Book 1 - Page 60 (1/2)

My people, apparently, among them.

As I took the on-ramp onto the highway to Richland, I remembered something my mother once told me. She hadn't known my father very well. In my mostly empty jewelry box was a silver belt buckle he'd won in a rodeo and given her. She told me his eyes were the color of sunlit root beer, and that he snored if he slept on his back. The only other thing I knew about him was that if someone had found his wrecked truck sooner, he might have lived. The wreck hadn't killed him outright. Something sharp had sliced open a big vein, and he bled to death.

There was a noise from the back of the van. I jerked the rearview mirror around until I could see the backseat. Samuel's eyes were open, and he was shaking violently.

Stefan hadn't told me what the bad reaction to the Kiss might be, but I was pretty sure I was about to find out. I was already pa.s.sing the exit for Columbia Park, but I managed to take it without getting rear-ended.

I drove until I came to a small parking lot next to a maintenance shed. I parked, killed the lights, then slipped between the seats of the van and approached Samuel cautiously.

”Sam?” I said, and for a heartbeat his struggles slowed down.

His eyes gleamed in the shadows of the van's depths. I smelled adrenaline, terror, sweat, and blood.

I had to fight not to flee. Part of me knew that so much fear must have a cause. The rest of me figured out why some werewolves had a bad reaction to the vampire's Kiss-waking up unable to move, his last memory being something sucking his blood was bound to hit every panic b.u.t.ton in a werewolf's a.r.s.enal.

”Shhh,” I said, crouching in the s.p.a.ce between the second seat and the sliding door. ”The vampires are gone. What you are feeling is something they can do with their bite. It makes their victims pa.s.sive so they can feed without drawing attention. It's wearing off now-Stefan said it will leave no ill effects.”

He was beginning to listen to me. I could see it in the softening of his shoulders-then my cell phone rang.

I answered it, but the sudden noise had been too much. The van b.u.mped and bobbed as Samuel scrambled over the backseat and into the luggage s.p.a.ce behind the seat.

”Hey,” I said, keeping my voice soft.

”Mercy.” It was Warren, his voice urgent. ”You need to come here as soon as you can-and bring Samuel.”

Samuel was making harsh noises behind the seat. Changing was painful for the wolves at the best of times-when they are comfortable and eager to hunt. Changing when the air is thick with fear and blood would not be good. Not good at all.

”Samuel is indisposed,” I said, as he screamed, a roar of agony and despair. He was fighting the change.

Warren swore. ”Tell me this then. Is Adam afraid someone in the pack betrayed him?”

”That's my fault,” I said. ”Warren, is the pack coming to your house?”

He grunted. I a.s.sumed it was a yes.