V games dead before da.., p.19
V Games - Dead Before Dawn, page 19
part #3 of The Vampire Games Series
I nodded at last, but had no intention of keeping my word. “If it's the only way.”
“It is,” Brendan confirmed.
Selena held my eye for a moment, a promise in it. Yes, we'd play by the rules for now. But not if we got our chance to kill the Helsings. I wondered if Brendan knew that, too. Perhaps this deal with Mercy was simply a ruse to keep her on side.
Selena moved toward Mercy, pausing and looking to Jameson. “Why do you trust her?”
Jameson kicked off of the wall I'd strangled him against. “I took her to Raskdød. I planned to blow her up along with her sadist parents. But no one was there. So I took out the castle, the workers.” He shrugged. “Mercy and I had a nice little chat after. And I believe she wants the games to stop, too.”
Cass huffed, folding her arms. “I'm not agreeing to keep my teeth out of her parents if I get near them.”
Brendan stood up straight, glaring at her. “If you cannot follow orders, you will not go at all.”
Cass clenched her jaw, but remained quiet.
Brendan started pacing. “I never promised you the Helsings' heads. I offered you a part in this plan.” He turned on his heel, glaring around at us. “If you cannot do as I say, then there's the door.” He pointed, but no one moved.
I glanced at Ned who was yet to say anything, but he remained still, his eyes focused on Brendan.
“We take out the games.” Selena stepped forward. “That's enough.”
“Good,” Brendan breathed. “Anyone have a problem with that?” Still, no one moved. He pointed to me then Jameson. “Go with Darrell, he'll get you in shape. And you two.” He pointed to Selena and Cass. “Go with Nirena. When they're finished getting you ready return here and I'll brief you.”
“What about me?” Ned spoke for the first time.
Brendan folded his arms. “I'll speak with you, Kite and Mercy now.” He gestured toward the door when none of us moved and I followed Darrell out, closely followed by Jameson.
I didn't get a chance to speak with Selena as Darrell guided us in the opposite direction to where Nirena was taking her.
“It's good to see you, brother,” Jameson said, falling in to step at my side.
I grunted a response, still angry with him for taking off.
“You're mad at me,” he stated.
“What did you think you were doing, disappearing out of here with Mercy?” I hissed.
He dipped his head, bumping shoulders with me. “I thought I could fix things on my own.”
“And now?” I growled.
“Now I know better,” he said simply.
I fell silent a moment, glancing at him thoughtfully. “Did you really blow up the castle?”
Jameson's scolded expression melted into a broad grin. “Blew it to shit.”
A weight lifted inside me, my own mouth mirroring his. “Thank you.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “That place was my prison for so long. Christ, I wish I'd been there to see it.”
Jameson looked to Darrell, and I guessed he wanted to say more but didn't feel comfortable doing so in front of him. Instead, he scratched the corner of his mouth; a signal we'd used back in our pirate days to arrange a private conversation. For half a second, I was yanked back to the past, standing beside him at the helm with a ring of my crewmen around me, explaining for the hundredth time why we couldn't simply go after Melwick's Gold. The treasure my father had hidden after he'd murdered the pirate for killing my mother. A location only I had known. But the promise of that treasure had kept the men in line, taking to my captaincy without complaint as they'd known the prize I could offer them.
I wondered vaguely if the loot was ever found, or if it was still hidden away from the modern world. Unlikely. But perhaps worth a look one day. If I ever lived to a time when gold had meaning for me again.
Darrell took us to a large bedroom with gilded mirrors on the walls. A table and chair were lined up before one of them with a pair of clippers, a razor and a sharp pair of scissors on it.
Darrell turned to us, snatching up the scissors. “Who's first?”
Jameson gripped his plait with a dramatic gasp.
“Don't be such a fool.” I dropped into the seat. “Is your hair worth your life?”
Darrell immediately tugged my hair over my shoulders, readying the scissors.
“It's worth something,” Jameson complained.
“You're too recognisable,” Darrell confirmed my own thoughts. “My job is to make you look as different as possible.”
“Go for it.” I folded my arms, not caring one bit as he sheared my hair away into ribbons on the floor.
“I've never seen you with short hair,” Jameson mused, perching on the Queen-sized bed behind me. I caught his eye in the mirror, shrugging. “What difference does it make?”
“None...it just seems like everything is changing.”
“And it will change again, brother. But for the better this time.” I ground my teeth, determined for my words to be true.
“I guess,” Jameson sighed.
“I think I'll give the Werewolf a bob,” Darrell muttered in my ear.
“Ha. Ha,” Jameson said dryly. “If you do, we'll all find out what it looks like when a Vampire tries to remove scissors from his arsehole.”
I spat a laugh as Darrell grumbled his irritation, picking up the clippers as he cut away the remaining length of my hair.
“You know how to use those, right?” Jameson asked as the low buzz of the motor pricked the air.
Darrell didn't answer, pushing the clippers into the front of my hair. He left it longer at the front than the back, clipping the sides in closely. When he was finished, he ran some wax into it, pushing it back, styling it in a way I'd have no idea how to replicate.
I already looked like a different man and that was before he picked up the cutthroat razor and shaving foam. He angled the chair back so I gazed up at him as he rubbed the foam onto my cheeks.
The slice of the blade was cold and repetitive. I grew bored as Darrell took his time, fairly skilled with the blade.
“My father was a barber,” Darrell said. “He let me shave him once. The first time I'd ever done it. I only cut him twice.”
“Reassuring,” Jameson drawled.
“At least Vampires can heal themselves,” Darrell glanced in the direction of Jameson. “Werewolves have more trouble, I hear?”
Jameson grumbled something and Darrell ignored him, grinning to himself.
When he was finished shaving me, I stood, gazing at my new self in the mirror.
Jameson stood up, his bravado vanishing as he took in my appearance. “Shit, there's no way even Selena's gonna recognise you let alone a Helsing.”
Doubt ran through me as I pushed my fingers into my hair, my head feeling light. Different. Would Selena like this new look? “Do you think so?”
Jameson elbowed me, grinning his head off. “You're so whipped, you know that?”
I shoved him down into the chair, wrapping the towel tightly around his neck and smacking him on the shoulder.
“Enjoy,” I said to Darrell, moving to sit on the bed.
As Darrell worked, I expected Jameson to complain the whole way through, perhaps even grip his plait in his fist until Darrell prised his fingers away. But for some reason, he remained quiet, his eyes hollow, speaking of how little sleep he'd had the past few days. Guilt spiked through me at seeing him that way. All of his casual words were just a guise. He was still haunted by what the Helsings had done to him and his pack. And I vowed to help him through it, even if he never admitted what he was feeling.
The shaved sides of his hair had grown out since I'd first been reunited with him, and by the time Darrell was done, it was that length all over. He looked...smart. Impossible, considering who he was. Especially when Darrell had finished shaving him, I barely recognised him as my friend.
Darrell took the towel from around his neck and headed to the door. “Coming?” he inquired when neither of us moved.
“We'll be there in a minute,” I answered and Darrell nodded, heading out the door.
We waited a few moments until I was certain he was gone then turned to Jameson who was running a hand back and forth over his short hair.
“I'm concerned about you, brother.” I folded my arms as I gazed at him.
He tongued his cheek, looking away. “Nothing to worry about.”
“Since when do we lie to each other?” I stared him down until he looked back at me. His shoulders slumped and I felt the weight of the world dragging him down.
“Thought I could fix everything by going to Raskdød, killing Abraham and Katherine. But even if I had...I dunno...” He scratched behind his ear.
I thought about Mercy, about what Jameson had done, bringing her to that island, planning to take on their whole family at once. Typical of him to try and kill two birds with one stone. And it hadn't been such a bad plan, only I doubted it was something he would have lived through. And that was the most worrying thing of all. Jameson would never choose to die. Ever. He was bloody life itself.
“So what happened with Mercy?” I asked. I trusted his judgment implicitly, but I was still curious how he'd come to the decision of really trusting her.
“Look, the girl's got issues. I'm not saying she isn't gonna double cross us, 'cause she probably is. But for now, I reckon she'll help us in order to stay alive. Make up for some of the shit she feels responsible for, then probably try to bail when things get too hard.”
“So you don't trust her?” My brows lifted.
“Not really. Figure we can use her though. We send her back to her parents with a capsule in her head, she won't say shit. But she will give us some valuable information. If we're going to hang out with a bunch of Hunters, we're best to keep away from Abraham and Katherine, especially as we're going to need time to pull off whatever shit Brendan's got in mind.”
I nodded in agreement. “You think they'll recognise us?”
“With this hair and a mask on? Na. It's too goddamn ballsy to walk into a game, they'd never think we'd do it. Wouldn't even suspect it.”
“How do we know they're even going to attend this ball?”
Jameson barked a laugh. “You think the Helsings aren't going to attend a ball held in their honour, with games entirely devoted to making them look awesome?”
I released a breath of laughter. He was right. If there was one thing we could bargain on the Helsings being, it was egotistical narcissists.
“And the promise we made Mercy?” I asked as Jameson headed toward the door.
He glanced over his shoulder, his brows lowering and clouds drawing across his bronze eyes. “We break it when the time's right.”
I gritted my teeth, nodding. “You and me?”
“We make them pay for what they did to my family, to Selena, Cass.”
He said Cass's name with a sort of reverence. Despite having openly talked about far deeper subjects, I held my tongue on asking him about her. If I so much as suggested he might actually have feelings for a girl, he'd actively work to convince himself that he didn't. Always had been a womaniser. But if there was anyone who could tame him, it was bound to be a fiery, no-nonsense girl like Cass. The fact that she didn't have any time for him was probably the one thing keeping him hooked.
I followed him out of the room, brushing shoulders with him and murmuring, “You know we might not get out of this alive, don't you?”
Jameson smirked. “Aye, Captain. I do.”
Selena
The next hour was spent being preened to perfection by Nirena. Nails, waxed legs, hair washed and, in my case, dyed.
“I can't make it lighter in the amount of time we have, so I went for different,” Nirena said as she passed me a silver-rimmed mirror. My brows raised as I took in the new look. My hair was just past my shoulders now and the colour was a deep burgundy, like red wine. Cass's hair had been perfectly straightened and she had a fringe that gave her an air of innocence.
“Shouldn't you dye my hair?” Cass blew at the strands above her eyes.
“I don't see the need. Selena's the one people will recognise. Just wear it up during the ball,” Nirena instructed Cass, before giving us both a pointed look. “And remember not to take your masks off.”
“We're not idiots,” Cass said.
Nirena waved a hand, ignoring the comment. “Clothes will be provided for you at the venue. But Brendan has outfits that you can travel in.”
“And how will we get to wherever we're going?” I asked.
“By boat. Brendan has men who can take you there.” Nirena gave me a hard look, then moved forward and embraced me tightly.
I was so taken by surprise that I simply stood there in her hold, not moving. She released me with a small sigh. “Good luck, Selena.”
As we returned to Brendan's office, my mind was whirling in circles. I was jolted back to the present as I stepped into the room. Varick and Jameson looked like they'd taken a side-step into a completely different life as modern-day models.
“Holy crap,” Cass breathed, stopping beside me.
Varick grinned, his eyes sliding down me until I felt like I was the only person in the room.
“This is just plain sad.” Kite gazed between us. “Should I wait outside until you're all finished staring at each other?”
I blinked out of my stupor, turning to Cass to hide away, but she'd seemed to have frozen into an ice sculpture as she gazed at Jameson.
“Okay.” Ned stood from a chair in the corner. “Now for the finale.” He whipped his mask off and I was fairly sure I'd been punched directly in the heart.
It made no sense at all. He was short – not my type- stocky – not my type – and grinning at me like he wanted to eat me – maybe my type. But god help me, I was fairly sure I was in love with him.
Cass breezed forward, her solid form melting into limber limbs and drifting hair. “Hi,” she whispered, so quietly I reckoned I was the only one who heard it.
A wave of jealously reared up inside me that had no place in being there. This man -Ned? -was mine. I wanted him. Needed him to look at me and feel what I was feeling.
I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, my heart somersaulting as he looked at me. Me not Cass. Ha!
Mercy floated into view beside me, her cheeks bright pink. I fought the urge to shove her.
A dark shadow flashed through the room and in less than a second Ned was on the floor screaming. I was yanked back to my senses like a lightning bolt had struck me.
My hand went to my mouth in shock- disgust.
“What the hell?” I blurted.
Varick was leering over Ned, his knuckles bloody from the nose he'd just obliterated. “You do that again and it won't be your nose I crush.”
“What just happened?” I kept my hand over my mouth, feeling decidedly sick over what had just happened to my emotions.
Jameson was laughing. Loudly.
Brendan stood from behind his desk, whipping off a pair of reading glasses and glaring at the chaos. “Hell, Varick, did you have to break his goddamn nose?”
Varick practically flew back to my side, tugging me against his hip as if someone else was going to make me fall in love with them.
“What happened?” I demanded, looking up at him, but he was too busy grinding his teeth to dust to answer.
“Ned is a Siren, when he removes his mask, anyone inclined towards men will be infatuated with him,” Brendan explained, gesturing for Kite to help Ned. She hadn't seemed remotely affected by the guy's strange charm.
“You should have seen your faces!” Kite laughed, bending low and cutting her wrist so Ned could drink her blood to heal his nose. After a beat, he was back on his feet, his mask in place, his white shirt stained red and his ego obviously bruised.
“Right,” Brendan cleared his throat. “Enough time wasting. Kite and Mercy will head to the game tonight. The rest of you will leave early tomorrow morning. Some of you will arrive as couples, so Varick will pair with Selena-”
“Fairly self-explanatory even if we hadn't all just witnessed him pissing on his tree,” Jameson said casually.
“I'm not a tree,” I muttered.
Brendan spoke louder over our chattering, “And Jameson with Cass. Ned will travel alone. Vampires will feed from their partners, no complaints please. You will have the benefit of your Vampire's healing blood if things turn south.” Brendan rounded on Mercy. “That includes Kite if she gets into trouble.”
Mercy nodded, not seeming bothered.
“I can't feed from a wolf,” Cass balked, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear that was already in place.
“You can and you will,” Brendan insisted. “It is possible – not entirely pleasant – but completely nourishing.”
Jameson raised a hand like he was a kid in school and Cass looked anywhere but at him.
“Yes?” Brendan asked tiredly.
“Wolves can't be healed by V blood.”
Brendan headed to his desk, tugging out a drawer and producing a tube of acne cream. “This is Larkspur. You will carry it with you at all times.”
“Are you kidding me? Couldn't you have put it in a different tube?” Jameson demanded. Cass laughed.
“I could have,” Brendan said lightly. “But the chances are security will be tight when you arrive at the venue. They aren't going to let anything into the event that is already provided by them...shampoo...hand cream, it will all be there for you. After the Isle of Lidelse disaster, they will be strict. But you should be able to get away with this for medicinal purposes.”
Jameson sighed, snatching up the tube before stalking toward Cass and linking his arm through hers.
“What are you doing?” She shook him off.
“We're a couple now.” He grinned in her face and Cass looked to me for help. I fought back a smile but it won.
“He's right,” Brendan said. “The spectators remain anonymous anyway, but you will share rooms and I'll give each of you wedding rings. Your names will be a guise, something simple, something the other spectators would use.”
