Selena
We docked at an island our captain called Øyafrelse; apparently it was somewhere between Russia and Svalbard which, to me, might as well have meant we were in space. We were so far off the coast that we were hours from land, practically dropped in the middle of the Atlantic ocean.
I pulled on my warm, red coat and Varick adjusted the collar, giving me a small nod to confirm the bottle of arsenic was still stitched into the lining. He'd wanted to carry it, but Brendan had insisted the security checks would be more rigorous for the men. Stupid really, considering these people pitted girls against Vampires for entertainment. Did they really think men could do a better job at surviving? Perhaps that's why they only entered women into the games, sitting back in their fancy chairs with whiskey glasses in hand discussing how they'd manage the situation so much better than us girls.
Pigs. I'll show them exactly what girls are capable of.
My breathing was uneven as Varick took my hand, leading me off of the boat onto a huge, well-made pier. I couldn't see much beyond the yachts and large vessels bobbing in the sea. The moon was hidden behind clouds, but glowing rows of lampposts led our way to a path on the shore. The pier rose above the beach so we never had to step foot on it. Every inch of the island I could see was frosted with snow. The land before us was flat, with a few bland, grey outbuildings dotted around, nothing note-worthy. Nothing that spoke of death and blood and Immortals being forced to murder innocent people.
Beyond the flat expanse of ground were mountains, cast in shadow by the night, but their hulking figures could still be distinguished from the backdrop of stars.
The cold was more bitter than I'd ever experienced, grasping at every bare piece of skin I had on show.
As we followed the lamp posts off of the jetty onto a concrete path, vehicles came into sight. Shiny, black 4x4s with studded tires. They were lined up behind a fence that stretched out on either side of us, barely visible until I got close. I could soon see that it followed the line of the coast, disappearing into the distance.
“Welcome!” a voice boomed from a megaphone attached to the top of a gate. “Please pass your ticket to the attendant.”
Varick guided me left along the edge of the fence toward a booth. A man sat inside in a puffy winter jacket, holding his hand through a hole in the glass window before him.
Varick took out our ticket and passed it to him. My heart was in my throat as I waited. Lazily, he scanned it, tapping something onto his computer. He sipped from his coffee as he continued to type something into the system. I was fairly sure my heart was going to choke me. Varick's hand tightened on mine so hard my fingers overlapped each other.
The guard stamped the ticket with a large red insignia then passed it back, his eyes still on the screen.
“A driver will take you to the venue where you'll be required to go through a security check.” The guard looked up from his laptop when neither of us spoke. I felt a little shell-shocked and figured Varick was too. It was all so easy, so casual.
The guard's gaze lingered on me then shifted slowly to Varick. “Any questions?”
I broke a small laugh which I hoped passed for real because my heart seemed to be trying out for the Olympics. “Only one: when do the games begin?”
“Tomorrow.” The guard smiled, his eyes moving back to me. Which I was thankful for, just in case Varick was giving off some sort of 'Vampire vibe'.
“Little bird like you gonna handle watching the games?” the guard teased.
“She can handle it,” Varick spoke for the first time.
“It's my first time,” I laughed again, sounding like a completely different person.
The guard lifted a brow, looking to Varick. “You two have a great time.” He cupped his mouth with his hand, speaking only to Varick, “Make sure to look after the newbie.”
“Sure will.” Varick winked – actually winked - then the gate slid smoothly open and we stepped through.
A breath left me like a balloon deflating in my lungs.
“Not there yet, sweetheart.” Varick ran his fingers over the wedding ring I was wearing.
One of the black SUVs pulled up before us and a smartly-dressed driver popped out, hurrying to open the back door for us. Varick guided me toward it, pressing his hand to my spine as I climbed inside. Heat enveloped me and I sighed, rubbing my hands together. Varick dropped in beside me and the driver darted back into the car. “Welcome to Øyafrelse. I'm Curt. Bloody freezing, eh?”
Varick mimicked me, rubbing his hands together as if he were affected. “Not that different to England.”
Curt laughed, pulling down the single road that led to the mountains. “Don't worry, your hotel is the shit – oh - 'scuse my language, miss. Not used to havin' women stay with us. Times are changin' I guess.” He nodded to me in the mirror.
“No problem,” I said, smiling. My jaw was going to be bruised by the time we were done faking all of this happiness.
“With the women attending I suppose the games will be a little tamer?” Varick asked, and despite his sexist comment somewhat irritating me, I knew he had to play the part to fit in with the men here.
“Ha, not likely. Rockley is promising something real bloody. 'Specially since what happened at the Helsings' game. It's in their honour, you know? You hear about it?”
“A friend mentioned it,” Varick said quietly, nodding.
“Jesus, was he there? Half the spectators got eaten, I heard.”
I fought a smile, burying my teeth into my lower lip.
“No, I guess he heard it on the grapevine,” Varick covered.
“Course, I didn't reckon anyone would show up to these games so soon after it happened. But I guess some people don't get put off easy.” Curt caught my eye in the mirror. “You don't have to watch everything by the way, love. If it's too much for you, you can spend time at the spa, eh? Leave the men to their games.”
I nodded, giving him an innocent look. “I'm sure I'll be fine.”
“You have prepared her right, guv'nor?” Curt looked to Varick. “For what goes on here?”
“She knows,” Varick replied.
“I ain't tryin' to offend you or nothin', love, but I've been doin' my duty by warnin' all the women who I've driven today.”
“How kind,” I said. “Well I may look delicate, but I assure you I like hunting as much as the next person.”
“Ah, I see. Got a firecracker there, huh guv?” Curt gave Varick a grin I wanted to hit him for.
The worst part was Varick returning it.
Oh god. How was I going to get through five days of this without wanting to slap everyone I came across?
Curt drove us into the mountains, the dark path winding and steep until I was sure the road beside us sloped away into a sheer drop. Eventually the road lowered out and I figured we'd driven through a mountain pass as we dropped down, down, down, winding back and forth. The only light ahead now were the two pin-pricks of the headlights on the road.
Worries inched into me as I thought of how far we'd travelled from the dock: our only escape.
Before us, a strip of lights splayed across the land on the edge of a glistening, navy lake. A rainbow of neon lights clung to the oddly-shaped buildings, from domes to a giant pyramid and a tall cylindrical tower at the heart of it all. It was like Vegas had been ripped from the desert and planted in the arctic.
“Jesus,” I breathed, leaning forward in my seat as we drove toward the single, chaotic street.
“Welcome to the Devil's Playground. Rockley always did have a thing for Vegas.” Curt winked at me in the mirror and I was so in shock at the sight before me that my insides didn't even shrivel.
This wasn't just a hotel. It was a whole goddamn resort.
Varick took my hand, but my fingers were as stiff as ice as he prised them from my knee. He leant closer, gazing past me out the window. “Look darling, they have a shooting range.”
I pin-pointed the building he was looking at which had a huge sign above it shaped like a rifle. The words Al's Shooting Barn lit up one letter at a time until the whole thing flashed and the process repeated.
I turned to Varick, locked in his eyes, my heart beating so hard I knew he heard it. And I realised he was trying to comfort me. A shooting range meant guns. But holy hell, we were going to need a lot of them.
“Oh how wonderful,” I feigned delight, but my stomach was in knots. I grasped Varick's hand, drawing strength from him, my nails digging in so sharply I was sure if he'd been human I would have drawn blood.
The SUV descended from the mountain pass and we took a straight road that split the vast, snowy valley in half, heading directly toward the strip of lights that divided into a T.
The resort grew closer, louder, brighter until it swallowed us whole. The night sky was dazzled out of existence above us. As we pulled left onto the street, I caught sight of the still lake beyond the building, sparkling and rippling with colour.
“Brilliant, ain't it?” Curt said as I gazed out at the casinos, the bars and even a large stadium shaped like a beehive, throwing beams of light into the sky.
“Yeah,” Varick answered gruffly. “How will this work? Will the games be spread across the strip?”
“Can't give much away, but you'll have a timetable of sorts,” Curt answered before changing the subject, “You must be looking forward to the ball tonight?”
“Ball?” I questioned.
“Yeah, standard first night. Didn't you tell her about the pre-game party?” he addressed Varick.
Varick didn't miss a beat, lying as easily as if he were telling the truth. “I wanted to keep it a surprise.”
“A party? How exciting.” I beamed at Curt in the mirror and he grinned back, swerving on the road a little.
“Here we are,” Curt announced, pulling into a crescent that led up to a foyer for the tall tower I'd seen from the mountain pass. “The Troposphere.” He turned to us, holding out two masks. “There you go.” He passed Varick the smaller black one and handed me a gold, feathered one.
We put them on and I immediately felt more at ease.
Curt hurried out, opening the door for me and I slid out of the car, followed closely by Varick. We nodded our goodbye and headed up to the hotel.
Rotating glass doors greeted us, flanked on each side by two elaborate stone fountains.
A couple of guards stood beside them with huge machine guns strung across their bodies and thick army belts packed with weapons.
My mouth went dry as we approached them, but they only smiled as we passed into the foyer. People were milling around in a bar area dressed in luxurious suits and dresses, all wearing masks like ours.
Between us and them was a barrier of metal detectors, divided down the middle by a sign.
Men left.
Women right.
I gave Varick a reassuring smile as I parted from him, heading through a metal detector as a guard gestured for me to do so.
“Evening, miss,” he said. “Arms up please.”
I complied, giving him an innocent smile. “Is this really necessary?”
“Yes, miss. There's been trouble at some of the other games.”
He ran a flat paddle over my body then placed it down, squeezing the pockets of my coat before reaching for my collar.
My heart flew upwards and I blurted, “A girl like me surely isn't any threat?”
He grinned as I caught his eye, thumbing the lapels of my coat as I tried to hold him in my gaze. “Of course not. It's only a precaution, you understand?”
I tried to force a blush into my cheeks but it was nearly impossible. “Well I wouldn't want you to get in trouble for not doing your job properly.” I unbuttoned my coat. “You can check through it if you like?” I bluffed, holding the coat wide as if to take it off, giving him an eyeful of the fitted dress I was wearing. A skin-crawling card to play, but the only one I had left.
A lock of curly golden hair fell into his eyes as he tilted his head down to look at me. “I don't think that will be necessary, miss. Enjoy the games.” He shot me a hungry smile as I headed past him.
My heels clipped across the white tiles as I hurried toward the reception desk, glancing over my shoulder to catch a look at Varick. He was being treated slightly more roughly as two guards probed through every pocket and crevice of his jacket. I let out a slow breath, thankful that I'd carried the arsenic.
When he joined me, queuing toward the reception desk, he looked ready to punch someone.
“Everything alright?” I adjusted his skewed collar, gazing up at him.
He softened as he met my eye. “Fine, sweetheart.”
He produced the ticket from his pocket as we met with a beautiful woman behind the desk, her blonde hair bound in a perfect bun. “Welcome to the Troposphere, may I see your ticket?”
Varick handed it over and we waited quietly as she scanned it.
“Oh!” she said in alarm and Varick and I stiffened.
“Everything alright?” Varick demanded, tugging me close.
The receptionist broke into a wide, man-eating smile. “Yes, absolutely. In fact, congratulations! We have a lottery running in the system and you just won. Ten guests are being randomly chosen to win an upgrade. You're now both golden ticket holders. We're gifting you a card worth twenty thousand pounds to be spent during your stay on any luxury you wish to indulge in.” The woman handed over a golden card and I wordlessly took it, giving Varick a wide-eyed look.
“Thank you,” Varick said gruffly.
“Here are your room keys. You'll be staying in a suite on the fiftieth floor, one of our finest rooms.” She beamed as she passed Varick two key cards and he pocketed them.
She smiled. “Anonymity of our guests is of high importance to us. Your masks are not compulsory, but we urge you to wear them so that you feel comfortable at all times in your enjoyment of the festivities.” She sounded like she was reciting the words. “We wish for your time here to be enjoyed without the fear of judgment and concealing your identities will provide you with a more genuine experience. In your rooms you'll find a welcome pack that contains all you'll need during your stay. Please read the rules of conduct before pursuing your first activity. And if you have any questions or concerns, just dial zero on your receiver and you'll be able to speak to one of our loyal staff twenty-four hours of the day.” She beamed and I was momentarily dazzled by her overly white teeth. “Enjoy the games.”
I offered her a smile before following Varick across the room. We took a golden-walled elevator up to the fiftieth floor with a few other men and women who seemed a little tipsy. I felt like I'd been plucked out of my own body.
These people would gladly have watched me fight for my life in the V Games. Maybe some of them had.
I pressed my spine to the cold back wall and was thankful when they filed out of the lift on the thirtieth floor. My hands were knotted with tension.
“Calm,” Varick said quietly, his eyes trailing over me. A camera was angled directly at us from one corner of the ceiling so I simply smiled and leant into his shoulder, veiling my anger.
On the fiftieth floor, we stepped into a corridor lined with soft grey carpet. We found our room in a corridor of its own and Varick slipped the key into the lock, opening the door. The first thing I noticed was the view. Floor length windows ran across the back of a huge lounge, the blinds wide open to reveal the twinkling mass of the strip stretching out below us. To the left was the vast lake, reaching toward the edges of the mountains in the distance.
I shed my mask, sucking in a deep breath. We'd done it. Cleared the first hurdle.
Stripping out of my coat, I ran my thumb under the collar. Arsenic: check. I felt like I'd run a marathon, but I'd only done the warm-up.
My anger was going to be the hardest part in all of this. Every time a spectator laughed or an attendant smiled at me, I wanted to scream, why are you here? Why don't you care?!
Before me, the room was decorated in greys and whites with neon-blue lighting beneath the huge bed and built-in wardrobe. A bottle of champagne was cooling in an ice bucket at the heart of the seating area. Beside it was a package that Varick strode toward, picking it up.
I drifted toward the window, feeling small in the expansive room. Everything was modern, sleek, simple, and so clearly worth a fortune. I pressed my hand against the cool pane, gazing down at the busy street where people were milling in and out of the casinos and restaurants. So at ease. Where was the death in this place? I was sure it was close. Hiding around every corner. I could sense it like the smell of smoke on the wind. The fire was here, I just couldn't see it.
“Selena, you need to come and look at this.” Varick's tone was grave.
I hurried to his side, gazing down at a tablet he'd evidently taken from the welcome package. On it was a map depicting the strip. He zoomed in and names popped up with a list of events, times, days.
Varick tapped one entitled: The Helsing Hall of Fame, gripping the tablet so tightly in his fist I feared he'd break it.
“What is it?” I breathed, taking the device from him.
“Some sort of museum for the Helsing games,” Varick replied. “I'm thinking we should avoid that one.”
I nodded, scrolling my finger over the screen as I checked out the different venues. A lot of the event information was vague but they had horrible names like: Blood-curdler and Fire-bomb.
I dropped into an armchair behind me, sinking into its cushy surface, but I might as well have dropped onto a bed of spikes with how comfortable I felt. Leaning forward, I picked up the welcome pack, sliding an envelope from within it and finding another tablet.
Taking out the letter, I read it aloud to Varick.
Welcome to the Øyafrelse Resort.
In order to make your stay as pleasant as possible, the owner requests your co-operation in viewing the following as an agreement between him and all guests.
1. Agreement of participation
Guests will sign the non-disclosure agreement attached to this form in a gesture of good will to ensure that the resort can continue to offer the private services no other resort offers to its guests.
2. Complaints
All events are attended at the will of each guest and no complaint will be filed if said event offends spectators.
3. Personal Items
In accordance with new security protocol, personal items are now prohibited within the resort. Any personal effect brought into the resort without declaration to staff will be treated ruthlessly in accordance with the owner's wishes. The nature of the artefact will determine the outcome. A leniency period will be in place due to the recent implementation of this rule, therefore if any item is declared within the first 24 hours of arrival, no further action will be taken. Following that, these items will result in prohibition from future games both at this resort and others:
· Firearms (including air rifles and starting pistols)
· Explosives: detonators and fuses, mines, grenades, and other explosive military stores, fireworks and pyrotechnics, smoke canisters, smoke cartridges, dynamite, gunpowder, plastic explosives (including black powder and percussion caps), flares, and hand grenades
· Blades of all varieties (including razors and scissors)
· Mobile phones, tablets or other devices not provided by the hotel
· Cigarettes, cigars, cigarette lighters, smoking pipes or any other smoking paraphernalia. (All cigarettes and cigars at the resort are free and are available from the hotel reception as well as all other major venues)
· Narcotics – including but not limited to: cannabis, heroin, oxycontin, opium, codeine, lortab, vicodin, zydone, procet, oxycodone, morphine, diffanoxin, and methamphetamine hydrochloride.
· Chemicals, toxic substances and poisons – including but not limited to: alcohol, oxidisers and organic peroxides, including bleach, acids and alkalis, corrosives or bleaching agents (including mercury and chlorine), self-defence or disabling sprays (for example mace or pepper spray), radioactive materials (including medicinal or commercial isotopes), poisons or toxic substances (for example rat poison), biological hazards (for example infected blood, bacteria, viruses), materials that could spontaneously combust, belladonna (Deadly Nightshade), hemlock, animal venom, arsenic, strychnine, cyanide, nerve gas, and wild mushrooms.
Exceptions:
Leniency will be shown to guests bringing essential personal medication and to items of medical requirement (for example crutches) but this must be declared to staff and permission given.
4. Health and Safety
Due to a recent security breach during another game, the security of this resort has been elevated to ensure your safety. The owner has doubled armed presence and further CCTV has been erected around the resort.
Dialling 111 on your personal handset will direct you to our security team. If you notice any suspicious behaviour amongst guests or game participants, do not hesitate to alert the team.
In case of emergency (for example fire or participant outbreak) an alarm will sound throughout the resort to encourage guests to the evacuation zone located below the hotel (see attached map).
Any accidental injury or death of guests will be treated with the utmost discretion. Remains will be returned to families without links to this resort or any other worldwide game.
5. Departure
Check out is on the third and final day of the event. Cars will take you to the dock throughout the day. For specific times, please inquire at reception.
Departure before the final day must be discussed with the owner and will only be permitted if he deems there is due cause.
6. Damage to Property
The guest will be held responsible for any loss or damage to the hotel property caused by themselves, or their guests.
7. Owner's Rights
It is agreed that the guest will conduct him/herself in a respectable manner and will not cause any undue problem or annoyance within the resort.
The owner has the right to request any guest to vacate his/her room or other areas of the resort forthwith without previous notice and without assigning any reason whatsoever.
8. Resort Law
Within this resort, guests will be participating in illegal, violent and extreme activities that do not adhere to any governmental laws or rules worldwide. This has been made clear before arrival and hence all guests fall under the owner's laws whilst in residence at his resort. Divulging any information in relation to this resort (e.g location, description, inside information such as video or photo evidence) will be seen as a direct attack against the owner and all Hunters in the North Sea Game Association.
Punishment will be severe.
I looked up at Varick who had sunk into a chair opposite me, his face stoic. He flipped over the page, scribbling a signature onto the bottom of the NDA before sliding it toward me. I faked a signature, placing down the pen and gazing up at him.
Impossibly, he started smiling and it was so infectious that my mouth hooked up at one corner.
“We're in the hen house, sweetheart.”
Relief swept through me in a wave. He was right; we'd made it this far undetected. The hardest part was going to be implementing our plan. But we'd figure it out, we had to.
“I'm looking forward to killing some chickens,” I replied, my smile spreading wider.