Good As Dead (Dying To Meet You Book 1) (15 page)

Mercer wanted to shake the images out of his head but as he was still unable to move, that was not an option. “What do you want?”

Kalliope blinked slowly. “What do you want, Mistress? But I’ll forgive you that indiscretion, for the moment. If you’re anywhere near as stupid as your brother, I’m fully aware that learning a simple command could take as long as three years, if I remember correctly.”

“What. Do. You. Want?” The flickering fire she had thrown at him was still passing through his body and his nerve endings had begun screaming in agony. He locked his jaw. He refused to let her have his pain, knowing that she would enjoy it. When the silence stretched between them, he gave her a long slow smile in return. It might cost him a few endorphins, but the satisfaction he got from her frown was well worth it. He wondered whether she planned to play around with him for a bit longer but thankfully, she decided to get straight to the point.

“I want the witch, and the serum. You have two days to get them to me or I’ll kill your little friend I’ve just kidnapped, and finish off what remains of your brother.”

Somehow, after hearing that little snippet of information, Mercer managed to get to his feet pushing through the pain and fire that engulfed him. Rushing towards her body, his hands outstretched and ready to wring her neck, he slammed heavily into an invisible wall and slid to the floor. Though her laughter was all around him, he didn’t hear it. Gaius was alive. He hadn’t dared hope that his brother might still live. His fists thumped against the wall protecting her, and the urge to rip her body limb from limb was almost uncontrollable. He stoppered the storm gate of tears, which threatened to flow and sucked in his cheeks. Trying to think rationally, he decided it was entirely possible that the witch was lying through her teeth.

“You have two days to get those two little things to me. I do not tolerate failure. If they aren’t with me within the allotted time scale, I will murder both of my prisoners and I’ll make it hurt. We do understand each other, don’t we?”

More images flooded through his mind showing him the depravities that Kalliope was capable of, the likes of which made him want to throw up. She showed him Gaius’s body, which lay split open from the neck to abdomen as she performed a slow evisceration, whilst she watched him writhe in pain. Then an image of his heart in her hands as she slowly squeezed and crushed it.

“We understand each other,” croaked Mercer, who now had his hands on his head, fingers pressing into his skull, as if that would help rid him of the horrors that were transgressing across the backs of his eyelids. His eyeballs were swelling, bulging inside their sockets, and he had a feeling Kalliope was behind that as well.

“Perhaps you’re not quite as stupid as you look.” The wall between them came down like shattered glass, fragments glimmering in the moonlight as they fell, and then abruptly disappeared. Having lost none of his former aggression toward the evil witch, he went straight on with the attack, roaring out his anger as he aimed his head to crash into her body. However, he never reached his intended target for another flaming fireball swallowed him up, and he went down screaming.

While he writhed upon the ground, she knelt down beside him and slowly caressed his cheek before her nails fell to his lips. Easily piercing the soft skin, she drew a bead of blood, smeared it upon the tip of her finger and sucked it into her mouth. Bringing his head into her lap, she bent down to whisper in his ear. “Why do I find you Romans so irresistible?”

Every nerve cell in Mercer’s body screamed and every neuron relayed the message
danger
, but there was no way to avoid her embrace. He was now her puppet until the effects of her magic wore off, and that gave her a few precious minutes in which to do whatever she wanted. He had an awful feeling he knew what that was.

“You will feed.”

The words he had most feared issued from her lips and fuelled his desire to fight her. Her command reverberated around inside his head, and the pain beating between his eyes intensified to blinding proportions. She picked him up. Somehow, his limbs worked but only under her direction, and now he was on his feet with the witch in his arms. They were dancing across the perfect lawn under a beautiful evanescent full moon. Anyone watching their little performance might think they were made for each other. Their bodies moved in perfect time to an imaginary tune, which beat through every pore in his body. They spun in circles, her dark hair flying around his face in soft velvety waves while her lips whispered beautiful and obscene things in his ear. Her hands moved over his body, stroking, kneading, and petting his flesh. Though she should have made his skin crawl, he found that he instantly responded and hated himself for it.

“Can you feel my pulse beating, Mercer? Can you hear my heart pumping? I know you can. Listen to that sound. Lose your head in that steady beat, Mercer, because my blood is going to blow your mind. This will be your first feed, but believe me when I say you will crave your next.” With a single slash of her fingernail, she sliced a small line into her throat. It took a second for the blood to rise to the surface of the cut, but then it trickled steadily down her neck. The scent was rich, strong and spicy. He knew, without doubt, that it would be addictive. That reason more than any other made him want to run away as fast as his legs could carry him. He hadn’t felt fear in a long time but now he was awash with the emotion, and he didn’t much like it.

Kalliope brought his head towards her neck and though he tried his hardest to fight her hold over him, the witch fire had done its work. His obediently pliable body bent towards her and his fangs sharpened with a terrible hunger. However, he refused to give in to the madness that had overtaken his body. He could fight this, he had to because to give in would mean a one-way street to perdition and he wasn’t sure he was as strong as his brother was. There was little enough left to live for as it was.

His mouth watered painfully with the smell of her blood and though he tried his best not to inhale, the delightful fragrance infused his senses and he felt himself going light-headed as desire took hold.

Kalliope stroked his hair and he felt her lips gently touch his cheek. He shuddered. “The longing for my blood is going to drive you wild. The little wannabe you have stashed in your bedroom has nothing on the likes of me. My bloodstream is not tainted. The scent used to drive Gaius wild, so I’m hoping you’re not going to be immune to its charms.”

She pressed his head down, closing the distance of the last few millimetres that he’d managed to place between them. The effort it took not to sink his fangs in deep and suck hard was phenomenal. Crimson tears pooled in his eyes as he locked his jaws and prayed for a miracle.

“You haven’t the faintest clue of what I can do to that body of yours. It’s not always pain, Mercer. If you behave, it could be pleasurable too.” Bright pink fingernails walked up his cheek and bit into the soft flesh. He knew she was smiling. Kalliope enjoyed the game. He’d witnessed at least that much through his brother’s exploits with the witch.

“Go. Fuck. Yourself.” The words cost him for the fingernails moved lower, much lower, and then he heard the sound of a rasping zip. Closing his eyes, he felt her cold hands grasp his soft hot flesh. He couldn’t prevent a gasp of pleasure as she worked him in her fist.

“No,” he roared, but the only response was her laughter. She knew exactly what she was doing. At just the right pressure and speed, her fingers flew over his growing erection teasing him into life, while her fingertip swirled gently around the tip to see how affected he was.

“Ah, you’re wet, Mercer. Your body is telling you all your mind needs to know.
Feed
.”

Her words entered his mind like a drug. They were as compelling as his were, if not more. His blood rushed around his body whilst every hair stood up on end. The sensation was electric and he was quickly sinking into a lust-filled haze.

“I want your body, Mercer. I need it. You’ll make me stronger. Where Gaius has failed, you will succeed. You’ll understand that soon enough.
Feed
.”

He shook his head rapidly from side to side as if trying to convince himself he could resist the feast before him. Hanging onto the last thread of his will power with all his might, he let out a strangled moan. The compulsion she used made him open his mouth, but he was still able to hold back from the actual bite though he shook all over with the effort involved.

Her hand was moving faster now. She had his manhood in a tight fist of iron and worked him hard, whilst her other hand fondled his balls and stroked his perineum. It felt incredible. He was about to orgasm, and there was no way he could prevent it but he wasn’t going to give her a sound. Not even a whisper of a moan. When the moment came it was a small victory, but he had a feeling every single one would count with Kalliope.

“You’re going to be so much fun to play with, Mercer. I think we’re going to get along famously.” Having said that, she placed both of her hands on either side of his head and his brain went into meltdown. His body was no longer his own. His jaws opened wide, and his fangs poised themselves to bite. A glistening drop of venom slid onto the porcelain-white skin of her neck, there was a tantalising pause, and then he sank into the heavenly narcotic that flowed freely through her veins. The substance burned like acid inside him, but its taste was incredible. The witch had him sucking on max speed. Had her blood been alcohol, he’d have passed out on the floor already. As the thought entered his mind, his legs wobbled beneath him and he fell crashing to the ground.

Chapter 11

Agitated

When Mercer woke, it was close to dawn. The sky was a startling deep blue and it had a beautiful pink tinge to it that was fast developing into an angry red, flaring along the horizon. The saturated sunrise had his head swimming in colours, and for a fascinatingly long moment, he did nothing but stare at its beauty.

Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.

The portents for the day ahead were not looking good. It wasn’t any great surprise to him after the events of the previous night. Getting slowly to his feet, he quickly registered that his clothes were soaked through. Lying out on the cold wet grass all night had done him no favours but other than that, he was in better shape than he feared. The fireworks in his head had calmed down to a soft buzzing noise and he knew, without looking, that Kalliope was long gone. She’d gotten what she wanted and left. He could still taste her blood in his mouth, and it was the sweetest nectar he’d ever experienced.

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he wanted to kick himself for playing into the witch’s hands. Cleaning his teeth carefully with his tongue, he rubbed at his eyes and let out a long breath. His hands were still shaking. This time it was not due to fatigue. His body was humming with an uncomfortable vibe, demanding he expend some energy. Kalliope’s parting gift to him to ensure he got a move on, he supposed.

Looking at his watch, he swore softly. He had less than two days to get his shit together and figure this mess out. Both Gaius’s and Guillaume’s lives were on the line and undoubtedly, his own and Lainey’s. All he had to do was deliver one mostly irritating, and often annoying, witch into the hands of Kalliope along with a bottle of serum. How hard could that be? He laughed aloud at the thought.
Oh, if things were only that simple.

Pulling his clothes off, he decided to burn some of his excess energy by doing a couple of laps around the estate. It would help him think, and as there were no neighbours or owner to worry about because Guillaume had unexpectedly taken a brief vacation in hell, he wasn’t going to terrorise anyone. If Lainey was awake and he very much doubted it, she’d seen it all before.

In no time at all, his feet were flying across the ground. With each lunge forward, he pushed himself harder and faster, as if hoping to erase the events of the past few hours. His feet sank into the wet grass, flew over fallen branches, and jumped back and forth across the small streams that circled the estate. He pushed himself to the limit of his speed and endurance. Perhaps it was just a way of pretending he was in control. The illusion was fleeting.

A couple of miles into the run, his mind finally cleared and sensible thought returned. Two days was longer than he’d expected. That meant the serum was not in France. He guessed it would be back in England, and he hoped Lainey would confirm that one way or another. He was going to have to tread very carefully now that Kalliope’s blood was inside him. All it would take was a foot slightly out of place and he’d end up a mere carcass of the beast he now was. He couldn’t live through what Gaius had. Death was a much more preferable option. Skidding on a patch of mud, he flew through the air but managed to land safely. It didn’t slow him down in the slightest. Adrenaline was pouring though his veins.
Death
. There was no way he could take that path until he’d tried to rescue Gaius and Guillaume. He owed them both at least that much.

***

Lainey awoke slowly in a tangle of limbs, and satin sheets. Struggling to get free from their clutches, she finally opened her eyes to find that she was alone and probably had been for some time. There was no telling indentation on the other side of the bed and if she hadn’t known better, she might have spent the entire night on her own.

“Mercer?”

As if on cue, the door to the room opened and in walked her vampire, resplendent in a pair of skinny jeans and absolutely nothing else. Although she was still a little sore from the previous evening, her body began screaming,
Let’s go again. Right now!
However, she ignored it because his expression wasn’t particularly amenable
.
Instead, he wore a troubled frown. In addition, there was something more. Some kind of weird hum she recognised, but couldn’t name.

Giving him a puzzled look, she bit her lip and dropped the sheets as she climbed from the bed. She walked over to him and gently stroked his arm. There was a sharp crackle of electricity, and her fingers jumped back as if burned.

“Witch fire.” Lainey bit her lip. Having had first-hand experience with the stuff and knowing how much it could hurt, she guessed she was in trouble.

“Where’s the serum?”

“I, uh…” Lainey’s throat suddenly went very dry.

“We haven’t got time for games, Lainey. Kalliope has Guillaume and my brother, and if I want to see either of them alive again I need to hand over both you and the serum.” The look he gave her was not a friendly one.

Lainey compressed her lips into a hard line and she raised her face up to return his glare.

“And what if I refuse?” She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer to that question.

“We both know I’m more than capable of killing you, but it won’t come to that…will it? If you want to test my patience though, I’m more than capable of breaking every bone in your body and believe me when I say that I’ll start with the most painful ones.” He twisted his neck until a sharp crack resonated around the room.

Lainey dropped her gaze to her feet, and studiously contemplated her salmon-pink toenails. She nearly laughed to see they’d come through this ridiculous mess relatively unscathed. They were possibly the only part of her that had, or would.

“That won’t be necessary,” she said in a small voice, and suddenly she realised she needed clothes—lots of clothes. The more barriers she had against this vampire the better. She immediately began searching for her jeans, but had no idea where Mercer had flung them the night before.

“I didn’t think it would.” Mercer opened the Louis XV wardrobe that dominated the rear of the room, and pulled out another pair of jeans and a soft red wool sweater. “Here.”

“You put those in there yesterday, didn’t you?” Lainey was scowling.

“I think arguing with me would be a bad idea,” said Mercer, returning her glowering look with spades.

“Well, it’s nice to know that you thought I was a sure thing, even when you protested.” Lainey began rummaging through the clothes furiously. “If you’ve forgotten to give me a set of underwear, so help me God, I am going to explode.”

There was a tick in Mercer’s jaw as he replied, “There’s panties.”

When Lainey looked up at him, she had the suspicion that Mercer was inwardly laughing at her. Examining the offending items at the bottom of the pile with narrowed eyes, she let out a growl of displeasure.

“Just so you know,” she spat, “these are not panties. They are unfinished lace curtains.” She stormed off to the bathroom and slammed the door.

“Then they are the smallest curtains I’ve ever laid eyes on,” he yelled through the door.

They didn’t speak again until both were seated in the Mégane and on their way to the airport. She wondered if Mercer was trying to break the world’s land speed record, and the little French car didn’t think much of his attempt. It creaked, whined and shook, but he granted it no relief.

“I’m hungry,” Lainey complained after her backside had gone completely numb, and her teeth were rattling inside her head.

“You’ll live.” Mercer didn’t take his eyes off the road.

“I’m hungry and I need the bathroom,” retorted Lainey, who was not to be fobbed off.

“So you’ll live and you’ll need to cross your legs for the next half hour. We’ll be arriving at Charles De Gaulle shortly. You’re a big girl so you’ll just have to hold it.”

Lainey squirmed uncomfortably in her seat and muttered, “I like Guillaume a lot more than I like you. At least he fed me.”

“I like Guillaume a lot more than me but unfortunately one of your pals has him, which is why we can’t waste any more time with
human
problems.” Mercer neatly swerved out of the way of a VW camper van going half the motorway speed limit. To enable the driver to understand how he felt, he used several well-known finger signals in his rear view mirror.

“Not all witches are
my pals
, and how on earth have you not managed to learn some patience in your hundreds of years on this planet?” She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“You couldn’t have liked Guillaume that much more than me because I’m the one you went to bed with,” said Mercer, ignoring the former comment. Before Lainey could fire back a retort, he asked, “What’s in the serum?”

“I told you…a cure for cancer.” Lainey fiddled with her hands in her lap and refused to look at him.

“Yes, I remember. What else is in the serum?”

Lainey put her hands up to her head and rubbed her temples. “Do we have to do this here?”

“You’d rather do it on the aircraft?” This time she did look at him and his expression was deadly serious.

“Yes. There’ll be more people on the aircraft.” She sounded nervous. She couldn’t help it. Whatever way she played this one, it was not going to go down well.

“You like having an audience, huh? I’d never have guessed.” He whistled then smirked.

“You’re not funny.” Lainey began chewing at her fingernails. If that wasn’t a telling sign of nerves, she had no idea what was. Breathing deeply, she carefully placed both hands in her lap, and then clutched them tightly together.

“What’s in the serum, Lainey?”

The interior of the car filled with a long stretch of silence that Lainey refused to break. His hands tapping upon the steering wheel nearly drove her mad but eventually he tilted his head to one side, and simply clucked his tongue. Lainey hoped he was done with the conversation, but that was not to be the case.

“I can reach under the waist band of your jeans and snap the elastic on those panties oh, so very easily. Bras also annoy me as you may have guessed. I could probably do some damage to that too. While we’re at it…”

“Fine,” she screeched. “The serum also happens to be deadly for certain creatures.”

Mercer seemed to take a second to digest that. Then he made a long rumbling sound in his throat. Lainey debated opening the car door and taking a flying leap, but at around the one-hundred-and-forty kilometres an hour speed they were travelling at, she’d had better ideas. Finally, when her words had sunk in, he erupted.

“Oh, you are fucking kidding me. You’ve developed a vamp killer?” He did look at her then and when she didn’t deny the fact, he banged his head against the steering wheel in exasperation. It took him a few moments to calm down with some more frantic tongue-clicking happening but Lainey thought overall, he was taking it quite well.

“Well, it’s no wonder you’re so popular around here. Now things are really starting to fall into place. Maybe I should just kill you now and have done with it? It would save me an awful lot of trouble.” His hands banged down upon the wheel but Lainey noted there were no fangs, which meant he’d already made his decision.

“But you won’t. You have too much at stake,” whispered Lainey, and hoped fervently that it was true.

“Speaking of stakes, I could do with one right now. Your friend appears to have many plans for me—really nice plans.” Mercer’s eyes went black with anger, but Lainey couldn’t help but admire his beautiful face.

“For the second time, she’s not my friend and if you think you’re in trouble, you have no idea what she’ll do when she finally gets her hands on me.”

The silence resumed, and this time it seemed endless.

***

They didn’t speak again until much later. Mercer spent the short forty-minute flight across the North Sea with his eyes closed and Lainey tried to do the same, though sleep was the last thing on her mind.

As they walked together to retrieve his car at the airport parking lot, she decided she’d test her luck with a question. “Are you really going to hand me over to Kalliope?”

“Yes.” Mercer gave the short unequivocal reply without hesitation.

Lainey sucked in a breath at the callous way he’d answered, but she really hadn’t expected anything else. He’d made no secret of the fact that he abhorred witches. Glancing across at him and taking in his slow disjointed movements, she frowned. The vampire looked awful. His eyes were bloodshot, there were darkening bags underneath them and his face had taken on a sallow yellow tinge. Lainey wasn’t sure if it was the after-effects of the witch fire, or something else. He didn’t seem overly disposed to conversation though, so she guessed it might be better if she left her questions silent for the time being.

When his car was in view, he reached into his pocket and tossed her the keys. “Do you mind driving?”

Lainey’s eyes widened. She looked at the Mercedes, and then she looked back at Mercer as if he’d gone mad. “You want me to drive this?”

“It’s an automatic. You can drive an automatic, right?”

Her mouth opened, and closed then opened and closed again, but she nodded.

Pulling the passenger door open wide, he sunk slowly into the bucket seat. “It’s just a car, Lainey, but do try to keep it in one piece, okay? I’m rather fond of it.”