Seth didn’t respond at first. Instead he turned away. His long coat swished around his legs as he paced the wooden floor of the library. Moon light poured in through the open curtains, illuminating the rows of ancient literature and archives of our games.
“Solomon warned me we should just forget this one,” he mumbled as if talking to himself.
“Solomon is a fucking weirdo who hides in the chapel while the rest of us have fun.”Seriously, the guy never fucked, fought, or killed.
Seth tilted his head back, casting me one last lingering look before snagging his mask off the desk. Slipping it over his head, he turned away from me.
“Find Lux, and don’t lose her. If we want to have fun, we need to keep her in our sight.”
The stag's skull sat heavily on my head as I stepped outside the manor and breathed in. Autumn air burned my lungs, and the scent of pine obscured any hint of Lux. I should have stolen her napkin at dinner so I could memorize her scent. Right now, I was essentially doomed to wander around hoping to run into her.
I was attuned to the hunt, but searching for what didn’t exist would never be possible.
Twigs snapped under my steps, each one giving me hope that I’d see our Little Light. Unfortunately, I seemed to be alone in the evergreen sea. The wind picked up, and the distant rustle of paper caught my ear.
I whipped around like a dog chasing its tail until my eyes landed on a sheet of paper wedged between two branches. With a grunt, I stalked over and noisily snatched it from the tree.
Instantly, I recognized it as the map.
“I know you’re here, Little Light!” I shouted, hoping I’d hear a nervous squeak in response.
Nothing.
My eyes rolled as I shifted my mask back just enough to uncover my nose. Bringing the crumpled paper to my nostrils, I inhaled deep. The scent of sweat and vanilla caused me to salivate at the knowledge of what was to come. With my memory refreshed, I closed my eyes and tipped my head back beforesniffing the air like a fucking bloodhound. Just like they’d taught me to back in the camp.
At first, I got nothing, but the longer I stood, breathing in air and clearing my mind, the more the scent came to me. My eyes snapped open as something feral clicked.
She was close. I didn’t know how I missed it before. The area wreaked of adrenaline and desperation, and I started moving, using the scent as a map to drag me directly to my Little Light. The trail brought me directly to a large tree. My sniffs grew louder as I circled the plant like a wolf.
She was here. I could smell it. Butwhere?
I looked side to side only finding more fucking forest. Out of desperation, I looked up, and that’s when I saw a strip of red velvet waving in the wind, barely concealed by needles of pine. I didn’t smile often, honestly I wasn’t sure I knew how to anymore. But, my teeth bared into what felt close.
I sunk my hands into the closet branch and pulled myself up. Little Light had gotten herself higher than expected, but right now, she was as good as a cat in a tree. A sardonic laugh escaped at the thought.
“Herekitty kitty kitty.” My voice was gruff, need grated on my vocal chords like a knife on rope.
Lux drew in a sharp breath, her long dark hair fell into her eyes as she looked down. Panic was a good look for her.
She stood herself up on wobbly feet before steadying herself on the trunk. She looked around as if trying to find an escape plan, but all she’d done was trap herself. I reached up intending to grab her ankle and man handle her fine ass to the ground, but just as my fingers grazed her silky skin, Little Light surprised me. She barely jumped to the next branch, pulling herself higher.
The motion was almost enough to make me laugh, clumsy and unrehearsed. It was a miracle she didn’t kill herself before I had the chance. Still, the thrill of a good chase was too much to resist.
I gave her a thirty-second head start before bounding up the tree. I climbed around the other side of the massive trunk, hoping she’d be too distracted by the pounding of her heart to notice I’d surpassed her. And, once she got high enough, I grabbed her outstretched wrist and yanked her away from the safety of the trunk, leaving her to dangle approximately forty feet in the air.
Her shrill scream pierced the night as her free hand shot to mine, clawing at my skin.
“Keep fighting like that, and I’ll drop you,” I warned. “You’ll be a pretty splatter on the ground.”
Her lips parted, coffee-colored eyes pinning on mine. I thought for a moment she’d continue to fight, after all, better to die on your own terms. But, the good girllistened. It was hard to climb down while reserving one arm for carrying her. But, somehow, I managed. Once we had about ten feet left, I dropped her.
Lux was smart enough to not try to catch herself with her hands or legs, leaving her to roll to the ground. Her robe pooled around her, and twigs stuck to her hair. She dragged in a gasp like she was preparing herself to scream or cry, she just couldn’t tell which.
Once her life was confirmed, I jumped down, landing with a knee on either side of her full hips. Most girls we brought here didn’t have much to them, but Lux was full figured andfuckwas I eager to dig my fingers into her supple flesh. It’d been a while since I’d had someoneso meatyto play with.
Her feet wildly kicked at the ground as she tried to crawl out from under me, and I let her for a beat. Once she was completelyout, reaching for her bag and preparing to dart, I grabbed her ankle and yanked her back.
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going, whore?” I growled, my cock hardened at the way her ass swayed as she continued to try to fight herself free.
