V-268 knew this day would come. Just two days after her twenty-first birthday, she received her orders for the last part of her training—sex education. Her pulse quickened just thinking about what was going to happen in room 302.

Room 302 was shrouded in mystery. Late at night, when the lights went out, the V’s whispered about what took place in there. The V’s who’d graduated before her never came back to the dorms, so all she knew were rumors. Well, she was about to find out for herself.

Her hand shook as she reached for the intercom. Please, she silently prayed, let my trainer be Jeremy. Although she’d seen him only once and only for a second, he was tall, dark, and very good-looking. But most important, he was rumored to be kind and patient. She pressed the buzzer, and the door slid open.

“Come in,” came a deep voice from across the room.

“V-268 reporting for duty, sir,” she said, entering the room.

A man sat at a desk with his back to her. All she could make out was dark hair and broad shoulders. “I’ll just be a moment,” he said, not looking at her.

V-268 took the opportunity to look around the dimly lit room. Against the far wall was the desk and another door leading to what she presumed was a wash area. There was a large bed in the center of the room, and she blushed thinking about what was going to happen there. Opposite the bed was a chair and table, and next to the bed was a strange looking wooden contraption. She didn’t know what it was. It looked like a cross between a doctor’s examination table and a recliner. She couldn’t help but wonder what that was used for and was surprised to feel her skin prickle at the thought of lying on it.

“Thank you for waiting,” the man said, standing and coming toward her.

V-268 gasped. It was Jeremy, and he was better looking up close. He towered over her petite frame. He had piercing blue eyes, near black hair, and full lips…lips that she would kiss and would kiss her.

“Hello, I’m Jeremy.”

V-268 swallowed. “I’m V—“

“No! From here on you use your given name. It is of the utmost importance that you never refer to yourself as a V again. It could mean your life if you were to be discovered as a V. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” she said, looking down, feeling as though she had just failed her first assignment.

“In here, I am Jeremy, and you are…?”

“Carrie, sir…er, Jeremy.”

He smiled down at her. “Better. Now I know this is probably a bit scary for you, but I prefer to jump right into the training. I feel it alleviates the awkwardness.”

Carrie didn’t know what “jump right in” meant or if she should respond, so she just nodded.

Jeremy took a step back and slowly looked her up and down.