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Even if I passed the Trials, I understood the worth of money now and wouldn’t waste it on frivolous shit ever again. No, this was all going to pay debts, and whatever was left would go to stocks and bonds so Mom and I would never have to worry about getting kicked out of our own house ever again. Only the bank knew how close we were to foreclosure due to non-payment of mortgage and property taxes.
I clutched the box to my chest. It was larger than normal but not too heavy. Was that a good or bad sign?
Which was why I would succeed at tonight’s Trial and any one after it that they threw at us. In spite of my partner if I had to.
Emmett had at least turned away from his laptop to look at me. “Anything in the box?”
I pulled off the lid, and despite my determination to succeed no matter what, I couldn’t say my stomach didn’t drop out at seeing what was inside.
I pulled out the thick headband with long, pointed silver antlers attached to it. My eyes shot to Emmett as he stood up. I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he looked at the antlers and briefly met my eyes.
But then he was all business again, squaring his shoulders. “Well, I guess this means there will be a hunt tonight.”
I couldn’t help the noise that escaped my throat—something between dismay and shock. A hunt? They were going to… to fucking hunt me?
“Maybe it’s not what it seems?” I prompted, running a thumb over the realistic-looking antler. “It could be just a fetish thing.”
“Sure,” he said, then turned away from me toward the closet. “Either way, you better start getting ready.”
“Oh right.” I laughed caustically. “How could I forget? It’s all about the show.”
I started toward the bathroom, but he caught me by the forearm, his eyes dark. “Don’t start with me tonight.”
I yanked my arm away from him. “I can play if you can. Just don’t expect me to call you Sir,” I said, all but baring my teeth at him.
He just shook his head at me, his jaw taut. “Go,” he ordered, pointing toward the bathroom.
I backed away from him. “I was already going. And not because you told me to!” I let the bathroom door slam behind me.
In spite of what Emmett said about a hunt, I thought he’d just been trying to rile me up. Until the Elders led us outside.
Late November in Georgia still felt like summer most nights, but still. I was naked. In addition to the antlers, they’d given me some slippers made out of what felt like deer-hide, but that was it. The antlers weren’t very heavy on my head—they weren’t plastic but were made of some other light material—and the headband cinched tight to keep them in place. But they were still awkward, and I had no idea how the hell I was supposed to run with them on.
The wind blew as I followed the lead Elder down the stairs of the front walk of the mansion, Emmett and the rest of the Elders at my back. I shivered unwillingly as I glanced up and all around. There was a half moon, but my eyes hadn’t adjusted after the bright lights of the mansion to be able to make out much of anything more than the driveway and the shapeless blur of the field leading toward the lake and the forest beyond.
More than anything, I wanted to wrap my arms around myself, but that felt like giving in somehow. Any show of weakness in front of the group at my back seemed like a bad idea. Already, there was anticipation in the air.
Anticipation for the hunt.
I could feel loose rocks underneath my feet, and my jaw locked. The slippers were a joke. They’d be useless against the sticks and brambles in the forest.
Once we all made it down the stairs and onto the driveway, the lead Elder banged his cane on the cobblestones.
“Welcome to the Silver Stag Hunt,” he bellowed. “And what an exquisite little stag we have to chase tonight. Quite a luscious flank on her.”
He reached over and caressed a hand over my ass, squeezing so hard I yelped and danced forward, making him and others in the crowd laugh.
The Elder banged his cane again until everyone quieted. “Standard hunt rules apply. If our little Silver Stag can evade capture until morning, she goes free. Otherwise, once captured”—the Elder grinned, looking me straight in the eye—“then all Hunters who desire will share the spoils.”
I stumbled back a few steps.
“I for one,” he said, eyes following me with a leer, “have had a hunger for some luscious little Stag ass that I’ve been wanting to slake for some time.”
I trembled under his dark look. Dear God. This man had been one of my father’s friends. I looked over his shoulder to where Emmett stood, but his face was emotionless as he stared at the ground.
