by Ciara Graves
“What do you want?” the blond vampire asked me.
“My friend’s up here,” I told him with a seductive grin, pulling on everything Gigi taught me last week for the ball. “I was hoping to surprise him.”
The vampire grinned broadly as he lowered his face to mine, baring fangs. “No.”
“Oh, come on.” I ran my fingers along his arm. “Help a girl out, would you?”
“Unless your name is on my list, you don’t get up there. And honey, I don’t recognize you, so there’s no way it is.” He straightened and focused on someone behind me. “Ah, good evening. Go on ahead, sir.”
I turned around, and my jaw dropped before I could stop myself. “Bowen?”
His eyes narrowed as he smiled softly, tilting his head. “Yes…”
Thinking fast, I wrapped my arm around him and dragged him down, planting a kiss on his cheek as I whispered, “It’s Mercy. For the love of god, play along.”
I waited for him to tell me I was insane and shove me away, but his arm draped around my shoulders as if he’d done it so many times before and he drew me in closer,
My arm went around his waist.
“She’s with me, Jeremy,” he said with a wink.
“Mercy, what’s happening?” Rafael asked in my ear.
I ignored him. No way I could answer without blowing my cover.
“This the friend you wanted to see?” Jeremy frowned suspiciously.
“It was. Thought I saw him go up there already. Guess I was wrong.”
Jeremy stepped aside, allowing us to pass. “Keep an eye on her, Bowen. That one reeks of trouble.”
I opened my mouth to go off on the guy, but Bowen was moving us up the steps too fast, turning his body to block my view of the vampire, acting like he was kissing my cheek.
“Careful, love. You’re not in your world here.”
“How the hell do you have VIP access in this place?”
He guided me to a booth in the corner, all plush with pillows and a bottle of blood, clearly waiting for him.
“Something you care to share?”
“What? You think being a bouncer for that damned bar is all I do?”
“No. Maybe,” I admitted.
He arched his brow at me.
“I knew it. You’re secretly rich or something.”
He gave nothing away, pouring himself a glass of blood.
I crossed my arms, settling back in the booth. “Bowen?”
He took a long swallow, tapping his nails on the glass, then shrugged. “Let’s just say I came here to get away from a very annoying family with expectations regarding who I’m supposed to be.”
“Shit. You’re royalty, aren’t you?” I whispered.
“Mercy? Who are you with?” Rafael demanded with a growl.
I winced at how loud he was in my ear and reached up to give the earpiece a wiggle. Though I was considering taking the piece out altogether.
“Answer me,” Rafael insisted.
Bowen’s gaze shifted to my right ear. “Friend of yours?”
“How did you—never mind. Just hold that thought.” I placed my finger in my ear again as I told Rafael, “With Bowen in the VIP section. He’s close so just stop gabbing in my ear and let me work. Alright?”
“The vampire?” he snapped.
At that point, I took the earpiece out and tucked it in my pocket. “That’s better. So, royalty.”
Bowen drank more of the blood and motioned to a waitress to bring me something more appealing. “Of a sort. It’s not something I care to broadcast. Not as though being vampire royalty is all it’s cracked up to be in these modern times anyway.”
“And you let me threaten you all the time. Where are your bodyguards?”
“I ditched them several decades ago. Quite nice being on my own. Well, not exactly on my own, but, not being watched over constantly, at least.”
Bowen was certainly a hell of a lot more interesting than he was the last time we spoke.
“So many secrets,” I whispered.
He frowned.
“You have them. I do. The damned demon I’m working with is hiding a shit load. I guess no one in this city can be themselves anymore.”
“This comes from the bounty hunter wearing a charm to hide her face.”
“Only so I can get close to a certain someone.” I did a slow look around the VIP section.
Liam’s power was present still and stronger.
“Who are you after?”
“Same bastard as before. Liam Manchester… aaannnddd, there he is.”
Liam was six booths away, on the opposite end of the VIP section. He was alone, texting on his cell phone with one hand, and holding a glass of champagne in the other. He had no idea how many people in this building were about to move in on his ass.
“What’s your play?” Bowen’s tone was heavy with worry.
“Act like a donor. Get close. Get him to take me somewhere more private, so we can snag him.” I shrugged at the intensity of Bowen’s glowing red eyes. “Don’t look so concerned. I’ll be fine.”
“He’s dangerous, and he’s involved with the reapers, remember?”
“Gobs too.” I shuddered, seeing that window rushing toward my face again, followed by the never-ending fall toward the pavement.
Bowen’s hand gripped mine hard. “You’re afraid. I can smell it on you. What happened?”
“I was thrown out a window.”
His thumb ran over my knuckles, and a very different shiver raced through me.
“I uh, almost died, but managed to walk away—what are you doing?”
“What do you mean?”
“This. You being nice to me lately. I don’t understand.”
He sighed, but his hand remained on mine. “I’ve told you, you’re an incredible person, Mercy. I find myself drawn to incredible people.”
The waitress returned with a glass of whiskey on the rocks, and I looked at him. What I occasionally ordered at the Wailing Siren.
He gave me a look. “You think I don’t pay attention?”
“Thanks. But I have to get a move on.”
His smile fell as he pulled his hand back.
Though his skin had been cold to the touch, not having him there gave me the chills.
“Do you need my help?”
“No. Rafael’s here. And about twenty Feds.”
“And me,” he added. “I’ll keep an eye out for you anyway.”
“Should I start addressing you as your highness?” I winked.
“Please don’t. I left all that behind for a reason. Bowen is all you need to call me, love. Go kick some ass. Just don’t almost die in the process.”
“Can’t promise anything.” I stood before he could say anything else, tugged down the black dress Gigi got for me and replaced the earpiece in my ear.
Only to discover Rafael ranting away.
“Have you been talking this whole time?” I interrupted him.
“What is he doing here?”
“Enjoying a Friday night out. Leave the vampire alone. He got me up here,” I replied quietly.
“Can you trust him?”
I grimaced at the tone of his voice. “I told you before, Rafael, nothing is going on between me and the vampire.”
“Not my business, if there is,” he said, clearly lying. “But you are part of my team right now, and that means I need open communication at all times.”
“In that case, I just took a step with my right foot. Now my left. I’m about two tables away from Liam… you still there? Should I give you a play by play next?” I asked, pretending to stop and talk with a group of laughing sirens and witches as they passed by me.
“Are you moving toward Liam or not?” Rafael grunted.
“I am. Standby.”
Making sure my hair covered my earpiece, I sauntered toward Liam’s table.
Gigi had given me a new face for tonight. He wouldn’t recognize me as the woman from the ball. Or as Mercy the bounty hu
nter.
As I approached, I nibbled my bottom lip, acting nervous, and rested my hand on the edge of his table.
Liam’s gaze met mine. His bored appearance disappeared instantly as I gave a little stumble and giggled like I was drunk.
“Well, now. Who are you, my beautiful seductress?” Liam asked.
I caught a hint of the fangs in his mouth as his power reached toward me. Panic grew as it circled me, dragging me in closer without my making a move to do so.
“You’re Liam, right? The mage?” I kept my voice light and fluttery.
“I am. And you are?”
“Sally,” I said and held out my hand.
The second his hand touched mine, the smile froze on my face.
He kissed the back of my hand, and I nearly fell out of character right then and decked the guy. His presence was different from the other night. Stronger and too late I realized this was a dumb plan. Terrible, horrible plan.
“Very nice to meet you, Sally. Now then, what is a pretty thing like you doing here without a date?”
“Think he ditched me. I was too much for him I guess.” I pouted, then found myself sitting down beside him, his arm on the bench behind me. “To be honest, he was pretty boring anyway. That, and I was hoping to be a donor and… is it true you’re looking for one? I mean, I thought it was strange and all, a mage asking. But figured what the hell, right?”
“Yes. What the hell indeed,” he repeated quietly, studying my face. “I feel I’ve seen you before.”
“I come here a lot.” Lie. “Been watching you for a while, too.” Bigger lie, but he seemed to buy it.
“To be a donor, you have to make sure you’re compatible.” He flashed full fang now.
I gave a little shudder of nervousness.
His eyes lit up. “I will admit I’m not all mage. Not anymore.”
“I can see that. What are you then?”
“How about we take this conversation somewhere more private. Hmm?”
“Sure.”
I let him pull me from the booth.
Rafael growled in my ear, but there were no words with it.
I caught a brief glimpse of him across the dance floor at the bar, and he gave me a subtle nod.
Liam tucked my hand into the crook of his elbow. We walked down the steps, out of the VIP section, and toward a door, that I knew from the blueprints led to a back room for private parties. Not the basement. This was not part of the plan, but unless I wanted to give myself away, I had to let him take me where he wanted for now.
Once inside, with the door closed, he spun me around, and the smile was gone from his face as he snarled at me.
“How stupid do you think I am?” He backhanded me before I had a chance to stop him.
I gasped at the pain.
The charm shattered and when I raised my head, blood dripped from my nose.
He leered. “You. That night at the ball, I had my suspicions, but to think you expected me to fall for this trick twice.”
“Mercy? What’s happening?” Rafael demanded.
I had no chance to answer him.
Liam charged me.
I kicked out, hitting him square in the chest.
He should’ve budged, but didn’t. He shoved my leg out of the way and then his arm was around my neck, choking me.
I stomped on his instep, and though he hissed in pain, his grip only tightened.
Rafael yelled then.
Liam heard him. He yanked the earpiece free, threw it on the ground, and stepped on it.
“Who are you working with? Huh? Who?”
He shoved me away, and I stopped myself from smacking, face first, into the wall. I reached around to the small of my back where my sword was and brought it out.
It unfolded between us.
“A sword? That is what you will use against me? Come now, we both know you are better than that.”
I slashed at him as I lunged forward, but he moved fast, too fast for a mage. Not too fast for a hybrid though. He moved even faster than I did. And I was mixed blood. Baffling.
I missed ducking the fist aimed at my face.
That fist collided with my face, and I flew backward, slamming into the floor with a loud smack.
“Must we do this?” He looked bored.
“We must.” Spitting blood from my mouth, I flipped back to my feet. “The Gathered want you back. They’ll pay a pretty penny.”
“The Gathered? That’s why you’re after me?” He laughed loud then, a full out cackle that made him double over and wipe tears of mirth from his eyes. “Oh, my sweet, sweet girl. You really don’t know anything. Do you?”
“You’ve got a bounty on you. That’s all I need to know.”
I charged him again.
He snapped his fingers, and my feet were stuck in the floor.
The power shot up my entire body, and every limb grew still. My arm was raised over my head, ready to strike him down as he approached. But my muscles weren’t mine to control anymore.
He grabbed the blade from me and tossed it aside carelessly, then reached out and trailed his fingers down my scar.
I struggled in vain to attack him, but his magic was too strong.
“Pity I wasn’t the one who found you that night in the woods, so many years ago,” he whispered. “Such a pretty face to be marred by this disgusting mark. You had such potential. Still do. If you ever find a way to break this curse.”
My eyes widened as my heart pounded so hard my chest hurt. “What the hell do you know about it?”
“I know a great deal,” he replied as his hand closed around my throat. “She would want you. Yes, she would. However, what she doesn’t know won’t kill her, I suppose. Hmm.” His hand moved back up to the scar.
I struggled to make myself move, attack him, do something. My feet slid just a hair. My arms twitched.
“You will never turn though. I, for one, do not like to waste such a strong life force. I think it’s time you come with me—”
My fist crashed into his face as I broke free of his magical hold.
I screamed in fury, demanding he tell me what he knew about the night my life fell apart, but then he whispered a few harsh words and slapped his hand over my face.
I had barely a second to understand I was probably not coming out of this one alive.
Then darkness closed in around me.
Chapter 17
Rafael
The high-pitched shriek from the earpiece being destroyed had me cursing and rushing to get to the door Liam and Mercy disappeared through. This had been a shitty plan. I knew that from the beginning. And I let it happen anyway.
“I have no visual. Repeat, no visual,” I said into my radio.
“You lost them?” Nor sounded out of breath as he rushed toward me from wherever he’d been in the club.
“They went through the door to the back room. Then her earpiece went offline.”
“Go. We’ll follow,” he ordered.
I made it to the door, only to find it locked. I rammed my shoulder into it twice. It gave way, the loud music covering up the amount of noise I made.
No one paid any attention to me as I disappeared inside.
Mercy and Liam were nowhere in sight. Her sword was on the floor as was her earpiece. Or what was left of it.
“Damn it.” I picked up the sword and spun around, recalling the full layout of the club.
This room was a dead-end, but I never saw them come back out.
The floor was covered in scuff marks and drops of blood, but whether it was Mercy’s or Liam’s, I couldn’t tell.
I turned slowly around, taking in every inch of the room—
There.
Blood pooled right at the baseboard but was smeared as if someone—or something—had moved through it.
The longer I looked at it, the wall seemed off. I flattened my hands on it, then gave a hard push.
A metallic click echoed around me, and the wall slid to the right, revealing a s
et of stairs that were not on the blueprints.
“Nor?”
“Copy.”
“There’s a passage leading down. I’m taking it.”
“Go. We’re right behind you.”
More blood trailed down the steps, and my rage simmered right below the surface as my haste turned into a sprint.
The stairs took me down a level and to a narrow tunnel, lit with bare bulbs above head.
From the way the club was oriented, I ran beneath the back alley and passed the next two cross streets.
Shuffling came from behind me.
I slowed long enough to be sure no one was following. This space was small, and the only weapons I had on me were Mercy’s sword and my pistol, neither of which were ideal for close-quarters fighting.
The tunnel veered sharply to the right. The floor sloped, taking me up again.
Light illuminated a door up ahead, and my steps slowed.
I drew my pistol, having no idea what to expect on the other side. I was just at it when Nor yelled through the radio.
I hunched and covered my ear to muffle the sound.
“Goblins swarming us in the tunnel.”
Several gunshots and grunts followed Nor’s words.
“You want me back there?” I whispered as I glared at the door, where hopefully Mercy was just beyond, praying he would say no.
“Stay on Liam. We can handle them. Get him, Rafael.”
I shut off the radio to prevent any more noises coming through and returned to the door.
Pressing my ear to it, I heard nothing on the other side and risked turning the knob.
It was unlocked, and part of me said it was a trap, but with the amount of blood I saw on my way here, Mercy might not have a lot of time. And for all we knew, Liam was taking her even further away.
With the door opened a crack, I glanced around slowly. There was no one in sight, so I stepped through.
Folding the sword back down, I shoved it in my pocket. Then with my pistol in front, I walked into the open area. It wasn’t a warehouse, but most of what used to be walls had been knocked down and were gone.
A few rooms remained, with large windows and beds inside. The stench of sickness and death hung heavy in the air. I passed an old linen hamper filled with scrubs, an idea of the place we’d ended up at flashed in my mind.
