Page 21 of Cursed
The countdown hits zero. A deep, resonant chime echoes through the control room as the main screen flashes red.
“Gentlemen.” Xavier’s voice fills the space. My oldest brother, always with the theatrics. “The Hunt has officially begun. Your prey awaits in the maze. You have seventy-two hours. May the best hunters claim their prize.”
The doors slide open with a hydraulic hiss. I don’t hesitate—not with the Dexter twins eyeing Sadie’s monitor. I bolt through the entrance before anyone else moves, my footsteps echoing against the polished concrete floor.
Behind me, I hear cursing and the sound of bodies jostling for position. The twins are fast, but I have one advantage they don’t: I’ve memorized every inch of this maze, and I know exactly where the cameras tracked Sadie’s last position.
Left at the first junction. Straight past two corridors. Right at the red lighting. The path unfolds in my mind as I run, my breathing steady despite the pace. The mask feels tight against my face, but it’s a familiar discomfort now.
“Going somewhere, Blackwood?” Ace’s voice carries from a parallel corridor. Fuck. They’ve split up to cover more ground.
I pick up speed, ignoring the burn in my lungs. The thought of either twin getting their hands on Sadie makes my vision blur with rage. They don’t understand her like I do. They haven’t watched her. Haven’t learned her patterns, her preferences, her fears.
I reach a four-way intersection and pause, listening. The labyrinth is designed to distort sound, but I’ve learned its tricks. Faint footsteps to the east—too heavy to be Sadie’s. A rustle of fabric from the north corridor. And from the west... nothing. Too quiet.
That’s where she is. The surveillance showed her heading west from her entry point, seeking the shadows where the red lights don’t quite reach. Smart girl. But not smart enough to hide from me.
I dart west, moving silently now. She’s close. I can feel it in the quickening of my pulse, the tightening in my chest. The twins might be hunting her, but they don’t know what I know.
Sadie Reynolds is mine. And I’m going to find her first.
I freeze mid-step as a high-pitched scream echoes through the labyrinth, bouncing off the walls from somewhere to my right. Not Sadie’s voice. I know her scream—I’ve studied recordings of her watching horror movies in her apartment.
“Well, well. What do we have here?” Ace’s smooth voice carries through the corridors.
My watch vibrates. I tap the screen to activate the security feed, one of the privileges of being a Blackwood. The small display shows Ace and Cyrus cornering a woman against one of the red-lit walls. Dark hair, graceful posture—Keira Valentino. The twins flank her like predators who’ve found particularly interesting prey.
“Look at you,” Cyrus purrs, his hand tracing the line of her jaw. “A little bird who flew right into our path.”
Keira doesn’t cower. Interesting. Most women would be terrified facing both Dexter twins at once.
“I’m not your prey,” she says, chin raised defiantly.
Ace laughs, the sound soft but dangerous. “Everyone in this labyrinth is prey, darling. The only question is which hunter claims you.”
I watch as they exchange looks over her head. That silent twin communication I’ve witnessed before. They’ve decided to pursue her together—their preferred method. Which means...
A slow smile spreads across my face behind my mask. They’re distracted. Diverted. The pressure to race through the maze for Sadie has evaporated.
I tap my watch again, switching to Sadie’s location. She’s moving cautiously through the western corridor. Still alone. Still unclaimed.
Perfect.
I exhale, recalculating my approach. There’s no need to rush now. I can take my time, savor each moment of the Hunt. Let her feel the building tension of being stalked, let her imagination torment her with possibilities.
The chase is always better when drawn out. By the time I finally corner her, Sadie will be primed for my touch, desperate for release from the psychological pressure.
I turn away from the direction of the twins and their new fixation. Let them have Keira. I have more sophisticated prey to hunt, and now I can do it properly.
I stalk through the western corridor, my footsteps whisper-quiet against the polished floor. The red emergency lights cast long shadows perfect for concealment. Ahead, Sadie moves cautiously, one hand trailing along the wall to guide herself.
Every few steps, she glances over her shoulder, sensing my presence without seeing me. Her instincts are good. Not good enough, but impressive nonetheless.
I slide deeper into the shadow when she turns again, pressing my back against the cool concrete. Her breathing hitches—a barely audible catch that my trained ears detect even at this distance. She knows someone’s there. Knows she’s being hunted.
Good.
I want her mind racing with possibilities of what will happen when I finally step from the darkness and claim her. The anticipation is half the pleasure.
