V games dead before da.., p.9
V Games - Dead Before Dawn, page 9
part #3 of The Vampire Games Series
“They're Immortals,” Brendan revealed. “Like the Vampires, the Werewolves. Their power, when abused, is one of the most dangerous things of all.”
“What is it?” I gripped his arm, unable to believe what I was hearing. Elijah was Immortal? How was that possible?
“Love,” Brendan breathed. “Anyone who looks upon the face of a Siren will fall instantly in love with them.”
“But-” I shook my head, backing up, my whole life rattling on its foundations. “But I didn't love him, I despised him!” I shouted.
“Oh Selena.” He reached for me but I stepped away. “Children are immune to Sirens.”
Varick suddenly appeared at my side, his expression grave. “Is this true?” he demanded of Brendan, evidently having been listening the whole time.
Brendan bowed his head in confirmation. “I trusted him,” he gasped.
My cheeks were growing stiff from the cold. I needed some time to think, to absorb all I'd been told. In some ways, I was relieved. Mum had been under the spell of a Siren my whole life. And it made it easier to forgive her. Easier to understand. To lay blame where it really belonged: with Elijah.
Varick took my hand and I let him guide me away, leaving Brendan to his thoughts under the canopy of stars.
◐ ☼ ◐
Sleep was easy in Varick's arms, even curled up next to him on a small sofa. Thames had been given the only bed onboard to sleep in, seeing as she didn't exactly have 'sea legs' anymore. And from time to time Kodiak would drift away to check on her.
Varick held me so tight that I barely felt the rock and sway of the vessel. Sometimes a nightmare would stir me and he'd hold me against him until I found peace again. How I'd ever slept well before he came into my life seemed like a mystery now.
As dawn approached, Varick shifted, evidently hearing something worth investigating. I wriggled free of his hold, murmuring a sleepy greeting before following him up onto deck. I'd not taken Reason's coat off since we'd left Skorpa, but the wind still hit me like an ice blast as I poked my head above deck.
“Hello?!” Brendan was shouting, pointing over the side of the catamaran. “Is anyone out there?!”
I hurried up to join his side, but Varick beat me to it – obviously – leaning far over the railing. He gripped my arm before I could look, giving me a warning stare.
I moved past him, gazing curiously down into the water. The black waves lapped against the hull and soft knocks sounded as pieces of wood floated into the side of it.
“What happened here?” Varick asked Brendan.
“Some ship's been blown to pieces.” He ran a hand through his hair, looking anxious. “I better circle the wreckage, see if there are any survivors.”
Before he could move, a white piece of wood floated by with the name The Swift printed on it.
Varick stiffened. “That's a Helsing vessel.”
My heart leapt upwards. “Do you think they were on it?” I took his arm, gazing into the murky water hopefully.
“Here! Over here!” Voices carried to my ears and I narrowed my eyes on the dark horizon, trying to spot the source.
“Get me a light!” Brendan ordered and Darrell ran to comply, returning with a large torch a moment later.
Brendan flicked it on, guiding the spotlight across the waves. “Hello?!” he called.
“Here!” a girl's voice drifted to us.
Varick pushed me back, looking fierce. “I know that voice.”
“Mercy,” I breathed in recognition, astonished.
Brendan swung his torch in the direction of her voice and a shimmer of blonde hair caught my eye.
Cass appeared beside me so suddenly that I jumped. “Mercy's out there?” she asked in disbelief.
I nodded, watching as Darrell guided the catamaran closer. Mercy was wrapped around someone else's back, clinging to them like a limpet. When her ride lifted their head, I recognised Kite with a jolt of my stomach.
“Oh my god,” I breathed, hurrying to my father's side. “Get her up!”
Mercy's eyes widened like headlamps as she spotted us up on the deck. “You have got to be kidding me.”
I smiled triumphantly and Varick mirrored my expression, casually resting his elbows on the railing, looking down at her. “Nice night for a swim.”
“Get me out of here, this second!” Mercy cried and Kite shouldered her away so she dunked under the water. Mercy came up spluttering, pointing a silver remote control in Kite's direction. “Out - or I'll kill her.”
My father cast out a rope and Mercy caught hold of it. “No need to start throwing threats around.” He guided her to the side of the boat and Varick took the rope from him to haul her up -not so gently – and the sopping-wet form of Mercy was planted before us. She shivered from head to toe, her thin grey coat dripping water over her bare feet. She was turning bluer by the second.
Kite clambered out herself with obvious ease, her dark eyes scouring everyone on deck before landing on me. “Selena Grey.”
“Kite,” I breathed, guilt sweeping through me at the sight of her.
“Thanks for abandoning me.”
“I'm sorry,” I choked as I took her in.
“Tell you what, you take that remote off of Blondie over there and we'll call it quits.”
Varick restrained Mercy with a single arm and Cass plucked the remote from her fingers, crushing it into dust. She didn't put up a fight at all, but that probably had to do with the fact she was outnumbered ten to one.
“Mercy Helsing.” Brendan approached her, coiling the rope up in his hands. “You're now my prisoner.” He smiled.
“We can't leave her in those clothes,” I said quietly, earning myself a disgusted look from Kite. “She'll freeze!” I defended myself.
“Yeah, she'll freeze even better if we dump her back in the ocean.” Cass placed her hands on her hips.
I bit my lip, looking to Varick. I hated Mercy and her entire family, but she was under our command, completely vulnerable. How could we just kill her like that? I'd done terrible things in the past, but all in the name of survival. Now she was placed in front of me...I couldn't go through with an execution.
“Varick?” I said in a small voice. His eyes were dark as pitch as he gazed down at Mercy. I recalled how he'd ripped out her brother's heart without a moment's hesitation. Would he give her the same courtesy now? After all she'd done to him, why would he stay his hand? And why would I stop him?
“We're not pirates,” Brendan growled and Varick shifted awkwardly. “No one is being murdered aboard my ship. Darrell, take her downstairs, give her some clothes and lock her in the hold.”
“Yes sir,” Darrell moved past me, grabbing Mercy's bound wrists.
“I'm not going with him. He'll eat me!” Mercy screeched as Varick shoved her into his arms.
Darrell started laughing as he guided her away.
“Kite.” I turned to her, perplexed. “How did you end up here?”
“Don't you know?” She snorted a laugh, looking out at the sea. “Thought you were the ones who booby-trapped us, seeing as we followed his tracker all the way out here.” She jerked her head at Varick.
“Jameson,” Varick breathed in realisation, starting to laugh. “He dealt with the tracker...damn, I wish he was here to see this.”
I couldn't fight a smile as Cass looked out at the wreckage. “Bloody wolf boy,” she muttered, a grin dancing around her lips.
I moved to embrace Kite, hoping to clear the air between us, but as I slid my arms around her, she stiffened. With a cry, she threw me onto the deck, falling atop me, her fangs slicing into my throat.
I screamed in shock, trying to push her back, my fingers tangling in her sopping hair. She began to rise, but it wasn't me who'd removed her, it was Varick. Forcefully, he gripped Kite's neck, twisting violently, blood still dripping down her mouth. She looked wild, flailing in his strong hold, a complete animal.
“Stop!” I screamed, cupping my neck as I scrambled to my feet. I grabbed Varick's tense arm, trying to ease his grip on Kite's throat.
Varick met my eye and the fury in his expression faded a fraction. He turned, slamming Kite against the wall of a cabin and snarling in her face, “You ever drink from her again – even touch her - and I won't hesitate to kill you.” His body was rigid, his arms rippling with tension. If Kite had still needed to breathe I was certain she'd be turning blue by now.
Varick released her at last and she slumped against the wall, looking to me, her eyes wide and ravenous. “She smells -” She clutched her throat, turning to Brendan. “And him...” She covered her nose with her hand.
Brendan shot Varick a concerned look. “Put her in the hold with Mercy. If she's going to feed, I'd rather it was on a Hesing's neck.”
Varick grabbed Kite's collar and manhandled her below deck even though she barely fought him.
Kodiak looked pained as he gazed at my bleeding neck, now pooling into my collar bone. He moved forward, his arms stiff. I took a wary step back, but he lifted his wrist to his mouth, slitting it open and offering it to me.
“Here,” he rasped and I raised my brows in surprise.
“Oh...thanks.” I bent my head to drink his blood, but before I could even get close, someone whipped me into the air.
“Varick!” I cried as he carried me away, tucking me under one arm as he took me below deck. “What the hell?” I snapped as he planted me on my feet in the cabin.
“You're clearly not getting the message, sweetheart.” He curved his hand around the back of my neck, slamming his body against mine. “No one else drinks from you.” He tugged up his sleeve with his teeth, piercing his skin then pressing the small wound to my lips. “And you don't drink from anyone other than me.”
I nodded, my eyes locked on his as I drank his blood, the searing pain in my neck easing to nothing. Strange as the process was, I couldn't help but blush as Varick dropped his arm, the action strangely intimate. “Thank you.”
A low growl escaped his throat and the sensation rumbled through my entire body.
“We have Mercy,” I whispered, trying to distract myself from the fire that seemed to have started at the base of my spine.
“Yes, and what will we do with her seeing as you don't wish to kill her?” His words were full of bitterness and I tried in vain to rationalise my feelings.
I sighed, dropping my eyes. “I thought I wanted revenge. Now she's here...I just don't know if I can go through with it. I don't want to execute someone. That just feels...wrong.”
He ran his thumb over my bottom lip before he pressed his mouth to the same spot, chasing the cold away at once. “Admittedly...even I have my reservations about killing Mercy.”
“Why?” I asked, my voice small.
“Because...she's a victim of circumstance in some ways. And the things she has done will never amount to the crimes of her family. Ignus's death was justified, but perhaps Mercy doesn't deserve that fate.”
I nodded uncertainly. “So if it was Abraham we'd caught and not her..?”
“He would be dead already.” Varick pressed his forehead to mine. “Forgive me, Selena, but I will only stay my hand this once.”
I nodded, knotting my fingers into his shirt. “I know...I understand.” I bowed my head. “I don't know what's come over me.” If Abraham was at our mercy now, I knew I wouldn't be lenient. So why did I hesitate when it came to his daughter?
Varick's finger curved beneath my chin, tilting my head back up. “Your humanity is the reason I love you. If you killed without thought or feeling, you'd be as damned as them.”
Flowers blossomed in my belly at his words but I had to stamp them out as footsteps sounded down the steps. I ducked around Varick, finding my father there, looking curious.
“How long have you two been- er...”
I cleared my throat, suddenly shy as Varick grinned down at me. “Not long,” I answered, my voice too high.
“Hm, well a fine couple you make.” Brendan smiled, his eyes creasing at the corners.
“You'd be amongst the first to approve,” Varick said, folding his arms as he turned to him.
“Yes well, diversity is kind of my...thing.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“You'll see.”
Kite
My escort threw me ungracefully into a dingy room at the base of the boat – I was sure it was a cupboard – where Mercy was changing into an overly-large tracksuit.
The door slammed shut and the single bulb above us swung in time with the boat's swaying.
“Great,” I sighed, wiping the blood from my mouth. Why the hell did Selena taste so good? I'd had zero control once she'd gotten close. Even the scent of Mercy's blood paled in comparison. Speaking of which...
I grinned down at her, stalking closer.
“Stay. Away,” she snarled, raising her small manicured hands to fend me off.
“I'm not going to do that, puppy. And I'm definitely not going to be gentle.” I launched at her, pinning her against the wall. She didn't scream which kind of pissed me off, but still, her blood tasted heavenly.
Revenge. Was. Sweet.
The more I drank, the more my heart beat and the more clear my memories became. Soon, I was swamped with them. The rage. The guilt. The loss. Oh Poppy...I'm sorry.
Five Years Ago
There were two black cars in our driveway. Poppy and I were placed in the boot of one. She curled up in my arms, suddenly so small, I felt I was holding the whole of her body against me. It was dark and the car rocked, jostling us from side to side. I didn't have the energy to try and escape. Shock was making me numb, frozen. Poppy kept crying and begging me to soothe her but no words came. All I could do was hold my little sister and pray we'd live another day.
It could have been hours, could have been minutes, but at some point we stopped. The sharp click of a car door; heavy footfalls moving around the vehicle.
Were we about to die?
I'd never thought about death much. I'd always felt immortal. Like the rules of humanity would break - just for me. How stupid that seemed now.
The boot popped and a whoosh sounded as it lifted automatically. Above us was one of the two men who'd abducted us. I didn't know which. They all looked the same. Dressed in black, only eye holes in their balaclavas to see us with.
“Out!” he barked and Poppy wailed, clutching me tighter.
I clung to her, glaring up at the faceless man. His hands surrounded her and I held on to her with all my might. But he was too strong, dragging her away kicking and screaming. His hand came over her mouth and silence fell. I finally found my voice, for her sake.
“Let her go!” I roared as another man appeared. I launched myself at him, suddenly fearless, fuelled by adrenaline. I clawed at his mask and he pushed me back, but the material came with me and I was suddenly staring into the face of my attacker. I committed him to memory at once. Bearded, tall, young, dark eyes, golden brown like barley.
I see you.
“Christ.” He snatched the mask from me, spinning to face the man who had hold of Poppy. I couldn't run, not while they had her.
I took in my surroundings, the red lights on the back of the car illuminating the woodland in an eerie glow. We could have been anywhere.
I threw my head back and screamed for help. The unmasked man collided with me, his hand slamming down over my mouth.
“Shit, what now?” he barked at the other guy.
“You know what now,” he snarled, taking a large knife from his belt.
I fought, as hard and ferociously as a skinny thirteen year old girl could possibly fight. But the man holding me was too strong, taking mere moments to restrain me fully.
Shamefully, tears came. I wanted to be strong for Poppy. But watching her die wasn't something I was able to be strong for.
“N-no,” I sobbed into the man's glove.
“They're just kids,” my captive snapped at the other.
“They're loose ends, Cade.”
“Don't use my name!” Cade barked. His glove against my mouth smelt like moss and earth, the last scent I might ever experience.
“What does it matter? They'll be dead in a minute.” The other one took hold of Poppy's dark locks, bringing the blade up to her throat.
In seconds, I was on the floor, having been thrown forward by Cade. He had a gun, pointing it in his colleague's face. “Let her go,” he growled.
“Are you shitting me, Cade?” The knife came dangerously close to Poppy's throat once more. I crawled toward her, gripping her leg, trying to tug her away. A sharp boot to my side sent me sprawling.
A shot was fired.
I screamed, throwing my hands to my ears, unable to face what had just happened. Two bodies lay beside me, one was Poppy's, the other her captive's.
I rocked back and forth, choking down air, praying to god she wasn't dead.
Fingers curled around mine and I glanced up, finding Poppy's deep, dark eyes gazing into mine. “I'm alright,” she breathed and my whole body deflated in relief. I clung to her, looking up through watery eyes at Cade. He was running a hand through his unruly hair over and over, pacing up and down, the smoking gun still in his grip.
His phone was buzzing in his pocket. He snatched it out, taking a deep breath before pressing his finger to his lips, warning me and Poppy to stay quiet.
“Boss, we have a problem,” he answered, impressively calm after what he'd just done. After a beat he continued, “The kids got away. Snatched the gun off of Pike and fled into the trees. I tried to follow but...well, the cold will get them out here anyways. Not a town for miles.” He ran a hand through his hair again, his hay-field eyes continually sweeping over us.
He'd saved us. Incredibly, miraculously, he'd actually saved us.
“I know, I know,” he said through gritted teeth, evidently getting a reprimanding. “It weren't my fault. That half-wit, Pike, practically handed them the gun, got himself shot-” he cut off, nodding, running his hand down the back of his neck. “Yeah...got it. I'll head back to HQ. Gimme an hour.”
He pocketed his phone, gazing down at us, his breath lighting up in a red fog. “I ain't askin' you to trust me, kids. No – shit - scrap that. You're gonna have to pissin' trust me.”
