Zander finally got to his modest one-bedroom apartment and collapsed onto the bed without even bothering to turn on the lights.
His body felt like it had been through hell...
Well, it had been through death, revival and even a demonic contract. And now a ridiculous mission hanging over his head like a guillotine.
"I'll deal with it after I sleep," he muttered into his pillow, his eyes already closing.
"Just... need to rest first..."
Within seconds, exhaustion dragged him under.
~~~~~~~~~
Bright sunlight streaming through the window jolted Zander awake.
His eyes flew open and he shot upright in bed, his heart pounding as he realized it was morning.
"No, no..." Zander scrambled for his phone on the nightstand, nearly dropping it as he checked the time.
It was 8:47 AM.
His stomach dropped.
As if on cue, the System interface flickered to life before his eyes, cold and unforgiving:
[TIME REMAINING: 2:13:08]
"Shit!" Zander threw off the covers and bolted to the bathroom.
He had two hours left to complete the mission or face punishment.
Zander turned on the shower, letting the cold water hit him like a slap. He needed to think of a plan on how to achieve the ridiculous mission:
"Make a stranger cum twice without touching him," he muttered, running his hands through his wet hair. "How the hell am I supposed to do that?"
He'd been a playboy his whole life, sure, but this was different. He understood that this required strategy, creativity and something beyond just showing up and looking good.
Though looking good was definitely part of it.
As the water streamed down his body, an idea began to form:
There was a hotel he used to frequent on weekends. The staff knew him there---they knew his face. And more importantly, the guests there were always... receptive, especially towards his hot body.
Since it was Saturday morning and after last night's parties, the hotel would be full of guests sleeping off hangovers. Most of them would be vulnerable, alone and horny.
He believed he would get the mission achieved there.
Zander turned off the shower and grabbed a towel, his mind racing anxiously.
"Alright, System," Zander said to the translucent screen still hovering in his vision. "Let's see if I can actually pull this off."
But even as he said it, doubt gnawed at him.
The rewards flashed across the screen again:
$2,000, Enhanced vocal seduction ability, +20 Charm Points
Zander clenched his jaw as if to tell himself that he could do this... He had to.
~~~~~~~~~
Thirty minutes later, he was dressed and heading out the door.
It was 9:17 AM when he walked through the entrance of the hotel, his hands in his pants pockets, chin and shoulders lifted confidently as usual.
The lobby was quiet. A few staff members milled about, but no one paid him much attention.
Zander took the elevator to the third floor, the floor he knew best. It was the one where the party crowd usually stayed.
As the doors opened, silence greeted him. The hallway was empty, most of the doors closed. Everyone was still sleeping.
Zander's heart pounded as he walked down the corridor, his eyes scanning the room numbers.
He needed someone alone. Someone who would respond to him...
Instinctively, his legs stopped in front of Room 302, his mind telling him this was it.
Zander took a breath, then slowly pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it onto the floor, his abs flexing as he rolled his shoulders back. He ran his hand through his hair to make it attractively messy---this was one of the simple acts that used to get him any man he wanted.
He raised his fist and knocked.
Silence first, then, he heard shuffling sounds from inside.
Zander strategically positioned himself beside the door, out of sight of the peephole. When whoever was inside opened the door, he needed them to hear his voice first.
"Room service," Zander said, his voice dropping into that low, seductive tone he'd perfected over the years.
"Very, very special room service. VIP only."
The door creaked open.
"Room service? I didn't order..." A voice came out.
Zander leaned into view, showing just his shoulder and the curve of his chest, his eyes half-lidded and inviting.
"Yeah, right. But I think you'll want what I'm offering." He muttered softly, waiting for the person to step fully into the doorway and definitely be blown away by his displayed abs.
But when the person did, the seductive smile on Zander's face froze, instantly becoming more of a gimmick.
It was an old woman. Ancient, actually. Wrinkled skin, hunched posture, and no teeth. Her gums were completely bare as she smiled up at him.
"Oh my," the woman breathed, her eyes traveling down Zander's exposed torso with disturbing enthusiasm.
"I'd absolutely love the service you've prepared for me, young man."
Zander's brain short-circuited.
"I...uh...actually, this is a mistake---"
The woman's bony hand shot out with surprising speed, grabbing Zander's wrist in a grip that was shockingly strong for someone her age.
"Don't be shy, dear. Come inside."
She started pulling him toward the room.
"NO!" Zander yelped, yanking his hand back. "I'm sorry, wrong room, I..."
He didn't finish the sentence. He turned and ran.
"Wait! We can work this out. I will pay extra if...!" the woman called after him, shuffling out into the hallway with alarming determination.
"This godforsaken System!" Zander cursed under his breath as he sprinted down the hallway, the old woman's voice echoing behind him.
His bare feet slapped against the carpet as he rounded a corner, his chest heaving.
A door appeared on his left, slightly ajar.
Without thinking, Zander shoved it open and stumbled inside, slamming it shut behind him.
He pressed one side of his face against the door, breathing hard, listening for the old woman's footsteps.
And when he couldn't hear it, he exhaled in relief.
However, the relief didn't last for a second before his eardrums picked up something...
Moaning.
His head snapped up.
On the bed directly in front of him, two women were tangled together in the most explicit position Zander had ever witnessed in real life.
One woman was sitting on the other's face, grinding down while the woman beneath had her tongue firmly latched onto her clean-shaved core. Their moans filled the room, loud and unrestrained.
Zander's jaw dropped. His brain completely shut down.
The woman on top noticed him first.
She didn't seem shocked. Instead, her eyes slowly traveled down Zander's bare, sweat-slicked chest, and a slow, wicked smile curved on her lips.
"Well, hello there," she purred, not stopping her movements. Her hips rolled in a slow circle. Then she slightly lifted her butt---not enough to detach her partner's tongue, but high enough for Zander to see the clean, wet area.
"You looking to join us, handsome?" She asked.
Zander furrowed his eyebrows first as if to process the meaning of the question then he stumbled backward, shaking his head sharply;
"Of course not!"
"Oh, come on. Don't be shy. We're very... accommodating." the woman coaxed, her voice breathy.
The woman beneath her made a muffled sound of agreement, though she still hadn't looked up.
"No!" Zander practically shouted.
He spun around, grabbed the door handle, and bolted back into the hallway, slamming the door behind him.
Laughter erupted from inside the room.
Zander stood in the hallway, chest heaving, his hands trembling.
Then, without a care in the world, the System interface flickered to life again:
[TIME REMAINING: 1:00:15]
[WARNING: MISSION FAILURE IMMINENT. COMPLETE OBJECTIVE OR FACE PUNISHMENT.]
"FUCK!" Zander screamed, not caring who heard him.
He grabbed his hair in frustration, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. One hour and some seconds was all he had left.
Would he be able to complete the mission at this rate?
"This is insane," Zander muttered, his voice breaking slightly. "How the hell am I supposed to..."
The words died in his throat as his eyes caught movement at the end of the hallway.
Room 307.
The door was closed, but something about it felt... different. He couldn't explain it. Just a pull.
Zander wiped the sweat from his forehead, squared his shoulders, and started walking toward it.
This was his last chance and he needed to try his luck.
He took a deep breath then knocked.
The door opened slowly...