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Brie leaned against the stone wall, folding her arms. “Mercy doesn’t trust easily. She’s been through a lot, more than most people realize. She’s strong, yes, but she’s also guarded. And with good reason.”
Hunter sensed there was more to the story. “What happened?”
Brie hesitated, her gaze flicking to the floor for a moment before meeting his eyes again. “She lost someone. A long timeago. Someone she cared about very much. A vampire killed them.”
Hunter felt the words hit him like a punch to the gut. That explained the hatred in Mercy’s eyes whenever she looked at him. The anger, the cold distance she kept between them. It wasn’t just because he was a vampire; it was because vampires had taken something—someone—from her. Someone, something precious.
The revelation that Mercy had lost someone she deeply cared about to a vampire immediately weighed heavily on Hunter's mind. The conundrum for Mercy wasn’t just rooted in her innate dislike of vampires, but in the deep, personal trauma she carried—a trauma Hunter now represented, whether he wanted to or not.
For Mercy, the situation had to have become increasingly complicated as her relationship with Hunter developed. On one hand, she was drawn to him in the same way he was drawn to her, unable to deny the connection between them—the pull of fate that seemed to bind them together. But on the other hand, he was a vampire. Vampires were the very creatures who had stolen something irreplaceable from her, someone she had loved.
She had to feel torn, caught between two worlds: her past, stained with the memory of loss and pain, and her present, where she found herself increasingly entangled with a vampire. The same emotions that flared into anger when she thought of her loved one’s death had to arise when she thought of Hunter but for different reasons. How could she possibly justify to herself being a fated mate to someone who embodied everything she hated? Everything that had once shattered her world?
Brie sighed softly. “It’s not something she talks about, and I don’t expect she ever will. But it’s important for you to understand that winning Mercy’s trust isn’t going to be easy.You can’t just expect her to accept you because you’re fated to be together. Fate doesn’t erase the past, and it doesn’t make her pain go away.”
Hunter’s jaw tightened. “I never expected it to be easy. But I’m not going anywhere.”
Brie studied him for a long moment, then nodded. “Good. That’s a start. But if you want any chance of getting close to her, you’ll need to build trust. And not just with her.”
Hunter tilted his head. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that Mercy trusts the people here. If you want to be in her life, you’ll need to form relationships with the people she trusts. Start with Colby. He’s been a close friend of hers for years. If you can get him on your side, it might make things a little easier.”
Hunter frowned, the idea of needing to win over her friends feeling more like a strategic move than a heartfelt one. But if this was the only way to get through to Mercy, he was willing to do whatever it took.
Brie straightened, her expression softening slightly. “Look, I’m not saying you have to become best friends with everyone here. But you need to show her that you’re not just here for yourself. You’re here for her.”
Hunter nodded, understanding the weight of her words. He needed to prove to Mercy that he wasn’t just another vampire passing through her life. He was here for her, and he wasn’t leaving.
“Thank you,” Hunter said, his voice sincere. “I’ll talk to Colby.”
Brie smiled faintly. “Good luck. You’ll need it.”
With that, she walked away, leaving Hunter standing in the corridor, her words echoing in his mind. He had a plan now, a way forward. If gaining Mercy’s trust meant forming allianceswith the people around her, then that’s what he would do. Starting with Colby.
Hunter found himself outside, the cool evening air brushing against his skin as he focused his senses. He knew Colby was nearby—he could feel the man’s energy, wild and untamed, much like the animal he shifted into. But locating him would require more than just a guess. He needed to shift.
With a deep breath, Hunter let his vampire form dissolve, the smoke-like mist that accompanied his transformation dissipating into the night air. In its place, his body elongated and morphed, his muscles shifting and stretching as he took on the form of a lynx—Colby’s shifter form. It was a trick not many vampires could pull off, but Hunter had learned the art of shapeshifting long before most of his kind.
In lynx form, his senses sharpened, and the faint scent of Colby filled his nose. He darted through the underbrush, his paws silent against the ground as he followed the trail. It didn’t take long to find Colby, who was in his lynx form, running through the trees just outside the abbey’s grounds.
Hunter joined and ran alongside him, their movements synchronized as they weaved through the trees. It was a silent understanding—no need for words, no need for explanation. The run itself was an initiation of sorts, a way for Hunter to show Colby that he wasn’t just some outsider looking to impose himself on his territory.
After several minutes of running, Colby slowed, and Hunter followed suit. He trotted toward one of the containers stashed around the countryside that contained clothing for those who found themselves in need. The two men shifted back into their human forms, the transformation smooth and seamless.
Pulling on their clothes, Colby glanced at Hunter, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Nice trick," Colby said, his voice casualbut with a note of approval. "Not many vampires can shift like that."
Hunter shrugged, his expression calm. "I’ve had practice."
Colby’s eyes gleamed with amusement. "You must’ve, to pull that off. I don’t see many of your kind running as lynxes."
Hunter crossed his arms, leaning against a nearby tree. "I wanted to talk to you."
Colby raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "About?"
"The witch and vampire I was hunting," Hunter said, his voice serious. "I need to go back to the subterranean cavern where I found them. There’s something there—something I think I missed. And I could use some help."
Colby studied him for a moment, his gaze thoughtful. "You want me to come with you?"
