Selena
I woke to the chiming bells that sounded a new round of events starting. I pulled the covers over my head, holding onto the peaceful moment a little longer. Today could be my last day on earth. Or it could be the start of a whole new life; one where I didn't have to fear the Helsings or the games. It could all be over. The thought was so tantalising, I could almost taste it.
Varick's skin was cooler than the previous day. I wrapped my arms around his waist, burying myself deeper under the covers.
“Good morning, limpet,” he teased, reaching down for me and tugging me up to his chest.
He pulled the covers over his head, joining me in my little cocoon.
“Sleep well?” he asked against the corner of my mouth.
I hadn't particularly. The nightmares always found me, but having him close helped.
“Well enough.” I kissed him, running my hands across the firm planes of his shoulders. “You need to be strong today.” I slid my hair over one shoulder, offering him my neck.
He didn't resist, dipping his mouth to the muscle joining my shoulder and biting down. I shut my eyes, shifting on top of him to give him easier access. I loved giving him life. It was the biggest gift I had to offer him.
My skin tingled as goosebumps skated across my arms and back. His grip on me tightened and I knew this exchange wasn't going to stop at blood.
Someone pounded on the door and Varick shot from the bed in a heartbeat. I peeped above them as he wrenched the door open in nothing but his boxer shorts.
Jameson barreled into the room.
“They've taken Gina for questioning,” he revealed and my heart took a dive. “Cass Charmed her, but they know we were with her last night, so I reckon they'll be watching us.”
Varick clawed a hand through his hair as Jameson's eyes fell on me. I yanked the covers to my chin, hiding my bare skin.
“Woops, was I interrupting-”
“Yes,” Varick snapped at the same time I squeaked, “No.”
Jameson gave me an apologetic smile, turning to face Varick instead.
“We need to be seen out in the resort today,” Varick said, his expression grave as he turned to Jameson. “We'll get dressed and meet you in the lobby. Fetch Cass and Ned. We're going to have to prove we're just like all the other spectators.”
I felt sick at his words, but knew he was right. If anyone suspected Varick and Jameson's involvement in last night's death, we were going to have to show them how wrong they were.
Jameson nodded, heading out the door.
As the door clicked shut, Varick turned to me, his brows drawn tightly together. “Sorry, sweetheart, but we need to do this.”
I nodded, slipping out from beneath the covers and hurrying to the wardrobe to get dressed. My heart wouldn't rest as I slipped on a pair of boots beneath a long, grey dress. No heels today. At some point, I was going to have to run. And I needed to be prepared for that to happen at any moment.
At last, I pulled on my red coat. The arsenic would stay close to me. Today, we'd be using it. And the thought made my heart skitter and dance.
“Calm,” Varick commanded as if he were trying to Charm me.
I glanced over my shoulder, finding him by the door, dressed in a coat, pretending to be ready for the cold. His eyes were on the bag of weapons peeking out from beneath the bed.
I would have felt much better being armed today, but there was no way we could take guns out of the hotel. Not unless the alarms were already going off. Which at some point, I imagined they would be. But would we have time to run all the way up here to fetch them?
Varick's thoughts were evidently on the same track as he said, “We'll take them downstairs, split them between the other rooms.”
I nodded, dragging them out from beneath the bed and shouldering one of the bags. Varick took the other, taking out a couple of handguns and a blade before tucking them back under the bed.
“Just in case.” He grinned darkly and worry spiralled through my belly.
We headed downstairs and once we'd stashed the weapons in the others' rooms, we descended to the lobby as a group.
“We shouldn't split up today,” Varick whispered as we headed toward the exit. “Not now. Not when we're so close.”
Outside, the moon was bright and hanging right above us.
“Ah good morning!” Rockley's voice boomed in my ear. He made a bee-line for us and I had to check over my shoulder that he really was addressing us. “Golden ticket holders are allowed into a very special game today.” He was dressed in a pair of ripped jeans with a red cape strung around his neck. Nothing else. It gave me a view of the tattoos scrawled across his chest. Written across his pecks in curling script were the words: King of Death.
“Great,” I said brightly, but my heart was doing cartwheels as I dragged my eyes up from the words.
“Come wid me, I'll show you a very good time.” He glanced at Varick. “No disappointments today, huh?”
Varick smiled in return but it didn't quite meet his eyes. “Of course. But my wife might fancy something a little tamer-”
“I'm fine,” I cut him off, locking my fingers with his. I wasn't going to be leaving Varick's side any time soon. No matter what I had to face today.
“You can go with the others, sweetheart,” he nearly snarled at me, nodding to Ned, Cass and Jameson who were lingering nearby.
“Nonsense. Your wife has clearly made up her mind,” Rockley said, dropping an arm over my shoulders. “Haven't you?”
“Yes,” I said in a light tone and Varick gave in, having no choice. “See you later,” I said to our friends.
“Have fun.” Jameson smiled easily, leading the others away.
Rockley guided us down the street toward a huge red building with The Fortress etched above the doorway.
Inside, thumping music and low lighting greeted us. A nightclub was in full swing, looking as if it had been going all night. Near-naked men and women danced in cages above our heads and on podiums around the room. Everything was red, from the seating to the vivid dance floor. Men and women danced, arms raised, eyes unfocused like they were riding the biggest high of their lives.
Varick never let go of my hand as Rockley led us through the room. The faint smell of metal reached my nose beneath the sweat and smoke. Blood, I realised, making my stomach turn over.
The room stank of sin. And I could sense I was going to witness something horrible here.
Rockley guided us through a door, shutting the clamour of music out as we ascended an iron staircase. His cape billowed behind him as we followed and I couldn't fight a grimace at his back. The King of Death sure did think a lot of himself.
We entered a long room with a roulette table at the heart of it. As I moved closer to it, a screen to my left gave a view into a room where two Vampires were standing together in a glass tank, clutching onto each other. Briony was dressed in black and Marie in red. They looked as terrified as I felt as my gaze met theirs. Did they recognise me? In a cowardly way, I hoped they didn't.
I forced myself to look away, terror streaming through my heart.
What do I do?
What can I do?
There were eight others already present, sat around the table with drinks in their hands. I recognised a couple of them from sight, but knew none of their names. I didn't care to either. But of all of them, only two mattered. Abraham and Katherine were sat by the roulette, chatting with a couple of the other spectators.
Varick guided me to a chair, forcing my leaden legs to move. We sat as far away from the Helsings as we could, our faces angled away from them. I felt like I was sitting there with a name badge on.
If they recognised us, even suspected for a second who we were, we were dead. Our mission would fail.
Rockley moved to the end of the table where the roulette was, spinning it idly as he surveyed us all. The room fell quiet, looking to him.
“This is a very special game. You will place one bet on the roulette: red or black. And we will continue to play until one of the Vampires die. Your initial bet will be locked in. And those who pick the survivor will have the pleasure of killing her themselves.”
My gut rolled. I couldn't let this happen.
Varick took my hand, taking out the golden card worth twenty grand we'd been given upon our arrival. “Red,” he said, chucking it across the table as others placed their bets. Red was Marie.
“Black,” Abraham said casually, sipping on a glass of whiskey. “Red only survived in my game because of her.”
Did he not even remember their names? I wanted to carve them into his forehead so he'd never forget. When the bets were made, Rockley spun the wheel, throwing the tiny silver ball into it. The rattle of it jumping and bouncing within the roulette wheel made me feel ill.
I chewed my lip so hard it nearly split open as the wheel finally stopped spinning and the ball slid onto black. The second it stopped, a sunlamp flew on above Briony behind the glass pane. I realised her feet were shackled in place so she couldn't move out from beneath it. She crumpled to the ground, screaming, her exposed skin bubbling and blistering. The glass was soundproof so all I could hear was the spectators' cheers.
I forced myself to watch, unblinking, but water gathered in my eyes, hiding her from view.
Varick was tense beside me, but his expression casual. The flaring light died and I blinked, forcing a tear from my eye. The mask hid it from view and I quickly smiled to make sure my reaction had gone unnoticed.
A round of applause sounded as Briony healed over and got to her knees. Marie was screaming beside her.
It was barely seconds before the process started all over again, the sound of the roulette making my heart beat harder and harder.
What could I do? Was I really going to sit through this? Watch both of them die?
The ball landed on Briony again and I shut my eyes for several seconds as the sunlamp flared back to life.
“Goddammit.” Abraham slammed a huge hand on the table. “I've already lost fifty grand in this resort, Rockley.”
Rockley laughed. “Things may turn back in your favour yet.”
I sucked in slow breaths as the lamp died and the roulette started spinning again. How long was this going to take? It was torture to watch, let alone what Briony was going through. How much could she withstand before this killed her?
On the third spin, the ball landed on red. Marie shielded her eyes from the blaze, but it did no good, her skin practically catching fire beneath the lamp. Her mouth was agape in a scream I couldn't hear. All I could think of was how she'd looked when I'd killed her. How I might have to endure that pain once more.
The game continued until I was growing hot, my heart beating an erratic tune in my ears. Most of the spectators had risen to their feet, moving close to the glass to get a better view, cursing or cheering, hoping the one they hadn't bet on would die.
When the Helsings moved to join them, I stood, my eyes on a toilet door beyond Rockley.
“I'm going to the bathroom,” I whispered to Varick and his expression told me he wanted to protest. Instead, he nodded and I felt his eyes on me as I crossed the room and darted into the bathroom.
I shut the door, taking in a deep breath.
Gazing around, I tried to think of a plan. Of anything I could do to stop them hurting Marie and Briony. I hurried to the sink, splashing cold water onto my cheeks, looking into the gilded mirror above it. My eyes were dark beneath my mask, daring me to act. To do what was right. Even if it put me at risk. But I couldn't risk Varick, too. I couldn't be rash.
I jammed the heel of my palm into the hand-dryer, burying my frustration. It turned on with a low, monotonous whirring sound and like a lightning bolt, an idea struck me.
Gathering water in my palms, I splashed it all over the power socket for the dryer. When nothing happened, I did it again and again, until the whole thing was soaked. Sparks flew from it and I jumped back as the light cut out above me.
My heart leapt with hope. I'd short-circuited it. The sound of boos from the other room told me I'd done enough damage. I hurried back into the room, finding myself in total darkness. Varick's hand found mine and he led me at speed away from the bathroom.
“What's going on, Rockley?” Katherine's voice blared through the room.
“One moment,” he replied, his voice lowering to curses as he spoke into a phone.
After a beat, dim red bulbs illuminated around the bottom of the room. I caught sight of Briony and Marie on the floor beyond the glass. Briony was burnt beyond recognition, her body no longer moving. I walked to the glass, dropping to a crouch before Marie. Varick attempted to pull me up but I shrugged him off.
Marie's eyes met mine. Her body was charred, right up to her neck. She blinked in recognition, slowly bringing her blackened palm to her lips then holding it toward me. Pain unleashed inside me. I mouthed my apologies to her and she shook her head, just enough, letting me know she wasn't angry. Her eyes slid closed and I let Varick pull me to my feet. My efforts hadn't been enough. Not nearly enough.
I was trembling. If anyone looked at me closely, they'd see the rage in my eyes, the pain. But everyone was more concerned about how this had affected the betting to be focused on me.
I had a minute to recompose myself before the lights flooded on.
“Black died first,” Rockley announced, handing out the winnings.
I marched from the room, not looking back. The game was over. We didn't need to explain why we were leaving.
“Tonight,” Varick whispered in my ear as the tha-thump of club music filled my senses.
I clenched my jaw, more determined than ever to have my revenge. I'd do it for Briony, for Marie. For all of us who'd ever been forced into these monsters' games. And I was willing to do whatever it took to put an end to them.