She moved toward him as he opened it and brought up a video of President Dawn. Mercy’s knees wobbled, but she stood next to him as he pressed the Play button.
“Good evening. My name is President Alyssa Dawn of the Fae people.” Alyssa wore a smart gray suit with her hair back in an intricate twist. “Our people like to stay out of world politics, but we’ve discovered an atrocity so terrible that it must be shared.”
Mercy bit her lip. “Tell me this isn’t on the web.”
“No.” Logan paused the recording. “It was sent via direct lines to leaders of the Realm, demon, shifter, witch, dragon, Kurjan, and Cyst peoples. Just the leaders.” He pressed PLAY again.
The president cleared her throat. “There are seven immortals among you—demon-vampire hybrids—who have perverted the laws of this world, all worlds, to make themselves impenetrable. They sacrificed seven gifted, Enhanced females in a ritual of blood and bone to do this, and they need to be made accountable. They are: Ronan Kayrs, Quade Kayrs, Garrett Kayrs, Benjamin Reese, Adare O’Cearbhaill, Ivar Kjeidsen, and Logan Kyllwood.”
“Ah, shit,” Logan muttered. His phone buzzed, and he ignored it.
The president continued, “These males have kidnapped one of our people, Mercy O’Malley.” A picture of Mercy came up on the screen.
“Fuck,” Logan muttered.
The president came back into focus. “I am sending photographs of these males along with all research we’ve conducted as to their whereabouts, allies, and holdings. I am also attaching proof of my claims. Good day to you.” The screen froze.
The smell of smoke caught Mercy’s attention. Crap. She turned and ran for the eggs, but Logan beat her there.
He grabbed a towel and flapped it against the flames, putting them out. Then he winced. “You said you could cook.”
Yeah, she’d lied. She shook her head, her stomach swirling. “What happens now?”
His phone buzzed again. With a sigh, he lifted it to his ear and listened. He stiffened. Then his expression hardened. Finally, he just nodded. “Understood.” He slid the phone back into his pocket. “So. How’d you like to meet my family?”
* * * *
After Logan’s question, time seemed to speed up. Mercy had enough of a reprieve to tie up her hair and throw her clothing back on before a helicopter arrived and several armed soldiers, the big, tough kind, flew them to a sprawling lodge overlooking a lake somewhere in the mountains.
They landed and were squired inside the lodge quicker than she could blink.
They were shown into what appeared to be a conference room, complete with wide onyx table and several chairs. Blank computer screens covered all four walls.
Garrett partially stood when they entered.
Logan escorted her to the chair next to Garrett and sat on her other side, effectively flanking her between two massive male bodies, both giving off heat and energy. “She stays between us,” he said tersely.
Garrett nodded, his gray eyes calm and yet still sizzling.
Mercy swallowed. “Where are we?”
The door opened, and three males strode into the room. Three very tall and impressive males with shockingly hard bodies and inscrutable expressions. Power blasted through the oxygen.
“You’re at Realm headquarters,” the male in the middle said. “I’m Dage Kayrs.” Oh. The king. He had black hair with a streak of gray at the temple, but he didn’t look a day over thirty. The King of the Realm was one of the most respected and feared rulers in the history of, well, everybody. Power all but cascaded from him.
Mercy met his silver gaze directly. “Mercy O’Malley. Fae.”
The male to the king’s right was Zane Kyllwood. She’d read a dossier on him, and he looked so much like Logan that she would’ve known him, anyway. Even his eyes were the same pissed off green she’d seen on Logan several times. “King Kyllwood,” she murmured.
His eyebrow went up, but he silently took a seat as Dage did the same. “Zane will be fine—I was never formally named king, just the ruler. One king in the Realm and in the room is enough.”
The third male flanked Dage Kayrs, his eyes a deep gold and his jaw solid rock. A familiar jaw. “Talen Kayrs,” he said by way of introduction.
Yeah. He and Garrett looked so much alike they could be brothers. Or father and son, obviously.
So much power and testosterone and pure maleness swirled around the room that Mercy felt dizzy. Or maybe it was the undercurrent of raw anger that pricked her skin and threatened her ability to breathe normally.
“Well. I’ll start.” The king placed large hands on the table, his voice pleasant and very peaceful.
