Eleanor Ashford. Age 45. Former supermodel. Current socialite.
The name hit Damien like a freight train. He kept his face neutral, but inside his mind was spinning. The most powerful family in Los Angeles had called his bar to complain about him. A barback. A nobody who mopped floors for fourteen dollars an hour.
"Mr. Black?" Marcus was watching him. "Did you hear what I said?"
"I heard you." Damien’s voice stayed level. The Voice Modulator doing its job. "The Ashford family called."
"Specifically Mrs. Ashford’s assistant. She expressed concern that her daughter Victoria was indirectly associated with the incident through social media. She asked that any staff member involved in the incident be kept away from Victoria when she visits the bar."
Victoria visited The Vault sometimes. Friday nights usually. Always in the VIP section. Always with Chad. Always looking through Damien like he was made of glass.
"I don’t serve Victoria’s table," Damien said. "I’m a barback."
"Not anymore," Marcus replied. "You’re floor service now. Which means you will be in the VIP section. Which means you will be near Victoria’s table."
The trap was elegant. Promote him so he could be legally kept away from the Ashford family. Give him more responsibility and then restrict his access. Chad’s family wanted him fired. The Ashfords wanted him contained. And Marcus was caught in the middle trying to keep everyone happy.
"Understood," Damien said. "I’ll avoid the Ashford table."
"Good." Marcus exhaled. "That’s all. Get to your shifts tomorrow. Both of you."
Mia and Damien stood simultaneously. She looked at him with wide eyes. He gave her a small shake of his head. Not now. Not in front of Marcus.
They walked out of The Vault together. The morning sun was harsh after the dim interior. Mia squinted and turned to him.
"That was intense," she said. "Since when do you talk like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like a lawyer. You had Marcus sweating. I’ve never seen anyone handle him like that."
"I just stated facts."
"No. You did something else." She studied his face. "You walked in here looking like a completely different person and talking like a completely different person. The Damien I worked with last week would have apologized and begged for his job."
She was right. Last week’s Damien would have stammered. Apologized. Maybe cried. But last week’s Damien didn’t have a system, a new body, or a Voice Modulator.
"I got tired of being pushed around," he said.
Mia nodded slowly. She didn’t fully believe him. But she didn’t push it either. They reached the sidewalk outside The Vault and stopped.
"I need to go home and process everything," Mia said. "Tyler. The fight. Us. All of it."
"Yeah. Take your time."
"Damien." She grabbed his hand. Her fingers were warm. "Last night wasn’t just because of Tyler. I want you to know that."
"I know."
"Good." She squeezed his hand. Then she let go and walked toward the bus stop. Her ponytail swung behind her. He watched her until she rounded the corner.
[Target Mia Chen. Post-quest status: Affection 72%. Emotional attachment: High. Romantic interest: Growing.]
[Note: Target will seek further engagement. Manage accordingly.]
Manage accordingly. The system talked about her like she was a stock portfolio.
His phone buzzed. Chloe.
Chloe: How was the meeting?
Damien: Still employed.
Chloe: Good. Now bring me Chinese food. You promised.
Damien: On my way.
He stopped at a Chinese place on Western Avenue. Spent $18 on orange chicken and chow mein. The system registered it.
[Spending detected: $18. Not quest-related. No rebate applicable.]
Of course. The rebate only applied to seduction spending. Not to food for his best friend. He made a mental note to figure out the boundaries of what qualified.
He walked the six blocks to Chloe’s apartment carrying the warm bag of takeout. His Confidence Aura had worn off twenty minutes ago. The warmth in his chest faded. The anxiety crept back in. But it was quieter now. Less overwhelming. Like background noise instead of a screaming alarm.
He knocked on Chloe’s door.
It swung open immediately. She’d been waiting.
Chloe Vega stood in the doorway in her oversized hoodie and shorts. Same messy bun. Same crooked glasses. Same brown eyes that saw through every lie he’d ever told.
But today those eyes widened.
"Holy shit," she said.
"What?"
"You." She grabbed his arm and pulled him inside. "Turn around."
"What?"
"Turn. Around."
He turned slowly. Chloe circled him like a detective examining a crime scene. Her eyes traveled from his new shoes to his fitted pants to his blazer to his face. Her mouth was open.
"Damien Black," she said slowly. "What the actual fuck."
"I got new clothes."
"New clothes don’t change your bone structure." She stepped closer and poked his chest. "You have muscles. You didn’t have muscles three days ago. You had ribs. I could count them through your shirt."
"I’ve been eating more."
"Eating more doesn’t give you a jawline." She poked his face. "And you’re taller. I’m looking up at you more than I used to."
"Maybe you’re shrinking."
"Damien." Her voice dropped the humor. "Seriously. What’s going on with you? First you fight a guy with a bat. Then you apparently sleep with your coworker. Then you walk in here looking like a GQ model. In three days."
He set the Chinese food on the counter and sat on her couch. She sat across from him on the bean bag chair she’d had since freshman year. Her arms were crossed. Her glasses were crooked. Her expression was pure interrogation.
"I can’t explain it," he said. Which was technically true. He couldn’t explain a floating system that gave him superpowers in exchange for completing sexual quests.
"Try."
"I found a new routine. Diet. Exercise. Grooming. It happened fast because my body responds well."
"Your body responded well in three days. To diet and exercise." Chloe didn’t blink. "Damien. I’ve known you for three years. You once ate an entire tube of Pringles for dinner and fell asleep on my bathroom floor. Your body doesn’t respond to anything."
"That was one time."
He rubbed his face. Chloe was the hardest person in the world to lie to. She knew him better than anyone. She’d seen him at his worst. She’d held his phone while he cried in a Wendy’s parking lot after his scholarship got delayed and he couldn’t pay rent. She was the only person in LA who gave a damn about him.
And the system had labeled her an anchor. Protect this bond.
"Chloe. I’m going through something. Something big. I can’t tell you what it is yet. But I need you to trust me."
She stared at him for ten seconds. Then twenty. Then thirty.
"Are you in trouble?" she asked quietly.
"No."
"Are you in danger?"
"Not right now."
"Are you on drugs?"
"What? No."
"Are you sure? Because this kind of physical change in three days is either steroids or something else and I need to know if I should be worried."
"I’m not on steroids. I promise."
She studied his eyes. Searching for the lie. She always searched for the lie. It was what made her a good friend and a terrible person to play poker against.
"Okay," she said finally. "I’ll trust you. For now. But if I find out you’re doing something stupid I will physically fight you. And I will lose. Because you’re apparently jacked now. But I will try."
"Noted."
"Also you look really good." She said it quickly like she was ripping off a bandage. "Like really good. It’s annoying. Don’t let it go to your head."
"Too late."
She threw a pillow at him. He caught it. They both laughed. And for a moment everything felt normal. Like he was just Damien and she was just Chloe and they were eating Chinese food and talking shit on her couch like every other Saturday.
He opened the takeout containers. Orange chicken. Chow mein. Two forks because Chloe didn’t own chopsticks despite owning every other kitchen utensil known to man.
"So tell me about Mia," Chloe said between bites.
"What about her?"
"You slept with her."
"We hooked up. It’s not a big deal."
"It is a big deal. You’ve been obsessed with her for eight months. And now you suddenly hook up with her on the same day her ex shows up with a bat? That’s not a hookup. That’s a Lifetime movie."
"Maybe I’m just a late bloomer."
"Damien. You’re not a late bloomer. You’re a never-bloomer. Something changed. And I’m not just talking about your muscles." She pointed her fork at him. "You carry yourself different. You talk different. You walk into a room like you own it. Three days ago you walked into rooms like you were trying not to be noticed."
She wasn’t wrong. The Body Enhancement Pill and the Charm increase and the Confidence Aura had changed more than his appearance. They’d changed how he existed in space. How he breathed. How he moved.
"I had a wake-up call," he said. "Almost getting hit with a bat puts things in perspective."
Chloe nodded slowly. She didn’t fully buy it. But she let it go. For now.
"Okay. New topic. Have you seen the Sigma Chi party thread?"
"The one Sophia invited me to?"
Chloe’s fork froze halfway to her mouth. "Sophia Russo invited you to a party?"
"Yeah. She texted me last night."
"Sophia Russo. The brunette with the body. The one who sits near you in Lit. She texted you. Personally."
"Yes."
"To invite you to a party."
"Yes."
"Damien." Chloe set her fork down. "Sophia Russo has a boyfriend. Derek. Linebacker. Built like a refrigerator. You know this right?"
"I know."
"And you’re still going?"
"I’m still going."
Chloe rubbed her temples. "You’ve been hot for three days and you’re already collecting women. This is either a blessing or a curse and I genuinely can’t tell which."
[System reminder: Daily Quest active. Target: Sophia Russo. Quest: Accept her invitation and complete the encounter at the party.]
[Quest timer: 18 hours and 22 minutes remaining.]
[Reward: +60 EXP, +$600, Unlock Skill: Desire Reading Level 1]
The party was tonight. And he needed to be ready.
He finished eating and checked his system stats. He had two unspent stat points from his Level 3 upgrade. He needed to allocate them before tonight.
[Stat Points Available: 2]
He thought about the party. Sophia would be there. Chad would be there. Victoria might be there. And Derek the linebacker would definitely be there if his girlfriend was inviting other men to parties.
Agility was at 5. Below average. If things went sideways with Derek, he needed to be fast. Not just strong. Fast.
And Luck was at 3. Abysmal. The fertility dice roll had shown him how important Luck was. One point in Luck could mean the difference between a quiet night and a lifetime consequence.
[Purchase: +1 Agility (Cost: 1 stat point)]
[Purchase: +1 Luck (Cost: 1 stat point)]
[Updated stats:]
[Strength: 7]
[Agility: 6]
[Stamina: 8]
[Charm: 9]
[Seduction: 5]
[Perception: 7]
[Endurance: 7]
[Luck: 4]
Better. Not great. But better. Get faster updates on g.com.
He checked his system wallet. $942. He could afford a few items for tonight. The Pheromone Cologne was already passive thanks to the skill unlock. But he could use other items.
[Level 3 System Shop items:]
[Desire Reading (Tier 1) - $200 - Allows Host to see a floating tag above any woman showing her current arousal level and what she finds attractive. Passive once unlocked.]
Wait. The daily quest reward was Desire Reading Level 1. But the shop was selling it too. He could buy it now instead of waiting for the quest reward.
If he bought it now, he’d have it for the party tonight. And when he completed the quest, the reward would convert to bonus EXP instead of a duplicate skill.
[Purchase: Desire Reading (Tier 1) - $200]
[Remaining balance: $742]
The skill activated instantly. A faint shimmer settled over his vision. When he looked at Chloe, a small tag appeared above her head.
[Chloe Vega. Arousal: 0%. Status: Anchor. Quest disabled. Attraction profile: N/A.]
Zero percent. Because she was an anchor. The system didn’t even show him her attraction profile. It just said N/A. Like she was a locked door he didn’t have the key to.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Chloe asked.
"Nothing. Just thinking."
"You look like you’re reading a text message that only you can see."
Close. Very close.
"I need to go," he said. "Party prep."
"Party prep." Chloe raised an eyebrow. "You’ve never done party prep in your life. You once showed up to a Halloween party in your work uniform and said you were dressed as a barback."
"It was meta humor."
"It was sad."
"This time will be different."
He stood up and grabbed his jacket. Chloe walked him to the door.
"Damien."
"Yeah?"
"Be careful tonight. Chad’s going to be there. And if Sophia’s boyfriend finds out she invited you, things could get ugly."
"I can handle it."
"You say that like you didn’t almost get hit with a bat yesterday."
"Almost is the key word. I didn’t get hit."
"Your confidence is terrifying."
"Thanks. I’ve been told."
He left Chloe’s apartment and walked home. The afternoon sun was warm. The streets were busy. Normal LA traffic. Normal LA noise. But everything felt different now.
Every woman he passed had a small tag floating above her head.
[Woman, 30s, jogger. Arousal: 4%. Attraction profile: Tall men, athletic builds, confident posture.]
[Woman, 20s, student. Arousal: 2%. Attraction profile: Intellectual types, good hair, sense of humor.]
[Woman, 40s, businesswoman. Arousal: 0%. Attraction profile: Power, wealth, authority.]
The world had become data. Every woman was a walking profile. Every interaction was a calculation. And every calculation led back to the same question.
Was he controlling the system or was the system controlling him?
He pushed the thought aside and focused on tonight. He had a party to prepare for. A quest to complete. And a linebacker boyfriend to avoid.
When he got home, another box was waiting at his door.
He hadn’t ordered anything. But the system had.
Inside was a black v-neck shirt that fit his torso like it was painted on. Dark jeans. A silver watch that looked expensive but had no brand name. And a small card.
[Complementary outfit for party quest. System provides one free outfit per main target quest. Additional outfits must be purchased.]
Free. The system was giving him free clothes. That meant tonight’s quest was classified as a main target quest, not just a daily quest. Sophia Russo wasn’t just fodder. She was important.
[Correction: Sophia Russo is classified as a Target Quest. Not a Main Quest. The free outfit is a Level 3 perk. Host receives one free outfit per level.]
Still. Free clothes were free clothes.
He tried everything on. The v-neck showed off his arms and chest without looking try-hard. The jeans fit perfectly. The watch added a touch of class.
He looked in the mirror and saw someone he didn’t recognize. Not the old Damien. Not yet the new Damien. Something in between. A transition. A caterpillar that was halfway out of the cocoon and hadn’t decided if the wings worked yet.
His phone buzzed. Sophia.
Sophia: Still coming tonight?
Damien: Wouldn’t miss it.
Sophia: Good. I told my friends about you. They’re curious.
Damien: Curious about what?
Sophia: About the guy who went from invisible to infamous in 24 hours.
Sophia: Also fair warning. Derek is coming. He doesn’t know I invited you. So maybe lay low at first.
Sophia: And Victoria Ashford RSVP’d. She’s bringing Chad.
[System notification: Multiple quest targets will be present at tonight’s party.]
[Primary target: Sophia Russo. Arousal: 34%. Trust: 45%.]
[Secondary presence: Victoria Ashford. Arousal: 2%. Trust: 0%.]
[Threat presence: Derek Holloway. 6’2". 240 lbs. Aggression level: Moderate when provoked.]
[Threat presence: Chad Sterling. 6’0". 190 lbs. Aggression level: Low. Social threat: High.]
A party. With the woman he needed to seduce. The woman who didn’t know he existed. The boyfriend who could crush him. And the bully who was trying to destroy his life.
[Quest timer: 6 hours until party begins.]
[System recommendation: Prepare thoroughly. This party contains multiple overlapping social dynamics that can be exploited or that can destroy Host.]
[Choose wisely.]