” she said, enjoying his attention. “A romantic element is not excluded.”
Oliver paused. “I love Clover. I know her from the real world, and we agreed to meet in the game, because our love is not feasible there. More need not be said.”
Illicit love, using the game as cover? Why not, if they could arrange it. “I understand. I love another player too. But I will not see him again unless both of us exchange with many others first, so as to qualify for the next round. So with you, the romance is pretense. Yet it can be pleasant.”
“Exactly.” He resumed kissing her breasts.
She reached down and stroked his penis. It began to come alive. Time was passing, and they were stimulating each other; this perhaps would enable a sooner exchange.
Indeed, his penis stiffened in her hand. She lay on him and fed it into her vagina, glad that Pedro had made her understand this aspect. A girl did need to know the mechanics of it. Then she fit herself as snugly to him as she could, taking him in. It was interesting, doing it this way. With Norris in the forest she had jammed it in, because haste was of the essence, but this was much nicer. She felt his member probing deeper, still expanding. She kissed him, making another push of her pelvis against his.
The tip touched her cervix, and the orgasm was upon them. Oh, yes, it was wonderful!
“You are a remarkable woman,” Oliver said.
That was the second such compliment she had received from a man. “I am merely doing what I need to, to get ahead in the game. I wish you and Clover well.”
“Perhaps we shall meet again.”
“In another round,” she agreed. “I hope so.” It occurred to her then there had been no ejaculate. There had not been with the other men either, but she had been too much taken with the novelty of sex when with Pedro, and with the need to flee the dragons with Norris, to notice such a detail. She had not had sex in real life, but she knew that much about it: men actually spurted during their orgasm. Game sex was cleaner. She hoped it wouldn’t spoil her for real-life sex, at such time as she had it.
They got up and stepped out of the dome. “That’s weird, seeing you appear out of seemingly thin air,” Brand remarked. Then he and Clover entered.
Oliver looked slightly pained. “Remember,” Fotina reminded him. “Both of you have to do it often with others, so you can continue in the game, and be there for each other in the next round.”
“It’s true,” he said. “I just wish I could have sex twenty times, all with her alone.”
In due course Brand and Clover emerged. Fotina took Brand’s hand and led him back into the dome. “I know You’re not ready,” she said before he could protest. “But I want to be there the moment you are.”
“Of course,” he agreed. “You went to a lot of trouble to set up the dome, and don’t want to waste it.”
“Let me play with you,” she said as they lay on the turf. “Or if you prefer, you may play with me.”
“It doesn’t have to be one or the other,” Brand said. “Are you familiar with 69?”
Fotina was blank. “A significant number?”
He smiled. “The numbers are physically the same, looking like each other inverted. People do it like this.” He changed his position, placing his head toward her legs. “Now I will do you while you do me.”
“What can we do this way?”
“This.” He put his face to her groin and licked her vulva. She felt a sudden surge of mild pleasure.
“Oh!” Now she understood. She moved her face to his groin and kissed the tip of his penis.
“You may lick it, suck on it, or take it all the way in,” he said. “Just don’t bite.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t!” she exclaimed.
He laughed. “Humor. Teeth do not exist, with oral sex. Just the lips and tongue and throat.”
“Throat?”
“If it gets in deep enough.”
That set her back. His penis remained mostly flaccid, but seemed like more than she would want to take in that far. However, she did put her mouth around the head, and licked it. She felt it grow another notch.
Meanwhile, Brand was running his tongue into her cleft, and even into her vagina. That was most interesting; she would enjoy having him do that for a long time. But it was when he licked the full length of her channel up to her clitoris that she felt the full impact. It was an almost electric jolt of pleasure. Enough of that, and she might have an orgasm even if his penis wasn’t inside her. Was that possible?
She sucked on his penis, and it got larger. She took more of it into her mouth, pressing her lips against the shaft below the head. The member became quite hard, and she felt a certain throbbing in it, as if it were being pounded from below.
“I think I’m ready, if you are,” Brand said. “Shall we do it?”
“Yes!” she agreed gladly.
They changed the position, and she lay on her back with her legs spread. He got over her, fit his stiff member into her vagina, and thrust all the way into her. She felt the hot rod driving toward her center. Then it struck her cervix.
The orgasm was instant and transporting, as always. She loved it, and she realized she loved everything that led up to it. Sex was fun!
“You are a good partner,” Brand said as it passed. “I would enjoy sex with you even if it didn’t count toward my qualification in the game. Even if there were no orgasm.”
“I like it too,” she confessed.
“Thank you for making this private dome. You made the exchange possible when I had just about given up on progressing in the game.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Now we must find other partners to bring here.”
“Yes.”
They got up and exited the dome. Oliver and Clover were gone, but other players were approaching.
“Uh-oh,” Brand said.
“Is something the matter?”
“There may be. Did you warn them not to advertise the dome?”
“Should I have?”
“It’s a place of privacy, and there is a throng of players desperate for that. They are going to quarrel over it, as they did over the boats, and may ruin everything.”
She realized he was right. “What can I do?”
“I fear you will have to abolish it before a fight breaks out.”
“But then no one could use it,” she protested.
“It is a problem,” he agreed grimly.
“I’ll ask them to take fair turns,” she decided.
“Lotsa luck.”
The vanguard of the group was upon them.
“Where’s this invisible dome?” a player demanded.
“If you will arrange to take fair turns, I will—”
“Forget that! We need it now.”
“It isn’t yours to decide,” she protested.
“Get out of our way,” a woman said. “We’re taking it.”
“You can’t—”
The man pushed her roughly aside and strode past her, followed by the others.
“Abolish it,” Brand murmured. “Make a smaller portable one around yourself, an invisibility shield, and get out of here. These freaks are not going to be reasonable.”
She was coming to understand that. She had encountered some nice players; now she was encountering the other kind. She nodded, and let the dome go. Then she reconstructed it around herself, a smaller version.
Brand saw her fade out, and nodded. “Good luck,” he said, carefully not looking in her direction. “And thanks for the two exchanges you enabled for me. And really great sex.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, knowing he could hear her. Then she walked back across the glade, ignoring the angry hubbub behind her as the players searched for a dome that no longer existed.
There were a few players remaining in the central area, seated in groups of two, three, or four, chatting. They were evidently waiting for the round to end, resigned to washing out.
She let her invisibility shield go and approached an individual man. “Why aren’t you looking for the invisible dome?” she asked him, certain that these folk now knew of it.
He looked at her. He was an Elf, APPEARANCE/health, named Dylan. “Fotina, we feel it is not right to take such advantage of you. Those of us with magic should be able to do something similar for ourselves. You should be allowed the advantage of your innovation.”
She liked that answer. “I will make a shield here. Exchange with me.”
“Gladly, if that is your choice.”
She formed the shield around them. “Now no one can see us,” she said. “But they can hear us, so speak softly.”
Dylan looked around. “Are you sure? I see them.”
“Step out, look, then step back in here,” she said. “You won’t see me.”
He did as she directed, and returned. “You’re right; you are invisible, and I presume I am too.”