Rockley smiled, moving through the room with fluid grace. “I have such plans, Ulvic. Plans which would make your cowardly heart stop in its tracks.”
I scowled, anger lancing through me. “Don't speak to me that way. You have a lot to gain from my allegiance, I assure you. But I will not be spoken down to by you, or anyone else.”
Rockley's brows raised in mild surprise. But I doubted there were many things in life that truly shocked him. Blood games were a regular occurrence for him, amongst other dark indulgences no doubt. “Forgive me, my friend. I misjudged you.”
“Indeed.” I nodded sharply and Rockley's face melted into another smile.
“I have made a discovery you will much enjoy.” He turned to leave. “Come.”
I followed him into the corridors of faded white paint. The institute was entirely underground, the air cool, escaping the pressing humidity of the African island we were on.
Rockley led me down another level, heading into an office. He stepped aside, revealing a large flat screen spread out like a table before us. Rockley gestured for me to move closer and I gazed down at the screen which was split into several feeds from cameras out on the island. Rockley moved closer, swiping his hand across it, bringing up more angles, flicking through them before pausing on one. It enlarged to encompass the whole surface and I spotted Silas Madigan walking with two women beside him. Cassandra appeared at the edge of the screen, but it was the man behind her who filled me with relief.
Jameson. Shirtless, grubby, but completely alive.
Rockley pressed a hand to my shoulder. “We have a location. Are you ready to send de Werewolves after dem?”
“Yes,” I said, smiling satisfactorily. Things were starting to go right again. It wouldn't be long before I had my pack back together and could get things in order.
“I have de helicopter on standby. We will have to drop dem out to dis point. Dey cannot walk through the force-fields from here.”
Excitement flooded my veins. “I'll round them up.”
Cass
There's a longing that lives inside everyone. A hole that can be momentarily filled, drowned or forgotten. Drugs, drink, distraction. I'd seen my family try to fill theirs with all three. Mine had been filled by a man who'd loved me for a while, before he'd found someone easier to love. After he left me, that hole grew so wide it was all I could feel. Especially after I'd struck the match that burnt down a whole building, destroyed so many lives to get my revenge on him. And after I'd taken the pills that were meant to end all of it. Take away the emptiness, the loneliness. For a time, it seemed my body had contained nothing but a void.
Stomach pumped. Arrested. Prison.
It wasn't until I'd been kidnapped and taken to Raskdød to fight in the V Games, that I'd found a new lease of life. Discovered some quiet, persistent voice inside that told me to keep walking, keep living. But I hadn't realised what I'd been walking toward until I'd found Jameson. I had never, in all my life, met someone who could smile in the face of death. Who'd brought out a life-force in me that filled me up to the brim. Healed me, reminded me who I truly was, rekindled a fire inside me and made it burn brighter than it ever had before.
Now, as he walked at my side, the sky barely pinking at the crest of dawn, his expression was as dark as the forest surrounding us. The man who smiled in the face of anything, was no longer smiling. And I had the awful, writhing feeling that it was because of me.
My eyes darted to him again and again. Confused thoughts were niggling at me. Something didn't add up with Jameson lately. What kind of person devoted themselves to someone just to get them into bed? Was it really worth all of this angst? And now he acted like it frustrated him, too. But then he was the one who'd finished things with me. He was the one who'd made the decision.
Unless he wasn't..?
“Hey!”
My thoughts were snatched by the appearance of Silas, running toward us, relief spilling across his features at the sight of us. No, not us. Me.
I jogged to meet him, spotting Rakefield and Lorena hurrying up behind him. Rakefield was clutching her right arm as if it pained her, but apart from that, they were all miraculously unharmed.
“The treehouse got stuck before it hit the ground, we climbed the rest of the way down,” Silas explained before dragging me into a hug.
Relief ebbed through me as I relaxed in his arms.
“Where's my gun?” Lorena asked Jameson, scanning him over.
“Gun? I don't recall...” He smirked and I spotted it tucked into the back of his waistband.
“Hijo de puta,” she muttered as she helped Rakefield clamber over a fallen tree.
“Probably, but I never knew my mum,” Jameson replied coolly.
“So the idiota speaks Spanish?” Lorena looked mildly impressed.
“Just the swear words, chica.” Jameson winked at her.
Rakefield stumbled a little as she walked. “I don't think I can go on much further. I'm starving, I can't see straight.”
I frowned around at everyone's anxious faces. Though no one said it, I wondered if they felt as hungry as Rakefield looked.
“We need to move away from this area,” Silas said. “Rockley might be able to locate that treehouse.”
Lorena glanced about nervously. “Yes, and I'm worried about that creature coming back.”
Jameson examined his nails. “That won't happen.”
“Why not?” Rakefield asked, moving closer to the group, leaning on a tree for support.
“I killed it,” Jameson announced, with only a hint of smugness.
“Thank Christ,” Silas muttered and Lorena breathed a sigh of relief.
“What if there's more of them?” Rakefield looked up into the trees uncertainly.
“Then the slowest runner is in trouble.” Jameson winked at her and Rakefield scowled. He waved over his shoulder, encouraging us to follow. “Let's move.”
I fell into step beside Silas as we all headed after Jameson. We were soon walking at a brisk pace, despite Rakefield struggling to keep up. But Silas was right, we needed to put some distance between us and the treehouse. I turned my ear to the sky more than once, listening for a helicopter, but there was nothing yet.
My stomach grumbled and Rakefield gave me a hopeful look as we passed into a thinner patch of forest. A river sounded up ahead and Jameson turned in that direction.
It crossed my mind that we could come up against the security system at any moment. But there was no way to predict it. So we had to keep moving.
We passed into an area of rocky ground where moss clung to boulders. After another hour, Rakefield slumped down on a rock, resting a hand on her forehead.
“We can't stop,” Lorena said, taking her arm, but she shrugged her off.
“I will not last another minute without food,” Rakefield said sharply.
Jameson halted, turning back with a frown. He glanced at me and my stomach growled on cue.
“We eat,” he announced immediately. “There's a cave up here.” He pointed to a large rocky mass. “Rest in there whilst I get us some food.” He headed off into the trees without another word, giving no one a chance to argue.
Rakefield sighed satisfactorily.
I led the way to the cave and Silas picked up pieces of dry wood as he came across it. It wasn't much, but it might be enough to cook whatever Jameson came back with.
When everyone had filed into the cave, I searched for a couple of flints to get the fire going, falling back on the skills I'd picked up in the V Games.
We soon had a small blaze going and Rakefield visibly relaxed now that the cave wasn't pitch black.
I kept forgetting what it was like to be human. It was probably a lot harder to navigate the jungle without Immortal senses. And I had to admire how far they'd gotten. I supposed Lorena's guns had helped.
As the smoke filtered out of the cave mouth, I moved to the edge of it, watching the trees for signs of movement. All was quiet apart from the persistent
cicadas and the lap of a nearby stream. I was left with my thoughts, thinking of Jameson again, wondering if I'd been completely blind to something all this time. Had Ulvic done this? Forced him to abandon me? Perhaps it was just hopeful thinking, borne from the hungry part of me that still longed for him.
Move on. He doesn't want you back.
I glanced over my shoulder, finding Silas watching me. A smile rose on his lips, beautiful and alluring.
Maybe Jameson doesn't want me...but there's someone else who does.
Jameson
I moved through the forest at a jog, the sound of a stream guiding me forward. Water meant fish. And I was an expert at fishing. Like I was at most things.
When I reached the stream, I moved along the bank until I found a fairly still patch of water. A ring of rocks slowed the current, making it the perfect spot for a catch. I moved back into the forest, searching for what I needed. When I came across some young bamboo, I broke a pole off, leaving a sharp point on one end.
Slowly, I waded into the water, one careful step at a time. As the water flowed up to my thighs, I paused, waiting, poising the make-shift spear above the surface. It only took a few minutes before the fish grew used to my presence, swimming around my legs. With brute force, I slammed the stick down, spearing a large fish on the end. It took two more tries to catch another.
Feeling smug, I headed up the riverbank, walking back in the direction of the group, my catch slung over my shoulder on the spear. It didn't take long before the smell of smoke carried to me and I followed it all the way back to the small cave.
Cass was sitting in the entrance and I slowed my pace to admire her. Her scarlet hair was gathered to one side of her pale neck. A neck I could just about taste if I really thought about it. A small sigh parted from my lips and she jumped to her feet as she heard me.
I held the fish out triumphantly and she beamed, hunger sparkling in her eyes. “You caught those?”
“Course I did.” I headed past her into the cave where the others were already sitting around a fire.
Rakefield stood. “Thank the lord.” She wafted her face from the heat. “I think I'll wait outside whilst they cook.”
“Agreed,” Lorena said, following her out of the cave with a pistol in her grip.
Guess I'm cooking too, then.
I set to work filleting the fish as best I could with a sharp rock and the end of the bamboo spear. Silas helped me, occasionally adding kindling to the fire.
The sound of Cass and the others drifted away as they moved down the bank and I was suddenly left alone with Silas.
After a time, he cleared his throat, making the silence a little more awkward. I could sense he was about to start making an effort with me.
Good luck with that, bro.
“You know...before the ship sank, Firefly told me about what Ulvic Hund did to you...”
I grunted in response. If he thought bringing up my miserable past was a good way to bond with me, he was deluded.
“It's messed up,” he went on.
I nodded once.
“Firefly also said-”
“Could you stop calling her that?” I snapped my head up, fixing him in my gaze, my fury definitely apparent.
“It's the name she gave me,” Silas said gently, clearly not wanting a fight. I, on the other hand, would have welcomed a fight to blow off some steam. I didn't care how friendly he was trying to be. He was also being friendly with my girl. Overly-friendly.
“No, it's the name I gave her. Her name is Cass. To everyone but me.” I went back to gutting the fish, blood staining my hands as I made sloppy incisions.
“You really care about her,” Silas murmured and I could feel his eyes on me like glue.
I wanted to tell him that yes I do, you prick, so back the hell off. But I couldn't. I was forced to give a response that complied with Ulvic's orders. A fact that apparently hadn't applied to a mindless, horny Reaper.
“Yes,” I growled, then Ulvic's command choked more words out of my mouth. “We're friends.” Disgust filled my chest at saying those words.
That's not all we are, dammit.
“But you were close once. Back on the Isle of Lidelse?”
I lifted my head again, dropping the fish. Why the crap would Cass have been telling Silas so much about me? He was the one who'd kidnapped her and experimented on her. Why was she telling him anything at all?
“What exactly is your point, Silas?” I growled. I was a man on the edge. And now this guy was pushing me for some sort of reaction. What the hell was his deal?
He looked irritatingly composed like I wasn't intimidating him one bit. And that was a damn rarity.
“So you don't have feelings for her?” Silas raised a brow.
I tried to fight back the lie rising in my throat, but it forced its way from my lips before I could stop it. “No. We're friends. We screwed, it was a one time thing.” Lies. Lies. Lies.
My heart pounded against my rib cage as I gazed at Silas. Had I just given this guy the go ahead to try it on with Cass?
Give me this one thing, universe. Give me her and I'll be happy. I'll never be an arsehole again. Except maybe to Ulvic. I'll be a real arsehole to him. But only him, I swear.
Silas stood, frowning. “Then you're an idiot.”
“Please-” I blurted, desperate to tell him to back off. To not try it on with Cass. But the words wouldn't come out.
Silas's brows pinched together. “Please what?”
My tongue burned. My teeth ground together. “Please. Don't. Take-” her from me. Hard as I tried, I couldn't get those words out. Ulvic's orders slithered around my voice box and hijacked my tongue, forcing me to finish that sentence a different way. “Please don't take her for granted. She's a great girl. Just...look after her. Like I didn't.” Sucker punch.
Silas nodded, giving me a small smile before he walked from the cave. I was left gazing at the gutted fish on the ground, feeling exactly like it looked.
I blew out a breath, continuing to prepare the fish until they were decent enough to cook. Plucking a dry piece of wood from the pile of kindling, I lay them out on it and placed the board gently in the fire.
Despite the burning heat of the cave, I remained in there. Alone. My spine pressed to the wall, my elbows resting on my knees. I was gonna lose my mind in this jungle. If Silas's obvious pursuit of Cass didn't do it, then the Reapers and the humidity would.
The longer I sat there, the more a foul mood descended on me. I could handle most shit with a smile on my face. But not this. Not when I didn't feel like I had an ounce of control anymore. I tried to suck it up and not fall into moody teenager mode. But when a bat shat on my head, my willpower gave out. I rose to my feet, heading out of the cave to find a bunch of leaves to rub it off. The group had moved down the hill to perch on a fallen tree. I stole a moment of privacy to clean the shit from my hair, wishing I could do the same from my life.
I sucked in a slow breath. Nope. I was not going to let this situation get the better of me.
I was Jameson Fairfax. And I didn't let the world get me down.
I caught sight of Cass leading the way back up the hill, her hair a mess of tangles and her skin dirtied with soil. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her as she moved, reached the cave mouth, then turned - searching for me?
I pushed through the shrubbery, slapping a grin onto my face, but something in her eyes told me she didn't buy it.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Sure, why wouldn't I be?”
She stepped closer, her brow furrowed as if she wanted to ask me something. “Jameson...I was wondering, I mean...I was thinking about Ulvic.”
I straightened, eyeing her keenly. “What about him?” I asked, the hope in my voice apparent. Had she guessed? Surely not?
Oh please let it be true.
She dipped her head as if she felt foolish saying what was on her mind.
“Cass?” I pressed, my tone serious. I didn't use her real name u
nless I meant business.
She walked closer still. “This is going to sound crazy.” She laughed weakly.
I gazed at her, unblinking. Say it.
She moved closer again, only a foot away now. When she spoke, she'd lowered her tone to a whisper. “Did Ulvic order you to...” She took a breath, then expelled the end of her sentence fast, “Stay away from me?”
The question gripped my heart and simultaneously choked me. Ulvic's command took a firm and powerful hold on me, moving my lips in the answer he had ordered me to give. To do 'whatever it took' to convince Cass of the lie.
“No,” I replied smoothly. My calm exterior didn't reflect the man screaming inside me, clawing at my insides. “I'm sorry, Firefly. I really didn't mean to hurt you. But...it's always been Nadine. I realised that after we...you know.”
Her cheeks drained of colour, but her expression didn't give anything more away. She nodded once sharply. “Good. Good. That's good,” she said on a nod.
“Is it?” I asked, hating myself for it. But if she got over me, moved on, that was it for us. Even if I got past Ulvic's commands one day, she might be over me. Met someone else.
Please don't give up on me. Not yet.
“Yes,” she said on a sigh. I could have sworn her eyes were glimmering, but when she blinked the illusion was shattered. She glanced over her shoulder toward Silas and I could tell what she was thinking.
“You like him,” traitor-me took over again and I wanted to run away to force this conversation to stop. I would have taken any kind of torture but this.
After a beat, she nodded. “There's something about him. I don't know...he understands me, I think.”
I understand you!
“You should tell him how you feel,” my mouth said. No please. Please don't. “We would have been a car-wreck anyway, right?”
She nodded vaguely, giving me the ghost of a smile before walking away. The others soon arrived, looking for food, drawn by the mouthwatering scent floating through the air. I headed into the cave, dishing up portions for everyone. They sat on boulders beyond the cave, chewing on the soft fish.
I sat alone, watching as Silas dropped down next to Cass. She smiled up at him under her lashes, a blush lighting her cheeks. And my heart broke into a million pieces, probably never to be whole again.
Wolf Games: Island of Shade (The Vampire Games Book 5) Page 14