Page 10 of The Vampire's Mercy

Two gold for a packet of ten. Pfft. I might as well just throw my coin down a well.

“Now go,” the guardian ordered.

“Gotcha.”

With renewed energy from the flora, I raced through the dark tunnel of strip lights, a dusty stink, and grim-faced guardians. I kept my head down, since there was too much attention on me already.

On the other side, I stepped back out into the lovely day, shoving my hands into my pockets. A scanhawk flew up to me. The golden robot bird beat its metal wings while I stood still, its green beam moving up and down my body five times.

The damn things patrolled every occupied corner of Quintrealm for executioners and any escaped frostbrood. They polluted the skies, often waking me up in the early hours, mechanical wings beating noisily as they flew down my street.

Once the robot moved on, I hurried to the nearest tram stop two minutes away from the station because the sub-rail was too expensive. But then I realized I didn’t have any money on me to get a ticket.

Cue mega irritation.

I swallowed a litany of abuse I almost took out on the ticket machine and tried my luck with a passerby.

“Got any spare change, please?”

The man offered me not one but two middle fingers.

Prick.

A tram rolled into the stop, ringing its bell, showing off its burgundy livery just to taunt me.

I guess I’d have to make the two-hour walk back to Weatherby in the northwest of the city.

Bollocking shit.

I got as far as Highwall Bridge, the biggest of the three iron bridges in the city, before I took a wobble.

Dagger.

Dagger mine.

I see it. I see it glisten, I feel it want, I long for it because I am full.

Full of all.

Full of everything.

Full of?—

I woke up to a crowd around me, a couple of them jabbering on their phones about me. A mermaid loomed closest to me, copper face scales glinting on her light brown skin.

“You good down there?” she asked.

I blinked up at her. “I… Yeah.”

That dagger. That damn dagger. What’d happened?

By Aidan. Had I been cursed?

She offered me a hand, pulling me to my feet.

“Thanks,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “Sorry.” My cheeks heated under the scrutiny of the crowd. “Have I made a complete knob of myself?”

She chuckled, her green eyes bloodshot from crying. Possibly. I didn’t want to ask.