Chapter 18
chaotic mess of flickering lights and muffled groans. We had just returned from the battle, our bodies bruised but spirits high. The sight of Muggs was enough to melt some of the tension in my shoulders; his serene face amidst the wreckage felt like an anchor.
“Everyone’s alive?” I asked, scanning the room for familiar faces. Sebastian gave a tight nod, Annabelle murmured something about protective spells that held. Pauli shifted back into human form, and this time, didn’t linger too long in the nude. Annabelle tossed him his clothes, and he slipped them on.
“Where’s Juliet?” My voice cracked on the last syllable. I couldn’t see her anywhere, and an icy dread crept up my spine.
“She has to be here,” Mel said, worry etching lines across her usually composed face. “We smashed all the statues, right? There weren’t any more in the rubble…”
I took off running. I dashed through the labyrinthine tunnels, every shadow turning my blood cold. What if I hadn’t smashed the right statue in time? What if I had lost Juliet forever? My heart pounded louder than any battle drum. Each step echoed the same fear. Not again. Not another loss.
“Juliet!” I screamed, my voice reverberating off the stone walls. Nothing. Just silence and the scent of damp earth. Panic clawed at my insides. Damn it, where was she?
Just when I thought my heart might explode from the sheer terror, a figure emerged from the darkness. Juliet, looking as nonchalant as ever and dragging a handsome young man behind her. His eyes were glazed, clearly under her thrall.
“Hey Mercy,” she called out, waving casually as if she hadn’t just put me through emotional hell. Relief flooded through me, and I nearly collapsed.
“Juliet! You scared the deadly daylights out of me!” I enveloped her in a hug.
“Sorry about that. When that ghost that was in me croaked…for good this time…I didn’t know how long it would take for you to get back home. And I figured you’d be hungry, so I brought a snack.” She gestured to the dazed human beside her.
“He’s one of the blood maids who lives down here, you know. Didn’t have to go far to get him.”
I sighed and shook my head. “I recognize him. Thank you. That was thoughtful. You just had me worried that I didn’t save you in time.”
“I’m fine!” Juliet laughed. “Call it a date?”
“You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet.”
“Well, I do try,” she replied with a wink.
We pulled the human into a nearby room, its dim lighting casting eerie shadows on the walls. The scent of aged wood and dust hung in the air, mingling with the intoxicating aroma of fresh, warm blood. My fangs throbbed as my lips parted.
“Ready?” she asked, her eyes meeting mine.
“Born ready. Or Died ready. Again, I mean.”
We bit down simultaneously, our fangs piercing his skin with a satisfying crunch. Blood—rich, warm, and full of life—flooded my mouth. It was like tasting pure ecstasy, each drop fueling a fire within me. But as the crimson liquid flowed, I realized just how insatiable my hunger had become. The more I drank, the harder it was to stop.
“Mercy,” Juliet’s voice broke through the haze, her hand gripping mine with surprising strength. “Pull away. We don’t want to kill the guy.”
I fought against the overwhelming urge, forcing myself to release him. The man’s pulse slowed, and I licked my lips, savoring the last traces of blood. A sigh escaped me, heavy with frustration.
“Can’t believe I’m new again.” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.
“It doesn’t matter,” Juliet said, her voice calm but firm. “Nothing’s changed.”
“Of course, it matters!” I snapped back. “Everything’s changed!”
Juliet stared at me blankly. “Why does it matter, Mercy?”
“Because I was the surviving progeny of Niccolo the Damned! The Daughter of the First! Now I’m...well...like Donnie pointed out...I’m my own grandma.”
Juliet threw her head back and laughed. “That’s a horrible way to put it. But it still doesn’t matter.”
“How doesn’t it matter?” I demanded. “I’ve lost everything that made me unique, powerful. That lineage was my legacy.”
“Do you really think we follow you because of who your vampire daddy was?” Juliet asked, taking my hand in hers. Her grip was steady, grounding. “Please. That has nothing to do with it. We follow you because you’re a damn good leader. No matter what shit comes at us, you always find a way forward. You give people hope. That’s why you’re our queen.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I opened my mouth to argue, but no sound came out. Instead, I found myself looking into her eyes, searching for any sign of insincerity and finding none.
“Hope, huh?”
“Yes, hope,” she repeated, squeezing my hand gently. “And your magic kicks ass, too.”
“Well, can’t deny that,” I muttered, a grudging smile tugging at the corners of my lips.
“See? There’s the Mercy I know.” Juliet winked at me. “Now let’s get this place cleaned up and show everyone that their fearless leader is back in action.”
“Fearless?” I shook my head. “That’s not true, you know. When you were taken like that. Then just a few minutes ago, when I thought I lost you.”
Juliet pushed her index finger to my lips. “I know, Mercy. Everyone has fear. But you face your fears every time. They don’t control you. That’s what I love about you. Well, one of a dozen or maybe a thousand things I love about you.”
“Thanks for saying so. But I don’t know,” I said, feeling a little lighter but still uncertain. Juliet took my hand and led me back to the throne room.
As we stepped into the room all eyes turned towards us. It was like stepping onto a stage where I hadn’t quite memorized my lines yet. Antoine, ever the loyal commander of the Underground vampires, approached with that composed demeanor of his.
“Any orders, my Queen?”
“Do you...do you know what happened to me?” I asked, tilting my head. A part of me dreaded the answer, fearing judgment or pity.
“More or less,” he said with a nod, his eyes intense but kind. “What are your orders, my queen?”
Juliet nudged me gently. “Told you so.”
“Alright,” I said, straightening my posture. “In that case, everyone, let’s clean up this place while the sun’s out. But tonight…no work. No fight. No battles. I want everyone to go out and have fun. Non-murderous fun, preferably.”
“Of course, my queen,” Antoine replied. He gave a half-bow, a rare show of formality from him. “As you wish.”
“Good,” I said. “Now, let’s get to work.”
I moved through the crowd, exchanging brief words and nods, before spotting Mel in a corner of the throne room, looking both relieved and exhausted.
“Mel,” I called out. “Where has everyone gone? Annabelle, Pauli, Sebastian, Donnie?”
“Well…” Mel chuckled. “If you were human...I mean, again...would you want to hang around a bunch of vampires who are trying to get their feet back under them after what happened?”
“Probably not,” I admitted with a laugh. “Damn it, though. I didn’t even get a chance to say thank you or goodbye.”
“They already know it,” Mel said, nudging me playfully. “And you can call them anytime. Sebastian and Donnie had to run, though. Sebastian said he had a lead on something that sounded like the monster that took his wife.”
My eyes widened. “I should go help him!”
Juliet laughed, the sound both comforting and infuriatingly knowing. “You really think you could find him?”
“Probably not.” I shrugged, feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness. “But I can text him, let him know if he needs me...”
“Mercy,” Juliet said, her voice softer now as she leaned in and kissed my cheek. “You really don’t have to go from one fight to the next. It’s okay to relax a little.”
I sighed, taking a deep breath to steady myself. “But if Sebastian has a lead on his wife...I owe him one!”
“If he wanted help, he’d ask,” Juliet pointed out, her tone gentle but firm.
“You’re right,” I admitted, feeling a knot in my chest loosen just a bit. “Let’s get this cleaning done so we can rest up for the night. It’s going to be busy come nightfall.”
“Busy?” Mel’s eyebrow shot up.
“Yes, busy,” I repeated, a grin spreading across my face. “We have a dance party to finish. And this time, I’ll be damned if anything interrupts our night out.”
“Deal,” they both chimed in unison, their voices filled with a solidarity that made me believe, just for a moment, that we might actually have a night—one night anyway—without something to fight.
The End of Book 8
To Be Continued in Bloody Fortune
Will Sebastian finally find his long-lost wife? Find out! Grab the first three books at theophilusmonroe.com!
