The Dark Sire Issue 6 (Winter 2020) - PREVIEW | Page 40

The Last Summer

By Frances Tate
Part Three
“ It would appear that your name is the only mercy your mother bestowed upon you ,” Richard murmured , wiping the tear from Mercy ’ s face with his thumb . Sitting beside her , he asked her forgiveness as he pushed the nightgown ’ s sleeve above her elbow . The narrow cuff , breached and unbuttoned after Dr Wallis ’ trespass , rose without impediment and he surveyed the pale limb . He swiped a fingertip through the escaping blood bubble and frowned .
“ I hope for your sake , doctor , that you know what you ’ re doing . This is strong stuff .” Richard partially grew the talon on his tear-stained thumb and used it to mine a wet ruby of his blood from the pad of a finger and smear it over the puncture inside her elbow .
He ’ d assumed , wrongly , the injection to be a mild sedative which would favour him , circumventing Mercy ’ s natural resistance and opening her up like an oyster to his questions . But the strength of the drug she ’ d received rendered her mind as unresponsive as her body .
“ It would seem you and I are destined to spend a third evening in each other ’ s company , My Lady . Tomorrow night we shall have a detailed conversation regarding how a mortal wields vampire attributes with such skill , or indeed , how at all .”
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