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Narcissa bared her fangs, pressing them against the base of my throat. I tried to move, but her hold on me was ironclad. Warren crouched, ready to lunge for her; Mercy, however, looked at her with such disgust that it almost broke my heart to see.

I closed my eyes and prayed that Cissa would end it quickly.

38

MERCY

“Narcissa!”I growled, crouching low as I circled her. It was a delicate dance, both Warren and I situating ourselves so that we were equidistant from my former Second, and the human girl I found myself too infatuated with to let die. Still, even with so few feet between us, we were too far away for comfort. Each step of ours was mirrored by Narcissa, and if I made one wrong move I knew that she would not hesitate before killing Cecelia.

It was what made her so dangerous; I could see the chaos that brewed in her eyes, and her bark was as big as her bite.

“Narcissa, let her go,” I said harshly, my fingers squeezing into tight fists, my breath coming in shallow huffs. My rage was palpable, the complimenting hiss sharp.

“Why the fuck should I, Mercy?Why should I let yourlittlewhorego?”

“This has nothing to do with her!”

“This haseverythingto do with her!” She screamed, and I could see her nails press firmly into Cece’s neck. I wished Cecelia had hold of her stake, the one thing I knew she could protect herself with. Yet it was not with her; all that training, all that practice, was worth nothing.

My word, everything I had done for her, had been for nothing.

My breath hitched with each movement Narcissa made, and each accompanying whine that exited Cecelia’s mouth. She was doing the most she could, hanging there limp in Narcissa’s arms. I was grateful she had stopped fighting. My eyes glanced towards Warren, who had panic strung across his features in a way I’d never seen from him before. Warren, who was usually the epitome of calm, who had defeated much larger, scarier adversaries in his sleep. He was my best asset to get Cecelia away from Narcissa. I couldn’t have him falling apart.

He needed to calm down, to take a second and breathe. We had to be smart, and with the way Narcissa was hopping from foot to foot, eyes manically glancing between Warren and I, we didn’t have much time to spare. I caught his eye and took a deep, exaggerated breath. Narcissa’s sudden screeching laughter rattled me, but it allowed Warren to readjust and recenter. He nodded slightly in thanks, too small for her to have noticed.

“She’s just a girl!” I pleaded, “Cissa, she is no better than any other human blood bag in your bed.”

Narcissa’s nails were so firmly embedded that they were bruising Cecelia’s soft neck. I could see the blues and purples start to form, her blood fighting against the damage. Cissa made no move to loosen the pressure.

“Just a human Mercy? Don’t you dare patronize me with that bullshit,” she spat in my direction, and I watched as Warren used that moment to take a step closer. His approach went unnoticed. Carefully I reached a hand pleadingly towards Narcissa and Cecelia, hoping the former would continue to ignore Warren and engage with me alone. I wanted so desperately for Cece to find my gaze, to know that I was going to get her out of those deadly clutches. I watched as a single nail tapped in threat against her esophagus. It was just this once that I appreciated Narcissa’s obsession with my attention. Her lack of focus would be my ally.

“I don’t understand,” I said, causing her to blink a few times in confusion. There was drool dripping down her chin, she was practically salivating at the mouth, “Cissa, why are you doing this? Cecelia is nothing. She is no one.”

Her confusion cleared some at the mention of Cece’s name, though there was an eternal cloud of uncertainty hovering over her. It was as if she was drunk on her own vendetta. So sure I was to pay for something, and my curious tone made her waver. Still, she screamed at me.

“Don’t say her name. DON’T SAY HER NAME! Stop fucking with me!”

“Okay, okay,” I raised both hands in surrender. Cecelia screamed and Cissa dropped them both to the ground, her fangs precariously placed at the base of her throat. My heart twisted as tears finally started cascading from Cece’s eyes. I could feel the panic fill my face again, flushing my pale cheeks and sending blood red veins to my violet eyes. Narcissa scoffed, sending saliva flying around them. Warren moved just an inch closer to them, but it wasn’t happening quick enough.

“How does it feel, Mercy?” she said, the malice back in her eyes, “I see the way you look at her. Since the moment you laid eyes on her it was different. How does it feel as you watch me take the thing that means the most to you? Does that make youseeme, now?”

Rage filled my core, threatening to boil over. “Narcissa Isawyou. We had Sin City wrapped around our fingers. We knew—”

“You promised me a kingdom! We could have ruled side by side. I wantedmorethan that!”

“I am aQueen!” I roared at her.

I had to be careful, my anger was besting me and if I couldn’t keep it under control, Cecelia’s life was the price I was going to pay, “A Queen who told you I never would have a consort. I rulealone.”

“And yet you bring this filth into your bed.” Her eyes flicked towards the fragile girl beneath her.

“Sex is not the same as courtship, Narcissa! It is not new,” I gestured vaguely around us, “Would you like me to bed Warren next? Carlisle? Sex is not law binding, we are creatures of pleasure and nothing more.” It felt as if my skin was aflame, the fire that was burning within me aggravating myneed. I could feel it pacing back and forth from behind my temples, ready to overcome me.

“But then the girl,” her head cocked sharply towards Cecelia, my beautiful human with a tear streaked face and blotchy red cheeks. The stirring in my heart started again, palpitating so hard that theneedwas unsure if it was due to lust, hunger, or something more than that. Her voice lowered to a growl in frustration, as if she could see right through my gaze to my fear.

“Youloveher, Mercy. This isn’t about courtship, or casual flings. You love this fucking human and the flaws that come with her. You love her so much that you’re willing to let our dream die, let our kingdom die for her. Tell me I’m wrong. TELL ME.”

I am at a loss for words. My throat was dry and I saw as Warren moved one step closer in my periphery. I closed my eyes and saw Cecelia’s death play out behind them. I watched as the light left her. I watched her die.