Varick
Leaving Selena in the hands of Rockley Jones and Mercy Helsing didn't sit well with me. But I knew she could handle herself. And I couldn't have blagged my way through a whole meal without Rockley noticing I hadn't eaten.
I recalled the time I'd tried to eat a few months after I'd been turned. The desire had been lost the day I rose from the ground, but my curiosity had gotten the better of me. Had I known that I'd not only be vomiting it up moments later, but been in agony for several hours after, I'd have hesitated before acting on that curiosity. The lesson had been thoroughly learned. And it wasn't one I was going to repeat any time soon. Especially not in front of a man who would no doubt recognise my reaction to food for what it was.
Though he hadn't spoken much about the Vs he kept here, I suspected Rockley knew as much about them as the Helsings did. Hunters were fed on Vampire knowledge their whole lives. And though he looked like a young man, he was probably older than me by all accounts.
I made my way to the ribcage-shaped building named the Brystkasse. Even though I didn't want to attend the event being held there, I thought it would be best to stick to the story I'd weaved, just in case.
I followed a surprisingly small queue inside, offering vague smiles to those men and women who tried to engage with me. I might have been pretending to be one of them, but I certainly wasn't going to spend more time talking to them than I had to. The longer I spent in their company, the more I hungered for their deaths, picturing the slice and rip of their skin, their screams, their begging for redemption. All of it was coming their way. So long as I still walked this earth, their deaths were imminent.
There were only thirty of us, which struck me as odd. But then again, there were events being held around the entire resort every hour, so I supposed there wouldn't be too many guests at each one. Made it a more personal experience. Nice. Something the Helsings had always been trying to achieve.
I might have been revolted by the entire place, but I could also appreciate the thought that had gone into it. I'd been under the rule of Hunters for years and they'd never achieved anything on the scale of this resort. Rockley had seemingly done so alone. A testament to his dedication. Which only concerned me more. He was not a man to underestimate. But then again, neither was I...
Inside, we headed down a narrow corridor. Low music sounded through the place in a thrumming beat. Heat slid down my spine as I walked.
The deep magenta carpet beneath our feet guided us into a large room full of eerie paintings on the walls.
A girl awaited us, dressed in a leather doublet, fishnet stockings and high heels. Her blonde hair was pulled into two pig-tails and her face was concealed behind a smooth black mask.
Some of the men clapped their hands in anticipation and I tongued my fangs with my growing unrest.
“Step this way, step closer.” The girl beckoned us with taloned fingernails until we were gathered around her in a crescent. She moved through the crowd, running her hands over some of the men, her nails scraping under my chin as she passed. I fought the urge to jerk away, watching her in silence.
“Each of you will be given the opportunity to unleash your anger on the Vs. To remind them that in the end, humans always prevail, whatever the species, however powerful it is, we will rise above them.”
I felt a marginal pang of smugness at the fact I was standing amongst these people without their knowledge. And that I could kill each of them with barely a swipe of my hand.
Who's really prevailing here?
The girl handed out a key to everyone. As she placed one in my palm, her thumb caressed the back of my hand. “Enjoy,” she purred, gesturing for me to lead the way through a dimly lit corridor. A number was attached to the key in my hand; it was marked with a curling five.
I passed the doors in the corridor until I reached the fifth door, inserting my key into the lock. Doors opened all around me as the other spectators entered their rooms.
I pushed inside and the choked scream of a girl filled my ears. I shut the door sharply behind me, turning to face whatever awaited me. A Vampire was tied to a chair by silver chains, dressed in a pale pink ball gown. She fought against her restraints, screaming against the gag in her mouth.
I didn't react for several seconds, taking in the space, keeping very still as I assessed my next move. Shutting my eyes, I listened above the sound of her struggles toward the walls, the ceiling, trying to detect the buzz of cameras...microphones. But there was nothing.
I relaxed, but only a fraction, knowing I was in serious trouble here if I didn't leave this room without a dead Vampire in that chair.
I took in the silver weapons laid on silk cloths on tables around the room.
“Shit,” I breathed, turning to the door to lock it. I left the key in place to make sure no one could enter from the other side and finally approached the girl.
Possibly the worst thing about this was that she was well-fed. Bright-eyed, completely aware of what was going on. Able to feel fear, even able to cry.
“Don't scream,” I commanded, reaching for her gag.
She lurched away, her auburn hair whipping across her face. I slowed my movements.
“I'm not going to hurt you,” I promised, gazing into her eyes.
It was obvious she didn't believe me, shrinking further back into her chair. The burn marks where the silver chains held her down looked deep, but there was nothing I could do to help until I got her to listen to me.
A screen illuminated on the back wall and a tutorial started playing, showing me how to kill a Vampire. And, most disgustingly of all, how not to kill one for as long as possible.
I rubbed my eyes, anxiety coursing through me. I was in deep here. And I had to figure out how I was going to walk out of this room without a dead body on my hands.
I sighed. “Okay, listen.”
She fell still, looking up at me through watery eyes.
“I'm going to be honest with you.” I bared my fangs. “I'm like you. A V. I'm here to help.”
Her eyes were full of fear and I could still see she wasn't entirely convinced, as if this was just some trick to make her relax. I reached for the gag again and this time she let me pull it free from her teeth. A sticky red mess stuck to it, signing that her fangs had been removed. It would take an hour or so for her to regrow them.
Sick bastards.
I slowly lowered to a crouch, raising my hands to show her I meant no harm. “I'm undercover. No one knows I'm here.”
She gazed from me to the door, me to the door. “I don't believe you,” she said at last, her accent Russian.
“Why would I lie?” I gazed at the silver bonds, wondering how I could cut them.
“You're playing with my head, this is just another game!” she spat at me so blood speckled my white shirt.
I stood, moving toward the tools around the room, searching for something to break the chains. They were all silver, making it impossible for me to pick up. I growled my frustration, snatching up the end of a silk cloth and yanking it so all but one set of bolt cutters fell from the table. The girl screamed bloody murder but there was nothing I could do. And if anything, it was only buying me time.
I held the cutters beneath the silk, moving to her side. “I'm a V, see? I can't touch the silver.” I showed her, grazing my thumb over the metal chain around her wrist, hissing as it scolded me.
She gazed up at me, her thick brows pulled together.
Slowly, I cut the chains, freeing her. She didn't move until her skin was healed over, but the second it did, she launched herself at me.
“I've heard of the Vs they have under their rule!” she screeched, gripping my neck in her small hands. She was strong enough to throw me off balance, but not enough to stop me getting the upper hand in seconds. I spun her in my arms, restraining her against me.
“I'm not on their side,” I snarled in her ear, but she wouldn't listen, jerking and writhing in my arms, scratching me until my skin was bloody and torn.
“I won't go back to those cages – I won't!”
“What cages?” I growled, holding her still as best I could.
“Chambers – beneath the resort! So many cells – so many Vampires!” she wailed. “The sunlamps – they burn us!”
She slashed at me, writhing like a wild animal as she tore her broken nails across my neck.
“Enough!” I shoved her from me and she stumbled, turning and dropping into a cat-like stance.
“I'm not on their side,” I repeated, rubbing the blood from my arms as the cuts healed over.
She hissed at me, prowling closer.
“What's your name?” I asked gently, trying to connect with her. If only she would accept I wasn't here to hurt her. What had they done to her already that she couldn't even trust her own kind?
“My name belongs to me. You can't take it from me, none of you can.” Her eyes were wild and suddenly she launched at me again, spitting and hissing.
I caught her in a headlock, her ferocity forcing me to use more strength. Her hand slammed into my stomach, nails tearing, gouging, reaching-
Pain scored through me. I pulled sharply sideways, trying to stop her and a sharp crack sounded through the air.
She went limp in my arms and I sucked in a breath of horror. I twisted her around and her head rolled awkwardly across my forearm.
“No,” I snarled through my teeth, shaking her. But it was too late. I'd killed her.
I lay her gently on the floor, clutching my stomach where she'd gouged a huge slice out of my skin. I gritted my teeth until the wound healed over, resting back against the wall and gazing at the devastation before me.
My shirt was torn and bloodied, but without wounds, no one would know it wasn't her blood. I manoeuvred her back into the chair. Sickened to my core, I headed back to the door, unlocking it and slipping through, saying a silent apology. As I headed down the corridor, I had to force my legs to move past the screams that roared behind the other doors.
I moved at speed back into the main room, the first to reemerge.
“Was everything to your satisfaction, sir?” The blonde hurried over to me.
“Yes,” I said quickly. “Thank you.”
“Would you like another round?” she called as I left.
I threw her a smile, forcing myself to act. “I've had enough for today.”
She relaxed under my gaze and I marched out onto the street covered in blood. Hardly anyone batted an eye at my appearance, some of their fine outfits were even flecked with blood as well. I moved at speed toward the hotel, wanting to wash the blood from my body before Selena returned from lunch.
By the time I got back to the room, anger was swelling up inside me. Vampires had no value here. I'd spent years despising myself for what I was, for my need for blood. But I didn't butcher people for fun. I wasn't psychotic.
I stood in the scorching shower, scrubbing the blood away and running my hands through my hair until I was sure no trace of it was left.
Soon, I'd get my revenge. I'd make them feel the pain of every girl, every V they'd ever tortured.
And then I'd walk off this island with Selena by my side, and we'd never look back.