Page 17

“Relax, little flower. It’s just me.”

Mercy’s voice was as stern and cold as always, but it didn’t stop me from feeling slightly relieved. I turned around to face my captor, glad that it was her who had entered my room rather than someone who would have taken advantage of my surprise.

I couldn’t help but stare at Mercy’s outfit, a little jealous that I wasn’t brave enough to wear something so ridiculously cool. She looked deadly in leather, every bit as lethal as the Known that she was, but also extremelyhot.

Color rushed to my cheeks and I dipped my head, glad that I had let my hair hang loose so that it covered part of my face.

Mercy cleared her throat and stepped into my room, clicking the door closed behind her before sitting on the edge of my bed. “I’m sorry for entering while you were in a state of undress. I should have knocked first.”

Groaning internally, I shook my head and collapsed at the head of the bed where I had left it unmade, ready for me to climb back under the covers. “It’s fine, Mercy.”

“Well, I am sorry nonetheless.” She glanced over at me, her eyes running over my attire. Lingering a bit too long, I glanced down at myself and found that the silk was thinner than I had realized—the brightness of my underwear shone through like a beacon. “I’m glad to see that you liked some of the clothing I had delivered for you.”

I folded my arms over my chest, sighing when it made the neckline dip further and reveal far too much of my cleavage. Why was I making such an ass of myself and why in God’s name was I bothered?

“That was you?” Mercy inclined her head in a slight nod and I tried my best to offer her a smile. “Thank you. The clothes are gorgeous. Way nicer than anything I could have afforded on my own.”

Mercy let out a low chuckle and it felt alien. “Call it a really shitty compensation gift for the absolute hell you’ve been dragged into.”

It didn’t seem like there was an adequate response to that so I just pursed my lips, wondering why she was even here. Surely she had better things to be doing with her time than coming to chat to me about clothes.

“So, I came here for a reason. I have to leave for a few days and I wanted to let you know.”

An instant dread settled in the base of my stomach and I leapt up, pacing the length of my room. What the fuck? The one person who wasn’t trying to kill me was just going to disappear for days and I was expected to be fine?

Mercy stood too, though she didn’t move from her spot on the floor at the edge of the bed. “Look, I know you’re worried but I assure you that you will not be harmed.”

A flame ignited in me and I couldn’t help but yell as I let anger flow through my veins. “Are you fucking for real? First your crazy, murdering ass kidnaps me when I was just out with a friend. Then your so-called bodyguards tried to get in to eat me last night. And now you’re just going to leave and let me be murdered when I never fucking asked foranyof this?”

If she was annoyed by my sudden change in mood, she made no comment. Instead she held up her hands in a silent surrender. “Look, the situation is less than ideal. But if you want to survive as much as I want to, you’ll calm down. I need to go and sort out some of this mess. It’s the only way we all make it out of here alive.”

I threw my hands into the air, gritting my teeth in frustration. “Mercy, I know you’re smart as hell so let’s not pretend like I’m going to make it out of here alive. I’m ahumanand you’re leaving me with a bunch of hungryvampires. Be serious.”

Finally, annoyance flickered across Mercy’s face and before I knew it, I was being pressed against the wall with her hand at my throat. My heartbeat quickened at an unnatural pace and I stared at her with blind panic in my eyes.

Bringing her lips right to my ear, her cool breath tickling the hairs on my neck, she spoke in a frightening low voice. “Your survival is not optional. When I say you will be alive by the time I return, I meanyou will be alive when I return. You are a critical part of this whole goddamn mess of an issue now, whether we like it or not. Do you understand me?”

She squeezed my neck slightly when I didn’t respond straight away and I nodded under her grip. Fear and some other unfathomable emotion seized me and worked their way through my body, twisting and turning in my gut.

Mercy moved so that her eyes were level with mine, her gaze boring into me as she spoke. “I will ensure that you are properly guarded and are not harmed while I am away. Should anyone even attempt to do anything, I will make sure that they are nothing but dust. And should you need me, I will leave a way for you to contact me—though it should only be used for a serious emergency because I cannot leave where I am going without due cause. Not until the matter is settled.”

I knew how I was expected to respond this time, so I whispered my understanding. Mercy nodded and eased her grip on my throat, taking a tiny step back so that my heels were finally able to connect with the ground again.

Despite myself, despite the self-loathing I knew I would feel for admitting it, I said, “I’m scared, Mercy.”

Her beautiful, poised face softened slightly and she stepped towards me again. However, this time, her soft fingers curled under my chin and tipped my face toward her.

“Do not let fear run your mind, Cecelia. I know it is not by choice, but you are part of this organization now. Be brave. And when your fear threatens to consume your bravery, show the world your anger. That fire in your soul is a match for any of my Known, though I am loath to admit it.”

A shiver ran down my spine and I couldn’t stop the tear that rolled down my cheek, burning a red streak into my skin. My breath caught in the back of my throat as Mercy leaned forward and, so softly I almost didn’t believe it was happening, wiped the tear away with the softest of kisses.

Like she was remembering herself, and who she was, Mercy blinked and the softness in her gaze was gone; it was a terribly sad thing to watch. And made me feel just a little empty.

She made her way to the door before I could even blink or comprehend what had just happened, only looking over her shoulder one last time before leaving to say, “Be brave and survive, little flower”.

When the door clicked shut once more, I rushed over to lock it before climbing back into bed and cocooning myself in the soft duvet. I wasn’t aware of the tears rolling down my cheeks until they turned into guttural sobs, my chest heaving from the pain. I cried myself into a stupor, leaving me to dream of a deadly woman with a breathtaking touch.

My already fucked up life just got a whole lot more complicated.