You Have Been Chosen

A knock soundedfrom Tallulah Daniels's townhouse door. A courier dressed in black with a phantom mask handed her a black envelope adorned with silver filigree and no return address.

He prompted her to sign and offer a fingerprint scan to confirm her identity. With a dumbfounded goodbye, Tallulah closed her door. She swept aside the curtain from the small window near the door and watched the man climb into a black town car and drive away into the night before her attention fell back to the envelope burning in her hands.

Tallulah's hands shook as she opened the envelope. She sliced the pad of her finger on the flap and winced slightly.

"Damn, paper cut," she said before sucking the bead of blood into her mouth. The tangy, metallic taste ignited a certain hunger within her. But that would have to wait as she removed the heavy cardstock with perfectly scripted calligraphy.

Congratulations, Tallulah Daniels,

You have been hand-selected by The Society to participate in this October's thrill challenge. If you choose to accept this invitation, you will be eligible to win a $100,000 prize. Can you survive 12 hours locked inside an abandoned fairground?

Scan the code below—if you dare.

Everyone knew about The Society, as it was referred to—the elite who ruled the country as puppet masters. But the public had no knowledge of who made up this secret organization. The Society was spoken of in reverent tones, and naysayers disappeared off the streets, never to be seen again.

They hosted pop-up events multiple times a year in different parts of the country. The names of every person between the ages of 18 and 35 were entered into a lottery. Every night for a week, names were drawn. Those chosen received an exclusive invitation to participate in the challenge.

The money would be life-changing for her. Tallulah imagined the financial independence she could achieve with the prize money. Her ex had run up her credit cards and left her with thousands to pay on top of her student loans and her late mother's medical bills.

Her eagerness was about to be challenged as she scanned the code with her phone. A black screen popped up, and she tapped the play button. A horror-themed music box melody began to play while graphic images flashed so quickly that her eyes couldn't focus.

A blood-curdling scream cut through the music, causing Tallulah to jump. The black screen gave way to a petite blonde-haired woman who was strapped spread-eagle on a metal table. She screamed again as a vampiress bit into her neck. The vampiress licked the blood that dripped from the wounds her teeth had created.

A creepy clown appeared behind her and said something that wasn't picked up over the woman's sobs. He slid a gag into her mouth. A demon wearing a large strap-on stepped between her legs and positioned himself at both of her holes. Her hands clenched, and her body went rigid as the creature thrust forward. Her screams were muffled by the red rubber ball between her teeth as the demon showed no mercy in his movements.

The screen went black again. A timestamp showing two hours and thirty-seven minutes flashed before disappearing. The words—Do you have what it takes, Tallulah Daniels?—floated across the screen. She clicked the button and filled out the form.

Once she finished, she took her vibrator from the bottom drawer of her nightstand and conjured a scene in her mind. She replaced the woman in the video with herself. Her breath quickened as she cantered her hips against the high setting of the buzzy toy.

The vampiress sucked and licked at her skin while the double-cocked demon worked as hard as her vibrator. They called her a dirty little slut, which only spurred her on.

"Yes," she cried.

Come for us, they demanded. And she was all too happy to oblige. Tallulah's core clamped down on the toy, and she moved her other hand to her clit. Aftershocks pulsed through her as the demon pulled out and came on her stomach. She wore that like a badge of honor.