Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The lighting had dimmed to the equivalent of a partial moon's illumination at some point, allowing the less fortunate competitors at least a little to work with as they frantically searched for the checkpoints while avoiding the myriad dangers awaiting them. In that one regard, despite nearly plunging to their deaths and narrowly avoiding a freezing demise, Ziana and Dorrin were fortunate. Not all would get a full night's sleep, comfortable or not.

Morning came with the light gradually increasing for a little while, allowing the last, exhausted stragglers a final chance to finish their search. The brightening of the cavern was enough to rouse Dorrin from his slumber. He gently pulled away from his partner and dragged their clothing from the rocks. The material hadn't dried completely overnight—it was freezing down at this level, after all, but despite being damp and cold, their attire at least wasn't frozen solid. It was a small victory, but the rocks had been warm enough to at least make them less miserable to put on.

The chill on her exposed back roused Ziana from her sleep. She rolled over to the sight of Dorrin's lengthy cock flapping in the breeze as he dressed, fastening the closures to his outfit with slow and deliberate movements.

"Ah, you are awake," he said quietly. "I had hoped to afford you at least a few more minutes of rest."

"Nah, I'm up," she replied, rolling to her feet and shuddering from a freezing gust of wind. "Thanks for last night. You really saved my ass."

He pulled her damp clothes from the rock and handed them over. "We saved each other. I'm just glad we found this glitch in the designers' plans. I'm sure they'll rectify it for the next games, but at least, for now, we were able to put it to good use."

"I'll say. But that jump from way up there? That was insane. How did you know we'd hit the open spot in the ice?"

He shrugged, but a little cloud of something flashed across his eyes. "Truthfully?"

"Naturally."

He hesitated a moment. "I didn't."

Ziana stopped dressing a moment, frozen in place and not by the cold.

"You what ?"

Dorrin shrugged again. "Of course, I had a solid belief we would fall in that spot."

"But you were just guessing? Our lives on the line and you just winged it?"

"Give the alternatives, I thought it was the least terrible of several bad options."

Ziana was about to fire off a scathing retort when the air abruptly rang out with the sound of the morning gong.

"The exit is open!" Dorrin exclaimed, quickly closing the last fasteners on his clothes.

Ziana didn't need to be told to hurry, and her fingers were moving in a blur as she dressed faster than she'd have thought possible given the clammy dampness of her clothing. The rush made her ignore the cold, clammy feeling of the damp clothes on her skin, and in no time they were ready. They didn't have the thorny wraps any more having lost them in the fall, which was a handicap, but the keys were safe, tightly sealed up in Dorrin's pocket.

They had a slight advantage over the others having spent the night on the cold floor of the cavern's lowest level, but they still had to cover a bit of frozen wasteland to get to the exit door. And the other teams were damn sure racing toward it at that very moment.

"This way is faster," Dorrin said as they took off running on the icy ground.

He was diverting around the most direct course, but Ziana knew better than to question him by now. He had a plan, and she'd learn it soon enough. As it turned out, the cries of pain breaking the morning's still air made his selection of course seem better by the minute. Whatever hidden traps the designers had set to spring up as the others closed in on the final race to the exit, no one had expected players to approach from this direction. And though their route was longer, it was also unobstructed, at least not by actual traps, though the ground was difficult to pass at times.

"It's Galla and Flagro," Ziana hissed as both the exit as well as their nearest competition came into view.

"I can't carry you on the ice," he said, increasing his pace. "Not without the spikes."

"I'll keep up. Just run!"

He did just that, the pair charging as fast as they could on the slippery ground. Flagro and his sister were doing the same, moving at a near sprint despite the difficult terrain. It was almost unnoticeable, but Ziana saw the reason. The pair were wearing a new set of boots. Sure, they were identical looking to the ones they'd arrived in, but these were clean and lacking the telltale dirt, mud, and grime from a full day of trekking through the caverns.

Someone had hidden them each a new pair. And she was willing to bet these had ice spikes built in. Just the thing they'd need for the final dash.

Ziana didn't say anything aloud. There was no point. They would just have to beat the cheaters on their own without any helping hands. And, amazingly, because they'd started on this level while the others had to descend to it, she and Dorrin were actually ahead. Not by much, but they entered the final stretch barely in the lead.

The large, arched exit door was open, unsealed from the rocks and visible now, beckoning to them with a warm, golden light. It was all for the cameras, of course, but that didn't make it any less appealing of a goal. Get through that door to the tunnel leading to the outside and they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

But first they had to win.

"Out of the way, bitch," Galla snapped, driving her elbow into Ziana's side as they jostled for position.

"Not happening," she shot back, throwing a shoulder and pushing her attacker hard, making her nearly trip over her own feet.

Galla's wrist cuff went tight from the cable connecting her to her brother abruptly snapping taut as she fell out of their pace. Then, just as Dorrin had said it would, the cuff quietly let out a little slack. Nothing huge. Nothing noticeable to the spectators, but it allowed Flagro to keep his footing and Galla to regain hers. The two charged ahead with even more vigor, closing the gap fast.

They were nearly to the exit, the threshold beckoning with every step, but Ziana realized that with their specialized boots the elites were too quick. They were going to overtake them. Dorrin realized it too, and just as Flagro began to pass him in the final steps, he turned to Ziana and shouted, "Dive!"

It was a crazy plan, but at this point what did they have to lose?

The pair dove hard, their arms outstretched, elongating their cable to its limit. Normally, that wouldn't be enough, but Dorrin wasn't sliding headfirst. He'd spun around as he leapt forward in the air, kicking his legs around to take the lead, his arm over his head to stretch his body as long as possible.

A bell rang out as his foot crossed the line just ahead of Flagro's outstretched arm.

"We did it!" Ziana shouted, jumping up and down and flinging herself into Dorrin's arms for a victorious hug before quickly sliding back to her feet. "We won!"

"We did," he replied, grinning wide as they turned and walked into the tunnel.

"You! You fucking whore!"

Ziana spun on her heel. "Do not call me that."

"I'll call you whatever I like, you wretched bitch," Galla seethed. "Child born of filth. The product of common scum. You think you can beat us?"

"We just did, so deal with it," she shot back. "Come on, Dorrin."

"I'm not done with you," Galla raged on, rushing right up to her, Flagro following his sister close though not quite as enraged as she was.

"But I am done with you ," Ziana replied, continuing down the corridor. It was only another fifty meters or so until they would step out into the air and be returned to their lodging. She just had to endure a little while longer.

Galla grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. "You do not ignore me, commoner. Look at you. Your mother was clearly a whore, and you likely don't even know who your father was."

Ziana's jaw flexed. She looked up at Dorrin.

"Hey, Dorrin?"

"Yes?"

"We crossed the finish line, so we're out of the cavern. But while we're in the exit tunnel and not outside, are we still technically in the cave course?"

"Yes."

"And the same rules apply?"

"An odd question, but technically, I suppose they?—"

Ziana spun and slugged Galla right in the nose. Hard . The woman dropped to her knees, blood streaming down her face.

Ziana loomed over her. "I told you, do not talk to me like that."

Flagro moved toward her, but Dorrin stepped between them, blocking the elite's path with his considerable mass. "You do not wish to do that."

"Oh, but I do."

Dorrin's fists clenched and relaxed as he rolled his head around like a prizefighter readying for a bout. "I'd remind you, Flagro, that while there are rules binding us in the common areas and other events, I am under no such constraints here. As my partner made clear, in this place, violence is allowed. So, I would advise you to just let it go."

He stared at the man hard, not saying another word and not needing to. Flagro met his gaze but didn't move.

"Are you threatening me?" the elite finally asked, baiting him.

Dorrin didn't bite.

"No, of course not. I would never verbally threaten a member of the five families. As you well know, verbal threats to leadership are a punishable offense. I am merely stating a fact. A warning. Out there your family's position dictates your status and protects you. However, in this rarest of circumstances, there is no such finger tipping the scales. Per your own rules, I would add. Until we exit the tunnel, violence is allowed."

The look in Dorrin's eyes said more than enough. There was no fear, not an iota. But a gleam of something far more wicked danced behind his icy gaze.

Flagro stared at him hard as a group of guards raced in from the end of the tunnel, their bosses frantic to stop this before it got out of hand. Everything was being watched, and the crowd was losing its mind over what had just happened. If it went much further, there was no telling what might happen. This had to be nipped in the bud, and ASAP.

Flagro saw them approaching, his shoulders sagging slightly. He bent and helped his sister to her feet, ushering her along to the waiting guards who flanked her and helped her walk.

"I'll be seeing you out there," he growled in his most threatening tone.

Dorrin nodded once, unflinching. "And I look forward to it." He waited until they were gone before turning his attention back to Ziana. "That was incredibly foolish," he chided her, though he was clearly quite impressed with her.

"You said it was allowed," she said with an innocent smile. "Whatever violence happens in this event is legal."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean they won't seek retaliation."

"Then let ‘em come."

Dorrin couldn't help but chuckle. "You are a fierce woman, Ziana of Earth."

"Yeah, and they'd better watch out."

"Apparently so." He looked down the tunnel where more finishers were arriving. "Shall we get going? I, for one, could really go for a shower and a meal."

"You read my mind."

They arrived back at the arena to thunderous cheers as they exited their transport and headed to the tunnel leading to their lodging area. The crowd had stuck around to see them in person. To see Ziana, a commoner who had actually punched Galla Vinchi in the face in the most humiliating of ways, and, most importantly, one that was perfectly legal. It was the talk of the town, and Ziana was a minor celebrity as a result.

This time she didn't need to be reminded to wave. And this time her smile was quite unforced. This was fun.

Back in the comfort of the lodging area the other teams were congratulating the winners on their rather shocking performance. This was twice they'd managed to humiliate the elites, and even though they were all competitors out on the field, there was now a sense of camaraderie unheard of in the games. They all competed to win, but they also knew the odds were slim to none. But now? Now one of their own was actually on top, and it was a welcome shock to the system. The winners were slowed on their return to their quarters, but, finally, they stepped into the quiet privacy of their bungalow, both sighing with relief as they shed their filthy clothes as they headed to the beckoning shower.

They bathed, savoring the warm water, each of them checking the other's small wounds, their hands lingering a bit longer than on previous occasions. Ziana felt a stirring in her belly, and she noticed the slight increase in Dorrin's size as a bit of additional blood flow entered his manhood. He turned from her, uncharacteristically self-conscious, and grabbed a towel to dry off.

Clean and dry, they put on some refreshingly clean clothes and stepped back out to join the others at the dining area, where they ate well, greatly enjoying having the rest of the day off. They walked the training areas, but talked strategy rather than actually training physically. It was more of a mellow outing than practice. Then, as the sun set, they returned for the evening meal.

After dinner, to everyone's surprise, it was announced that the next day would be for rest, recovery, and training. Dorrin knew what was up, though.

"They are giving us an extra day to allow the rabble to calm down. After your showing in the last round, I'm sure there has been quite a stir, and not one of their fabrication. They want the gamers to enjoy themselves, but only if they are the ones controlling the narrative."

"Hey, if it gives us a chance to rest, I'll take it. Today was good, but I'm seriously beat."

"As am I. Rock was not the most comfortable surface to sleep on."

She nodded her agreement. "So, a real bed, then?"

He grinned. "You read my mind."

They said their goodnights to the others and headed back to their bungalow, stripping down and climbing into their respective beds. Both were asleep in no time.

Later that night, however, Dorrin woke to find his cock standing at attention, fully erect and throbbing from the pressure of his hard-on. He glanced over at Ziana.

She was sleeping.

Dorrin wrapped his hand around his girth and began stroking, sliding up and down the shaft, the bulbous shape rippling under his grip as he passed over each section, making them pulsate with the most wonderful sensation.

"Nnngh," he quietly groaned, relishing the feeling. The stress of the games typically killed his libido, but his and Ziana's unexpected degree of success had shifted something within him, and it had come roaring back with a vengeance.

He froze as a new sensation jolted him from his rhythm. He looked down. Ziana was stroking his cock as well, lending him a helping hand.

"What are you?—"

"You put in a lot of effort out there. It's the least I can do," she replied, the little spurt of pre-cum she coaxed out of him now lubricating his shaft.

"You don't have to."

"I know. But I want to."

What she didn't tell him was that she'd woken up in a similar state of arousal, rubbing her clit with delight. But when she'd heard him groan, it was then that she realized what he was up to. And unlike during the cold light of day, here, all alone in the dark with her mind and body at ease, it was affecting her in a most pleasant manner.

He groaned again as she worked him, her free hand between her legs, rubbing wonderful little circles around her clit, the pressure building inside her.

"You are quite different from any woman I've ever met," he said with a breathy sigh.

"I'll take that as a good thing. And you're pretty different yourself," she replied, her fingers sticky with her wetness.

"I don't know if we should be doing this."

"Really? Because your not so little friend here seems to be enjoying himself."

"But we're a team. Partners in the games."

"And?"

"I don't know. I'm just confused."

She increased her rhythm, squeezing a little harder, drawing more pre-cum from the sexy beast of a man. "I'll stop if you want me to, but I think we both need the stress relief," she said, leaning closer, her breath hot on his cock. "It'll be a one-off. Just a much-needed release. We both need it."

He hesitated but a moment, his pulse pounding hard. "I suppose you have a point."

"I know I do," she replied.

He was about to say more but she silenced him in the most delightful of ways, wrapping her lips around his cock and teasing it with her tongue, swirling around the head then slipping him deep into her mouth, the alien bulges of his manhood delightful against her tongue as they pulsated against it.

Dorrin groaned, his hips involuntarily arching a little. He held himself back, though, refraining from thrusting rudely into her mouth. He did, however, reach out with his massive hand and slide it between her legs as he pulled her onto his bed with him, his fingers gently spreading her lips before pressing inside her while she continued to rub her clit.

Wet as she was, Ziana took his thick digits with ease, but her body was so primed that she nearly jumped out of her skin when his fingertips rubbed against her G-spot, sending bolts of pleasure rocketing through her body.

"Oh God," she mumbled, his cock still long and hard in her mouth.

She pressed against him, their bare flesh hot and sensitive as their bodies touched. It was so intense, so electrical, and with all the stress and tension they'd been under, both reacted in a visceral and urgent way, their instincts taking over in a flash.

Dorrin pulled her mouth from his manhood and flipped her onto her stomach, her own body now pinning her hand beneath her as she continued rubbing her clit while he positioned her as he wanted. Her back arched as his massive hands cupped her ass and spread her cheeks, his spit-slicked cock pressing against her throbbing hole. He hesitated, just the head resting against her, almost in but not quite.

"Fucking give it to me," she growled, pushing back. "Oh my God, don't tease me. I need it!"

Whatever last reservations he may have had melted in an instant.

He pressed into her, his cock rippling as each bulbous section penetrated her, the sensation making her G-spot erupt with the most amazing feeling of heat and electricity, the intense pleasure spreading through her body quickly as he thrust into her, drawing her closer to the edge with every impact of his hefty balls against her as he bottomed out deep inside.

Faster he went, his climax already close, his arousal matching hers in its fast-acting intensity. They'd been unsure at first, but now that they had given in it was clear this was the right thing to do. And hot damn did it feel good.

"Yes. Yes!" she cried out as he slammed into her with gusto, her fingers rubbing her clit, her juices flowing out of her and slicking them entirely. "Fuck! I'm going to come!"

"Oh, God!" he groaned, his cock going steel bar rigid as he exploded a hot gush of cum inside her with so much force she felt it swirl against every last nerve ending, the sensation sending her over the edge with him in a volcanic climax that made her entire body lock up.

He kept up his rhythm even as he emptied himself into her, his magnificent cock coaxing her into climax after climax until she lost control of her body, floating on a sea of ecstatic sensations she was at a loss for words or thoughts to describe. It was as if he'd fucked her into an out-of-body experience like she'd never felt before, and it was amazing . But something felt strange. A tingling burn in her chest.

Ziana sucked in a lungful of air, her head swimming as she'd nearly blacked out from holding it without even realizing.

"Holy shit," she gasped, her legs twitching as her senses returned, her mind racing with post-orgasm clarity. What the hell was that, Zee? You guys hated each other just a few days ago. And now this?

Whatever was running through her mind, she felt his cock stirring inside her, rousing for an immediate round two, and with it, any resurgent doubts vanished in an instant.

"Are you sore? Can you?" he asked as he began slowly churning his cock back and forth in the most delightful way.

"Not sore, no," she replied. "And yes, I most definitely can."