Angel Of Mercy (Cambions #3) (15 page)

Not knowing where I was going was foolish enough. Given the reality that I had many enemies hell bent on killing me was just plain suicidal. That didn’t stop me from heading far into the wooded area. When I could no long make out which way was back home, I leaned my back against a tree with my hands tucked behind me.

I couldn’t even make out the moon with thee trees choking out any light.  I stared at the ground and felt my shame. The things I’d done tonight hadn’t felt like me, but my demon hadn’t come out at all. Was I becoming what I was meant to be all along?

A noise, an unnatural one, had my head snapping up. I pushed away from the tree and strained to hear another sound. A crackle somewhere out in front of me made my body tense. It wasn’t that any sound couldn’t be made in the woods. However, it was unlikely any animal that lived in these woods could make a sharp sound like metal on metal. Something bigger was out here.

From somewhere deep within me a smile was born, one that was spoiling for a fight. I called to that place because I still wasn’t feeling one hundred percent and said,
I know you’re there. If you want to survive, I need your skills
. And with a resolute breath I added,
McKayla
. I felt the entity within me uncoil and spring free like a Jack-in-a-box. She was there, but I hadn’t quiet given up control. Not yet.

She urged me like a puppeteer to look around. My sight sharpened, penetrating the darkness like I wore night goggles. The last traces of alcohol felt purged from my system. Then I saw them. Three targets splayed out in a wide arc came at me from all sides. And with a tilt of my head to the side, I let go, falling away as my demon took over only to look through my eyes like portholes.

“Hello, is anybody there?” my voice called out. McKayla had me sounding like a scared child.

When the three stepped free at my ten, twelve, and two o’clock positions with me dead center, McKayla spoke through my mouth again, “Oh, thank god. I got lost.”

 The girl at my two o’clock spoke. “Really, you can be more original than that.”

Surveying the other two, I saw that they weren’t hulking guys. One was about my height and ebony skinned with a crew cut and the other a little taller with wavy long hair. They were built like swimmers, lean in the torso. I could try to get a hold of Flynn, but I knew he would act first and ask questions later. Sebastian, well, he would just kill them, no questions asked. I sent this message to McKayla urging her not to use lethal force. These were just humans, I figured. We could handle this on our own.

After assessing that the boys weren’t buying my innocent act either, McKayla said through my voice, “Bring it then.”

Crouching, I had the vague sense that we looked like something out of a kung fu movie. The self-defense art and some of the moves I’d learned had in fact been grounded in the techniques of karate. This was my chance to prove to everyone that I could take care of myself. Maybe not demon foes, I wasn’t so sure of myself in that arena, but human enemies I could handle. Even fending off all three of them at the same time, with McKayla’s help I thought I was able to neutralize the threat. With a nod, one of them signaled to the girl who came at me with a faint guttural noise.

She charged with her sword held like she wanted to poke my eye out. Using Mckayla’s inert fighting skills, I dodged then plucked the weapon from the girl and dropped it to the ground. The girl, still moving from her momentum, spun and came at me with fists.

Blocking her blows, my body was relaxed as if I was bored. All the moves McKayla used I’d learned but she applied them with expert precision. First my forearms moved fast to come together as a wall to block head and center body shots. Then my arm swung out to the right in an arc to deflect an upper cut. My other arm lanced out at the same time to connect with the girl’s face, snapping her head backwards. The poor girl only seemed more determined. My body spun then tucked low as the girl’s fist connected with the tree. My leg kicked out, bending the girl’s knee backward in the wrong direction. As the girl cried out, my upward movement and elbow connected with her chin for lights out. The girl landed in an unmoving heap but breathing.

My vision narrowed as the two stunned boys looked at me for a second before attacking. I moved out of the way of the unconscious girl. The last thing I needed was to trip over her when I now had two attackers. Lining them up, I moved to keep both in front of me. Dodging and moving left and right wasn’t easy. I had to try and keep them from sandwiching me in the middle. They didn’t fight like girls. The guy that I battled was more effective with his shots. Thankfully, he didn’t have a sword or I would have been done for sure. On the defensive, I was losing ground and we weren’t in the middle of a field. Every backwards step could slam me up against a tree and I would be vulnerable if I didn’t keep moving.

The silent plea McKayla sent to me to loosen my decision of lethal force stunned and elated me. Did I still maintain control even though it felt like I didn’t have it? A body shot to my side radiated through me and I internally told my demon to go ahead and do what was necessary to protect us without killing if that was possible.

As soon as that thought escaped me, she made a bold offensive move and ran headlong toward the crew cut guy we’d been battling. Surprise gave us the advantage. My leg kicked out and landed a groin shot, and my other foot connected with his nose. I tumbled head under and over to land on my feet. A smile played at my lips when we saw Crew Cut down, but my demon had made a mistake. And I felt it in my back.

Air escaped my lungs as a fiery pain dug deep. An arm clamped around me as the point of something sharp penetrated straight out my front.

“Demon, go to hell.” The guy twisted the blade causing me to feel hot searing pain ten times worse than what I’d just experienced. 

A scream penetrated the air that apparently had come from me. Crew Cut was struggling to his feet. “What’s going on? Shouldn’t it be gone?”

“Maybe it takes a little longer,” the guy at my back said shoving the lance deeper into my gut and wrenching out another scream from me as he twisted again.

Crew Cut stood still cupping his sore muscle stepping towards me. “It could still be dangerous,” the Long Hair warned.

“It could be human. What if we’d just killed a human?” Crew Cut blessed himself with the gesture of a cross symbol over his chest.

“Did you see how it moved? It’s not human,” the guy that held me captive said.

“What if it’s just possessed?” Crew Cut asked stepping right up to me. And that was all McKayla needed. Our lips parted but the guy didn’t know what was coming. His lips opened and vapor escaped heading right for my mouth.

“Jesus,” Long Hair said. He pushed me away and wrenched the long bladed knife from me. We saw as we stumbled breaking our connection that the blade was coated in our blood. We moved with inhuman speed and rammed our cupped hand into the long haired guy’s Adam’s apple. He went down choking and gasping for air. We turned to see crew cut still standing where we left him. So we bent down and pressed our lips to Long Hair, our attacker. He was not attractive but McKayla craved to do things the old fashion way. His lips were warm and the jolt of innocents that filled us was intoxicating. It should always be this way, she thought. She knew that this soul was pure in its intentions and it tasted good.

We whispered in its ears. Its eyes were transfixed by our power. She loved it. And we stood while blood still poured from us. We took Crew Cut in our embrace and filled ourselves with his sweet life force. Another innocent. Our blood radiated to life. All of a sudden, every touch was broadcast to our senses like our nerves had multiplied by the billions. Crew Cut also grew hungry from our kiss. His desire was as evident as McKayla’s.

Need filled us and we roughly pulled at his shirt and placed a hand on his abs and headed south.

“Mercy,” a familiar voice rang out. We turned and saw Flynn. Whispering to Crew Cut, we stepped away and right to Flynn. His eyes looked down. She liked that he had a one track mind. “You’re bleeding.” We didn’t care. We captured his gaze. “Innocence is wonderful. Let me share.” Our hands clasped his cheeks and pressed our lips to his. We pushed some of our new found energy to him. His hand shot to our waist, not to grip us but to push us away. My eyes opened and found his, paralyzing him. She was not happy at this rejection. Shoving our tongue in his mouth, she was determined to show him the error of his ways.

“Mercy.” I heard my name for the second time. Luke. I tried to get free, but I was shoved down as though McKayla had a hand on my head. I couldn’t emerge.

Flynn’s hands shot up as if to say this wasn’t his fault. “McKayla,” Luke said sounding menacing. She didn’t falter or cower this time. “Let him go.”

She pulled back, but not out of fear. Flynn looked stunned that he still wasn’t able to move. “I don’t think he wants me to,” she said.

I heard the words she wanted to say and I fought with her not to say them. I clawed at my control because there would be no going back if she said them. Licking her lips, she said, “Ah well, for the good of my host.”

As she let go control, gravity took control. I fell to the ground. Now that she was gone, it was clear the only thing holding us up after that spear through our back was her demon will.

“Fuck,” Flynn said falling to his knees.

Luke quick steps landed him on my other side. “Mercy.”

Pain held my words back. I managed just a cough and a sputter.

Maggie burst through. “Eme,” she cried out.

Luke said, “Flynn, clean up.”

Flynn nodded and got to his feet. Luke looked pained, then waved Maggie back. Lifting my shirt, I glanced down at myself unable to see anything. It was almost comical how my boobs blocked my view. But the movement caused more pain and I coughed a spray of blood.  With a determined look, Luke lay warm hands on my skin and with dread in my heart, I watched as he tried to heal me.

With small amounts of success, Luke managed to dull the pain in my gut. But I felt tired and wanted to go to sleep. “Mercy, stay with me.” My eyes fluttered, letting me know I’d begun to give into the abyss.  Warm lips met mine in a soft kiss. My eyes opened again. The pain in his face said that he hadn’t been able to completely heal me. A stab of pain in my back told me so too. “That’s the best I can do.”

His face held regret, remorse and a whole lot more. “It’s okay,” I managed to say through more coughs and gasps.

“Luke,” Maggie called out. Turning, a wave of nausea came over me. Luke shook his head. A tear fell from Maggie’s eye. “What are we going to do?”

Even though turning would bring on another feeling of vertigo, I watched a look pass between them as they spoke. “Flynn,” Luke called out in a strangled voice.

“Yo,” Flynn said appearing over me. He crouched by my legs.

“I can’t completely heal her, I need help. She needs to feed.”

Flynn and Luke stared at each other a long time. I wanted to say something. “Why don’t you do it?” Flynn finally asked.

Luke closed his eyes again. “The healing took a lot out of me. I’m not sure what would happen if—” He let that hang in the air. Would I damn him more? Or better yet, would I kill him? I’d rather die. I wanted to say this but found I was unable to speak without coughing.

“I don’t think this is a good idea.” Flynn shook his head and moved away from me.

“So that’s it. You’ll let her die?” Luke asked.

“Woah,” Maggie said, hands held up. “Can’t we just get her to a hospital?”

“She’s bleeding out,” Luke said, sounding stricken.

“Fuck,” Flynn said. In a swift move, he leaned over me, hovering for a second still deciding what to do. Then his mouth was on me, gentle and soothing. And nothing. I felt nothing. Pulling away, he said, “Come on Mercy, come back to us.”

“She’s cold,” Maggie cried. “How can she be cold?”

“Come on baby. Don’t leave me,” Luke said, placing his hand in mine. I couldn’t decipher if it was my left or right.

“How could this happen?” Maggie said.

“It was the dagger,” Luke said.

“What dagger?” Flynn asked.

“It’s over there by the guy,” Luke said. With a rustle of clothing and a rush of warmth pulled away from my side said Luke was gone.

“Give me a minute,” Flynn said. He had to be talking to Maggie. Then she too was gone.

Warm air grazed my ear and Flynn was back. “Don’t you dare die on me. I didn’t fucking almost die once to save your ass then kill some stupid human girl again so you can just give up like this. You owe me.” Lips on mine again, he said, “Kiss me back dammit. I need you.”

Coaxing my mouth open, he kissed me deep. Something sweet played across my tongue. Had he been eating candy? Tingling, started in my limps. “Yes, that it, doll.”

My fingers came up and into his hair. I breathed him in and in. He was life and I needed more. His hands came up to grip my sides. One hand slid around to cup my ass and he was pressed against me too tight.

Crackling noises. “Fuck Flynn, keep your fucking hands to yourself. I can’t watch this.”

When I pushed Flynn away, I knew then I was no longer in control.

~~~

McKayla

“Hey cowboy,” I said using a country drawl. “Wanna ride?” Smiling, I watched her boyfriend’s realization that I was back. He wasn’t pleased, but said nothing. “What did you expect? Someone has to save this body of mine.”

Standing, I cracked my neck and strode over to the boys I’d left. Crew Cut was still lying in a fetal position. Yes, I remembered the sweet taste of innocence.

Rolling the boy over on to his back, he stared wide eyed at me. “Yes, Mistress,” he whispered.

“Come to me,” I beckoned him.

“What is she doing?” a whiny sounding Maggie asked from somewhere behind me.

“What she must,” Luke said, sounding resigned. The good ole boy was now the voice of reason. Yes, he must know this was the only way.

My darling boy moved closer and I opened my mouth, seeking his essence. Involuntarily, his mouth opened and it came out like a gaseous cloud. Closing the distance, I covered my mouth with his taking, taking, taking deep.

“What is she doing?” Mercy’s stupid friend asked again.

“Feeding,” said Flynn, whom I liked best. Flynn no doubt understood us better than any of them.

“But wasn’t she doing that when we found her?” Red asked.

“She had a dagger in her.”

I continued to feed, ignoring them.

Her angel spoke up, “It’s a dagger poisoned, cursed, blessed, however you want to call it to kill demons. It’s probably why she’s hurt so bad and the feeding explains why she wasn’t dead already.”

“So, you’re just going to let her kill him.” Listening to her, I knew Maggie needed to be silenced.

While they talked, my prey brought himself closer. On his knees, he aligned himself so that I could feel his eagerness. “Yes,” I moaned in his mouth.

His hands dipped under my shirt and I wanted nothing more than to take this guy away from the eyes behind me and finish what we both wanted.

“Flynn, if you’re right, why does the guy look so pale all of a sudden,” Maggie called out, louder reminding me that I wasn’t alone.

“Shit,” a chorus of voices said.

Then the guy’s hands which were on my ass, were gone.  We were wrenched apart. Luke’s arm was like a vice grip around my throat. Flynn held my prey as he wiggled and strained against him to get back to me. “You will not defile her,” Angel Boy said.

“I’m only doing what’s required,” I choke out. I didn’t need air, but Mercy did. So I forced the words out cursing the day the angel was born. And one day, I make him pay for this humiliation.

With his hands gripping my hips, his thumb rubbed at the spot where we’d been bleeding out before. “You’re healed. You don’t need them anymore. Send them back from where they came.” And like that he let me go.

“Fine,” I gritted out because I already had a plan. “My two lovelies, come to me.”

Flynn let go of Crew Cut and Long Hair got to his feet where he’d been lying on the ground and stood to face me. “You may go and don’t forget what I told you.”

They nodded turned and left.

“Flynn, did you find out where they were stationed from the girl?”

“No.” He pointed to the girl that still lay on the ground.

“Call them back, McKayla. Find out where they meet the others. Make them forget everything and send them with the girl to the hospital.”

If he didn’t have that angel light of his, I’d break him in two for trying to command me. But I didn’t yet know to what extent his abilities were compromised.

Calling out to them, they responded quickly even with one of them helping the other. I understood how much control I had over them. Their answers gave nothing of use according to Flynn who looked pissed when they spoke. Afterwards, it was quick work to mindfuck the two guys. I only needed to come up with a reason they were hurt that erased everything that happened here and send them on their way. But I’d be seeing them again. That seed was already planted.

Luke came at me, “Now get the hell out and let her back.” His voice started off as a yell, then ended on a whispered promise.

“What the hell, man,” a tall handsome guy said. He was Maggie’s brother if I remembered correctly. Mercy seemed to freeze inside me. Ah yes, this one didn’t know anything about the supernatural.

Relaxing my stance and covering my eyes like I was crying, I ran to him. “Oh Liam, you have to take me away. He’s so awful.”

I wished I could see the look on Luke’s face right now. But I couldn’t take the chance Liam would see my eyes.

Liam’s protective arms wrapped around me. “Sure thing Merce.”

“Let go of my girlfriend,” Luke growled. I don’t think I ever heard him sound so menacing. It was quite attractive.

“She doesn’t want to be with you right now. I think you need to cool down.”

“Dude, I think you came in at the wrong time. Mercy will be fine,” Flynn argued.

Burrowing tighter into his warm embrace, I added, “Please.”

“Look, I’m sure this is a misunderstanding. But Luke, she doesn’t want to be with you right now.”

I heard a scuffle of feet on the ground. “Luke, it’s okay. He’s not going to do anything to her. I’ll follow them,” Maggie promised.

Then we turned and walked out. Curses came from behind, and I grinned.

It wasn’t long before we made it back to the house. “Mag, go get Merce some water. Last I saw, she was drunk out of her mind.”

“Fine, don’t do anything,” she warned.

Pulling away, Liam tried to look into my face, but I stopped him with my hand rubbing at my eyes. “You can stay here tonight.”

My jailer was fast. “Oh, no,” Maggie called out as she came back with a cup of water.

“What do you mean? She can sleep in my room, I’ll crash somewhere else.” Liam said.

“And what is her mom going to say?” Maggie asked. With a jerk of her hand, water sloshed to the floor. But she only fixed determined eyes on the boy and I knew that she was winning this battle.

Not having anything to contradict such a trivial human requirement, of obeying mothers, I said nothing. “Oh,” Liam said.

“Yeah, so I’ll be taking her home. See ya.” And I was steered away from Liam and right out the front door. The place was empty. The party had ended sometime during the fight.

“Don’t think for a second that I was going to let you hurt my brother. And anyway, I know Mercy’s in there. So why don’t you go back where you came from.”

Just when I was about to say something nasty, I was caught around the waist and throat again. But it wasn’t Luke because he stepped into my line of vision. There was something different about him. He pressed the dagger to my neck when he fisted a hand in my hair and pulled my neck back. “Go back demon or I swear, I’ll end you.”

Laughing, the grip around my neck tightened. “He isn’t playing. I’ll kill you myself. Mercy wouldn’t want to live this way,” Flynn dared.

Although I’d fed deep, most of it was used to repair the damage to the body. I didn’t have what I needed yet to set me free. “Whatever,” I said and waving a hand, in dismal.