Page 20 of Welcome to Carnage

Luna scowls.

Lizzy and Olivia join us. “We’re not going in. Shall we meet you guys later at the shack?”

The shack is a shithole. And I’ve no intention of going there with my girl tonight. We have a date with destiny.

“Maybe,” Avina replies.

Luna nods. “I’m up for the shack later.”

I don’t respond. I rarely go to the shack. None of them would care if I went.

“Okay, we’ll see you there,” Lizzy says, and then they walk away, leaving the four of us in the queue for the haunted house. Somehow, I need to ditch Pierce and Luna.

We get to the front of the queue, and the guy on the door looks as bored as fuck. “Two at a time,” he says.

Perfect.

Avina tightens her grasp on Luna’s arm. “Only two at a time?” Her gaze flicks between Luna, Pierce, and me. “I suppose I can go with Luna?”

Before anyone else can say anything, I jump in. “No. Luna and Pierce go in first. After all, you two look like a couple.”

“Fuck off, Nyx,” Luna says.

Pierce shrugs. “I want to go in with you and see how much of a pussy you are.”

Luna glares at him. “You can be such an asshole, but now I’ve got to go in with you to prove you wrong.” She glances at Avina. “Sorry, see you on the other side?”

Avina’s face is pale as she nods. She’s scared, but not of what’s inside that house but the man she has to go in with. Good. Her fear excites me.

Luna and Pierce disappear into the darkness of the haunted house, and I’m filled with a rush of anticipation. My heart thuds in my chest like a wild drum, my thoughts swirling in a chaotic dance.

“Are you excited, little hellion?” I ask.

Her body shudders. “No.”

“When we go in. I want you to run, understood?”

She trembles more. “What?”

“You won’t have to be scared of the actors in there. I’m going to chase you down,” I growl.

She shakes her head. “No, please don’t—”

I tighten my grasp on her arm. “I know you want it, Avina. Stop fighting the inevitable.” I lean toward her ear. “Now, I’ll only tell you once more. I want you to run when you step in there. Understood?”

Her face is ghostly pale as she nods. “Yeah.”

After what feels like forever, the light over the doorway turns green.

“You’re next,” the guy on the door drones.

I push Avina forward and into the darkness, following behind. And my good little hellion does as she’s told and breaks into a sprint. I roll my shoulders and crack my neck, my dick turning as solid as a rock as I watch her disappear into a fog of artificial smoke.

“Ready or not, little hellion, here I come,” I murmur, then chase her. Adrenaline floods through my veins as I dodge around props.

An actor dressed as a zombie jumps out at me. “Fuck off.” I push him backward, and he falls on his ass. And then I continue my pursuit, listening for the telltale signs of Avina’s attempted escape. Despite the eerie music playing, I can hear her thudding footsteps and her rasping breath as if she were beside me.

I pick up speed, the adrenaline singing in my veins.

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