Chapter 11

By eight o'clock Mike had replenished his candy bowl four times and was close to running out. Thankfully there were only a few stragglers left. The decorations were a big hit and the candles still flickered eerily in all the jack-o-lanterns. He had a sense of accomplishment at what he'd helped create. Was he fooling himself, though, to think that during the hours they worked together a bond formed between them that went beyond sex?

Everything just happened so fast. He'd expected when he found his mate at last there would be the usual mating dance, in both his human and wolf form. He certainly hadn't expected they'd have explosive sex mere hours after they met. But opportunity was there, he took it and the bond between them had snapped into place in an instant. His heart knew it as well as his cock.

Every so often he glanced over to where Jamie sat, admiring her luscious body that the jeans and heavy sweater still could not disguise. An itch crawled beneath the surface of his skin and the temperature in his blood rose incrementally. The moon would be out soon. It was only part myth that wolves shifted on the full moon. Shifters could actually transform any time, but the Halloween moon was a signal for the wolf to come out strong and powerful. Even though he'd just shifted the night before, his body was already sending him signals that the hour would be here before he realized it.

Mike had two things on his agenda. Well, three, really. To shift and let Jamie see him in his wolf form without scaring the shit out of her. To explain the book to her so she really understood. And then to make the most erotic love to her both his wolf and human minds could design. Getting past the first would be the most difficult.

He waited as long as he could, until the subdermal itch was driving him crazy and his blood threatened to boil out of his body. Carrying his nearly empty bowl, he walked the short distance to where Jamie sat on her porch steps. Beside her the fierce wolf statue stood as if guarding her.

"I'm about out." He tipped his bowl to show her. "How about if I dump my stuff in with yours. I have a few things I have to take care of. Then I'll come back and do guard duty with Lupo here but from the inside."

She tilted her head to look up at him. "Lupo? He has a name?"

"I gave him one. Lupo is Italian for wolf. And he should have a name, don't you think?"

"Oh. Well. I guess I hadn't thought about it but sure." She ran her hand over the statue's pelt and Mike was sure he could feel that hand on him. "Hello, Lupo. Are you going to protect me while Mike takes care of his business?"

Yes. Business. He definitely had to find a way to explain things to her.

"I'll be back before you know it." He cupped her chin and tilted her face up, treating himself to a deep, satisfying taste of her. Then he stared hard into her eyes. There didn't seem to be any fear there, but maybe the reality would be too much for her. Was this all a mistake? He had never expected his search for the book to lead him to a human for whom he was meant. Now he had to make sure she really knew what she was getting into.

Now or never, buddy. What's the worst that can happen? She'll scream, you'll shift, calm her down and stay the hell away from her. Find another way to get that blasted book. "See you in a few."

The next wave of trick-or-treaters was making its way up her walk as he hurried back to his own place. Inside he locked the door and headed for the kitchen and a glass of water. He drank it standing at the sink, staring through the window at the night sky where the moon was making its way higher and higher.

This was going to be tricky. People were everywhere so he'd have to keep to the shadows. And Jamie? He hoped she didn't die of shock.

He stripped off his clothes folded them and placed them on one of the kitchen chairs before stepping out the back door. Then, taking a deep breath, he cleared his mind of everything else and concentrated on becoming his wolf. His limbs stretched, the hair on his body grew longer and the shape of his body morphed into that of his wolf. In seconds he was on all fours, padding softly to the side of his house. He needed to run but first he had to let Jamie see him.

And hope he didn't scare the shit out of her.

This would be the acid test. What she read in the book - or any book - didn't make a difference if the reality scared her to death. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe he should just take himself off somewhere, shift and go for his run and wait until another time to try this with Jamie. If he frightened her off he'd never get her or the book.

Moving slowly and soundlessly he worked his way across the space between the two houses, grateful there were no sidelights on. When he got to the place at the end of her porch he sat quietly, motionless and shut out everything around him. Before Jamie turned and saw him he was going to see if what he'd read in his father's notes was true: that if the mate you found was human, you could communicate with her - or him - telepathically.

Jamie. Don't scream. It's me, Mike. Concentrate and answer me.