Page 58 of Bad Medicine

And I didn’t want to admit italoud, I didn’t want to catch and end Sam only because he killed human women. Iwanted to kill him because he was so powerful. Because he could, anytime hewanted, climb inside my mind. He had too much power, and he should die.

That didn’t make me feel goodabout myself, but there it was.

“Kait? Are you okay?”

I opened my eyes and unclenchedmy jaw, forcing away the one memory I wouldn’t have minded forgetting. “I’mfine.”

“I heard he saved your life,”he said, once we began walking again. “That he only kills evil. The way youdo.”

That was the moment Iunderstood that I was standing right beside the shapeshifter. If I kept mycool—and I would—he wouldn’t have to know I knew. Not until it was too late forhim. I passed Ash’s leash from my right hand to my left and inched my fingerstoward my sheathed demon blade.

I threw a look behind us. Thoughthere were three wolves trailing along, Shane—Sam, actually—could injure orkill them. I did not want more Gray Shadow blood on my hands. Sam hadn’t beenlying when he’d said a shapeshifter was stronger than a wolf. He hadn’t beenlying at all.

Ash hadn’t even noticed he wasin the company of a shapeshifter. None of the dogs had. Even as we walked, twowolves and their leashed dogs hurried by us, and the dogs barely glanced ourway. Apparently I’d heard wrong. Dogs didn’t hate shapeshifters at all.

They didn’t seem to hate Sam,anyway. I supposed they might not have known he was a shapeshifter. They didn’tsense it, or smell it, or see it. Maybe if he’d been wearing his true face,that would have been a whole different story.

I blew out a long breath, andfor a second, the white plume of it hung in the frosty air like an unformedspirit. I concentrated on that plume, then let my gaze drift to the spirit of aman sitting dejected and alone on a stone bench across the street. I focused onthe voices of wolves and the yips of dogs distant and muffled in the foggy,sunless day. Finally, I was calm.

I did not want to fight theshapeshifter. Not there. And there were a few reasons for that. I didn’t wantto risk wolf lives. I didn’t want to risk Ash being hurt. There was anotherreason, but it was undeveloped and somewhat confusing, and I would need tothink more about it when I was alone. The main thing was, though, that when itcame down to it and despite everything I’d said, I felt a sort of…connectionwith Sam. Maybe deep inside, I wondered if he could change. If his twistedbrain could focus on hunting bad guys instead of murdering abusive blonde women.

“He did save my life,” I said,gratified that my voice sounded normal.

“But?” he asked.

I shrugged, trying for casual.“Chasing supernaturals who kill humans is what I do. And I will stop Sam frommurdering human women, even if I have to kill him to do it.”

“You seem…hesitant,” he said.

I gave him what he wanted.“Shane…”

“Go on,” he urged.

“Sam is fascinating. Is thatwrong for me to say?” I shook my head. “Itfeelswrong. But he did savemy life. I was moments away from death when he strode into that room anddragged me—literally—out of the gaping jaws of death.”

Seriously, Kait. Don’toverdo it.

“Perhaps he could change,” hemurmured. “Maybe he could hunt with you.” He shivered, just a little. “Killwith you.”

“He only kills his mother,” Isaid. “He told me he doesn’t see anyone else. He wouldn’t be interested indoing other work, and I won’t add a man to my team who can’t control his urges.”

Now it was his turn to sigh.“These are early days, yet, Kait. Anything can happen.”

And I thought that maybe, justmaybe, he might make his excuses and slip away, that we had come to anunderstanding, and hewouldchange.

But then, he smiled at me, andI saw the truth in his eyes. Sam was incapable of changing. He was a serialkiller, he didn’t see it as wrong, and he was not going to stop. He was onlygoing to get worse.

“Dammit, Sam,” I murmured.“Don’t make me fight you here.”

He reached out his hand, theslender, mild-mannered man the pack knew as Shane, but stopped just short of touchingme, thank all the gods.

“I don’t want to fight you atall, Kait. I want to be your backup. I want to save you when you needsaving—and you will again, you know. With your life, you’ll be dead in fiveyears without people like me at your back. It doesn’t matter that I kill womenwho torture their kids. It—”

“What about the men who torturetheir kids? What about the brunettes who abuse, or the blondes who torturelittle girls? You’re not killing evil or you’d be going after all of them.You’re satisfying a sick, twisted desire to punish your fucking mother.”

“I’m not…” He crossed his armsover his chest and for the first time, seemed less sure of himself. His gazefell from mine. “I’m not trying to punish her, Kait. I’m trying to make herstop.”

And for one moment, my heartsoftened. I reached out to touch his arm, surprising both of us. “Shehasstopped, Sam,” I murmured. “Killing blonde human females won’t erase thememories.”