by Ciara Graves
As we left the apartment, telling Mrs. Ulric she was a huge help, I searched for something to say to Mercy. Or a way to ask her why her demeanor suddenly changed. Almost like she was scared. But of what? She faced down Liam just fine at the ball. Had the goblins attack rattled her that much? When we got back to my place, she said something about running through Terry’s file again.
I snagged us bottles of water then joined her in the living room. “Something you’re not telling me?” I asked, handing a bottle over.
“Huh? No. Why?”
“You’re freaking out about something. And don’t lie to me. Not in the mood.”
It was a good thing she was cursed, or I was pretty sure I’d be thrown on my ass by the intense glare she shot my way.
“The longer Liam has Terry, the smaller our chances are of finding her alive. That’s all.”
“True. But the chances of Liam being there are higher if it’s the same time as last month. He might be looking for a new donor already.”
“Which means Terry is probably dead. Or will be. I don’t like it, that’s all.”
“Stopping Liam has to be the priority. We get him, and he can never hurt anyone else.”
She stilled her nervous twitching at the truth in my words.
“I don’t like losing someone either, but we don’t have a choice.” The whole walk back here, I considered calling Nor and asking for backup, but I believed my best chance of getting Liam was to work with Mercy. And Mercy, alone. The second I brought in anyone else, I risked exposing her. Then Nor would demand she be brought in, too, no matter how much help she was in capturing the mage.
“You should call in backup,” she said as if reading my mind.
I grunted.
“What?”
“You do realize my boss wants me to bring you in, right? The mysterious woman who messed up our play at the reapers’ ball? As in arrest you?”
“Then we don’t let him or the others know who I am. I can be someone else. Someone willing to help you who happens to know about Liam. That’s what’s great about charmed faces. They can be anything one wants them to be. You haven’t told anyone about me, right?”
“No.”
“Then what’s there to worry about?” She grinned brightly, but those cold eyes shone with apprehension at her own plan. “I’ll go in. Be the bait. And you and your Feds move in once I get Liam away from innocent bystanders.”
“Mercy.”
“What? Worried about me?” she asked teasing.
I almost said yes.
“I’ll be fine. Make the call. I’ve got a few of my own to make too.”
“Right. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow evening, when I get back from the office.” I stood slowly, waiting for her to say anything else, but she was nose deep in Terry’s file and barely acknowledged my words. “Mercy?”
“Hmm?”
“What you said to Mrs. Ulric, about understanding her pain… what did you mean?”
She slapped the file closed, and the temperature in the apartment dropped a few degrees. “Remember that conversation we had about not opening up to one another? This would be part of it. You know too much about me as it is. I’m not going to sit here and tell you all about poor little Mercy’s life. Good night, Rafael.”
Without another word, I stormed to my room and locked the door. For a few minutes, I leaned against it, confused at why I wanted to march my ass back out there and make her tell me who she really was. Make her give up her secrets, so I could know exactly who I dealt with. No, not just dealt with. Know who I was getting myself involved with.
No matter what either of us said about this being a one-time working relationship, when Mercy left, I’d never be able to get her out of my head.
I had a very limited amount of time to figure out my next move when it came to the cursed half-mage currently spending her nights on my couch.
Chapter 15
Mercy
Once Rafael left the apartment Thursday morning, I got up and called Gigi telling her everything we found out yesterday evening. When I told her about needing a new face charm and that more Feds were about to be brought in, I had to tear the phone away from my ear to prevent myself from going deaf.
“Have you lost your mind!”
“Probably,” I admitted, pacing madly around the apartment as Rafael’s dark brown eyes filled my mind.
Same as they had all night long. It seemed like he cared about me, but couldn’t. Or rather shouldn’t. We had to catch Liam and get this mess over with. Then I had to get as far away from him as possible before either of us did something stupid. As in, think we could like one another.
“Gigi, can you do the charm for me. Or not?”
“Of course I can do it. Who do you think I am?” she snapped hotly. “But if it fails, if anything happens, and they figure out who you are—”
“They won’t. I’ll be careful. I know how much I have on the line right now and I’m out of time.”
“Cutting it damned close. You talk to Damian yet?”
“He’s next on my list.” That was not a phone call I was looking forward to. “Can you swing by tonight with the charm?”
“Yeah. Anything else you want? Maybe some extra firepower?”
“No, I’m not using my magic, so stop while you’re ahead.”
She huffed, but let it go. “This demon of yours, he’s got quite the striking profile.”
“Hadn’t noticed,” I lied, gritting my teeth.
“And he saved your life. And took you in. And you, a stranger. A total stranger. Interesting, is all. Don’t you think? Maybe once Liam is caught, the two of you could, I don’t know, have coffee together?”
I blinked furiously, gripping my cell harder in my hand. “Have coffee?”
“Yeah, just shoot the breeze, you know, be normal.”
“Gigi, I’ve been sleeping on his damned couch for almost a week. Having coffee is something we’ve already done.”
“I mean on a damned date!”
“No. Not happening.”
“And why not?” she argued. “He likes you. I can tell.”
“No. He’s using me to get to Liam. Just like I’m using him,” I reminded her. “That’s how this arrangement works. End of story. No happy ever after or whatever you’re trying to do here.”
“I’m trying to help my friend get a life outside of hunting down bad guys and living off coffee and takeout! How blind are you really? The demon likes you, Mercy. He does so don’t stand there and tell me otherwise! Stop pushing everyone away.”
“You just want me to what? Open up to him and tell him things I haven’t even told you?” I shot back. “You want me to give him the rundown, and then what? Smile and wave as he runs in the other direction because he figures out what the hell I am!”
“And what are you, Mercy?” Gigi asked hotly. “I know you have a past, but so does everyone else in this damned world.”
“You don’t understand.” My pace increased. I cracked my knuckles, debating on the chances of her cursing me briefly if I hung up on her. “I just… I can’t.”
“You can. You just won’t. You can’t honestly stand there and tell me you feel nothing for him?”
My mouth opened to say hell no, but the words got lodged in my throat. I coughed and sputtered. That kiss we shared at the ball, there was heat there. An attraction I hadn’t expected to feel for him. Then the other night he held me close, and the deep intensity in those brown eyes held such promise for more moments like that one. But I was broken. Really, we both were, and any images of sharing another moment like that shattered in an instant.
“Just bring the charm tonight. I have to call Damian.”
“Oh no. This conversation is not over!”
“For now it is.” I hung up on her.
When nothing happened to me after a few minutes, though I was expecting Gigi to send a hex my way for being so difficult, I called Damian. He answered on the second ring, and I endured his yelling fo
r a solid five minutes until he quieted enough for me to tell him I had a plan.
“You better,” he snarled. “Your deadline is fast approaching.”
“Been busy nearly dying. Thanks for asking, asshole.”
“Dying?”
“Long story. I’ll share another time. Point is, the Fed and I are going after Liam tomorrow night.”
“And I expect you to bring him straight to the office. The Gathered will be here, ready to collect him, by midnight. Do not be late or it’ll be your neck on the line. Got it?”
“Loud and clear, boss,” I said with as much sarcasm as I could muster.
“Watch it, Mercy. If you cost me this bounty, that Fed of yours will be taking you in for questioning on your ancestry. And when that happens, I doubt you’ll ever see the light of day again.”
He hung up on me, and I was left holding my cell, wishing at that moment the curse would lift long enough for me to roast Damian until he was nothing, but a pile of ashes.
Phone calls made, there was nothing left to do but wait for Rafael to get back.
I contented myself with mapping out the club on a piece of paper and figuring out the best way in and out, in case the night turned to shit. If Liam was getting his donors there, he wouldn’t be using the main entrance and exit. Cameras would pick up on him at some point. The few times I’d been to the club had been to meet with a contact or chase down a target… or be thrown out a window.
Blueprints of the building would be a huge help, so I texted Rafael’s personal cell number, asking if he could grab them on his way out.
He replied he would and asked how my day was going.
The question threw me off. If I didn’t think too hard on it, I imagined this working relationship with Rafael turning into a regular partnership. Hell, I saw it turning into a lot more. If we both weren’t hiding from our pasts. He asked how my day was going like a friend.
No. Almost like a boyfriend.
The notion of my ever being with someone made me laugh darkly and shake my head.
“Never going to happen. He’s too good of a demon, despite whatever he’s hiding,” I told the apartment. “Nope, not possible.”
But as I texted back that I was busy coming up with our plan for tomorrow night, a pang of longing filled me, like it was telling me I should give it a chance. What was the worst that could happen?
“He finds out who you are,” I whispered angrily to myself, pushing off the couch. “He finds out. And that’s it. Game over. He’s a Fed. No way would he ever put his life on the line for me.”
I rummaged around the fridge but wasn’t hungry or thirsty anymore.
I opted to take a shower instead to wash away whatever emotions Gigi’s argument stirred up.
Tomorrow night, we were walking into one of the most dangerous situations I’d ever been in, surrounded by Feds, potentially goblins, and a mage hybrid who was taking the life forces from people.
We had no way of knowing what Liam was capable of, which meant everyone in that club was going to be put at risk if we messed up.
This was not the time to wonder about a future with a demon I could never be with.
I had to go in there clearheaded, catch the bastard who was my ticket away from here, and then betray Rafael. Go back on my word. It was the only option that would keep me alive.
So why did I suddenly want to tell Rafael everything when he came home, to spare him from what I was about to do? Why did I care so much about what he would think of me?
Taking the blanket off the bathroom mirror, now fogged over from the heat of the shower, I looked at myself.
“Get a grip and get out of your own head. You can only care about yourself. That’s it. You’re doing this for you. Don’t forget it.”
But by the time I dried off, dressed, and was back to planning, my stomach was in knots, and I was more confused than I’d ever been in my life.
And it was all because of that damned demon.
Chapter 16
Mercy
“You sure about this plan?”
Most days it was bad enough simply having me in my head.
With this damned earpiece, Rafael was right there with me. Except he wasn’t right there. He was somewhere else in the club, hiding in plain sight along with numerous other Feds. All keeping a close eye on me, the bait, while searching for any sign of Liam.
After telling him my plan to go in and act like I wanted to be a donor, Rafael refused to leave my side in case Liam made off with me.
I told him flat-out, if I had a demon acting like my bodyguard, we’d never get close. And unless he wanted Gigi to charm his face, the mage would recognize him.
Instead, I was stuck with Rafael in my ear while I pushed my way deeper into the bouncing nightclub, wincing at the loud bass vibrating so much my teeth chattered.
“Too late to change plans now,” I said, hoping he could hear me over the music.
“Not if you’re uncomfortable,” he replied.
“Yeah, well, can’t help that now, can we? Just back off and let me do what I need to do.”
“I’ll let you know if we spot him.”
As the music played on, I maneuvered out onto the dance floor, blending in the best I could in my black dress and heels. This attire was not ideal if there was a fight, but my jacket and boots wouldn’t work here.
I scoured the first floor for any sign of our target.
Two Feds covered each floor above this one. Including Rafael’s partner and, to my annoyance, his boss.
Rafael told the others I was working with them on good faith and wanted to remain anonymous.
I hadn’t met any of the other Feds, but if this went sideways, there was nowhere for me to run. The second the charm faded away, I’d be done for. Without it, everyone here knew who I was
I reached the edge of the floor and sidled to the bar, ordering a soft drink, though I would’ve loved something stronger to get me through this night.
Rafael had tried a few more times to get me to answer his questions about why I was so nervous about tonight. Too bad for him I was damned good at keeping secrets.
“Anything?” I asked after a while.
“Not yet. How are you holding up?”
“Just peachy. About to throw myself at the enemy, headfirst. What could go wrong?”
“Your plan,” he reminded me, sounding uncertain. “Just say the word, and I’ll be right there. Or nearby.”
“You already are,” I said quietly when I realized someone was watching me.
Casually, as I took another drink, I leaned back against the bar and spotted Rafael holding up the other end.
He hunched over the counter, spinning a glass around, acting like he hadn’t a care in the world.
The demon I knew was no longer there. Now he as pretending to be what he might’ve been like if he wasn’t carrying around his dark past.
When those brown eyes met mine, my breath caught, and the music faded until it was barely background noise.
Why couldn’t this be a normal night and we just happened to meet each other here, instead of while hunting for some damned messed-up hybrid mage?
“Mercy?” he whispered.
I barely saw his lips move.
“Nothing, it’s nothing.” I made to turn away, but my body refused to listen.
Without even realizing I did it, I’d moved closer, so there were only a couple of others between me and Rafael.
From here, I admired his profile, the way his horns caught the lights, the curve of his back and his broad shoulders with biceps that seemed to flex, the longer I checked him out.
Asking him if we could ditch this whole plan and make a run for it slipped into my mind, but then a rush of power slammed into my back.
I froze. “He’s here.”
“What? Where?” Rafael turned around to stare at the dance floor, a bemused look on his face as if he was searching for his next dance partner.
“Not sure, but his power—hmmm, i
t’s the same as it was at the ball.”
My scar tingled. I nearly reached up to rub at it, but that would disrupt the charm.
Only mages sensed other mages, and though there were several here tonight, none of them gave off such an acrid vibe.
My confidence at fooling Liam dropped dramatically as I clutched my glass.
“We have no visual yet,” Rafael told me. “Are you sure you can find him?”
“Yeah, I can,” I murmured. “Watch the door to the basement. If he’s got a back way out, it’s got to be down there.”
After Rafael brought the club home, we spent hours going over every inch of this place, and had decided the only escape route would have to be below ground. The club had an old foundation with a maze of cellars and rooms. If we weren’t careful, we’d get lost down there, but if Liam was going to make a run for it, it was only logical that’s where he’d go. There were already two Feds stationed down there in preparation. With any luck, he’d be trapped, and this night could end peacefully.
“Moving in,” I told Rafael.
“I’ve got my eyes on you,” he assured me, a rumble in his voice. “Still don’t like this.”
“Don’t have to like it, as long as it works.”
“Be careful, and if something doesn’t feel right, you get out of there. Understand?”
“I’m not one of your agents.” I walked around the dance floor and followed the swell of raw power that set me on edge.
Instinct screamed at me to run away, and yet here I was being an idiot and walking headfirst into danger.
“Doesn’t mean I care about you any less.”
Those words made me stumble.
I cursed.
He asked if I was alright and I snapped I was and to be quiet for five minutes.
Liam’s power grew stronger, the deeper into the club I went, until I found myself at the roped off VIP section.
Two vampires stood at the bottom of the steps stopping anyone else from getting up there.
Damn. That’s where the power trail led. And it was so damned strong it nearly had me gagging. Every inch of my skin prickled with the desire to get the hell out of there.