Chapter 6 #2
After congratulating the winners of this first round, I’d split the remaining players into their dormitory groups.
We have two residential buildings identical to each other, set on the far side of the compound.
They’re modern, an addition to the site after we renovated the old factory building–which had been abandoned–into the main one for the canteen, classrooms and gym.
This compound is the furthest away from Elysium that we’ve ever set the games.
There’s no civilization around for nearly fifty miles.
A decision made based on the threat the Angels posed.
Charon and the river styx is also situated between the compound and our capital, as a secondary line of defence.
Charon might control the area of souls by himself but don’t let that fool you into thinking you’d cross his territory with ease.
I’d worked a few of the games through my time, and thus had the experience to ensure we had the best facilities in place.
Everything to make the next three months as comfortable as possible, for the staff at least. For the contestants safety was the biggest concern, but they wouldn’t be slumming it either.
I lead my group of battered, sweaty and filthy competitors to their suite. They are in the second of the two dorm buildings. This lot are all up on the third floor–the top floor–and I ignore the moans and groans as I lead them up the stairs.
There’re seven rooms on each floor. Twenty-one rooms per building and forty-two total.
Meaning most competitors are sharing rooms. A few lucky bastards are getting their own because their roommate is already dead from the first challenge.
More will be able to enjoy spreading out as the weeks progress, but for now they will be getting intimately acquainted with their room buddies.
I didn’t do the allocations but somehow Seven, Thirty-Nine and Ninety-Eight are all on this floor.
As we reach the corridor, I start calling off my list and letting the competitors into their new accommodation to get settled.
They each have individually coded wristbands that give them the ability to open the locks on their rooms. These will also get them into the other rooms we give them access to across the site.
I drop each off in turn. Seven is sharing with another female. Thirty-Nine gets his own room, which he is pleased with and not quiet about. I slam the door quickly behind him as he bounds into it, cutting off his celebrations.
Eventually, I’m at the end of the corridor and at the last suite. “And Ninety-Eight, this is you. Nineteen will be joining you, but I’m guessing he is still in the infirmary.”
She nods as I hold out her wristband. She plucks it from my fingers and I linger just long enough to ensure it works and she can get into her room without issue before tucking my clipboard under my arm and turning to leave.
Before I make it a step, however, a tight grip wraps around my forearm and I’m spun into the room.
I’m taken by such surprise that even my feline reactions take a beat to catch up as I find myself standing between the two beds, and Ninety-Eight against the closed door.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I growl at her.
“You’ve been impossible to get alone, I had to seize the opportunity.” She smiles up at me. No, it's more of a grin, there’s a plot behind the way her lips pull up at the sides.
“I can’t be in here alone with you.” I go to brush past her to open the door.
I am not dealing with a case of misconduct.
It's a policy that we’re not alone with any inmate.
Not that these are inmates anymore, not really, but I have kept the rule in place for all my staff. I won’t have any false accusations.
“Ah, ah. You’re not going anywhere until I get some explanations.” She manages to shove me back. Her strength is surprising but I am recoiling quickly, her touch burning my skin even though my uniform.
“You’ve had everything that you need to know explained already,” I tell her.
“How do I get into the offices? I need to see everyone’s records now we’re here.”
Does she think I was born yesterday? I scoff. “Not a chance. Everyone plays the games on an even footing. That information is classified and you’re not staff.”
“You can drop the act now, we’re alone.” She folds her arms across her chest and it makes the video footage of her earlier, in just her sports bra, zip across my mind. I need to get out of here. Now. What she says does have me confused though.
“What act? You’re a competitor, the only information you’re allowed to have is what the others decide to tell you.”
“I am already staff!” Her eyes are alight with fire now, the brown flecked with amber. “I’m working for Hades.”
Did she hit her head traversing the mountain pass? “You’ve got a few more tasks to do yet before that’s the case, and that’s if you survive. Now, let me pass.”
She steps to the side as I move, blocking my way.
“Garrick, come on! This isn’t funny anymore. I need access to your records. I need to solve this before it can all go to shit again.”
Her using my real name makes me pause, and unleashes hot anger into my bloodstream. How did she learn that? And how has she picked up on what happened ten years ago. I will be having words with my officers to keep their traps shut around the competitors. They don’t need to know any of that.
“It's Officer Zephyr to you,” I growl through gritted teeth, more than done with this conversation.
“Urgh, are you looking for proof? Here, I’ll give you proof.” She starts to pull her top over her head but my brain clicks in immediately. I can’t be in here alone with her, I certainly can’t be in here alone with her naked.
The clipboard clatters to the floor as I use both hands to yank her top back down.
“What are you doing?” Comes muffled protests from inside the fabric. “I need to show you–”
Her words get cut off as the door opens and slams into her back, shoving both of us further into the room and nearly toppling us onto one of the beds.
Thankfully, I’d managed to pull her top down far enough that her head had come back through the hole, so she could see to help right herself but seeing as her arms are still tangled she’s falling right into my chest.
On instinct, I place my hands on her waist to steady her.
With her top cropped and dishevelled, it means I’m touching bare skin.
She’s as soft as I imagined, yet I can feel the steel-like strength of her core muscles as my thumbs brush the tantalising dip between her hip bones and her navel.
Her scent wafts right into my nostrils. It’s all burning embers and spicy sugared cider and it seers my lungs as it fills them.
“What’s happening in here then?” My eyes immediately snap to the doorway, being held open by Dominic, his head tilted and mirth in his eyes.
His frame towers over number Nineteen, who stares into the room wide eyed and mouth slightly agape.
I give Ninety-Eight a shove, forcing her to land on the bed with a huff.
She rights her top, finally, and I swear she’s about to read me a riot act but I’m ducking to pick up the clipboard and flying out of the room, straight under Dom’s arm and shoulder checking Nineteen on the way. He winces but I’m not looking back.
Dom catches up with me before I reach the stairs.
“Breaking your own fraternising rules already? I always thought you were a stickler for the rules.” His voice is all smug, no doubt he’s grinning like a demon that’s just found a new soul to torture. I only turn to him once we are firmly through the door to the stairwell.
“I was not fraternising with her in the slightest,” I grind out through clenched teeth. If I were shifted right now I’d be growling, and my tail would be whipping back and forth with the annoyance that’s buzzing under my skin.
“Then what was that?” He crosses his arms, still grinning like a Cheshire cat.
“She cornered me.”
“You? That human woman managed to corner you?” It sounds unbelievable but it’s the truth, she’d surprised me with her strength.
“She caught me off guard. It won’t be happening again.” Descending the stairs, I can’t wait for this day to be over so I can go for a run. We’re giving the competitors an hour to settle in and freshen up and then it’ll be dinner. So, I’ve got a few hours yet before I can clock off.
“Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing. You could use something to loosen you up a bit.”
This time, I do growl at the medic. He and I have known each other for a while–a century perhaps, give or take a decade.
He’s the one I tend to call in when one of my staff gets injured.
He’s a fine doctor and doesn’t judge what we do in Tarturus.
“The rule is there for a reason. They are still, currently, human.”
“What’s that got to do with it? Demons fuck humans all the time.”
“They’re also here in a professional capacity and in a competition. I don’t want any emotional attachments developing between the crew and the interviewees. It could screw up the games, and I want to give everyone a fair shot.”
“That’s noble of you.”
“It’s how it should be, Hades trusts me to see this through properly. I want staff that stay impartial until the winners are recruited. After that, I don’t care who they fuck.”
We reach the ground level and exit the building to head back across to the staff quarters.
“You’re hoping that Ninety-Eight gets through though?” His eyebrows dance on his forehead.
“I don’t care. If she survives, she deserves a role.”
“Sure. Keep telling yourself that.”
“Haven’t you got some other patients to get back to?”
“Yeah, I was just enjoying this conversation. I haven’t seen you riled in a long time and you look flustered.” He breaks away from his place at my side before I can take a swipe at him. “It’s going to be a fun few months, Garrick.” He laughs as he turns to head to the infirmary.
I reach the staff quarters and swipe my pass. It’s going to be a long few months that’s for sure. I’m sure Ninety-Eight is about to make my life all the more difficult.
Kill me now.