Eversong (Midnight Playground) by Eden Bradley

time his nails dug into the flesh at her waist, drawing blood. She could smell it—that sweet, metallic scent that was the blood of the vampires. She could smell her own fear, heavy in the air.
    “Deo, help me!”
    “Damn you, Gaius!” Deo gripped her shoulders, tried to pry her from the rogue’s grip.
    Gaius reached out, fast as lightning, and knocked Deo back, onto the floor. “We are all damned,” he said, with a small, strangled chuckle.
    She pounded on his shoulders, his broad chest with her fists. “Gaius, you will let me go!”
    “I will not,” he growled. “I will take you to the bottom of the ocean, if that is what it takes to keep you.”
    “Gaius!” Deo roared, lunged once more, and bit into the old vampire’s arm. Mercy did the same, tasted Gaius’s ancient blood on her tongue, and instantly she was transported back to the moment he’d Turned her, to those images of Gaius’s past that had flooded her brain then, and did so again now.
    The air was moist with summer heat in the Temple of Apollo Palatinus. Gaius stood before the altar. Even though the sun shone outside, the marble floors were cool—he could feel it seeping through the soles of his sandals. And Mercy could feel his heart heavy with despair as he called out in prayer.
    “Great Apollo. Do not abandon me, even though I am now a creature of Proserpine’s Underworld. A creature of evil. Send me some sign, that this is a test you have set before me. Tell me what I am to do to please you.” Agitated, he sighed, pushed his hair from his face, his jaw clenching. “Does it please you to have me drink blood? I, who have always been your devoted servant? My family has brought gifts to your altar, I have prayed to you every day, and still I remain…in this strange condition all these long months. They reject me now, my family, and I have no one but my gods. Unless you have you rejected me as well, great Apollo. Have you?” he demanded, sinking to his knees. “Have you?” He paused, breathless, his chest heaving. “I have nothing now,” he murmured, his hands fisting at his eyes. “Nothing…” he sobbed.
    “No!” Mercy cried, her heart breaking for him. Her maker. Her enemy.
    He was dragging her across the room, and Deo with them as he held on to her. Deo’s beautiful eyes blazed with blue-green fire—anger and fear and a helpless pleading it nearly broke her to see. Gaius let out a yell, tore her from Deo’s grasp and carried her out the door, into the hallway. Fear was like thunder in her veins.
    She called to Ever in her mind, felt his answer. Then he was with them, tearing her from Gaius’s hold. Deo took her in his arms, and they watched as Ever threw the rogue to the floor, his fist slamming into Gaius’s face. There was no blood, just the sound of stone hitting stone while she shivered with some strange loathing she couldn’t explain.
    Ever raised his fist once more and she felt the power of his anger, like molten heat. Like death.
    “I will kill you myself for what you’ve done to her.” Ever’s tone sent shivers down her spine—dangerous. Deadly. His lips had drawn back, baring his fangs.
    “Kill me, then, if you can. End this torture.” Gaius’s voice grew stronger, and he demanded, “Kill me!”
    Ever’s hands closed around Gaius’s throat, and she heard the sharp crack of bones snapping. She caught the old vampire’s dark, darting gaze. He was so clearly out of his mind. So clearly in some kind of hell.
    “Ever, no! Please, no.” A sob tore at her throat and she shook all over.
    Deo held her tighter. “He is too insane, Mercy. Too out of control. If they let him go…”
    “I can’t bear it. Please. Please, Ever. Don’t.”
    But Ever’s fingers only dug harder into the ancient vampire’s throat.
    “Ever.”
    It was Aleron’s calm French accent. He was in the hall, along with Ramsey. A group of vampires stood behind them, some she’d never seen before.
    She watched as Ever went tense all over.