“How about a tiger?”
“Okay,” Selene said, then smoothly transformed into a large, orange-and-black striped cat. The tiger—Selene—sat on its haunches, staring at Eve expectantly.
Eve bleated out a peal of shocked laughter. Even the second time around, Selene’s little trick was astonishing. “Come here.”
Tiger-Selene stood and stretched like an overgrown housecat, then sauntered over to Eve. Shaking, Eve reached out and let her hand hover in the air over one of Selene’s thick, furry ears. When the ear twitched, Eve gasped and drew back, wary of the power and strength in Selene’s massive body. Selene lifted her head and stared into Eve’s eyes, as though begging for her trust. Eve exhaled, then sank her fingers into the thick fur covering Selene’s skull, closing her eyes when Selene rested her heavy head on Eve’s thigh.
“Thank you for showing me,” Eve whispered. “We’ve got a lot to talk about, don’t we?”
Selene seemed to ripple beneath Eve’s hand. The sight of tiger-orange fur becoming silky black hair between her fingers took Eve’s breath away. She watched, rapt, as Selene’s transformation completed, leaving a naked Selene resting her face on Eve’s clothed thigh. Eve fought against a wave of desire that crashed over her at the realization that things with Selene certainly weren’t as they seemed, and perhaps what happened that night with the blonde was similarly complex. Maybe the secrecy had something to do with her ability. That would make sense, as far as Selene not being able to explain. This was a big deal. You wouldn’t trust just anyone with a bombshell of this magnitude.
Selene lifted her face and stared up at Eve. Her entire body shook. “We have more to talk about than you even realize.”
Caressing Selene’s face, Eve said, “Are you okay? You’re shaking.”
“I just can’t believe I told you.” Selene stood, swaying slightly as she turned to gather her clothes. “I’m sort of in shock.”
Eve caught Selene’s arm, stopping her from leaving. She tugged Selene down onto the bed beside her, then gathered her into a tight hug. Though the gentle press of Selene’s naked curves sent a shiver of arousal through Eve’s frame, the embrace wasn’t sexual. She sensed that Selene needed a grounding touch right now. She needed to know that who she was hadn’t scared Eve away.
Selene clutched her shoulders, breathing heavily. “You’re only the third person I’ve ever actually told.”
“Did the first two times not go well?”
“No, they didn’t.” Burrowing deeper into the circle of Eve’s arms, Selene shivered even more strongly. “I told my girlfriend when we were sixteen. I was in love with her. She wanted to run away with me until I showed her what I was. Then she was terrified. She told me to go. That’s why I couldn’t tell you, Eve. I already loved you so much and I couldn’t bear to go through that again. I didn’t want you to look at me like I’m a monster.”
Eve drew back so she could stare seriously into Selene’s eyes, wanting to soothe her back into calmness. Selene’s tumultuous emotion poured over Eve, making it hard to breathe. “Well, you haven’t scared me away. I’m still here.”
Selene nodded, then pulled away, color rising on her cheeks. “Let me put on my clothes, unless you want to take yours off.” She managed a playful wink. “Just feels weird to be the only naked one after two weeks of not speaking.”
“Get dressed,” Eve said softly. Selene’s words hit her low in the belly, the sweet pleasure of being desired. It was a welcome feeling after two weeks of depression and anxiety. Still, they needed to talk before Eve could decide where their romantic relationship stood.
Selene did as she said quickly, glancing every now and then at Eve, who sat on the bed watching. “You can’t imagine how grateful I am that you didn’t just run away screaming. But you don’t know everything yet.”
“Everything about you, or everything about how you managed to follow Kevin Pike?” Eve gestured for Selene to come sit beside her. She wanted to keep this conversation in the bedroom, where they had less chance of being overheard if Jac had decided to stick around.
“About me.”
Eve wrapped her arm around Selene’s waist when she sat down, wanting to stay connected. She meant not only to reassure Selene that she had an open mind about whatever she was about to hear, but also to reassure herself that although she clearly hadn’t even begun to discover who Selene was during their month of dating, she had a real connection with this woman. Selene made her feel things that she couldn’t deny, and if it was possible to get this relationship back, Eve wanted to try.
Sensing that Selene was having trouble finding the words to start, Eve asked, “The day I was attacked in Golden Gate Park, a wolf saved me, which seemed totally insane at the time. I know Jac thought I was mistaken. That wolf was you, wasn’t it?”
Selene gave her a sidelong glance. “Yes.”
“You saved my life,” Eve whispered. Flashing on a memory of Kevin Pike holding her down and threatening her with his knife, Eve quaked with fear that felt every bit as potent as it did that day. Selene clasped her hands, chasing the images away and bringing her back into the present. Without thinking, Eve kissed Selene softly on the mouth. “Thank you.”
When Eve pulled back, Selene touched her lips. “You’re welcome.”
“I’m incredibly lucky that a beautiful shape-shifting superhero just happened to be in the same area of the park I was right when I needed her.” The odds of the situation she’d just described even being possible, let alone actually occurring, were infinitesimal. Eve laughed. “That’s crazy.”
“Yeah.”
The sick dread that poured from Selene didn’t pass Eve’s notice. Obviously there was more to the story than Selene simply being in the right place at the right time. Eve squeezed Selene’s hand. “Tell me what happened that morning. Everything.”
Selene stared at her feet. “First I need to tell you more about my…ability.”
“Okay. Tell me.”
Without meeting her eyes, Selene said, “The morning you were attacked, I woke up in Golden Gate Park. That’s how I found that woman’s body. She wasn’t far from where I regained consciousness, and I could smell blood in the air, so I followed her scent.” Selene searched Eve’s face, as though checking for a reaction. “Even in human form, I have heightened senses. Tracking works better with a canine sense of smell, of course, but that morning the scent of death was strong enough that I could easily pick it up with my human nose.”
“What do you mean when you say you ‘regained consciousness’ in the park?” Eve sensed that this detail was at the heart of Selene’s big revelation. “How did you get there?”
“I don’t know if you remember—or were even aware—but you were attacked the morning after the full moon.” Selene licked her lips nervously. “The night you came over to my place—when I told you I would be out of town—there was also a full moon.”
Remembering Selene’s strange behavior, the unrestrained lust and seemingly painful lapses, Eve felt a piece of the puzzle fall into place. “The full moon affects you. What does it do?” At Selene’s expression of nervous shame, Eve’s heart rate picked up. They were in uncharted territory here—Selene could conceivably tell her anything. Eve desperately hoped it was something she could handle. “Don’t tell me you’re a werewolf.”
The flicker of mortification Selene failed to hide seemed to confirm Eve’s worst fear. “I don’t know if that’s the right word for it. But, yes, the moon forces me to shift. I’m not entirely sure into what, but it’s big and stronger than you can imagine. It’s probably wolf-like, but I’ve never seen a picture and I’ve tried very hard to stay hidden during those times. When I wake up the morning after a full moon, I can’t remember anything about what happened the night before.”
“Have you ever done anything…bad?” As hard as Eve tried to tiptoe around the topic, it was nearly impossible to sound casual when asking someone whether she was dangerous.
“Yes, the first time it ever
happened. When I was sixteen. I wasn’t expecting it, but one month the moon just took me over. I woke up outside, covered in the blood and tissue of the sheep we kept on our family farm. Apparently I’d slaughtered them, much like a wolf would—which is why I assume that whatever I become, it’s wolf-like.” Selene’s eyes had gone far away, pain etched across her face as she relived an event that clearly still had the power to hurt her.
Eve threaded her fingers through Selene’s, bringing Selene back to the two of them, sitting together on the bed. “So what happened?”
“My parents were the ones who woke me up. My father was screaming, my mother was crying. I tried to explain to them, but telling them what I could do only made it worse. I’d been keeping my ability secret since figuring out I could become the family dog when I was eight years old.” A bare smile ghosted across Selene’s lips.
“I can’t even imagine what it must have felt like to discover that you can do something nobody else can. How exciting.”
“It was exciting, at first, but I was afraid to tell anyone. I was in an orphanage until I was four years old and my parents adopted me. Knowing I was different, I was afraid to do anything that might get me sent back. So it was my little secret. I didn’t even tell my girlfriend, who I’d been with for about a year when that first full moon got me.” Covering her face with her hand, Selene emanated grief. It was as though a dam had burst, and Eve suspected that Selene had just uncorked memories that she had bottled up for years. “My parents disowned me. My father threatened to call the police, actually, so I decided to run away. But I couldn’t leave without telling Carla good-bye.”
“And that was when she rejected you.”
“I couldn’t blame her,” Selene murmured. “I told her about the sheep. It was the first time I’d ever lost control and I couldn’t remember any of it. I was scared out of my mind. She could see that. Who could fault her for not wanting any part of a murderous freak?”
“Well, I can.” This new revelation was a game-changer, certainly, but for some reason Eve felt no compulsion to sever ties with Selene. Even if she was some kind of werewolf, Selene had a good heart and a kind nature. How she responded to the lunar cycle was hardly her fault. “You loved her, and you were scared and alone. She should have been there for you when you needed someone. Instead she convinced you that nobody could ever love a freak like you. Didn’t she?”
Selene blushed. “I knew you and I couldn’t have a real relationship if I was hiding something so big. But I just didn’t know how to tell you. I was convinced it would turn out badly. Of course, lying to you didn’t exactly work out any better, did it?” Lowering her voice, Selene said, “I tried not to fall in love with you at all, but we have a connection. I couldn’t help it.”
Eve perked up at the mention of their connection, which had always been so palpable yet improbable to a pragmatist like herself. If a supernatural explanation existed for the instant chemistry and closeness she felt with Selene—not to mention their unmistakable emotional bond—then Eve was happy to hear it. In some insane way, that would allow her to more easily accept it as real.
“Tell me about our connection,” Eve said. “I feel it, too, always have. What does it mean?”
“I don’t know,” Selene said softly, caressing Eve’s face with a tentative hand. “I’d never felt it before that morning in the park. That’s what drew me to you, how I found you when you were being attacked. I wasn’t even inside the park when I felt you cry out for help, Eve. I sprinted for about three minutes to get to you.”
Even sitting down, Eve felt her legs weaken at the confession. Were it not for their strange bond, Selene might never have known she was in trouble. Eve was luckier than she wanted to think about. “So tell me more about waking up in the park. Does that happen every full moon?”
“No.” Embarrassed, Selene mumbled, “Three nights out of the month, the full moon affects me. The night before and after my forced shift, I have an extremely heightened sex drive, slight loss of self-control, and that’s it. On the night when the moon is fullest, I have a standing appointment with a call girl. We don’t have sex,” Selene said quickly, as though worried Eve would take that as a confession of infidelity. “I ask her to handcuff me to a steel table and tie me down with rope. I play it off like it’s some kind of sex game, but really, I just need someone who can restrain me, leave for the night, and release me the next morning. Escort services are kind of known for their discretion.”
So that’s who the woman at Selene’s house was. That Selene had found it impossible to explain—that she’d looked so guilty—made perfect sense. Eve nodded. “I understand.”
“The night I escaped I had an appointment with a new girl. The one I’d been using before had graduated from school and wasn’t escorting anymore.” Now that the truth was out in the open, Selene visibly relaxed. “She didn’t want to tie me tight enough. That was the month of the perigee moon—the largest one of the year. I knew I’d escape before she even left my house. But how could I explain why she had to tie me tighter, even though she was afraid of hurting me?”
Eve nodded. “When you woke up the next morning and found that body, did you think you’d killed her?”
“Yes,” Selene said simply. “I didn’t know what to do. I’ve had more than my share of forgotten, unrestrained shifts, especially when I was younger, but I’ve never hurt a human being.” She paused. “Not that I know about, anyway.”
Eve touched her forehead. This was information overload. She tried to get a handle on what she’d just learned and what still needed explaining. “So tell me how you found Kevin Pike. I know you were watching over me when he came here last night. But how did you manage to follow him all the way to Burlingame?”
Beneath the faint smile Selene gave her, Eve could see both pride and unease. She was apparently about to hear quite a story. Taking a breath, Selene said, “After I chased him away from your door—”
A thought occurred to Eve. “And barked at me to go back inside.”
Selene chuckled. “Yes, and that, I followed him up the stairs to the roof-access door. I had to shift back into human form to get outside, but then I became a bird. That made it really easy to follow him across the roofs of the buildings until he got to the end of the block. After getting away he went to this playground a few blocks away—”
“I know the one you mean.”
“He had a little dog tied up there. He untied it and started back to his car. I’m guessing he used the dog to try to look less conspicuous walking around in the middle of the night, because he didn’t seem to care for it very much.” Selene’s mouth set in a grim line. “He was very angry that his plans had been ruined, that much was obvious. I sensed that he would take it out on the dog, and I also started to worry that if he got into a car I might lose him, depending on how far he had to travel. So I saw my opportunity and took it.”
Eve held her breath, waiting to hear what happened next. “What did you do?”
“I shifted into a big dog and charged his poor little one. He dropped the leash and I chased his dog out of sight. Then I became his dog.”
Tensing, Eve realized just how far Selene had gone to protect her. To take that kind of risk for a woman who wasn’t even speaking to you showed real character—and proved that Selene’s feelings for her were very real. Caught between terror and gratitude, Eve whispered, “You let him take you back to his place.”
“It was the best way to find out who he was and where he lived.” Selene played with her hair, searching Eve’s eyes. “He would have killed his dog if I hadn’t switched places with it. I know it.”
“How did you get away?”
“It was dicey.” From the audible waver in Selene’s voice, Eve guessed that dicey only scratched the surface of what she’d actually been through. “I found out that my ability has limits. When he came after me, thinking I was his dog, I hid under his bed and tried to become a fly so I could escape. But I was exhausted and had already done se
ven different shifts over the course of the night, and at first I couldn’t. It just…didn’t work.”
“That’s the first time you’ve ever been unable to change when you wanted to?” Greedy for more detail, Eve wanted to know everything about Selene’s gift. It excited her scientific mind more than she ever would have anticipated. “How do you change?”
“I just think it and become it.” Selene shrugged. “Honestly, up until I met you that morning in Golden Gate Park, I rarely shifted by choice. Too dangerous. Occasionally I’d take trips out to the country so I could indulge my need to go a little wild, but for the most part I was too afraid someone might find out what I was.”
“That’s a shame.”
“I guess so.” Exhaling in a rush, Selene collapsed back onto the mattress. She stared at the ceiling as Eve stretched out at her side. “I think that’s everything. Now we just need to figure out what to do with that name and address.”
That was the real question, wasn’t it? Without any evidence or cause to make an arrest, they couldn’t take Kevin Pike into custody. The best Jac could do was put a surveillance team on him and watch his movements. If he slipped up, they could question him. Otherwise they had to dig for some way to link the man to his victims or his crime scenes. As meticulous as he’d been so far, that wouldn’t be so easy.
But the more immediate issue was how to tell Jac that she now had the name and address of their suspect without raising suspicion that Selene was somehow involved. Obviously Eve couldn’t tell Jac exactly how Selene had managed to find such specific information. Given that Jac already suspected that Selene had sinister motives for being involved with Eve, she couldn’t easily convince her that Selene had provided good intelligence without knowing more than she’d claimed.
Eve sighed. “I have no idea what to tell Jac. She’ll need to get a couple of detectives on Kevin Pike’s tail, but it won’t be easy to explain how I know who he is.”
“She’ll know I gave you his name.”
It wasn’t really a question. More like a statement, laced with defeat. “Yes, she will. Jac isn’t stupid.”
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