Page 93 of The Claiming

Jack’s eyes flash and I know he’s not happy about that. He will be outside the dungeon and not able to assist if shit gets real, and I’m guessing that’s more for Siri’s benefit than mine. They have been growing ever closer and while I’m happy for them, it tugs on the place he holds deep in my heart.

I’m not jealous, more crushed because seeing Jack with another girl isn’t something I prepared myself for. I’m aware he feels the same when Frankie reaches for me and openly kisses me in full view of whoever is watching. His ownership of me is apparent, and I get a strange thrill from that. The entire academy is in no doubt that I am Frankie’s girl, and I never believed I’d crave that title as much as I do.

I love it. Not the notoriety or the envy. It’s knowing I am part of something incredible that I never expected to like.

Frankie continues. “Santi will be the master of the ceremony as before, and Ali can protect the entrance.”

“Fuck!” Santi shakes his head. “Lucky bastard.”

Ali’s smile taunts him because, knowing him, he’ll be balls deep inside a passing student by the time the final challenger heads inside the dungeon.

Frankie adds. “I will be the keeper of the cells and release the centurions. Santi will blind our challengers and disorientate them as before.”

He glances around at everyone and says darkly, “Are we ready?”

“Yes!” A collective affirmation echoes around the room and as he pulls on his mask and covers his head with the hood, a shiver of desire runs through my soul like lightning as our eyes connect.

We all follow his lead and as the mask slips into position, I relish the power it gives me. Fuck, I’m so turned on and the thrill is even greater this time knowing I’m part of the madness.

Frankie consults his wristwatch.

“Positions everyone. The centurions will soon arrive and we must robe them and lock them up, ready for the challengers.”

As we drift away to our positions, Siri whispers, “I heard Susan Harper is one of them. I wonder if she’ll fuck Ali at the door on her way in.”

I burst out laughing and as we crawl through the first tunnel, my heart beats with excitement. When I came to Rockwell Academy, I never once thought it would be like this.

FORTY-SEVEN

FRANKIE

I wait for the five new centurions to arrive. They have been chosen for their honesty and integrity. If The Claiming is going to be an integral part of life at Rockwell, I can’t bring any more heat on it than necessary. It’s obviously being carried out under the radar. I doubt the principal suspects we have found the dungeon and are using it for our amusement. If she knew what was happening under the foundations of her academy, we would be shut down before we even got started.

Five guys make their way into the cell corridor and I face them with my disguise firmly in place. They will be unaware of who lurks behind the mask and as I silently hand them a mask and robe of their own, I check their wrists for any identifying mark, wondering if it would be that brazen of the Serpent Society member to walk in here unchecked.

They are clean and my mind shifts to the business at hand and I point to the set of rules posted on the wall.

Pick a tunnel

Catch a girl

Cuff her and claim her by dragging her back to the ceremonial chamber

No inappropriate touching until she is bound to you by the master

Take the vow

Then she is all yours

They will be locked in individual cells as the girls pass them and if one in particular catches their attention – too bad. They will have no way of knowing who enters which tunnel, which is part of the rules of the game. They accept who they capture and must make it work for the rest of the semester.

When the new semester starts, each couple has the opportunity to stick or twist. Either staying together, or returning to the dungeon for a second time.

Both parties must agree on the same outcome because if one sticks and one twists, they both twist and head to the back of the line.

The reason I placed Siri and Cassie in the tunnel chamber was to give the guys a head start if they want one girl in particular. The girls will point to the relevant tunnel if asked because I’m not interested in couples being together who don’t want to be from the outset. It will work better this way and test their relationship and commitment, without the free for all that has been a feature of Rockwell for many years now.

I’m not a prude, far from it, but I like to control and knowing that every couple is going through a test that I created, feeds my sick imagination and gives me the power I crave.

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