The blow to his head is bad. Merrick had already felt a migraine growing, tasted it in his mouth just as he'd been waking up that morning. It had been sitting in the back of his skull all day, but he'd been determined to go to the ball, to be with people, to try to relax and be happy and be normal for just one night-- and now, his skull is like an iron maiden clamped shut around his brain.

He reels, his vision whiting out, and is only dimly aware of Cade's body lifting off of his. Arching his spine, he catches the human around the hips with his legs, using his lower body strength to bring him back down and roll them over.

Now straddling Cade's hips, he goes in with his first blow, a punishing cut to the jaw. He's past technique now.