From the Ashes (Force of Nature #1)

by Amber Lynn Natusch

  I looked up at him to find a genuinely amused expression on his face.

  “And which part is that? The part where none of you died?”

  He leaned in close to whisper in my ear.

  “No. The part where I cut off Kingston's hands.”

  * * *

  After we returned home, I collapsed into my bed the second I entered my room. I was emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausted. I wanted to sleep off what had almost happened that night and ignore the impending consequences that we were certain to face the next day, even if Jase maintained that there wouldn't be any. I knew better than that. I'd been at the mansion long enough to see what happened to those who bent the rules.

  Sleep would provide the perfect safe haven for several hours.

  It didn't take long to feel the depths of slumber pulling me in. Once there, I found myself lying naked in an unknown bed in an unfamiliar room. It was clean, modern, and masculine, and I seemed strangely at peace there, luxuriating in the feel of the soft sheets against my skin.

  Then my leg brushed up against someone.

  Startled, but not frightened, I rolled over to find Merc lying next to me, his hands tucked behind his head, his eyes closed. My heart raced at the sight. I inched closer to him, wanting to assess him the way he had me. There was a serene quality about his face that almost looked wrong on him. How could one so deadly appear so placid?

  Suddenly feeling bold, I wove my arm over his stomach, teasing him with trailing fingertips. His eyes opened slowly, falling immediately upon me. Then his body followed. Pinning me to the bed with his formidable weight, he hung his head down, his lips a hair's breadth from mine.

  My heart skipped a beat.

  “Time to wake up,” he said, though his mouth never moved. The sound of it was distorted and fuzzy, like listening to the radio while submerged in water.

  With my heart now hammering in my chest and my breath caught in my throat, I awaited his touch. Silently, I begged for him to lay his hands on me—pleaded for his lips to meet mine. Arching my back and extending my neck, I tried to close the distance between us. The anticipation of what could happen next was almost more than I could bear.

  “Piper, seriously! Wake the fuck up!” the voice called again, though this time it sounded strange—far away. And female.

  A pillow to the side of my head jarred me from my sleep, leaving me frustrated and confused. The dream had seemed so short, so real. Waking to find myself alone in my bed, an irritated-looking Kat hovering over me, was not what I'd envisioned.

  “You need to get downstairs,” she said, staring at me like she had a bone to pick with me for some unknown reason.

  “I'm getting up,” I grumbled, wiping my eyes.

  “You guys,” she grumbled under her breath. “You guys are in some real shit.”

  Before I could get her to elaborate on why, she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

  I sat up in bed, trying to remember the details of the dream I'd had, but they seemed beyond recollection. It was as if it had never happened. I started to question if that wasn't the case. But there was a lingering sensation deep in my core, a feeling of need that hadn't abated when I awoke. Something had caused it.

  And his name was Mercenary.

  3

  I stumbled out of my room, still sleep-drunk and hungover, and made my way down the butler's stairs to the kitchen. I needed coffee and lots of it. A croissant wouldn't have hurt either, but I doubted we had anything like that lying around unless the pastry gods were watching out for me.

  They, like all the other gods, usually weren't.

  I peeked around the corner to find that the coast was clear, then made my way over to the coffeemaker and got down to business. It was pretty clear when Kat woke me up that she was pissed. I needed to talk to her to find out what had her so riled up. But there was no way I was even going to attempt that until I had at least two cups of the black liquid-of-life coursing through my veins.

  Maybe three.

  On the counter next to the coffee machine was an iPod dock, equipped with the iPod I had left in it a couple of nights ago. I scrolled through until I found something cheery that would pick me up and prepare me for a potential battle with Kat. The speakers sprang to life with a peppy 80s song that always put a smile on my face. I bopped around the kitchen, acquiring the things I needed to brew a monster-sized pot of coffee. Wearing only my boyshort undies and a white tank, I danced like an 80s queen.

  Tom Cruise a la Risky Business would have been jealous.

  It was a gift to be able to bounce around and not spill the water as I filled the reservoir at the back of the coffeemaker, and I had it in spades. I turned around to refill the pot and found myself prancing toward a formidable figure leaning against the far wall of the room. I yelped, managing not to let out the full-blown scream that wanted to escape.

  “Holy shit!” I exclaimed, clutching my chest. “You scared me.” While I battled to control my breathing, I realized that I was standing virtually naked in front of Merc. And judging by the level of his gaze, that little detail had not been lost on him.

  I quickly put the pot down and crossed my arms over my chest, hiding the rest of me behind the cover of the island. There was an intensity in his stare—a familiarity to it—that made me squirm. Apparently the dream I'd had that night had been more real to me than I'd thought.

  If I hadn’t known better, I’d have thought it was real to him too.

  “Do you want some coffee?” I asked nervously, cursing my lack of clothing and need for a caffeine fix. I should have gone after Kat as soon as I’d gotten up, but instead I’d sought refuge in the kitchen and that plan had backfired miserably. Evasion, distraction, and diplomacy had long been my tactics. They were how I'd survived on my own. And it was time to employ them with Merc.

  He looked at me strangely, silently refusing my offer.

  “Right,” I admonished, shaking my head slightly. “Probably not a big fan of the stuff.”

  He took a step deeper into the room, right toward me. All that separated us was the huge square island that I was hiding behind. Not much of a barricade to a two-hundred-plus-pound vampire.

  “It's great for hangovers,” I continued, pretending not to notice his approach. “I usually don't party that hard, though. Never could handle my booze very well. But coffee is my best friend the next day. Don't know how I'd survive without it on mornings like these.” I turned to grab a mug from the cabinet. Giving him my back (or my butt, as the case might have been) wasn't something I wanted to do at all, but I needed to appear calm, collected, and unfazed by his presence, even if I was anything but. I also needed to keep talking. “I swear Dean hides my favorite cup at the top just to piss me off,” I said, straining to reach the top shelf. I held my tank top's edge down with my other hand, not wanting to expose any more skin than I already was. “Your brother can be a real pain in the ass sometimes.”

  I was as far up on my tiptoes as I could possibly be, and still I could barely touch the handle of the mug, my fingers grazing it before I'd waver slightly and lose contact with it. Anxious and frustrated, I reached up one last time only to miss again. This time, however, my height wasn't the issue. The large hand holding the cup above me was.

  I could feel Merc behind me. He had to be only an inch or two away, his massive frame looming as he reached over me into the cabinet for the object I desired. I froze, but my heart raced uncontrollably. As I stood there, paralyzed with growing panic, his arm wrapped around in front of me and placed the Morning Princess mug down on the counter.

  “Thanks,” I whispered, my voice catching in my throat. My nerves had closed it down too tight to speak normally. When he didn't reply (not that I expected him to), I hazarded a glance up over my shoulder at him while he remained behind me, unmoving. His gray-blue eyes nearly bore through mine just like they had when he’d saved me. Just like they had in my dream. And just like on those occasions, despite my growing anxiety
, I could not look away from him.

  I was utterly entranced.

  His eyes narrowed slightly as he cocked his head to the side, moving it toward me. I gasped, memories of the dream I'd had flooding my mind—accompanied by the sensations it had sent through my body. Knowing the warnings I’d been given by the boys and Kat, I should have run from that room, screaming for help from anyone around like I'd been told to. But instead, I stood there awaiting whatever he had planned. The potential consequences of not fleeing seemed swallowed up by anticipation. It made me question if the warlocks hadn’t been right about me after all.

  Maybe I was too stupid to live.

  With his head hung low to reach mine, his lips dangerously near my ear, a voice cut through the kitchen, startling me. I jumped, flinging my hands out wildly around me. My Morning Princess mug flew through the air and crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces.

  The first casualty of the day.

  “Piper!” Kat shouted, her tone chastising. “We've been looking all over for you!”

  “Sorry,” I replied, slinking away from Merc. “I just wanted to wake up fully before the shitstorm settled in.”

  “Yeah well, it already has. Jase and Dean are expecting a call from the king any minute. They're trying to get their story together, and you need to be there to vouch for them.” Her angry eyes fell on Merc, then widened slightly. “I'll take you to them now, Piper. Let's go.”

  “Yeah, okay,” I replied, stepping over the shards of my favorite mug.

  “Maybe you should put some damn clothes on first,” she scolded as I walked past her. “If things go wrong, you'll be heading over to see the king instead of settling this over the phone.”

  “I got it, Kat. I got it.” I looked back at her, giving her my most irritated expression, which did nothing to improve her mood. Then my gaze reached past her to Merc, who stood exactly where I'd left him, his eyes fully trained on me.

  Something in them begged me to see what I had not yet seen. And I as I walked away, I tried to make sense of his expression. But with every step I took, all I could think of was how close he’d just been to me—and how much I’d liked it.

  Just like when he’d saved me.

  Just like in my dream.

  With a shake of my head to clear it, I ran back up to my room to throw on some pants and a top, then hightailed it down to Jase's room, where the call had already begun. The king's voice was calm as he spoke, but I had no doubt in my mind that he was forcing himself to sound that way. He had to have been pissed about what had happened.

  I slipped through the door and closed it behind me, doing my best not to make a noise.

  “Am I to assume that Piper has just joined us?” the king asked.

  “Yes, it's me, your highness. Sorry I'm late.”

  “I was just about to inform the brothers about the conversation I just had with Reinhardt.” I looked over at Jase and Dean, their expressions tight. Then I noticed Merc, leaning against the far wall looking totally unfazed by the situation. “I'm not sure that you all are aware of just how precarious this matter is. I have done all I can as of late to keep this information to myself, but now it seems I must relay it to you: the treaty is in jeopardy. More so than it has ever been before. The unrest in the supernatural community is at a fever pitch, and your antics last night have done nothing to help that, let alone the risk of exposure to humans you so carelessly ignored while embroiled in your petty battle.”

  “Sire, I can assure you that it wasn't—”

  “Enough,” the king said, cutting Jase off at the knees. “I do not wish to hear your excuses. You are here to listen and listen only. Is that understood?” We all quietly agreed. “Excellent. Now Reinhardt, clever as he is, was willing to see the reason in keeping this matter between us. After some convincing, he saw that it was his warlocks that were the aggressors and has taken measures to ensure that it will not happen again.”

  Both Jase and Dean's gazes fell upon their silent brother, looks of disbelief on both of their faces.

  “Piper,” the king continued. “You should not fear the wrath of Kingston and his crew anymore. They will no longer be a threat to you.”

  I didn't know what to say or if I should say anything at all. Instead, I just stared at the phone in Jase's hand, utterly dumbfounded.

  “Thank you, sire,” I said softly, wondering what he must have had to give up in order to ensure such a concession on Reinhardt's part.

  “I would not thank me yet, if I were you,” he said. “You are all on thin ice with me. I want to make that point very clear. Though I understand your options were limited last night, you need to know that I cannot have a repeat of this behavior, no matter what. If I catch wind of any, and I mean any, vigilante activity or unsanctioned attacks on any of the supernatural breeds, you will be staked. No questions asked. Have I made my position clear?”

  “Yes,” Jase and Dean quickly agreed.

  “And what of Mercenary? Does he too agree to my terms?”

  “He does,” Jase replied, looking over at Merc with a rather strained expression.

  “Excellent. Then I will deem this matter closed.”

  With that the king hung up, leaving us all standing there, our collective minds reeling. Except for Merc. He looked no different than he had when I'd noticed he was in the room.

  “Well that could have been worse,” Dean said, letting out a breath.

  “I'm so sorry,” I said softly. “I didn't want any of this to happen.”

  “It's not your fault, Piper,” Jase argued. “We had no choice, though I'm sure Kingston did all he could to paint that picture differently.”

  “The good news is that Reinhardt finally promised to keep that douchebag and all his little friends in line. For that alone, it was worth it.”

  Jase and Dean both suddenly turned their attention over to Merc.

  “What do you mean 'can he be trusted'?” Jase replied to the question Merc had apparently posed. The silent brother cocked his head curiously at Jase. “What reason would he have to lie, Merc? The only ones we need to worry about lying are Reinhardt and Kingston.”

  “And Reinhardt isn't dumb enough to lie outright to the king. Treaty or not, he knows what that would mean,” Dean added.

  Merc nodded once, then pushed off the wall to walk toward me. My heart raced with every step he took. I couldn't decide if it was out of fear or anticipation.

  Maybe it was a little of both.

  He stopped in front of me and lingered for a moment, staring at me with a curious expression. He looked as though he were trying to tell me something. Hovering for only that brief moment, he continued on and out the door.

  I watched him disappear into the hallway. The pang of disappointment I felt was undeniable, though difficult to understand. Though I wanted to dissect what I was feeling, there was no time for that. With a sigh, I turned to see Jase eyeing me, his jaw clenched so tight that I could see the muscles in his neck straining.

  “Anything you want to tell us, Piper?”

  “Me? About what?” I replied, volleying a question back at him.

  “About whatever that just was.” He looked at me, irritation in his stare. “You two sure do seem to enjoy sharing dramatic pauses and quiet little moments together,” he explained. The accusation in his tone was plain.

  “What in God's name are you getting at, Jase?”

  I balled up my fists and planted them firmly on my hips, trying to make myself look as intimidating as possible. It was a laughable attempt, but I was getting mad (or defensive). I didn't feel like being interrogated or berated for a third time that night. The king and Kat were enough.

  “I'm wondering if you have forgotten my previous warning about Merc.”

  “You mean the 'he's dangerous...stay away' one?” Jase nodded. “No, I think I have that one filed away.”

  “It doesn't appear that way.”

  “Listen, I get it. You know things about him that I don't. But all I've seen so far
is his ability to save my ass...and reach my coffee cup.” I shot Dean a scathing look to punctuate my last remark. “I know you think he'll hurt me, but I've spent a long time running from people wanting to do just that. So far, I get no hint of ill intent from him.”

  ...Not that Kingston had displayed any warning signs of his impending betrayal.

  But still, in hindsight, it was easy to see how he'd manipulated me, magically or otherwise. He'd wanted something from me and had exploited my desires to fit in, to know how to call upon my magic, and to be loved. Merc, on the other hand, just seemed interested in me—or keeping me alive, to be more precise.

  At least for now.

  “Merc can be misleading.”

  “So can a lot of people, Jase. But either way, I haven't forgotten what you've told me about him. He just shows up wherever I am.”

  “I'll take care of that. You work on avoiding him. Got it?”

  I let out an exasperated sigh.

  “Got it.”

  “Good,” he replied, looking relieved. He ran his hand through his dark hair a few times, messing it up in the most perfect way. “I'm not trying to be a dick, Piper. It's just with everything going on, I wanted to make sure you didn't forget what we told you. That's all.” He let out a heavy sigh of his own. “I get that you've kind of been thrust into the crosshairs recently and Merc did right by you. I just don't want that to lull you into a state of complacency, okay? He's my brother and I love him, but he can be dangerously unpredictable. I don't want to see you get hurt. That's all.”

  I wanted to be mad at Jase, but I couldn't. He was like a brother to me, and I loved him. He was watching my back as he always had. That's what family does.

  “I understand,” I said, walking over to hug him, then Dean, who had remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout Jase’s and my exchange.

  “I'm going to have a chat with Merc later tonight,” Jase said as I pulled away from Dean. “But for now, Dean and I have some planning to do.”

  “Planning for what?”

  “Before you came in the king suggested that we start training some of the younger vamps to see who is cut out to be an enforcer. He wants a list of potentials drafted before the day is done so that we can round them up to begin by next nightfall. Dean and I need to get on it if we have any chance of organizing this in time.”