Page 26 of Taken

Bradley cleared his throat. “Okay, so Mercy’s GPS was turned off, but I hacked into her phone and turned it back on. Once I did that, it showed her last location about two hours ago.” He pointed to his computer. “The pin marks the corner of Parker and Addison Lane in downtown Providence,” he explained.

“Just as I thought.” Bradley and Lily looked at me with confusion. “She’s at the club,” I explained.

“The Black Horse?” Lily asked, panic rising in her voice. “Do you think she was taken this time?”

I shook my head. “No, she went on her own.”

I cursed under my breath. This was getting too dangerous.

Lily paced the kitchen and looked up at Bradley. “Honey, can you give Caleb and me another minute?”

He nodded and walked out to the front porch. Once Bradley stepped outside and shut the door, my hands flew up. “That girl needs a fucking GPS device injected into her arm.”

Lily smiled and shook her head at me.

“I’m not kidding, Lily. Whether she’s sacrificing herself to a clan of vampires or going under a different face, she didn’t really think this one through. I’ve heard the rumors about this clan. They won’t show her mercy.” I huffed. “We need Joel. Can you call him and have him meet us at Joe’s Bar and Grill? I don’t know what she’s up to, but we aren’t repeating what happened last year.”

My fury kept me from filtering my mouth. What was she thinking? I taught Mercy everything she needed to know when it came to fighting. She could knock a two hundred and fifteen pound me across a room with one hard kick. She also knew her powers better than I did at her age. She learned quickly, and all in a year. But I couldn’t shut off my feelings for her or my instinct to always protect her.

Bradley poked his head in, wiping the sweat from his nose and readjusting his glasses. “Everything okay? Should I call the police about Mercy?”

“No, babe. Everything’s fine. I’ll call you later, though. We’re meeting my brother for coffee to discuss what to do about the Mercy situation. I’ll see you tonight for dinner.” Lily replied in an assuring tone.

Bradley smirked and entered the kitchen to kiss Lily goodbye. He didn’t look at me. Instead, he waved his hand in the air and walked out to his car.

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SARAH INFORMED USshe was not with Mercy, which meant she went there in her own face.

It was right before six when we met Joel and Derek at Joe’s Bar and Grill. Derek was getting beers for us while Joel drummed his fingers on the table, trying to muster up his thoughts. “We know she wasn’t taken,” Joel said, “but do you honestly believe Alexander would hurt her? She might be reckless sometimes, but she isn’t stupid. Let’s give her a little credit here. Maybe she has a plan.”

Joel looked up and saw my doubtful expression. I didn’t believe she had a plan but gestured for him to share his theory, anyway.

He continued, “Do you think she walked up to her father and said, ‘Hi, I’m your long-lost, reincarnated daughter? Nice to see you again.”

I finally was able to laugh because that did sound exactly like something Mercy would do.

My phone vibrated on my hip. “Excuse me.” I moved away, reached into my pocket, and looked down at my phone.

Melissa:There’s been another body brought in. Same as last. Marks on the neck and the tattoo. His name is Ned Parker. It’s right outside my jurisdiction, but as we’ve done in the past, I was able to get the body transferred here. Police said he was a homeless man they’d spotted a few times near Goddard Park.

I placed my phone in my back pocket and walked back to the table. “I’m heading to Providence to get her. Another body turned up near East Greenwich. I can’t just sit here and wait for her to return.”

Lily shifted in her seat and turned to Joel. “We’ll go with you.” She gathered her things while Joel stood and kissed Derek on the lips, telling him to head home without him.

We climbed into my car, leaving Lily’s in the parking lot, and drove to The Black Horse.

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WHEN WE ARRIVEDat the club, all the shades were closed, and the door was locked. I wasn’t sure if the clan lived here full-time or not, but we figured we might have to break in to find out. I couldn’t hear any music or voices through the thick metal door.

Lily moved around me, placed her hand on the door lock, and we heard a click.

Once we entered, we noticed that the top floor was empty, so we assumed they were down in the club beneath us. We headed to the back and down the stairs until we reached the door to the underground club. It was unlocked, so we walked right in. In the corner of the room, sitting on a bench, was a vampire. When he spotted us, he immediately stood to his feet and gestured toward the back as if he were expecting us.

“We were wondering how long it would take you to get here,” the man said. “They’re in the back.”

I already had my hand out, ready to ignite a fireball if I had to, but I didn’t feel threatened by him. I lowered my hand and looked back at Lily and Joel—their hands thrumming with power like mine were.

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