V Games - Dead Before Dawn Read online

  I hurried upstairs, calling her name until she answered. I pushed through one of several doors, finding her in a small, dark room, the curtains closed, her form a lumpy shape in the bed.

  “Thames?” I approached her, the silence of the room pressing. “Are you alright?”

  “What do you reckon?” She rolled toward me, and two bright eyes glared at me from beneath the covers.

  “I'm sorry about what happened...” I shook my head, perching on the edge of the bed. She'd put her faith in mine and Varick's plan, and now her legs were severed from the knees. Her whole life would be altered until she could adapt. I knew she was strong enough to do so. But she'd always laughed in the face of danger as long as I'd known her. Now she seemed broken. Just a normal girl who needed help.

  Her hand curled around my wrist and a small rattling breath passed her lips. “Wanna know the worst thing about this? I can't fight the Helsings when they come.” She yanked me closer. “And they will come, Selena. You think they're gonna let us get away with what we did?”

  “No,” I said through my teeth, my heart rate spiking.

  “Take your friends and get away from here,” she insisted as if we'd really leave her behind.

  I sighed, dropping down into the space beside her. I knotted my fingers into hers and suddenly she was crying, dragging me into her arms and using me like a human teddy bear.

  I let her continue for as long as she needed, her dramatic wails filling the house until some of the wolves started howling.

  “Thames?” I whispered into her ear and she fell quiet. “You're one of the strongest girls I know. This isn't going to defeat you.”

  “No, probably not...” She tugged the covers down and I slid in beside her. “Don't tell anyone I cried.” She fixed me with one of her fiercest stares.

  “I'm pretty sure the entire island just heard you seeing as they've got super-sonic ears.”

  I couldn't help but smile at her expression and she suddenly burst into laughter. It wasn't the manic cackles I knew so well, but sweet girlish chimes.

  When she pulled herself together, wiping tears from her cheeks, she asked, “What's it like out there? I want to go outside and taste that freedom you promised me.”

  “I'm pretty sure I didn't make any promises.” A sharp tug in my chest reminded me that not everyone in our group had made it away from the Isle of Lidelse.

  Thames pinched my cheek overly hard. “They all died trying to live, Selena. They'd rather that than still be playing games.”

  I didn't answer, moving out of the bed and heading across the room to open the curtains. Thames rolled toward me, squinting at the snowy treetops beyond the pane.

  “It snowed?” she asked through a dramatic sniff, shuffling toward the edge of the bed as I nodded. “Always loved the snow,” she muttered.

  I pursed my lips thoughtfully, then hurried back to the bed and perched on the edge of it, my back to her. “Come on, I'll carry you downstairs. Get on my back.”

  When she didn't move, I glanced over my shoulder. “I don't offer rides to just anyone.”

  She broke a small smile then shuffled her way toward me, wrapping what remained of her legs around my waist. The V blood Kodiak had given her had healed the skin over completely, leaving two perfectly smooth stumps. She wore only shorts and a vest, but the cabin was warm enough for the outfit. I lifted her, locking my hands around her back before heading downstairs.

  “You're strong for a shorty,” she said in my ear, her dreadlocks tickling my cheek.

  “You're heavy for a girl with no legs,” I wheezed and she let out a bark of laughter.

  Kite

  “How are we going to find them exactly?” I asked as Mercy ordered staff about on the motor-powered yacht.

  “Varick has a tracker,” she said triumphantly, waving an iPhone in my face, showing a blinking light that was moving south through the North Sea. “A parting gift from my brother...” She tucked her hair back which was poking out of a red beret. Her outfit was ridiculous for such an expedition. Her legs were clad in thin tights and she wore heeled boots on her feet. At least she'd had the sense to put a coat on. Not that I gave a crap whether she froze to death or not. In fact, I was kind of looking forward to watching her suffer.

  We set sail, heading across the churning sea, leaving Raskdød far behind us, passing the craggy outcrop of rock where the lighthouse stood. The memories of the game rolled over me. I wasn't weak, but that game had left its mark on me...

  I sat with Mercy in the cabin, my tongue scraping against the roof of my mouth at her scent. Mercy's smell was delicious, but she was also off limits. The remote control around her neck reminded me of that. The man steering the boat, however, looked pretty tasty, too.

  “Stop mentally devouring my crew,” Mercy said in a bored voice, running her finger down the remote control to remind me of her power. Her legs were crossed, her elevated foot bouncing with impatience. She wanted vengeance, just like her father. Her eyes were full of it. I'd always been good at reading people. That's why I'd cornered Selena the day after she'd entered prison. Girl may not have known it, but she was the kind of person people banded around. And no one was going to take my crown.

  Course, she had beaten me in the V Games. And in all honesty, I had a bit of a crush on the girl - not something many people achieved. So if anyone had to survive that wasn't me, I liked that it was her.

  A radio buzzed on the console and Mercy stood, picking it up.

  “Mercy, orders are to scout out Varick with that tracker,” Abraham's voice crackled down the line. “The second you locate him and whoever he's with, radio back to me and I'll follow with my crew, over.”

  “Sure Daddy,” she said, pressing a manicured finger onto the radio.

  “Over and out sweetie.”

  I rolled my eyes and Mercy glared at me, placing the radio down. “Problem?”

  “You know Daddy's just sending you off to make you feel useful. He's probably got his own plan, packing up a boat full of weapons while you're out of the way.”

  She pouted. “My father knows I'm capable. Once I find them-”

  “If you find them you'll...what? Radio back to Daddy and wait for the real army to show up?” I ran my tongue over my teeth, enjoying the way she squirmed at my words, her cheeks turning bright red.

  “I could take them on if I needed to. I'm a Helsing.”

  “Sure,” I said vaguely.

  She let out a huff of frustration and pointed to the door. “Go stand out there. I'm sick of the sight of you.”

  I stood, lazily making my way outside, glad to be as far from her as she was from me.

  I kept to myself, happy to be left alone at last after being dragged around like a dog for days. I guessed Abraham was taking a gamble on me now by removing my muzzle. His display of death at Ignus's funeral had certainly given me cause to worry. But why was he trusting me now? With his daughter of all people. Especially after what had just happened to Ignus.

  Maybe I really wasn't strong enough to take on Mercy. She looked feeble enough, but even if I could part her from that remote control, maybe I'd find she wasn't the fragile flower she appeared to be.

  As we sailed on toward the dark horizon, I cherished the night air, the sea spray, the way the moon glistened and sparkled on the waves. I'd always been more of a night person. It wasn't a sore loss to me to be confined to it.

  Let's play, Kitten.

  The ghosts were close tonight, closer than they'd been in a long time. I shivered, though not against the cold. I couldn't feel that at all. It was my past that froze my heart. And the memories seemed all-consuming as I gazed up at the stars. The mementos had been scrubbed clean from my skin. The tattoos that had marked my journey, reminding me of what I'd been through. It seemed stupid now. As if I could ever really lose those memories. They were chiselled into my skull. They weren't going anywhere. Tattoos or not.

  Ten Years Ago

  “Kitty! It's snowing again, it's snowiiii
ing!” My little sister grabbed my arm, tugging and pulling me out of the chaise lounge I was curled up in. I had homework to do. Daddy said I could be the top of my class if only I worked a little harder. But I hated working. I loved dancing and singing and making up plays with my sister, Poppy. Or Puppy as I called her.

  “Kittennnn,” she whined, tugging harder, throwing her head back so her black curls flew all around her. Six years old and a total menace. I was the grown up one. Eight and three quarters. But okay, I wanted to play, too.

  I threw my maths book across the room and it slid over the hardwood floors, right up to the fireplace.

  Poppy started giggling and I chased her toward the glass doors where light was streaming in. Snow and sunshine all at once. What could be better?

  I dragged on my boots and skipped outside. Poppy took my hand, beaming one of her gappy-toothed grins at me. She'd gotten all the looks. Mummy said I took after Daddy. My face was all pointy and hers was round and chubby like the angel we put on top of the Christmas tree.

  One week and one day till Christmas. I helped Mummy pick the presents for Poppy. I knew Santa wasn't real. I'd worked it out when I'd waited up all night last year. I'd watched as Daddy ate the mince pie we left out for Santa and even chewed on the carrot Poppy had left for Rudolph. My Daddy was as fat as Santa, but they weren't similar in any other way.

  I'd jumped out from my hiding place behind Mummy's writing desk and he'd had to tell me everything. No Santa, no Tooth-fairy, no Easter bunny. I'd sulked for a whole week and the worst part of it all was that I wasn't allowed to tell Poppy. But Mummy let me help this year. I'd get to play Santa with her and Daddy. I was going to stay up until Poppy fell asleep on Christmas Eve then sneak presents into her room. So I was all grown up now. I knew the truth. And Mummy said knowing the truth was a great responsibility.

  Poppy threw a snowball at me and I ducked, laughing as I scooped up a ball in my bare hand and threw it at her. I hit her right in the neck and she screamed, running away from me. “Catch me Kitten!”

  “Slow down, Puppy!” I laughed, running after her. The garden was huge. Much bigger than my friends' gardens. We even had a stables and a whole woodland that belonged to us where I could ride my pony. My friends didn't have ponies. Only me. Me and Poppy.

  Poppy skidded on a patch of ice and her legs went over her head as she fell. She never stopped laughing the whole time. When I plucked her from the snow, her pale cheeks were rose-red and snow clung to her little bobble hat.

  “Be careful.” I sounded like Mummy, but Poppy was always so clumsy. She'd knocked the whole turkey onto the floor last Christmas.

  “Oh Kitten, I'm fine. You'll always pick me up.”

  I smiled down at her, brushing snow from her dark hair. “Always.”

  ◐ ☼ ◐

  The sky was lightening on the horizon, the dusky blue turning pale purple. I returned to the cabin, muttering an explanation about us leaving the polar circle and Mercy wordlessly pointed to the stairs at the back of the cabin, leading below deck.

  I headed into the depths of the yacht, picking out a bunk and climbing onto it. I turned into the pillow, the smell of fresh linen rolling over me. And I thought of Poppy, the only thing in my human life that still resonated with me wholly. I promised I'd never leave her. That I'd never forget her. And I was thankful Vampirism hadn't taken that from me. Not yet anyway.

  Selena

  When dusk eventually arrived, I headed back to the outhouse to meet Varick. The sky had cleared and the sunset bloomed on the horizon in coral pinks and deepest magenta. I wound through the trees, the light dimming and dimming until the sunlight extinguished entirely. I'd hated the night in the games, the endless darkness, the shadows. But now I savoured it; it was a gift, freeing Varick.

  The breath was knocked from my lungs as something collided with me.

  Varick pressed me back against an oak tree, steadying me by the waist. He grinned at my startled expression before pressing his mouth to mine. I knotted my hands into his hair, my heart floating upwards until I was sure it would escape my body.

  “I missed you,” he growled and I bit my lip, my cheeks burning away the cold air.

  “You saw me a few hours ago,” I teased, but in truth I'd missed him too.

  He grinned wolfishly, taking my hand. “Come on. Best get you out of the cold, sweetheart.”

  “I can't feel the cold right now,” I admitted, heady from his proximity.

  “Either way, I need to talk to you.”

  Voices caught my ear and I turned, finding Cass and Kodiak walking side by side, looking ethereal as they appeared to float across the snowy ground. “Like this,” Kodiak was saying, taking hold of her chin and gazing into her eyes.

  I slid out of Varick's hold, frowning as I watched them. “What are you doing?”

  Cass glanced at me. “Kodiak's teaching me how to Charm people.”

  I smiled, moving closer. “Try it on me.”

  Varick muttered his discontent, but I ignored him, stepping closer to Cass.

  She bit her lip, looking uncertain. “I don't want to make you do something you don't want to do...”

  “Selena's immune to it,” Varick supplied. “But she can let you in...”

  Cass looked between us, raising a brow. “Alright.” Her eyes met mine and I was struck by their sparkling green. Lighter than Varick's, like emeralds or fresh cut grass.

  As she gazed at me, I felt her will press up against mine. But it was fleeting as I easily forced it away. Cass gasped, looking to Kodiak.

  “Again,” he encouraged and the shadow of Varick fell over him. A warning.

  I reached out an arm, holding him back as Cass tried once more.

  I let her in this time and my arms fell limp as she took up my entire world. The forest dimmed around me until all that existed was her shining crimson hair and glittering eyes. “Tell me your first memory of me.”

  “First memory...” I echoed, my mind seeming to split apart, a light shining on the memory she wanted and meeting with my lips. “I was scared...pretending not to be. Pretending to be the killer you thought I was. And you...were so strong. I wanted you as an ally, but not a friend. I didn't want any friends-” Varick muscled Cass aside, his eyes meeting mine, blazing so bright I fell into them instantly, my barriers already down.

  “Enough,” he growled, but Cass's question was still in my head, forcing me to answer it, but now in relation to him.

  “You terrified me. I knew you wanted to hurt me.”

  Varick flinched away from my words and Cass's presence lifted from my mind. I sucked in the cold air, blinking as my self-awareness rushed to meet me. “Varick,” I gasped, reaching for him, but he was already walking away, his lasting expression full of regret. I moved to follow, but he was gone, disappearing as if the shadows between the trees had swallowed him whole.

  “Selena – I'm sorry!” Cass called as I darted after him, unsure which way to go, but desperate to make things right.

  My boots pounded against the frozen ground, the snow sparse beneath the heavy tree canopy. My eyes strained to adjust to the darkness. I'd been living in it for so long that I was better adapted than I'd once been. The ground rose beneath my feet and the trees thinned, the carpet of snow bright enough to guide my way forward. The wind picked up, tugging me forward and I followed it toward a low, craggy cliff. At the top of a precarious path was Varick, perched on the edge of the cliff, his legs dangling over the sea below.

  I sighed, picking my way across the sloping rocks, using my hands to assist me as the hill grew steeper. He was like a statue, unmoving as I made the difficult climb toward him. When I arrived, I was breathless and boiling hot, unbuttoning my coat to let in the sea air.

  “Stubborn, aren't you?” he mused as I halted behind him.

  “Stubbornness will get a person through any journey,” I panted.

  “It certainly gets you a lot of places. Mainly into trouble.” He glanced over his shoulder as I tiptoed forw
ard, glancing toward the frothing sea below.

  Varick held out a hand and I took it, letting him guide me into the safety of his arms as I dropped down beside him.

  I took a deep breath. “I'm sorry-”

  “Don't,” he snarled, making my heartbeat accelerate. He ran his fingers over my palms, exploring every line as I waited for him to speak. “Selena, I know you accept me as I am, but I will always be responsible for putting you in the games. If I had only defied the Helsings sooner...” He sighed heavily and I slid my fingers between his.

  “If you hadn't taken me to Raskdød, I'd still be in prison. I'd still be...” Weak.

  “What?” he pressed, but I shook my head.

  “We're here, alive. Free.” I gestured to the sea and the dark sky that threatened more snow. “And yes, you frightened me once. But I didn't know you. The real you.”

  Varick hung his head. “That is who I am. I spent nearly two hundred years obeying the Helsings, watching girls die. And I did nothing.”

  “Because they would have killed you.”

  “And maybe they should have!” He rounded on me, his eyes flaring, his expression so fierce I would have been scared if I didn't know his anger was borne from pain.

  A knife twisted in my heart as I gazed at him, horrified at the idea of his death. I cupped his cheek, shaking my head. “We're both here because we survived what they did to us. They're the enemy. Our hands may have done terrible things, but it was their hearts that wanted it.”

  He gazed out at the sea, his expression dark, but his fingers never parted with mine, so I hoped I was getting through to him.

  After a while, he said in a low tone, “Do you want to know what I thought when I first met you?”

  “Tasty snack?” I guessed, nudging him and he gave me a dark grin.

  “Apart from that.”

  “What?” I leant into him, his skin cool, but his touch somehow warming me down to my toes.