Mercy Thompson 01-05 - THE MERCY THOMPSON COLLECTION

all wrong, sending messages that her voice did not. I couldn’t tell which I should be listening to.
    â€œâ€˜Remains’ is a little strong,” I said. “Warren’s not dead.”
    She didn’t say anything more for a moment, tapping the table lightly in the same pattern that she’d used the last time I’d seen her. I thought that I hadn’t reacted quite as she’d intended—was I supposed to have accepted her help eagerly?
    Finally she said, “I know you think it is my fault for sending Stefan off by himself. There were reasons to make it appear a punishment, but Stefan was a soldier. He knew an assignment when he heard one. He knew I believed him, just as he knew I had no choice but to send him after this creature.”
    That I could believe.
    â€œShe meant for him to ask me for help,” Andre broke in. “It is my fault that he didn’t. Stefan and I had…have been friends for a long time. But I made a mistake and he was angry with me.” He looked at me and met my eyes for a moment, but looked away when I averted my gaze. I wondered what he would have done if I’d let him ensnare me.
    He continued as if nothing had happened. Maybe it hadn’t.
    â€œDaniel was one of Stefan’s when he was human. He was more fragile than he appeared and he died while he fed me. There is only an instant when the choice to bring one back can be made, Mercedes Thompson. Less than five human heartbeats. I thought to lessen the cost to everyone by bringing him back a vampire instead of putting him permanently to earth.”
    Marsilia touched his hand, and I realized his speech hadn’t been for me, but for her.
    â€œYou gave Daniel a gift,” she said. “Ample recompense for your mistake.”
    Andre bowed his head. “Stefan didn’t think so. Bringing him over made Daniel mine, and Stefan was convinced that I’d done it on purpose.”
    The vampires were damned hard to read, but I thought Stefan probably had the right of it. Andre had been too pleased about something to do with Daniel and Stefan the night of Stefan’s trial.
    â€œUnkind of him,” Marsilia told him.
    â€œI’d have given him back,” Andre said. “But I was waiting for Stefan to ask.”
    See. Vampires play stupid dominance games, too.
    Marsilia shook her head. “It was, perhaps, all to the good that Stefan did not take you. I might be here talking with this walker with both my best soldiers dead.” She turned her attention back to me. “So here is how I propose to make your job easier, Mercedes. I will lend you my left hand to guard your back,” she said, nodding at Andre, “my right being sundered. And I will give you what information I have.”
    â€œIn return for what?” I asked, though my question was automatic. She thought Stefan was dead.
    She closed her eyes for a moment then stared at my forehead. The vampire version of courtesy, I think. It made me feel like I had a smudge on my forehead.
    She said, “In return for you finding this bedamned thing. Since it killed Stefan, I have to accept that any other vampires sent after it will likewise be destroyed. You are the best hope we have of eliminating it.”
    â€œAnd besides,” I added dryly. “If I don’t succeed, what have you lost?” She didn’t reply, but she didn’t need to. “So tell me, how do I kill this sorcerer?”
    â€œJust like any other vampire,” she said.
    â€œMost of what I know is from Dracula . Assume I’m totally ignorant, please.”
    â€œWell enough,” she agreed. “A wooden stake through the heart works. Immersion in holy water or direct exposure to sunlight. It is said that the great saints could kill us with their faith, but I do not think, despite your lamb,” she waved her hand at my necklace, “that your faith is great enough for that. But take your little sheep with you, Mercedes, because it should work as well on demons as it does on vampires.”
    â€œWhat was it that walkers could do that made vampires fear them?” I asked.
    She and Andre both went very still. I didn’t think she would answer me. But she did. Sort of. “The first you already know,” she said. “Many of our powers do not work well on you. Most of our magic is useless.”
    â€œYour truth spell worked,” I pointed out.
    â€œThat chair is not vampiric magic,