If Vara slowed, Geraint would push at her with his mind.  While it was not guaranteed that he could sway the mind of a supernatural creature with the ease of a human or animal, the effect was impossible to ignore when he laid his will on someone.  And sometimes he could sway supernatural creatures, or read their minds, or even take control of them for a moment.  The effect was unsubtle and unkind, different than the smoother power of a vampire or a witch's spell.<br/><br/>Geraint didn't say that also wondered what good were werewolves who acted like farmers.  Some of the witches said that was where humanity went wrong, when instead of living with the land they decided to assert their mastery over it - to cultivate it, to farm it.  Rather than belonging to everyone, the land belonged to them, and started the bottomless hunger that would eventually destroy their civilization and much of the world.  It seemed the wrong time to be so hard and sharp.<br/><br/>"Eh, renounce can mean different things," Geraint said.  "They need someone on the outside.  If we weren't born, they'd have to create us.  The recompense is freedom, but that seems true of most everyone who lives outside society.  And as I've seen it, human men often kill women for rejecting them.  Vampires are more human than human.<br/><br/>"I'm not worried about a trap, though, not from you."  He could smell their relation with Vara, and though he couldn't catch her scent, he could feel her distress in other ways.  Most people, and fewer werewolves, could lie with their souls, and when she came to understand her parents were dead he felt the wound in her heart.  "But this isn't a good resolution for<i>my </i>people, Vara.  If we came back with your parents, the witches would have some power over you and could be made satisfied.  If I'd come back with some knowledge of Blackvayne's plans for the burning liquid, that would demonstrate your use and they could be made satisfied.  If I could bring back Blackvayne's teeth, they'd be pleased and you'd be a hero.  None of that happened.  We came here and are coming back with nothing.  That you didn't betray me won't be enough for them."