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“Ma’am, your O-neg donor is here.”

Waving the donor inside, Mercy made her way to the door. “Please monitor Miss Blake closely to ensure she stops feeding before our donor dies.” Without turning back, Mercy walked out the door and left me.

46

MERCY

After leavingCecelia to her own devices—she was quite taken to her power already—I had little fear that she would hurt herself further after our discussion. I walked out more confidently than I felt, and as I took each step I had already planned out every moment and each decision I would make for the remainder of my un-living days. There would be very few left of those, for that I was certain. My descent from the catwalk that led to my office was calculated, and while those that saw me would witness nothing but a stoic woman leaving her newest Known recruit, they would never be able to see the tormented soul that was living underneath it all. I knew what I had to do.

I looked for Warren.

He was nearby, of course. He always was, and while I could tell he was trying to give us space, he was still bouncing from heel to heel in worry.

“It didn’t look like it went well,” he commented as I walked down the steps. I bared my teeth in his direction, making him follow me once my feet hit the ground level. I made a beeline toward the bar-top.

“We made a decision for her, and she disapproved,” I said somberly, trying to hold back the sob that wanted to escape my throat. I couldn’t let go here, not with so many eyes watching. It was unbecoming of a queen. “I am not surprised that it did not go well.”

“But she fed from you—”

“As you have fed from me, and me from Tusker. Feeding may turn to lust, but it does not equate to love. At least the intimate sort, you know that.”

I watched as his lips pursed in frustration.

“I can make her change her mind.”

“You most certainly will not,” I hissed.

He ignored me, grabbing my shoulder and squeezing it once before taking off up the stairs. I would have turned to stop him, but I couldn’t find the heart to. It wouldn’t matter in the end, anyway.

I leaned against the counter of the bar, waiting as long as I could stand it before I reached for the phone in my back pocket.

I moved my fingers gracefully across the screen, before a hand wrapped around my wrist.

“Excuse me—” I turned to smack my assailant, and almost came close to it until a familiar face came into view. Henrik.

“Mercy,” his face was full of pain, and I tore my wrist from his heavy grip, “it’s…good to see you.” It looked as if he was trying to ask me something, but I wasn’t in any mood to be playing any games.

“Thank you for your information,” I said. I had mentioned it to Warren, who did a deeper dive while I was attending to Cecelia. He was much more thorough than I was initially. Not that it mattered any.

“Carlisle is here,” his hushed whisper came out almost too low for me to hear. “He’s in one of your VIP rooms. If you have any plans, now would be the time to execute them. He’s awaiting a donor of his own, acting as if he owns the place. He sent me, and is left unguarded.”

I smirked, though it came out in more of a grimace.

“Thank you, Henrik. Warren is upstairs with Cecelia. I don’t know what your future looks like, but I would recommend you go to him. He might need you.”

Henrik looked at me, confusion forming across his features. He narrowed his brows, but nodded.

“Of course, my queen. But what about Carlisle?”

“No concern of mine, at the moment,” I lied, “but please make sure Warren does not leave Cecelia’s side. She is new to immortality, and I would hate for her to get herself into something that she couldn’t get out of herself. Warren might be the only one she doesn’t absolutely loathe right now, either.”

I pushed off the bar and made way to my row of rooms hidden behind the dance floor. Humans pulsed and danced below the lights, too drunk to notice me as I pressed against them. Theneedfought against my every step.

“Where are you going?” Henrik called at me. I turned my head and waved him away, swallowing away another heave of a sob. At least Warren will have Henrik. That was more than I could ask for.

“Go find Warren!” I yelled back, no longer caring who could hear me in this god forsaken club.

* * *