Page 41 of Double or Nothing
“Hell yes,” I say, right behind him.
We dash out, pausing on the front steps to allow our eyes to adjust.
“Jade!” Vulcan yells out, cupping his hands to force the sound out further. “Ready or not, here we come!”
We sprint into the dense darkness, propelled by adrenaline and the thrill of competition. Vulcan veers right, his figure soon a dark blur against the trees, while Kit takes off to the area behind the garage, the soft thud of his footsteps fading into the night. I push to the left with the moon casting long, eerie shadows.
A rustling in the bushes beside the house piques my curiosity. I crouch down low. “Jade?” I call out softly, my voice barely above a whisper. Nothing but silence.
I keep moving, not having a clue where she could be hiding. Up ahead, I remember there is a shed where Kit keeps his gardening equipment and lawnmowers. I move toward it, the crunch of gravel beneath my shoes reverberating in the quiet.
In the distance, Vulcan lets out a curse, his frustration cutting through the darkness. He’s already made it quite a distance away from the house. He’ll be the one to find her unless she intentionally allows me or Kit to win. Vulcan tracks for fun and can probably smell the direction she went. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he already knows exactly where she is at this very moment. He might extend the game for everyone else’s benefit.
I wonder what tonight holds, especially with Vulcan in charge.
Because of course the motherfucker will win.
There’s no doubt in my mind.
I stumble over a low bush and almost twist my ankle. Fuck, I can’t see shit out here. Yet, I hear his footsteps running steadily through the dark, guided only by the moon. I’m realizing Jade’s game is a test for me.
To see how well I’ll play with others tonight.
Only time will tell.
The night might be full of surprises.
18
VULCAN
We’ve only been hunting Jade for five minutes, and I’ve already found her. I’ve spent years in the unforgiving desert, my senses honed to the slightest change in the air, the softest hint of movement.
That’s how I know she’s nearby.
Her delicate, sweet fragrance is woven into the dry dust of the land. She smells of wild honeysuckle mixed with fresh rain and a touch of her vanilla hand cream. Her scent calls to me from the west, an invitation to find her and take what’s mine.
Closing my eyes, I stand perfectly still and listen. I sense her presence in the desert’s whisperings, carried by the slight breeze. The nocturnal insects, normally chirping, have gone dead quiet.
My boots, softened and worn by countless miles, tread lightly, making little more than a murmur against the coarse dirt and gravel. Up ahead, I spot a shadow blending silently with the night.
Leaning down, I pick up a small stone, its rough texture still warm from the sun. I throw it, a perfect arc that lands far to her right, a deceptive sound in the quiet. She whirls around, her silhouette cutting a sharp line in the glow of the moonlight before she takes off running.
My pulse quickens.
The hunt is on.
She dashes behind a tall shrub to hide, her breathing coming fast and hoarse. I stop running and creep up on her silently, wondering how close I can get before she realizes I’m there.
If she doesn’t know already.
I move up closer until I can almost touch her. Her ragged breathing slows to a calm and steady pitch. She’s only an arm’s length away, her back to me. I drink in the sight of her, hoping to etch it forever in my memory.
Silently, I reach out and softly trail my fingers down the length of her arm. She jumps, her startled gasp slicing through the quietness.
“Guess who?” I whisper.
Seizing her, I tug her against me, my arms forming a sturdy, inescapable cage around her. As we collapse on the ground, I soften the fall, cushioning her with my body before rolling over.
