Chapter 3
KAIDEN
The cemetery is filled with people by eleven p.m., all of them itching with the need to blow off steam from the week that just ended. I’m sitting on my favorite headstone, tilting back a can of beer while I watch everyone around me through the shadows.
“I think this year is going to be the best yet,” Vinny says, his voice pulling me from my daze.
I hum between my lips as I meet his excited eyes. “Why’s that?”
Beckham’s infectious laughter sounds from my opposite side. “Look at them.”
When I look his way, I find his dark blue eyes filled with humor, and he nods his head toward the opposite side of the cemetery, pulling my attention to the line of girls sitting against the cement wall.
“They want our pick.” He tips his head one more time, his face twisted into a sinister grin that makes my chest fill with need.
Need for the Games.
Every girl with their gaze locked on us tries to come off more delectable when they realize they have our attention, pulling the tops of their shirts down to show more cleavage, fluffing their hair, puffing their lips and applying a new coat of lip gloss, arching their backs to perk out their asses.
Not like any of that matters. Looks don’t matter to us. Nothing they can do to their appearance will go into the final decision.
It’s a feeling. A burst of serotonin through our veins that makes it feel… Just. Fucking. Right.
She has to be right.
And none of us have had The Feeling yet. None of these girls are The One.
The victim pool is starting to run dry. Ever since our identities as this generation’s Hallows Boys was made a topic of conversation in town, it’s felt more boring than anything.
The first year was the best—catching our girl off guard, dragging her through her worst fears before we finally took her to The Hallows Crypt. She had no idea what we were, no idea what we were capable of.
She ruined all of it, though, after the Games. She opened her mouth and spread the knowledge that we were chosen faster than a lion during feeding time.
The following two years weren’t as fun. Because they knew who we were, what we were, and what was going to happen. We had to get more creative, more spontaneous, more unpredictable, just so we could enjoy the thrill again.
And this year? It’s even worse. They’re lined up, ready to be taken, ready to be dubbed this year’s Hallows Girl. Competing for our attention like thirsty animals for water on a hot day. And since it’s our last year, we need to go out with a bang.
It’s about two weeks until All Hallows Eve, and we have to make a decision soon.
“Anything?” Becks asks quietly, the attitude dripping from his tone telling me he isn’t feeling shit either.
“Nothin’,” Vinny says, his face pulled down into a frown.
“Fuck,” I groan, slapping my hands on my thighs.
Vinny downs his can of beer, crumpling it up in his hand before he sighs loudly. “Might as well get shitfaced.”
I chuckle as Becks stands up to walk across the graveyard to grab some more beers from the coolers, the eyes of every girl in here watching him like he’s going to snap his fingers and announce something. He doesn’t, just grabs three beers and makes his way back to us with a shit-eating smirk.
“We’ll find someone.” I grab the can Becks hands me, popping the tab. “Just need to be patient.”
Vinny cracks his beer open. “Gonna be the best one yet.”
“You keep saying that, Vin.” Becks chuckles as he takes a drink. “What’s got you so sure?”
Vinny shakes his head as he swallows, then blows a long breath out. “Just have a feeling that this year is going to be different.”
Looking out into the crowd of people, I shrug. “We’ll see.”
VINNY
By midnight, Becks is calling it quits and lurking through the crowd for someone to spend the night with. Not that I blame him, since this party has been a huge waste of time. The only thing we’ve managed to do is get drunk and talk shit.
Every girl here is hoping to win the prize, getting named this year’s Hallows Girl, but no matter how hard they work to seem more desirable, it’s all wasted. No matter how many times I’ve assessed the options, none of them are giving me the right vibe.
Kai downs the rest of his beer, tosses the can in the direction of the garbage, and then stands up.
“I’m gonna take off too. Find Stephanie and let her ride me into unconsciousness.
” He nods toward his usual booty call, who’s standing with her boyfriend at the coolers, picking at her nails in boredom, just waiting for Kai to interrupt.
“Alright.” I snort, standing up to clap his hand before he walks off.
Scanning through the crowd, I look for Rachel, hoping she hasn’t had too much to drink already.
I need release, and I need it now. I may not know who we’re going to drag to hell and back on Halloween, but I know Rachel will let me pretend with her.
She’s a sucker for punishment, and my palms are tingling with the need to choke someone.
I find her bent over a headstone, her panties showing under her skirt as she laughs with her friends.
When I reach her, I smack her on the ass. “Let’s go.”
She rolls her eyes at me over her shoulder. “Where?”
Gritting my teeth, I grab her arm to pull her to a standing position. “Don’t give me attitude, just start walking.”
She grins, loving the way I make her feel like an object instead of a person. Whatever floats her boat, right? She drags a finger down my chest, along the center of my torso, and to my belt buckle as her eyes find mine. “I have my period.”
I snap my hand to her wrist, pulling her touch away as my face twists into a sick smile. “I’m hard, and I wanted to choke you with my cock, but now I think I’ll fuck your pussy, get all messy with your blood.”
Her eyes flare, and she looks over her shoulder to glance at her friends, who are watching the exchange unfold. “Shut up, Vinny.”
I pull her face to mine. “Do you think I care what they think of me?”
My cock twitches in my pants when she licks her lips, her face turning up with mischief. “I know you don’t.”
I squeeze her jaw with my hand. “So let’s go, Rachel.”
BECKHAM
The next Monday, we’re hungover as hell from the night prior, lounging under the shade of a tree in the courtyard at school.
“We don’t have that long before we need to have everything ready,” I say to Vinny, leaning back on my forearms. All eyes of Blackmore University watch us, even though we’re just relaxing before class.
There’s electricity pulsing through the air, everyone on edge as they wait for us to make a move.
Vinny brings his cigarette to his lips, and my gaze connects with his as he sucks on the filter.
My cock twitches as I watch him, his full lips pressing around the cigarette for a moment before he pulls it back and blows smoke out through his parted lips.
He smirks at me as he repeats the motions, taking another hit and blowing it out slower.
Being this close to the Games has my stomach in knots and my dick semi-hard, and dealing with Vinny’s attitude so early in the morning is making my veins pulse with need.
We stare at each other for a moment longer, neither of us willing to tear away from the other for the satisfaction. I lick my lips, and his gaze drops to my mouth for a breath before he growls and looks away. Chuckling, I snatch the cigarette from his fingers to finish it off.
“Where’s Kai?” he asks, adjusting himself.
“Tallen called him to her office. Some bullshit about a tour.” I blow smoke above my head as I lean back once more.
He grunts as he sits up straight, his response dying on his lips when we spot Kai pushing through the front doors of the office, one hand typing on his phone and the other holding the door open behind him.
An unfamiliar girl walks through after him, making me sit up straighter.
We both stare at her. Eye-catching long blonde hair cascades around her shoulders in golden waves that touch the center of her back when she turns to face Kai.
But that isn’t what has me biting into the flesh of my tongue—it’s her tight ass in curve-hugging jeans.
My blood heats as I skim my gaze over the rest of her.
She’s in a black top that’s tucked into dark jeans, her feet slipped into heels that are too high for school and completely out of place in Blackmore.
Her hair blows in the breeze, shining in the sun, as if tempting me to wrap it around my fist and yank her head back.
“Who the fuck is that?” Vincent growls, but I pay him no mind, my attention glued to the girl following Kai, completely oblivious to the fact she’s walking beside a predator that’s marking her as the prey.
We sit still in anticipation, waiting for her to turn and give us a glimpse of her face, waiting for the feeling to kick in when her eyes meet ours.
When she walks ahead of Kai, I don’t miss the fact that he scans the back of her before he turns to look at us.
I raise my hand at him in question, but he just grins and shakes his head, so I drop my hand.
The girl realizes that Kai isn’t following her and turns to look at him, giving us the first glimpse of her face. From here, I can make out plump red lips, freckles lining her nose and cheeks, and eyes that sparkle when the light hits them.
“Fuck,” I growl. “That’s her.”
This girl, with sadness in her eyes and mischief in her smile, I can’t help but wonder… Who is she in the dark?
Will her heart rate speed up when we put her into a strenuous situation? Will her tears fall freely down her cheeks? Will her skin taste as sweet as her cries will sound?
“She’s the one,” Vin whispers mindlessly just as our phones buzz with a message.
Kaiden
Found her.
Damn right he did.