Liege looked to each Legionnaire. Go fuck yourself, Flynn.
Then say goodbye to your beloved Ashlyn. That was the last they heard from Flynn before Liege purged him from their minds, the room, and the fort.
Merc stared at Ash as he said to Joyce, “You’ll give her my blood.”
Liege shook his head. “No. She’ll have mine. You’re still in recovery.”
Merc met Liege’s eyes with his own hard gaze. “Mine.”
“We can start with Merc’s,” Joyce said.
“And if it’s not enough, you’ll take the rest of what you need from Liege,” Merc told her.
“Let’s do it,” Nathan said. “Acier, bring Merc’s blood reserves down here.”
Merc looked at Liege. “I need the room for a minute. I need to tell her what we’re doing.”
Liege nodded and waved everyone out.
Merc knew he couldn’t ease the sleep compulsion without causing her extreme agitation. His only way to communicate was via their mental link, but none of this would make sense without restoring her memories. The process was instantaneous.
She gasped and jerked at her restraints.
Ash, love, I’m here with you.
Merc? Her eyes opened, and she locked gazes with him. All of their shared memories were once again available to her, like a dream suddenly remembered.
For a moment, it was as if he was really connecting with her, not with the monster she was becoming. We’re going to help you.
How?
We’ll get rid of the Omni mutations that are harming you, and give you the same modifications that Selena took, along with the mods in my system.
I hurt, Merc, everywhere.
I know. This isn’t an easy process. That’s why we have you sedated.
I love you. I trust you. And you’ve got some ’splaining to do when this is over.
Merc chuckled. I do, and I will tell everything when you come out of this. And I love you, Ash, more than I have words to tell you. He stroked her hair and smiled at her. Ready?
She nodded. He sent her back to sleep. He could feel Guerre in her mind, blocking her body’s pain response. The Ratcliffs lowered the temperature in the room.
Merc looked over his shoulder to the Ratcliffs. They began the withdrawal of her blood, filling bag after bag.
Merc let his tears fall. It hurt him to watch her life force being drained from her.
Put a bullet in my head if she dies, Guerre. Swear it to me, ’cause I fucking suck at killing myself.
Guerre filled him with warm, calming energy. Hold steady. Let Mercy be your name today. She’s strong. Stay focused.
The blood continued to slowly drip from her body. The docs said they had to take it slowly so as to not shock her body more than was needed. The color was leaving her face. No, that wasn’t true. She wasn’t colorless. The warm glow of her feverish skin was giving way to a purple hue of flesh starving for oxygen.
Merc bent over and kissed her hand. Mercy is my name. His warm tears spilled over cold skin. Mercy is my name. Mercy is name. He repeated the mantra to himself mindlessly. Mercy is my name. He squeezed his eyes shut. He tried to slip into her mind, but she was too distant to reach.
He sent a panicked glance to Guerre, who gave him a nod and said, Mercy is your name.
If you die, Ash, my love, I will go with you. This is my promise to you. I will not leave you in life or in death. Mercy is my name.
“We’re going to begin the transfusion now,” Joyce said.
Merc nodded. His woman was so still. Almost dead. They hooked up the first unit of his stored blood.
Continue speaking with her, Guerre urged him.
You are my heart and my life. I’m not a mercenary today. I’m not mercurial. Mercy is my name.
You’re mercurial as fuck.
Ashlyn’s weak response shocked him. His head shot up, and he looked at her. Guerre laughed. Merc’s hand tightened on her still-unresponsive one. Sleep, angel. We’re all here for you. We’ll keep you safe. Sleep so your body can heal.
I don’t know where I am, Merc. My Mercy.
That’s part of the process. Let go and become. I know where you are. I gotcha.
If I let go, I’ll float away.
I’ll fly with you.
You love me.
So much.
I’m going to call you Mercy when I wake up.
Baby, you can call me anything you want. Just be at ease for now. Your body has important healing to do.
I’m dying, aren’t I?
No, love. You’re evolving.
Like you did?
Just the same.
I can feel your blood in me. It’s delicious. You’re delicious. Her lips twitched. I have Mercy in me.
I’m going to be the gentlest, sweetest, kindest man alive when you wake up.
You always were that.
No.
Mm-hmm. You were. And sexy. I really need sexy you.
Twenty-four seven, Merc said.
Will you still be in my head?
If you allow me. You can be in mine, too.
Because we share blood?
No. Because we share a heart.
“We’re going to let her sleep now,” Joyce said.
I’m scared, Ash said.
I’m not leaving you. I’ll be here the whole way.
I love you, Merc.
Not as much as I love you, sweet Ash. Sleep now. I’ve got you.
After the transfusions, the Ratcliffs moved Ash to a recovery room. It had a full complement of medical equipment, but she wasn’t hooked up to any of it—there was no need with Guerre monitoring her.
Merc got into the bed with her so that he could hold her as she came back to awareness. The Ratcliffs warned him it might be hours or days. Even weeks, as it was for Summer. He didn’t care. He’d made a promise to her, and he meant to keep it.
His mind rolled through all the things they’d been through in the past few months. He remembered waking from the coma with Ash on his mind instead of his Tina. He’d been mad that Ash was replacing her, but now he realized his love for her helped soften his mourning for his family.
If Ash survived this, he might find his way back to joy.
Mercy.
His name was just a whisper in the ether. He looked at Ash, but she hadn’t awakened. He looked up and saw her astral form. It wasn’t a strong projection of herself—it shimmered in and out.
He looked over at Guerre, sleeping on a cot on the other side of the room. He had not heard or seen Ash.
Her astral self disappeared. Merc looked down at Ash. She was not conscious. Her breathing was shallow. He wondered if he should rouse Guerre to take a reading of her. Merc felt for her pulse. It was too faint.
Oh, for the love of mercy, I’m here. Ash’s image appeared again at the foot of the bed.
Ash…
Yeah. We have a problem. There are two of me.
No. There’s only one.
Well, you’re holding one of me and talking to another of me. That’s two of me.
Merc slowly smiled. Then he laughed.
Don’t you dare laugh at me, you big galumph. Help me get back into my body.
Just open your eyes.
Instantly, her astral self blinked out. Merc looked down at her in his arms. Her eyes twitched, then opened. He touched her cheek, her forehead, checking for fever. There was none. The blood pooling in her eyes was gone, and when she smiled, he could see it was gone from her mouth as well.
“Hey,” Merc said.