Mercy Thompson 01-05 - THE MERCY THOMPSON COLLECTION

back into your own skin.”
    â€œI don’t remember,” I said warily.
    â€œGood,” said Samuel. “Fortunately for us all, the mind has a way of protecting itself.”
    â€œYou went from fully closed to fully open,” Adam said. “And when you opened yourself up to me, the mate bond settled in, too. Before I realized what happened you ...” He waved his hands. “Sort of spread out through the pack bonds.”
    â€œLike Napoleon trying to take over Russia,” said Samuel “There just wasn’t enough of you to go around.”
    I remembered a bit then. I’d been swimming, drowning in memories and thoughts that weren’t mine. They’d flowed over me, around me, and through me like a river of ice—stripping me raw as the shards passed by. It had been cold and dark; I couldn’t breathe. I’d heard Adam calling my name ...
    â€œAurielle answered,” reported Ben from the hallway. “She says Darryl is fine. Warren’s not picking up, so I called his boy toy’s cell. Boy will check up and call me back.”
    â€œI bet you didn’t call him a boy toy to his face,” I said.
    â€œYou can effing believe I did,” answered Ben with injured dignity. “You should have heard what he called me.”
    Kyle, Warren’s human boyfriend, who in his day job was a barracuda divorce lawyer, had a tongue that could be as razor-sharp as his mind. I’d bet money on the outcome of any verbal skirmish between Kyle and Ben, and it wouldn’t be on Ben.
    â€œIs Dad all right?” asked Jesse. The wolves moved aside almost sheepishly to let her through—and I realized they must have kept her away while the matter was still in doubt. Judging by Adam’s eyes, he held on to control by a gnat’s hair—so keeping his vulnerable human daughter away had been a good idea. But I knew Jesse—I wouldn’t have wanted to have been the one keeping her back.
    Adam got hastily to his feet and almost didn’t lean on Mary Jo—who’d put her hand out when he swayed.
    â€œI’m just fine,” he told his daughter, and gave her a quick hug.
    â€œJesse’s the one who called Samuel,” Mary Jo told him. “We didn’t even think of it. He told us what to do.”
    â€œJesse’s the bomb,” I said with conviction. She gave me a shaky grin.
    â€œThe trick,” Samuel said to me, “is to join with the pack and with Adam—without losing yourself in them. It’s instinctive for the werewolves, but I expect you’re going to have to work on it.”
    Â 
    Â 
    Â 
    IN THE END, I WENT HOME FOR DINNER, SLIPPING OUT ALMOST unnoticed in the gathering that followed our close call. I needed some time alone. Adam saw me leave, but made no move to stop me—he knew I’d be back.
    There was a bowl of tuna fish, pickles, and mayo in the fridge, so I made a sandwich and fed what was left to the cat. As she ate with delicate haste, I called Kyle’s cell phone.
    â€œUhmm?”
    The sound was so relaxed, I pulled the phone away from my ears to make sure it was Kyle’s phone I’d gotten. But there it was on the little screen-KYLE’s CELL.
    â€œKyle? I was calling to see how Warren was.”
    â€œSorry, Mercy,” Kyle laughed, and I heard water splash. “We’re in the hot tub. He’s fine. How are you? Ben said you were all right.”
    â€œFine. Warren?”
    â€œWas passed out in the hallway, where he’d evidently been headed to the kitchen with an empty glass.”
    â€œWasn’t empty when I was carrying it,” Warren’s warm Southern-touched voice sounded amused.
    â€œAh,” said Kyle, “I didn’t notice much besides Warren. But he woke up in a few minutes—”
    â€œCold water in your face does that,” observed Warren, amused.
    â€œBut he was stiff and sore—thus the hot tub.”
    â€œTell him I’m sorry,” I told Kyle.
    â€œNothin’ to be sorry for,” said Warren. “Pack magic can be tricky sometimes. That’s what Adam, Darryl, and I are for, sweetheart. I don’t feel you in the pack anymore. Problems?”
    â€œProbably not,” I told him. “Samuel says I just burned out the circuit for a while. It should come back on line soon.”
    â€œApparently it wasn’t necessary that I pass anything on,” said Kyle dryly.
    A car