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Yeah, that’ll happen over my dead body. There’s no way in hell he’s getting his hands on her. Looks like she’ll have to be our prey, and we’ll have to make it look good.

“Outside of all that, have fun!” I yell. “I’ll see you all on the other side.”

Let’s fucking go.

The Master of Ceremonies is none other than Eamon’s brother, who graduated a few years ago. He bought the alcohol for us too so I wouldn’t have to worry about it. There was a lot of shit to take care of to make tonight work.

Even with the best laid plans, sometimes we have to change course.

Raising his arm in the air, he blasts the air horn loudly.

Draven turns to Noor as everyone scatters, and raises his hands up in the air toward her.

“Are you going to make this easy or will you run for us, Twinkles?”

I still don’t know why he calls her that, but it’s nicer than any of the other names we’ve used. Noor flicks us off with both hands before she turns and races off.

“We’ll give her to the count of…none!” Ci yells, clearly worried someone else will catch her before us.

A hunt it is then. How delightful.

CHAPTER

THIRTY-ONE

DRAVEN

I’m stalking through the woods toward a gorgeous girl I didn’t think I’d see again. I was ready to say goodbye to her earlier today when I watched her come out of the courthouse.

I can hear squeals and screams as people run in the opposite direction I’m currently going in. The lanterns we hung don’t go as far out where I’m walking, since this is where the cliffs are. We need to catch Noor before she gets too close to them.

There’s no way she’d know they’re even there until it’s too late. We have at least a mile before that happens so we can have some fun.

Sucking a breath in, I break into a jog, whistling to make sure that Ci and Alastair know where I am. I also do it to make Noor panic, smirking as she bursts into a run.

Freaky little sounds break out all around me, the trees providing a creepy echo chamber for us. It’s even more fun when the other senior guys pick up on our noises, and the woods become a cacophony of sounds.

I’m not perfect. I can admit I like her despite our earlier history, but most of all? I fucking love a hunt.

There’s a thrill that fills me as my long legs eat the distance between Noor and I. It may be due to the fact I spend a lot of my time having biscuits sent flying toward my head, but I do have a sadistic streak a mile wide. The knowledge that I’m the only thing between the other player and a goal as I calmly block them gives me the biggest burst of dopamine.

Sometimes, I need more. Dirty sex with Ci tied up for Alastair and I while we bleed and fuck him usually does the trick, but so does this.

Shit. Where is she? The woods are almost silent again now that we’ve left the rest of the senior class behind us.

Turning around in a circle, I strain my ears for the sound of a stick being broken or the shuffle of leaves as someone walks through them to signal where she is. There’s no longer any light available now that we’ve traveled away from the approved quadrants.

It’s just us, the moon, and the light from our masks. Smirking, I switch off the light in my mask, and see the guys do the same in the distance. Using the moon’s ambient light only, I walk soundlessly as I search for Noor.

I look around at the trees, a sunken log, and finally decide to get creative when I don’t see any sign of Noor.

“Do you wear perfume to bed?” I call out. “I’d swear I can find you just from your vanilla scent.”

“Mmm, I wonder if it’s body wash?” Ci asks from farther away from me.

“Or shampoo?” Alastair shouts north of me.

I’m in between the guys. I continue to walk forward as they move toward me until we’re together again. I don’t want her to know where we are until it’s too late. If she’s crouched down, she might only be focused on her ability to hear us, since it’s difficult to see us.