Page 30 of The Price of Mercy

“You hired someone to fuck her,” I snarl, grabbing his throat, “against her will. That’s fucking rape.”

“Still,” he wheezes, “not me. Didn’t touch?—”

I squeeze harder. His face turns a sickly shade of purple.

“—until last night.”

Last night?

“You said you didn’t see her!”

A sadistic smile flickers onto his stupid fucking face. “Oops.”

My fist smashes his nose, and he sputters a laugh, his head bobbing as he struggles to hold it up. I hit him again, this time in the jaw, and drop him to the floor. I can’t waste my time on trash like him. If he got to Mercy while Kane and I were passed out, I need to find hernow.

Before this game actually ends.

Chapter 14

Mercy

Whenever I have a nightmare,I don’t remember it when I wake up. The snippets that remain, mere flickers of the terror gripping me in my sleep, are easy to pour out into my sketchbook. I have multiple books filled with nightmarish shadows and glinting eyes watching me from the dark. These stay hidden beneath my bed, out of sight and out of mind. But maybe that’s the problem—keeping them close means that they can still haunt me, even in my dreams.

This time, I dream about Zane.

The feel of his body lingers in my mind, warm and wanting and dangerous.Tempting, if I’m being honest with myself. Kane and Sam won’t have anything to fight over if I give it up to Zane. It’s not like Zane wants my virginity—if anything, I think he’s repulsed by it. Our late night rendezvous was an alcohol-induced fluke.

There’s no way that Zaneactuallywants to sleep with me.

But my dream self thinks that he does.

I feel myself running before the cemetery comes into view. Damp earth clings to the soles of my feet as I zig-zag through the headstones, out of breath and out of time. A full moon hangsheavy over the horizon, as vibrant orange as the monster’s eyes. In my dream, Zane is coming for me.

If he catches me, he can do whatever he wants.

A wriggle of doubt snares somewhere in my mind. Those weren’t the original terms of our agreement, but somehow, they feel accurate. I’m at the mercy of a man who hates me.

Another shadowy figure steps out from behind an ancient oak, his sharp fangs glowing in the moonlight. Blonde hair, glimmering blue eyes, a wicked smile. His body painted like a skeleton’s, all the way from his head to his toes. Naked.

Hard.

I stumble backwards as Reaper advances, grinning wickedly, cock jutting out like a spear,hungry.

This one craves my body.

Muscled arms wrap around my waist from behind, pulling me into a hard chest. I can feel his breath on my neck as he trails his lips over my skin, groaning once he slots something long and hard against my ass.

Won’t you let me, Mercy?

I gasp as Sam’s voice plays inside my head.

Won’t you let me love you?

Vines sprout from the earth and ensnare my legs, trapping me and Sam together. I open my mouth to scream, and Kane descends, groaning into my mouth and swallowing any sound that tries to escape. Then the cold press of steel against my throat makes me shiver. I open my eyes to find Zane holding a knife poised to cut both me and Kane at the same time, its two sides equally sharp.

If I can’t have you, no one can.

As Kane’s lips meet mine, I fall backwards into an ocean, suddenly cradled in its waves. Warmth envelops me from all sides, and Kane’s voice carries on the breeze.