Page 100 of The Vampire's Mercy

Unlike thralls, I couldn’t force vampires to do anything. A pity, seeing as I would have loved to command him to smash his face into the bars a hundred times.

“You’re ridiculous,” I added gently, quietly seething on the inside.

A stray thought rang in my head.

What would you do with these vampires, brother?

“We remember the other king,” Gilbert said. “We remember he was better.” He winced, sucking in air between his teeth. “But not much more.”

King Lucius…

“You’re not doing anything about us,” Gilbert seethed. “Locking us away, feeding us blood, keeping us safe. How is that ruling properly? Why not kill us? Torture us? Do something to show us you’re not so weak. Like His Majesty, King Lucius.” His hands dropped from the bars, a visible shiver passing through him.

Every vampire in the cell gasped sharply, whispering my brother’s name. I ached suddenly, grief tearing into me with wicked claws.

How did you die?

Gilbert pointed at me with an angry finger, his lips drawn back in a snarl. But he didn’t berate me, the man who’d been in the woman’s arms did. He jumped up and charged at the bars, hands balled into fists.

“You’re a failure,” he barked. “You need to be stopped.” He came to Gilbert’s side, gesticulating as he ranted further about my uselessness, defecating over my legacy.

I saved you all.

I love you all.

But those things didn’t matter to these vampires. And this smug, dismissive attitude they harbored was an afront I wouldn’t tolerate for much longer tonight. “I know.”

After years and years of this nonsense, my walls were beginning to crack.

Isn’t that exactly what they want to happen?

“Then why do you let us live?” he asked. “Any king worth his salt would?—”

I grabbed him by his jacket and yanked him forward. His face slammed into the bars, his nose breaking with a disgusting crack. The others yelped, Gilbert jumping back.

“Majesty, I?—”

I plunged my other hand into his chest, finding his heart. It withered at my touch, beating rapidly with fear, completely at my mercy.

Blood gushed over my hand, rivulets streaming down my arm. The scarlet light in his eyes flickered, more blood oozing from his mouth.

“Did you forgetthispart of your wretched life?” I questioned, squeezing the only truly vulnerable organ in his body.

“Majesty, please,” Gilbert begged.

“I thought this is what you wanted from me?” I countered.

Outside of an executioner’s stakeblade and sunlight, I could destroy a vampire’s life just by ripping out the heart or crushing it inside the chest.

“How easy you forget,” I said, the Heart of All aching from my move. “How easy it is for me to end you.”

It would certainly send a message, a snuffing stomp on the fire of their nonsense.

Yet, the fire of rebellion had spread too far and wide, dissatisfaction here to stay. I could kill a thousand vampires, and it wouldn’t be enough.

They’d never get what they wanted.

I closed my hand around the wet organ, watching the vampire’s lips tremble. His heart slowed, his eyes losing most of their color.