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Addie gripped my arm, her knuckles white. “I love you,” she whispered fiercely. “And I hate you for leaving me.”
“I love you too. I’m sorry.” I pulled away before I could change my mind. “Stay positive. Maybe I’ll see you in the morning.”
The front door of the house opened, and a man emerged from the dark depths. His silhouette blended with the shadows, creating a menacing figure clad in a long, midnight black jacket that rippled with every movement. As he stepped into the glow of the surrounding red lanterns, the stern visage of Gustav Valorsyn, supernatural boss of the city, came into focus.
The crowd fell into a hushed silence. Gustav’s voice, rich and resonant, pierced the stillness. “Good evening, everyone. Tonight marks the third installment of the Devil’s Delirium, a test of brains and brawn, a chance for one brave soul to seize glory and emerge the crowned Beast of Blood Moon.”
As he spoke, the atmosphere crackled with energy, inky shapes shuttering across his impassive face. Valorsyn was a harsh, inconsistent leader, inspiring a fear-based respect that had us all constantly watching our backs.
“Silence!” Valorsyn demanded as the crowd stirred restlessly. “The first rule of Devil’s Delirium is... there are no rules! Stay alive, and may the gods smile on you until you’re the last one standing.”
I searched the crowd of contestants as they lined up and nearly jumped out of my skin when I caught Ivan’s eye. He was glaring up at me with his head down like Pennywise. The terror inside was like a hurricane, threatening to overwhelm me, but I couldn’t let it win. Ivan could not be allowed to freely collect all the power he would undoubtedly get just from walking around inside that house.
As we stood shoulder to shoulder, I braced myself for whatever fate awaited. The massive doors of the mansion creaked open, revealing a yawning hollow beyond. My skin crawled as Gustav’s final words echoed behind us:
“Once you’re inside, there is no getting out again until the end. Make sure you’re prepared to do everything necessary to stand victorious.”
I stepped forward into the unknown, the house seeming to swallow us whole as the doors slammed shut behind us.
Chapter Sixteen: Dance with Darkness
Tess
As we entered thefoyer, the air grew thick and heavy, laden with the musty scent of decay and something else—a cloying sweetness that clung to the back of my throat. The grand chandelier above projected specters across ornate wallpaper, its crystals tinkling softly as if stirred by unseen hands. Floorboards creaked beneath our feet, each step eliciting a groan that seemed to echo the pain of countless souls who had entered before us.
The dragon shifter guards, with their yellow eyes and bulky physiques, backed away toward the edges of the foyer, their muscled biceps twitching in the dim light.
I channeled every ounce of confidence and bravado I had, moving with a deliberate swagger.
The crowd chanting outside reached a fever pitch, their fervent energy carrying in and ready to crack like a mirror over the top of us.
Or maybe it was my psyche about to shatter into a million brilliant pieces instead. The walls themselves seemed to pulse with the intensity of it all, the peeling paint rippling like disturbed water.
Beside me strode a hulking figure, twice my size, clad in black shorts and a tank top, who smelled like he didn’t bother to shower all week. His bulk sketched a monstrous shadow on the faded Persian rug, distorting into something inhuman in the wavering candlelight.
I glanced over, failing to keep the displeasure off my expression. When he scowled, I smirked.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, arrogance would be expected. Weakness could not be shown under any circumstances.
I didn’t need him to knock me out before we even got started, but, compared to Ivan, this guy seemed quaint. That didn’t mean I could fight him, just that I couldn’t bring myself to cower.
My self-preservation instincts had been glitchy ever since childhood, when I figured out the violent visions no child should be subjected to were actually glimpses into the future.
Those years ushered me into my feral nature and tendency to play with fire.
I turned away and focused on channeling the calm I needed for the inevitable storm coming as both my father’s and Ivan’s specters clouded my mind. The portraits lining the walls seemed to watch our every move, their eyes following us as we ventured deeper into the house’s bowels.
As my eyes adjusted inside, my gaze drifted across the group, past Ivan with his back to me, already hovering over a couple of easy marks, and settling upon none otherthan Reaper.
I gasped, having not expected to see him here. Something about the intensity of his presence amidst the rest of the intimidating contestants held my attention longer than it should have.
Behind him, a mirror on the wall briefly showed the echo of a reflection that wasn’t there drifting past, sending a chill down my spine and reminding me of the supernatural dangers that lurked in every corner of this cursed place.
Despite Reaper’s daunting size and muscular frame, it was the air of confidence he exuded that caught my attention and a nonchalant twinkle in his eyes that I found myself drawn to.
A spark of recognition passed between us as his stance shifted subtly. His expression darkened, eyes widening as he bore down on me. Nausea stirred within me. If Reaper had it in for me, I was toast—charred and crumbled already.
A flash of bright white light disoriented me. At first, I thought it was an earthquake, but then I realized a vision was unfolding.
