"Your heart's still racing," Sera teased with a playful chuckle. "Scared? Excited?"
"Both," Judas admitted, before his brain could veto the thought.
Her smile turned mischievous. "Good answer." She glanced around at the frozen casino. "But we should probably leave before reality catches up. Come on."
She intertwined her fingers through his, causing a warm sensation to travel up his arm.
"What about everyone here?" Judas gestured at the other gamblers frozen in time.
"The system will clean it up." Sera pulled him toward the exit. "Reality's flexible when you're a player. Trust me."
Trust. Right.
But his legs moved anyway. He followed her through a maze of human statues toward the dark-tinted glass doors. The world glitched again like a television losing signal. Noise rushed into his ears with a pop.
He could hear the clatter of chips and the clinking of glasses. The smell of cheap floor wax returned. Behind them, the casino resumed like someone had hit play on a paused video. No one had noticed a thing.
"See?" Sera glanced back at him, her purple hair catching the neon glow of the Vegas strip. "Easy."
"Terrifying is a better word."
She laughed and tugged on his hand.
The Vegas strip at 2 a.m. was its own kind of chaos. Tourists stumbling between casinos, street performers working for tips, the ever-present smell of cigarettes and desperation. Normally, Judas would never feel more at home.
Not tonight.
Every head they passed turned, and Judas couldn't blame them. The black lace top Sera wore was a masterpiece of engineering. The deep V of the neckline curved low enough to reveal the pale, soft swells of her chest. With every step she took, the fabric shifted and strained. Her breasts bounced with each movement in a way that made his brain supply exactly one thought on repeat:
Don't stare. Don't stare. Don't stare.
He stared.
So did everyone else.
A guy in a Dodgers cap nearly walked into a lamp post. A group of college kids stopped mid-sentence to gawk with mouths hanging open. Even the women on the sidewalk did double-takes, their eyes darting between Sera's impossible curves and Judas's wrinkled hoodie.
"You're causing a scene," Judas muttered, leaning closer to her.
"I'm walking." Sera's smile was pure innocence. "Not my fault people have eyes."
"You're wearing," He pointed at her chest. "...that. It's barely holding on."
"You don't like it?" She looked down at her clothes and then back at him through her lashes. "I can change if it bothers you. I could go with nothing at all."
"That's not the issue!" He dragged his hand through his hair. "I like it too much. Everyone does. It's distracting."
This was absurd. He was a professional nobody walking the strip with a woman who looked like a literal goddess of lust. And she was holding his hand like she was proud of it.
"Relax," Sera said. She squeezed his fingers. "You're so tense. Anyone would think you've never walked with a beautiful woman before."
"I haven't," he confessed.
She stopped walking, causing Judas to nearly trip on his own feet.
Sera turned to face him fully, her blue eyes studying him with intensity. "You're attractive and quite tall. Is it your life decisions, Judas? Or are you just bad with women?"
His neck went hot. "I just don't trust them…"
"Ah." She sighed as if solving a puzzle. "You're a virgin. The system doesn't lie."
He pulled his hand free and shoved both into his pockets. "That's seriously none of your business."
"Actually, it's very much my business." Sera stepped closer to him. "I'm bonded to you. I know everything. Twenty-four years old. Never had a girlfriend past tenth grade. Never even been kissed properly."
"Stop." His voice came out rough and uncertain.
"Why?" She reached up and traced the line of his jaw with a soft finger. "Embarassed? Don't be. I think it's… cute."
"Stop messing with me." He replied sternly, turning to walk in the opposite direction. "I'm leaving."
Her hand caught his wrist. The grip wasn't hard, but he stopped anyway.
"Judas, wait." Her voice softened. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you so quickly. It's just that you're my first assignment." She sighed and her thumb rubbed small circles on the inside of his wrist.
"The system paired us for a reason. You and me. The unluckiest gambler in Vegas and a guide designed to be exactly what you need." She looked at him, her bold eyes softer than before. " That includes being patient until you catch up."
He looked back at her. "Patient with what?"
"With you figuring this out. The game. The bond. Me." Her eyes gleamed in the neon light. "I promise I'll try to behave. Mostly."
"Those might have been the first genuine words you've said all night."
"Already teasing me." She released his wrist and winced while shifting her weight. "Ugh. These stupid heels. The system materialized me in 'prize mode' which apparently includes footwear designed by sadists."
"So take them off."
"And walk barefoot on this filth?" She wrinkled her nose.
Judas almost laughed despite the insanity. "So what do you want me to do?"
"Well, you could carry me." She stepped closer until her chest brushed his arm. "Or we could skip the walking part entirely."
[SAFE ZONE PROTOCOLS ACTIVATED]
[TRANSPORTING TO PLAYER RESIDENCE...]
The neon signs and car headlights bent inward like a tunnel. Judas grabbed her arm on instinct as his stomach lurched. Then, solid ground. Dim lighting. The smell of old pizza and cheap cologne.
His apartment.
"What the hell—" He spun around.
Sera was leaning against his kitchen counter. She was barefoot now. The lace top was gone, replaced by a loose black hoodie that was far too large for her.
It hung off one shoulder, revealing a glimpse of a black bra strap and smooth skin. Below the hoodie, she wore bright pink sweats that hugged the curve of her hips and thighs.
"Did I pass out?"
"You teleported," she corrected. "Completely different thing. Way cooler.
"You teleported us to my apartment."
"This is your safe zone. You can teleport here anytime." She glanced around and pursed her lips. "Though calling this a safe zone is generous. When's the last time you cleaned, Judas?"
"How did you even know where I live?"
"The system dumps all the invasive crap on me. Address, routine, credit score..." Her lips curved. "Browser history."
Heat flooded his face. "You can't just—"
"Relax." She dropped onto his couch with zero ceremony. The sweatpants stretched tight over her rear as she settled in. She stretched her arms above her head. The movement pulled the hoodie upward, exposing a sliver of her flat, toned stomach. "I don't actually care about your late-night habits. Though you should probably use incognito mode."
"Get out."
"No." She patted the cushion next to her. "Sit. I'm not going to bite you. Unless you're into that."
Judas stayed where he was. "I have a midterm in four hours."
"You need to understand the game, or you'll be dead before you can fail your test. Sit. Down."
The sudden authority in her voice made him move. He crossed the room and dropped onto the far end of the couch. Sera shifted immediately. She angled toward him and draped one arm over the back of the sofa. She was close enough that he could smell the vanilla scent on her skin.
"Eyes up here, gambler."
His gaze snapped to her face. She was smirking.
"I wasn't..."
"You were." She leaned closer, invading his space. "I'm designed to be distracting. It's part of the whole 'prize' thing. But you need to focus. Rule one: You play, or you die. The moment you pulled that lever, you were in."
"Great start."
"Rule two: Every jackpot comes with a quest. Complete the quest, claim your reward. Fail, and the penalties are... messy."
"Define messy."
"You'll see. Rule three: I'm your guide. I stay close. Proximity keeps the bond strong and keeps you alive." She reached out and brushed her fingers against his jaw. "So get used to seeing me. A lot."
His breath caught. "How close?"
"However close it needs to be." Her thumb traced his bottom lip. Judas forgot how to think. "Could be standing next to you in class. Could be sitting on your couch at 3 a.m. Could be pressed against you in your bed, making sure the bond stays intact."
"That's not necessary."
"Isn't it?" Sera's hand slid down to rest against his chest, right over his thumping heart. "I can feel everything you're feeling right now, Judas. The confusion. The fear." Her other hand found his knee. Her fingers spread against the fabric of his pants. "The want."
"Stop." But his voice wasn't convincing.
Sera's eyes darkened. She traced the hem of his pants with precise gentleness. "I could. If you really wanted me to. Do you?"
No.
He didn't want her to stop.
He hated how a part of him leaned into her touch, like his body had already made up its mind without asking him.
"I need time," he managed to say. "To process."
Sera studied him for a long moment then nodded. "Fair." She pulled back and settled against the opposite arm of the couch. "You've got until tomorrow. Then the first quest activates."
"Quest?"
"Yes. And trust me, you're going to need all your luck for this one."
She stood up and stretched. The hoodie rode up her thighs, flashing a glimpse of the pink fabric of her sweats and the curve of her hip. She headed for his bedroom door.
"Wait. Where are you going?"
"Giving you 'space' to process." She looked back over her shoulder. "But I'm your guide. I go where you go."
The door closed. Judas stood in the silence.
At 4:23 AM, purple light flashed again. Sera materialized in the living room wearing one of his old, oversized t-shirts. It reached mid-thigh, acting as a short dress. She looked comfortable and dangerously domestic.
"Couldn't stay away," she announced, dropping back onto the couch. "Also, I cleaned. You're welcome."
The pizza boxes were gone. The laundry was folded. The apartment actually smelled clean.
"How did you—"
"Magic." She stretched out arching her back. "Stop staring and go to sleep. You look like death. I'll keep watch."
He wanted to argue. He really did. But exhaustion won. With her humming softly on the couch, Judas finally slept.