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The King starts to walk off, but I see a grimace on Damon’s face. He calls out, “Wait.”

He turns slowly. “Yes?”

“I shouldn’t have done it. I got caught up in the moment and–”

“Don’t apologize,” the King says. “In war, the best weapon is the one you have.” Then he adds. “But now that the battle is over, I expect you to not succumb again.”

A moment later he’s gone.

“Jesus, that was stressful,” Hunter says, slumping into the wall. “Right?”

“Yeah, I don’t even want to know what kind of bullshit the King has with the Dukes. I just want a shower and to relax.” Damon pushes open the locker room door and steps inside.

Hunter holds the door open for me and I say, “Are you okay if I go to the women’s room? I know the rules. No talking to people–not even women.”

“I’ll wait outside,” he says, “just make it quick.”

One step into the small room and I wish I’d just gone to the men’s room to pee. The sink area is occupied with crypt chasers. I’m scanning the room when someone says, “If you’re looking for Bronwyn you’re safe.” I look at a girl replenishing her black lipstick at the mirror. “She left.”

“I wasn’t looking for her.” Itotallywas.

“I heard she was a petty bitch to you before the match. Tried to take your spot.” The person that says this has two knotted buns at the top of her head. “I know they call all of us crypt chasers, but most of us are content with the guys in the frat. Everyone knows the Barons belong to the Baroness.” She liftsher skirt, revealing a hole in her tights. “Fuck! I can’t believe Kirk ripped these. It’s the third pair.”

I duck into the toilet, listening to them talk.

“Maybe you should just stop wearing tights in public if you know he’s going to be there,” lipstick says. “That’s a better bet than him keeping his dick in his pants.”

Bunhead sighs. “True.”

“Whatever. You’ll never tell him no.”

I hear a snort. “Like you tell Rob no when he asks for a blow job in the car every morning on the way to school.”

“He thinks better when he’s just had an orgasm.”

I flush the toilet, as much as a warning as anything else, hoping that when I come back out they’ll stop talking about their sex lives.

As I approach the sink, the girl with the buns makes eye contact in the mirror. “I’m Jane, by the way.” Her head tilts to lipstick. “That’s Gloria.”

“Arianette,” I say, even though I’m sure they know.

“I love those shorts,” Gloria says. “You’ve got the perfect ass for them.”

“Uh, thanks.” I turn on the faucet, letting the hot water run over my hands.

“Fuck.” Jane stares at the wound on my chest. “That must have hurt.”

“It did.”

“I can’t imagine,” Gloria adds. “I’d never survive the Hunt.”

“Which one did it?” Her perfectly groomed eyebrow lifts. “It was DK wasn’t it?”

“Hunter, actually.” I think back to that night when he was bent over me, the knife in his hand. Just like every other time we’re together, he went out of his way not to touch me directly. “DK… he Claimed me later.”

Both girls’ eyes get wide and for some reason I just show them. Tugging down my top, I reveal my tit and piercing. “Holy shit.” Jane looks thoroughly impressed. “I knew he was a piercer, but fuck. That’s sexy.”

“I wasn’t sure about you,” Gloria admits. I straighten my top. “Any of you, really, but maybe you’re all more Baron material than I realized.”