For years, I drifted, disconnected from everything.
In the blink of an eye, Castilla was back in my life. Beautiful. Older. Tough. I’d worked so hard to be the man she needs, even if I am a vampire. Touching her bonded me to her, but kissing her, tasting her, fucking her… As soon as we took that final step, I felt her. Heard her. Practically became one with her. From all the way across the state of New York, I could feel her emotions and need coursing through invisible cords that bound us. I’d damn near gone crazy with the need to get back to her. And now? Now it feels as though she’s dead to me. I hate it with everything in my being.
“May I offer you a drink?” a servant asks, his smile polite.
“No, thank you.”
I’ve been waiting here for hours while Beck speaks to the twins’ father in privacy. They’ve been locked inside a cell in the catacombs beneath the royal castle, awaiting whatever it is Marlon has planned for them. I’d wanted to leave, but Beck asked me to stay. I owe him that much. Plus, he thinks he can help Mercy. I’d do anything for those girls, even if that means having to be bored out of my skull while Beck has a family reunion.
Beck finally returns with Marlon. Marlon thanks us for our assistance and then disappears.
“We good to leave?” I ask, practically thrumming with the need to teleport.
He nods. “They’ve been detained. If he can’t get his serum to work, they’ll be dead at first light.”
Music to my ears.
“Great, let’s go. I have a bad feeling.”
We teleport back to Castilla’s. The moment I see a man holding her, I bare my fangs, ready to pounce.
“Let her go!” I roar, fury in my words making me tremble.
“It’s just Jude,” Castilla says. “Oh, Laurent! He took her!”
She runs from the man’s arms right into mine as I try to make sense of her words. Who took who? Her tears soak my shirt as she sobs. I hug her tight, kissing her head.
“What happened?” I demand, my eyes locking with Jude’s.
His lips press together in a firm line. “Griffin took Mercy.”
Griffin?
I remember the motherfucker’s name because it was right after I made Castilla mine that she revealed how he raped her as a young teenager. That monster will die soon.
“Where could he have gone?” I ask, my body shaking with rage. “I will kill him for you. Bring his fucking head back on a stick.”
“I have my people on it,” Jude assures me. “They’re looking as we speak. We’re just waiting on some sort of intel so we can go after her.”
“She’s not far,” Beck says.
“What? How do you know?” Castilla demands as she pulls away to regard Beck.
“I’ve tasted her blood. It’s unique and bitter and tainted. I can smell it from miles away.” He points north. “We’ll find her.”
Jude storms over to Beck, poking him in his chest. “You tasted her blood? She’s a fucking kid, man!”
“It was an accident and I’m going to heal her. We just have to find her first.” Beck sighs and shakes his head. “If you’re done berating me, let’s go.”
Jude gets called away by a crisis at the organization he works for, which is fine by me. I breathe a little better when the man isn’t touching my girl. She’s distraught and terrified for Mercy. The only man she needs comforting her is me.
“I hate him,” Castilla grumbles for the millionth time. “I’m going to kill him.”
And I’ll help.
That fucker needs to die. Mercy doesn’t need her sperm donor taking care of her. She has me. I could be a much better father than Griffin could ever dream of. I missed my chance with Castilla and my son, Jesse, but I’ll be damned if I miss that opportunity with Mercy.
Beck stops, his entire body tensing.
“What is it?” Castilla demands. “Did he hurt her?”
“She’s weakening. Mercy is scared and it’s depleting her of her energy. I think she just passed out.” His jaw clenches. “He’s keeping her on the move and it’s wearing her out. We’re running out of time.”
I grab Castilla’s wrist and we run faster down the street. We could teleport if we knew where they were. Right now, we’re just chasing how Beck can sense her. The sky is beginning to turn purple, which means in another half hour or so, we’re fucked. Beck and I will be forced to leave. The thought of leaving Castilla alone to deal with the search of Mercy by herself sickens me.
I’m a fucking vampire.
I should be powerful. No match against a human man.
And yet…
In thirty minutes, I’ll be worthless.
“This way,” Beck growls. “Something’s happened!”
He flashes ahead, but I can’t leave Castilla alone. She runs as fast as she can. Time passes too quickly as we race after him.