Seven

Mercy breathed in a heavy sigh as she took in the sights of Paris. The air, the buildings, the people. Sometimes despite the obvious food source, humans were rather ingenious, how else do you explain such amazing sights such as the Eiffel Tower. Regardless it was interesting to see a new sky, feel a new atmosphere and taste a new kind of person in the air. Mercy could feel the others behind her, restless, eager to find out the next move. All except for Sam who was looking around in wonderment, having never before been further than his home in America. It was decided that they all seek out a hotel, choosing one of the higher priced once that was known or the secrecy it gave its customers. They were all waiting for Mercy to sense another Vampire, she could sense another Vampire but they were moving too fast for her to pinpoint them. However, the scent was familiar and not in a good way. Mercy could only hope that the scent didn’t belong to who she thought or things could get nasty.

Though it was true that Thayer was the big the bad and the dangerous in her realm, to ignore Mercy would be a foolish move on your behalf, she had her own enemies as much as the next rebellious Vampire. Some were safely kept within her own realm, while others were currently banished within the world she found herself in. It wasn’t often that Mercy met her match, in fact she was still waiting for someone to challenge her in all aspects, but she had met some people who came pretty close. She’d never been openly defied by anyone, never been manipulated by anyone other than her brother, never shown mercy in the face of death, betrayal, sadness, hope or love. Unfortunately the scent she smelled belonged to the one person who had threatened Mercy safety for a while. Living with Thayer was always dangerous but never as dangerous as the aftermath of this particular Vampire.

Fate was rarely kind to Mercy and it was about to show just how unkind it was in the form of one vampire.

‘Well, well, well, what do we have here?’…

There from the shadows that lurked near Mercy stepped a figure that immediately made Mercy growl involuntarily. There stood before her was the vampire known as Valencia, tall, stunning and statuesque, every woman’s nightmare be she vampire or human. See as vampires go she was one of the most annoying, most manipulative, most dangerously attractive bitch there was. She was someone that Mercy recognized immediately, the one scent she was trying to avoid and if her glances towards Sam meant what she thought, she one she was soon going to kill.

‘Your Highness, it has been but too long’ she simpered stretching out her perfectly manicured hand to hold Mercy’s briefly.

‘Valencia, thought I smelt your vile scent. Why have you crawled from the bottomless pit you were dragged into’ growled Mercy.

‘Oh you know, things to do, places to see, people to bite. Heard you were starting an army, doesn’t look like much’.

‘Looks can be deceiving’ replied Mercy.

‘Oh I know’ said Valencia knowingly, ‘Hello, whose this? He’s lovely’ she exclaimed to Mercy’s obvious growl.

‘I’m Sam’ said Sam.

‘What are you doing here Sam when you could be hanging out with someone far more delightful’ she purred.

Mercy growled louder and the others, sensing danger backed away.

‘Now…now Your Highness, don’t be rude’ mocked Valencia.

Mercy fought the power welling up inside her that threatened to explode before this city of humans, and ought the emotions that wanted to appear. She wanted nothing more than to rip Valencia’s head off. For the record Valencia statuesque and beautiful body featured silky red hair, exotic red lips and vibrant blue eyes. She was a seductress, what she wanted she got, but Mercy had a claim on Sam, Valencia had no right to interfere.

‘I wouldn’t mind taking you out for a spin around the town’ said Valencia.

‘We are trying to keep a low profile’ said Grifel.

‘Please! If that was your aim then you have been sorely mistaken. You travel with the Princess, any hope of being invisible died long ago. Now come on pretty boy, let me show you the sights’ she said seductively.

‘No’ growled Mercy.

‘No?’ questioned Valencia.

‘We have to stick together’ she said.

‘Half an hour of exploring won’t do you a lick of harm. You’re in the city of love, live a little’ she said dragging Sam away from the others. If looks could kill, Valencia would be dead, it took everything within Mercy’s power not to scream out and run after them but she couldn’t. Emotions made you weak and she would not be weak, it only bought about pain and suffering, though she could remember a time when she thought Valencia was her friend, she had learned from that mistake…

‘Mercy, Mercy’ she called running through the trees as she did, ‘Mercy where are you I want to tell you something’.

‘Here I am’.

‘Oh we are going to be such good friends! Just you wait, once your brother proposes I’ll be here all the time, like your new Mum’.

‘I don’t need a Mum’.

‘But you need a friend’.

‘This will end badly’.

‘No it won’t, don’t be so gloomy Mercy’.

‘I’ll watch you play with fire but I won’t stick around to see whether or not you get burnt’.

‘Why can’t you be happy for me?!’

‘There is no happiness here’.

‘Listen you little retch!’

‘No you listen, you may have fooled the lower levels of servants and common towns folk but I was raised by my brother and I see through your little act perfectly clearly, and so will my brother. I suggest you run before you get burnt’.

‘I’ve never failed before’.

‘You’ve never challenged my brother before’.

‘I will win’.

‘And then what? You’ll kill him? Change him? Nothing will happen but I guarantee you will find yourself on the other side of the door’.

‘You’re wrong’…

Laurence shook Mercy out of her daydream, ‘You do not like her’ he said.

‘No’ replied Mercy.

‘I do not remember her, what did she do to wind up here?’ asked Margret.

‘She tried to seduce my brother’ said Mercy to the sound of collective gasps.

‘She did not!’ exclaimed Grifel.

‘Stupid girl’ said Laurence.

‘She did, made quite a show of it too. For two months I had to put up with her swanning around like she owned the place, fawning over my brother, and making demands within the castle. Her overconfidence was her downfall’…

She came during the sparkle and glitter of a ball, one of the last to grace Mercy’s realm. Dressed in a floor length red dress that hugged her figure, and a mask upon her face obscuring her identity. IT was the first time that Mercy had seen her brother take interest in any woman. All night he stayed attached to her side, Mercy watched as they danced, oblivious to all surroundings and talked secretly in dark corners. It was set to be the perfect Cinderella story but Mercy could not picture her brother with a happy ending. She could see the jealousy hidden behind the fake smiles even know and knew this Cinderella story wouldn’t end well.

Everyone had whispers to say about this mystery woman, Mercy found herself caring little for them until the whispers turned into something more. As the weeks flew by Mercy began to see more of the mysterious woman who called herself Valencia, rumors flew around the Kingdom that involved her brother and Valencia. They said there would soon be a wedding between the two and that the Kingdom would have a Queen once more and Mercy would gain a Mother.

Valencia had tried to befriend her, cornered her several times, having seen the way Thayer treated Mercy, and she obviously assumed she could get away with doing the same thing but she was sorely mistaken. Mercy would always be above Valencia, she was the heir to the throne regardless of Valencia becoming Queen and that was something that didn’t sit well with Valencia.

‘You do not like me’.

‘What is there you like?’ said Mercy.

‘You better watch your tongue when I become Queen or you’ll be the first to go’.

‘Threatening me are you? Pretty weak if you ask me. Your dream is hopeless, you’ll never become Queen’.

‘Shows what you know, your brother is very much in love with me’ replied Valencia.

‘No, shows what you know, my brother isn’t capable of love, and if he’s acting like he is, he must have some plan for you. I’d be very frightened if I were you’.

‘Please, I’ve changed your brother, he is no longer hell bent on revenge and violence, and I’ve saved the Kingdom. You should be bowing down to me and begging forgiveness’.

‘You’re a fool’…

Mercy was right of course, Thayer had known he was being played, and the game he had set for Valencia suddenly became unimportant but he was very public in the banishment of Valencia. He went beyond his way to humiliate her before he showed her the door.

What Valencia thought to be a congregation of townsfolk there to witness the announcement of their engagement, ended up being a crowd to see Valencia disgraced. Tied against a beam, hands behind her back, the crowed watched on as her hair was cut from her head, leaving it a short sharp crop. Tears leaked from her eyes but no one said a word as Thayer announced to the world what a traitor she was.

‘Here you watch the humiliation of Valencia the seductress. Many of you thought, hoped, wished that she and I would announce our engagement and the Kingdom would be restored to peace and glory. You were wrong and she was foolish. No one challenges me and gets away with it, what was she going to do, do you think if we did get married? Kill me? Change me? I belong to no one, this Kingdom belongs to me and I shall not be changed by anyone. Do you understand me!! I would kill this traitor myself would I not have to look upon her pathetic gravestone forever more, so I banish you Valencia to the world of mortals. Know this, anyone who tries to challenge me again will see a fate worse that this’ he bellowed.

Valencia was gone before Mercy could think and the changes were very apparent, it was like she had never appeared, there was no more peace, no more calm serenity. The violence, the anger and the death came back tenfold. However it was Mercy that saw the most of the anger and it was Thayer that delivered it to her.

‘Thought you could out smart me didn’t you’ he shouted.

‘What? No’ said Mercy.

‘I know you had a hand in this little diversion’ he spat.

‘I didn’t’.

‘Don’t lie to me girl, only you have the inside knowledge to plant someone such as Valencia here in the castle. What were you hoping to achieve? As if someone like that could kill me. You’re pathetic, I thought I raised you better but it seems you will always be a stubborn waste of space. I should just kill you but I won’t’ he said.

Mercy stood before her brother as still as a statue, she wanted to scream and shout at him till she was hoarse but it would do no good, the walls of her mind would not let her attack.

‘Why are you so quiet girl? Speak up’ he said but she gave no response.

He slapped her, hard round the face knocking her to the floor, ‘nothing but air in that head of yours is there’ he said mockingly.

She crawled away from him, showing no emotion, the fall to the floor had been hard and she felt a broken rib or two, she would have to rest for a bit while they healed.

‘Get out of my sight! I’ve had enough of your pathetic being for one day’ he roared.

Mercy scattered, eager to escape the never-ending prison she found herself in.

 ‘So what are you doing with Mercy anyway?’ asked Valencia.

‘She turned me’ replied Sam.

‘So? Doesn’t mean you have to follow her for the rest of your life’.

‘It’s complicated’ replied Sam.

‘I don’t understand how it is complicated’ said Valencia.

‘It just is’ said Sam ending the conversation.

Valencia huffed, ‘So city of love, feeling any emotions?’ she said huskily as she ran her hand up his arm.

‘No’ replied Sam shortly.

‘You’re a hard one Sam’ she said.

‘Why did you drag me away, you had a reason, I noticed the glare in your eye as you looked at Mercy’.

‘Let’s not talk of such trivial things when we could be have so much fun’ she said leaning close and nibbling on his ear.

Sam pushed her away, ‘Stop’ he said.

‘Why? We were just getting started’ she pouted.

‘No, you were just getting started, I however wish to leave’ he said.

‘You don’t mean that. Look at me, don’t you want some of this?’ she asked seductively.

Sam looked at her, really looked. Sure she could pass as attractive but her clothes screamed slut and her makeup didn’t do her any favors.

‘No, can’t say that I do. What this your plan, drag me away, seduce me and what? Boast about it?’ asked Sam angrily.

‘Perhaps, or perhaps I merely find you irresistible and hoped to get close to you’.

Sam laughed the first real laugh since his change, ‘Please you couldn’t be more stupid. You make the women on street corners look acceptable. I’m not interested, so let’s just get back to the others’.

‘How can you not be interested? Everyone is interested’ she said.

Sam looked her up and down, ‘You aren’t my type’ he said.

‘And I suppose Mercy is’ she huffed.

Sam said nothing.

‘You’re kidding, you like Mercy, please there is nothing for you there, how can you chose her over me?!’

‘I don’t like Mercy but I don’t dislike her either, I’d take her company over yours any day though’ said Sam, thinking about it, what he said was true, he no longer had any bad feelings towards Mercy for what he had done to her but neither did he have any good feelings about her, he was in the middle on neutral territory.

‘Is this because she turned you?’ she asked.

‘Nope’.

‘I don’t understand’ she moaned.

‘I’m not explaining’ he replied.

She sighed, ‘You’re the second person not to fall for me’ she said quietly.

‘Who was the first?’ asked Sam.

‘The King’.

‘Mercy’s brother?’ questioned Sam.

‘Yeah’.

‘You’re a fool’ replied Sam.

‘I had never failed at the game before, the kingdom was in chaos, and I thought I could succeed in seducing him. Then the kingdom would get its peace and I would become Queen. It was a win-win situation’.

‘Except it wasn’t’ said Mercy – having finally given in and sought out to find them.

‘No it wasn’t’ replied Valencia.

Sam sat by and watched the two before him.

‘Do you think we could?’ asked Valencia.

‘No’ replied Mercy shortly.

‘But so much time has passed’ whispered Valencia.

‘Doesn’t change what happened’.

‘I am sorry’.

‘Yet you still continue to seduce to anger me’ replied Mercy.

‘I wanted to get you back for telling your brother what I was really after’.

‘I never told my brother anything, I warned you that you would get burnt if you played with fire but you didn’t listen. My brother knew from the start of your plans, he decided to toy with you before feeding you to the crowds and publically humiliating you’ said Mercy.

‘How could he have known’ she said.

‘You underestimated my brother just like you underestimated me’ said Mercy.

‘Surely my humiliation was punishment enough’.

‘I would have rather seen you dead’ said Mercy coldly.

‘That sounds rather harsh’ spoke Sam quietly.

Mercy turned her piercing eyes to Sam, ‘I suppose it would to you. Public humiliation and banishment from our world was a mild punishment, she was lucky he did not kill her. I have wished for death many times but it has not come. He thought it was me, thought that I had planted Valencia in the castle and I was punished for it. Having your hair cut off is nothing compared to a black eye, a cut lip and several broken ribs. I wasn’t even involved and I took most of the anger my brother felt. What would you say is harsh now?’ she questioned.

‘I’m sorry’ said Sam weakly.

‘I do not need your pity or apologies’ she said.

Sam sighed not knowing what to say.

‘Are we needed?’ asked Valencia.

‘We found a hotel, I came to fetch you’ said Mercy.

‘Can I join your army?’ asked Valencia timidly.

Mercy looked at her intently as if sizing her up. She came to a quick conclusion retrieving a scroll from her back pocket, ‘sign this’ she said, handing Valencia a pen.

‘What is it?’ asked Valencia.

‘A contract’ replied Mercy.

‘You don’t trust me’ said Valencia.

‘No’ said Mercy.

Sam watched as Valencia signed the contract presented to her. He wasn’t sure how he felt about the new piece of information he’d learnt from Mercy but he was definitely seeing a new side of her whether she realized it or not.

‘Where is the-?’

‘This hotel is this way’ said Mercy, moving off and giving no room for the others to do anything other than follow her.

Human emotions are complicated at best and now he was a vampire he was struggling. Grifel had told him that being a bitten vampire was frowned upon because it usually made you less intelligent or less likely to give into the true nature of your vampire instincts because you still hold only to the memories of your human life.

However, Grifel had explained that Sam was different because he’d been changed by royalty. Supposedly it was something to do with the biting process with royals that allows them to let loose a type of poison that creates a different type of bitten vampire. Though the bond between the biter and bitten is incredibly strong, the newly bitten is not forced to the rules and commands set out by the biter. To Sam it was all much too confusing, Grifel said he’d need to know about it all at some point but Sam felt that time wasn’t now.

Sam was stuck in a bubble of hormone based confusion and shock. He couldn’t turn forward nor could he turn back, he was stuck. He hadn’t meant to offend Valencia, but he just didn’t find her attractive in the way she’d wanted him too. She was part of that crowd of people (and apparently vampires) who knew they were pretty and acted on it. For Sam it was a complete turn off and though he didn’t believe in extreme violence or humiliation couldn’t help but think that Thayer had been right to take her down a peg or two. Sam had never met the man but already knew not to get on his bad side as foolishly as Valencia did.

It was odd for him to keep seeing this other side of Mercy. It was much easier to hate her when he only saw her as evil. Now it didn’t seem that simple. He found himself incapable of hating the woman who seems incapable of any emotion, rather he felt a longing towards her. Not pity or sympathy, she didn’t want it, nor did he feel he could give it but Sam couldn’t help but think that something had changed, that the air had changed, not to be the same again.

Edited: 20/06/2013