Elliot Chambers, with his walls down, on his knees, desperate to be agood boyfor me—now that will be a true victory.
5
ELLIOT
My fingers tremble as I adjust the black leather mask over my face. The ornate design covers the upper half of my features, leaving only my mouth and jaw exposed. Around me, fourteen other hunters perform the same ritual, their excitement palpable in the air-conditioned control room.
Thirty minutes ago, they released the women into Purgatory’s halls. Six prey, fifteen predators. The math doesn’t favor the hunters. But that’s the point of the Hunt—not everyone wins.
“Nervous, Chambers?” Julian’s voice slides over me like silk as he appears at my side, adjusting his own full-face silver skull mask. His fingertips brush against my shoulder, a touch that lingers too long to be accidental.
“Just focused,” I mutter, stepping away. My back hits the wall. Trapped.
Julian follows, closing the distance between us. “You don’t look focused. You look... scared.” His hand reaches up to adjust my mask, fingers grazing my cheek.
My pulse hammers in my throat. Across the room, the Blackwood brothers check their watches impatiently. The Dextertwins whisper in a corner. No one’s paying attention to us, yet I feel exposed.
“Five minutes, gentlemen.” Theo’s voice cuts through the tension. He stands by the main doors, ready to release us into the hunting grounds.
Julian leans closer, his breath warm against my ear. “Remember what I told you? About what happens to the hunters who don’t catch their prey?”
His hand slides down my arm, fingers wrapping around my wrist. He squeezes once, finger pressing against my pulse point.
“I’m not interested,” I say, but my racing heartbeat betrays me.
“Your heart disagrees.” Julian smiles, eyes glittering behind his mask. His thumb traces small circles on the inside of my wrist. “I can feel your pulse racing. Is that for the Hunt, or for me?”
I try to pull away, but he holds firm.
“Two minutes,” Theo announces.
Julian finally releases me, but not before his fingers trail across my palm in a gesture that feels obscenely intimate. “Good luck out there, Elliot. I’ll be seeing you soon.”
My mouth goes dry. I adjust my mask again, trying to steady my breathing as I prepare to run—though whether I’m running toward the women or away from Julian, I’m no longer certain.
The buzzer sounds, and the doors swing open. I dart into the maze, determined to prove myself as a hunter. The dark corridors of Purgatory stretch before me like a living organism, pulsing with hidden alcoves and shadowy corners. Blue and purple lights cast an eerie glow, barely illuminating the path ahead.
I take a right turn, then a left, trying to recall the layout from previous events. Somewhere in this labyrinth, six women are hiding or running. My target—anyone I can catch at this point—is all that matters. I need this win. Not just for status among the other hunters, but to prove to myself that Julian’s words haven’t gotten under my skin.
A faint giggle echoes down the corridor to my left. I freeze, listening intently before moving in that direction. My footsteps are deliberate, measured. I’m a predator now. This is what I’m here for.
I round another corner and pause at a junction, weighing my options. That’s when I feel it—a presence behind me, the subtle shift in air pressure that signals I’m not alone.
“Having trouble deciding where to go?” Julian’s voice slithers over my shoulder.
I whip around to find him leaning against the wall, silver skull mask gleaming in the low light. Even with his face hidden, I can sense his amusement.
“Why are you following me?” I demand, backing away. “Don’t you have a woman to hunt?”
He pushes off the wall, closing the distance between us. “Perhaps I’ve found more interesting prey.”
“Fuck off, Julian,” I hiss, glancing nervously down the corridors. “I’m not interested in whatever game you’re playing. Hunters don’t hunt other hunters.”
Julian laughs, the sound echoing off the walls. “The maze is a free-for-all, Elliot. I can go wherever I want.” He tilts his head, studying me. “And right now, I want to be right here.”
My heart hammers against my ribs, but I refuse to show weakness. The Hunt has barely begun, and already my plans are unraveling.
Julian takes a step closer, forcing me to press my back against the wall. “You know,” he says, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “we could work together.”