Of Fangs & Fins ✔

54. Purgatory

SR: Honne - Warm on A Cold Night

fifty four.

Marina.

"Don't try to pull anything, I don't want to have to kill you," The harshness in Lucinda's tone sent waves of tension flowing through me.

Nerissa's grip tightened on my arm.

How could anyone feel relaxed here?

Lucinda didn't to a thing for herself. She had all these henchmen walking around, doing her bidding. It was one of her henchmen that loaded me onto the plane and sent me across the country. Just when I didn't think it could get worse, I boarded off the plane and directly into an armored limousine. There was equipment that hung on the top of the car that I never saw in my life. I didn't dare ask about it, for Lucinda's henchmen didn't seem like the talkative type.

The windows were frosted from the inside that I had no view of New York City. I've never been to the city, let alone out of Washington.

I folded my arms and leaned against the door, truly wondering if this was the best choice I've made. I was alone, even if Nerissa was here with me. She wasn't my ally, she was... a victim? My enemy? I had no plan, what made me think I could rescue her from all this?

Panic was crawling its way up my chest, seizing my lungs in the process.

Lucinda seemed to have noticed my inner turmoil. She was perched across the limo, the farthest seat from me. Her icy eyes were on mine as if she was memorizing every part of my face. Luce's hand propped up her chin as she leaned forward. Neri looked from me to Lucinda, as if she was deciding where she should sit.

I scooted to the side, giving Neri more space to sit next to me. Except, she didn't sit next to me. Instead, she made her way over to Lucinda. Her head cast down, her back ramrod straight.

"What is your endgame here, Luce?" I asked, shifting my leg over the other. I tried to look unbothered as she studied me from across the limo, but I couldn't hide it. I had no idea what was going to happen to me. My legs shook and it didn't make a difference how I sat.

I had no idea if anyone was coming for me.

The mental image of Hades on top of the vehicle Nerissa took me in assaulted my consciousness. Did she follow us all the way?

"Endgame? What makes you think I want the games to end?" Luce grinned, let out a huff of breath before leaning back against the seat. "It's always interesting to see what new girls Eryn manages to pull out of the woodwork. Or should I say sewer, given your kind?"

I mashed my lips together in a hard line. As much as I wanted to snap back at Luce, I knew better than to do so. I had no one to protect me here. I didn't know what Lucinda really wanted, although, with all the time she spent on breaking our defenses, it seems quite clear that I was her target.

Nerissa's usually stoic face was replaced by one that I wish I didn't see. Her eyes were as expressive as ever, looking from Luce to me as if she was watching a ping-pong match. No matter how much compulsion she was under, it wasn't enough to repress her true self indefinitely. The true Neri was inside, regardless if she was a vampire or not. A part of me wished she wasn't able to slide through her compulsion. And the other part of me admonished myself for every being grateful for it. How could I be happy that she was under someone else's will?

Because it excuses her from all the horrible things she's done since her turn.

If this was the Nerissa I knew and grew up with, how could I ever forgive her? She was involved with poisoning the blood supply, poisoning Eryn's meds. She put my life at stake and everyone else I loved. Those times that Eryn bit me... could have it been prevented if Nerissa wasn't under Lucinda's control?