Mercy's Battle (Mercy Ashby Book 3) Read online

  Mercy’s Battle

  A.M. Hardin

  © A.M. Hardin, 2018

  All rights reserved.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

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  Cover by OliviaProDesign

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Mercy's Battle (Mercy Ashby, #3)

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  About The Author

  To my girls. I love you with all my heart!

  Also, to my Grandpa Red who passed days before this book’s release -

  Rest In Paradise Grandpa. We love you!

  Chapter 1

  Parker

  “Why the fuck can’t we find her?” War growls, bracing his hands on the table in front of him, head down.

  “I think at this point we can safely assume that she killed my spy,” Hunter mutters, rubbing a hand down the side of his face.

  “Why do you say that?” Xena asks from beside Farrah, both their eyes on the T.V.

  “He warned me that Mercy was killing Torn’s servants if they so much as looked at her the wrong way. Last I knew, Torn only had a couple left alive. It’s been months since I heard anything from my spy. The only reason he’d go that long between updates is imprisonment or death.”

  “Is your dad still refusing to tell you where your brother is?” I ask Hunter.

  He growls low in his throat. “Yes. He claims he doesn’t know where he is, but he did mention that he talked to him shortly after taking Mercy. He says he hasn’t seen or heard from him since then.”

  “That was six months ago,” Kai sighs. “They’re always at least one step ahead of us.”

  Every time we get word of someone that sounds like they even remotely resemble Mercy reeking havoc, we go to see if it’s her. By the time we get there, bodies usually litter the place, but no sign of Mercy.

  “Any luck finding her?” Mercy’s dad questions as he, her mom, and uncle enter the library of my house, with Vivian following close behind them.

  We decided to make my parents’ house our home base for now, and moved Mercy’s family, Xena, and Vivian here.

  "None," Talon says.

  Mercy's mom's eyes fill with tears and she looks up at Byrne. "What are we going to do, Byrne? I want my daughter back."

  He rubs a soothing hand up and down her back. "I know, baby. We'll find her."

  "Mercy's still not home?" Vivian inquires softly, coming to stand beside me.

  I put my hand on her head. "Not yet. She will be soon, though."

  "You keep saying that," she replies with a pout as she looks up at me, her lower lip quivering.

  "I know, but it's best to keep up faith, right?"

  She nods. "Okay."

  "Guys!" Xena shouts, gaining our attention. "You need to listen to this."

  Without waiting for a response from us, she turns the volume on the T.V. to the highest setting.

  "This is a video sent to us only moments ago from downtown Chicago. A white female with blonde hair appears to order a vast amount of large dogs to attack the people strolling through the city’s streets. She seems to go so far as to send them into buildings to attack. There are countless injuries, and it is unknown at this point if there are any dead from this dreadful attack. This video is quite graphic, so please, watch at your own risk."

  "Get to Chicago!" Mercy's mom shouts, panic and hysteria in her voice. "Now! Bring my daughter back, please!"

  War reaches over and touches my and Kai's shoulder while Hunter grabs Talon's. The next time I open my eyes we're standing in the middle of utter chaos as frantic humans scream and run for their lives.

  Pushing our way through the crowd, we finally get to a break in the frenzy and see five hellhounds tearing into several humans. We split up to take on one hound each, killing them quickly before we keep going, dispatching hellhounds as we go.

  "Jesus. How many fucking hellhounds do you assholes have there down in hell, anyway?" Kai snaps after killing his seventh hound, making me and Talon chuckle.

  I snap the neck of the hellhound trying to bite me while Hunter answers, "There's no known number. She has control of all hellhounds, Kai. I have no control over them right now."

  "You've tried?" War asks.

  "Of course I've tried. They aren't answering to me," Hunter bites out.

  “Fuck,” War curses. “They’re answering to Mercy. The only way we’re going to get to her with all these hounds in the way is by killing the.”

  "If we can even get to her."

  "What do you mean 'if'?" War retorts.

  I grunt as I grab a nearby hound, who was using a human as a chew toy, and snap its neck. Tossing aside the body, I bite out, "There are hundreds, if not thousands, of hellhounds between her and us. I meant, if we can even get to her before she leaves."

  We keep trudging forward like that for a while. When we hit the park near downtown, I gape. "Holy-"

  "What the fuck?" War mutters.

  "Jesus Christ. There are even more of these fuckers?" Kai exclaims.

  Hunter curses. "It looks like this is where a majority of the hellhounds are gathered. Mercy has to be around here somewhere."

  Talon growls. "I think she's standing towards the back. I saw a flash of blonde hair for just a split second before it disappeared."

  War looks at Hunter. "Try to get the damn hellhounds to move so that we can talk to her."

  Hunter sighs. "Alright, I'll give it a try." Hunter takes a deep breath and separates himself from our line, moving forward.

  Three hellhounds immediately dash towards him, baring their teeth. They stop two feet away and growl at him.

  Hunter makes eye contact with one and bellows in a deep, demanding voice, "Bring us to Mercy."

  The hound in front snaps his jaws at Hunter.

  "Bring us to Mercy, now!" Hunter commands.

  All three hounds whimper and take a few steps back before turning around. The hounds forge a path into the park and through the other hounds. I can't help the sigh of relief that escapes me when I catch a glimpse Mercy.

  The relief fades quickly when I notice her hand wrapped around a male human's throat as she lifts him up.

  We all pause when Mercy’s mouth forms into a wide smile, then she blows the guy a kiss, and he erupts into flames, his screams echoing through the air for just a second before they die off.

  "Did she just –" Kai asked.

  "Uh-huh," I mutter, mouth gaping open.

  “When the fuck did she learn how to do that?” Talon snarls.

  “I don’t know,” Hunter says quietly. “Kadorika’s don’t even have that ability.”

  “Could it be because she turned rogue?” War sp
eculates cautiously as we begin moving closer to her.

  “I guess it’s possible. We’ve always had to kill any rogues that we came across, so we’ve never exactly asked them what abilities they gain as rogues,” Hunter mumbles.

  He’s got a point. But fuck if that isn’t a scary ass ability.

  “Parker, you’re the quietest out of all of us. When you have an opportunity, I want you to sneak behind Mercy and knock her out so we can bring her with us,” Hunter orders, so quietly, I almost don’t hear him, even with my advanced hearing.

  I nod my head just enough to confirm that I understand.

  Mercy looks up over towards us when we get near and raises an eyebrow. Her eyes are still that black color, the evidence she’s sadly still rogue. I miss her purple eyes. My heart aches at the thought that Mercy is lost to us right now.

  Mercy’s eyes dart to Hunter. “Hunter,” she says simply, her tone bone dry as she tilts her head to the side. “What are you doing here?”

  “We wanted to see you,” Hunter answers. “We need to talk, Mercy.”

  “About what? We’ve said all that needs to be said. I have no interest in talking.”

  “Mercy,” I say, taking a step forward so I’m even with Hunter. Her eyes flash to mine and her eyes narrow slightly. “Maybe you don’t feel that we need to talk, but we do.”

  She smirks, her eyebrow raising again. “Oh really? And what else do we have to talk about? The fact that I killed your parents? I’m not sorry I did it, so if you came looking for an apology, you won’t get one.”

  “Mercy,” Talon snaps. “You need to listen. This is not you.”

  Mercy rolls her eyes. “You’re looking right at me,” she says dryly. “Clearly, this,” she waves her arms, gesturing down her body, “is me.”

  Kai steps forward to say something, his mouth open, but Mercy holds up a hand.

  “No, I don’t want to hear it. I’m bored now,” she informs us without any emotion.

  My heart aches as my mind flashes to the Mercy she used to be. What the hell has the past six months done to her? Being rogue and stuck with Torn all this time?

  “Mimi,” War pleads softly. “Hear us out. Please.”

  I have to fight to keep my jaw off the ground. I’ve never known War to beg a woman for anything. Everything has always just been given to him without him even needing to ask.

  Mercy’s eyes flash purple for just a split second before she shakes her head and takes a step back from us. “No!” She shouts. “I don’t want to hear you out! I fucking warned you,” she shouts. “I told you not to look for me. It was one simple fucking request. If you don’t leave now, I will not show any mercy,” she warns. “I will kill you all.”

  “Did you see her eyes flash purple for a second?” I project to Hunter.

  “Yeah, I saw it. I don’t know that it’ll help us right now. You need to get behind her. Now, Parker,” Hunter replies.

  Using my vampiric speed, I do as ordered while she’s looking at Kai on the opposite end of the line from me. I get behind her and even though everything in me protests, I punch the back of her head, hard enough to knock her out, but not hard enough to truly hurt her.

  Hunter darts forward and catches her body as she collapses. The hellhounds around us all start growling, but they stop when Hunter shoots a glare at them. “Go back to hell, fucking mutts,” he orders.

  Each hellhound disappears in a blink.

  Good to know that once Mercy loses consciousness, she loses whatever power she has over the hounds.

  “Let’s get our girl home,” Hunter mutters. “Parker grab onto my shoulder,” he instructs as he cradles Mercy in his arms. I nod and do as he says, while War grabs Kai and Talon, and we leave, traveling back to my place.

  Chapter 2

  Mercy

  Bolting upright in the bed I’m lying on, I frown at the familiar surroundings. I’m back in the damn dungeon at Parker’s parents’ house.

  How the fuck did I get here?

  Memories flood back into my mind of Chicago. Running into the guys. A blow to the back of my head. Everything going dark.

  Sneaky bastards snuck up on me from behind.

  A growl escapes my lips as I stand up from the bed and start pacing.

  Oh, these fuckers are in for a world of hurt.

  I don’t know how much time passes as I continue to pace before the door to the dungeon opens and Hunter walks down the stairs.

  I glare at him, thoroughly pissed that I’m trapped.

  “You’re awake,” he says simply. I study him and I feel a flicker of concern for him at the sight of the bags under his eyes and the disheveled hair. That concern bleeds away quickly and the anger surges back. His eyes are sad as he watches me.

  “You bastards will pay for this,” I threaten, my voice pitched low.

  Hunter smiles sadly. “We’ve been paying for it since you left, Mercy,” he says softly.

  “What the fuck ever. I’m going to enjoy killing you.”

  Hunter sighs, his face pained. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that because you’re not you, right now.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m perfectly fine. Aside from, you know, being locked away like a damn animal.”

  “We only have you in here so that you can’t hurt anyone,” Hunter informs me. “Kai put extra spells on this cell to ensure that there is no way you can escape.”

  “So, what? You’re just going to keep me in here for entertainment? Watch me grow old and wither away?”

  Hunter chuckles, but there isn’t any humor in it. “You can’t die of old age, Mercy. You know that.”

  “It was a fucking expression,” I snap. “If that’s all, you can fucking go. I don’t want to see your face unless it’s to watch the life fading from it.”

  Hunter runs a hand through his hair and nods. “Alright. I’ll leave. I will be back. And most likely, so will the others.” He pauses and meets my eyes. “We just want to help you, Doll. All you have to do is let us.”

  “I don’t want your fucking help,” I growl at him, slamming my hands against the metal bars separating us. “What I wanted was for you guys to mind your own fucking business and leave me the fuck alone!”

  He steps up closer to the bars, expression serious. “You are our business, Mercy. Whether you like it or not.”

  “I stopped being your business the moment that I fucking left here!” I shout at him.

  “No, Mercy,” he snaps, voice cracking like a whip. “You have been our business ever since I first laid eyes on you.” He grips the bars, and when I try to smack his hands away, my hand bounces back. What the fuck? “We love you, Mercy. We haven’t given up on you. The Mercy that we all know and love is in there somewhere, and we’re going to get her back.”

  I laugh. “That Mercy is long gone, Hunter. She’s dead. Don’t you get it?” I flip my hair over my shoulder and smirk at him. “She’s been dead for far too long to ever come back.”

  Hunter drops his hands and steps back, shaking his head. “No, Mercy. She’s not dead. She’s still in there somewhere and the proof is in the fact that your eyes still flash back to their beautiful violet occasionally. We’ll find her, and we’ll bring her back.”

  I snicker. “Good luck.”

  Hunter’s eyes run over me one last time before he lets out a heavy breath and leaves the room.

  I stumble over to the cot and collapse on top of it, my fury fading and leaving me nothing but tired.

  What the hell were they thinking? Kidnapping me and claiming that they can save me? Can’t they see that I don’t want to be saved? I’m finally free. Free of all the pain that my past had brought me. Free from all of the soft feelings. Free from answering to others.

  Torn quickly came to the realization that he couldn’t control me anymore. No one controls me.

  Sure, he turned me into what I am, but I don’t want to change. Changing means caring again. Changing, back to the Mercy I was, means that I have t
o deal with a fucking conscience, morality, and rules. I’m not interested in turning back to the Mercy I once was.

  The door opening again pulls me from my thoughts and I look up in time to see Parker stepping off the stairs.

  “What do you want?” I ask, tone bored.

  Parker watches me for a minute, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I just-” he stops and lets out a shaky breath before starting again. “I just wanted to check on you.”

  I hold my arms out to the side. “Well as you can see, I’m fine and dandy. You can leave now. By the way, I know it was you that snuck up behind me while the others distracted me.”

  His gaze concerned, he asks, “How’s your head?”

  “Healed. Fine. You can go now,” I repeat.

  “Mercy-”

  “No!” I snap, standing up and stalking over to the bars again. “I’m not fucking having this conversation yet again. I didn’t want to kill you guys because of what you did for me. I was repaying you by sparing you. It won’t happen again. The minute I get out of this fucking cage,” I spit the word, “you’re all fucking dead. I will kill you. And I will enjoy every moment of it

  Parker studies me. “Like you killed my mom and dad?” He asks quietly, a combination of emotions that I can’t quite place flash in his eyes.

  “I thoroughly enjoyed killing them,” I admit, gleefully.

  “God, Mercy,” Parker moans, sounding pained. “I’m so sorry.”

  I step back from the bars and frown at him. “What? You’re sorry?” What kind of fucking game is he playing at?

  “I should never have let my mother lock you down here.”

  Realization dawns. “Ah, you blame yourself, huh?”

  Parker frowns at me, eyes sad. “Every damn day.”

  My mouth pulls up in a smirk. “Well, don’t feel guilty. I sure as shit don’t.”

  “You don’t feel anything but anger or indifference right now,” Parker mutters. “Of course you can’t feel guilt. That feeling disappears with all the others when one turns rogue.”

  “Damn straight.” I prowl to the bars again. “And I feel great,” I whisper, smiling widely.