Anastasia immediately recalled Julian mentioning on the first day they met he wanted to buy her and he was supposed to be her master in a few hours. She needed to be respectful instead of challenging him with a eye contact.


    Briskly, she turned her head away with such speed it would have snapped.


    "Now girls, introduce yourselves," Samantha said with a huge smile on her lips.


    She was dressed in a red gown that entuated all her curves. Her corbone and earlobe were adorned by fancy jewelry that Anastasia o was sure would be diamonds. And as always, she was standing on four-inch corset heels that made her look taller than she was.


    Her appearance was breathtaking even the men were beginning to drool at her feet.


    The girls started introducing themselves, and all the whole, Anastasia could feel Julian’s eyes on her.


    The rules of the game had not been mentioned yet, and Anastasia couldn’t help but feel fear creep into her heart. Then, it was time for her to introduce herself.


    "I’m Anastasia," she said, and the eyes of the men settled on her. Julian’s gaze was unreadable but the gazes of the other men were quite readable.


    The way they sized her up lustfully made her feel like digging a hole in the ground and jumping into it. But most of all, she resisted the urge to throw up.


    When the girls were done introducing themselves, Samantha came forward.


    "I’m sure that we’ve all been waiting for this special day—The Crimson Hunt— and today, you would all be going home with your ves if you win the game." She winked at the end of her words and Anastasia’s heart immediately sank into her stomach.


    Adrenaline surged through her body as the feeling of overwhelming excitement began flowing through her mind when she remembered she would be escaping from that house that night.


    She couldn’t wait for the game to start already, but it seemed Samantha wanted to take her time before she continued.


    "This isn’t the first time we’ve been hosting this kind of game and most of you here know the rules," she continued and the men cheered by raising their sses in the air in acknowledgment. "But I’ll still recite the rules." They cheered even louder.


    Anastasia nced at the forest where Avery had already informed her the game would be starting. However, someone looked different around it. It was dark, making it difficult topletely understand what she was looking at.


    Samantha gestured for the men and the girls to follow her to the table that was standing alone in front of the forest, where several bows and arrows with what seemed to be night vision goggles.


    "The hunted will not be given any weapons. So they’ll make any kind of weapon from scratch," she said, looking at the girls, reminding them they were the hunted. "The hunted that reach the finish line will be crowned the winners and sold to their buyers. Any hunted that crosses the forbidden barriers will be killed because these barriers mean you’re not supposed to cross them. Thest and the newest of our rules..." She drawled, keeping them in suspense. "Any hunter that draws blood with his arrow must finish the kill."


    Anastasia was sure she wasn’t the only one who stiffened in shock after hearing what Samantha said because Elizabeth who was standing beside her also reacted in the same way.


    While Anastasia had been preparing for the game, she’d inquired from the rest of the girls and they never mentioned anything simr to thest rule Samantha had just mentioned.


    Samantha locked eyes with Anastasia, a grin on her lips as if mocking her.


    Even the men were shocked, but not like how the girls were because their lives weren’t on the line. They could kill any girl and wouldn’t get punished for their actions because it was part of the games.


    Anastasia could feel Julian’s hot gaze on her, and this time, despite not knowing the man except he wanted to buy her, she wished he wouldn’t pull his arrow at her. But who was she to make such a wish? The men were the hunters and the girls were the hunted.


    However, while the girls were still shocked, wondering how they would escape the men until they reached the finish line without the hunters drawing blood from them, Anastasia didn’t find Avery looking the slightest disturbed by the new rule. If anything, she only looked eager for the game to start.


    "The game may begin!" Samantha urged.