elizabeth_oswald

CD Chapter Twenty-seven (Really!)

As soon as they reached the road, the players all summoned their mounts. Every player got a basic mount at the end of the tutorial, though most people quickly bought a different one or won one during a festival. Alpha’s was a chestnut mare, named Beta. Tess’ Argent was one of the broad, sturdy ponies the dwarves rode, though hers was a metallic silver. Surprisingly, Myles’ horse was a def...

CD Chapter Twenty-six

By the time Ava managed to escape the damp, clinging bodysuit, take care of business, and get into a fresh suit, it was time to meet Amanda. She bumped her hand more than once, and though she’d popped one of the pills Felicia left for her, she couldn’t help but sigh in relief as the goo surrounded her throbbing hand. She was more relaxed this time, so the transition was easier, and when she...

CD Chapter Twenty-five

As soon as the headset switched from displaying the game to displaying the interior of the VR pod, Ava saw that the blue fluid was already draining away. By the time she sat up and pushed at the lid, the sling-bed had risen to support her, and she and the pod’s interior were only slightly damp.

The hatch opened, and she grabbed the lip of the opening to pull herself out. Her right hand ...

CD Chapter Twenty-four

Alpha juggled the slippery little critter as she ran back outside. ::Am- Myles, what did you do this time?::

Myles looked up from where he was sitting on the steps of the temple, chatting with Toggle, and laughed.

“Nice! That should have happened right away, but you ticked Quezal off before he could even give it to you, so it was delayed. Probably good, since D3th-nut decided to t...

CD Chapter Twenty-three

Myles grimaced. Gesturing down at his masculine shape, he grumbled, “Could you at least use the right pronouns?”

Sighing, Alpha offered, “Mr. No-More-Secrets, then?”

Instantly, the AI perked up, grinning impishly at her. “Still don’t have time to answer, but I appreciate it!”

“What do you mean, you don’t have time?” Alpha demanded.

Myles pointed over ...

CD Chapter Twenty-two

Tanned fingers pinched the egg, dimpling its smooth surface. “What’s this?”

Alpha spun on her knees, her cloak billowing out around her with unnecessary drama. Reaching out, she curled her fingers around the other player’s hand, her sharp claws digging into his flesh and drawing blood.

She found herself staring into purple eyes wide with shock. The other player, an elf with ...

CD Chapter Twenty-one

Bloodhaven was filled with the players who didn’t want to follow the rules - written or unwritten - of the other cities in Veritas Online. Whether you tried to kill everyone you saw, regardless of the consequences, or if you preferred to steal private property without worrying about the guards, this was the place for you. Of course, money flowed as freely as blood here, and if you at...

CD Chapter Twenty

It turned out it was only an hour or so before sunset, so Alpha and Mai Ley passed the time playing paladir, which was a card game similar to poker, but with more dragons. Mai Ley’s paladir-face was better than Alpha’s, so by the time the priestess stood and declared it safe for Alpha to depart, Alpha owed her nearly eighteen gold, in spite of playing for coppers. Mai Ley held out the bowl,...

Merch!

I'm going to be heading to some conventions again this year to try to drum up sales. I'm trying to create some merch to draw people in.

"Oh, what's this?"

"Let me tell you about this character/book..."

So, which of these do you think people who haven't read LF would be interested in? At least enough to stop and chat, but even better if they buy something! I can make/order butt...

CD Chapter Nineteen

Getting into a brand new bodysuit, even with only one good hand, was a hundred times easier than getting into her old, worn-out one. No need to be careful of fragile filaments, she could just tug until it was in place. Once she was changed, Ava looked around. Amythyst had left her alone to change, and she walked over to the pod, staring at it.

The lid was open, and it was still on the hal...

CD Chapter Eighteen

When she woke, she was stiff, and she groaned as she tried to stretch. The fabric of the robe she still wore was tangled around her, and she struggled to sit up. Blearily, she glanced around, her eyes catching on what looked like a piece of paper on the bedside table. When she tried to pick it up, her fingers slid over more of the smooth, plasticky surface everything in the house was made of, t...

CD Chapter Seventeen

Everything stopped. The colors, and the patterns, and the depth of the room vanished, leaving only Amythyst - Amy - standing against a flat white background, looking shaken. Her shoulders hunched as if she’d taken a punch, and she looked down, brown hair falling into her face.

“I knew you were smart,” she murmured, finally, lifting her chin. “That’s part of why I picked...

Water's Child Chapter Five END

Dr. Rosenthal got the process started, then ran toward the column nearest his workstation. Kris watched as the column opened. The figure inside slumped to the ground as the fluid drained away, and her cheeks heated as she realized that it was a male. Staring around, Kris saw that a cabinet nearby stood open, and a corner of white cloth poked out.

Jogging over, she pulled open the door, di...

CD Chapter Sixteen

When she opened her eyes again, it was to find that the car had stopped, and Felicia was still sitting across from her, simply watching Ava sleep. Ava sat up quickly, instantly feeling her head begin to pound. Felicia instantly extended her hands. One held a clear glass cup of water, while a plain white pill rested in the palm of the other.

“Take one of these now. I’ll leave a few mor...

CD Chapter Fifteen

It took at least twice as long as it should have to wash her face and rinse the worst of the glop from her hair. When she finally stood back up, she realized that Elevator Goon must have managed to clip her as she was running by, because her left cheekbone was purple and swelling. A small cut sat right in the middle of the contusion. She prodded it carefully with her good hand, and it rewarded ...

CD Chapter Fourteen

The store was, indeed, flooded with customers that day. Club Sepia was new, hot, and, apparently, offering a two thousand dollar prize for the winner of their drag show. Several people bought dresses like the one Ava wore, and many of those upgraded to better foundation garments so the deceptively simple column of silver satin would fall correctly. Ava wondered bemusedly just how many people wo...

CD Chapter Thirteen

Ava didn’t tell her boss, Tom, that she quit. She also didn’t tell Lyle, or anyone else. Not that she talked to anyone else. But on her last break, she went and bought real steaks, a half dozen eggs, a loaf of whole grain bread, and two avocados, which she never got to eat, because they were either good or bad, but never lingered in between. Only things she could prepare and eat when she go...

LF Shorts - William's story

The sun was rising, and while William could remain in the sunlight, for a while at least, it was exceedingly unpleasant, and he preferred to avoid it when possible. It wasn’t so much the blistering of his undead flesh that he minded, but rather the memories it provoked. Absently, he rubbed at the shiny yellow ring of scar tissue encircling his left wrist. Vampires weren’t supposed to change...

Water's Child Chapter Four

She woke to find water was her reality, as well, though when she tried to thrash her way to the surface, she found that her muscles barely responded, and she only managed to move her arms and legs in weak, uncoordinated motions. The water was oddly thick, and when the red light began to shine, it seemed diffuse and distant, unlike when she had seen it from outside.

The ‘wall’ in front...

Water's Child Chapter Three

A muffled, “Come on,” was the only warning Kris got before Thal picked her up and dropped her in the hole. She made a raspy bark as she fell, and Rooney made no attempt to catch her. When she caught a glimpse of the ground rushing up at her and the man standing, smirking, to the side, she was able to twist so she took most of the force of the fall on her padded hip and bottom, rolling as sh...

CD Chapter Twelve

Ava just lifted her eyebrows, and Amythyst’s lower lip popped out into a pout. “Fine,” the GM muttered, “but don’t say I didn’t try.” She lifted a finger and pointed above her head. An image appeared there; some kind of official-looking ID, but with Ava’s face on it. Ava frowned, waiting for the explanation.

Amy bit her lip, chewing nervously, before she went on. “Look, ...