V Games (The Vampire Games Trilogy Book 1)

by Caroline Peckham

  “Varick,” he snarled, his gaze flitting between the two of us. “How kind of you to bring me a midnight snack.”

  “We were just leaving, Ravenos,” Varick said, reaching back and gesturing for me to move.

  I hurried to comply, pressing into his shoulder and peering toward the V across the stream. His movements were slow and controlled, his pale face turning to me, making me shiver.

  “Pity, pity.” Ravenos took a step forward and Varick nudged me back.

  “You know you can't take me on, brother,” Varick said in a smooth tone.

  “Hunger will make you do crazy things, brother.” He spat the word. “But I suppose you wouldn't know about that, seeing as the Helsings keep their pet well fed.”

  “You don't know anything about my treatment. I'm as much a slave as you are.”

  “Nice to be up in that castle though, isn't it? Must be quite comfortable. And here you are, taking a bite out of one of the girls meant solely for us.” He tutted, baring his fangs. “Greedy, very greedy.”

  “You'll have your chance out in the game tomorrow. You know the rules.” Varick shifted me further behind him and I stumbled from the force he used. My heart pounded in my ears, so loud that I was certain both of the Vampires could hear it.

  “Liar,” Ravenos hissed and spittle flew from his mouth. He lifted a hand, pointing directly at me. “That one has ancient blood and you know it. Does he drink from you, sweetie?” His pale grey eyes shifted over me as he sniffed the air.

  “No, it's against the rules,” I choked out, leaning around Varick, my mind racing. What did he mean 'ancient blood'?

  Ravenos turned back to Varick. “Come on, friend. We'll share her. The Helsings won't notice if one goes missing.”

  Varick's body tensed, coiled like a loaded spring. “You're wrong. She's the favourite to win. The Helsings would have both our heads for it.”

  My heart flipped over at his words. Was that true? Why on earth would the spectators bid on me more than anyone else?

  Ravenos took a step into the stream. “Maybe your head. But not mine. You were the one who brought her out here unprotected.”

  “She's not unprotected!” Varick barked.

  Ravenos retreated like a cowering dog. “Alright, have it your way.” He slunk back toward the trees, his eyes never leaving mine. “See you tomorrow.”

  “Maybe she'll introduce you to her stake,” Varick growled.

  Ravenos cackled a laugh. “Not if she meets my fangs first.”

  The second he melted into the shadows, Varick half-dragged, half-carried me back to the ladder. “Down!” he ordered and I didn't hesitate, dropping onto the first rung and hurrying into the safety of the bunker.

  Varick met with me a moment later, seeming furious as he led me back to the main room, bolting the heavy metal door behind us.

  He started pacing, raking a hand through his hair and cursing profusely.

  “It's fine,” I said in an attempt to placate him.

  “It's not fine,” he hissed, probably trying not to wake the girls. “He could have killed you.”

  I moved toward him, tentatively resting a hand on his arm and he froze. “You said yourself, you're stronger than him.”

  “Yes, but I shouldn't have put you at risk. Do you have any idea what the Helsings would do to me if they found out?” He shut his eyes for a moment and I extracted my hand, resting it over my erratic heartbeat instead. “And if you died, I'd-” he cut off, clutching his throat as he looked at me.

  “You'd what?” I pressed, shrinking before his penetrative gaze.

  “Nothing,” he growled, recomposing himself. “He'll hunt you tomorrow for sure.”

  “You said they're after me anyway, what difference does it make?”

  “Ravenos is getting stronger every day. He may disregard the other girls for the sake of seizing you.”

  An icy chill crept up my spine. I removed Varick's coat from my shoulders, placing it on a chair.

  Varick looked tense, his brow heavily furrowed.

  “I'll be okay, Varick. I know how to kill them.”

  He sighed. “Ravenos is cunning. He'll grab you from behind so you can't use your stake.”

  “Oh,” I breathed.

  “Try not to turn your back on him. But if he does get a hold of you, don't fight. Let him bite you.”

  “What?” I said in alarm and he glared at me to keep my voice down.

  I bit my lip then repeated in a quieter voice, “What do you mean? Let him bite me? Are you insane?”

  He shook his head. “Vs are weaker when they're feeding. He'll be too distracted, plus you'll have access to the back of his neck.” He turned around, pushing up his hair and pointing to a soft patch of skin at the base of his skull. “Strike here with the stake. With any luck, you'll have a chance at breaking the capsule of silver inside his head.”

  He turned back to me and evidently I looked completely baffled because he turned me swiftly around and tugged me into a tight hold. For a second I actually thought he was hugging me, then realised he was showing me how Ravenos would attack. My cheeks flamed from my foolishness and I was glad my back was to him so he couldn't see.

  Shifting my damp hair aside, he lowered his mouth to my neck, almost touching. My throat went dry from his proximity. He could so easily hurt me. He probably wanted to. The rigidity of his body told me he was struggling to restrain himself.

  “Lift your right arm.”

  I did so, reaching behind his neck which I now had access to in this position. “Okay.” I felt a little better, knowing I at least had an idea of what to do if I got caught.

  I tried to shift from his hold, but Varick didn't let me go, making a low noise of frustration in his throat.

  “Varick,” I said in a whisper.

  His grip tightened further and I shut my eyes, trying to let myself trust him. It was nearly impossible, from all I'd ever known about men in my life, none of them seemed trustworthy. Least of all one with jagged teeth who liked the taste of people.

  “You have no idea how hard this is...” He dragged in a breath that ruffled my hair and, for some reason, I relaxed.

  “It's okay,” I said, my voice quavering only a fraction. “You wouldn't hurt me.” I was only ninety nine percent sure of my words, and that one percent was playing havoc with my heart.

  After a second longer, he released me, pushing me rather more forcefully away from him than was necessary.

  “Bed,” he commanded, not looking at me.

  As I trailed toward the bedroom, a question rose to my mind, and despite his dismissal, I asked it anyway. “What did Ravenos mean when he said I had ancient blood?”

  Varick's expression changed; for a moment he actually looked worried. “It just means your blood is more desirable to the Vs, that's all.”

  I wasn't sure if he was being entirely honest, but the look in his eyes told me I wasn't going to get any more information from him.

  “And none of the other girls have this...problem?” I asked in a small voice.

  He shook his head stiffly. “I've never craved anyone so much. I barely notice the others.” His Adam's apple rose and fell. A tense moment hung between us where I could almost hear the tension thrumming in the air.

  “Now go to bed,” he snapped.

  I scowled as I walked away, feeling chastised. It wasn't my fault he was a blood addict. But I headed to bed all the same, not saying another word.

  Selena

  In my dreams I watched Ravenos kill the small deer in the woods. It was worse than if he'd been hunting me. There was something so innocent about the creature, her elegant beauty and quiet nature.

  As I munched on a dry bagel in the morning - my writhing stomach not feeling up to much else - I found myself watching the other girls. None of us were innocent. We had all done something terrible, perhaps many things. Most of us were killers, so perhaps being here was some poetic justice.

  My gaze eventually settled on Cass. Cass the arson
ist. Though she'd said her ex hadn't been killed in the fire she'd set. Surely that wouldn't have landed her in a maximum security prison?

  A hand dropped onto my shoulder and I jumped out of my seat, electricity crackling in my veins. Twisting around, I found Varick there, silent as ever.

  “You should wear bells or something!” I gestured to his body in general. Damn V, sneaking up on me.

  There was no amusement in his expression, only darkness. “Get dressed. Be ready to run today.” He gave me a small nod, cementing the strange alliance we were forming and I was left feeling too sick to finish my bagel.

  Christ, what had I gotten myself into taking him on as an ally? If that's what I could call him. Perhaps his sole interest in my survival was so he could get his own teeth into my veins. If I was as much of a delicacy as he said I was, perhaps that was his intention all along.

  For now, I had to cling to the small advantages he was giving me and deal with the consequences later. I tried to reach my black dress before Angelina got there today, but found her already twirling around in it in the bathroom - the room no more than a twelve foot metal locker.

  Suddenly, I'd had enough. Storming toward her, I started unknotting the laced-up back. She shrieked, turning and slashing out at me with her palm.

  I snatched her slim wrist, squeezing tightly and glaring at her. “I think the least you owe me is my dress.”

  Some of the other girls halted putting on their own gowns, watching us with interest.

  Angelina squealed from the tight hold I had on her. Something had changed in me. Or perhaps it had been there all along and only now my killer instincts were rising to the surface.

  “Don't you think?” I pressed and Angelina screwed up her eyes.

  “Fine,” she huffed.

  “And remember, I don't die that easily. So the next time you consider leaving me in a pool of my own blood, I'd have serious second thoughts. Because I won't be so forgiving in future.”

  Angelina nodded, biting her lip from the pain.

  I released her, folded my arms and waited for her to strip. Cass caught my eye over her shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. I fought a smile in return, satisfaction spreading through me. If I was going to die today, I was going to do it on my own terms. Starting with this bitch.

  Angelina threw the dress at me and I span on my heel, marching into a toilet cubicle where I changed into it. Her body had already warmed the material which was an added benefit for me. Behind the toilet door, I let myself really smile.

  As usual, Varick was waiting for us in front of a projected map of the island. The mountain I'd seen last night was highlighted on the new section with a seemingly endless forest on the other side of it.

  I sat in the back row between Marie and Cass, watching his presentation with a fierce determination. That was, until his next words.

  “You will spend three days out on the island. The checkpoint will not be open until the third day.”

  Chaos broke out in the form of angry shouts and muttering.

  “Quiet!” Varick roared, his eyes flaring. “You are about to face your first real test. As well as the Vs, you will need to consider how you are going to find food, water, shelter-”

  “You aren't giving us any food?” a girl I think was called Sakura, cried out. Her hair was streaked with pink and purple, the dye having faded drastically since we'd arrived.

  “No,” Varick said simply and my pulse rose. No food, no water? It was bad enough evading the Vs without having to worry about such things.

  “There are sources on the island, you only need look for them,” Varick encouraged, but no one seemed particularly comforted. He picked up packs from the table behind him, passing them out. When I received mine, I tugged it open, like everyone else around me was doing. There was a large bottle inside – empty –, a knife, a flare, a single match and some kindling bound together with twine.

  A tense silence fell on the room and as Varick passed out the stakes, no one said a word. I was certain we were all thinking the same thing: a lot of us were going to die in this round.

  Varick led us to the ladder we'd ascended last night, but I felt nothing of the brief moment of freedom I'd felt then. More than ever, I felt like a prisoner, being marched into a firing line.

  “I don't want to die,” I heard Marie whisper.

  “Suffering is worse than death,” Varick muttered to himself.

  A murmur of disquiet ran through the group. Varick certainly wasn't adept at comforting people.

  “One at a time,” he commanded. “Wait at the top of the ladder. If you move before the horn sounds, the capsule in your head will detonate.”

  Yes, comforting people definitely wasn't his forte.

  I moved into line behind Cass, gazing up the shaft so icy raindrops peppered my cheeks. Sakura was the first up the ladder and we followed, one by one, after her. As I climbed, amongst the last to go, I shot a glance over my shoulder at Varick. His Adam's apple bobbed as he fixed his attention on me. A silent goodbye passed between us, because the chances were, I wouldn't survive this round.

  Rain battered me as I reached the top, sweeping across the island in great sheets of grey.

  I stood, shoulder to shoulder with the remaining twelve girls, waiting for the horn to announce the beginning of round four. I tapped my cuff, finding the checkpoint on the other side of the mountain. Zooming in, a cave system became clear within it. It was the most direct route to the checkpoint, but perhaps the most treacherous, too.

  The horn sounded through the howling wind and rain, seeming more distant than it had before. It was the first time a round hadn't started in an outright sprint.

  The girls divided into groups, some splitting off singularly and picking their way across the stream in the direction of the mountain.

  Briony, Marie and Cass kept close and I nodded toward the direction Sakura was taking, following the path Varick had shown me last night.

  Tugging up our hoods, we followed her, keeping our stakes drawn and our communication short.

  “Over or under?” I muttered, tapping my cuff.

  They knew what I meant. The route over the mountain would be exposed, perhaps more dangerous in terms of the elements. No one was keen to return underground, but my gut told me it was the quickest way.

  “There'll be water, shelter...” I reasoned.

  “And probably a hundred Vs cornering us in the dark again.” Marie shook her head. “Yesterday was bad enough.”

  “Cass?” I turned to her, spying raindrops sailing over her cheeks.

  “I'm not a fan of the rain. If this storm gets worse, we'll wish we took the underground pass.”

  Briony took Marie's hand. “We'll take the long road.”

  I didn't like to split up again, but it made sense. There was no point sticking together if we didn't agree on the same strategy.

  “Alright.” I nodded, hugging each of them in turn. “We'll see you on the other side.”

  They gave stiff smiles that said neither of them were sure we'd ever see each other again, but none of us said it. It was easier to say goodbye if we pretended it wasn't forever.

  “Good luck!” I called as Briony and Marie took a path that led up the mountain.

  Sakura had increased her pace ahead, and though we hadn't spoken during the whole game, I increased my own pace, keeping her colourful hair in sight.

  “How are we going to find food underground?” Cass voiced my own concerns. One of which we didn't mention; the fact we hadn't been gifted with torches in our packs. Would the route below ground be entirely dark? If so, we might have to rethink things. I wasn't sure I could face the pitch black again.

  Without warning, a V burst from the trees, knocking Sakura to the ground, the skirt of her dark mauve dress snagged around her ankles.

  I shouted out, already running toward her with my stake raised. I kicked the grey-haired V who had her on the ground. Thinking of Varick's advice, I aimed the tip of my stake at the base of hi
s skull and brought it down with force.

  The second the stake pierced skin, the V reared away, screaming, flailing on the ground. Liquid silver poured from his eyes, his nose, the corners of his mouth. With a sudden jerk, he died and Sakura gasped her relief, scrambling to her feet.

  “What the hell?” Cass reached my side, gazing at the V.

  “Guess they have a kill switch in the back of their heads, too,” I panted, covering for the fact that Varick had tipped me off. If the Helsings were watching, I didn't want them to think I'd been cheating.

  Miraculously, Sakura was unharmed. Her eyes fell on me and the bloody stake in my hand. “Thanks.” She brushed down her dress. “Reckon I could have managed myself though.”

  “I bet you could,” Cass drawled, marching past her.

  I moved to follow, but Sakura caught my arm. “You're the one Varick likes.” Her eyes flitted between mine and I noticed she had one blue eye and one green. With her wild, colourful locks, it somehow suited her.

  “He doesn't like me,” I snapped, overly defensive, but unsure why.

  Sakura tongued her cheek. “Whatever. I'm sticking with you. Maybe he has some insider tip about who's most likely to survive.”

  I shrugged, heading onwards. “Suit yourself. But I'm no different than anyone else.”

  “Tell that to that Vampire who keeps staring at you. It's like he's high or something.”

  “He doesn't stare at me,” I insisted, my cheeks flushing hot as I became aware of the hidden cameras feeding all of this back to the spectators and the Helsings. I didn't want Varick to get in trouble.

  “Er- yeah he does. Like constantly.” Sakura suddenly ducked low, picking berries off a bush. “Blackberries.”

  I raised my brows, dropping down to help her gather them, glad of the distraction from our topic of conversation. Like a fool, I would have walked right past them. Maybe our new ally was a useful one to have.

  Cass found another bush and started making her own pile. Ripping off some of the material on our dresses, we packed them up and carefully placed them in our bags. The more food we could acquire now, the better.