Have No Mercy (23 page)

I didn’t eat the food. I couldn’t
be sure what the intentions of the person who’d brought it. Rowen may have
order human food, but he hadn’t personal brought it to me. I couldn’t take that
chance.

The room itself was large and
opulent. It had a sitting area, a bathroom, which I made use of, and besides
the bed and night table, there was a wardrobe full of all kinds of clothes that
fit. After my bath and other grooming, I considered it amazing because I didn’t
have an audience although Molly had done her best to give me privacy. I slipped
on jeans and a top. There were also real shoes, not the slippers I’d been
wearing.

I hopped on the large and lush
bed covered in a rich green duvet. I’d never been so excited to see the color
green in all my life. The gardens were green in both Winter and Summer, but the
interior of Winter had been cold and sterile. Even the few colors I’d seen,
always felt lifeless.

My eyes closed and without an
alarm, I hoped I’d wake to darkness otherwise I would have to wait another day
to make my move.

A knock at my door woke me up. I
scrambled off the bed and padded to the door. The wooden floor didn’t creak as
I walked which was a good thing. When I opened the door, Tristrom’s pensive
face met me on the other side.

“Come in.”

He breezed in, and I had a moment
while Tristrom formulated his words. I hadn’t been exactly sure what to do
about him. He’d found who I assumed was his lost love, and I didn’t want to
force him from her. He’d been jerked around enough. My plan was to leave with
or without him, damn the Elven queen. The only hitch was that Tristrom was in
Summer and without me, there was a chance Tatiana would take her anger out on
him for my leaving. Which was why I planned to warn Tristrom so he could leave
with his girl.

“It’s not her,” he said after a
silent preamble. “It looks like her, it sounds like her, but it’s not her.”

“Okay, so what do you want to
do?” He stared at me. “Fine, I’m leaving.” His eyes grew to the size of
quarters. “I’m getting the scepter and I’m getting out of here. You heard these
crazy people; they want to enslave humans. I can’t let that happen. I feel bad
for them, but not enough to sacrifice Earth. Are you in or out?”

A pause and another until he held
out a hand towards the door. So we went. I left the little light on in the
room. I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad, but I figured it would let the Fey
think that I was still in there. Outside, it was dark. There were torches at
the four corners of each balcony floor. But that was it. We moved fast towards
the corner stairs Rowen had brought me up. At the bottom, we ended up outside
and came back in through the short hall that led to the stage. Once there, I
froze. It was too dark, and I was afraid to step and something fall and alert
guards that something was amiss.

Tristrom, the clever, sneaky guy
he was, conjured a small blue light and shined it in the direction of the
scepter’s case. Apparently, he’d spied it earlier too. We walked slowly until
we reached it. He quickly shined the light over the glass case searching for
any obvious latches or hidden ones.

When a noise came from above, he
extinguished the light without being asked. Pressed for time, I continued to
run my hand across the edges until I hit a corner and cut myself.

Quietly, I said Ouch and sucked
my thumb that had been pricked. At the same time, a whoosh of air was released,
and the glass case opened. I guessed blood from a royal Summer Fey, or just
blood had been the key to opening it. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness. And
while I couldn’t see perfectly, I could see that something rose.

“Hey, you there.”

It was classic movie script. Just
when we were about to get away, we were going to get caught. I didn’t waste
time. I stuck my hand in and lifted the staff. It was heavier than it looked.
It clanged against the metal edges just as I released it.

Tristrom had my hand, and we
quickly moved back the way we came. Out of sight, in the short hall, Tristrom
said, “Think of where you want to be.”

And before I could stop the
imagine, it filled my mind’s eye. The sphere of light that burst forth from his
palm was like a beacon.

"Come on," Tristrom
encouraged.

Running steps, and I leaped
forward hearing our pursuers almost on us. I just hoped Tristrom's secret
wasn't exposed because of me. Just before Tristrom practically shoved me in the
portal, I heard Rowen’s voice yell, “Wait.”

The oddly lit corridor
disappeared behind me, and natural light filled my vision. Just as I made my
first step for human kind, I doubled over in agony landing in a heap.

Tristrom knelt at my side. Words
left his mouth and missed my ears. I closed my eyes tight fighting an internal
battle. My demon was back and was mad as hell for what I didn't know. She was
fighting for control. But I knew I couldn't give it to her, no matter our pact.
I could feel her need inside me. She wanted to taste Tristrom life energy and
regain her strength. I couldn’t let that happen. He’d been used by too many
people, and I wouldn’t betray him in that way. On my knees in the grass, I fisted
my hands into the soil while the demon pushed against me.

Eyes, not my own, opened. She
found Tristrom who stumbled back and crab walked away from the demon in me. She
cocked our head to the side and formed a sly grin to ease on our face. A car
door slammed and switched her focus to the driveway. In that moment of
distraction, I took yanked back control.

On my feet, I was running.
"Maggie." It felt like forever since I'd seen her.

We embraced like school girls,
holding each other tight for long moments, and we jumped up and down with
squeals of joy.

After my time in Fairy, I was
able to hold back the increasing ache of my heart and the reality of this
existence. I’d had to deal with it on my own, and although it was slightly
worse here, I was able to do it.

"Where have you been?"
She asked with wide eyes and need for truths I wasn't sure I had time for.

My mind boggled for a moment. I
hadn’t been sure what to expect when I came home. Would I have missed days,
weeks, years or centuries? But Maggie looked the same, and I was grateful, so
grateful. However, when I said nothing, her eyes had found Tristrom because
they became relieved then accusatory.

"Who's that? And why does he
look so much like Luke. Well almost."

"Maggie there is so much I
have to tell you, but I need to do something first. Both of you come."

Without wasting another moment, I
turned picked up the scepter I’d dropped and ran inside the house. Mom's and
David's cars were outside.

"Mom," I called out and
set the scepter on the foyer table.

Her head popped out from the
kitchen area, and I was running again to fiercely embrace her. "I'm sorry
Mom. I'm so sorry."

She was crying as I felt the
moisture on my face as she checked me over with hands to make sure I was okay.
"We were so worried."

"I know. I should have told
you."

I heard stumbling steps come to a
stop, and I glanced over my shoulder to see David. He had that deer in
headlight look unsure if he should interrupt. But I let Mom go, and I ran to a
man I respected, who had been nothing but an amazing father to me in such a
short time, and a lifetime to Flynn.

With my face buried in his chest,
I let go of a solitary tear overwhelmed by the outpouring of love I didn't
deserve.

I pulled back. "I'm glad you
guys are okay."

Mom stepped forward creating our
family triangle while Maggie and Tristrom held silent in the background.

"Why wouldn't we be? We were
worried about you."

I glanced back to see Tristrom.
There were things I needed to say to him, but I saw him sway on his feet.

"Luke." I heard my mom
whisper as I moved towards the guy that saved my life too many times than I
wanted to admit.

"No, that's not Luke,"
David said softly.

"Are you okay?" I
asked.

Tristrom's stormy eyes met mine.
"I didn't realize how much energy it would take to traverse worlds."

I squeezed his hand and turned to
Maggie, who appeared more than a little star-struck. "Can you take him
upstairs to one of the spare rooms to rest?"

"Sure, but you and I have to
talk." Her head shifted slightly as one brow rose.

"I know. But, please."

She nodded. "I'm
Maggie." She held out a hand to him.

Surprisingly, he didn’t take a
year to answer her. "Tristrom," he said giving her a tiny smile.

"Let's go upstairs. You so
look like you need a nap."

"You could say that."
His half smile was sad, and I worried for him. He’d thought he’d gotten someone
back but had been duped again.

I watched from the hallway as
they climbed the stairs wondering if I should have followed in case he couldn't
make it. When they crested, I signaled to Mom and David to follow me into the
formal living room, a place I rarely visited.

"You should sit."

There was no way but to rip the
Band-Aid off and tell them the truth of it.

"First, you should know I
tried to kill Sebastian."

Mom gasped, covering her mouth
with one hand and running a hand through her spiky blonde hair with the other.
David, on the other hand, just stared at me before opening his mouth.

"What did he do?" he
asked.

I launched into the whole story
of it from prom, to sticking my knife in Sebastian sending him to his death or
hell or both, then to accepting the Elven queen's request for my presence. I
told of my bargain and acceptance of the return favor. Then, onto the good part
of landing in Fairy and all that happened thereafter.

A long pause lingered before I
gained enough courage to tell David most of the next part. "He says he
wants to stay there," I said at the end.

David immediately exploded from
his seat looking more like a grizzly bear than I thought possible.
"What!"

The humiliating part was to come
and to know that once again it was my fault made it that much worse. So I told
him all Flynn's reason, not skipping much. As his father, he had a right to
know.

David began to pace, and Mom and
I watched in utter silence. She peeked over to me giving me a small smile that
felt frail at best. Then she stood to comfort her husband. He shrugged her off,
and I closed my eyes. His rejection of her was all because of me.

I stood. "I'm sorry."

He stopped and found me staring
at him while my nervous hands were cupped together wondering what I could
possibly say to make this better.

"I need to see him," he
demanded with imploring eyes. He allowed Mom's hand to rest on his arm and to
give him a half embrace.

It was a reasonable request. If
only I could honor it.

"I don't think that's a good
idea." My words were soft but firm.

Cool eyes assessed me, and I felt
their chilly depths deep within my bones. "There is no way I'm not going
to say at least goodbye to my only son."

I tried to appeal to him with the
warmth of my next words. "I wouldn't dare stop you from that. But don't
you see. The Madeline will see you as another able body." I left it at
that. There was no way I was getting into a sex conversation with what amounted
to my parents.

His shoulders slumped, and his
eyes lost the shine of determination. He glanced over at Mom briefly, then back
to mine. He licked his lips as if his next words were going to cut him.
"There are things I need to tell him. I don't think I could go on without
saying them to him. You understand, don't you Mercy."

There was a pain that mirrored in
my heart. He didn't have to mention Luke for me not to understand our kinship
in this situation. How I would have given anything to tell Luke certain things
if only I knew it was going to be our last time. I sighed and nodded.

"I'll go back," I
announced.

"Mercy, I can't put you in
danger again," Mom pleaded.

I shook my head. "Everything
is all my fault."

Mom opened her mouth. And a part
of me wanted her to acknowledge her part in the destruction of my life. But
honestly, I knew better. She had held secrets from me. But everything I'd done
after was my own doing. I had realized that much since Luke's departure from
this world. I still refused to say death, because I couldn't allow myself to
believe he didn't exist somewhere.

I held up a hand. "No, Flynn
followed me because he was trying to protect me. I have to get Tristrom back to
his mother or at least give him the choice." I looked towards the door
expecting Tristrom to be there and my omissions of truths to him to be
revealed. But no one was there. It didn't matter. I needed to make it right
with him. “Then, I’ll use the scepter to get back or Tristrom can lead the
way.”

"Mercy."

It was Mom's turn. She faced her
husband. "David, I don't want Mercy in harm's way any more than you.
But..."

She trailed off, and David
blanched. He swallowed clearly conflicted by whatever she hadn't said. Tears
burned a path down her face. "I don't want to choose between my
daughter," she paused. She cupped her mouth as a sob ran through her.
"And you." Her eyes met David's. But she stands a better chance of
returning especially if Tristan—"

"Tristrom," I softly
corrected.

"Tristrom will help her. He
could get her in and out. And they don't know she's left. So her presence won't
look like an intrusion. And we have to trust her. She's managed to get herself
out of many binds."

David scrubbed his face and began
to pace. Just when I was about to ask what was going on, he stopped and faced
me. His eyes shined with pain I couldn't imagine. "Can I send a
video?"

I shook my head.
"Electronics don't work there."

Fingertips pressed at his eyes
before a deep exhale of breath. "A letter then."

I nodded, and he headed for the
door. Once he was gone, I turned to Mom. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing for you to worry
about now. But Mercy, you have to know I don't want either of you to go. There
is a war inside my head to try to find a way to stop you. And the other part of
me wants you to know that I'm so very proud of you. What you are going through
hasn't been easy. And I have only made it harder for you. But you also need to
know I believe in you. You are far greater in courage than you may ever
know."

She wrapped arms about me and
pulled me tight. I held on as she cried, and I knew there was more she wasn't
telling me. I didn't ask. The hurt in truth knowing she was again holding
something back before I left again not knowing if I'd be so lucky to get away a
second time.

“Mom, there is something else you
need to know.” I hadn’t told them about Grandfather. There was just so much
else to say, I’d forgotten. She waited. “Ryck, he came to me in my dreams…” And
I told her about both of them.

She sat like her legs had given
way. “He loves me.” The words were broken as if a small child found out that
her favorite toy could be fixed.

“Love isn’t allowed. And I think
they found out he was protecting you or me, I don’t know. But he probably
hasn’t given us up. And he’s paying for it.” At least that was my best guess.

“I have to go to Belial.”

I shook my head. “You will do no
such thing. What if they are using him to get to us? If Belial can get you to
go willingly to hell, do you think he’ll let you leave?”

She paled and got to her feet.
“Don’t do anything crazy Mom. Please, I can’t worry about you too. And
Sebastian is after me.”

I wrapped her in a hug and let
her cry some more. I wanted to cry too, but all my tears were gone for the
moment.

A knock sounded at the door, and
we separated. Trading glances, Mom raised a finger to her lips for silence. She
gestured towards the back of the room, signaling for me to stay back. I didn't
hide totally. I wasn't going to be a coward, but the element of surprise would
be to my advantage.

Peeking from the other side of
the wall opening, I watched ready to pounce as Mom opened the door.

"Is Mercy here?"

I recognized the voice at the
same time I caught a profile of the boy. I moved forward.

"Tom."

I didn't leap into his arms. I
didn't even run. We were friends, but Tom had always made it a point to keep
his distance from me at least to those who might assume we could be more than
friends.

Oddly, it was Tom who pulled me
into a hug. "I'm sorry Mercy. I'm so sorry."

A tidal wave of emotion wanted to
wash over me, but I forced it back. I pulled free and said, "What's
up?" I tried to sound casual as if all was well. He didn't need to know of
my current troubles. Tom was the kind of guy who would want to help.

I looked him over with his flop
of hair; his hoodie paired with skater shorts slightly past his knees with a
chain that hung loose from front hook to back pocket. There was something new
about him, and I caught it when my eyes came back to his handsome face. He
supported a metal hoop in the corner of his mouth and metal on his eyebrows and
ears.

"What's up with all
this?" I asked again allowing my hand to go in a wide arc all around him.
I smiled while speaking. It was the first time in a while I had something to
laugh at that wasn't about life and death.

Tom didn't smile back and ignored
the comment about his new look. "I know it's only been a couple of days,
but I need your help."

Alarm rang like church bells in
my head. So much for life and death.

"Can I come in?"

I stepped back and glanced at
Mom.

"I'll go check on
David," she said walking back towards David's office, another place I
rarely went.

I ushered him into the living
room which seemed to be the place to break bad news. I sat because I couldn't
imagine what he had to say would be good at all. Not with the pinched
expression on his face.

"Mercy," he began. He
was seated with wide legs like guys do. His elbows at his knees while he leaned
forward to talk to me as if he knew he would have to beg for my help. I
swallowed. What could possibly be wrong? "You know my grandpa is
dying."

I nodded.

His head dropped, and he sighed
before lifting it again. "Mom went to be with him leaving me here to watch
over Brent and Doug." When he paused, I just bobbed my head encouraging
him to continue. His parents had left to go visit before which was why he was
at our school. I didn’t even remember that she returned. "Well,
Grandfather won't be here much longer and the shifter community is up in arms
over Mom taking over as head."

Okay, I wasn't at all sure where
he was going with this.

"They are a bunch of dark
agers pigs, who don't see women as strong enough to lead." He waved a hand
dismissively as he spoke next. "You know lionesses aren't queens of the
pride or anything in nature. And a lion leads and a lioness protects...
provides comfort." His cheeks blossomed in a bright shade of pink.
"Feeds, nurtures," he added quickly as if to get over the whole sex
topic. I understood his embarrassment. Hadn't I felt it just moments before in
the conversation with my... parents? I was still trying to get used to the idea
that I wanted David to be my Dad no matter how old I was. He was a good one,
better than I'd ever imagined.

It seemed silly as no doubt Tom
wasn't a virgin? Or was he? I shook my head trying to clear my thoughts. Why
did it matter? I would never find out. I had no desire to know what he had or
hadn't done in the sheets.

"How can I help?" I
asked wanting to extinguish all thoughts but the problem at hand.

"There's more." He
pushed back his hair, and I watched it feather down back over his forehead.
"Brent's gone rabid. Doug isn't much help. I'm going to Ireland soon. And
I need you and Flynn to come with me. I need allies. I have no idea what I'm
walking into other than they want to crown me King."

My mouth dropped open. Yeah,
Flynn had made that dumb remark about Tom being King of the Jungle or something
like that. Ling King. I think that was it. But King. Yes, there is a Queen of
England, but most countries have some form of democracy or at least my liberal
naïve brain thought that. To think that there was a ruling class within a sect
of the supernatural seemed out of place. Was there a Cambion King or Queen? I
hadn't bothered to ask. I hadn't asked much about anything except what was
going on in my life? Was that stupid or had my life been spiraling out of
control the last several months, I didn't have time to think of much else.

"King?" I asked dumbly,
not knowing what else to say.

He nodded.

I glanced away because I would
have to admit my own troubles.

"Flynn's not here and I'm
not sure he'll be back."

Tom fish-mouthed. So I helped him
along, giving him a short version of the events that happened since he'd last
seen me.

"So he's really not coming
back?"

Grimly, I shook my head. "I
don't think so."

"Can you come?"

"Of course I'm willing to
help," I said. "But what can I do for you. I'm not the most skilled
fighter."

He blushed, and my eyebrows shot
up. He talked to the floor when he said, "The last thing I need to do
while securing my mother's safety and figuring a solution to this mess is to
worry about the posturing of females trying to be my alpha female. I hoped
maybe you could pretend that you are that female."

When I sat up rigidly shifting on
my seat, the noise of my movement brought his head up.

"Just for pretend. You know
I don't see you that way at all."

The vehemence in his words made
me bristle slightly. Although I understood, it still didn't feel nice when
someone all but told you; you weren't good enough for them.

"Awe shit, I'm messing this
up. Mercy, you and your..." He waved a hand in front of us. "It's
just I figure Flynn's your..." He scrambled for words again.
"your..."

"Mate," I said offering
him a length of rope, so he didn't hang himself with his words.

"Yeah mate. Even
though..." He still stammered. "Well, I'm not going to step on
anyone's toes. The last thing I need is a girlfriend."

I'd heard this all before and
allowed my spine to relax. Tom had a lot of stuff to worry about least of which
was my feelings. I had enough admirers, which sounded conceited even to my
ears, but there you have it. I didn't want or need anymore of them. If
anything, I wished I could go back to plain Mercy to whom no boy save Paul had
talked to.