C.U.C.K.E.D H.E.R.O Ch:12

The cool morning air washed over me as the rising sun blanketed the camp-site with its warmth.

Myla was sitting by the smouldering campfire, cooking up some eggs that she'd foraged earlier for breakfast. Sandor was already packing up camp, ever eager to keep moving forward.

I couldn't help but be entranced by the beauty of our surroundings. The flowing hills. The dazzling explosion of colour of sunrise. The earthy smell of the fire, the floral scent carried on the wind, the…

Oh god, what was that smell?

“Sup dudes.”

I turned around to see Vance and Hailey leaving their tent. Vance looked pale, but at least he was walking now. Hailey somehow looked even worse than he did. Her golden hair was all frazzled, and her body was drenched in sweat. Sweat that made the thin fabric slices she had for clothes cling to her skin. Form fitting around her buxom chest, and gripping to every contour between her legs…

“Breakfast smells great!” Vance continued, walking over to the fire.

“Glad ya think so hun!” Myla said. “You'll need the protein in you if ya want to feel better.”

“Morning babe.” I said to Hailey as she sat down beside me. “Hungry?”

“Oh don't worry about her.” Bance looked back at me with his stupid smug grin that had transcended worlds. “Your girl's already had her dose of protein this morning.”

“Oh, you ate already?”

“Uhh… yeah… I'm full…” As soon as Hailey opened her mouth that pungent smell seared my senses again.

“Oh, God.” I didn't want to embarrass her by holding my nose shut. But the smell really was awful. “Are you sure whatever you ate was okay to eat?”

“It was freshly squeezed.” Vance chimed in again. “A Succ-ulent meal for the fine lady.”

I didn't have the brainpower to deal with Vance in the morning. Even while he was poisoned and slowly dying he still made stupid jokes I couldn't understand.

“Don't worry about him.” Hailey put her hand on my shoulder. Stopping me from getting too riled up. She was always there to take care of me.

“Did you sleep well?” I asked her.

“Uhh… kind of…” Hailey turned away to look at the ground. With the way she was covered in sweat, it was obvious she didn't sleep well.

Hopefully that was just from the pressure of having to take care of Vance, and not because she was coming down with something.

“It must have been hard. Taking care of Vance all night.” I put my arm around her. Hugging her from the side. “You did a great job though. Too good even. I could have gone one more day with Vance in too much pain to speak.”

Hailey laughed at my joke and my heart warmed. Seeing her smile made everything we'd been through worth it.

It also gave me a chance to glimpse into her mouth. To see the few drops of white cream that stuck around inside her. That explained things. She must have had some leftovers of that Goblin dessert, it would explain the smell and maybe even the sweating. I doubted that Goblin food preserved well.

“Right, let's get moving then!” I stood up, holding out my hand for Hailey. “We've got a big day to get through.”

She took my hand and I pulled her into my arms, kissing her as we embraced. That salty, almost musky taste was still on her lips. Conformation for me on what she had been stuffing her face with earlier. It didn't matter, I kissed her anyways. One strange taste wasn't enough to stop me from showing my girlfriend how much I loved her.

“And maybe… maybe tonight will be a big night as well?” I whispered into her ear.

Last night had been bad timing, but tonight would be different.

Tonight I'd make sure Hailey slept well.

***********

“This is the place?”

Tucked away in a dark corner, in a part of town that was far more rundown than the center was. There was an unmarked wooden door on the side of a brick building. With nothing noticeable about it except for its remarkable lack of notiability.

“Those who know, know. Ya know?” Myla chirped. Leading us down the muddy back alley. She knocked four times in a rhythmic pattern and a moment later we could hear the click of the door unlocking.

Stepping into the dimly lit establishment we were greeted by the glare of a bald man with one eye. His massive body towering over us as he wordlessly gestured for us to enter.

The layout of the interior was surprisingly familiar, rows of shelves cresting aisles and surrounding the walls. Filled with potions of all shapes and sizes. Some looked like they were filled with glitter, others glowed and one of the larger ones had perfectly preserved eyes floating inside it. But despite the oddness of the merchandise, it felt almost modern.

“Welcum welcum!” A hooded figure shouted as they stepped out from beyond a counter. “To Maximus's shoppe for alchemical supplies and exotic delights!”

As the man drew closer, I got a better look at him. An older human as far as I could tell, on the larger side. With a voice that made me think this word had some equivalent to cigarettes.

“I'm Maximus, but you can just call me Max.” He gave a quick bow, and then dashed over to Hailey in the blink of an eye.

“And who might you be madam?” He cooked. Running his wrinkled hands over Hailey’s exposed skin. “I don't think I've even seen a specimen quite this fine.”

“Ehem.” Myla exclaimed.

“Myla! My sweet dear!” Maximus let go of Hailey and shuffled over to Myla. “So good to see you. Come to work in the back room ehh?”

“N-no… not today.” Myla cleared her throat. “We need an antidote for a Goblin poison.”

She gestured over to me and Vance. Halfway home he'd collapsed again, forcing us to carry him the rest of the way. With Sandor waiting back at the inn to get paid, that left me on carrying duty.

“Ahhh, yes I see.” Maximus rushed over to me. Grabbing hold of my face and forcing my eyelids open. “Oh my word, you look dreadful. The poison is just destroying your completion”

“What? No! Clearly he's the one that's been poisoned!” I flopped the unconscious Vance around to show him.

“Hmmm… are you sure?” I stared blankly into his eyes. “Very well. Let's get a look at him.”

“Hmmm yes… it's advancing quite far indeed.” The man poked and prodded Vance. Looking at his eyes, in his mouth and even in his ear. “Do you know what poison was used? Or have a sample?”

“No.” I admitted. “We just know that it was used by Goblins.”

“Hmmmm yes I see… a shame. Shame for you, that is. The more general the antidote the more expensive it'll be… one moment if you would.”

Maximus shuffled back behind the counter and into a back room, leaving us alone to browse.

“These are so weird.” Hailey was bending over, reading one of the potion labels. “I can barely read the handwriting. Are these side effects? The list is long…”

“Hey, is it alright if I skip out now? I've got a couple errands to run.” Myla said. “Y'all can keep my share to help pay for this, just pay me back with a couple good stories later!”

“Yeah, no problem.” I said to Myla while my attention was elsewhere. The one eyed bouncer at the door was staring at Hailey’s ass. Licking his fat lips as he watched her sway while she read the potion descriptions.

Being the gentleman I was, I stepped behind her to block his view. I wasn't suicidal enough to say anything to his face.

“...so you'll be okay?” Myla finished her sentence and I realised I hadn't been paying attention.

“Yeah yeah of course…” I tried to sound like I had been listening. “And thank you, for everything.”

“T’was my pleasure!” Myla gave a dramatic bow. Heading out of the store.

“Ohh, look at this one! I think it's like a birth control thing. A fertility blocker… or is that enhancer?” Hailey kept moving around, her chest bouncing and threatening to flash the bouncer at any moment.

“Hey, what's over in this corner?” I took her hand and moved her over to the far corner that was bathed in a pink light. It was a fancier display with items locked behind glass. Items that I hadn't expected to ever see again…

“Is that a dildo?” Hailey was as shocked as I was. The shelf was filled with sex toys of every shape and size. From the normal human looking ones to the oversized novelty toys that nobody actually used. But I guess in this world, some of the larger races might actually be able to.

“Yeah… they look just like-” A smaller item caught my eye and made me shiver. “Is that a condom? Like, an actual condom?”

This was beyond coincidence. In front of me was an actual condom. The exact generic type that they handed out in health class. These… these had to have come from our world.

“Ahhh, interested in that sort of thing as well. Hmmmm?” Maximus was standing right behind us. “We have a reading room as well if you're looking for a bit of fun. Just one hundred gold to enter.”

“What. No, just the antidote please. Right Hailey?”

Hailey’s eyes were glued to the display. The revelation hitting her even harder than it had for me.

“But, umm… where did you get this stuff? If I can ask…” I had to know who gave him this stuff. Whoever it was had some connection to our world. Maybe they had a way to travel between them?

“My supplier comes from Avantis.” Maximus said. Expecting me to know where that was. “And that's as much as I'll say. Wouldn't want you setting up your own shop with eye candy as nice as her.”

Hailey ignored the comment. Transfixed by the various kinds of dildos. It was so weird seeing something so familiar in this world.

“Well thanks.” I was happy enough to have our search narrowed down to one town or city. “So, how much do we owe you for the potion?”

“That would be, five hundred gold.”

“Five hundred!” Was that a lot? It sounded like a lot. Even with Myla's share we'd barely be able to cover the cost.

“The price is the price.” He said plainly. “I don't haggle.”

“Fine. We can pay, but I need to hand in a quest first to get the money.” God this was annoying. We'd wasted all that time, nearly got killed and it was basically all for nothing.

As I went to grab the green bottle from Maximus's hand, he pulled it back.

“Ahh, ahh ahhhh. Payment up front please. It's not that I don't trust you, but… I don't trust you.”

“Come on, he's suffering! Myla vouches for us, we're good for it.” As annoying as Vance was, I didn't actually want him to suffer. That's why we came here before getting the money in the first place.

“Hmmmm… I suppose…” Maximus licked his lips as he mulled it over. “I suppose, if the lady stayed behind as collateral… then I suppose I could administer the antidote now…”

Use Hailey as collateral? The wording there was super creepy, but I guess he just wanted one of us to stay behind to make sure the other would come back.

I knew why the old perv wanted it to be Hailey of course, but maybe that could work in our favour? If she could use her charm to get him talking, then we might find out more about his supplier.

“You've got a deal!”

“Umm, are you sure? Didn't Myla say…” Hailey stopped herself and took a deep gulp. A smile grew on her face and she tried to hide it. She must have realised what my plan was, and wanted to play it cool. “Yeah… y-yeah that's a good idea…”

“I'll be right back!” I told Hailey, flashing her a wink. “Don't have too much fun without me.”

“We'll see you soon.” Maximus smiled at me. Then walked next to Hailey and put his arm around her while gesturing at the display. “Interested honey? The little ones start at three hundred gold, but you look like a woman that needs something more. You know, if money's an issue, the back room…”

Maximus' voice faded as I rushed out of the shop. Making my way back to the inn so we could get paid. Leaving Hailey with a creep like that felt wrong, but we needed any information we could get. Besides, I'd be back before anything could happen. Sandor was there and ready, the quest fully completed.

How long could it take?