Page 3 of The Vampire's Mercy

Pearl…

Ripped from my life one bleak September morning. Murdered. Brutalized. I’d never hear her laughter again or feel the warmth of her hugs or feel myself perk up with one of her elite pep talks.

Gone forever.

I drew in some deep breaths, shutting down this wander into pain. My nightmares were bad enough. I didn’t need to be dealing with cruel daydreams too.

I had a frozen river to leave and a life to keep living.

For her.

And how about I focus on tonight’s big mission? The biggest mission I’d ever undertake. World-changing, the biggest honor I could give to my sister’s memory.

The end of the vampire king.

Cracking my freezing knuckles, I drew a line down the middle of my chest—the elvish blessing for good luck—and crouched before the crystal blade.

I tapped the hilt with a tentative finger, the surface warmer than expected.

Nothing happened.

I tapped it with two fingers, just to be sure there wasn’t any kickback. Yeah, I should probably get out of this nest rather than faff about with the dagger, but I couldn’t walk away now.

Curiosity, man. What a pain!

I wrapped my right hand around the hilt, giving it a tug. The dagger came free so easily I lost my balance in surprise, landing on my arse.

Bollocks! I’d been expectingsomeresistance.

Back on my feet, I inspected the weapon. Other than the markings in the hilt, the rest of the blade was pure, polished crystal. Deadly sharp and strange, it wasn’t like anything I’d seen before.

“Who are you?” I asked it.

It gleamed in the sunshine, giving nothing away.

Time to move,my inner alarm bells warned.

But I found myself enchanted by the blade, my hand trembling. A hum of energy passed through my veins, pushing me into a trance.

Blade on the ice…

With me.

Blade and me.

“Why?” I whispered.

My numbing fingers twitched, my head foggy.

“What is this?”

Nothing answered but the cold wind, snapping me out of this bullshit.

Okay, enough delaying and being a target. I took off for the shore again, happy to be armed.

Blade on the ice…

With me.