Mercy Thompson 01-05 - THE MERCY THOMPSON COLLECTION

especially when she did it near Samuel who couldn’t defend himself.
    â€œThat is a good question,” she murmured. “He is a dominant, this son of Bran?”
    â€œYes,” I answered. I knew that humans had trouble telling a dominant from a submissive wolf. I hadn’t thought the same would be true of a vampire.
    â€œThen Lilly could not enthrall him. But . . . perhaps she could have been loaned the power.” She brought her fingers to her lips and licked Samuel’s blood off them. Her eyes were glowing again.
    I reached into my shirt and started to draw out the sheep, but a pale hand wrapped around my wrist and jerked me against a body, all cold bone and sinew.
    By the time I realized I’d been grabbed, I’d already thrown him. If I’d had time to think, I’d never have tried to throw a vampire the way I would a human, but it was a reflexive thing born of hundreds of hours in the dojo.
    He landed right on top of Samuel because Marsilia had gotten out of the way. The creature twisted, and I thoughthe was coming at me again, but he was after Samuel instead. He struck at Samuel’s bleeding neck.
    Marsilia jerked her vampire off, leaving torn skin where his fangs had already locked onto flesh. Without visible effort or emotion, she tossed him into the nearest wall. Plaster flew, but he bounced to his feet with a snarl that died as soon as he saw who had thrown him the second time.
    â€œOut, my dears.” I noticed that the burn mark on her forehead was healing. “Out before we lose all honor, overcome by such sweetness as is laid out here before us like a tempting feast.”
    I’d gotten my sheep out finally, but before it started glowing we were alone, Stefan, Samuel, and I.

chapter 11
    There was an elevator hidden behind one of the doors in the corridor. Stefan leaned wearily against the wall; he carried Samuel, who was bloodstained, limp, but still breathing.
    â€œYou’re sure he’s all right?” I asked, not for the first time.
    â€œHe’ll not die of it,” he said, which was not quite the same thing.
    The elevator came to a smooth stop, and the doors slid open to reveal a kitchen. Bright lights gleamed on bird’s-eye maple cabinetry and creamy stone countertops. There were no windows, but a clever use of mirrors and backlit stained-glass panels made up for the lack. Next to the refrigerator was something I was a lot more interested in, an outside door. I didn’t wait for Stefan, but opened the door and ran out to the manicured lawn. As I sucked in a shaky breath of air that smelled of dust and exhaust rather than vampires, I realized that I’d come out of the main house.
    â€œThe houses are connected by the tunnels,” I said, as Stefan came down the back steps.
    â€œThere’s no time to talk,” grunted Stefan.
    I looked at him and saw that he was struggling with Samuel’s weight.
    â€œI thought vampires were strong enough to upend trees,” I said.
    â€œNot after Marsilia gets finished with them,” said Stefan. He shifted Samuel, trying to get a better grip.
    â€œWhy not a fireman’s carry?” I asked.
    â€œBecause I don’t want to be carrying him that way when he starts waking up—he’s not going to be a happy wolf. This way I can put him down and get out of the way if I need to.”
    â€œI’ll carry him,” said a stranger’s voice.
    Stefan turned with a snarl and, for the first time ever, I saw his fangs, white and sharp in the night.
    Another vampire stood near us, wearing jeans and one of those white, piratey shirts, open to the waist, that you see at Renaissance Fairs and Errol Flynn movies. It didn’t look good on him. His shoulders were too narrow, and his flat stomach just looked cadaverous rather than sexy—or maybe I’d just had enough of vampires that night.
    â€œPeace, Stefan.” The vampire held up a hand. “Marsilia thought you could use some help.”
    â€œYou mean she didn’t want Dr. Cornick to be here when he came out of the Kiss’s hold.” Stefan relaxed a little. “All right.”
    They transferred Samuel from one vampire to the other—the newcomer apparently wasn’t suffering from Stefan’s worries because he lifted the werewolf over his shoulder.
    The night was quiet, but there was a waiting quality to it that I recognized from the hunt. Someone was watching