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[Skill-Eater] Chapter 168: Party
🕑 Added 2024-12-16 18:00:14 +0000 UTCEdge wound up being the last person to arrive. He walked through the door and into a party that was in full swing. The air was filled with music, voices, and a variety of mouthwatering aromas. Someone had bought a magtech speaker, and a memory crystal that held a few thousand songs. That was a great pick. The team could enjoy the music during the party, and in general once it was over.
He put his box of goodies into the refrigeration unit, then took a seat between Sasha and Jumo at the wooden roundtable in the middle of the living room. Violet was almost ready making dinner, and Trapper was in the back getting a few things ready.
While they waited for the women to join them, the rest of the crew enjoyed each other’s company. Everyone was thrilled to have Edge join the team, and Riller and Violet binding their cores was a monumental occasion. It was a major milestone in their lives—one that would improve their odds of surviving the ordeals to come. Not to mention, take on bigger jobs with better pay.
Blue woke up from her nap and wanted to join in the fun. She was too big to range inside, since her weight would damage the hardwood floors. Instead, Trapper opened a series of sliding panels along one wall and dragged the table outside—letting the azure dino interact with the rest of the crew. A small magtech device kept the flies away, and a mechanical fan provided a steady breeze.
Not long after, Edge found out what had been making his mouth water over the last hour. Violet was grilling up a storm in the kitchen—using some of the meat from their hunt to whip up a barbecue assortment for the party. There was steak from the garax, cutlets from the padamas, and ribs from some of the smaller beasts the crew had hunted on their way home. Violet had spiced every dish differently, and all of it looked delicious.
After setting out a fruit and vegie platter for Blue, along with some for the table, everyone picked up their silverware and started eating. The meat wound up being so rich in magicytes that it tasted almost as good as mana-seeds, only savory instead of sweet.
Edge let out a long, blissful sigh—making the most out of every bite. This was a meal cooked by someone with decades of experience. It was seasoned to perfection and grilled over flavor-rich wood. He kept right on eating until he couldn’t take another bite. At which point, Trapper went into the back and came out rolling a big barrel of beer in front of her.
“This is my private reserve. The finest I’ve ever brewed. I’ve been saving it for a special occasion.” Fierce emotions rippled across her face, and she wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes. “Everyone came back alive in the end, with the prize of a lifetime no less. I can’t think of a better time to crack her open.”
The crew’s leader poured each hunter a glass, then raised her own in a toast. “To Violet and Riller gaining their cores. May they live long and prosperous lives as they walk the path of power. To the newest member of our crew, Edge Vasher, and to our first stage-three hunt. May there be many more.” Everyone let out a cheer and then downed their drinks as one.
As Trapper had promised, the flavor was extraordinary—several rich notes playing out across his palate that he had no vocabulary to describe. Edge helped himself to another glass but was careful not to overdo it. Trapper’s reserve was potent, and he wanted to enjoy this night to its fullest. Now that they had eaten their fill and alcohol was warming their bellies, it was time for dessert. At which point, he learned what everyone had contributed to the party.
It turned out that Jumo had provided the music, Trapper the alcohol, and Violet’s contribution was preparing the feast. Riller had purchased some exotic spices that Violet had added to the meat, and Sasha had picked out a selection of Earth-imported chocolates, which must have cost a fortune now that the settlement’s supply lines had been cut off.
Edge walked into the kitchen and returned with his candies and cake, which wound up even more wonderful than the shopkeeper had implied. Both varieties of chocolate were great. The mana-seed slices lasted a long time before melting—letting everyone enjoy their flavor to the fullest. But even they paled in comparison to the culinary miracle that was the mana-berry infused cake.
The mana-seeds he’d tried in the wild had been great, but they had been raw and in their natural state. Those memorable experiences would stay with him for the rest of his life. But they couldn’t hold a candle to the heavenly flavor of a mana-berry prepared by a skill-wielding cook.
His first bite was pure, unmitigated bliss. It tasted sweet and sour. Rich, with just a hint of spice. The crew devoured the cake down to crumbs within a matter of minutes, punctuated by moans of pleasure.
Once they were done eating dessert, it was time for some more drinking while taking pleasure in each other’s company. The crew passed the daylight hours singing and talking—sharing stories and their hopes for the future.
After plying him with a fourth beer, Trapper was able to talk Edge into dancing. He was tipsy enough to put one hand on her shoulder and the other on her hip without feeling self-conscious about standing so close to such a beautiful woman.
Trapper proved to be a wonderful dancer. She was graceful and responsive to his lead. Edge had learned the basics back when he was in college. But the steps came naturally to him now, thanks to his superhuman Reflex and Control. The other hunters joined in on the fun, and soon everyone was in each other’s arms, letting loose with wild abandon.
By the third song, he was able to turn and sidestep with ease—dip and spin like he’d been dancing for years. When the track ended, they came apart with a laugh. Then everyone changed partners and suddenly, Edge found himself holding Sasha instead. Jumo adjusted the player, picking something with a slow, sultry beat.
When they started to dance, he could feel the electricity between them—a culmination of what had been building for weeks, which had only grown stronger after their first night together. Sasha’s hands on his back set his heart racing and a thrill coursing down his spine. They danced closer and lost themselves with the music—bodies entwined as they moved to the beat.
It felt so good to meet Sasha’s smoldering gaze—a promise on her lips that he yearned to explore without the others watching. They danced like that for a few more songs and then she walked out of the room. Just before she disappeared around the corner, Sasha looked him straight in the eye and then turned with a sensuous swagger.
Edge didn’t have a lot of experience with women, or men for that matter. But he was pretty sure that he was supposed to follow her, so he did. As he’d hoped, the door to her room was cracked open, and she smiled when he stepped inside.
When he closed the door behind him, Sasha threw her arms around him and drew him in for a passionate kiss. She ran her hands across his muscles—breath hot and heavy against his neck. Meanwhile, Edge’s hands were having adventures of their own.
As she reached to unfasten the buckle of his belt, he looked at her with the straightest face he could muster and said, “Just to be clear, this is a one time thing and not an open invitation. But if you’re…” Sasha cut him off with a kiss, laughed, and then pushed Edge onto the bed hard enough to make him bounce.
She activated a magtech privacy device to block the noise, then let her dress fall to the floor. “Shut up and take off your clothes.”
Edge grinned up at Sasha—drinking in her beauty while committing the moment to memory. The way that her strawberry blond hair framed her face. The sensual curves of her breasts and hips. Then she leapt on top of him to begin a night that was every bit as magical as his day.
Comments
Bryan Dickerson
Good call, I'll make the change.
Robert McCarter
> a promise on her lips that he urged to explore without the others watching The word urged here is awkward - and when I looked up a definition of it used as a verb it really doesn't fit. Yearned would be more traditional.
