“Look, I’m not in the mood to talk,” I blurted, opening the car and tossing my bag in the passenger seat.
“Merce, I’m here as a friend. Please.”
Maybe my day had been rough and I needed someone on my side, but I waited to hear him out. “Okay.” I couldn’t find any other words.
“What’s going on? I know you. This has to be some kind of act you are putting on. You and Flynn,” he shook his head. “I don’t see it.”
Relief washed over me. I shouldn’t be excited that my cover was blown. Everything was riding on Nina believing in this. “Does this have anything to do with Luke asking me to look up anything on the Angels of Death?”
“Angels of Death?” I asked confused.
“They were the angels that were sent as a warning to the Pharaoh to free the slaves,” he said as if I should know.
“Okay,” I said. “Why do you bring it up?”
“Some say that later they were sent to kill off the products of Angels and human women.”
Stopping, I sucked in a breath. I could see the train tracks Paul was leading me down and didn’t like the ticket that waited for me. “What specifically did he ask you to research?” I whispered.
His face soured and I knew that he dreaded his next words. He obviously thought I knew that Luke had asked him. “Ways that they could be destroyed.”
It felt like a guillotine had cut off my head. I was pretty sure I’d collapse because I truly believed that I knew what Luke was up to. “What’s up?” Flynn said and pulled me back into his chest. His arms hung over my shoulders. “Are you bothering my girl?”
Paul snorted. “Your girl?” He huffed again for good measure. It was clear he didn’t believe in us as a couple.
Flynn slid his hands down my hips until I slapped his hand away. Then he turned my head to plant a kiss on my face. He pushed the limits until I pushed him away. “My girl,” he answered.
Paul ignored Flynn. “Luke must be in on this but I doubt he would approve of your antics.”
Flynn stood back and folded his arms. Not wanting Flynn to take this forward because we had already started to garner attention, I softly said, “Look, we need everyone to believe.” Giving him a pleading look, I added, “It’s important everyone think this is real. Even Maggie.” I bit my lip hoping Paul would understand.
Pointing a finger at Flynn, Paul said, “You better treat her right in this scheme. She’s not a game.”
Flynn made a move in Paul’s direction. I quickly placed myself between them. Turning to Flynn, I said, “He researched Angels of Death for Luke. What do you know about it?”
There was no doubt that Flynn knew because he didn’t even flinch. “I know enough that Luke didn’t want you to worry.” He spoke to me but looked at Paul.
“He didn’t say for me to keep it from Mercy. How would I’ve known?” Paul asked Flynn defensively.
“Keep it down,” I said moving so I could see them both and if anyone was eavesdropping.
Flynn’s voice came out quieter but clear. “If you such a good researcher, why don’t you research bonding for Cambions?”
Paul’s eyes widened. He looked at me then at Flynn and back to me. “You two?” I didn’t have to say anything. It must have been plastered on my face.
“If you’re so worried about Mercy, find a way for us to get out of this.” Flynn sounded serious. “You must have skills with research if you could figure out how to conjure a demon in order to be with her.”
Unable to come back with anything to say, he accepted Flynn’s challenge. “I did come across something about the bond in the books I found. And I will find something to break it.” Then he strode away.
“What was that all about?” I asked Flynn who merely smirked.
“He’s not over you.” It was a simple statement. However he wasn’t done. “You want out of this so bad. I’m sure he’ll find a way out for us.”
Underneath the layers of steel, I saw the hurt. “Flynn,” I said reaching out to him. He took my hands by the wrist. With a smile on his face and scorn in his tone, he said, “Don’t. Everyone’s watching.”
For show value, he bent down and kissed me quickly. Then he walked away to his own car, leaving me feeling bad about what I was doing to him.
Getting in my own car, I pulled away from the school. I headed directly home needed to make a call as soon as I got there. I practically ran inside the house. With my bottom parked in my desk chair, I placed a call.
A groggy voice answered. “What’s up?”
Not bothering with niceties, I accused, “Were you ever going to tell me about the Angels of Death?”
I waited. I hadn’t expected him to answer right away. “Mercy,” he said.
“I just need to know if you are putting yourself in danger. Is this what your leaving was all about?”
“Yes, but it was to keep you safe. I need them to believe that I live somewhere far away from you.” We weren’t on video chat so, I couldn’t see his expression.
“Why are you protecting me if they are after you?” I asked.
“Because, you think they are just going to seek me out. These are rogue angels who would love nothing more than to kill demons just as much as do Nephilim. They believe their mandate is from above.”
I exhaled a long breath. “How safe are you?” I asked.
His voice grew quieter. “Safe as anywhere else in that world.”
“What does that even mean?” I threw out.
“It means I need you to trust me. Who told you about this anyway, Flynn?” He sounded irate.
“No, Paul.”
A sigh came out before he spoke. “So you two are talking again.”
“It’s not what you think. He doesn’t buy me and Flynn as a couple, and he asked if it had anything to do with the research you had him do.”
“He had those books that he got off of ebay and Craig’s List. I figured he could obtain what I hadn’t been able to find.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose not knowing what to say. “He’s smart. It was good you asked him to help. I just wish you would have trusted me. I could have helped too.”
“You are helping. You need to convince my father that we aren’t together. You need to save Flynn’s life.”
There it was. “I feel like you are pushing me to be with him,” I confessed in a weak moment. I wanted to take the words back as much as I was relived to say them.
I wasn’t surprised it took him a long time to answer. “I don’t want you with him. But I also know that he’ll die without you.”
“So you are letting me go.”
“No,” he said so soft I barely heard.
“Then what is it then? I can’t do this. I don’t want to do this.”
“You will forever be mine Mercy. But us being together right now puts you in danger as well as Flynn. I’ll lose you both by being selfish.”
“Maybe if I joined you wherever you are, no one would know we are together. Then maybe distance will help Flynn sever this bond.”
“As much as I want you here with me, it’s not safe for you. The fallen will get curious who I’m with. And we don’t need anyone else curious about you.”
When we eventually hung up, I was left wondering if I’d ever see Luke again. He hadn’t given a firm date when he would be home other than to say he’d be back by prom.
My eyes at some point closed and I fell asleep. I only knew this because I woke in now what I recognized as dreamscape.
Chapter Sixty
Furious and ready to fire all my guns if I had any, I turned looking for Flynn. What I found was Ryck. “Grandfather.”
Walking in a white suit with mirrored glasses, he looked like the rock star he was. This time, his hair was dark like mine and fell around his shoulders. It blew back as his silent steps glided on air towards me. His hand cupped my cheek and I found myself leaning into his touch until his hand fell away. Thinking of Flynn’s compulsion in that second had me averting my gaze. Ryc
k could glamour me more easily than Flynn.
Chuckling, he said, “Learning are we?” It may have sounded like a question, but I treated it like a statement and didn’t answer.
“Why have you brought me here?” I asked instead.
The plain dark landscape changed and we stood under aqua skies and on white sandy beach. Palm trees dotted the landscape. We were back on his island. “I can give you all you want,” he stated.
“And what would that be,” I said and looked at my skin. I saw a faint sheen of sweat began to form. His dreamscape was so real.
“I know the secret to unmark your angel.”
I hadn’t been looking at him. My eyes had been taking in the landscape and wondering if he’d somehow transported me to his island for real to his home. But once the words were out of his mouth, my head snapped to attention.
“Yes, my dear. I can also sever the bond between you and the incubus boy.”
I tried to steady my breath. I could feel my heart race at the prospect of solving all my problems. “And Sebastian?” I asked.
“Yes, him too.”
Not dumb enough to think he would do this out of the kindness of his heart, I asked, “And for what price.”
“Ah, flesh of my flesh, it would be a bargain.”
“And what is your bargain.”
I met his eyes. Trying to turn away, I blinked unable to break his vice like grip. “I will let you decide what price is worth saving those you care so much about.”
“It’s priceless.”
His grin widened. “Well then.”
“But your price will be too much. I can do this on my own.”
I didn’t think he’d give up so easily. Yet, the dream evaporated and I was left panting on my back staring up at a dark ceiling in a place that no longer felt like home. The clock read three in the morning, when I called out, “Sebastian.”
Having told him to stay away, I didn’t expect for him to actually show up.
“Lass,” he said through the smoke. It took longer than usual for his body to coalesce into a shape then a form. Then he stood every gorgeous inches of him. I ignored his powerful physical presence and shirtless kilt ensemble.
“You know how to remove the mark from Luke don’t you.” I wasn’t asking and he knew it. “Why haven’t you told him?”
“If I told, my creator would unmake and remake me into someone you wouldn’t know though I’d appear the same.”
“Retrain you?” I asked, remembering the term he’d used before.
“Yes,” he breathed. “I can’t help him in anyway. He must figure it out for himself for it to work.”
“Can you tell me then?”
“No,” he said flatly. But I’d gotten used to my questions not been answered. Nodding, I moved onto my next question. “Flynn. Do you know of a way to stop the bonding between us?”
He sat on the bed next to me. His face was cloaked in darkness making him appear more sinister than he had before. “Yes, but you won’t like it.”
Figuring he was telling the truth let me ask the next question. “What?”
“Accept me. Be with me and my father will end the bond between you two.”
“There has to be another way,” I pleaded to no one.
“You two are far too connected. If you don’t give into him, he will surely die. And it will be on you.” His words were calloused. “I’ve warned you before to clean up your messes. Be with Flynn or be with me. Those are your only options to save Flynn’s life.”
“Neither is an option.” My words were final. I wouldn’t do either.
“Your time runs short. I will be forced soon not by my hands to take actions, Lass. I would prefer if you saw reason.”
He stood and I held my knees to my chest. “Where are you going?”
A cold smile formed on his lips. “I did have duties before meeting you and protecting you from our enemies is a daily task.”
“The dagger, I didn’t…,”
His eye darkened to black. Vanishing, I had no time to finish my statement.
The next days in schools were long. Flynn played the awesome boyfriend part while I played the girlfriend to the best of my abilities. He kissed me sparingly and kept his distance from me outside of school. His pallor grew pasty and his cheeks look more sunken in.
Luke no longer asked me about Flynn and I didn’t ask about Nina. She seemed more convinced and hadn’t made any comments to me at all.
Over a week later, Flynn was leaving me at class. The halls had basically cleared. For whatever reason, I hadn’t gone inside and he didn’t notice me. I saw him stumble and lean on the lockers nearby. Rushing over, I pulled him into a nook. “Flynn, what’s wrong?” I asked, even though with dread I knew.
He barely opened his eyes leaning heavily on the wall. “What do you think?” he said. Each word seemed like effort for him to form the words. He hadn’t seemed like that a minute ago.
Lifting on my toes, I moved to press my lips to his but with the strength he had left, he pushed me aside. Stumbling his way out of the tiny nook, I pulled him back as the bell rung. Falling to his knees, I lowered myself to face him.
“Isn’t this what you want,” he hissed. “Just let it be, and it will be done.”
His eyes were heavy, then closed. I made my move, catching him off guard. I tried pushing my life at him and it worked. I felt the transference of not only life force but whatever energy I’d stored up. Upon our lips parting, I was the one unable to stand. Flynn lifted me obviously feeling better. And gravity pulled my eyes shut.
Moments later when I opened them, I found I was in my room at David’s house. Looking over, the clock showed that hours had passed not moments. Getting to my feet was more of an effort than I thought. The keys to my car were on my nightstand and Flynn wasn’t at home. I left heading back home.
I wondered just how Flynn and I would survive if we were fully bonded if it was a give and take. I’d give, he’d be fine but I wouldn’t be. Days later, I finally got the opportunity to ask him.
“If we were fully bonded, we wouldn’t be affected by the transference.” He’d strode away from me leaving me to ponder that this kissing thing wasn’t working either.
Guilt over everything, I kissed Flynn every chance I got. And he was looking slightly better. He continued with the hands off approach. He was around but not enough for me to do anything to really help him get better. He even ignored my calls.
One night during a video chat, Luke caught me off guard with his words. “My father isn’t a believer yet. He’s made it clear he expects me to go to prom with my girlfriend. I perked up for a second until I realized it wasn’t me. “I have to take Nina to the dance.”
This hadn’t been what I expected. The thing with Flynn hadn’t been the help we needed. Flynn wasn’t getting better and his father wasn’t a believer. “I had no choice Mercy. But I have a solution. Nina is going to buy tickets for herself and Flynn since he can’t buy them because he’s a junior. And I’m buying tickets for me and you. The only thing that will keep us apart will be in the beginning when I pick her up.”
“And how does that help anything?” I asked. “Isn’t she going to find it suspicious you getting tickets for Flynn and me to go together.”
Guilt was a look he didn’t wear well. “She thinks I’m not mad at him anymore. I’m just mad at you. He and I are like brothers after all.”
Wasn’t that just a guy thing? Not all guys seemed to hold a grudge like girls did. “And I’m supposed to watch you two together?” I berated.
“You think it will be any better for me to watch you together with Flynn?”
“No,” I guessed. “But what about later?’
“I’ll be done with school a week or so later because of finals. And Dad is leaving the country on a road tour. He won’t know.” He paused. “How about your mom?”
“I think she knows. David may have told her because she hasn’t talked about moving lately.”
“That�
��s a third of our problem. Nina seems to be buying it.”
“How do you know?”
He sighed. “I have to talk to her. But nothing’s going on. I’m all the way here.”
Nodding, somehow I didn’t think his plan was going to work. And there was no way I was letting Nina go with Luke to the prom without me.
Chapter Sixty One
Each day, I cornered Flynn and fed him my life. And it became almost too easy to kiss him day after day. He even started letting me kiss him out of the public view. Not being fully bonded, I ended up having to do something I didn’t like. I began to compel guys to recharge my battery. I was careful to not to actually kiss them or too take much of their life force. Then I would compel them to forget about me and what happened so that I wouldn’t to fall into the same trap I did with Paul. The guys I chose had been the senior boys that had stuffed the freshman in the locker. I figured karma was good enough to ease a bit of my conscience.
Tonight was different. Maggie was over and fixing her makeup in the mirror. I had to admit I missed Amber’s presence. She had a way with the stuff and a way about her. Maggie had already done our hair and she applied the last of the makeup standing up in her shimmering silver gown.
“I really love that dress,” she said, putting her makeup away.
I looked at myself in the mirror. The pale yellow dress I picked out with Maggie several weeks ago had seemed perfect. Now I wasn’t so sure. Would Luke like it? I’d yet to see him but he texted me that he’d made it back. He would show up with Brent in the limo.
“Are you weirded out that Luke’s riding with us?” Her green eyes held everything that a bestie’s should. Love, caring and solidarity all wrapped up with her words, made me hug her. “Yes.”
“I told Brent we should just ride with you and Flynn.” She shook her head.
“It’s okay. I’ll get through it.”
Pulling back and holding my shoulders, she said, “You haven’t seen him in ages and now he’s going to be with her. It’s not going to be a picnic for him either. I mean you’ll be on Flynn’s arm. Well, technically, Flynn has to enter with Nina. Inside, all bets are off.”
Angel Of Mercy (Cambions #3) Page 29