“Standing there is a good way to lose,” Keiran said.  “It’s okay. I always save the best for last.” He disappeared inside the arena, the dark swallowing him up.

I clutched my weapon and slowly walked in. As soon as I did, my sensor beeped and I looked over to see Keenan bouncing up and down in victory. On his second bounce he was tagged in mid-air by Keiran who turned and winked in at me. Another series of shots were fired so I ducked for cover behind a low wall near the entrance. My blood was already pumping with excitement. Keeping low I moved cautiously around the arena, which had grown quiet so I knew the guys were on the hunt. I wondered how Sheldon and Willow were fairing.

“Ah babe, you got me! How could you?” I heard Keenan yell somewhere in the distance.

I looked over the wall and saw a flash of blonde hair a few feet in front of me. It was Buddy with his back turned but he looked like he was concentrating on something and that’s when I noticed Keiran. He was about to catch him unaware. I knew we technically weren’t on the same team but he fierce need to protect him even in a silly game overrode my common sense. I shot up and tagged Buddy from behind just as Keiran turned and tagged Buddy from the front. He knew he was there all along!

Buddy spun around and looked at us both in shock before running off, leaving Keiran and me to face off. He stared at me and I stared back while he seemed to be praising and challenging me with his eyes. I quickly fired a shot but missed and as I ran off I could hear him say, “I’m hurt baby but still you have to actually aim the gun at me.”

Cocky bastard. As I maneuvered throughout the arena I realized it was built like a maze with a few good hiding spots but I was now too in to the game to hide as I searched for my next target.

I quickly rounded the corner and bumped into a hard chest that knocked me down on my ass. “Well, well, well. Look who I have here. Tell you what sweetheart. Say you’ll leave my cousin for me and I might consider letting you live.”

I plastered a thoughtful look on my face while he stared down at me. “Not a chance,” I said and fired off two shots to his chest. I rolled away like they did in the movies and ducked behind another wall, escaping his return fire.

I stalked around the arena looking for my next victim. Jeez, Lake you’re having way too much fun with this. “Pssst.” I looked around for the source of the sound but didn’t see anyone. “Up here, girl.” I looked up and saw Sheldon sitting on one the walls.

“How did you get up there?”

“Being a cheerleader has its perks.” She jumped down in front of me with a wily grin on her face. “Want to form a secret alliance and take these douche bags down?”

I didn’t even have to think about it. “Sure.”

“Sweet.”

“Wait, where is Willow?”

She shrugged and said, “Don’t know—haven’t seen her.” Dash probably got his paws on her.

“Where is your brother?”

“I don’t know that either.” She smirked and I knew she was thinking the same thing I was. “We got to move. I’ll take right, you take left.” She was gone again before I could respond.

“Consorting with the enemy?” I whirled around and found Keiran lounging against the wall.

“Are you following me?”

“Yes,” he answered shamelessly.

“Why?”

“It’s laser tag, babe.”

“Well stop it anyway.” He didn’t respond but continued to watch me. “Are you going to shoot me?”

“You mean like you tried to shoot me?”

“Well do it already.”

He shook his head and stood up straight. “I told you I was saving the best for last.”

“I could shoot you.”

“You could. But you won’t.”

I aimed the laser gun at him. “I won’t?” Oh shit, will I? Keiran was watching me intensely so he didn’t see the dot on his chest until it was too late. He’d been tagged.

“Score for the Dream Team, yeah baby!” Sheldon burst around the corner and shuffled her feet around. “I got the big bad Keiran!” She blew imaginary smoke from her weapon.

Keiran watched me with a small smile on his face. “You’re going to pay for that later,” he promised me even though Sheldon had been the one to tag him. A shiver of anticipation ran through me.

“Don’t make promises you probably shouldn’t keep.” His smile spread wider at my challenge.

“Will you two stop eye fucking each other? We have a war to finish!” Sheldon dragged me off and Keiran once again disappeared from sight but I knew he was still stalking me around the arena.

We played non-stop after that. Buddy, Keenan, and Sheldon were tagged out, ending our secret alliance. That left Keiran and me. Oh and Dash and Willow – if anyone could find them.

The arena was silent as I moved through it. Keiran and I seemed to be evading each other pretty well…unless he already knew where I was. I quickly looked behind me but didn’t see any sign of him. I was hunting him just as much as he was hunting me but that didn’t stop me from feeling like the prey. I stopped by one of the high walls and took out the map the officials gave us. Where the hell was he?

“You never were good at hiding from me.” I heard him behind me, and spun around to find him moving out the shadows. I tried to run but he was too fast as he hit me twice in the chest. I was tagged out. “I win.”