“Yo,” Flynn said appearing over me. He crouched by my legs.
“I can’t completely heal her, I need help. She needs to feed.”
Flynn and Luke stared at each other a long time. I wanted to say something. “Why don’t you do it?” Flynn finally asked.
Luke closed his eyes again. “The healing took a lot out of me. I’m not sure what would happen if—” He let that hang in the air. Would I damn him more? Or better yet, would I kill him? I’d rather die. I wanted to say this but found I was unable to speak without coughing.
“I don’t think this is a good idea.” Flynn shook his head and moved away from me.
“So that’s it. You’ll let her die?” Luke asked.
“Woah,” Maggie said, hands held up. “Can’t we just get her to a hospital?”
“She’s bleeding out,” Luke said, sounding stricken.
“Fuck,” Flynn said. In a swift move, he leaned over me, hovering for a second still deciding what to do. Then his mouth was on me, gentle and soothing. And nothing. I felt nothing. Pulling away, he said, “Come on Mercy, come back to us.”
“She’s cold,” Maggie cried. “How can she be cold?”
“Come on baby. Don’t leave me,” Luke said, placing his hand in mine. I couldn’t decipher if it was my left or right.
“How could this happen?” Maggie said.
“It was the dagger,” Luke said.
“What dagger?” Flynn asked.
“It’s over there by the guy,” Luke said. With a rustle of clothing and a rush of warmth pulled away from my side said Luke was gone.
“Give me a minute,” Flynn said. He had to be talking to Maggie. Then she too was gone.
Warm air grazed my ear and Flynn was back. “Don’t you dare die on me. I didn’t fucking almost die once to save your ass then kill some stupid human girl again so you can just give up like this. You owe me.” Lips on mine again, he said, “Kiss me back dammit. I need you.”
Coaxing my mouth open, he kissed me deep. Something sweet played across my tongue. Had he been eating candy? Tingling, started in my limps. “Yes, that it, doll.”
My fingers came up and into his hair. I breathed him in and in. He was life and I needed more. His hands came up to grip my sides. One hand slid around to cup my ass and he was pressed against me too tight.
Crackling noises. “Fuck Flynn, keep your fucking hands to yourself. I can’t watch this.”
When I pushed Flynn away, I knew then I was no longer in control.
~~~
McKayla
“Hey cowboy,” I said using a country drawl. “Wanna ride?” Smiling, I watched her boyfriend’s realization that I was back. He wasn’t pleased, but said nothing. “What did you expect? Someone has to save this body of mine.”
Standing, I cracked my neck and strode over to the boys I’d left. Crew Cut was still lying in a fetal position. Yes, I remembered the sweet taste of innocence.
Rolling the boy over on to his back, he stared wide eyed at me. “Yes, Mistress,” he whispered.
“Come to me,” I beckoned him.
“What is she doing?” a whiny sounding Maggie asked from somewhere behind me.
“What she must,” Luke said, sounding resigned. The good ole boy was now the voice of reason. Yes, he must know this was the only way.
My darling boy moved closer and I opened my mouth, seeking his essence. Involuntarily, his mouth opened and it came out like a gaseous cloud. Closing the distance, I covered my mouth with his taking, taking, taking deep.
“What is she doing?” Mercy’s stupid friend asked again.
“Feeding,” said Flynn, whom I liked best. Flynn no doubt understood us better than any of them.
“But wasn’t she doing that when we found her?” Red asked.
“She had a dagger in her.”
I continued to feed, ignoring them.
Her angel spoke up, “It’s a dagger poisoned, cursed, blessed, however you want to call it to kill demons. It’s probably why she’s hurt so bad and the feeding explains why she wasn’t dead already.”
“So, you’re just going to let her kill him.” Listening to her, I knew Maggie needed to be silenced.
While they talked, my prey brought himself closer. On his knees, he aligned himself so that I could feel his eagerness. “Yes,” I moaned in his mouth.
His hands dipped under my shirt and I wanted nothing more than to take this guy away from the eyes behind me and finish what we both wanted.
“Flynn, if you’re right, why does the guy look so pale all of a sudden,” Maggie called out, louder reminding me that I wasn’t alone.
“Shit,” a chorus of voices said.
Then the guy’s hands which were on my ass, were gone. We were wrenched apart. Luke’s arm was like a vice grip around my throat. Flynn held my prey as he wiggled and strained against him to get back to me. “You will not defile her,” Angel Boy said.
“I’m only doing what’s required,” I choke out. I didn’t need air, but Mercy did. So I forced the words out cursing the day the angel was born. And one day, I make him pay for this humiliation.
With his hands gripping my hips, his thumb rubbed at the spot where we’d been bleeding out before. “You’re healed. You don’t need them anymore. Send them back from where they came.” And like that he let me go.
“Fine,” I gritted out because I already had a plan. “My two lovelies, come to me.”
Flynn let go of Crew Cut and Long Hair got to his feet where he’d been lying on the ground and stood to face me. “You may go and don’t forget what I told you.”
They nodded turned and left.
“Flynn, did you find out where they were stationed from the girl?”
“No.” He pointed to the girl that still lay on the ground.
“Call them back, McKayla. Find out where they meet the others. Make them forget everything and send them with the girl to the hospital.”
If he didn’t have that angel light of his, I’d break him in two for trying to command me. But I didn’t yet know to what extent his abilities were compromised.
Calling out to them, they responded quickly even with one of them helping the other. I understood how much control I had over them. Their answers gave nothing of use according to Flynn who looked pissed when they spoke. Afterwards, it was quick work to mindfuck the two guys. I only needed to come up with a reason they were hurt that erased everything that happened here and send them on their way. But I’d be seeing them again. That seed was already planted.
Luke came at me, “Now get the hell out and let her back.” His voice started off as a yell, then ended on a whispered promise.
“What the hell, man,” a tall handsome guy said. He was Maggie’s brother if I remembered correctly. Mercy seemed to freeze inside me. Ah yes, this one didn’t know anything about the supernatural.
Relaxing my stance and covering my eyes like I was crying, I ran to him. “Oh Liam, you have to take me away. He’s so awful.”
I wished I could see the look on Luke’s face right now. But I couldn’t take the chance Liam would see my eyes.
Liam’s protective arms wrapped around me. “Sure thing Merce.”
“Let go of my girlfriend,” Luke growled. I don’t think I ever heard him sound so menacing. It was quite attractive.
“She doesn’t want to be with you right now. I think you need to cool down.”
“Dude, I think you came in at the wrong time. Mercy will be fine,” Flynn argued.
Burrowing tighter into his warm embrace, I added, “Please.”
“Look, I’m sure this is a misunderstanding. But Luke, she doesn’t want to be with you right now.”
I heard a scuffle of feet on the ground. “Luke, it’s okay. He’s not going to do anything to her. I’ll follow them,” Maggie promised.
Then we turned and walked out. Curses came from behind, and I grinned.
It wasn’t long before we made it back to the house. “Mag, go get Merce some water. Last I
saw, she was drunk out of her mind.”
“Fine, don’t do anything,” she warned.
Pulling away, Liam tried to look into my face, but I stopped him with my hand rubbing at my eyes. “You can stay here tonight.”
My jailer was fast. “Oh, no,” Maggie called out as she came back with a cup of water.
“What do you mean? She can sleep in my room, I’ll crash somewhere else.” Liam said.
“And what is her mom going to say?” Maggie asked. With a jerk of her hand, water sloshed to the floor. But she only fixed determined eyes on the boy and I knew that she was winning this battle.
Not having anything to contradict such a trivial human requirement, of obeying mothers, I said nothing. “Oh,” Liam said.
“Yeah, so I’ll be taking her home. See ya.” And I was steered away from Liam and right out the front door. The place was empty. The party had ended sometime during the fight.
“Don’t think for a second that I was going to let you hurt my brother. And anyway, I know Mercy’s in there. So why don’t you go back where you came from.”
Just when I was about to say something nasty, I was caught around the waist and throat again. But it wasn’t Luke because he stepped into my line of vision. There was something different about him. He pressed the dagger to my neck when he fisted a hand in my hair and pulled my neck back. “Go back demon or I swear, I’ll end you.”
Laughing, the grip around my neck tightened. “He isn’t playing. I’ll kill you myself. Mercy wouldn’t want to live this way,” Flynn dared.
Although I’d fed deep, most of it was used to repair the damage to the body. I didn’t have what I needed yet to set me free. “Whatever,” I said and waving a hand, in dismal.
Chapter Twenty Eight
Dazed, I opened my eyes to find myself in Luke’s arms like I was a baby. I didn’t remember how I’d gotten there, thus I was clued in that my demon had completely taken over.
All of their concerned faces had me asking the question. “What did she do?” I croaked.
“Let’s not talk about this right now. We need to get you home,” Luke said.
Maggie walked over. She looked reluctant to talk to me. I couldn’t remember if she had ever seen me when that other part of me was in control. Licking her lips, she said, “That was some scary mess, Eme.”
Embarrassed, I nodded, unable to form words.
What I didn’t expect was to end up in the den explaining to my mom that I’d gone to a party when I was grounded.
“Why did he take you there?” she asked and glared at Luke.
Fessing up, I said, “It wasn’t his fault. I went with Maggie. Luke showed up later.”
“I can’t understand you, Mercy,” Mom said, looking at me with angry eyes. “You break the rules and find yourself under attack. You have a total disregard—”
Before I could speak up for myself, David chimed in, “You can’t keep her locked up, especially when you insist on working late. You’re hardly home these days.”
“I should be able to trust my daughter. And I used to before we came here,” she threw back. “And still we know basically nothing about these demon hunters.” David grimaced like there was more he wanted to say, but didn’t argue.
“What happened?” she snapped, turning back to us. I gave everyone the version of the events I remembered, up to the fight and getting stabbed in the gut. Then I’d lost consciousness. “I handled the fight.”
“Really,” Luke said. “You were nearly killed.” I turned back to look at him. He was angry. My demon must have really ticked him off. I looked at Flynn, who looked away from me. Maggie squeezed my hand. I’d call her later to get filled in on the missing parts.
“Did we find out anything from them?” Mom asked. “That is before you let them get away scot-free.”
Turning to my mom, I said, “We are not going to kill people.”
Luke said, “Do you know what it told them? She commanded them to do something.”
I paled. “No.” Fisting my hands, I felt like a fool. I’d bargained with the demon and lost. She hadn’t killed them, but I had no idea what she’d told them to do.
“Flynn, you should tell them what you found out.” Luke’s voice sounded emotionless.
“Nothing more than the others. They are staying at a hotel in town. Nothing fancy. They get orders through the same website. I couldn’t get much more because whatever McKayla told it to do caused them pain when I asked it for further information.”
“Why are you calling her McKayla?” Mom asked.
Luke jumped in. “It has a different personality. We couldn’t call it Mercy.” His hurt was evident and broke my heart because I was obviously breaking his.
Mom nodded before Luke spoke again. “Besides, the real problem is they had this.” Luke held up a black dagger, one that looked similar to the one Sebastian had given me. It didn’t have the fine gold detailing as the one I had, but the stone was the same. “It’s a bloodstone dagger. It can kill demons.”
He went on to explain how it had hindered my healing. A lot of talk ensued about where the demon hunters could have gotten it. Luke explained that it was nothing the angel’s forged. He only knew of the weapon but never possessed one. I wasn’t sure if I should speak up. I needed to talk to Sebastian. They all knew. He had to lift the threat if I told.
“Flynn, you should keep it,” Luke said and handed it to him hilt side. “It will help to keep her safe when I’m not around.”
Flynn ignored the dagger in his hand and spoke up. “Spring break is next week. I suggest we get out of town.” Everyone looked at him. “What? I for one don’t want to sit in the house all week.”
“It’s probably a good idea,” David said.
As one, we all turned with anticipation towards my mom. Her eyes were narrowed.
Flynn went on. “They know where we are.”
Not wanting to leave Flynn to defend his idea alone, which sounded awesome, I said, “Maybe a change of scenery would throw them off our trail.”
“And what if someone tries to contact Flynn or Luke about a meeting. Someone needs to stay here,” Mom said.
David stepped to my mom. “Look, we can stay. They can go on their own. They’re good kids. I can have my company jet take them somewhere. It’s not like they are going to do anything there that they can’t find a way to do here.”
Maggie said, “I don’t know about anyone else, but I like the idea of being somewhere far from here if I turn furry.” She shivered. My mom’s eyes softened for the first time in a long time.
“It’s a good idea. Tom could come with us,” Luke said.
“Where would you guys go?” Mom asked, sounding like she was coming around to the idea.
Everyone looked around before throwing out popular destinations. Mom had an argument for each. The prevailing one was that being around a bunch of other people defeated the point of going somewhere else. A hunter could be among them.
“We could go to my dad’s” Luke threw out. But that was shot down.
“Where would us furry go for a run with the full moon?” Maggie questioned, thinking about the Hamptons.
David stared at his son who looked more haggard than ever. The shadows never left Flynn’s eyes. “I can go search for a private destination. I really think you guys need a break from all that’s going on.”
Pressing her palms in her eyes, she said, “Fine. Give me a minute.”
Stepping out of the den, we all watched her leave the room and didn’t speak for a few minutes. It was if everything hung in the balance until she spoke.
“Do you think your parents would let you go?” I asked Maggie breaking the silence.
Giving me a green eyed gleam, Maggie said, “Of course. Especially if your mom says it’s okay.” Well, this was true. My mom was pretty conservative. Maggie’s parents sometimes based many decisions of what Maggie could do on whether my mom was cool with it. Still, her life was a lot freer than mine. My chains had been invis
ible because I’d always followed mom’s rules. But now, it was easy to see how restrictive my life had been before.
Shoving her hand through her blonde hair, Mom stepped back into the room. All went quiet again as we waited for the verdict. “I have an idea of a safe place where you guys can go.”
She had the full attention of the room. I did what no one else seemed willing to do. “Where?” I asked. My voice sounded tinny and nervous. I had this strong feeling what she was about to say next would change my world forever.
“An island off the coast from here.”
Always able to count on Maggie to speak up, she said, “Are there any islands off the coast of Maryland?”
Mom smiled a bit before she said, “There are two. One is hidden.”
Another secret she’d kept from me.
David looked uneasy. I couldn’t tell from his expression if he knew what she was about to divulge.
Knowing the hidden island was the key to this conversation, I asked, “Whose island is it?”
Mom looked at each of us in turn before finally saying, “Ryck Starr.”
Maggie stood and fanned herself. “Oh my god, Oh my god. You know Ryck Starr.” She practically leaped on my mother. And who didn’t know that name. He was the biggest rock god out there right now. His metal band was one Flynn rocked on the ride to school a number of occasions.
“He is so hot,” Maggie said, continuing to fan herself.
Ryck’s arms were covered in extraordinary ink. He had piercings on top of piercings. His blonde hair was tinted pink at the tips and styled similar to Flynn’s, which showed Flynn’s source of style inspiration.
“He’s also my father,” Mom said silencing the room and bringing Maggie to her knees. She sat again.
“How?” Maggie managed. “He’s like twenty and you’re like—” She stopped herself in time as Mom gave her a look that warned her off calling her old.
“Well, he’s not. He’s probably older than time,” Mom said.
“He’s full demon, isn’t he?” Luke asked. He sat leaning back, next to me on the couch. Maggie was pressed to my other side in sister solidarity.
Angel Of Mercy (Cambions #3) Page 14