Page 17 of Off the Rails

And then what? Make it back to what?

Couch surfing. Shitty parties. Horrible guys. Asking favors.

It was dangerous out there. Maybe just as dangerous as it was in here with these Freaks. Maybe Nash, Blade, and Cyrus were just more honest about what danger they posed.

Shaking my head, I knew the truth.

I needed that money. And they had it to offer.

It was enough to change my life, to start over somewhere far away from this cursed town. A place that had ruined my life a few times already.

Looking down at the chainlink fence, I dropped it and turned back toward the lights of Feverpoint.

I need to find a place to hide.

11

CYRUS

I’d barely been able to stand still before the green lights flashed.

I forced myself to. The last thing I needed was for Nash and Blade to see how desperate I was.

They couldn’t know that I wanted her.

I’d needed a hunt for months. Fright Nights ran in my veins. Dealing with The Oracle’s trash was one thing, a good relief. But a real game was something else entirely.

And I needed the release.

But when the park was washed in emerald light, the beast inside me unleashed. Storming toward the center of the park, I moved quickly.

Blade was basically sprinting ahead of me, doubling back to not go too far without Nash and I. She hurdled over counters and booths, kicking off walls as she tried to burn off the initial excitement of the night.

I listened to the sounds of Feverpoint, ignoring the rattling rides and carnival music crackling over the speakers.

Behind my eyelids, images of my captive running away and into the darkness played on a loop. It was fun to watch the girls skitter off, like they stood a chance against me and my two clowns.

And this one was a particular pleasure to watch.

I didn’t know why, still unsure why I made the deal to begin with. We never let the girls stay. Ever. It was dangerous.

We existed outside this place — participated in normal society. Not that anyone would have guessed where we called home. Or what we did in the abyss.

If they knew what Fright Night looked like… even Dom Dumont might try to kick us out.

Smelling the air. I searched for any trace of my new toy.

She was gorgeous, those blue eyes burned into my eyes.

And cocky too.

It would be fun to break her.

She thinks she knows how to outsmart us. But we designed the trap.

Blade had already warned her that only one other woman had escaped our grasp. Cheating little shit.

She hadn’t earned it. I’d hardly wanted to let her go. Except that I couldn’t stand that one.