Bold Mercy by Laken Cane

Chapter Seven

I put the vest on, then pulled my shirt on over it and at last, I buckled on the holster that would hold my demon blade. Something settled into my soul with a sigh when I lifted the blade from its bed and slid it into the sheath. I resisted wearing it when a fight was coming because I would need to shift, and it was a matter of time before I lost it. And for reasons that were more emotional than logical, that thought terrified me.

I was as addicted to my blade as I was to my alpha, or very nearly—and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing either one of them. It wasn’t just because the blade was so powerful, and it wasn’t just because Jared was my alpha.

I’d contacted Sixten and asked him to send over two of the best ballistic vests he could find. Lennon could weave protection into them when she arrived later tonight, and I had silver chokers with crucifixes ready to wind around their necks. No vampire could enter my apartment, but Avis wasn’t really a vampire. And even if they didn’t come into my house, Avis would be patient—I couldn’t keep Lucy or Zach behind spelled doors forever. I also couldn’t force them to wear the vests every time they walked outside, but I’d do what I could to keep them safe.

And then there was the matter of Lucy’s dreams and the serial killer who had her in his sights. A vest and crucifix wouldn’t protect her from him, and when I’d suggested she get out of the city for a while—the country, even—she’d refused.

“Then I’d just end up with a killer and you wouldn’t be there to rescue me,” she said, and though she’d smile serenely and her voice was light, I’d seen the worry lurking in her eyes. Lucy was brave as hell, but she was scared, and rightly so.

When I called Rick, he didn’t answer. I didn’t want to leave a voicemail warning him about vampires potentially coming for him, so I made a mental note to call him back. They’d taken him once and they could take him again, but Rick Moreno wasn’t the type to let me lock him in with Lucy and Zach and try to protect him.

Finally, when dusk came, Bastien returned my call.

Frederick Axton’s half-brother had changed since he’d become the most powerful vampire in the city—I could hear it in his voice. “I am aware of Avis and her madness, Kait. I have people looking for her, including Farrow, whom I trust more than anyone else in the world. They will find her, and they will bring her to me.”

“Maybe,” I said. “But maybe she’ll get to my people before she’s caught. I need to kill the bitch before she hurts anyone. You have to have some information you can give me.”

“She has a weakness,” he said, his voice so smooth I thought for a second that he was trying some sort of magic on me. “All human servants who have become…twisted up with dark magic are imperfect in their composition. She will have an Achilles’ Heel.”

My heart leaped. “What is it?”

“I do not know,” he told me. “And it may not help you at all, but it’s all I have to give you. And we both know I owe you everything.” There was a smile in his voice. “The weakness is there. Only Frederick would have known what that weakness was. Even Avis may not be aware. But if you discover it, you will defeat her—if, of course, she comes for you before I can contain her.”

“Give me an idea,” I said, impatient and a little deflated. “What sort of weakness? Physical? Mental? Magical?”

“I am sorry, Kait. I simply do not know.”

“Not helpful,” I grumbled. “Find her, Bastien.” I ended the call.

Max and Joe were waiting in the kitchen with Lucy and Zach, and Ash padded from person to person, getting a pat and a bite of food from each one. He craved attention—and food—which wasn’t surprising considering he’d been deprived of both when I’d found him.

Lucy was feeding everyone, because that was Lucy. Not that I was complaining. I’d never eaten so well in my life, and my wolf was always hungry. I watched them all for a moment, realizing how attached I’d become to each one of them. The snarky Max, a hunter in his own right, though he hunted information instead of supernaturals. Joe, ex-military, fearless and intense, as determined to protect me as I was to protect him. Zach, full of nightmares and pain, a vampire hunter who’d lost his way, maybe, but in time, I was sure he’d regain his confidence. And Lucy, the psychic with a big heart and a gift for turning any sort of food into something amazing.

My friends.

I’d been alone for so long, alone in my hobbled pain, that I hadn’t realized how much I needed people. I was a wolf. Of course I needed people. Now that I had them, I was a little feral in my need to keep them. To keep them safe.

It was the same with the detective. And at the thought of him, my stomach once again tightened with worry. Before I could pull my phone from my pocket and call him, someone knocked at the front door.

“I’ll get it,” Joe said immediately, shoving his chair back. He glared at me as though I’d threatened to answer the door myself, then hurried past me, his fingers brushing his holstered gun.

We were all on high alert.

Zach pulled a chair out for me as Joe escorted Lennon into the little kitchen, and Lucy placed a cup of coffee and a plate of dinner—mostly meat—in front of me. Lennon refused food but accepted a glass of water, smiling at Zach when he offered her his chair. He went to stand by the sink, just a little separate from the rest of us. I imagined I could see signs of his withdrawal taking hold, and it worried me. I couldn’t trust that his addiction wouldn’t get the better of him, but I had to trust that he’d do the right thing if it did.

He looked up and met my gaze, and likely my concern was written all over my face because finally, his stare softened and he gave me a nod. He wouldn’t hurt my people, and if his pain began to overwhelm him, he’d let me know it was time to restrain him.

“—because guess what?”

I took my attention from Zach and put it on Lennon, catching the tail end of her question. Luckily, she wasn’t expecting an answer.

“Because our world is dangerous. If you’re associated with us in any way, you are vulnerable. You are at risk.” She pointed at me. “And that is why Kait sent for me. I will somewhat lower your risk.”

Joe folded his arms and cocked an eyebrow. “How?” he asked. “Are you going to teach us a supernatural’s weak points?”

She pulled her wand from her dress pocket and waved it gently. “Wards and spells. The rest is up to you.”

“Um.” Max held up a finger. “You’re a witch?”

She glanced at me, then nodded. “I am.”

Joe pointed his chin at the wand. “What can you do with that thing?” He grinned, because he was just slightly mocking, and not even a little bit ready to believe her wand was for anything but show.

Lennon knew I wouldn’t have asked her here if anyone present were not to be trusted with her secret, so she went ahead and gave Joe a preview of what she could do with her wand.

“Please don’t destroy my kitchen,” I said, right before she traced a delicate, intricate design in the air and the lower cabinet doors slammed open and half a dozen pots and pans flew out and right at Joe’s head.

He pulled his gun.

“Joe,” I yelled, then fell into helpless laughter with the rest of them.

“Did you know she could do that?” he yelled.

“No,” I said, to Lennon’s surprise. I shrugged. “I didn’t know I had pots and pans.”

Lucy shook her head. “What do you think I use to cook for you?”

“I didn’t think about the preparing,” I answered, lifting a forkful of steak to my lips. “Just the devouring.” Then I looked at Lennon. “I really would like to have that wand.”

She stood, preening only a little. “I will get to work. As you were, everyone. There’s no need to pay me the slightest attention.”

“You shouldn’t have come alone,” I told her. “You need to be careful too, Lennon.”

“Eli is waiting outside,” she murmured. “He’s lurking in the shadows. Now hush so I can concentrate on warding the place.”

I should have known Jared’s beta wouldn’t have let Lennon venture into the city without him. I’d seen Eli’s love for Lennon the first time I’d met him.

Max grabbed the small computer he’d been working on, slid his phone into his pocket, and stood. “I need to leave. Does she want to…” He bulged his eyes and swirled his hand through the air. “Hit me with some sparkles before I go?”

“Already done,” Lennon called from somewhere out in the hallway.

“Damn,” Joe muttered. “That’s some good hearing.”

“Hang on, Max,” I said. “I asked you and Joe to bring your vests so Lennon could spell them.”

“Can’t get him to put one on,” Joe said. “I’m wearing mine.”

“If a vampire comes for me,” Max said, “a vest isn’t going to stop him or her from taking me. Besides, it’s uncomfortable.”

“It’s another layer of protection,” I told him, knowing there was no way in hell I could force him to wear a vest if he didn’t want to. “Lennon can weave a spell into the fabric, and it could save your life. Being uncomfortable is better than being dead.”

Joe strode toward him, his hand out. “Give me your keys. I’ll get it from your car.”

“Oh my God.” Max held his computer case up as though that would stop Joe. “I am not going to—”

“Hey.” Zach’s voice wasn’t loud, but it got the attention of everyone in the kitchen. Joe turned to face the hunter, subtly putting himself between Zach and Max. Joe didn’t trust Zach, not yet. Max shut his mouth and peered around Joe’s shoulder, and Lucy stopped loading the dishwasher and turned to watch. Even Lennon came in from the hallway and stood in the kitchen doorway, gazing at Zach.

For a few seconds, Zach hesitated, his stare flitting from one of us to the other. Then he put his attention back on Max. “I once saw a vampire shove his claws through a man’s back and rip out his heart. That’s uncomfortable. Wear the vest, man.”

For a moment, no one said anything. Then Max reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. Joe held out his hand without taking his stare from Zach, and Max dropped the keys into his palm.

“I’ll be right back,” Joe said, and went to get Max’s vest.

Zach didn’t talk a lot, but when he did, he was pretty damn convincing.

“And then we need to work on protecting everyone from the human threat,” Lucy said, and I saw her shudder. She was more afraid of what she’d seen in her dreams than any vampire, but that was because the vampires were only a slight risk to her. Jakeston’s serial killer was a sure thing.

“Um, only you are at risk from the killer?” Max sauntered to her and put his arm around her. “And if he wants you, he’ll have to take the rest of us as well, because we aren’t leaving your side.”

When Joe came back inside, Ray Christian was with him. Lucy squealed and threw herself at him, ignoring Max when he called her a traitor. As far as I knew, Lucy and Ray hadn’t developed into anything serious, but she was genuinely glad to see him. Perhaps he’d convinced her that commitment wasn’t so bad.

Joe brought me the box he’d carried in—the vests I’d ordered from Sixten. “This was on your porch,” he said. “Someone opened it.”

“Eli,” Lennon said. “Never mind. Everybody put their vests on. I’ll do everything I can to make them repel any vampire who gets close to you.” She sat down beside me. “All this activity and you right in the center of it. You love it, don’t you?”

“Yeah.” I leaned back in my chair and stretched out my legs. “I kinda do.”

We were quiet for a few seconds as we watched the others, then she shivered. “"Something bad is coming, Kait. I guess you know that.”

“Let it come,” I murmured. “Worse things will be waiting when it gets here.”