Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker − and a vampire killer for hire. But lately she’s found herself taking blood money from the very vampires she used to hunt…
Things are heating up in the Big Easy. Weres have announced their existence to the world, and revived the bitter tensions that run between them and their old enemies: vampires. As a trusted employee of Leo Pellissier, Blood Master of the City, Jane finds herself caught in the crossfire.
When Jane is attacked by a pack of marauding werewolves, she is thankful for the help of a mysterious stranger named Girrard. He explains that he used to be Leo’s “Mercy Blade,” a sacred position charged with killing vampires who have gone insane. What Jane doesn’t know is why this powerful assassin left New Orleans − or, more troubling, why he’s now returned. It’s definitely not to make Jane’s life easier…
The third installment in the Jane Yellowrock series, Mercy Blade is the best so far. For the time being, Jane moves to New Orleans so she can fulfill her contract with the vamps to beef up their security and so she can be closer to her boyfriend, Rick, an NOPD undercover cop. But she’s barely had time to set down her boxes when trouble comes a-knocking in the form of furry shapeshifters who’ve decided to come out of the proverbial closet and into the public eye.
I don’t really understand why Jane’s working for the crazy vamps, especially after Leo tried to kill her earlier. He’s nothing but trouble, and he dumps it all over Jane. The now-out-in-the-world werecats are coming to New Orleans and, in a political maneuver, the vamps are having a party for them. With press coverage. Human press coverage. Security for this potential fiasco falls to Jane. Leo also asks Jane to meet up with someone for him, but doesn’t tell her anything else. Unfortunately for her, some very pissed off werewolves attack her and do their best to try and kill Leo’s messenger. Darned vamps. Always causing trouble.
Then Rick goes missing. He doesn’t answer any of Jane’s texts or voicemails, which gives Jane fits. She’s trying her best to stay loyal to Rick but this is made especially hard because Beast, Jane’s big cat self, insists cats are not meant to be monogamous. Beast wants Jane to get herself some of Bruiser, Leo’s head of security and primary blood servant. The sexual tension between Jane and Bruiser leaps off the page but, unfortunately, not much comes of it.
I’m with Beast. Jane needs to get her some of that hot Bruiser. Not that I think Jane should date Bruiser or anything. His loyalty is to Leo first and, despite any feelings he might have for her, Jane would always come second. As for Jane and Rick, they’re not a great couple and, personally, I don’t really see a future for them. There’s no real tension, no spark. They’re comfortable together but it seems like it’s more of a friends-with-benefits thing. I’m thinking she can do better than both of those guys but she may as well have a good time while they’re around. Live it up, Jane!
There’s so much going on in this story: vamp politics and power plays; murder and kidnapping; and new characters and creatures including big cat weres, grindylows, Molly’s witchy sister who’s staying with Jane, and Girrard, the vamps’ ex-Mercy Blade (someone who helps vamps stay sane and can heal them) and a creature unknown to Jane. As she watches the public reaction to the reveal of another supernatural creature, Jane is worried that her secret may come out soon. And she doesn’t really want everyone to know what she is though there is a little part of her that hopes another skinwalker might appear so she’s not the only one in the world. The plot gets a bit twisted and convoluted, which might be confusing if you haven’t read the prior two novels, but it shakes out in the end.
Filled with twists and turns, sexual tension, and revelations amidst a pile of action and one bad-assed chick decked out in leather and bristling with weapons, Mercy Blade rocks the urban fantasy genre.
Rating 4.5/5.0
The series:
This book is available from Roc. You can buy it here
