Selena
After spending the evening in my room with the other girls, making videos for the spectators, bawling and begging into the cameras, everyone had managed to drop their rating below a 6.
Tomorrow we'd have to try harder. And I knew it would be more difficult once we were out in the game. Survival was in our blood. And we would have to find ways to be disliked by the spectators.
My tablet buzzed and I lifted it, hoping to find a message from Varick. Instead, it came from Ulvic.
I've seen the videos. What are you up to?
I bit my lip, my fingers hovering over the keys. I knew I had to trust him. I had no choice.
My friends and I are going into the Redeeming.
His reply took a while to come in and I suspected he was mulling over my answer. I didn't want to elaborate. He would just have to get the hint that we had a plan.
Ignus controls the ratings.
My heart jolted at his words. If that was true, then perhaps we didn't have to worry about angering the spectators. We only had to anger one person.
I deleted the messages and hurried out of bed to tell the other girls. By the time I returned to my room, my heart was pounding erratically.
As I slid beneath the sheets of my bed, breathing in the scent of Varick that still lingered there. I wondered where I'd wake tomorrow. At some point I'd be drugged in the night so they could move me, dress me, place me wherever they liked. That had unsettled me before now. But not tonight. Because, for once, I wanted tomorrow to come. I wanted to attempt the impossible in bringing down these games.
◐☼◐
The first thing I noticed when I woke, was that I was being jostled side to side. The second was the slosh and slap of water against the outside of my coffin. I reached into the darkness around me, finding my stake and tablet. No backpack today. My rating had probably dropped too low for me to even be given an energy bar in this round. I should have expected that.
Reaching up, I took a deep breath, relishing the relative safety of this moment, knowing death could await me beyond the confines of my coffin. Ironic really.
I pushed upwards and an icy wind brushed over me. Spray peppered my cheeks and as I sat up, my heart flipped over at the sight of the chaotic, choppy waters around me. My coffin was careering down a river, winding between large rocks and fallen trees. I gazed into the forest surrounding me, the water stretching out several metres on either side. I sucked in a breath as I spotted eyes staring back at me. So many of them. Vs. Waiting between the trees. Waiting for me to swim for shore and make an easy meal for them.
The horn blared across the island, sounding the beginning of the round.
I stayed rooted in the box, letting the water carry me away, but I could sense the Vampires moving, following as I was swept along. Glancing over my shoulder, I spotted more coffins sailing along behind me. Some still shut whilst others were wide open, the girls sitting up and taking in our terrifying reality. Only fifteen of us left now. These games had been truly bloody.
I spotted Twyla in her ebony dress, clinging onto the side of her coffin with wide eyes.
“Selena!” Varick's voice carried to me.
I snapped around, facing the trees, my heart sprinting into top gear.
My breathing grew shallow as I spotted him on the bank, running to keep pace with me. The other Vs were crowding closer, but Varick made them back up with a single look.
“Swim to me!” he called and I shifted closer to the edge of my coffin. The water was fast and jagged rocks were no doubt hidden in its depths.
I caught Twyla's eye again, pointing to Varick. She nodded, waiting for me to take action, but I felt frozen in place.
All I had to do was jump into the freezing river and swim to the bank. Okay, so it wasn't the most enticing thing in the world. But I could do it. And then I'd be reunited with Varick in moments.
So why wouldn't my limbs move?
“Selena!” Varick called again, fixing me in his hardened gaze.
With a collision that threw me forward, the coffin hit a rock and a great hole was ripped in the side of it. I gasped as icy water filled the space in seconds, soaking my legs and seeping into my boots.
“Dammit,” I hissed, plucking up the courage, taking a deep breath and throwing myself into the raging water.
I was tossed beneath the water line, rolling, catching my arm on a sharp rock before I managed to reach the surface. I gasped down a lungful of air, swimming as hard as I could.
I couldn't see what direction I was travelling in. I wasn't even sure I was moving at all. And as the water sucked me under again, I suddenly feared I wouldn't make it.
I slammed into a boulder and screamed as something pierced my skin, dragging water into my throat. Arms gripped me and I was reminded of the time Varick had pulled me from the sea when I'd leapt from the yacht. He dragged me to shore, placing me down and snarling at the enclosing Vs.
I spluttered up water and Varick waited with his arm bleeding, ready to take away the pain scoring into my side. His blood met my lips, hot and nearly human. I shut my eyes, focusing on nothing but the single point where my mouth met his skin.
“I should have swum to you,” Varick sighed, his thumb chasing the line of my chin down to my collar bone. “But I had to keep them back.”
The pain faded away to nothing and I managed to force out words through my trembling lips. “Nothing like a m-morning swim.”
He scooped me into his arms and I clutched his chest. He was impossibly warm, but perhaps that was because I was so bone-numbingly frozen.
“The others,” I insisted, glancing over his shoulder to the river.
Twyla was battling the current like a pro, but three Vampires were awaiting her arrival on the shore.
“I'm alright. Go to her,” I demanded, slithering out of his arms. He looked ready to refuse, but I lifted my stake, nudging him forward. “I'm coming too.”
He flashed me a grin before charging ahead of me, knocking two of the Vs into the river in one blow. The final one fled before Varick could get a hold of him. Then he bent low, taking Twyla's hand and plucking her from the water. The other girls took advantage of Varick's help, jumping from their coffins and swimming in his direction.
The Vs drew closer, desperate for blood. I hugged Varick's side as two more girls clambered out of the water at his feet. As a weak V flew at them, Varick's fist shot through the air, cracking its jaw with a force that sent it flying into the river.
Veta reached us next, panting in heavy grunts as she rose to her feet, looking ready to fight to the death. More Vs circled in, attacking in quick succession. Varick dispersed them all, either injuring them enough to send them howling into the trees or snapping their necks so they buckled to the ground.
Without warning, Varick crumpled to his knees, clasping the back of his head and roaring in pain. I gasped in panic as the Vs took advantage of his weakness. The Helsings were stepping in at last. They weren't going to let Varick help us. He writhed on the floor and every time he seemed to fight off the shot of silver, his neck flexed in pain and he growled in agony once more.
“Varick, hold on!” I cried, turning outwards to protect him as he had me.
Enough of the girls has joined us now to take on the Vampires that attacked us. A girl with deep plum hair took out two weak Vs with quick, precise blows. But the third Vampire collided with her full-force and they fell into the river, limbs flailing. My heart wrenched as she was swept away, a bloody trail weaving behind her in the water.
I turned, facing the onslaught of Vampires. Some were hanging back in the trees, eyeing Varick curiously. I prayed that was a good sign, but it did nothing to comfort me as two weaker Vs approached. A male with bloodshot eyes darted toward me, his ragged black shirt hanging open to reveal his painfully thin body. Adrenaline fuelled my movements. I cried out as claws swung before my face, rearing back and missing the blow by centimetres. I was separated from the group, backing up along the riverside.
The V lunged at me and I braced for the attack, aiming my stake as the weight of him fell atop me. I felt the tip sink into flesh and the V screamed, but didn't let go. Before I could even attempt to remove the stake and try again, teeth sank into my neck. I screamed, unable to help myself as the V ripped at my skin. I writhed in his hold, but he had me pinned, his strength overwhelming me. I wriggled furiously, trying to wrench out the stake to strike another blow.
Above me, a whip of blonde hair grabbed my attention and I caught sight of Thames above me.
She wasn't smiling her usual crazed smile, but instead her eyes were focused, her lips pressed together as she battled to get the Vampire off me.
“Hang in there,” Thames said through her teeth, slamming her stake into the back of the V.
It screeched but didn't stop. My blood was making it strong. I was a mouse in a cat's paws, losing the battle by the second.
In a flash of movement, Thames was knocked aside and strong hands wrenched the Vampire from my body. I gasped, immediately snatching my neck as hot blood washed over my skin. The pain was searing. But nothing could distract me from the sight of Varick above me, killing the V in half a second and reaching down to help me up. His eyes were full of fury and blood speckled his already ruined shirt. But he was still the best sight I'd ever seen.
As he tugged me up, I instinctively slipped my arms around him, burying my head in his chest. He didn't let me stay there for even a moment, pressing his cut wrist to my mouth. Whilst I drank, I took in the girls around me; Thames, Twyla and Veta were the only ones still standing with us. But other girls had taken advantage of the distraction, heading off into the trees around us.
“You hugging Vampire is very strange,” Veta remarked, turning her attention to Varick.
Thames shrugged. “So long as he's helping, I'm down for a hug any day.”
I slipped out of Varick's arms, but he kept a hand around my wrist, not letting me stray away.
Twyla was gazing at the woods, her black dress blowing in the wind as her eyes flicked left and right. “Why didn't they all attack?”
Varick shrugged in answer and I realised he must have given them our blood.
My tablet buzzed and we all reached for them at once. I lifted it to my ear, listening to the usual male voice that gave us directions. “Today you will find surviving easier alone. Anyone who kills a fellow contestant will be awarded weapon upgrades in the next round, plus four rating points. The checkpoint is close by, but won't be open for eight hours. Good luck.”
I tucked my tablet away, my gut weighing heavily with dread.
“So we hang out with the Vampire for eight hours,” Twyla said, shrugging. “Easy.”
Thames flicked a dreadlock over her shoulder. “I say we locate the checkpoint, then find a place to hole up until the time's up.”
I nodded my agreement, glancing up at Varick. His eyes were dark and wary. “What is it?” I murmured, but he just shook his head in answer.
I wound my fingers between his and he looked down at our clasped hands. “Everyone's watching.”
“Let them watch,” I bit out, staring him down. His mouth pulled up at the corner briefly.
I turned to the other girls and felt the weight of our plan pressing down on us. We couldn't discuss it, but how were we going to drop our rating in a round like this? We couldn't fight back if any of the girls attacked us in case we won the rating points.
Veta suddenly started cursing, lifting her middle finger and waving it at every tree around us. “Screw you Helsings! I done with game. We not kill each other!”
I fought a smile as I realised what she was doing. We had to outwardly defy Ignus and his family. It was our only chance of our scores dropping. From what I'd seen last night, Thames and Veta were on a 4 and Twyla was on a 5. My 2 rating would be a little more easily sunk compared to theirs.
I brought up my map and pointed in the direction the river was flowing. The checkpoint was only a couple of miles away. We were at the heart of the island, and the trees would soon thin so we were on open land.
Varick left his hand in mine as we walked. I didn't know whether it was because he wanted me close or the fact that the spectators would be more likely to down-vote me if I was seen cosying up to a Vampire. Either way, it made tiny wings brush the inside of my tummy. A feeling that didn't have any place in this game, but there it was all the same.
We walked on, hugging the riverside whilst the other girls occasionally threw out a curse about the Helsings, sometimes working themselves up into heated rants. It was easy to join in and we were soon debating which specific Helsing we all hated the most.
“Abraham,” Veta said easily. “He man that put us here.”
“Ignus designs the games,” I added and Varick squeezed my fingers, a smile creeping onto his lips.
“Plus he's totally creepy,” Thames said, shuddering. “You know the spectators only talk to him because they have to.”
“What about Mercy?” Twyla chipped in. “That girl was as remorseful as a potato chip about us being here.”
“And could she not wear more clothing?” Veta chuckled. “She have enough money to buy some trouser.”
Thames bobbed up and down on her heels. “Do you reckon they even gave her a room at the hotel or do you think she just sleeps in a different guy's bed every night?”
I couldn't fight a laugh and Thames threw her head back, cackling.
“Well what about Katherine?” Twyla said, grinning. “I've never even heard her speak. Maybe her hubby Abe is more of the drivin' force for this.” She gestured to the whole island with her arms.
“Katherine's done plenty to live up to the Helsing name, trust me,” Varick growled and my heart beat unsteadily at his dark expression.
“Like what?” I asked in a small voice.
His eyes slid to mine, and I felt the girls waiting with baited breaths for his answer.
“She's in charge of the blood stores for the Vs.” His Adam's apple bobbed and he glanced away, shame in his eyes.
“Where does she get it?” I whispered.
“She lures people to Raskdød. Promises them a better life. The kind of people who have no one else to look after them. Nowhere else to turn. The homeless...orphans. From all across Europe.”
Our game suddenly lost its humour. My gut shredded into ribbons. How could someone be so heartless?
Varick dropped his head, pressing his fingers into his eyes. I felt the weight of guilt hanging inside him like it weighed on me too. He'd drank that blood. And he knew where it came from.
“Varick,” I whispered.
“Don't.” His fingers parted from mine and I felt the loss of his touch like the absence of a limb.
“There.” Twyla stepped past us, pointing ahead. On the horizon, beyond the thinning trees and winding river that curved away from us, was a huge cage at the heart of a field. “That's the checkpoint.”
Thames waved her tablet at me, looking horrified. “Oh no, my rating dropped to a three.”
It took me a second to realise she was acting and I carefully constructed my face into a frown. “Don't worry. We'll find a way to raise it.”
“Mine dropped too,” Twyla sighed, chewing her lip ring. “I ain't killin' no one to increase it though.”
“Come on,” Varick said in a low tone, his focus on the trees around us. “Some of the contestants have other ideas.” We followed him down a bank away from the river, melting into the cover of the woods. I feared what he'd heard and was glad to have him around - I supposed his enhanced senses and super strength were pretty nice to have around, too.
We boldly set up camp between two fallen trees, setting a fire in the middle of them. It reminded me of the first day out on the island with Rosaleen and the group who had been luring Vs to them. Only, we weren't hunting anyone now, but Varick made us a strong enough team to be brazen. He could hear approaching footsteps a mile off and even if someone got close, I knew he would protect us.
Varick sat across the fire, telling the others about how he and I had met on Raskdød. My heart swelled in my chest as I listened, feeling three times larger than it had been when he'd begun the story. When his eyes strayed my way, I blushed. I let myself indulge in the quiet peace of the moment, knowing it was fragile, temporary. Every now and then, Varick would pause, turn his ear out to the dark woodland and we'd fall quiet, waiting. But each time, he returned to telling the story and a collective breath seemed to leave the rest of us.
When Varick told them of how Mercy had ordered him to kill me, I stiffened. I recalled the night on the beach, Varick throwing his knife into the sea and closing the distance between us. Thames's eyes were on me and I stood up, stoking the fire to distract myself from the heat surging through my body.
“So wait, have you two..?” Thames gave me a filthy look and I wanted to throw the hot poker in my hand at her.
Twyla glanced between Varick and I, seeming hungry for details.
An awkward silence hung in the air and I couldn't for the life of me meet Varick's eye. No way was this happening. What on earth were the spectators thinking right now?
“You kiss the V?” Veta asked me, her casual tone making Thames burst out laughing.
“Can we stop talking about this?” I snapped, much more fiercely than I'd intended.
I finally met Varick's gaze and found him grinning, looking like the young man he outwardly appeared to be.
“You're going to make the spectators sick.” Thames held her stomach as she laughed and my cheeks reddened further.
Varick was at my side in a blur of movement. “Not a bad idea.” His grin broadened as he threatened a kiss.
“Don't you dare.” I shoved his rock-solid chest which achieved nothing more than making my blush deepen.
A howl tore through the air and the moment died in a wave. Varick was suddenly alert, glaring into the trees, his shoulders stiff.
“Get behind me,” he growled and everyone complied without a word.
“What if it's Jameson?” I whispered, peering around him.
He just grunted in response.
My grip tightened on my stake, rolling it in my slick palm.
A rush of paws pounded through the trees and in seconds, Varick had me on the ground, his body hunched over me as a white wolf sank its teeth into his shoulder. I barely had a moment to register what was happening as he reached back, grabbing it by the scruff and flipping it through the air so it crashed into the mud behind me.
I screamed, ducking my head into his chest as the wolf gnashed its teeth together inches from my head.
Varick stood, stepping over me and barrelling into the white beast as it launched at him. My brain kicked into gear as Varick gripped the wolf in a headlock, crushing the heavy metal collar beneath it till the animal screamed.
Reason!
“Varick! No!” I threw myself at him, snatching his arm and tugging, though I knew it was futile. “She's a friend,” I said through my teeth, yanking with all my might.
Reason was fighting for air, her tongue bloody where she'd bitten down on it.
Varick met my eye and I begged him with my gaze. His grip eased and Reason forced herself free, her paws digging into the soft mud. Her coat was filthy and her eyes ablaze, fixed solely on me.
Varick barred her way forward, planting himself between us.
Before she could try and move past him, a boulder collided with me. Red-brown fur and sharp teeth took over my world. I was winded as I slammed into the ground and impossibly heavy paws pressed into my shoulders. The wolf gazed down at me with bloody murder in its eyes. Mekiah.
My hand shook as I gripped my stake. I didn't want to hurt him, but I was two seconds from being his next meal. I slammed the stake into his shoulder and he screeched like a puppy, rearing off of me. His claws had shredded my shoulders, leaving gaping gouges down my skin.
Mekiah and Reason took off into the trees and Varick disappeared after them.
I panted, unable to move from pain or shock, trembling on the ground. A scream sliced into my soul, blood-curdling and unbearable. I turned, rolling as I tried to right myself. Beyond the fire, a girl with yellow hair and a deep scarlet dress had her stake buried in Twyla's chest. Veta and Thames were beside her in moments, forcing the girl off of her.
I struggled upright, woozy from blood loss as I stumbled toward Twyla.
No. Not again. I can't lose anyone again.
Thames dragged the girl's arms behind her back as Veta readied her stake to kill her.
“No!” I cried, tripping over a log protruding from the fire. Veta glanced at me, a cold disconnect taking over expression. She didn't act, however. And I was thankful. But sickened that my only motive to object was that if she killed the girl, her rating would increase.
I crawled to Twyla's side and took her hand. Her lips were turning blue, her palm shaking in mine. Her dark gaze connected with mine and I clutched her hand tighter, screaming for Varick to come back.
“Don't lose it, Selena,” she rasped and I dropped my gaze to hers again, tears spilling from my eyes.
“Just hold on. He's coming back,” I insisted. How had the previous, light moment evaporated so fast? Death had descended on us like a setting sun.
“Don't lose it,” she hissed again, but I didn't understand, gripping her tighter. She choked fell still in my arms.
Sitting back on my ankles, I fought away the tears, my vision clearing so my gaze landed on the girl in the red dress.
“What's your name?” I demanded, an emptiness expanding inside me.
“Natalia,” she whispered, jerking her shoulders to try and free herself from Thames's hold.
I stood, part of me wanting to drive a stake into her heart myself. The urge to kill rose in me like it had the day my stepfather had tried to hurt me.
“Selena,” Thames warned.
Darkness enveloped me like a cloak. I didn't know who I was at that moment. The games were morphing me into someone I didn't recognise. Someone I didn't want to be.
“We cut her and leave her for the Vs,” Veta suggested and bile rose in my throat.
I snapped out of the gripping darkness, shaking my head. “No. Let her go,” I insisted, wiping the tear stains from my cheeks.
Natalia's whole body relaxed.
Someone's hand curled around my wrist and I sighed as I realised Varick had arrived. It was bittersweet, knowing he could have saved Twlya if only he'd been a moment quicker.
“Do as she says,” Varick commanded and Thames immediately released Natalia. The girl hovered for a moment, glancing between us all, gazing at Varick with absolute fear.
“Go,” I hissed and she tore off into the trees, kicking up mud behind her.
I was trembling down to every nerve in my body. Had I stayed my hand for the sake of our plan, or had I saved her because I was still a good person? I didn't know. And I wasn't sure I wanted to face the truth.
Varick moved into my view, taking up everything, swallowing the world. His hand cupped my cheek and my teeth began to chatter.
“It's alright,” he said, his voice soft and lulling. I realised he was trying to Charm me, his will pressing up against mine. I let him in, needing some peace of mind to keep moving.
I fell into the depths of his eyes as he continued, washing away my fear. “You did the right thing. Everything is fine.”
“Fine,” I echoed, nodding. I sensed the others shuffling around me, but didn't care what they were thinking. At that moment, the world pivoted around the beautiful man before me and nothing else.
He released me, but the calm remained, washing through me like a quiet stream.
Twyla's blood was trickling toward the fire, glowing red beneath the flames. I couldn't feel the pain. I knew it was there, laying beneath the spell Varick had cast over me, but for now I was free of it.
“The wolves are gone.” Varick turned to the others. “At least for the time being. I chased them to the edge of the forest.”
“Thank you,” Veta breathed, her eyes swinging to Twyla's body then back to him. I was sure I spotted her wiping a tear away.
“We should cover her,” Thames said, surprising me as she crouched at Twyla's side, tugging the cloak from her shoulders and laying it over her still form.
When she was hidden from view, we moved on, leaving the fire behind, the carnage. I was in a dream world, following Varick's heels as we headed through the trees.
“I'm on a 2,” Thames said after a while, showing me her rating on her tablet.
“I have dropped to 1,” Veta said with a sneer.
My senses finally realigned as I came out of Varick's Charm. Thames started cursing the Helsings again, ripping into Ignus more than anyone. We kept moving until the timer rolled down to just half an hour before heading toward the checkpoint. The helicopters were waiting. Natalia was already at the gate.
She glanced back at me, her pale grey eyes flipping from me to Varick. She was afraid, clutching onto the wire as she waited for the gate to open. I saw myself in her from the past games; frightened, acting out of a desperation to survive.
The gate finally opened and Varick walked us right to the edge. I took out my tablet, finding my rating on a 1. Thames's score matched mine and Veta's at last.
As I clutched onto Varick, saying my goodbyes, he tugged me hard against him, pressing his mouth to mine.
“See you soon,” he muttered against the corner of my lips. I longed to trace every line of his face, to commit each part of him to memory in case this was the end. It all depended on him convincing the Vs to help us now and I saw the weight of that responsibility reflected in his eyes.
As we parted, there seemed to be a thousand things hanging between us that we may never get the chance to say. And three small words circled in my head that had no right being there. The strongest three words in the world.