Page 1 of Righteous Deceit

PROGLOUE

DIEGO

Iadjust the display brightness on my laptop and lie back against the pillows on my bed. The seconds count down on the digital timer of the website, and I sip my beer as I wait. Impatiently. It’s been six fucking months. The blistering winter deprives me of the one vice in life I succumb to. Six indulgences a year, all through the flimsy glass of a computer screen.

There would be others like it, I have no doubt. Events catering to tastes not widely accepted by the community. Experiences built for those with particular sexual eccentricities. I’m not interested, though. Not in anything other than The Quest; not in anything other thanher.

Red Treasure.

My cell phone buzzes beside me, and I retrieve it.

Leonardo

Halo or COD?

DIEGO

I’m busy.

LEONARDO

Doing what?

I ignore him and silence my phone.

The thirteenth of every month, May through October, is mine and mine alone. The family knows I’m unavailable. They have no idea why, and I’m not about to divulge my reasons. I’m not embarrassed or concerned or saving myself the eight million questions people will no doubt ask. The cold, hard truth is that I’m reluctant toshare. While Leo’s and my tastes are spectrums apart, I can’t trust his curiosity won’t be piqued by The Quest, and the thought of him watching her like I do makes me daydream about killing a man who I’d die for on any other day.

—

I stumbled across The Quest when looking up porn. Sites boasted the most explicit of videos, but nothing came close to what I sought, no matter what category the search menu offered. I gave up on mainstream and began using the skills I save for hacking into mainframes for Lorenzo to see if what I craved existed. It was obscure as fuck, but I found it.

An event dedicated to the hunt. Women and men confined to a maze or forest. Those who play prey and others who encompass the role of hunter. It’s dark and a little twisted. Targets begging to be ravaged while teasing their predator. I’ve never spoken to someone with similar tastes, but the reward for each participant would likely differ. Some would partake for the primal need to hunt and conquer. I view the sacrificial lamb as the dominant party. The seeker is playing a game with the rules and pace set by the perceived weaker partner. But a hunter can only truly conquer when their prey decides it’s time. The chase, the thrill of knowing I had to work for the privilege of claiming my sacrifice, sets my blood on fire. It’s what makes my cock hard.

My screen glitches and her red hood comes into view.

—

I refresh my screen, but it reads the same.

Selection not available.

Fuck.

I log out.

—

I refresh the screen, but it remains the same. Like I knew it would.

I slam my laptop closed.

—

I change tabs and open my email.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]