Sacrifice of Mercy

by Shannon Dermott

  “Where’s Cain?” one of the boys asked.

  I switched my focus to Sebastian, curious how he would respond. He rolled his eyes.

  “The Nephilim had somewhere else to be. He isn’t involved in this.” When that same boy made a move to leave the room, Sebastian stopped him. “Hudson, you need me more than I need you. As a Prince of Hell, I can help you.”

  Prince of Hell? It made sense, but Sebastian had never referred to himself that way before.

  I felt eyes another set of eyes on me. I glanced up and found intense brown eyes I recognized. It had been from a party I’d gone to with Maggie at her brother’s fraternity house. Then, I’d felt an undeniable pull towards him that I no longer felt. He, on the hand, stared at me like I was his lifeline. And he wasn’t hard to gawk at. His looks could revival Flynn’s, which was a first. He took a step in my direction only to have Sebastian move to block him.

  “Keller, you can’t have her. I know you feel the pull, but trust me when I say it’s demology and not real. She belongs to me.”

  “What is she?” He asked as if I wasn’t there.

  “She’s like you.”

  I stepped to the side because I could take care of myself. Keller’s eyes met mine before he shook his head.

  “No, there has been no other succubus I’ve felt something for.”

  “True, those Cambion girls aren’t as unique as Mercy. I’m sure Hudson feels her pull.”

  I caught Sebastian’s smirk before I glanced at the other boy who was good looking as well. Hudson glanced away before I could meet his eye. I didn’t understand what that was about. But, if he and the other boy were Cambions like Flynn and me, it made sense why they were both pretty. Although, Hudson was the one I’d call pretty. Keller was simply beautiful. I couldn’t explain the difference. It was just that way.

  When Hudson glanced my way, he never looked directly at me. I tried not to be offended. It wasn’t like I needed another boy in my life. However, I wasn’t exactly bulletproof when it came to my self-esteem. And rejection was just that. And it stung.

  I shook my head because what I needed was to know why Sebastian had brought me to these two, who looked ready to kill each other moments before.

  Keller was bold. He ignored Sebastian and spoke directly to me. “Do you belong to him?”

  An orb appeared in the room, and Sebastian waved a hand at the open door. It closed firmly just as Flynn stepped through with Tristrom following him.

  “It figures,” Sebastian muttered.

  “Who are they?” Keller asked.

  Flynn made a beeline for me and looked me over.

  “Where’s Luke? Is he okay?” I asked hastily.

  He nodded before stepping behind me. I wanted to ask more, but we had an audience. Flynn placed a possessive arm around my waist. It was almost as if he’d heard Keller’s words.

  “That would be Flynn and Tristrom,” Sebastian announced.

  “Why did you come here and bring them?” Hudson said eying Flynn.

  “It seems we are all here except the golden boy. He’s close I’m sure.”

  “You didn’t answer my question?” Hudson challenged.

  The temperature in the room chilled a degree or two. “Careful. You aren’t the biggest monster in the room. Whatever you can do, I can do better.”

  Sebastian raised an arm, and blue flame rose all around it. He stepped over to Hudson, who fought against invisible bonds. He placed a hand on the boy’s chest before it began to sink into his skin through his clothing.

  “I could stop your heart right now,” Sebastian said with formidable cool.

  Keller made a move, and Sebastian didn’t even glance in his direction. Yet, Keller froze mid lunge. It was weird how the two boys had been at each other’s throat. One of them wanted to save the other. I thought briefly about Flynn and me. We fought often, but we always had each other’s back.

  “Don’t pretty boy unless you want to lose your best feature,” Sebastian said to Keller barely angling his head to the side. Then he turned his focus back to Hudson. “Do we understand each other?”

  Hudson nodded, but I could see the anger behind it.

  “Good,” Sebastian pulled his hand out of the guy’s chest and stepped back into the semi-circle we created. “The world is in a vulnerable position right now. And you all are our best hope. Hudson, is the son of a female Cambion and a Duke of Hell, the Gate Keeper to be precise. Mercy, it should interest you that his mom has two sons and still lives.”

  My jaw dropped. I had so many questions, but Sebastian continued.

  “Keller is the son of a human woman whose witchy good looks put the whammy on a powerful Duke of Hell.”

  Keller seemed shocked by Sebastian’s words.

  “Wait,” Flynn said. “Their fathers are demons.”

  “Yes, that makes them original Cambions. Their blood comes straight from the source with a very interesting mix of other bloodlines.”

  Keller pointed at Flynn. “He’s not born of a demon but of two Cambions?” Sebastian nodded at Keller’s question. “How does that make him a better choice for her?”

  Flynn let go of me and made a move to confront Keller. Keller smirked, spoiling for a fight.

  “Stop, boy wonder,” Sebastian said to Flynn. To Keller, he said, “I wouldn’t underestimate him. He’s more than his good looks. The beauty King over there couldn’t look like he does without top notch DNA. His father may be a Cambion, but he should ask dear old dad exactly who his mother is.”

  Flynn’s eyes shifted quickly to Sebastian. “What do you know?”

  “Everything and nothing I can tell you.”

  Flynn’s eyes narrowed and looked ready to explode.

  “He told Keller that you should ask your Dad because he couldn’t tell you that,” I said, hoping to break through some of Flynn’s ire.

  Flynn nodded to me finally getting it. He shifted me to stand in front of him again. That time, he locked our fingers together at our sides.

  “Moving along, Tristrom is the son of a former human man turned consort to the Winter Queen of Fey. And his mother is the Princess of the Elves whose roll in the sheets would cause her to be exiled if her father the King of the race ever found out.”

  Sebastian seemed to have all the information. Yet, he’d never been so forthcoming. I kept quiet, learning what I could. I could hardly wait to hear what he’d say about me. Only he didn’t.

  “And what about her?” Keller asked.

  He sighed. “Mercy is more. She is mine no matter what Flynn or even Luke thinks.”

  Keller glanced between the three of us. His eyes narrowed as if he couldn’t quite figure it out.

  “If she’s yours, then why does he hold her as if she belongs to him? And who is this Luke?”

  “Many questions. Easy answers. She was created for me. He’s claimed her, but she’s promised herself to another, an angel at that. Does that answer it?”

  Keller shook his head.

  “Enough,” Flynn spat. “Why did you bring her here? We have to go back. There are things at home we need to sort out.”

  Flynn was being cryptic. I glanced at Tristrom. His eyes looked swollen, and I wondered if CeCe was okay.

  “What’s going on?” I finally asked. “How did you even find me?”

  Sebastian cut in and pointed to the scepter. “Wielding that weapon will only draw the Fey to you. They are coming now. You need to leave.”

  A knock came at the door. We ignored it.

  “Sebastian, you need to come back too,” Flynn said.

  Another knock came, one more persistent.

  “We aren’t done.”

  Sebastian waved a hand, and we all drew closer as if oppositely charged by magnets. Then we were sucked into Sebastian’s favorite form of transportation.

  We landed back in my hallway. It took a minute to orient myself. But, everyone was there including Keller and Hudson. Hudson didn’t appear pleased to be in my house. And he still ba
rely glanced at me.

  “Why are we here?” Hudson demanded.

  Sebastian’s eyes narrowed, and he leveled them on Hudson. “You are here because I require it. If you’d stop pouting, you will learn something.”

  Keller raised his hands. “It’s not that we don’t want the help you can give.” He glanced at Hudson, and I saw the please don’t mess this up look there. “It’s just you kind of caught us off guard.”

  So Keller was the peacemaker? The looks he traded with Hudson said otherwise.

  “Each of you has an individual problem. There is a bigger one, and you all will need each other to survive it.”

  “How is that?” Hudson said as if we couldn’t possible help him in any way.

  “Each of you has gifts that will help when the final battle comes. This is your introduction to each other. There will come a time when you will need to find each other to save what’s left of this cursed planet.” Sebastian glanced behind me. “Ah, he’s here.”

  I turned back and saw Luke striding towards us.

  “Who’s he?” Keller asked.

  Sebastian didn’t disappoint with his answer. “If I am ying, he is yang. I am the dark. He is the light.”

  Luke came over and covered my ears. I saw Flynn catch on and cover his own. Then Luke spoke. The power of his angel speak had the ability to level all of us.

  The two guys dropped to their knees. But, Sebastian stayed standing giving Luke a bored look.

  When Luke let go of my ears, Sebastian smirked. “Sticks and stones could break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

  I glanced up at Luke, who stood behind me. He raised an eyebrow, and I turned back. Sebastian watched Keller and Hudson get to their feet. And that was when I saw the blood leaking from Sebastian’s ears.

  Sebastian hadn’t been as unaffected as he pretended to me. However, he’d taken the pain from Luke’s angel voice better than we had. It must have been how he was able to take Luke and his soldier buddies as prisoners. How much pain could Sebastian bear? And how had he gained that ability?

  I stepped forward and reached out to Sebastian. “Are you okay?”

  He moved so fast; I felt the impact of the wall against my back before I knew I’d been moved. Sebastian held a hand out, and I could see Luke and Flynn fighting against an invisible barrier to get to me. His hand cradled around my throat, and I reached up to try to remove his steely fingers.

  Then he spoke. “Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness, Mercy.” I watched his eyes change to solid black. Red flames flickered around the edges of his gaze, and I suddenly became unnerved. “Rune’s death didn’t get rid of the beast. His saving you only reminded me of the bigger picture. He was my only true friend. I mistook another as a friend until she stabled me in the heart.”

  “Sebastian—”

  “Don’t Mercy. Don’t lie to me.”

  “I thought you let Luke die. I mistakenly blamed his death on you,” I pleaded.

  He tilted his head. “How do you know I didn’t let him die?”

  The question was meant to make me fear him, but I wouldn’t let it.

  “Because you were always there for us,” I admitted.

  A flash of red waved across his eyes. “There is a part of me that still wants to kill you. Another part wants to claim you. I’m not yet sure who will win.”

  “Sebastian, you’re better than this.”

  “What do you know?” He practically yelled the words. “You have no idea what Belial puts me through when I displease him. Since meeting you, I’ve had to endure more than I have in years.”

  Belial was a vile creature. I couldn’t imagine the torment he inflicted on Sebastian.

  “I know it’s not enough. But I’m sorry.”

  A flash of movement and I saw Luke break through Sebastian’s barrier. He chuckled before removing his hand from my neck and smoothing my hair as if he didn’t just have murderous intent.

  He glanced over at Luke as if he was innocent, and I saw his expression morph yet again. I followed his line of sight and saw Rune walking forward. His face was flushed, and his movements were jerky. Rune had always glided, much like all the supernaturals I knew. His rapid breathing was another giveaway. He was alive, like alive alive. Flynn rushed over to me seconds after Luke reached me.

  With the two of them in front of me, I couldn’t see Sebastian and what he and Rune would say to each other.

  “What’s going on?” I asked. “Is Rune really alive?”

  Luke, on my right, reached over and took my left hand in his right. It was probably the most possessive thing he’d done since he came back. He played with the ring on my finger.

  “He’s human again,” he admitted.

  I gasped. “How did that happen?”

  Luke shrugged as Flynn gaze lingered at my neck, checking to see if I was okay.

  “I can’t bring anyone back from the dead,” Luke began. He shook his head. “I think it was a combination of your blood and my healing.”

  There was no way to avoid the question anymore because I was pretty sure the answer also played a role in Rune’s transformation.

  I lifted my head and found Luke’s eyes. “Did you die that night?”

  His silence was answer enough, but he finally nodded his head. A rush of pain rolled through me because that meant Luke wasn’t Nephilim anymore.

  “Will you get in trouble for this?”

  He shrugged. “I didn’t do this on purpose.”

  As if on cue, he glanced up towards the ceiling.

  “You have to go to answer for this, don’t you?”

  At the same time he met my gaze, he placed his hand on my neck. I felt the warmth spread from his palm as he rubbed his thumb over my lips.

  “I have to go.”

  I reached out but touched vacant space. I shuddered as a sob wanted to escape. But then, Flynn who wasn’t acting jealous wrapped me in his arms.

  “He didn’t hurt you did he?”

  “No.” Sebastian hadn’t. He’d held my throat, but hadn’t used his strength or squeezed. I worried about him as well and what Belial would do if he found out he was helping us again.

  I held onto Flynn for a second longer until I saw Mia watching us with sad eyes. I sighed before I let go. Flynn appeared puzzled, but I stepped away.

  “Where did Sebastian go?” He wasn’t the only one gone. Hudson and Keller were gone too. Rune stood there staring at his hands. I went to him first when no one answered my question.

  “How are you?”

  He raised his hands as if I should inspect them. “How can this be? I feel my heart beating.”

  “I’m not sure.” I took his hands and felt the warmth in them. “Take it as a gift.” But was it? “Where are you from? Can you go back home?”

  His eyes widened. He shook his head frantically. “No. They had a funeral. I can’t just show up.”

  He and Luke had the same problem. They could have traded notes if Luke didn’t disappear every five seconds. I rubbed my temples. I wasn’t sure how David and Mom would feel about all the strays we were picking up. “You can stay here.”

  Relief blossomed on his innocent face. I hugged him a moment before I moved past everyone towards the stairs.

  “Where are you going?” Flynn called out.

  I was pretty sure insane was a safe bet. Instead, I said, “I’m going to cook. I’m sure everyone’s hungry.”

  I jogged down the stairs feeling like centuries since I’d been home. Behind me, I heard Mia call out, “Flynn, can I talk to you for a minute.”

  No way was I turning back. There was too much at stake to be jealous. Flynn and I had admitted our feelings. I had to trust him as much as he had to trust me.

  It wasn’t long before Tristrom strode into the room.

  How quickly I’d forgotten how miserable he’d looked. “How is CeCe?”

  He shrugged. “She’s the same, unresponsive.”

  We let that hang in the air for a few minutes.
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  “Cooking has always helped me. Maybe it will help you.”

  Soon, I had him chopping and dicing. Working with what was in the fridge, I decided on fajitas. I’d found chicken, green and red bell peppers, and onions. Another search turned up some steak, so that gave us options.

  Not long after, we sat around the table eating. Surprisingly, Mia along with everyone else raved over the food. I watched as Rune took slow, careful bites. I figured he was still unsure if he could digest food.

  My stomach took a dive as if I’d just gone down the first hill on a roller coaster when I heard the front door open. Mom. “Mercy, are you here?”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  As my nerves passed, I stood from the kitchen table and glanced at Flynn.

  Tristrom, Rune, and Mia stared at us. “Give us a minute,” I said.

  Flynn and I exited the kitchen and stepped into the hall. Mom and David walked forward with shopping bags until they caught sight of us. David dropped his bag and moved towards Flynn. Mom stood like a deer in headlights. It was me who made the move first. I wrapped my arms around her.

  She stroked a hand down my hair. “Mercy, I’ve been so worried.”

  “I know.” I leaned back, and she placed her hands on either side of my face.

  “We should talk.”

  I nodded.

  She glanced up and over my shoulder to see our three guests poking their heads out.

  “Hi, Tristrom and Mia. And who is our third visitor?”

  “Rune, this is my mom,” I said with my arms still around her. She felt so tiny and small. I wouldn’t have guessed she carried another person inside her. Then again, I had no idea how far along she was.

  “Hi, Rune.”

  “I’ll tell you later,” I muttered in her ear.

  She nodded, releasing me. She picked up her bags and placed them on the foyer table.

  “Why don’t we talk in the game room?”

  So that’s what they were calling it. I thought of it as the room I spent the most awkward Valentine’s ever. Something I would never forget.

  Flynn came over and scooped up Mom’s discarded bags and followed his dad upstairs. Apparently, we were having separate discussions.