Page 126 of Forsaking All Others

“A sexual experience like no other,” Thorun whispers, shuddering as she considers the idea.

“I guess,” I blush, knowing the bachelor will be watching this. “Not sex, ah, I don’t really know. But something. Something good.”

“Then,” Thorun blows her nose on the inside of her suit, “I don’t feel so bad. If she truly was trying to have you and I eliminated, I guess we did the best we could.

“Yes,” I nod. “We did the best we could. Now, please, stop snivelling; we have to make tracks.”

Turning, I head off at a jog back the way I’d come. The sun’s coming up soon and I’m starting to feel exhausted, but I know we’ll need to continue moving for at least half a day.

“Wait,” Thorun says as she jogs easily beside me, holding the map, “this is the wrong way.”

“No,” I shake my head, “we shouldn’t be doing the keys in order; it’s too obvious. We need to double back for a way and then swing north to get the last key, then double back again and work the others in random order.”

“That’ll take too long,” Thorun huffs, “Sona and I have already seen Claire’s fireworks. She’s got at least seven of the twelve keys already.”

“Silke and Claire have the same colour. It could be either of them.”

“But Silke’s behind, even with the bike.”

“We have an advantage,” I puff as I jog along, “the guns. If we eliminate someone it fast-forwards us three keys, remember?”

“Yes, but Sona, you, and I, only have two each.”

“Plus the potential three bonus ones,” I frown.

“I just think we should race for the finish line like Claire is.”

“It’s not the smartest move, Thorun. You have to trust that strategy is my strength. And either way, I don’t care who wins. I’m not concerned about coming first and I’m not concerned about coming last now. What I am worried about is that we might not make it at all because both you and I have targets on our backs thanks in large part to our former roommate.”

Another two fireworks to our right draw our attention, and we stop to consider the colours.

“Orange and black,” Thorun sighs. “So either Vasiliki, Miranda, Silke, or Claire.”

Shrugging, I turn and continue loping, but stop for a second and decide to change direction.

“Now where?” Thorun asks in exasperation.

“Two teams have just reached that particular box location,” I smirk, “which means they won’t be there when we get there. All we have to worry about is where the others are.”

“Now that makes sense,” Thorun smiles. “And I wouldn’t have thought of it.”

96

I frown as I listen to Cat’s description of my bite.

Clearly, I wasn’t the only one moved by our interaction.

When I’d told her there was a level of intimacy, I wasn’t lying. The bite did feel good, or could be made to feel good for the victim, if the vampire was so inclined. Usually, though, it wasn’t the way Cat described; it was more like a blissful, drug-like state.

‘And usually it wasn’t two-way. What I felt was nothing like I’ve ever experienced in my long, long life.’

As Starlen salivates off-camera at the prospect of eating Sona, I shake my head. I have a feeling the Nepalese is going to wish she’d stayed true to her roommates.

‘Still, if it makes Thorun’s heart hurt a little less to think that Sona will have a blissful end, then all well and good.’

The pair are making good time now that they’ve unburdened themselves, both emotionally and with leaving Sona behind, and I turn my attention to Vasiliki as she retrieves her key and spins, shocked, as Silke rides towards the boxes on the motorcycle.

Silke nods to her and immediately moves to quickly open her own box, but she’s underestimated the Greek, and before she can make it back to the bike Vasiliki has gunned it and is roaring towards the next key location.