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Popular Culture Review
with blood-red eyes, and a teacher turned into larger-than-life monsters that
pursue Mercy through the woods and river. Chase scenes and gory fights
between the fae and werewolves create chaos, limiting the wolves’ power since
they cannot swim.
The tension in Mercy to choose either Samuel or Adam culminates in Iron
Kissed with the realization that two dominants after the same woman will lead to
bloodshed. Adam’s desire for Mercy increases, exacerbated by the unfilled
Alpha mate opening in the pack hierarchy. Finally, Mercy realizes that she will
not choose Samuel because she has gained a more mature view of a loving
relationship: she cannot trust him “absolutely,” not willing to tie herself to him
for the rest of her life. Samuel reaffirms that his dominant wolf wants her as a
mate: “for a true mating it isn’t necessary for the human half to even like your
mate” (IK 136). After the battle between the sea fae and the werewolves, Mercy
realizes that Adam’s human and wolf beings better suit her. While Adam loses
himself to his wolfishness when he shifts to his wolf form, the dominant trait of
providing protection is also a highly desirable human trait. Mercy grows to
understand that Adam’s desire to protect does not obliterate her uniqueness and
need for control.
So the evil that follows for Mercy is one that has significant impact on her
human self and her submission to Adam. She continues to be determined to
learn who killed the BFA agent, so she agrees to have dinner with Tim, a
member of an anti-fae group. Initially unknown to Mercy, Tim is the murderer
of the BFA agent and has stolen numerous fae objects capable of powerful
magic and evil. One of these objects is a magic goblet from which he makes
Mercy repeatedly drink. The goblet remains continuously full, throbbing with
illicit drink and burning the hands. At this point, Mercy realizes that Tim was
the murderer of the BFA agent—and that the BFA agent killed many of the fae
to access their magic objects. By using more magic, including a powerful druid
cloak and bracelets, Tim creates Mercy’s desire. Mercy has no control, and
through the burning, evil drink, believes Tim when he tells her that no one will
have her when he is done with her. Tim rapes Mercy. Simultaneously, although
Mercy is aware that the rape is occurring, she distances herself then uses the
magic rod to beat Tim, followed by an iron crowbar.
In Mercy’s changing to coyote to hide and protect herself, Briggs describes
well, in both human and animal form, the terror and evil of a rape. In the
aftermath, Adam becomes half wolf and half human, different from the creature
form that occurs when a werewolf is changing: “He was covered from top to tail
with black fur and his hands looked very functional—as did his teeth-laden
muzzle. He stood upright, but not like a man. His legs were caught halfway
between human and wolf’ (IK 238). Adam’s rage is so intense that he rips Tim
apart with his wolf-formed claws. The feelings of isolation and guilt of what
happened to her permeate Mercy both as a coyote and a human. Despite Adam’s
understanding, over the next few days Mercy has panic attacks, sleeps
constantly, and has periods of black depression. Iron Kissed ends with Mercy’s