Capewood (Book I) *Completed*

Alicia

I haven't said a word to him since he walked into the room. He stands staring directly at me and laughing. "You're very headstrong, Ms. Sharp," he says walking over to me. If I weren't tied to a chair, I would reach over to him and slap him silly. I sat in here for at least an hour waiting for someone to come into this room. Those drugs messed me up.

"And you suck," I responded casually. "And are the equivalent of a cockroach that continues to show up. Now that we've established obvious traits about each other let's move on, shall we?" 

He begins to laugh hard. Not the type of laughter that should be happening from someone that just got insulted. He then suddenly gets a grave expression on his face and slaps me in the face. "Do not talk to me inappropriately with that tone, Alicia," says Eros with an angry expression. "I could be pleasant with the other ones, but you're clearly in a rare mood today. I won't deal with rudeness." 

"Slapping a tied up girl?" I've never been able to watch my mouth when I'm angry. My temper has always been something that has gotten me into trouble. I've always been a smart ass, and I'm not going to let some piece of shit serial psychopath make me act differently. Especially in my possible last moments. "I'm sure your mother is so proud,"

"My mother is dead," he says plainly. 

"I'm sure you killed her," I retort.

"I did," he says proudly.

My jaw drops. I wasn't expecting that kind of a response from him. What kind of a person kills his mother? The same kind that kidnaps twelve kids and puts them in a death match.

"You know I like you, Alicia," he says matter of factly. "You've spunk. It's something that a lot of people lack nowadays. You say what you mean, and you mean what you say. I appreciate that. The world needs more people like you," 

I'm at a loss for how to respond. Complimented one second, slapped the next, maybe a knife in my throat right after? The truth is I'm over this game. I'm over Eros, I'm over Katherine and Julian, and their woe is me bullshit that they always spout off. I am a strong woman, I've worked so fucking hard not to break down the entire time I've been here, and I have NEVER allowed myself time to panic. I've never allowed myself to break down. 

I've been fighting since the second I stepped foot into this maze. I've known the goal, I've known the end game, it's me, standing over one of their dead bodies in the final two after I beat them in this game. 

"You're hungry for it," says Eros. "I can see it in your eyes, Alicia. You are ready for what is coming. I don't even think you need the offer,"  He says as he claps his hands. The lights in the room turn on and a blue button stands out in a very dull room.  "You could have joined me, but something tells me you don't want to join me-"

"I'd rather take a knife and poke my eyeball out," I interrupt him.

"Exactly! You hate me so much that you're willing to go through all of this just to get away with me. Even the alternative of winning, death, is more desirable than working with me. That, Alicia, is why you were chosen. You are strong in your convictions, and that's something the other two are lacking."

"Gee, thanks, I'll add that to the list of accomplishments when I'm applying for colleges after all of this," I say. "I can see them being so impressed with my letter of recommendation from Eros," 

"You think you're winning?" he asks me excitedly.

"I think I'm winning," I say honestly. "Katherine is small and petite, and Julian is a bit unstable at the moment. I'm tall, athletic, and I can analyze things pretty well. I think I have an excellent shot-"

"But what about your foot?" he asks me as he looks down and motions to the bandaged wound. I wince in pain as I remember how I got it, it still hurts when I walk for long periods of time, but I can take a little bit of pain.

"What about it?" I ask looking confused. "I want you to understand something, Eros. You said I have something that the rest of them don't, and that's the truth. Because at the end of this I'm going to have a life. I'm going to have a future, a husband, maybe even a couple of kids. I will be the one that walks out of this hell hole. You can put me in your little hall of fame, or whatever the hell you keep who wins this stuff in, and you can write this under my name because you'll see me breathing at the end of this." 

He claps his hands and walks towards the door. "That's a nice little story, Alicia," he says as he laughs, "But is it something that you can follow up with? Talking is easy, but showing what you're made of? That's something entirely different. I'm interested to see if you can pull it off, Alicia."  He unties my ropes and lets them fall to the ground. I rub my wrist and arms; they have indents from the ropes on them. 

He opens the door and begins to walk out of the room. He turns to me and smiles. "My offer, though not officially given, stands. You're welcome to join me, or you're welcome to go put your life at risk as you fight for it. If you decide to fight, you just walk down this hall. I think you'll be in for an epic match," 

He walks out and closes the door. I'm left staring at the blue button or the doorknob. I take a breath and hover my hand over the blue button. I take a deep breath and then grab the doorknob and swing the door open. 

This is it. This is my fight to lose.