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“What the hell is this?” I hiss at Zie when we arrive in a small clearing in a woodland somewhere. I have no idea where we are because the fuckers blindfolded me for the entire ride, which I’m still raging about, and I don’t recall there being any heavily wooded areas near campus. Plus, it’s pitch black, the guys are wearing black, and the only light comes from the soft glow of the side lights on Axel’s Jeep Wrangler. He could have put the main beam on to illuminate the area better but it’s like he wanted to make this whole experience more terrifying and dramatic for some reason.
It didn’t feel like we were in the car that long, and I should probably just be grateful that the fuckers didn’t knock me out for the ride.
“Shh,” Zie whispers back. “This is where the first task will take place.”
“And that is?”
“Shh.”
I sigh when he turns away from me and looks expectantly at Axel. We’re not the only ones in the clearing and my attention wanders to the small crowd that’s joined us. There has to be around thirty or forty people surrounding me. No, not people, guys. And they’re all staring at me with interest, murmurs filling the air, but aside from their half obscured shadowed faces, it’s hard to make much else out.
I slide behind Kaiden and he chuckles.
“You can’t hide from us forever, little doe.”
“Shut up.”
A throat clears and everyone falls silent. I expect everyone to turn to Axel and for him to take charge as usual, but it’s Harry who steps into the clearing with a torch. I peek out from behind Kaiden and return to my place between him and Zie. Is it just my imagination or have they moved closer? Axel stands on Kaiden’s left and I realise that I’m standing in his usual place. That makes me smirk.
“Welcome, candidates, to the first Hunting Grounds challenge.” There’s cheers and enthusiastic clapping, all very boisterous. “I’m sure you’ve all seen The Doe…” Catcalls and whistles go up and Axel’s jaw twitches. If he hates this so much, why did he sign up for it? “And you all know the prizes and rewards which await you if you win. The first task is simple: hunt The Doe to claim your prize. You all have guns—”
“Exfuckingscuse me!” I elbow Kaiden in the side and feel satisfied when he sucks in a sharp breath. “What the actual fuck?”
“Oh hush, it’s just a paintball gun.” He waves a hand dismissively.
“Just?”
“Don’t be a baby, they don’t hurt,” he scoffs, showing me the gun in his hands. Even in the low light I can tell it’s not a real gun, but it still looks dangerous.
“Really? Can I see it for a minute please?” I ask with false sweetness. He doesn’t notice.
“Sure.” He hands me the gun and I fire it off in front of me without hesitating.
A shrill scream goes up, echoing around the clearing and I grin smugly at Kaiden when he whirls on me.
“She shot him in the balls!” Someone shouts.
“Relax, it’s just a paintball gun,” I sneer. “It doesn’t hurt.”
“I can’t believe you just did that,” Kaiden says, shaking his head. He looks impressed though. It makes my lips twitch but I’m trying to make a point. A shot that powerful times forty? No fucking thank you.
“Be glad I didn’t shoot you at point blank range. I don’t want to be shot by…what? Forty guys? There’s no way it won’t hurt.”
“There’s a simple solution to that, you know.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, don’t get caught.”
“Enough already,” Axel calls out. He somehow manages to sound sharply authoritative and bored at the same time. Everyone immediately turns their attention to him and falls silent.
Wise.
Never take your eyes off the most dangerous person in the room…or clearing. “Jenkins, man up, or fuck off.”
Jenkins, obviously the guy I shot, whimpers. “She shot me in the balls, man. I think I have internal bleeding.”
“Then get your sorry arse to the hospital and get checked out. You forfeit your place anyway.”
