Page 20 of Club Blood

I tried to connect Narcissa’s Mercy with the version in my head. I had seen her ruthless side, the darkness she harbored. I was even complicit in it. Narcissa was right to call her a queen because I could find no better word to describe Mercy. But that cold, calculating side of her always seemed so much dimmer when she visited me. She was both firm and gentle, terrifying and bewitching. She made me tremble in her presence, but I also never really wanted her to leave.

Three days. I had to survive three days to find out what was going to happen.

I could do this.

* * *

It seemedlike I may have been naive in how effortless I thought my survival would be without Mercy’s wrath on hand. The days were easy because I could roam with relative freedom, making myself lunch and taking advantage of the books Mercy had laying around.

On the second day, I even visited what appeared to be a cinema room. I lay in a reclining chair and ate my body weight in popcorn as I tried to forget where I was and just what my future held.

At night, it was a different story. Like the first time I had been brought to Mercy’s home, other Known tried to get into my room. I woke from sleep more than once to find shadows under the door or the handle turning rapidly. Sometimes, I swore I even heard Narcissa’s laughter in the background, as though she was watching it happen.

I clutched the phone to my chest, internally debating calling Mercy. She was busy and she had told me only to use the number for emergencies. But that feeling pulling me towards her, making my thoughts consumed by her, made me want to say fuck it and call her anyway.

Proving how strong I could be was also on my mind though. She told me to be brave and I wanted to show her I could be. Even if I felt fear coating every part of me. And I knew they could smell it. The vampires. It excited them, knowing they were frightening me while I was locked away on my own.

Perhaps I should have asked Mercy for advice on how to protect myself before she left. Though she was expecting her second in command to look after me, which was only partially happening. I didn’t think Narcissa would let me be killed before Mercy returned, but there was no doubt in my mind that she would let me be hurt.

The worst thing about it all was how much I replayed that kiss with Mercy. Over and over again, like it was on a loop in my mind. Even when I slept, I dreamt of her. Of her soft lips and tender kiss. The way I felt her hold back, careful not to hurt me. The look on her face as she gazed at me like she wanted to be the opposite of careful.

Even when I bathed, letting the water envelope me, images of her flashed in my mind. Her dark hair and hardened eyes, the plumpness of her lips and the way she tilted her head sometimes when she was thinking.

I stared at myself in the mirror on more than one occasion, wishing I could possess a piece of the confidence that she and Narcissa showed. Both women were utterly beguiling. When I saw myself, all I could see was the same ordinary person I had always been. Limp blonde hair, breasts that weren’t big enough and an ass that wasn’t perky like I wanted. Even using the makeup that Mercy had gotten for me, I couldn’t line my eyes enough to make them sparkle, or color my lips enough to look alluring.

My best efforts were not enough, proving what I had always thought; I was not special in any way, just like Narcissa had said. I didn’t belong in Mercy’s world, even if she wanted to keep me here.

When day three without Mercy came around, I was utterly miserable. Even wearing expensive clothes that I would never have been able to wear normally didn’t pull me from my funk.

I didn’t even have the energy for proper clothes. Pulling an oversized sweater on top of my underwear, I crept through the house and into the kitchen. I squealed when I saw Narcissa sitting on the island, drinking blood from a crystal clear bottle.

She looked up and smiled at me, baring her blood soaked teeth and let a droplet run down her chin. “Hello, Cecelia.Sowonderful to see you up and about. I see you’ve been avoiding me.”

I tried to pull myself together and opened the fridge, pulling out the leftover pasta salad from yesterday. I propped myself up on the countertop and took a bite of my food, raising my brow at her.

“Oh, don’t pretend otherwise. You never come out to play at night and you wait until I’m away before you even come out during the day.”

I gaped at her. How did she know my schedule like that?

Sensing my question, she smiled and tapped her nose. “Mercy has eyes everywhere. So when Mercy isn’t here? Those become my eyes. Lucky you.”

There was no way to even hide my scoff from her as I sat my Tupperware down beside me. “What do you want, Narcissa? We’ve managed to go this many days without interaction.”

Before I could blink, Narcissa was before me with her fangs bared, painted pink with the blood. She hissed and I shuffled as far back as I could, smacking my head off one of the cupboards. Satisfied with my reaction, she took a step back and wiped the corner of her mouth with a pointed nail.

“I just wanted to make sure we were clear on how absolutely wonderfully hospitable I have been towards you in Mercy’s absence.”

I narrowed my eyes and she polished one of her fangs with her fingertip in warning. “Have I been anything less than a gracious host? You are alive, whole, and unharmed. I have kept you safe, have I not?”

Not trusting myself to speak, I nodded and earned probably the most pleasant smile I had ever seen Narcissa make.

“Good, I’m glad that we’re on the same page. When Mercy returns tonight, that is what you will tell her. You will make sure she knows that I looked after her littlepet,” she said, spitting the word at me like it was my fault Mercy was keeping me locked up. “I doubt you’ll be here much longer anyway, but just in case, remember that you are nothing but a little snack, you hear? I can do things for Mercy that you never could.”

Her disgust was clear in the scowl she wore, an ugly thing to see on such a pretty face. My stomach churned as she walked away, smashing the empty bottle on the floor. “Oops. Do be adolland clean that up for me,” she sing-songed over her shoulder.

I looked at the minuscule blood splatter against the white tiles and I couldn’t help but imagine that it would be my blood coating the foundation of this god-forsaken house one day.

Still, I grabbed a cloth and dustpan and dropped to my knees to clean the mess before Mercy returned. I knew Narcissa was extra tense and possessive over Mercy because we both knew that she was returning differently. She was returning as the Queen of Sin City.

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