Page 79 of The Vampire's Mercy
“Weird.” He scratched his left cheek. “I’ve got a version of a mer song in me. Must be something to do with that. But that’s still not an answer.”
I ran my tongue over my lips. “We’ll have to keep testing it to be sure.”
He took a deep drag of the cig, blowing out a long stream of white, vanilla smoke. “What if I don’t want to? I think it’s better if you don’t remember anything.”
Frustration swelled, his arrogance an attack on my resolve. “Don’t you want answers?”
He shrugged petulantly, stubbing out his cig in an ashtray. “Guess so. I’ll think about it.”
Interesting response for a thrall. “Is that so?”
“Yeah.”
I approached him, his cold stare disarming, enchanting beyond measure, even when bristling with loathing. “You’re mine now, elf. You’ll do whatIwant.”
He swallowed, backing away from me, his bravado crumbling. “I?—”
Rushing forward, I grabbed him by the throat, cutting off his reply. Gently, not crushing. Enough to show him my authority, enough to feel the throbbing of his pulse against my skin. “It changes everything.”
“Get your hands off me.” He fixed me with those incredible eyes, his voice an aggressive rasp.
I smiled, excitement tickling my senses. “Be careful. I can end this at any moment. Painfully.”
He licked his glossy lips, intensifying his natural delectableness. “Then do it. I’d rather be dead than here with you.”
I laughed, releasing his throat. “I don’t believe you.”
The elf removed his jacket, tossing it onto the bed. “You’re right. I’d rather take you out before I snuff it.”
“Such honesty. But you’ll never land a blow on me. You can’t, remember? I own you now.”
He snarled. “Fuck you.”
I laughed. “Such a charming mouth.”
He summoned his stakeblade, the weapon immediately vanishing. “One day, you smug shit. One day.” He called it to his hand again, only for it to vanish.
“What about the other weapon?” I asked.
It didn’t appear and he didn’t say anything.
His silence irritated me. “Maybe I should make you a full vampire. Wouldn’t that be more of a punishment? Forevercondemned in the eyes of Aidan, becoming the thing you hate the most.”
He paled, his eyes widening. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Why not?”
I could see I was getting to him by the change in his breathing. Rapid, furious. “Fuck you.”
Using our connection, I let myself feel his fury, as well as his sadness.
My goodness, the sadness landed a wicked bite, catching me off guard. It was searing, its teeth dipped in poison. I’d seen the sadness in his eyes, but feeling it hit differently. I wanted to know more about it, where it’d come from. Who did he lose? This was grief, pure soul-wrenching grief.
I carry grief…
There is hidden grief inside me…
Paris rushed me, summoning that strange crystal blade. “I’ll fucking—” He roared, clutching his head as the weapon vanished in a burst of silver smoke. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”
