Page 95 of Forsaking All Others

“Tonight, there are no weapons involved. You’re fighting against time itself. This challenge involves you collecting a range of clues, solving a puzzle, and returning as fast as you can all the while ensuring the safety of the baby assigned to you. Each baby has a ribbon tied to their tiny, perfect, innocent little arms, the same colour as the one on your arm. In addition, since this is a water challenge, the little catsuits covering their fragile little bodies match yours.”

He pauses to widen his eyes dramatically and nod to the mothers nearby, several of whom are patting false tears with handkerchiefs and acting worried.

“I know, we all know,” he pauses dramatically, “that it’s a tense time, it’s a dangerous time, for you and your small charges and for their anxious mothers waiting behind. But know this, you’re not alone. Everyone in the Bachelor Universe is rooting for you — and while you’re searching, Viscount Speardon may choose to accompany some of you. Ostensibly, this task is to show who can work under pressure while distracted; valuable skills for the wife of a vampire as she runs his royal household and raises his children. But there’s more to it than that. Above all else Viscount Speardon requires a strong maternal and protective instinct in his future wife. Isn’t that right, Viscount?”

The cameras focus on me as I nod and catch Thorun’s eye. She still doesn’t seem her usual bubbly self. Dancing with her at the ball I knew she was saddened by the French contestant’s death, but there seemed to be something more too, something deeper.

“Indeed,” I say quietly now, noting Thorun’s eyes upon mine, “I know few men, vampire or otherwise, who wouldn’t wish to have a strong, protective woman as the mother of their children. Someone,” I turn and raise a sarcastic eyebrow at the human mothers nearby, “who would sacrifice themselves and do anything and everything necessary to protect their babies from harm.”

“Indeed, indeed,” Starlen nods as though I’ve said something profound. “And on that note, which woman do you wish to accompany tonight, Viscount, on the first leg of this auspicious event?”

I look back at all the girls, allowing my eyes to drift across each and every one of them as this show constantly dictates I do, but already knowing who I’ll join for the first part.

“I’d like to accompany Silke, given she’s hampered by her leg, on this first stretch,” I say quietly, noting Cat’s scowl. “Later I may accompany other contestants too, those I’m most keen to get to know more. Perhaps all. We’ll see how the time plays out.”

‘Did she think I’d pick her? She’s more than capable of looking after herself, and my guards have been instructed to watch her particularly. She doesn’t need my protection and I don’t want the conversation I know she’s determined to have.’

Silke smiles widely at my mention of her name, and Starlen lowers his voice to a serious pitch.

“Now contestants, you know there’s every chance someone will try to eliminate you tonight, weapons or no. But you need to protect your small charge at all costs and solve the puzzle while doing your best to evade misfortune. You’ve all read the assignment. It’s one that will require speed and concentration, physical stamina, and a knowledge of orienteering.”

He smirks before going on.

In this challenge you’ll be rowed downriver to a hidden location. When reaching this site you must exit your canoes and swim with your baby through a one-kilometre-long water cave, collecting pieces of a puzzle as you go. When you exit the cave system you’ll find a small island. There you’ll solve the puzzle and swim back through another underwater cave system to where you’ll find your canoe and guide waiting. Once you solve the puzzle and return your baby to this spot, you can return to the resort. The quicker they’re returned to their mothers, the better. I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that in the history of Vampire Bachelor Games only two babies have ever been lost.”

The women all nod and smile as he says this. All but Thorun, who shakes her head and looks down at her toes, and Cat, who’s not appearing to listen at all, but is surveying the dark mountains around us with a worried expression.

“Now, please come forward,” Starlen goes on, “and step into the canoe with the baby assigned to you. Just a reminder, although I know you don’t need it, that your baby is the final puzzle piece, so you must keep her with you every step of the way, right to the end. If your baby is harmed in any way or lost, your life is forfeit. The contestant last to arrive will be eliminated.”

Nodding, the contestants make their way into their assigned canoes and I help Silke into hers before sitting down behind her as Starlen shouts:

“Let the Games Begin!”

69

Thorun whispers ‘bless bless’ as we head off to our canoes, but I don’t bother acknowledging her. She’d played her part beautifully in helping me arrange the twins’ demise, and I’d answered a billion questions and coached her meticulously on what to do in this trial in exchange for her collusion.

She’s on her own now.

Sighing, I step into my canoe and lean down to look at the baby. She’s fast asleep, thank God for small mercies, and not wanting to take any risks with her life, I close the top of the reed basket she’s lying swaddled in and seal it up. Her bottle, kept warm in a tiny flask, I tuck in beside her.

I notice the basket has a rope attached, also made of the same tough green reed the basket has been woven from. When we reach our destination I know I have to swim supported only by the pool noodle, and I’d imagined I’d push her along in front of me, but the rope gives me the opportunity to tow her at a distance behind, which might be wise if I get attacked.

‘Then again, if someone drowns her, I’m eliminated. Shit.’

Up ahead I watch as Silke’s canoe begins to accelerate. Scowling, I notice the bachelor has picked up the oars and is doing the rowing rather than allowing the Vietnamese guide assigned to the canoe to do his job. I can’t help but admire Jaguar’s technique and wish he’d picked me and not Silke to accompany for the first stretch. Even in this light I can see the muscles on his back tense and relax, tense and relax through the white, cotton, almost see-through shirt he’s wearing. There had been some speculation on the drive over about just what he might be wearing, given that he might end up swimming tonight. Several of the women had crossed their fingers that we’d pull up to see him bare-chested and in swimming trunks. When we’d arrived there was a chorus of disappointed sighs to find him wearing jeans and a shirt, the sleeves rolled up to the elbow. Just what, if anything, he might have on under those jeans was the subject of whispered conjecture as we’d waited for Starlen to finish droning on. But while they’d been studying him in detail, I’d been looking at the surrounding mountains. There’s every chance my father could try to kidnap me again tonight, and every opportunity for his men to hide in this heavily forested landscape.

Now, pulling my eyes away from the bachelor’s back and his almost hypnotic rowing, I look once more to the forested left bank, noting as I do that my roommates have made the decision to work together, despite my advice to Thorun. Given that she’s a strong swimmer, I’d advised her to make her own way tonight and not to trust Sona.

Shrugging, I look to my right and note one of the twins sipping already from her water bottle.

I bite my lip to contain my grin.

70

I row fast for two reasons.

One, I want to scout out the terrain and river ahead before the other teams reach it to ensure my security is in place. Two, I want to place a little distance between Silke and the others to give her a head start.