43

I clenched my fists and inhaled through my nose to keep from shifting and ripping the fucking vampire limb from limb. Each and every second, I was reminded why I hated this show. I couldn’t believe they were still doing the mating chamber. I hadn’t watched this thing in over a decade, and this was a fresh reminder of why. Death, blood, and fake romance weren’t enough, so real-life p**n was added to the mix to make it really titillating. I’d hoped the mating chamber had been phased out. But why stop something that guarantees ratings, right? I did a poor job hiding my snarl of anger.

All the shifters around me looked like they’d anticipated the mating chamber and were looking forward to it. Keeping my cool, I took a step over to look at Kira. If she was bothered about the mating chamber, it didn’t show. She was laughing along with Von.

If it killed me, I’d make sure not a single person set foot or paw in that chamber with Kira except me. I didn’t care how smiley and nice some of these guys looked. I didn’t trust a single one of these fuckers near Kira. None of them could be trusted with her safety, not even Kira herself. She might be playing a game, but I wasn’t.

Von clapped his hands together, his smile getting even wider somehow. I wondered if his head would split apart if it went any further.

“Ladies, if you would be so kind?” he asked.

A small cluster of witches stepped forward, each holding a small wooden chest. I watched them move through the crowd, stopping at each contestant and staff member. When the young witch stepped up to me, she pulled a bracelet from the chest, took my hand, and wrapped it around my wrist. The item was surprisingly comfortable, and I could barely even feel it on my arm. She murmured a few words, then moved on. I tried to slide it off, but it wouldn’t budge an inch.

“My assistants are outfitting you with special armbands. Please don’t attempt to remove them, as they are attached to you via magic,” Von said. “They will not be released until the end of the show or the end of your life. Whichever comes first.

“These gorgeous little beauties act as trackers for our enchanted cameras. That way, they can find you anywhere when we are rolling live or recording extra footage for some of our special broadcasts and weekly updates. As of now, since we have cameras rolling, your band should be green.”

A small gem in the armband blinked green. Beneath it was a small screen and a few buttons.

“This is how you will know cameras are recording. If the light is white, we are not actively recording. These bands are also the only way the showrunners will send you messages. You’ll notice a small screen available for text messages.

“We at The Reject Project want you, as our contestants, to be part of the action. There is a small button to the right of the screen. If you aren’t recording, and some type of action is about to unfold, please don’t hesitate to hit that button. It will signal the enchanted cameras, and they will rush to your location. Just make sure you don’t accidentally hit it as you’re pulling down your pants in the bathroom. Can you say awkward?” Von laughed like he’d told the funniest joke in history.

“The device can also signal for emergencies and a few other items. I’m sure you’ll get accustomed to it in no time. I have no doubt this will be an exciting and adventurous experience. The cameras will eventually become commonplace, and you’ll forget they exist. I, and the entire world, can’t wait to see you all on season thirty-one of The Reject Project. Each of you is capable of winning, and I have no doubt you all have a shot as long as you try hard enough.

He paused. It felt like he was waiting for some type of applause, so the group clapped dutifully. I did my best not to roll my eyes.

“Are you men ready to have a real get-to-know-her talk with Kira?” Von asked.

Everyone chimed their agreement. I couldn’t even blame them. Unless they were all out of their minds, they had to be ready for this smarmy, creepy vampire to shut up and get a move on. I wanted to settle into the mansion and prepare for the next day. I was also desperate to pull Kira aside and give her the talking-to I’d been planning since I’d heard she’d done this stupid thing.

Von held up a finger. “Ah, that would be fun, but…you’ll all get to know each other better at the extra fun live-stream premiere tomorrow. For now, Kira still has to prove herself as a worthy mate to all you sexy alphas.”

Prove herself? I didn’t like the sound of that. A chill ran down my spine as a witch stepped forward with one of the vampire guards and took Kira’s hand, leading her toward the mansion.

Once Kira was out of sight, Von turned back to us. “Don’t worry, gents. You’ll see her again very soon. Please follow our island security team to the right.”

Von pointed toward the jungle to the side of the patio. Three security guys came forward. One looked like another vampire, while the other two had the scent of shifters but not wolves. Bears, I thought. I didn’t have the chance to delve into the complexities of smell as the three men and a small group of witches unceremoniously hustled us into the jungle along a small path that could only be walked single-file.

We were no more than fifteen feet into the forest when we all froze in our tracks, our noses in the air, growls rumbling from our throats. I could scent a myriad of things all around us, each one as dangerous as the next.