was determined to taste. It jumped under her hand.

'I want to eat you, Xavion,' she said, squeezing gently, feeling the thrill of her own audaciousness. 'I want to lick all the juice off your body and eat your — '

'Meat?'

She nodded, her tongue restless over her lips, wanting to taste his salty flesh, to suck it greedily into her mouth, to make Xavion lose control. That was what she wanted. Xavion's control.

He watched her for a long moment while she attempted to subdue her restlessness. She wanted power over him, but he was too strong for her to take it. She must win it.

His breathing was heavier. 'Peter warned me not to underestimate you,' he said, taking her hand and laying it back on her lap. 'You're very persuasive.'

'Am I?' Dee wasn't put off. It was all a game, a ritual. She needed to discover Xavion's code, his secret trigger, then she'd have him.

Without having been told, she knew that was her purpose, not to satisfy them, but herself. And she wanted more than the mere pleasuring of her body. She wanted power.

'You know you are,' he said, and she looked not at him then, but at herself, down her naked body, over her breasts and belly to the dark curls that seemed to pulse with life.

She felt desire coming off her in waves, like the beacon of a lighthouse. Did Xavion see that with his poet's eyes? Would her insatiability be the key to his submission? She looked back at him. 'If I'm so persuasive, how can you resist?'

He shrugged. 'Orders. It's not my day,' and rising to his feet, he offered her a hand.

She hesitated. 'If there's a roster I'd like to see it.'

He smiled. 'I assure you there is no roster.'

Still frowning, she took his hand and let him help her to her feet. 'Then how do you — '

'Peter decides.'

'But how does he tell you?' She gestured around the cavern. 'He's not here. Is there a — '

Xavion held up a hand to silence her, and Dee could sense she'd gone too far.

'Our tribe survives in a delicate balance of authority and obedience,' he said. 'I would not have you tamper with that.'

Xavion was deadly serious and Dee had a sudden fear she was about to be evicted.

'I'm sorry,' she said quickly. 'I shouldn't have asked.'

'If you are to be one of us you must not question our ways.'

'I won't. I promise.' Pietre's world was growing stranger by the minute but Dee didn't care. She wanted the sex — needed it now like a drug and the thought of withdrawal made her stomach twist sickeningly. 'I want to stay.'

Xavion tortured her with a moment of silence before he said, 'You are our Wendee.' The finality in his voice was reassuring.

'Thank you, Xavion. I won't disappoint you.'

He nodded, his expression softening marginally. 'I can tell you that Peter's intent is for us to interact with you on an individual basis.'

'You mean private — '

'Nothing is private here, Wendee,' Xavion's eyes searched hers. 'Everything is known. And we obey Peter. As you must,' he reminded her.

'One at a time?'

'The twins count as one.'

She swallowed, remembering her brief experience with them. What pleasures could they share in a whole day together? The mind boggled.

Then her thoughts sped to Christophe. She hadn't seen him that morning. She wanted to see him. She wanted… 'Whose day is it today?'

Xavion smiled again. 'You are eager to start. That is good.'

'Xavion,' she touched his chest again, wishing he'd take her roughly as he had before. She was so restless. 'Who will…' She shrugged.

'Be your lover today?'

'Is it Christophe?' She bit her lip. She shouldn't have asked.

'Probably not,' Xavion said, and she felt a pang of disappointment.

'Then…?'

'Mack, I expect.'

'Mack?' She held back a shiver of apprehension.

'He'll fight among the challengers to win you,' Xavion explained. 'He's stronger than the others.'

'A fight?' She shook her head, trying to grasp the concept. 'Where people get hurt?'

'A knife fight. Some cuts. Nothing fatal.'

Nothing fatal. 'Who will fight him?'

'Only Christophe has tendered his desire to challenge. The twins have been hurt at Mack's hand before, and Josh has no passion for the prize.'

Did that mean Josh was strictly homosexual or that he simply didn't desire her enough to fight for her?

She glanced back at Xavion, trying not to look self-conscious. 'Will you… challenge?'

'Peter has ordered me remain aloof from the contest.'

That just left Christophe. She'd wounded his emotions the day before, could she stand by and watch him actually physically harmed?

'Is there another way?'

Xavion glanced over her shoulder, a secret look in his eyes. 'Peter knew you would respond thus. He has offered an alternative, but the danger will be to you and not the boy.'

She didn't hesitate. 'I'll do it.'

'Enter!' Xavion called, and in the deep shadows on the other side of the cavern, a fur wall-hanging moved, revealing a tunnel from which the Lost Boys entered.

As they drew near, Xavion announced, 'Wendee has chosen The Pursuit.'

Christophe's panic stricken eyes met hers. 'No!' He lunged forward, only to be held back by Josh at his side. 'The Challenge,' he pleaded with her. 'Please, The Challenge.'

'What is The Pursuit?' she asked Xavion, although it was Christophe who held her attention. Still grasped tightly by Josh, he was shaking his head, his eyes pleading.

'It takes place in the world outside our caves,' Xavion explained. 'You will have eight minutes head start before the others leave singly and begin the pursuit. The game ends when you are captured…' Xavion glanced at Christophe who was breathing through gritted teeth. '… after which, the winner takes any reward he chooses, regardless of your wishes.'

'You mean rape?' She turned to look at Mack, and the bland expression on his face chilled her insides with fear.

'Rape, pain, humiliation. Anything the winner chooses,' Xavion answered calmly.

Dee licked her lips. 'For how long?'

'Reward time is dependant on the chase. The entire game must be completed within an hour.'

'And if no-one catches me within that time?'

'Then you are the victor, and free to take the lover of your choice for the remainder of the day.'

'Don't do it,' Christophe pleaded. 'He'll hurt you.' But Dee and Xavion were exchanging a silent communication. Her eyes said, This is a test, isn't it? To gauge my obedience within the tribe. And Xavion's eyes said, Yes.

She looked away. The stakes had been raised. Would she call or fold.

'Wendee?' Xavion was waiting.

'Let me do it,' Christophe pleaded. 'I want to do it.'

Dee looked back to Xavion. 'When do I start?'

He acknowledged her bravado with a nod. 'When you feel prepared.'

'I won't let you. This is — '

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