Loving Merritt Forever

Loving Merritt After 21

Merritt relived the moment absolutely everything had changed for her. When she had first become vampire. With David dead, Asher now also dead. Only Verity was left with a functioning heart beat, last man metaphorically standing. In the real world, Merritt had moved from the pool to the more private steam room. Enjoying the sensation of her whole body starting to warm through in the humid air as she let the memories she had tried to ignore wash over her.

Merritt had kissed Asher's lips, one last touch of his lips on her skin while he was still warm. Wishing him good luck on his journey back to her. Standing to stalk towards Verity, who still did not seem to understand his position in the world. Merritt dropped into a squat, looking at Verity as he protested. Trying to struggle. "You" Merritt managed to make out in his gurgled sounds, "Can't" Eventually followed. He was pathetic, he always had been.

Merritt knew she had smiled at Verity. Fangs and demon fully on display. Relishing seeing the fear in her brother's eyes. "I can." was her confident reply. Willing her index finger to sharpen into the precise talon she had used to open her vein to feed Asher her blood before he had died. Merritt had much darker intentions for Verity. 

Remembering where her own scars were, paired with her many anatomy classes through nursing school. Merritt slowly, and methodically sliced Verity apart, seeking out all the organs her parents had taken from her and given to Verity. Eating them, taking them back starting with her kidney.

He had tried to hit her, arms weakly flailing at her with as much effect as a gnat. It was only her own annoyance that led to her first pulling verity's shoulders out of joint, like he had repeatedly done to her. Though he hadn't ever managed to dislocate both joints at the same time. Merritt was making up for the past. With all due interest added.

Then she had grown annoyed with his blubbering while she was working to take his liver from his body, pulling his right arm from the socket first, wrenching it out like she would the wing of a chicken when she had been alive and broken down a whole bird into all the butchered parts. Trying to save money, stick to her budget. Breaking Verity apart was much more enjoyable. Twisting and tearing the joint apart in her hands.

Still Verity had tried to protest, tried to deny that his death had come and he only had himself to blame. Merritt finished his liver, watched as he died. Feeling nothing. Then, Merritt, herself had looked around without the fresh demon coloring her experience. Merritt's vision was still cloudy and blurred, though now tinted red with blood. Merritt looked around, feeling like she had been in a dream. Saw the mangled bodies around her, so much blood in the air she could taste copper on her tongue.  She knew something was wrong and had gone to hide in a closet. Until Levi had found her. Body frozen and covered in blood and viscera.

Leaving the memory that didn't hurt as much as it once did.Body warmed through in the cycling water of the hot tub. Feeling a little better about her situation, and more accepting of her past. It was unchangeable. Merritt returned to her room, locking the door behind her. She went to rest in the safe room. Alone in a bed. Knowing Levi was looking for her, and only certain that Asher was not gone from this existence. Crying blood red tears into the white pillow. Not caring about the stain she was leaving. It cost enough to stay here that surely they could deal with the stains effectively or replace them.

She was so angry with Levi. He had known Asher was not ready and had set him, and Merritt both up to fail. Tearing them all apart, and trying to gaslight Merritt into thinking it was for the best. It was not fine. Not at all. Levi had promised that he wouldn't keep secrets from her any longer. Now that everyone was a vampire, they were all equal. He had lied. Merritt felt like a fool that she had believed him.

Everyone lied to Merritt. Asher hadn't told her he was a wolf and that she was his mate. That trying to keep her safe had cost him his wolf. Levi hadn't told her he was a vampire, that he was spiking almost all of her wine to ensure she too would become a vampire. Taking away any choices she had. Always manipulating her. Saying it was for the best, Merritt didn't know if he was lying more to her, or to himself.

Joy had been paid to follow Merritt, she had never been a friend. Merritt desperately wanted to talk with Gabi. Her only true friend, one she had made while alive and all on her own. But that was impossible. Merritt Stonem was dead, and Gabi was a human who was grieving her best friend dying in a tragic attack of some kind, the police had been scant on details when reporting what had happened.

Merritt was on her own. Just like she always had been. Merritt had cried herself to sleep in her perfect, bespoke for vampires hotel room. Hating how she was feeling. This was the first time since she had been turned that she had felt so conflicted and so emotional. So human.

Still closer to the wrong ocean. A continent between he and Merritt. Levi was losing his mind. Unable to figure out where Merritt could be. He was growing more uncontrolled pacing while searching his phone and returning messages and checking replies to his various queries when there was a knock at his door. The interior, apartment door. Where almost no one should be able to reach him.

"Open the fucking door asshole, I know where Merritt is." A familiar voice yelled, angrily at Levi through the apartment door. In a flash he was there. Letting Joy into Merritt's apartment.

"Asshole." She sneered at him again when he opened the door. His demon tried to push forward, and Joy only put her hand up. Protective ring clear and center. "Asshole!" She yelled again at him, "You just had to be honest with Merritt Levi. You fucked up." Joy admonished Levi as she pushed her way into the apartment.

Heedless of the fact that she was yelling and disrespecting a demon that could end her. Joy was focused on her anger and careless regarding her own safety. Multitude of natural accidents could cause the arm bearing the hand and the ring in question to detach from her shoulder after all.