Changing Hearts

by Marilu Mann

  At those words, he broke into another wolf grin and Joie shivered. Intelligent didn’t begin to cover this animal. He did know what she said! Staring at him, she whispered, “If you understand me, stand up and turn around once.”

  The wolf just looked back at her. Well, that was dumb. She brushed the thoughts of human intelligence in him away again as she rose to say, “I think you’ll be okay, I’m going to bed. If you’re still here when I get up, I’ll feed you again. Or Tante Kay will get you something.”

  Joie grabbed the pot, then got up to go inside. She stood in the doorway, taking comfort from the rough wood under her fingers. Staring at the wolf for a moment, she said, “Well, bon nuit, or bon matin, Monsieur Wolf.”

  She didn’t feel foolish at all, it only seemed polite to say goodnight. He’d sat up when she’d stood to go into the house. She looked back at him. He stared at her as though he wanted to say something. Now that’s foolish! Wolves that can talk! Honestly, Joie, where is your head? She smiled, then turned her back on him to go into the house.

  Slade watched her. His whiskers quivered, his muscles twitched. Every fiber of his being demanded he speak to her. But he fought the urge to change. The girl, Joie, spoke to him like she knew. Part of him urged him to show her what he really was. When she’d stood in the doorway, the light from the cabin had outlined her shape in the thin cotton gown.

  Large breasts, just the way he liked them, over a small waist and curvy hips. Honest concern for him had colored her voice. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone—shifter or human—had been worried about him. Still, he knew what she’d feel if she knew what he was. Fear. Disgust. Her kind didn’t mix with his kind often. And when they did, bad things followed. Besides, does she think I’m a trained dog? Stand up? Turn around?

  Slade moved stiffly up the porch steps to sniff at the door. He followed the porch around to the side of the house where the curtains were open, only the screen separating him from the room. A shadow flirted across the wall, then she entered the room like a nighttime goddess. He caught his breath even though she had no idea he watched. He didn’t require the early dawn light to see her. His animal-enhanced vision did a fine job of that.

  She didn’t turn on a light, simply walked over to the bed, dropped her shawl on the foot of it and climbed in. Her gown rose to expose the curve of her calf and one knee. Slade felt his body react.

  If the gown rose just a bit higher her upper thigh would join the picture forming in front of him. But she shifted under the sheet so it fell over her leg. Disappointed, Slade waited another moment as she sighed and burrowed into her pillow. Then her scent wafted through the window. Lilacs and woman. She smelled damn good.

  Slade lay down under the window. His intention only to rest for a few minutes, then go deeper into the bayou again. He didn’t want to be here in the morning. But he would stay until the sun had completely risen. No need to leave the two women unprotected when they couldn’t see or smell as well as he could. If someone tracked him, he could get away before they even knew he’d gone.

  * * * * *

  Joie threw a hand up in front of her face. Where is that light coming from? She stretched, reaching out with her arms and pushing down with her feet until things popped here and there. Sun. It has to be the sun. A yawn split her face as she came awake. She inhaled deeply at the scent of coffee. God bless Tante Kay.

  From the light pouring into her room, it looked to be around noon, but her godmother knew Joie couldn’t function without caffeine. She sat up quickly as she remembered the events of the night. She wondered if the wolf might still be near the cabin and if she’d get a chance to see him again.

  Joie pulled her gown over her head as she went into the adjoining bathroom. She threw the gown in the hamper. The linoleum might be cracked and worn in spots, but she’d used this room during high school. It felt familiar to her.

  She reached past the clear curtain to turn the handles. As soon as steam rose, she stepped into the shower. A quick scrub and rinse made all the difference in the world. She walked back into the bedroom sans towel. The day’s heat already made itself known and the water on her body felt cool.

  A sharp gasp escaped her even as she yanked her shawl off the foot of the bed to cover her body. Not only was the wolf still here, he stared at her through the window like some sort of furry Peeping Tom. Goose bumps raced over her still-damp skin. She stared hard at him for a long moment, green eyes meeting amber in a silent battle of wills.

  Joie shook her head at her own foolishness. “I can’t believe I’m letting nothing more than a big ole dog make me nervous. Oh, for heaven’s sake! Here! Look your fill!” She defiantly dropped the shawl and faced the window again.

  The wolf didn’t move. He panted as his gaze moved down to her feet, then back up to her face. Joie felt the blush covering her, but refused to be intimidated by him. She turned toward the mirror, watching the wolf out of the corner of her eye.

  Slade felt as though his head might explode. Lush, feminine, the absolute epitome of every fantasy woman he’d dreamed about since puberty stood naked in front of him and not a damn thing he could do about it.

  The urge to jump through the window, change and carry her to bed hit him so strongly he’d moved closer to the window without even realizing it. When his nose hit the screen, Slade growled at himself and backed up. And what did she call me? A dog? I’ll show you dog!

  Seemingly oblivious to him, Joie ran a brush through her curly hair. Her impressive breasts moved every time she raised and lowered her arms. He noticed how tight her nipples were. His tongue flicked out. He could taste them in his mind. She turned toward what he assumed to be a closet, and Slade groaned inwardly when she bent over, presenting him with a view of her sweetly rounded ass.

  I’d like to take a little bite out of that, maybe nibble my way up to her neck. I wonder if she really tastes as good as she smells? She’d feel soft, I know that. Soft and sweet, and as tiny as she is, probably tight too.

  Joie dressed quickly, pulling on her underwear and topping it with a t-shirt and jumper, trying to ignore him, though he knew she was fully aware of his presence. He wasn’t sure why he’d stayed. The old woman had awakened him just after dawn as she rose from her bed on the other side of the cabin and started making noise in the kitchen.

  Slade moved quietly away from the bedroom window and the temptation Joie presented. He stopped at the corner of the porch and lifted his head, scenting the air. The normal bayou noises had resumed just before dawn and now the crickets and frogs sang.

  From some distance he heard the roar of a bull alligator and from farther still, the sound of a motor. The pitch of the engine identified it as a small outboard motor, probably run by some fisherman heading out to try his luck.

  Slade stretched cautiously, feeling the pull of the stitches in his side and the constriction of the bandage. That would have to go before he attempted to change back into human form. The stitches would be a more delicate matter. They’d rip as soon as he changed unless he could get Joie to take them out first. At the thought of her hands on him again, Slade glanced back toward the window.

  She stood there, fully dressed with her hair pulled back by a headband, watching him. Slade turned and slowly made his way to the window. She didn’t move. He put his paws on the window ledge and raised himself up to his full height. Their eyes were level as they continued to stare at one another.

  He could smell her. He could hear her heartbeat. He could feel her fascination for him. Slade had heard other Pack members talk about instant attractions, but had never experienced it. If he wanted a woman, one could always be had, but never a human. She was so different from every other woman he’d ever been with but, man, he wanted her.

  He felt his eyes starting to glow, knew he couldn’t hide his attraction from her, knew that if she’d been a shifter, she’d have immediately responded with acceptance or denied him. Instead, she simply stared, her bottom lip caught between her teeth and her eyes
focused on his.

  Tante Kay’s voice broke their intimate spell as she called out to Joie from the kitchen.

  “I’m coming,” Joie answered absently. She shook her head as if shaking off a spell, then backed toward the door, her eyes still focused on the massive wolf outside her window.

  Slade gave another wolfish grin at the image her response had inspired, then moved quietly away from the window. He’d like to hear that from her in his bed. He moved off the porch and into the woods as the old woman came outside. She glanced around as if searching for him, then shook her head. She went back inside, only to reemerge with a huge satchel over her arm.

  “I’ll be gone most of the day. You be careful now, cher, don’t be letting any strangers into the cabin with you.” Joie appeared in the doorway to give the old woman a hug and watch as she got into an ancient sedan. The powerful hum of the engine let Slade know that even though the car was old, it was well taken care of. He’d spent enough time working as a mechanic to recognize the sound of a well-tuned engine.

  Kay backed into the patch of dirt beside the carport, then started down the dirt road that led away from the cabin. Slade watched until her car went out of sight around a bend, then he started slowly toward the cabin.

  Joie stepped out onto the porch and they both stopped. She smiled, somewhat tentatively, then set a plate down on the porch. She gave him another look, then went back inside the cabin, pulling the screen door closed behind her.

  Slade sniffed several times, then moved closer to the porch. A plate with scrambled eggs, sausage and biscuits waited for him. He didn’t waste any time in scarfing the food down, since he didn’t know where his next meal would come from or when. Joie stood in the doorway, he felt her more than saw her and he glanced up, licking his muzzle.

  She smiled and turned back to the kitchen, only to reappear shortly with another plateful of food. She opened the door and slid the plate out toward him. Slade cleaned it in record time, then sat on his haunches to wait for her.

  This time when she appeared in the doorway, he turned his head and pulled at the bandage around his chest. Joie gave a soft sound of distress and came out onto the porch.

  “Don’t!” She reached for him and Slade’s head turned toward her. She gasped softly and stopped in her tracks. When he didn’t make another move toward her, she reached out again. “Don’t pull on the bandages.”

  Slade ignored her words and continued to pull at the cloth wrapped around his middle. Joie reached out to touch him and they both shuddered. Her hand felt soft and cool. Her fingers sank into his coat until she touched flesh. Slade suppressed another shiver even as he reveled in the feel of her hand on his body.

  He’d like her to trail that cool hand right down his chest until she cupped him. He’d shift with her holding on to him. Wouldn’t that surprise her? In his human form, he knew he’d get hard from nothing more than that, just the touch of her cool hand cupping his balls.

  “Please, leave them. You need the support now. I promise I’ll take the bandage off in a day or two.”

  A day or two? Sorry, sweetheart, I can’t stick around that long. He’d need to be human again soon for his healing to be more effective. Slade got his front teeth into the bandage and pulled. He heard a satisfying rip and pulled harder. Joie didn’t try to stop him again. She just made soft comforting sounds as he ripped the bandage completely off his chest.

  Slade ran his tongue against his teeth to remove the last strands of thread from the ripped bandage, then stared at her. He made a sound low in his throat, stepped toward her and licked her outstretched hand.

  As she stared at him in surprise, he moved off the porch and into the woods. When he knew he was out of her sight, Slade took a deep breath and changed back to human form. Sure enough, the stitches she’d put in his side ripped and he felt the blood start to flow. He yanked the bandage off his hand and pressed it against his side to stop the bleeding. One more complete change and he’d be better.

  A look around assured him that no one lurked in the area. He changed into a wolf, then just as quickly back to his human form. He started moving faster, deeper into the bayou, walking carefully on bare feet.

  While nudity didn’t bother him, he knew he’d have to find some clothes before he saw Joie again. Slade stopped dead in his tracks. Where the hell did that come from? See Joie again? No way, brother, you just set your face toward LaPlace and get the hell away from here.

  Slade started a slow jog that would bring him to the nearest town in just about an hour. It annoyed him that he still had a little trouble breathing. The fast-healing power of a shapeshifter should have taken effect with his rapid change. He had to stop jogging and walk for a few miles so he could catch his breath.

  More than anything that told him he still suffered the effects of silver poisoning. Who knew how long it would be before he could call himself a hundred percent. It occurred to him that he might as well stick around here. Maybe I could see Joie as a man instead of as a wolf and see if there is something to this attraction. Maybe we could spend the afternoon screwing one another’s brains out.

  Slade stopped again. For some reason, he remembered seeing others in the Pack as they’d made love. There hadn’t been any urgency between them, they’d moved slowly, touching one another over and over, stroking their hands over one another and following with their mouths.

  He’d never had that type of relationship. Most of his encounters had been brief, sometimes even one-time encounters. Hell, he’d never even slept with any woman after having sex. Maggie had been his longest relationship and look how that turned out! The bitch’d tried to kill him.

  Chapter Three

  Slade chuckled. Maggie had paid for her treachery. Then he thought about Joie again. He could see himself taking time with Joie, exploring her skin and touching her slowly. He could almost taste her now. She’d be sweet and hot, like warm honey.

  Slade grinned as he started jogging again. He carried the image of making love to Joie in his head as he approached LaPlace. Slade changed back into a wolf, then moved forward quietly. He scoped out the outlying buildings, made note of the traffic then faded back into the woods.

  He couldn’t access his accounts in New Orleans without tipping someone off as to his whereabouts. But his youth spent as a leg-breaker for a numbers runner on the east side of Chicago hadn’t been entirely wasted. His boss had taught him well.

  “Always be prepared to run, kid. Don’t ever let the bastards know everything about you or your finances.” Tonio might not have made it past his fortieth birthday, but he’d lived the high life and taught Slade how to hide assets where people least expected them.

  Slade always had an out. There was always the chance things would go sour and when they did you had to be prepared, roll with the punches. Take care of number one.

  The first order of business, however, was to get some clothes. He might have some difficulty not having any ID, but he’d have even more if he walked into the local bank stark naked.

  Slade sniffed the air. The heavy, hanging odor of bleach and detergent signaled a commercial laundromat close by. He edged against the buildings, hoping that if anyone took notice of him, they would only see a big dog. He’d found that most people only saw what they wanted to see. And not many people really desired to see a wolf running loose in their hometown.

  Reaching the brick that surrounded the laundromat, he peered through the windows. One woman tossed clothes into a dryer. He waited until she sat back down to be thoroughly engrossed by her book. Then he changed back into human form and slipped through the back door of the laundromat.

  Moving silently, he went to the dryers farthest away from the lone woman and peered inside. Luck seemed to be on his side. Two pairs of jeans tumbled one after the other along with some towels and other clothing.

  Slade quietly opened the door and pulled two pairs of jeans out of the dryer. He moved to another dryer where he found a white t-shirt. Praying that for once his halfway dec
ent luck would hold, he took his purloined clothes to the bathroom. Once inside, Slade pulled the t-shirt on. It was a little tight, but long enough. Now for the jeans.

  He grinned as he checked the tag on the first pair he’d pulled out. Thirty-two waist with a thirty-six inseam. They’d be a little short, but hopefully a decent pair of boots would cover that. He pulled the jeans on, then checked the second pair. Nope, they’d never fit. Slade balled them up and tossed them into the trash can in the bathroom. He walked over to the sink and studied his reflection.

  Aside from bloodshot eyes, he looked okay. Still, small towns didn’t take kindly to strangers who carried danger on them like a second skin. Slade studied the blinds covering the small window, then yanked hard on the cord on one side. He pulled a small amount of it loose, then bit through it.

  He washed his face and slicked his hands through his hair, pulling it back into a tight ponytail against the back of his head. Tying the string tightly around the ponytail, he studied his face again. Better.

  Now it looked like he had shorter hair. Well, until he turned around, anyway. The ponytail fell nearly to the middle of his back. Not so uncommon in New Orleans, or even among the Pack, but he hoped he didn’t draw too much attention here.

  Slade left the bathroom clothed but still barefoot. Next order of business—a pair of shoes and then he’d deal with his cash shortage. Slade thought back to his youth. He’d survived running away from what passed for home with just the clothes on his back and a couple of bucks in his pocket at the age of fourteen. He’d learned a hell of a lot in the intervening years. With enough care, no one would find him.