Page 112 of Bewitching Her Monsters

He gives me a shy grin and nods. “Friendship sounds nice.”

Gah. He’s killing me. Maybe one day I could get him to hug me without freezing up.

“Go get your gear. It’s adventure time,” Maxum orders.

Arran and Flint rush off to get ready.

“Do I get gear?” I ask.

“Let’s see what you are made of first,” Calder grumbles as he stomps back into the great room.

He glares at me as he sets a wooden box on their dining table. The table and the box look old and beat up, as if it were from an actual medieval tavern. Maybe they are. With these guys, anything is possible.

“Does she know what she’s getting herself into?” Calder asks Maxum.

“Not a clue,” Maxum smirks wickedly.

Ruh-roh… I think I’m biting off more than I can chew. “If this is going to be too rough for a recovering witch, I’ll manage being bored.”

Maxum snatches me by the waist and draws me to his hard body. “One, you shouldn’t beboredliving with four monsters. Especially when two of them are frenemies with benefits.” Maxum cocks his brow at me. “Two, I wouldn’t push you beyond what I know you can handle. You can do this.” He cups his large hand over my cheek in a show of comfort.

Calder announces, “We are going to the village of Caranth to capture the rogue mage.”

“Shit, I thought you said I can’t be seen?” I ask Maxum.

“We aren’t leaving.” Arran struts into the room dressed as if he were going to a Renaissance Faire as a knight.

Flint is also dressed in period clothing but with a light cloak, simple leather armor, and a lute.

What is this fuckery?

I look to Calder, and he pulls out a leather-bound book.

“We need you to pick from these races.” He hands me a sheet. “Dragonborn, dwarf, elf, gnome, halfling…,” he drones on, listing them all. “Then we will discover your strengths and attributes.” He explains, “You will roll the dice. You have some items, such as armor and weapons, as a default, but others you can buy if you have money.”

Internally, I grin and look at him like a deer caught in a monster’s gaze.

“Are you following what I’m saying?” Calder snaps.

“Yeah, I think so… If you’re done Monstersplaining me… I have a level 17 Tiefling Bard with a plus-five initiative, leather armor, a light crossbow, and a pair of daggers. Is that good enough for us to start off with?”

“Excuse me?” Calder’s eyes widen in disbelief.

Loving the shocked reaction I’m getting from all of them, I continue dramatically, “Orianna believes that freedom and compassion matter more than rules. And she’ll never explain her scars.”

Calder looks like steam might blow out of his ears. “You…play DnD?”

Arran howls with laughter as Maxum chuckles at his shock.

“It’s been a decade or so, but yeah.” I eye the guys’ outfits and their weapons. “And it looks like you guys arereallyinto it.”

Maxum waves his hand dismissively. “It rarely comes to bloodshed.”

“Rarely!” I step back. “I think this game is too rich for my blood. Literally.”

“We won’t attack you,” Maxum coos in my ear and sets his hand on my lower back. “Well, I might with my cock. I’m so hard for you right now. You are too perfect.”

I chuckle. “How long have you been playing? And I’m assuming Calder’s the dungeon master?”

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