Master of Plagues, D. B. Reynolds [best books to read fiction .txt] 📗

/> He stretched the skin under his neck. He clenched his teeth and bravely said, “Laura, I’m still a virgin.”
“So,” she replied, her mannerism rather calm.
“You’re not shocked or anything?”
“Why would I be? You and I have more in common than just being Jewish. Let’s both look on the bright side. Neither of us have ever had any sexually-transmitted diseases nor a lotta unwanted, illegitimate children running around. There’s something positive to have come out of the both of us being virgins.”
No sexually-transmitted diseases? No unwanted children? Wasn’t life sweet for them both?
How proud Stuart felt to hear Laura express such profound sentiments. Listening to her proclaim positive pointers about their virginity had him feeling like he’d reunited with an old friend.
“How old are you, Stuart?”
“Thirty-one. How old are you?”
“Thirty, close to being thirty-one myself.”
Stuart buried his head inside Laura’s chest. “There’s something else I want to tell you.”
“Go ahead and tell me.”
“I’ve never told anybody this in my whole life.”
“You can tell me.”
Stuart lifted his head and spoke softly into Laura’s ear. “Two weeks before I graduated from NYU, a group of eight of my college classmates pulled a devastating prank on me. These eight pranksters lured me to a rundown motel in the South Bronx where they had everything planned out. When I got inside the room, they supposedly had a gorgeous woman for me under some covers in the bed. The music and psychedelic lights had me thinking that I was going to have a good time. A sexy seductive voice made me believe that these egomaniacal eight were serious about getting me laid right before graduation. Anyway, I went over to the bed and pulled the covers back. Underneath, there was a mechanical sex doll covered in thousands of maggots.”
“Errrrrrrrrh!” Laura abominated. “How disgusting!”
“The lights were turned on and one of the eight dumped more maggots on top of my head. Then, I slipped and fell from this slimy compound another one of my classmates poured on the floor. Those people, they laughed right in my face. They left me in that room crying my eyes right out of the socket.”
Laura turned Stuart’s head to where they looked face-to-face. “Sounds like they played on the fact that you were a guy who wanted to break his virginity before graduating from college. Trust me, all eight of them will pay for what they did to you.”
“They’re already paying for it,” Stuart validated, knowing he possessed powers to make all eight of their lives a living hell.
“How about we both make this night a special one.”
“What’d you have in mind?”
“This’ll be a night to remember. Let’s share this night together.”
“Can both of our virginity’s be broken?”
“Sure, why not?”
Stuart and Laura locked lips for one hot passionate kiss. Soft music continued playing through the surround sound speakers. The lights went even lower. They left the expansive front room of the penthouse suite and ventured off into the deluxe bedroom. Stuart closed the doors so he and Laura could finish out the most important night of their lives.


CHAPTER—31

FROM SOUTHWEST TO MIDWEST

A romantic night spent at The Bellagio Hotel Casino in Las Vegas became the most monumental milestone of Stuart’s life. Losing his virginity to Laura Rivenburg gave him an ego the size of Mount Everest. In the course of their evening’s rendezvous, she also lost her virginity to Stuart. The moon and stars appeared brighter than ever in the nighttime skies. New chapters began in their lives the night they made love.
Stuart exchanged cell phone numbers with Laura. Both promised they’d stay in touch. She’d been given grand assurance that she wasn’t some woman he used at his disposal for a one night stand. Laura returned to New Jersey while Stuart flew halfway around the United States to the windy city of Chicago, Illinois. The late summer weather in Chicago claimed hot temperatures with unmerciful humidity.
Taking up residency inside a royal suite at the Four Seasons Chicago served the temporary needs of Stuart. He didn’t worry about any of the luxury hotels burning a hole in his bank account. The money was there for him to spend. His businesses back in New York did exceptionally well. The Duffelmeyer wealth had him wanting for nothing. After going for a swim in the fifty foot indoor pool, and then spoiling himself with a rubies and Perle de Caviar spa treatment, Stuart returned to his room for a relaxing afternoon.
He looked out the window from the forty-sixth floor of his luxurious royal suite and was fascinated with the breathtaking view of the Chicago skyline. There they were, some of the architectural marvels of the windy city. The Sears Tower, Chicago Board of Trade, AT&T Corporate Center, Kluczynski Federal Center, CNA Plaza, and Chase Tower, they all towered high into the skies. Compared to the giant skyscrapers in Manhattan, Stuart appreciated the beautifully-designed buildings dominating the skyline.
Like the other upscale hotels he’d stayed at in other cities, the Four Seasons provided all the amenities he relished. At his disposal, were a dining room set which seated eight, three full marble bathrooms with deep soaking Jacuzzi tubs, surround sound stereo systems, full kitchen with marble countertops, and a refrigerated private bar. Stuart left thousands of dollars behind in every major city he traveled to. He also left behind the vengeful tactics he sought against the egomaniacal eight.
Upon meeting Laura Rivenburg, not knowing he’d eventually break his virginity, there were unquestionably no regrets. The Chicago skies were sunny and clear. The temperature held steady at one-hundred and five degrees with high humidity. Stuart blasted the central air conditioning in his room to frosty cold temperatures. No way was he going to challenge the sweltering Chicago heat. The cell phone in his black travel bag rung with his favorite ring tone.
“Stuart here,” he answered, looking out the window while admiring the Chicago skyline.
“Son?” replied Harry Duffelmeyer, a crackling in his aged voice.
“Dad?”
“Stuart, where are you, son?”
“I’m here in Chicago, dad.”
“Chicago?” Harry questioned his son, his worrying voice simmering through the phone. “What’re you doing, becoming this traveling from state-to-state, from city-to-city type of guy?”
“No, just taking care of some more business, dad.”
“What’s going on in Chicago?”
Stuart took a second to think of a believable lie. “Well, dad, Chicago’s hosting a big pet symposium all this week.”
“Weren’t you at pet symposiums in other cities?”
“Yes, I was.”
“Weren’t you in Las Vegas before going to Chicago?”
“Yes.”
“Wasn’t it Los Angeles before Las Vegas?”
“Los Angeles it was, dad.”
“Stuart, my son, just be careful traveling to all these big cities around the country.”
“I can handle myself.”
“Remember what your mother and I always told you?”
“Always be aware of your surroundings?”
“Always, son.”
“Crazier things go on in bigger cities.”
“Big or small, crazy people are everywhere.”
“Didn’t you hear about the weird and psychotic crap happening in Los Angeles?”
“What weird and psychotic crap?”
“In Los Angeles, some down home Southern preacher guy, he claims that he and his church members were attacked by bunch of giant sharks flying across dry land. These religious morons claimed that these sharks could talk and dumped gallons of water down onto a burning building that they set fire to.”
Stuart knew exactly what his father was talking about. Again, he was the one who requested powers activated by the Universe to make such an incident happen.
“Dad, crazy stories pop up all the time in the news. People are insane and out of their minds.”
“How’re your pet shops and veterinary clinics doing back in New York?”
“Good, dad, real good.”
“Listen, Stuart, I’d like to ask a big favor of you.”
“Anything for my pops.”
“Can you help manage some property in New York that your mother and I are thinking about purchasing?”
“When things slow down, I’d love to oversee some New York property for you and mom.”
“Sebastian Plettenberg has already agreed to help manage some property we’re looking at in Manhattan and Brooklyn.”
“Great,” Stuart congratulated, still dazing out at the Chicago skyline.
“If I can’t depend on my own son, then I can’t depend on nobody.”
Stuart heard the signal on his cell phone that someone else was trying to call in. “Dad, I’ve got another call. Can I call you later this evening?”
“Sure, son.”
Stuart clicked over and his blood froze from joy. “Laura, is this you?”
“Who else would it be, Stuart?” Laura teased, her voice longing to hear Stuart’s sexy voice.
“Gee, it’s good to hear from you.”
“Our night in your penthouse suite at The Bellagio was one for both of us to remember.”
“Must agree, beautiful.”
“Who were you talking to at the other end?”
“Just my dad. He wanted to talk about me managing some property that he and my mom were thinking about purchasing in New York.”
“Don’t they already own a lotta property?”
“A lot is never enough for them. How was your trip back to Jersey?”
“Safe and sound. When are we going to see one another again?”
“After I leave Chicago, I’ll have a couple’a more places in the states to go to.”
“I forget, you’re the chartered traveling man.”
“Business is business, gorgeous lady. I should be back in New York before