Page 49

CONAN

I knock on Finn’s door, and I’m nervous—that sweaty palm kind of nervous. I’ve never been here in the past five years.

It’s a no-go area. Probably for my own sanity. It’s pretty damn clear that my brother is psychotic, I just don’t necessarily need to witness it with my own eyes.

I know it’s a place he built for when he was training to be a surgeon. But I also know it’s now where he hosts his Decadence Trials.

Me and Declan always joke that it’s where he holds medical experiments on his torture victims. Now standing in front of the secured metal door, it kinda feels like I wasn’t wrong.

It’s clinical. The white walls, the chemical twang in the air. It makes me shiver. It’s a relief when the door swings open and Finn stands there.

“Are you sure you want me to come in?” I ask.

He frowns and runs a hand through his hair.

“Stop being a baby.”

I hate hospitals, despite the fact I keep managing to land myself in one. And this feels like a fucking at-home version.

He leads me through the corridor; there’s two rooms on either side and one in front of me. He unlocks the middle one with a set of keys.

The monitor beeps steadily, and Ben lies in the center on a bed. The swelling looks better on his face, even with the tubes coming out of his mouth and attached to his hands.

“The dead is coming back to life,” Finn tells me, turning the monitor to me, showing me his normal heart rate and blood pressure.

“His vitals have leveled. I’ve kept him under for now until we’re ready.

I guess then we will see if there’s any lasting damage.

Or if he can even speak. He’s missing a few teeth too.

I don’t have any way to scan him, so it’s a guessing game, but I’ve kept him alive.

His injuries looked worse than what they really were. ”

I chew on the inside of my mouth.

“I’ve always wanted to smother a patient with a pillow, like they do in films.”

Finn chuckles and shakes his head.

“First it was the damn map on the desk, now it’s smothering. You need to watch less TV.”

“Have you done that before?” I ask.

“No. I’m much more creative than a fucking pillow.”

“Oh.”

I’m kinda disappointed.

Maybe I’ll do it on Ben for his second death.

“So once I finish The Chase, we see how this bastard is doing and try and get our answers? Then I can kill him.”

We sent Reggie and Rowan back to the boxing gym to see if they could locate his phone, but nothing. Which is weird. Who the fuck doesn’t take their cell out with them?

Someone that doesn’t want to be tracked I’d assume.

“Yes. I’ve got everything linked to my phone and security footage. I’ll be able to help with The Chase if you need, and start to bring him round.”

I swallow.

“Yeah. Okay. The contestants are arriving soon. I best get going. But, thank you.”

“Anytime. That’s what older brothers are for…” He smirks.

“Bringing your victims back from the dead.”

I let out a laugh.

“Usually I want them to stay fuckin’ dead.”

After putting on my camouflage sweatpants and tight black, long sleeved tee, I finish off with my black balaclava and gloves.

Ready to hunt.

To the women, I’m completely unrecognizable. That’s the idea. We never want it getting out who runs these games, the element of secrecy adds to the illusion.

Unless they know my eyes well, no one would guess.

“First contestant is entering the woods now. She’s feisty,” Asher, one of our newer recruits, tells me through the radio.

“Okay. Continue as planned to the intake cabin. The contract is on the table.”

I log into the security system and pull up the first cabin. Each girl is taken there first to sign the contract and is given their outfit and rucksack of basic survival supplies.

The second year I did this chase, the winner actually lasted six days in the woods, the master of hiding. So, I’ve had to dial it back as I don’t have six full days to hunt.

Instead, this year, I’ve opted for a scavenger hunt style to eliminate the first round, speeding up the time to get to the real chase. And this year we’ve got Drago on the drones, my eye in the sky to hunt these women.

I send one last text to Hallie, it’s like a kick in the teeth. I’m a fucking asshole. A selfish one.

Me

Have a great day at work, trouble. I’ll be busy training today, but I’ll call you when I can. Miss you.

It’s midnight, she will be sleeping. I know she has an early shift.

I put my phone on silent and put it on the desk. No more distractions.

I keep my eyes locked on the screen as the first participant is led blindfolded through the woods. Once inside the cabin, Asher removes it, and I screw my nose up as this firecracker of a brunette launches her fist into his chin.

I can’t see her face, since she’s covered by the deep green full-face mask. “Ouch,” I mutter.

He safely restrains her and guides her to the table, pulling out her seat and sitting her down, with a gun to the side of her head.

Great start.

I pull up my script on the screen as Dean, the second guard, places the contract in front of her.

She scans the room and I can smell her fear from here. But it doesn’t spark anything in me. Not this time.

I need to get that hunting blood flowing through my veins, just like I did when I chased Hallie.