Mercy Hollings Series by Toni Andrews

I've never been certain I'm humanOh, the X-rays and blood tests are normal, and most people have no reason to suspect I'm more than I appear to be. But if I tell you to do something? You do it—no ifs, ands or buts.I call my power the 'press.'My name is Mercy Hollings, and if you think that having the power to control people makes my life easy, you're dead wrong... moreI've never been certain I'm humanOh, the X-rays and blood tests are normal, and most people have no reason to suspect I'm more than I appear to be. But if I tell you to do something? You do it—no ifs, ands or buts.I call my power the 'press.'My name is Mercy Hollings, and if you think that having the power to control people makes my life easy, you're dead wrong.Because when I get angry, everyone around me is at risk—Sukey, my friend who has frightening taste in men; my clients, who, ironically, come to me for help; my neighbors, who regard me as a loner; and Sam, aman who wants to know my darkest secret.I have hurt people in the past, and I don't want thatto happen again. But now a powerful stranger is threatening the new life that I've made for myself. And I'm afraid my anger is taking over. less

Last month I killed a man … and now I'm afraid what I might do nextAs a hypnotherapist with a special talent, I'm very good at getting people to overcome their problems. My own problem, however, is that my talent comes from a dark place. If I tell you to do something, trust me: you will do it. Most of the time I can keep things from getting out of hand, but when my emotions interfere, I lose control. That's when people get hurt, sometimes even killed... moreLast month I killed a man … and now I'm afraid what I might do nextAs a hypnotherapist with a special talent, I'm very good at getting people to overcome their problems. My own problem, however, is that my talent comes from a dark place. If I tell you to do something, trust me: you will do it. Most of the time I can keep things from getting out of hand, but when my emotions interfere, I lose control. That's when people get hurt, sometimes even killed.The only ones who know I've got a secret are my best friend Sukey and my boyfriend Sam. So far I've been able to keep them safe from the psychic cross fire, but what if one day I can't? Like now. Because now I find myself in the shadowy world of battered women and children, where I've met a little girl who's been violated in the worst possible way. As you can imagine, my emotions are about to interfere. less

I just want a normal life...even if I'm not entirely sure I'm human.My name is Mercy Hollings and I'm a successful hypnotherapist in Balboa, California. The problem is, my good fortune is dependent on a dark secret. I can make people do whatever I want using telepathy, a power I call "the press." And that ability has hurt some people I never wanted to hurt, so I try to keep it under wraps.I also try to keep people at a distance...at least, I used to... moreI just want a normal life...even if I'm not entirely sure I'm human.My name is Mercy Hollings and I'm a successful hypnotherapist in Balboa, California. The problem is, my good fortune is dependent on a dark secret. I can make people do whatever I want using telepathy, a power I call "the press." And that ability has hurt some people I never wanted to hurt, so I try to keep it under wraps.I also try to keep people at a distance...at least, I used to. Recently a group of fearless characters broke through my self-imposed walls and became my friends: Sukey, my receptionist-turned-P.I.; Tino, a Chicano gang leader; Hilda, a wealthy society widow; Grant, a retired millionaire--and Sam, my sexy-as-hell ex-boyfriend.But with friends comes drama. Tino has inadvertently led me into the dark world of gang violence, and Sukey has pushed me into searching for my biological parents, the only people who can finally tell me who--or what--I really am. less