The Raven Game by Jessica Sorensen

Raven

Outside of the shower, Zay and Hunter are waiting, and Hunter has a pair of knee-highs that look similar to the ones I had on.

“How did you get these?” I ask as I take the socks from him.

“I batted my eyelashes while I asked the woman who had them on,” he replies with a teasing grin.

I meticulously arch my brow. “Is that true?”

He bats his eyelashes at me, his lips threatening to turn upward. “You don’t believe me?”

I give him a hardy har har look, to which he dazzles me with his pretty grin.

“Come on, gorgeous. Let’s get you dressed for the ball.” He sinks down on his knees in front of me.

Again.

“What’s up with you guys kneeling down in front of me? And wanting to dress me?” I question, glancing at Hunter then at Zay, who’s leaning against the counter, gripping the edge of it, his gaze fastened on me.

Jax is picking up one of the extra towels that Zay brought in from off the counter. “Because we want to.” He hands the towel to Zay. “You have dirt all over your shirt. You need to clean it off.”

“Yes, boss,” Zay grumbles, turning around toward the sinks.

But not before looking at me.

It feels like he’s always looking at me, watching me, making sure I’m still her.

“Lift your foot up, baby,” Hunter instructs.

I place my hand on his shoulder and do what he says. Once I do, he slips the sock over my foot and up my leg.

It goes all the way to my mid-thigh, so it covers up the gauze on my leg. If someone takes the time to look closely, however, they’ll be able to tell. Hopefully, no one will look at my legs too closely.

After Hunter gets that sock on, he puts the other one on then helps me put on my boots. Then he reaches for my holster and phone.

I hold my breath as he lifts up the phone. “Where do you want me to put this?”

“I can put it in my boot.” I take the phone from him and hurriedly tuck it into my boot.

It’s been a while since I’ve checked my messages, and I want to see if I received any more since the last one. I’m not about to do it in front of the guys, though, so I reach for the holster to put it on, but Hunter is already doing it.

“You okay with this?” he asks. When I easily nod, he smiles then reaches underneath my skirt and fastens the strap around thigh.

“Your legs are so fucking gorgeous,” he mumbles, skimming his fingers along the inside of my thigh.

My eyelids start to lower from the sensation but snap right back open at the alarming sound of a siren going off.

“What the hell is that?” I shout over the noise as I throw my hands over my ears.

Hunter quickly pushes to his feet, and his words make me feel like I’ve been punched in the stomach.

“It means the ceremony is starting.”

My gulp is so loud everyone can hear it.

“It’s going to be okay,” Hunter assures me as he stands up in front of me.

I wish I could believe him, but it’s difficult. Still, I put on my bravest , badass face as we leave the bathroom and wander out into the hallway. A heard of people are headed down it and we nearly get swallowed up. Somehow as I get bumped and pushed around, my hand slips from Hunter’s.

I start to panic as a sea of unfamiliar faces surrounds me. I scan the area and relief washes over me when I spot Zay. Weirdly, he’s leaning against the wall with his fingers linked in his belt loop. I shove my way toward him, elbowing people out of my way.

“Holy crap, this is intense,” I say as I reach him.

His gaze locks with mine and his brows knit, his lips curving into a curious smile. “It is, but I’ve seen worse.” His gaze sweeps up and down me. “You’re delicious looking.”

“Um… thanks?” I’m so confused. “Why are you acting weird?”

He straightens, his gaze drifting over my shoulder. “Aren’t we all acting weird?”

“I guess.” Seriously, what’s going on?

And why does his eye look blue? Zay doesn’t have blue eyes. The lighting down here must be weird.

“Sadly, I must go,” he says to me then winks. “Until we meet again.”

My lips part in shock but then my attention is drawn to the sound of a voice floating over my shoulder.

Zay’s voice.

I twist around and find him shoving toward me, panic written all over his face, his grey eyes sweeping across me.

Grey eyes not blue.

“Fuck, are you okay?” he asks as he reaches me. His hand finds mine and he latches on tightly as he waits for me to answer. When I don’t, mostly because my tongue seems to have forgotten how to work, his brows knit. “Raven, are you okay?”

“I honestly don’t know,” I tell him with a stunned shake of my head. “Because either I’m a lot more stoned than I thought and I’m hallucinating. Or I just saw your doppelganger.”

And the scary part is that with everything that’s happened, that’s may have well been what I just saw. What does that mean, though? That their fathers have made clones of them. If so, this game is about to get a hell of a lot more complicated.