Part 9
"If Nell can't talk her out of it, why are we bothering?"
Helping Mercedes Redfern was not exactly at the top of Mercury Harman's priority list. Her cousin was a spoilt brat who lived and died by the Night World laws. A self-confessed Daybreaker, Mercury was snubbed and shoved aside by Mercedes. She glared at her partner, werewolf Bryn Ramsey.
"Nell called. What was I supposed to do? Turn her down?"
It was a hot, sunny day in Las Vegas, and the Daybreakers were taking an afternoon off. Well, those who weren't out working were all clustered around the mansion's outdoor pool, enjoying the sunshine.
Mercury scowled, adjusting the strap on her red bikini. "Why did Nell call /you/?"
Bryn frowned, and didn't answer right away. He turned his attention towards the portable CD player he had brought to the poolside with him and began fiddling with the buttons. Mercury waited. "Well?"
"Just because," he answered, almost harshly.
Mercury didn't understand. "I don't see what good we can do anyway. Pandora's under protection of the local Daybreakers in her new town, right? Case closed."
She left her lounger and headed for the pool, diving in the deep end. She ignored the annoyed comments from the several others in her way, focusing on a fast front crawl, swimming lengths, trying to work out her frustration. Why would this piss her off so much?
She should be willing to help change her cousin's views. If her cousin's best friend was willing to resort to Daybreak help, then maybe Mercedes could too.
Though every time that seemed possible, the last few times Mercury had been let down. Nell hadn't been much help. The witch couldn't make her mind up - Daybreak or Night World. Her inability to make a decision was starting to cost lives.
"If you're not careful you're going to run somebody over."
Mercury didn't see Miles Neely until she almost knocked him over. All she knew about Miles was he was a bitten shapeshifter and his sister Maggie was the soulmate of one of the Wild Powers. "You can't run someone over while swimming," she pointed out, running her hands through her long red hair.
"Whatever. You might want to look out before you go through someone."
Mercury sighed. "Sorry. I'm kind of preoccupied."
"I can see that." Miles's head tilted to one side. "Anything you want to talk about?"
Mercury sighed, and even found herself smiling. He was a nice guy, and seemed genuinely concerned. "Unless you can raise the dead, there's nothing you can do. Excuse me."
She felt bad for blowing him off when Miles had only ever been nice to her. But there was nothing he could do. Mercury went back to her lounger and dried off.
"What is your deal?" Bryn asked.
"You /know/ what my deal is. If you want to be stupid and help Nell, then you do it. Leave me /out/ of it." She wrapped the towel around her waist, picked up the few magazines she had brought with her and stalked back into the mansion.
"If Nell can't talk her out of it, why are we bothering?"
Helping Mercedes Redfern was not exactly at the top of Mercury Harman's priority list. Her cousin was a spoilt brat who lived and died by the Night World laws. A self-confessed Daybreaker, Mercury was snubbed and shoved aside by Mercedes. She glared at her partner, werewolf Bryn Ramsey.
"Nell called. What was I supposed to do? Turn her down?"
It was a hot, sunny day in Las Vegas, and the Daybreakers were taking an afternoon off. Well, those who weren't out working were all clustered around the mansion's outdoor pool, enjoying the sunshine.
Mercury scowled, adjusting the strap on her red bikini. "Why did Nell call /you/?"
Bryn frowned, and didn't answer right away. He turned his attention towards the portable CD player he had brought to the poolside with him and began fiddling with the buttons. Mercury waited. "Well?"
"Just because," he answered, almost harshly.
Mercury didn't understand. "I don't see what good we can do anyway. Pandora's under protection of the local Daybreakers in her new town, right? Case closed."
She left her lounger and headed for the pool, diving in the deep end. She ignored the annoyed comments from the several others in her way, focusing on a fast front crawl, swimming lengths, trying to work out her frustration. Why would this piss her off so much?
She should be willing to help change her cousin's views. If her cousin's best friend was willing to resort to Daybreak help, then maybe Mercedes could too.
Though every time that seemed possible, the last few times Mercury had been let down. Nell hadn't been much help. The witch couldn't make her mind up - Daybreak or Night World. Her inability to make a decision was starting to cost lives.
"If you're not careful you're going to run somebody over."
Mercury didn't see Miles Neely until she almost knocked him over. All she knew about Miles was he was a bitten shapeshifter and his sister Maggie was the soulmate of one of the Wild Powers. "You can't run someone over while swimming," she pointed out, running her hands through her long red hair.
"Whatever. You might want to look out before you go through someone."
Mercury sighed. "Sorry. I'm kind of preoccupied."
"I can see that." Miles's head tilted to one side. "Anything you want to talk about?"
Mercury sighed, and even found herself smiling. He was a nice guy, and seemed genuinely concerned. "Unless you can raise the dead, there's nothing you can do. Excuse me."
She felt bad for blowing him off when Miles had only ever been nice to her. But there was nothing he could do. Mercury went back to her lounger and dried off.
"What is your deal?" Bryn asked.
"You /know/ what my deal is. If you want to be stupid and help Nell, then you do it. Leave me /out/ of it." She wrapped the towel around her waist, picked up the few magazines she had brought with her and stalked back into the mansion.