A Sinister Game Read Online Free

pieces. She knew it. With every fiber o f her being, she knew that he’ d begun another Game.
    But this one was different. With a cursory glance at her dead control screen, she had to admit that she was running blind. This Game was already beyond anything Victoria had ever played … and it felt… personal .
    What was hi s pl an? Why was he doing this now, a fter so many years of playing by the rules? Why would he break any of them at this juncture?
    She closed her e yes and sat back in her chair. With a flush of warmth across her skin, s he recalled his last words to her. Her team had just won the game, barely managing to make it to quadrant four before the Gray T e am and despite all of Victor’s efforts.
    And then, as if time had slowed down and the moment had become exponentially more vital, the light and dark leaders had faced off on the cliffs in quadrant four, the wind whipping their ha ir into a frenzy, Victor’s vivid green eyes burning a hole through her.
    “Don’t you grow tired of it, Victoria? I know you do. I can feel your weariness. You can’t hide it from me.”
    He’ d moved toward her, closing the distance between them so that the bands they wore on their arms began to heat up painfully – a warning that barriers were being breached. A reminder of protocol.
    He’d ignored it, a nd she had let him. She refused to back up as he came to stand a mere breath away, so close that she could smell the leather of his uniform and hear the ragged catch to his breathing as he implored her . “ I see the questions in your eyes, Red , ” he whispered, his very lightly accented voice wreaking havoc with her senses. “I have the answers. Give in to me. Join me . There need be no secrets between us.”
    She could feel his words caress her lips and the world seemed to slow around them. S he had the sudden, nearly overwhelming urge to reach up and touc h his hair where the deep black shining locks brushed against the collar of his jacket .
    Victoria felt stunned as he raise d his right hand and pulled off his glove. She held her breath as, i n a move utterl y belying all regulatory codes, he touched her very gently , brushing the backs of his fingers across her cheek.
    Max had stepped in then. He’d drawn his sword and swept between them, knocking Victoria back several paces. She’d caught herself in time to see Black and her captain standing boot to boot, head to head, their gazes locked in silent challenge.
    When her silver wristband flashed brightly and Black’s did the same, the end of the Game was signaled a nd both teams were instant ly transported back to their headquarters.
    It was sudden and it was harsh and, this time it was oddly painful. It had been the fourth time that Black had approached her as he had and told her to give in to him. To surrender.
    This time, upon returning to their headquarters, Victoria had gone straight to the contr ol room, shaken and u neasy. She hadn’t wanted her team to see the emotion in her face or notice the tension riding her body. She frankly hadn’t wanted to face the truth of what had just transpired.
    What he was asking for – it went beyond giving up and losing this Game. It was something more. She felt it in her gut, and she knew that Black was well aware that she could feel it. There was something unspoken transpiring between them.
    He’d really pushed it this time. By all righ ts she c ould have turned Black in for daring to touch another t eam leader on the Field. But she wouldn’t. She couldn’t.
    Because it wasn’t just one t eam leader touching another. It wasn’t just Black breaking a rule.
    It was Victor. Touching her .
    And that was different.
    * * * *
    “I need you to deliver a message to the Red leader.” Victor Black strode across the room to the messenger who had been summoned there. As far as the messenger was concerned, the Game was on downtime. He would be allowed into each territory and there was nothing in the rules that stated t eam