Mercy's Protectors (Mercy Ashby Book 1)

by A. M. Hardin

  "Alright," he sighs. "I'll get someone to stick with her."

  "Just one? Not a team like me?"

  "I know she's important to you, Mercy, but you're important to me. The Order is already extending more than they have by allowing you to be protected by Hunter's team, they can't afford to have another entire team focused solely on protection."

  "Alright," I concede. "One is better than none I guess."

  "That's the best you'll be able to ask for right now with everything that's been happening."

  "What do you mean?"

  "You mentioned that Aiden and another member of the Order is missing. They've more than likely got most of their teams working on finding their missing members. They aren't going to want to be stuck babysitting," he explains.

  "Now he admits that it's babysitting," I grumble making him chuckle.

  "Yes, it's babysitting and you know it. You knew it when you first came to the Order. It hasn't suddenly changed overnight."

  I lean back against the counter and tilt my head back to stare at the ceiling. "Thank you Roderick."

  "Don't thank me yet, girl. We don't know if it'll do any good or if there's even a chance someone could be after your friend."

  "Well, either way, it makes me feel better to know she's not alone." I pause and bite my lip. "How's mom?"

  "Pissed that she's stuck in hiding but otherwise she's doing just fine. Don't worry about her, you've got enough to worry about. You know she'd be telling you the same thing if she were on this phone instead of me," he adds before I can say anything. I wince, knowing he's right.

  "I can't help it." I admit quietly.

  "Well, you need to start focusing on you, Mercy. There's things that'll be happening in your life that you won't be able to change or stop. Being worried about others is a surefire way to get yourself killed."

  "I'm not heartless," I point out, trying not to get offended.

  "I'm aware of that. Your mother and I just need you to stop worrying so much about others and just worry about yourself. I'll take care of your friend and your mom. You take care of you."

  "You take care of you too. You matter to me too."

  He chuckles. "I know Mercy. I'll catch up with you later. Let me know if anything else happens." He hangs up without waiting for my response.

  Rude. I roll my eyes and leave the bathroom, almost walking face first into Talon's fist as he went to knock on the door. Thankfully, he stopped the movement before actually making contact. That would have seriously hurt like a bitch.

  "Did you need something?"

  Talon studies me for a minute before shaking his head. "There's food made. I was just letting you know. Hunter should be here shortly."

  "Okay. Thanks. I'll be out there in a minute. I just want to put my bag away." I lift up my bag in my hand, pulling the strap over my shoulder.

  "Just put it in the room across the hall. There's no telling if we're actually going to be staying here tonight."

  "You got it."

  Without another word or look in my direction Talon turns and walks back down the hallway toward the other room where the other guys most likely are, if the noises are anything to go by. I sigh and put my bag in the room he told me to before making my way down the hallway where Talon disappeared.

  17

  Chapter Seventeen

  Mercy

  It took four hours after we ate for Hunter to show up. Four long, boring hours of alternating between flicking through tv channels and working out in the privacy of my room.

  Four hours of avoiding the guys because I’m being a coward and not wanting to deal with the fallout of the makeout session with War.

  Letting out a groan from where I'm laying on the bed as a knock comes on the door to the room I claimed as mine while we're here. I grab the remote from beside me and pause the tv.

  "Yeah?"

  The door opens to reveal Hunter, usual brow arched at me with a small smirk tugging at his lips. "I'm back. Heard you guys had some fun tonight. That you killed a lower level demon and distracted Jerome so you and War could get away."

  I stare at him.

  "Not going to say anything?" He asks, lips twitching.

  "Was there a question there?"

  He snorts. "Technically there wasn't. Come on, I'm gathering everyone in the living room so we can talk about what I learned. You're not going to like it," he warns.

  I raise a brow. "What else is new?"

  Hunter shakes his head and leaves the room. I look at the ceiling for a few heartbeats before climbing off the bed and following him.

  Entering the living room I pause at the blank faces on everyone in the room before going to sit in an empty armchair. Talon and Hunter are the only ones standing since there's no other seats.

  "So what'd you find out?" Kai asks, cutting straight to the point from his seat beside Parker.

  Hunter rubs a hand over his face. "My dad wouldn't tell me much, said it wasn't time for us to know or something like that. Hell if I know what the old fool ever means."

  Warwick snickers. "Your dad likes riddles dude. That's not surprising."

  “True," Hunter concedes. "What my dad would tell me was that Mercy is important to the future of all supernaturals."

  I snort, not believing a damn word. "I'm just a half-demon. Hardly anything special. Especially when you consider that most demons are such incredible sexist bastards."

  War raises a hand and pouts. "I take offense to that."

  Hunter shoots me a pointed look, shutting me up before I can respond to War. "Let me ask you something, Mercy. Have you ever come across another half-demon who has eyes like yours?"

  I narrow my eyes at him, not liking where he's going with this. "No. I haven't. They're just fucking eyes."

  "The color isn't natural in either supernatural or human worlds," Hunter points out to me. "That's what gave away your importance, apparently."

  I squeeze my eyes shut and rub my temples. "You're starting to piss me off Hunter. Just spit it out. What the hell do you mean?"

  "There's an old legend about someone like you that's tied deeply into the future of all supernaturals. It's why Payne is so determined to have you and why Jerome has been relentless in your capture."

  "Legend?" Kai asks looking between me and Hunter.

  "I've heard of something like that, but I don't know any specifics about it," Warwick admits quietly. His eyes glued to me. "I also know that Lucifer was the one who put so much emphasis on Payne to try and take advantage of the legend if and when the opportunity came. Something about power that'd rival Satan."

  I double-blink. Looking between Hunter and War I'm hoping like hell that I'm hearing things. "What the hell gives anyone the indication that I'm the one that this legend is talking about?"

  "It mentions a half-demon girl with purple eyes," Hunter says softly, as if he knows that I'm close to losing it. "You're the key to our future, Doll."

  "Great. No pressure," I mutter. "Did your dad by any chance mention why the hell Payne has such a fucking hard on for me?"

  Hunter winces. "Not in specifics. He did mention something about a kid, but I don't know what he means by that. My guess is that he was keeping you until you were old enough to give birth to a child."

  "You mean, just because he didn't rape me at the time I was held in his torture chamber, doesn't mean it was always going to be that way?" I ask, wanting things to be clear.

  Hunter nods. My stomach rolls.

  I stand abruptly, cutting off any other comments the others might have. "Please tell me there's a gym with a punching bag hidden in this monstrosity of a cottage."

  Hunter watches me with concern shining in his red eyes for a second before giving me the directions to get there. In a room hidden in the basement. I roll my eyes as I make my way down the basement stairs. Why the hell are there so many rooms and doors?

  Walking in the gym, I make a beeline for the large stereo that's perched off to the side and I want to squeal in excitement w
hen I see that I can hook my phone up to it and play my music that way. My attitude right now though isn’t making much room for that excitement to build.

  After getting my music sorted I throw my hair up in a messy bun and make my way to the punching bag in the corner of the room, not bothering to wrap my hands.

  I need to feel something besides what I'm feeling right now. This helplessness that is churning inside of me. The pressure that I might be the one this stupid legend is talking about. Even though the thought of me being this big thing that involves the future of entire races is laughable, it's still an incredibly intimidating thought.

  My thoughts still running, I start hitting the bag dangling off the ceiling in front of me. The sounds coming from the bag as I hit it have a soothing effect but it’s not enough. I’m still wound too tight. Throwing myself into the zone I hit the bag harder, throwing a few well placed kicks in too.

  It doesn’t take long for a fine sheen of sweat to cover my body and my muscles to start cramping.

  My breathing labored, I stop the bag from moving and rest my forehead on it, holding it still against my head. I breathe in and out deliberately to regulate my my breathing. I’m so focused on my breathing to keep out all other thoughts of legends, my friends, my family, Payne, and Jerome that I don’t notice when the door opens and Hunter walks in until he’s right next to me.

  “What?” I ask, not lifting my head.

  “You’re bleeding,” he murmurs, taking one of my hands into his for a second before I pull it back out.

  “I don’t even feel it. It’s fine.”

  "Mercy, look at me," Hunter says quietly.

  I peek up at him from beneath my lashes and quickly turn my gaze away. "I don't need your pity, Hunter."

  "Never said that I pitied you."

  I drop my hands to my sides, clenching my fists as my head snaps up. I glare at him. "You don't need to say it. Your entire being oozes it. I don't fucking need your pity."

  "It's not pity," he says, calmly. The calmer he is, the more pissed off I am. "It's sympathy. I'm sorry that this is happening to you, but you- "

  "Don't," I hiss, taking a step back from him. My back hits the wall, leaving me trapped. His hands grip my wrists as he moves closer to me, to stop me from pushing him away. "Don't lie to me. Just leave me alone."

  Hunter gazes into my eyes, carefully not showing any emotion other than the heat I’ve caught in his eyes several times since I came to the Order. "I'm not lying. I will never lie to you."

  "Bullshit," I spit. "You're a demon. Demon's are notorious for lying out of their asses."

  I put my hands between us, despite his hands on my wrists and his body pressed against mine I try to push him away from me.

  Hunter quickly puts my hands against the wall above my head. Latching them in one hand, he grips my chin in the other, not at all painful, but enough that I can't move my head.

  "Quit fighting me, Mercy, and listen," he bites out while I keep struggling to get out of his grasp. He doesn't speak until I bring my eyes to his and glare at him. "I will never lie to you," he repeats. "Yes, I am a demon and yes, you are right. We do have a tendency to lie, but I will never do that with you. I will always tell you the truth."

  I stare at him, not knowing what to say to that. My breath catches in my throat when he makes calming circles on my wrist with his thumb while he runs his other thumb across my jawline. His eyes dip down to my mouth and I have to fight to keep from licking my lips.

  His gaze meets mine and my mouth goes dry at the desire and heat pooling in those red eyes. Red eyes that should be scary as fuck and never give the reaction that they are giving my body right now. My stomach clenches and the surge of desire makes my panties wet with moisture.

  Hunter rubs his thumb against my lips, pulling the lower lip down just enough to separate them. My tongue dashes out to lick his finger before I can stop it.

  "You drive me absolutely fucking crazy," he mutters. I open my mouth to respond but before any words get out, his mouth is on mine. His tongue plunges inside, taking advantage of my open mouth. Tasting me. Savoring me. Devouring me.

  His hand moves from my chin to my waist, pulling me flush against him and I moan into his mouth when I feel the evidence of his arousal press against me. He slips his thigh between my legs, applying much needed pressure to my clit. I rub against him while he swallows my moans and reaches his hand to grip my ass firmly, guiding my movements.

  He tears his mouth from mine to kiss a trail down my jaw to my neck. Biting hard on the crook of my neck, I gasp as I feel the tightening of my pussy and fireworks flash behind my eyelids as I come apart from nothing more than his leg rubbing me in just the right place and his mouth. Holy shit, I’ve never been that quick to trigger.

  I feel my cheeks flush as he raises his head and captures my gaze with his searching eyes.

  "I-" I start, but honestly, I don't have a clue about what to say in this situation. I've never been in a place like this. A handful of hours ago I was making out with Warwick in a tunnel, now I'm shamelessly rubbing myself against Hunter's leg like a damn cat in heat?

  What the hell is wrong with me?

  Hunter lets my wrists go so he can cup my cheek, his other hand still firmly cupping my ass while he keeps us flush together.

  I bite my lip as I search for the words to tell him that this shouldn't happen again. Unfortunately, no such words will leave my mouth because I want this to happen again. I understand that it's possible to be attracted to more than one person at a time but to this extent? It's never happened to me and I'm overwhelmed just trying to figure out how to navigate this whole thing.

  “You’re overthinking things,” Hunter says, a smile playing at his lips.

  I narrow my eyes. “And how would you know that?”

  “I can see the little wheels turning behind those gorgeous eyes of yours.”

  I roll my eyes and mutter, “Whatever.”

  “I know what happened with War.” My eyes widen but I otherwise stay quiet. “I’m not the kind of guy to beat around the bush, Mercy. I want you. I know Warwick does too. That doesn’t matter to me. We’ve already talked about it. I’m also fairly certain that we aren’t the only ones. If sharing you is the only way I can have you, then I’ll do it.”

  I narrow my eyes at him, a little ticked at the assumption that I’ll be with one of them, let alone both of them. I open my mouth to tell him off but I don’t get the words out before he’s cutting off my rant in a blistering kiss.

  “I’m not really giving you the choice, Doll.”

  “And what if I don’t want you or War?” I ask, cursing the fact that his kiss left me breathless.

  He smirks. “I didn’t peg you as a liar.”

  “Who says I’m lying?” I snap.

  “You’re lying. You wouldn’t have responded to me the way you did when I kissed you and you certainly wouldn’t have been willing to make out with War if you didn’t want him, either.”

  Keeping my glare pinned to him I mutter, “So god damned smug.”

  He chuckles then nips my bottom lip once more before letting me go and backing away. Giving me a quick, intense once-over, he turns and leaves the room.

  18

  Chapter Eighteen

  Mercy

  "Hey, Parker, what are you doing?"

  I bite the inside of my cheek to hide my smile when Parker jumps slightly as he looks up from his computer that's perched on the bar in front of him. He must have been really focused if his vamp hearing didn't give him any warning that I was coming into the room.

  Parker watches as I make my way to the fridge. "Not much. Just trying to see what I can do from here to figure out who's working with Payne and Jerome."

  "How's that going?" I ask, grabbing a bottle of water before closing the door to the fridge.

  He sighs. "Honestly? Not so great."

  “Have you found anything out?”

  He shakes his head. “I hacked into the cameras and call l
ogs at the Order, but I haven’t found anything yet.”

  “Anything on Ada and Aiden?

  “That’s the weird thing. I know Ada went missing when she went out for her mission but there’s no record of her leaving the Order. I found Aiden walking into his room but he never left. He simply vanished. It doesn’t make any sense.” He runs his hand through his hair, obviously feeling agitated.

  My brow furrows. “What do you mean he never left? He went missing from his own room?”

  “That’s exactly it. There aren’t cameras in the rooms for privacy purposes but there are cameras in the hallways. There’s no one coming or going from his room from the time he enters until someone comes to look for him, only to discover that he’s gone.”

  I look up and see the rest of the guys pile into the room. "There's no cameras outside that show him leaving?" I ask, bringing my attention back to Parker.

  He rubs his cheek with his hand. "Not on the Order's grounds, no." He blinks as if he just thought of something. Suddenly, he turns his attention to his computer and starts typing away at the computer. "There are four different routes to getting to the Order. One of them is underground if I'm remembering correctly," he mutters to himself.

  I raise my brow at Hunter who's standing behind Parker, watching what he's doing. "Any idea what he's talking about?" I ask the room, not really expecting an answer since they're all engrossed in what Parker's doing.

  Kai comes to stand beside me and talks quietly enough to not disturb Parker but loud enough that I can hear. "There's an underground entrance to the Order that isn't watched as closely as the other entrances. It's usually used for vampires that are attempting to escape from one thing or another and had to use the tunnels because of the sun. It’s also there in case something happens and we need an escape route."

  "If it's not watched as carefully, what is he doing?"

  "Got it!" Parker shouts, making me jump. Kai chuckles, the sound making Hunter look up to study us. His eyes look between us for a second before a small smirk tugs at his lips. I roll my eyes at him.