CHAPTERFOURTEEN
MERRY
My body hummed with energy.It was a struggle to sit still.
But I had to.
We were gathered around the kitchen table. By we, I meant Marcus, Callum, Ava, and Macgrath. They were discussing the conversation that Ava had with Dumont.
"He wants something from Merry," Ava said. She glanced at me. "It's likely related to the job he hired you to do. Can you tell us more about it?"
I tapped my fingers on the table top, unable to control the fidgeting. "I didn't have all the details yet. Only what he told me about during my interview with him."
Ava made a gesture for me to continue.
"Essentially, what he outlined was that it would be a security check. He wanted me to attempt to breach one of his systems and find the weaknesses. Once that was done, he wanted me to write a program to shore them up. That's all he gave me. He was supposed to send me more information before I began the job, but..." I didn't finish that sentence because I was too busy remembering the terror of being chased down the street and into Ava's shop.
"He probably intended to impose his will on yours or wipe your memories when you'd finished whatever job he gave you," Ava said.
I saw the look that Macgrath and Marcus exchanged and knew that she was only trying to make me feel better. In all likelihood, I never would have been seen or heard from again if Dumont's man hadn't tried to grab me on the street.
Which brought up another question.
"If he could impose his will on me, why did Marcel come after me? There was no need to kidnap me if he could just make me do what he wanted whenever he wanted," I pointed out.
We all looked at each other.
"Any ideas why he might do that?" Callum asked.
Still all looking at each other.
"That's something we probably need to look into," Ava said.
"Let's go back to the part about how all your power won't save you from what's coming," Macgrath said to Ava.
I couldn't take it any longer. My foot had been bouncing constantly for the last few minutes. I got to my feet. "I need something to drink."
Marcus started to get up. "I can get it."
I shook my head. "I need to move around. I feel like I'm about to bounce off every wall in the house. Please ignore me while y'all talk."
With a nod, Ava answered Macgrath. "He knows something. While we were on the phone, I tried to get through his mental blocks but I couldn't get past the first couple of layers. Since he feeds on emotions, his mental shields are insanely strong. He knows that someone is going to come for him and, eventually, for us. He's frightened. More frightened of whoever is coming after him than he is of either of us."
"Only because he doesn't know what we're capable of," Macgrath growled.
Ava shook her head. "Oh, he knows. Whatever is going on still scares him more."
I grabbed a Cherry Coke from the fridge, popped the tab on the can, and took a sip to moisten my dry mouth. "What could scare a vampire that much? You guys are pretty powerful."
"That may be," Macgrath said. "But we aren't the top of the food chain. There are powerful beings in this realm and in others. Much more powerful than us."
"Things that can kill you?" I asked.
He nodded. "The four of us would be harder than most, but we can die. We aren't truly immortal."
"What about humans? Could one of them kill you?" I asked. When they all focused on me, I lifted my hands as though I were surrendering. "I have no plans to kill anyone. I just wondered."
Macgrath nodded. "Yes. If they used the right firepower and there were enough of them, they could take us down. It would take more than a few bullets, but human weapons can kill us."
