by Brynley Bush
Back in the clearing, the Doms are given a knapsack with the submissives’ trophies, as Logan calls them, and I take stock of the rest of the contestants. Karl must have been telling the truth, because poor Bella is marked by paint in all three places, and she trembles slightly as he pulls a plug out of his bag with a smug smile. Most of the submissives are covered in paint and have been hit in at least one or two critical spots, which makes me appreciate Roman’s aim as well as rue the fact that had I been paired with a Dom with a less accurate shot, I probably could have emerged from this heat unscathed. Rose is the only one who wasn’t hit anywhere pertinent, and the Doms rib Jake good-naturedly.
“Clothing from the waist down only for all contestants for the next round,” Logan announces. His eyes crinkle. “Our submissives might need their swimsuit bottoms to keep things in place.”
Roman’s warm fingers pull at the string at the back of my bikini top, and I feel it fall away. My nipples harden under his heated gaze, despite me firmly telling myself that I will not get turned on by Roman and those intense gray-blue eyes of his that can caress me almost as efficiently as his hands.
“What will it be, Avalon?” he asks softly, holding up a small flared plug and a pair of tweezer clamps with weights hanging from them. Crap. If only I hadn’t freaked out when I’d landed on Megan! I consider my options. Although no one would see the plug and I’d found it vaguely arousing in the comfort of the hotel room, running around with it buried in my ass seems impossible.
“The clamps,” I whisper.
Before I can second-guess my decision, his fingers are plucking and tugging erotically, causing my sex to clench and my nipples to lengthen into hardened points. He smiles with approval and attaches first one and then the other clamp. He watches my face closely as he slides the ring up each clamp, tightening them until he’s satisfied. Then he taps the weights attached to each to make them swing like pendulums, sending little frissons of awareness through me.
Once all the submissives have been suitably outfitted, Logan explains the rules of the next game to a slightly more subdued but focused audience.
“The next heat is our game changer. It’s called Shoot the Captain, and you all will be divided into two teams with Doms and subs competing together during this round. There will be two bases—one for each team. Each team will pick a captain, who will be tethered to their base. The goal is to shoot the other team’s captain. However…” He pauses dramatically. “The first captain to get shot will be automatically eliminated from the games.”
There’s a gasp among the contestants. Logan holds up his hand.
“It’s up to each team to protect their captain. If neither captain gets shot, no one will be automatically eliminated, and the two couples to leave after this round will be determined by audience vote as during the past two events. Everyone, including the captain, will be armed with a paintball gun loaded with twenty-five paintballs. If you get hit or run out of paintballs, you’re out and can’t participate for the rest of the round. If your team shoots the captain of the opposing team, each couple on the winning team will be awarded an extra one hundred points. Any questions?”
The vibe has clearly changed from jovial to serious as we’re divided into two groups and given time to plan our strategy and choose a captain. Roman and I are with Tessa and Luke, Rose and Jake, Rebecca and Emmett, and Carly and Michael.
“This sucks,” Michael grumbles. “They have Karl, who’s the best shot, while we’ve got Jake, who’s clearly the worst. Whoever is our captain is obviously leaving the show after today.”
“Not necessarily,” Roman says calmly. “Although there’s certainly a measure of skill involved, strategy can be just as effective. It makes sense for a submissive to be the captain so all the Doms can attack or defend.”
Everyone agrees with that, but for obvious reasons, no one wants to be the captain.
“It should be whoever’s lowest in the rankings,” Rebecca says. “They’re probably going home soon anyway. There’s no point in jeopardizing a couple that actually has a chance of winning.”
Tessa rolls her eyes at me, and I suppress a smile.
“You just want to decide that way because you’re in first place,” Tessa says scornfully.
“We should draw straws,” Emmett suggests. “That’s the fairest way.”
We all agree, and Luke pulls five small twigs from a nearby tree, which Roman holds flush in his hand as each of the submissives draws a straw. I don’t want to draw the short straw, but I don’t want to see anyone else get it either. Still, I breathe a sigh of relief when I pull a long stick. I’m almost as relieved when Tessa and Rose do too. Carly goes next, and hers is the short stick.
“All right,” Jake says briskly. “Looks like Carly’s the captain.”
She’s standing right next to me, and I can feel her trembling. I grab her hand and squeeze it encouragingly. “Don’t worry,” I whisper. “We’ve got you covered. You’re not going home.”
“You’d better hope you’re not hit,” Michael growls to her under his breath on her other side. “If we’re out of the games because of you, I’ll make damn sure you pay for it tonight.”
Carly pales, her fingers gripping mine like a vise. “You can’t do that,” she breathes. “I’ll use my safe word.”
“Get us eliminated and watch me,” he says with a cold glint in his eye. “Who’s going to know? I’ve invested too much in this to get voted off because some submissive bitch drew the wrong straw.”
“I’ll be captain,” I volunteer.
Roman’s gaze slowly rivets to mine. He stares at me for one long moment, and then he nods curtly. “If that’s what you want,” he says, his voice cool.
We’re taken to our base by a member of the crew, and I stand still as my ankle is tied to a thick pine tree with a fifteen-foot length of rope.
“We aren’t going to let you get hit,” Tessa assures me. “You’re not getting eliminated today.”
Rose comes to stand next to her, her hands on her hips. “No way,” she adds loyally. “We’ve got your back.” She looks pointedly at my clamped nipples. “And your front.” She giggles.
I can’t help but smile. I’m not sure I would have survived this long in the games without the two of them, and I suddenly realize how much I’ve come to appreciate their friendship. If I get hit during this round and have to leave, I’m going to miss them almost as much as I’ll miss Roman. As dominating and cocky as he is, I feel a sharp pang of regret at the thought of not seeing him again. But I couldn’t run the risk of Michael hurting Carly. I don’t know if he would do what he threatened or could get away with it, but I’m never going to stand by again and watch someone get hurt, even if it means I get voted off the games.
Our team plans their strategy, and with the exception of Michael, I probably couldn’t have chosen a better team. Not only are Roman and Emmett personally invested in keeping me safe, but they’re also the two most powerful and competent Doms in the games, and Tessa and Rose are as loyal as they come. Even Rebecca, as much as I dislike her, will be an asset. She’s got incredible determination and focus, and she wants to win more than anyone here. Although she may not care for me, she cares about the points.
The air horn sounds, signaling the start of the round, and Emmett, Jake, Luke, Carly, and Rebecca stealthily head out to look for the other team’s base. Roman, Michael, Tessa, and Rose stay behind to guard me. Although the other Doms had tried to convince Roman to take the offense, given his skill at marksmanship, he’d refused to leave me.
Rebecca’s our scout, and she returns to our base about five minutes later to fill us in on the other team.
“We found their base,” she says. “Sabrina’s their captain. They’ve only left two people guarding her—her Dom Shawn and Megan. They’re clearly taking an offensive approach.” She turns her big blue eyes to Roman. “Roman, your shot is so accurate, if you go now, you could take Sabrina out before they even know what happened.”
“I’m not leaving Ava,” Roman says resolutely. “Plus they have Karl, who’s hunting Ava as intently as we’re hunting Sabrina. Our goal is to protect Ava first and foremost.”
“Fine,” she says huffily, and disappears back into the field.
“I don’t trust her,” Tessa mutters.
“Me neither,” Rose agrees.
They both have their backs to me, wearing only their bikini bottoms and running shoes with their guns pointed straight ahead, scanning the field in front of them.
“You guys look like X-rated Charlie’s Angels,” I say, grinning.
“Hell, yeah!” Tessa agrees without turning around. “And there are three of them, so that means you’re one too. We’re the badass trio. All for one and one for all. Although dammit if this vibrator isn’t getting me so turned on that that stick is starting to look attractive.”
At that moment, Roman looks over at me and smiles, and I realize with a rush of certainty that I really don’t want to leave the games. I want to stay. Not just to damage Anthony’s reputation, although I’m more committed to that goal than ever, but also for me. For the first time in ages, I have friends—real friends, the kind who have your back no matter what. And then there’s Roman, whose unwavering confidence in my strength somehow makes me strong, and who’s uncovered some long-hidden passionate side of me that I never knew existed. Now that I know what all the fuss is about, I don’t want it to end. I’m not ready to go back to the shell of a life I had before, to work and numbness and merely surviving without really living. I’m not ready to say good-bye to Roman and the way he smiles at me like we’re the only two people in the world, or the way he pushes me to give him everything I have and then more. Somehow, he’s brought me back to life. He’s made me feel again, and it’s addictive.
“Tessa and Rose, you two fan out a little,” Roman commands, his voice authoritative. “Michael, you cover the back.”
My protectors move away from us, and without looking at me, Roman says tersely, “You may be ready to quit, but I’m not giving up on you yet, Avalon. And I’m sure as hell not letting you go this way. You’re going to have to say it if you want to quit.”
“I don’t want to quit,” I say softly. “I want to stay.” More than I care to admit.
“Then why the hell did you volunteer to be captain?”
“I didn’t volunteer to be captain because I don’t want to stay in the games,” I protest. I drop my voice lower so only he can hear me. “I volunteered because Michael threatened to hurt Carly if they got eliminated because she was the captain. I refuse to stand by and see someone victimized.” My voice is steely with resolve.
“Christ, Ava,” he says, his voice a mix of exasperation and admiration. “You are arguably the biggest-hearted girl I’ve ever met, but you’re also the most frustrating. I don’t know what to do with you.”
“You’ve seemed to have some pretty good ideas so far,” I say drily.
He flashes that smile at me again, and I feel a tug of desire in response.
His demeanor changes in an instant. He holds his hand up for silence, and we all freeze, looking around warily. Even though I know it’s just a game, I can feel the hairs standing up on my arms, that pricking awareness of being hunted.
“You’re a good shot,” Roman whispers encouragingly. “Stay calm and take your time.”
Then all hell breaks loose. The other team bursts into the clearing, shooting, and we shoot back. I take Roman’s advice, shutting out the fear and distractions around me and focusing solely on training my gun on Stefan. I fire, and he looks down in shock as the paintball splatters on his shoulder. Yes! Desiree is standing next to him, and although I miss her with my next shot, either Tessa or Rose gets her. There’s another volley of fire, and a sidelong glance reveals that Tessa’s been hit and so has Michael. But not me. And not Roman. We’re still in the games, and we’ve taken out Caleb, Stefan, Desiree, Eva, and Sam, which is half their team.
“Rose, you okay?” Roman shouts.
“Yes, Sir!” Rose yells back cheerfully. “It’s not that Jake’s a bad shot. I’m just indestructible.”
Roman laughs and looks at me. “You okay?” he asks.
I nod.
“All right. We’ve got to assume there are four more of them still in the games, although according to Rebecca, Shawn and Megan are at their base guarding Sabrina. That leaves Karl and Bella still at large.”
The minutes tick by as we survey the field around us. I catch a slight movement out of the corner of my eye and train my gun on the woods. “I think I saw something,” I whisper to Roman.
I see Bella move through the trees, and I fire, hitting her as she raises her gun in my direction. There’s another volley of fire, and then Karl emerges from the woods, a bright blue splat of paint in the middle of his chest.
“Damn, Roman,” he drawls. “You sure you’ve never lived in Texas?”
“Remind me never to duel with you,” Roman says ruefully, and I notice the blue paint smeared across his safety goggles. “We’d both be dead.”
I look at Roman wildly. I need him. I can’t do this by myself. “Looks like it’s down to you and Rose,” he says lightly. “You girls have got this. You’ve only got to hold them off for a couple more minutes, tops. And all that’s left on their team are Shawn and Megan, and that’s assuming none of the rest of our team have shot them, which is unlikely.”
I nod, reassured. He’s right.
Rebecca reappears at our base, slightly out of breath from running, or maybe it’s just the combination of the plug, vibrator, and clamps that’s made her breathless. “Our team was ambushed, and everyone’s down but Emmett. He just took out Shawn, and he’s trying to get a shot at Sabrina now.”
“Good,” I say with relief. It’s got to be almost over.
Megan emerges from the trees where Rebecca just came from, holding her hands up. “I’m out of paint,” she says. Then she lifts her gun and shoots me, right as the air horn sounds. I’m officially out of the games.
* * * *
“I swear that bitch Rebecca totally planned that,” Tessa mutters to me under her breath as we walk back toward the clearing. “She’s wanted you off the show since day one because of your connection to Emmett, and she and Megan are friends. I bet they totally set that up. Rebecca’s been in first place for the past two events; she didn’t need the extra points.”
I feel like crying, but I’ve got to keep it together. Hardship and disappointment are old friends of mine, and I’ll survive this just like I’ve survived everything else. I focus on putting one foot in front of the other.
“We can’t prove it,” I say glumly. “Logan never said you couldn’t try to trick the opposing team. I was just dumb enough to fall for it.”
“You weren’t dumb,” Rose interjects loyally. “I believed her too. Besides, neither one of us had a good shot. Rebecca, on the other hand, could have shot her point-blank, but she didn’t.”
We continue walking in silence, and I steal a glance at Roman. His face is impassive as he focuses intently, his eyes trained on the path in front of him.
We’re the last group to reach the clearing, and we barely have a chance to catch our breath before Logan starts talking.
“Well, this game turned out to be way more exciting than I’d anticipated,” he says. “Apparently, both captains were shot just before the heat ended, so we don’t have a clear-cut winner or loser.”
I search for Sabrina and am shocked to see a splat of blue paint on her back. Emmett catches my eye and winks. I may have been shot, but Emmett had made sure the other captain was too. I smile back at him wanly. While I appreciate his effort, it’s not much of a consolation that both teams are probably leaving now instead of just me and Roman.
“Since it’s a tie, we’re going to leave it up to the audience, and of course our panel of official judges that consists of several Doms and submissives and a few key Club Helix personnel, to decide whether Shawn and Sabrina or Roman
and Ava stay.”
There’s a murmur of relief, but I notice the glance that passes between Rebecca and Megan. Tessa was right. They’d set the whole thing up, and Rebecca’s not pleased that her plan to get me eliminated was foiled. Roman’s standing next to me, and he grabs my hand, squeezing it reassuringly. I look up at him and smile tentatively. He smiles back, but his eyes are somber, and I can tell by the set of his jaw that he’s still not too happy.
“Our last game, Sub Hunt, is a predator/prey form of tag,” Logan announces.
I swallow hard. Prey? But rather than sending shivers of dread up my spine, the word sends a little jolt of excitement.
“Doms will hunt their own submissives. If a sub is hit, she’s considered captured and must stop. Doms will secure their submissives however they see fit and bring them back to the clearing. As you can see, we have posts set up here. Captured submissives will be secured to the posts until the heat ends. At that time, the Dom may claim the bounty of his choice from his submissive, within her limits, of course. He can claim it here publicly, on camera in a private scene later, or off camera.” He looks from Roman to Shawn. “If our Doms who are in jeopardy play their cards right, this could be a great opportunity to tilt the audience vote in their favor.”
Logan gives us time to remove our various accessories. The blood rushes back into my engorged nipples as Roman removes the clamps. I hiss.
“Shh, baby,” he says, rubbing my back comfortingly as he pulls me to him so my breasts are crushed against the flat, hard expanse of his chest, his chin resting on my head. His bare chest feels cool against my flushed and impossibly heavy breasts, and even though the coarse hairs on his chest abrade my overly sensitive nipples, I can’t bring myself to move out of his embrace. After a few minutes he pulls back and lifts my chin with his finger, searching my face.
“Are you okay?” he asks softly.
I nod, undone by his unexpected gentleness. I don’t have long to fully enjoy Roman’s sudden lapse in character, because Logan announces that the third and final game is about to begin. The air horn sounds, and the submissives once again start running.
