Page 20 of The Vampire's Mercy

Counting down the seconds until you’re bone dust.“I’m fine.”

“So cute,” she said, her companion giggling. “It shouldn’t be much longer now.” She checked her extremely expensive watch. “I would say maybe twenty minutes or so.”

“Okay.” I gave her my best smile. “I’ll order another drink.”

“Is that water?” the werewolf asked.

“Yeah, I’m not a drinker,” I lied.

See how much beer I’ll put away later to toast a mass-execution well done.

She sneered at my glass. “I don’t see the point in drinking water in a place like this.”

Maybe if I smashed the glass in her face, she’d see the point. Or just bleed profusely.

“I’m not a fan of alcohol.” I spoke with such a saccharine tone I made my guts roil.

She huffed. “Go hard or go home, I say.” A whole minute’s worth of ranting followed, in which she spewed three highly offensive opinions no one wanted to hear. Especially me. But I nodded, I listened, I kept my act up.

Layla’s sweetness dropped, her brows pinching together. “I think you’ve said enough. Let’s stop bothering this nice elf.” She dragged the woman away before she spouted more bullshit.

When it hit one o’clock, I witnessed my first feeding of the night. A vampire snogged the face off a werewolf, him pawing at her with huge wolfy hands.

Things got steamy quickly. His shirt came off, revealing a hairy chest and chunky gold chain. Her dress slid down, exposing her breasts. After some explicit touching, she sunk her fangs into his neck. Gently. Sexily. He moaned, holding her, eyes rolled back in ecstasy. Blood dribbled down his neck in a tiny stream.

Those around me loved it, beginning their own sexy moments.

My executioner instincts flared, my feet ready to launch me forward, my fingers twitching for the stakeblade. Watching this went against every one of my principles.

I’m going to puke.

Another couple beside me got naked, kissing their way down to the floor, writhing, moaning, the vampire guy biting the human woman’s wrist as he pumped his hips.

By Aidan. My heart jumped in the bad way, my hands curling into fists.

Get it together.

Damn. Things were getting too real now. It was one thing to hang around in this club, but being a witness to an actual feeding took things to a different place. A dark and horrible place I couldn’t bear, couldn’t be privy to without losing my head to violence.

The woman reached her other hand for me. For a moment, I thought she needed my help. But she wanted me to join them.

I turned my back, weaving through the bodies, my head spinning, my insides churning.

Practically tumbling through the bathroom door, I lumbered toward a sink, grabbing its edge and battled against the tide of emotions that’d been unleashed.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Get it together.

I retched, an acidic bubble bursting in my throat. My head wouldn’t stop spinning, brains caught in a sudden surge of rejection.

Aidan, give me strength,I begged.

The harsh stink of bleach and cleaning products attacked my nostrils. I gagged, but soon found myself touched by the essence of a bouquet of pink chrysanthemums in a vase on a shelf close to the sink.

“Thanks, sweeties,” I told them.

They jiggled happily.