Tired, injured, and fighting the sed-stro monster of her life—the first being that juggernaut of Greed—it wasn't surprising they lost the round. Vaa had surely known it would happen going in.

  Natalie had never died before. Obviously. And she didn't die now—not really. But she was cleaved in half by a giant bck-metal sword, and that was, well, a bit traumatizing, even by a delver's standards.

  The world flickered, went dark, and theumbled forward, suddenly on her feet again and feeling—

  Great?

  She whirled in a circle, looking at the empty arena. She saw Vaa standing to her side, also re-materialized, seeming bewildered. She had fallen first betweewo of them, even if she hadn't died and ehe enter. Just been knocked out. Left alone, Natalie hadn't stood a ce.

  Natalie looked down at herself, rubbing the expanse of exposed midriff that held no scar and was—not severed in two anymore. She shuddered, briefly, before putting that experience firmly out of her mind. No delver was a strao violence, blood, and gore, but being cut in half? Not something she particurly enjoyed. At least the Arena hadn't forced her to bleed out before ending the fight.

  "Damn," Vaa said. "That's my fault. I didn't see—" She sighed. "I was hoping we'd at least trade."

  Trade? As in, the enemy dying along with one of them? That would have pleted the round and given them rewards for doing so, so it would have been nice.

  But that firmed Vaa had been expeg to lose, with a draw as their best case. Which meant she really had inteo pay out the stake?

  Vaa saw Natalie's look, then colored, realizing the obvious dedu Natalie had made. She cleared her throat, then pstered on a nont expression.

  "That's how it goes, I guess. Maybe we should've just withdrawn, like you said."

  Natalie raised an eyebrow at her, but didn't ent. Something else drew their attention anyway. Two stone pilrs, simir to the ones holding stake-choices, rose from the hard-packed dirt floor.

  They held …

  What was expected. Two toys. One a solid der of gel-like pink, and another, more transparent, though tihe same color and hollow rather than solid.

  A dildo and a pocket pussy. A hell of a thing to see, randomly sprouting from an arena.

  "So we just pick? One or the other?" Vaa asked.

  It was disorienting to go from fighting for her life to this. It also, oddly enough, enhahe excitement? There was nothing quite like lethal bat to get the blood pumping. She was ready to vent her adrenalihough Natalie would've beeed no matter the circumstances.

  "Could be that we pie, and the other disappears," Natalie said. "Log us in. Both might stick around though, and the City just waits until the dition is filled."

  "The dition," Vaa said ftly.

  Natalie shrugged.

  Vaa cleared her throat. "Well," she said. "I guess I'll just—?" She walked toward the pocket-pussy pedestal, giving her an uionally wide-eyed, nervous look.

  There was something unbelievably endearing about one of the best [Assassins] she'd ever seen seeming so timid. She'd watched this woman rip through equal-level threats like paper, a blur of fshing steel and sprays of blood. Calm and reserved throughout, even the most brutal fights not breaking her demeanor.

  But now? Wide-eyed and blushing? At just the suggestion of what was ing?

  Look. Natalie had a type. Well, lots of types, but this was definitely one.

  "You also ge your mind," Natalie said, lips twitg. "I could be the one who takes care of you, if you want."

  Vaa froze solid. Then she jerkily returo motion. "If you're okay with it, I'd prefer—?" She reached out toward the pocket pussy.

  "Sure." She wasn't surprised Vaa would rather give than receive. Probably, she was a virgin. Maybe? Natalie wasn't certain about that, but she did have a det read on such things, and she gave much better than even odds on Vaa's inexperience.

  Vaa's hand ed around the pocket pussy, and sure enough, the other pilr shuddered and sank down, removing the other option.

  "Ew," the rogue said, holding the toy out from her and wrinkling her nose. "It's slimy."

  "Pre-lubricated?" Natalie asked. "That's good."

  Secretly, she had supplies stored away. Not just lube, but also that useful ing material they'd earned in a previous delve. But it would be awkward to reveal it. ing prepared for sex wheering the dungeon with strangers was … she didn't o eborate on why she'd rather not.

  Even just holding the pocket pussy, which was indeed glistening with a yer of probably supernaturally effective lubrit, Vaa was blushing furiously. She ied the item from a few different angles, peeking ihe hole.

  "It's bumpy. Is that normal?"

  "Probably. Texture is niot that I know if it's normal."

  "You don't?"

  "I don't oys. I have—" She cleared her throat. Maybe that was a bit crude to say.

  Dryly, Vaa fihe thought for her. "Firlfriends to take care of it."

  "They're not my girlfriends."

  "Sex friends?"

  Damn. She guessed? 'Sex friend' wasn't the word that came to mind whehought of any of her teammates. Sammy and Camille, maybe, but evehe term just felt a little … degrading? They were friends who had sex, yes, but—this thought probably didn't lead anywhere.

  "Whatever," Natalie said. "Sort of. Not really. But yeah, I don't oys. I definitely don't own one of those." She gestured at the pocket-pussy.

  "Mm," Vaa said. She was obviously trying to keep her posure. Trying to act like this situation was normal. She avoided Natalie's eyes and instead kept iing the toy. Pying around with it, tugging the hole open and stig a finger io feel at the bumps there. "This is a really weird delve."

  Natalie couldn't help but ugh at that. "Wele to my life."

  Finally, Vaa brought her gaze up. She visibly braced herself. "So. I guess we have to … yeah. Do this. So … ?"

  Natalie tried not to smile. There was something way too cute about Vaa's nervousness. She doubted this girl was anxious in any other text except this. Something stirred in Natalie's chest, and her lips turned up as she strode over to Vaa. The dark-haired girl froze, sensing the predatory approaot moving a muscle until Natalie was standio her, looming with the height difference.

  "Standing or sitting?" she murmured, hands settling on Vaa's hips. "Up to you."

  Vaa swallowed. She let out a shuddering breath. "S-Sitting would be easier."

  Natalie obeyed. She sat, then fiddled with the strings that tied her skimpy armor to her. Her bra came off first, and she tossed it to the side. Vaa's eyes went wide.

  "T-That's not necessary, is it?"

  "Oh. Should I put it ba?"

  "I'm not saying— Just— we only needed—" Vaa abruptly sat down. "Uh, never mind."

  Natalie peeled off her lower piece of armor , finally freeing the ag prisohat had been fined ihe firm material. Obviously, she was well and fully hard already. But trapped, it hadn't been able thten out. Now it did. Ten inches of girlcock stood at attentioween Natalie's legs, revealing her not-so-secret secret to the irl, who had, adorably, frozen solid again.

  "I'm in your care," Natalie murmured. "Treat me right, yeah?"