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CHAPTER 12

C assandra

Fresh air hit my system and I almost panicked, but I held it together.

I’d been locked inside a plain truck meant to haul supplies. There’d been no markings on the outside. There were no windows and no indication of the identity of the drivers, or the two men positioned in the back with us.

Us.

A group consisting of six women and two men.

I’d followed instructions like apparently the other contestants had, dressing in a pink sweatshirt and matching sweatpants. Pink wasn’t my color, the outfit one I’d purchased only hours before driving my car to the determined location where after ten minutes of waiting, I’d been picked up and placed in the back of the truck.

But not before being tossed a hooded mask and told to put it on.

The voice had sounded ominous, the person barking the instructions dressed in all black with a terrifying looking mask on.

Other than the lantern the two men who were sitting a few feet away from the group had, there were no other forms of light. I’d been the last they’d picked up and in the brief minute or so of getting me situated on the cold, hard bench, I’d been able to take a good look at the others inside. The other contestants were also wearing sweatpants and a matching shirt in different colors as instructed.

One of the two men also dressed in black and wearing a ghoulish mask had barked out orders. Sit quietly. There would be no talking. As noted on the bottom of the NDA form, there would be no backing out now.

As the driver had headed to the destination, additional rules had been provided.

There would be a hunt. One player for every contestant. The goal was to be the first to reach the finish line, which was a mile from the start. Parameters would be marked and were not to be crossed. The hunter would do everything in his or her power to stop their earmarked contestant from reaching the end.

Although permanent damage shouldn’t be a concern, contestants were allowed to use makeshift weapons found in the forest.

Whatever that meant.

Was I supposed to carve sticks into spears or use rocks as blunt implements?

Now we were being guided out onto a thick gravel path one by one, reminded to remain silent until the start of the hunt. We were lined up like good little soldiers underneath a blinding series of white lights while at least a dozen lit torches surrounded us, the look reminding me of the ridiculous reality series Survivor . I couldn’t help but wonder if this was how prisoners felt when disembarking a bus that had taken them to their new home behind twelve inches of concrete and iron bars.

Even with the stupid mask, I was forced to shield my eyes as I looked around. It truly felt as if I was in a lineup. Now I had a better understanding of how demeaning being a criminal could be.

If caught.

All the while I’d been sitting in the back of the truck like some piece of meat, I’d been thinking about how ridiculous my decision had been to go through with the stupid idea. What had I been thinking, that obtaining a promotion was truly worth degrading myself to this point?

I’d graduated first in my class, for God’s sake. I’d passed the bar the first time without any issues. I’d interned at an incredible firm before being offered the position in the prosecutor’s office.

I’d been the youngest attorney they’d ever hired. I’d proven myself time and time again. Did Mr. Wells have any idea this was what would be expected of me? Maybe he did. Maybe he’d known damn good and well I’d be treated like an animal.

Whatever the case, I’d reached my limit.

Yet every time I told myself that, my mind went back to the conversation I’d had with Mr. Wells. The file he’d sent had been… disturbing to say the least.

He’d collected information for years, providing me with a dossier he’d put together on the boys’ father, information on the Blackwell brothers, and his thoughts on the Obsidian Society and notes from the case he’d worked as a young detective.

The very detective who hadn’t taken Ava, the mother’s story seriously.

The man was experiencing serious guilt about the mother’s death. From what I’d read, Ava Blackwell had suffered before she’d died. Even worse, the three children, all very young at the time, had been found covered in their mother’s blood.

Even now, I couldn’t get the image of the single photograph he’d provided of the scene of the crime out of my mind.

Even more disturbing was that there truly was almost nothing about what had happened to the children after they’d been placed in foster care. I was no expert on the system, but I suspected the circumstances of why they’d needed to find loving homes had been leaked. If so, the kids could have been labeled as potentially being a problem.

The three-year-old boy had potentially remembered something, but a one-year-old? I was no psychologist so I couldn’t say for certain.

There were also a few scattered notes Maximus had written about several disappearances over the years, not all of them based out of Chicago. Did that mean the boys had also been separated by state? Geez. Now I was buying into the fact that all three children had turned into murderous monsters, eliminating anyone who’d abused them. There was no logical reason for his or my thoughts since there was no real evidence.

Sure, my boss had discovered a couple of newspaper articles on some fairly brutal murders, but how was I to know if that person found mutilated and dead had been responsible for any of the boys?

Suddenly, a huge lump formed in my throat and more than a hint of fear crept into my mind. The three men could easily be very dangerous. I took several deep breaths, but the feeling wasn’t going away.

This was not the right way of going about finding any dirt on them or the company.

I found myself backing away from the group, finally getting the attention of one of the men who stood around in dark clothing and plain black masks. This was like some execution game, not a hunt.

Or maybe both.

No, I couldn’t do this. Fuck their rules. As much as I’d found myself excited about the prospect given my own dark secrets, I just couldn’t go through with it. I’d lose more of myself than I already had with the videos. The nagging part of me was quick to remind me that no matter how the story was spun, if anyone got ahold of a single video or that I’d been involved in the hunt, not even Mr. Wells would be able to save me from crucifixion in the press.

“I’m not going on the hunt. Thank you for the offer, but I refuse to be treated this way. As required, I’ll honor the terms of the nondisclosure to the letter. However, I won’t be forced into this sick game.”

A man standing watch behind a horrible mask with glowing x’s for eyes, a nose, and a wide grin studied me carefully before speaking. “You are not being held captive, Lady Butterfly. You are free to go.”

A pleasant surprise.

His voice was deep, full of a seductive tone. I shuddered after hearing his answer and folded my arms.

“Thank you.” Why had it been almost disappointing when he’d said I wouldn’t be held captive? How many fantasies had I experienced about that very activity over the years? How many dark romance novels had I read? Too many. Obviously. I was a little warped in my mind.

The pull to remain was strong, but my resolve was something I refused to give up.

I had no idea what I was doing, but I turned away, determined to get the hell out of here before I made a bigger fool of myself. I took off walking. None of the masked men attempted to stop me. There were no beasts jumping from the shadows preventing me from walking away.

Alone.

Moving further into the dark.

No one tried to stop me. There was no chasing of me, shackling me as I’d suspected. I was simply being allowed to walk away.

Suddenly, a crackle of electricity swept right to my core.

“There is no reason to be frightened.”

The voice came from the darkness, strong and deep, yet barely more than a rugged whisper. However, the sound stopped me in my tracks, the softness enveloping every inch of me. It was being purposely disguised, but that was part of the game. Right?

“Who said I’m frightened?” My defiance wasn’t like it normally was.

“You’re running away.”

I laughed, the sound bitter in my ears. “I’m leaving because this is ridiculous. Childish. Who plays these types of games? Who longs to be hunted like some wild animal? More important, why? Is getting ahead in society so important people are truly willing to degrade themselves this way?”

There was nothing but the light rustling of wind against the leaves.

“Evidently you were the type to play this game, but for many the game is not about humiliation, but a need to find one’s inner self, to let go of restraints.”

I stopped and issued a strange-sounding snarl. Why was I angry with this unknown man standing in the shadows? He was just doing his job, and I was certain that’s all this was. Maybe the brothers wanted the notoriety. Then why not come out in the open about the mysterious society? What if they were hurting, even killing people? I had to stop my mind from churning with possibilities or I’d never have a decent night of sleep again.

“Bullshit. Not like this,” I stated, my tone now laced with defiance.

“Why hide from who you are and what you want?”

Now the unknown player was pissing me off.

“I’m not running, but I am making a choice.”

My protective armor had taken over. I was shivering from the chill in the air as well as coming down from the first wave of adrenaline.

I waited for another full minute before continuing to walk. Without knowing where I’d been taken, escape would be difficult, but at least I wasn’t being chained like some beast and forced into the game.

No, you agreed to the terms.

The inner attorney in me was always quick to remind me of my principles. As well as my foibles.

“Tell me this,” the voice whispered again, only this time the person was closer, standing so near I could almost feel his hot breath.

“What?” I stopped again, uncertain why I was bothering.

“Did it excite you, the thought of being chased, of being hunted by a wild creature?”

“Hell, no.”

“You’re not a very good liar.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Is that what you really need to tell yourself?” he asked. “What about taking risks? What about indulging in your greatest passions? What about all the fantasies you have at night, the longing to dip into the very darkness that’s intrigued you for years?”

A moment of raw heat pressed against my heart. It was as if the man could read my mind. Or as if he knew about my extracurricular activities. No, that was impossible.

I reminded myself the only knowledge he should have about me was based on the answers to the questions. Except… I’d been forced to use my real name on the nondisclosure for legal purposes. Shit. Shit. Shit.

They’d been smart to do so in case I was a reporter or some FBI agent, but I’d obviously fallen prey to my own desires as well as Mr. Wells’ wishes.

My mind was racing with possibilities. This wasn’t a good situation at all.

“I tell myself I’m a human being. Yes, I enjoy taking risks. As long as they are guarded. I’m no fool. Anything could happen here. You and your band of merry men could be killers.”

“Then why be up front with who we are?”

I laughed. “I learned a long time ago the best way to mask crimes is by pretending to be out in the open.”

“Very true, but in this case, very wrong. However, you are the master of your own destiny.”

Was he even closer? I turned in a full circle, expecting to see him standing right there only inches away. I could still feel him, including a whiff of his aftershave. The lingering scent was full of musk.

And danger.

There were only the ominous shadows of the tall trees in the dense forest. “You’re right. I am. That’s why I’m choosing to leave.”

“What a pity. You would have made an excellent contestant. Only you can decide what’s right for you, Lady Butterfly.”

Now I hated the nickname I’d chosen, but hearing the deep rumble of his voice brought a series of electric sensations boiling up from deep within my core.

“So I’m free to go?”

“If that’s what you choose. A driver will be waiting at the top of the hill to return you to your vehicle. Again, it would be a pity if you choose not to join us. I would have enjoyed getting to know you better. But if you stay, I assure you that one of your greatest fantasies will come true. Isn’t that right, Lady Butterfly? Don’t you crave what only the darkness can provide, being allowed to shake off all your inhibitions, indulging in sin for the sake of finally experiencing pure ecstasy?”

I opened my mouth to answer but anticipated another lie pushing past my lips. Had my answers to the questionnaire provided an opening in my carefully crafted personal armor?

“Who are you? Will you tell me that?” I asked, reminding myself that I was after information, not entertainment.

While my mysterious visitor didn’t bother saying goodbye, I sensed he was gone, disappearing the way he’d arrived.

In utter silence.

He’d left me with the choice, refusing to play into my insistence the contestants were nothing but prisoners. The angry, anxious side of me would have preferred if I’d been shackled and forced into submission.

The admittance was everything the unknown man had seen inside of me and nothing that I’d admitted.

Until now.