Bond Deeper Than Blood

Can I trust Beck and Laurent?

I don’t have a choice.

If Mercy isn’t in this world, I sure as hell want no part of it.

“You about ready to go see Miss Edna?”

Mercy scrunches her nose. “Can I go with Laurent instead?”

“No,” I say with a smile. “Laurent has superhero work to do, remember?”

She pouts as she packs her bag. I try not to lose my mind when she wobbles or sways. Her time is running out and it scares me to death.

I’ve made my decision.

Tonight, when it gets dark, I’ll ask Beck to do it. To take us back to his home and perform a miracle if he can. We can begin our hunting once more as soon as she’s safe and healthy.

We spend the next little while getting ready. At the first sign of darkness, Laurent appears in my living room. He strides right over to me, pulls me to him, and kisses the fire out of me.

“I missed you,” he whispers against my lips. “So much.”

“I missed you too.” I’ve been reduced to a lovesick teenage girl. “I want to go home with you tonight. Both of us.”

His eyes widen in surprise. “To see if Beck can treat her?”

“Yes,” I admit, “and to see where you live. Mercy doesn’t get out much. I think she would have fun.”

He grins at me, delight shining in his red eyes. “I might keep you there forever.”

“If Beck heals my daughter, I might just let you.”

Slam.

Bam.

Crash.

Our happy time is cut short when the front door splinters as two vampires burst through it. Beck tumbles inside, snarling at Weston. I shriek, shoving my daughter behind me as I curse the fact my stakes are in my bedroom.

Laurent hisses, standing in a protective stance in front of us as Wynona steps past Beck and Weston, who are still wrestling for the upper hand.

“There you are, dog,” she purrs. “We’ve been looking for you.”

Laurent growls. “Leave, bitch.”

“Don’t be rude to your mommy.” Her murky white eyes widen when she locks eyes with me. “The little girl grew up. Are you playing house with her now?”

“Stay back,” Laurent roars when Wynona steps forward.

“We can turn them both,” Wynona offers. “You can keep them forever.”

“Stay the fuck away from my family,” Laurent snarls at her.

Wynona screeches, lurching forward, but Laurent is quicker. Stronger. Fiercer. He grabs her and pulls her into a choke hold. She flails and hisses, but he’s too strong.

“I should rip your head off your shoulders,” Laurent growls.

I touch his back, reminding him they need to live in order to complete my deal with Beck. As much as I want them to die, I can’t lose Mercy over vengeance.

“You’re going home,” Laurent snaps. “Beck, you good?”

Beck has also subdued the other vampire, though he’s a lot more disheveled than Laurent.

“Ready,” Beck says.

“You won’t be gone long?” I ask, my voice a soft squeak.

“We’ll be back before dawn,” Beck assures me. “Let’s go.”

The four of them teleport in a flash.

“They got the bad guys!” Mercy cheers.

My heart is racing in my chest. “They sure did, baby.”

I turn to kneel in front of her. My hand shakes as I run it over her pale face, assessing her for damages even though I know she was safe behind me. Soon, this will be all over.

“They were right,” a cold voice says from behind me.

I’m on my feet in the next instant, swiveling around to face the person in my apartment. Him. Griffin. The fangless monster in my world.

“Get out,” I snap, injecting all the venom I have into my voice.

“Not without my daughter.”

“She’s not yours. She never was yours. She never will be yours.”

“DNA says differently.”

“Fuck DNA!” I bellow. “Get out!”

“You know, Casti, I let you play mommy and do your thing, but tonight proves what those vampires told me. You’re not in security or some cop. You’re a vampire fucker. That shit will get my child killed and I won’t sit around for it.” He bends to pick up a broken piece of my door. “Come to Daddy, Mercy.”

“No,” she whispers. “You’re not my daddy.”

Griffin stands up, his blue eyes flashing in fury. “I’m your father and if you keep up the back talk, I’ll punish you. You may have gotten away with shit like that with your mother, but it won’t happen with me.”

“Get the fuck out of my apartment you rapist piece of shit,” I hiss. “Go!”

“Not without what I came for.”

He moves too quickly and before I can protect myself, he smacks me in the head with the wood. Stars glitter in my vision. I hit the ground hard, blacking out.

I can hear her screams until they fade into nothing.

He took her and I can’t do anything about it.

Laurent

The Pale Province is cold and desolate. I don’t like it and my heart calls for me to reenter my own realm. Being in another realm feels as though all my connections to Castilla have been severed. Like the removal of a limb. I hate the sick feeling roiling in my stomach.