Page 37 of Poisoned Pawns (The Gamemakers Trilogy #1)

Ivy-Ants & Wine

After devising somewhat of a plan, we meet downstairs to get our list for the scavenger hunt. Standing around in the foyer, Beth yells out names while her minions, Heather and Sienna hand us our cards. Looking at the list, I’m left confused.

“Alright ladies, we are doing things a little differently tonight. As you can see, hopefully you all can read,” she chides, and I roll my eyes.

Cunt bag. “Instead of hunting for items, you will be hunting for a certain someone in which you both will complete the list with photo proof. There are clues to finding where your partner is. Have fun ladies,” she giggles, and I want to shove a knife right through her voice box. God, she pisses me off.

“That’s it? That’s all the information we’re going to get? She’s such a fucking bitch!” Millie growls. There’s my girl. I need her to channel that anger and push it out into the universe instead of taking it like a pussy.

“We need to find a way to see where she is going to meet her partner,” I say as Everly looks at Millie’s list, then looks at mine.

“It seems like the guys are waiting in the woods. So I assume we will all be heading in the same direction,” Everly states, and I nod.

“Alright. We need to get her before she finds her guy. That’s the only way the plan will work,” I suggest, and they both nod.

“This list is fucking stupid. Where the fuck am I supposed to find a used condom?” Everly asks, and I laugh.

“Lord help us,” I say as most of the girls file out the back door, heading for the woods.

“We don’t want to get too close to her, but not far enough away that we lose sight of her bitch ass either,” I tell them.

“What if we split up?” Millie suggests.

“We don’t even know where the fuck we're going. All I know is that my guy will be wearing a neon blue mask,” Everly states.

“Mine is pink,” Millie adds. Looking down at mine, I roll my eyes.

“Red is my color,” I tell them, and they laugh.

“You know she did this shit on purpose. I bet we all got some fucking frat guy. Yuck!” Everly gags.

“Oh, I know this was a setup. This is her only way to get back at me for embarrassing her in front of the whole sorority. So I fully expect some jackhole to be underneath the mask,”

“That shit was funny, though. She deserved it. Fuck her,” Everly spits.

“I missed it because I was too busy crying over my rapist stepfather, and she didn’t even give a shit,” Millie says.

“You didn’t forget the ants, right?” I ask, and she smiles.

“They are in my hoodie. Don’t you worry,” she tells me, and I grin. Nothing like some fire ants to make her scream.

We walk into the woods and down the path, following behind the giggling idiots in front of us.

A few split off in different directions but not Beth—she keeps taking the path all the way down until it hits the lake.

We hide in the woods as she takes her phone out to make a call, but she whispers into the phone and I can’t make out what she is saying, then she hangs up and makes a left down the shoreline.

“You guys ready to do this?” I ask, and Millie's face goes stark white.

“I-I’m not sure anymore. What if we get caught?”

“Yeah, we don’t need to get into any more trouble this semester.”

“You guys were all for it twenty minutes ago. Now you’re chickening out? Give me the ants and go play the game. I’ll take care of it,” I snap. Millie sighs, giving me the ants.

“I’m sorry, Ivy, I just can’t,” she says, then takes off in the opposite direction.

“It’s fine. I’ll do it.” I roll my eyes as Everly looks at me with a concerned look on her face.

“Be careful, please. We’ll meet up after the game,” she says, and I nod. She takes off into the woods and I walk along the shoreline, following Beth.

A twig snaps behind me and I whip around toward the sound but see no one. When I turn back around, Beth is in my face.

“Why the fuck are you following me? Go play the game and mind your fucking business.,” she growls, and I laugh.

“I’m really sick and tired of your shit, Beth. That mouth is going to get you killed one day,” I warn as her eyes widen in fear and she clutches her chest.

“Are you threatening me again?” she asks, and once again, I laugh.

“I have something for you,” I tell her, taking out the plastic tub of ants.

I remove the lid and pour them over her head.

“Have fun, bitch!” I smirk as she screams, thrashing her arms around, trying to get the ants off of her.

“You’re lucky I didn’t throw fucking acid at you.

That’s what you deserve for being a selfish, insensitive cunt rag! ” I spit as she continues to scream.

Another twig snaps, so I turn my neck slightly to the right and see a figure standing a few feet behind me, dressed in all black with a neon red mask covering his face. He steps closer and tilts his head at me like the man who saved me the other night.

“Don’t mind her. She thinks a spider is on her,” I laugh as he looks at me, then at her, not amused by the situation.

He reaches into his pocket, retrieving something, and that's when I see the glint of metal shining against the moonlight.

He takes a step towards me, and I move an inch back, but he shakes his head.

“I’m not here to hurt you, Darlin’, but I can’t stand her voice.

Would you like to hurt her together?” he asks, and I’m stunned into silence.

Where do I know that voice? And why do I want to do exactly what he’s asking?

I nod my head, and he places his hand out for me to take.

“Don’t be frightened. I’ve already watched you kill before. I want to do it again,” he states.

“You were the man who saved me the other night?” I ask, and he nods.

“Yes, but I’m no savior, Darlin’,” he admits, making me blush.

“Shall we?” he asks, and I melt, letting him lead the way while Beth is still flailing all around screaming her head off because of the ants biting her.

A smile spreads across my face as we approach her, and he hands me his knife.

“Ladies, first,” he says, stepping behind her, grabbing her arms and holding them behind her back.

I walk up to her and run the blade from her belly button up her torso and over her breastbone.

“This is what you deserve, Beth,” I whisper, digging the tip of the blade underneath her chin.

“Please, p-please don’t do this. I won’t tell anyone,” she begs, and I laugh.

“Right! That’s what they all say.”

“Just let me go,” she yells, thrashing in the man's arms.

“We’re running out of time, Darlin’. Finish her,” he orders, and I grin.

“With pleasure,” I answer as I take the knife, spinning it in my hand, and with one swift movement, I slice across her neck, feeling the skin and tendons snap underneath the blade.

Blood sprays across my face as she chokes.

He then releases her, and she drops to her knees, gripping her throat as she suffocates on her own blood.

Taking the knife again, I whirl it in the air, flipping it blade side down and sending it right through her skull. Twisting it, I force it down to the hilt. Looking up at him, our eyes collide as he reaches down, pulling her head back as far as it will go.

“Hold her right here,” he orders, and I do what I am told.

He lifts his boot from the ground and stomps on the handle of the knife, forcing it in a downward motion, cracking the rest of her skull open, and pulling the handle from the back of her neck.

I shiver in anticipation of what will happen next as he brings the soaked metal to his lips, lifting the mask and licking the blade. Why is that so fucking hot?

He grips the back of my neck, pulling me towards him, and I open my mouth when he brings the blade for me to lick the crimson from the metal. Before I can even swallow the liquid down, his lips are on mine, and I moan.

Gripping his hoodie, I bring him closer to me as his hands slide from my neck down to the back of my thighs and he lifts me to wrap my legs around his waist. Our tongues swirl together as we explore each other's mouths.

He groans into mine as I dig my nails into the back of his neck. He pulls back, cupping my face.

“You’re gorgeous covered in blood,” he breathes, sucking my bottom lip.

“You taste even better than I imagined.” Then he kisses me again, and the world stops around us.

I no longer hear the crickets chirping or the screaming in the distance.

It’s just me and the masked man with a voice I know, but can’t think straight long enough to remember.

He pulls away again and places me on my feet. I raise a brow in confusion.

“Why’d you stop?” I ask, and he takes off his mask, revealing his gorgeous face and those eyes I saw earlier today. Holy shit! Now I realize that he called me Darlin’ this morning, and he was the man from the other night. Holy fucking shit!

“Trust me, I’m only getting started, but I need you to see me. Not some man behind a mask,” he states, and I smile.

“I like the mask, though, but your eyes are hypnotizing,” I tell him, and he smiles as I bring my blood-coated fingers to his cheek and outline his dimple.

“Are you going to run again like you did this morning?” he asks, and I shake my head.

“No, not this time,” I admit, and he grabs my waist, pulling me towards him as he bends down, capturing my lips again.

This time, feverishly like he can’t get enough of me.

I slide my hands underneath his hoodie, feeling his warm skin under my fingertips, but also the weight of the knife in his pocket.

I dig my nails into his chest, making him growl into my mouth.

He pulls away again, causing me to whine.

“Come on, we gotta get out of here before someone sees us,” he says, and I nod as he grabs my hand, leading us away from Beth’s dead body. We walk hand in hand, deeper into the woods for a few minutes before coming to the clearing.

My eyes widen in shock at the sight before me. Holy shit!