Pursued(142)

“Enough,” she whispered. And then, louder, “Enough. Please, make it stop. I…I can’t take anymore.”

Slowly, the scene faded and she found she was back on the leaf-covered bed in the dim hut on Rageron. Merrick was sitting beside her, his hands clasped in his lap, staring straight ahead. He said nothing and made no sound, but tears ran down his cheeks and dripped onto the shadowy floor.

“Merrick,” she whispered, taking one of his hands between her own. “I didn’t know. I’m so sorry you had to go through that again.”

He shook his head. “Had to be done. You had to see…had to know.” He looked at her, his eyes still wet. “I was so eager to come of age, but the first blood I ever spilled was my own mother’s.”

“It wasn’t you,” Elise protested. “It was your stepfather—that Jonquil bastard. He stabbed her with the knife!”

“That stroke was meant for me.” Merrick looked away. “I should have died that day—not her. Never her.”

“She wouldn’t have wanted that. I’m sure she wouldn’t.” Leaning forward, Elise cupped his scarred cheek in her hand and turned his face toward hers. “She loved you, Merrick. I could see it, even in that short amount of time. You meant everything to her.”

“I know. She wouldn’t have whored herself out, otherwise.” He swiped at his eyes. “She was supporting me the only way she could, but I didn’t see it until too late.”

“How could you?” Elise demanded indignantly. “You were so young.”

“You were too, baby.” Merrick took the hand that was cupping his cheek and kissed it gently. “I’ve never really been able to forget what happened that night,” he told her in a low voice. “I mean, I pushed it to the back of my mind, but I never really blocked it all the way out. But you…”

“I had everything tucked away.” Elise sighed. “Buried. Out of sight, out of mind. Now, well, I guess I’ll have to deal with it.”

“We can deal with it together,” Merrick said softly. “We’re both broken, baby…both fucking damaged beyond repair. But maybe between the two of us, we can make a whole. You think?”

Elise thought of what she’d been through that night—reliving the rape all over again, losing her only means of dealing with the past when the vault was smashed to smithereens. Then she thought of what she’d just witnessed—Merrick ripping out his stepfather’s throat and holding his dying mother in his arms.

Between the two of them, they had enough emotional baggage to start their own luggage store.

But he understands, she thought, looking at the tear tracks on his scarred cheeks. He knows what it’s like to hurt so badly you want to die. To have no one to understand you.

No one until now, she heard a soft, gruff voice in her head.

Her eyes widened and she looked up at Merrick. “Did you just…”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “Guess our bond has deepened again. Not only can we feel each other’s emotions, now we can hear each other’s thoughts.”

“I’m not sure how I feel about that,” Elise said tentatively. “But I think…I think I like it.”

“I do too.” Merrick sighed. “Too bad we’ll lose it when we dissolve the bond.” He looked at Elise. “But we won’t lose everything—it’s important you know that, baby. Important you believe it.”

“I believe it,” Elise said quietly. “I believe you, Merrick. And if…when the bond is dissolved and we’re separated, if you still want me, well, I’m yours. I’ll tell James the wedding is off and I’ll stay with you. I—”

But she couldn’t finish because Merrick had gathered him to her in a bear hug so tight she could hardly breathe.

“You won’t be sorry,” he whispered in her ear. “Even without the bond, I’ll love you. Love you forever, baby.”

“Oh, Merrick…” Elise felt tears squeezing from her eyes as she hugged him back, breathing in his wild, dark scent that made her feel so safe and comforted. “I love you too,” she whispered. “I love you, too.”

* * * * *





Merrick was having a nightmare—Elise was in some kind of danger and he couldn’t get to her. “I’m coming,” he told her over and over. “I’ll be right there, baby—I swear!” But it seemed as though someone had dipped his feet in lead and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t reach her.

And then the voice began. “That’s right, come for her,” it hissed in his ear and even the sound of it caused him pain. Merrick looked down and saw wounds opening up on his chest and arms. Blood flowed in rivulets down his skin, exactly as if someone had sliced him with a knife. “Come to get her, Hybrid. Before it’s too late…”