Under My Skin (Wildlings)

by Charles de Lint

  "Give me your phone number."

  "I lost my phone."

  "Okay. Let's do it the old-fashioned way."

  He pulls a stub of a pencil out of his pocket and scrawls something on the back of a receipt.

  "Now you've got my number."

  He puts it in my hand and then he's gone. Takes a step and he vanishes. Shifted over to the other world. Man, that is such a cool trick.

  I have to learn how to do it—right after I figure out how to shift back from my mountain lion shape still wearing clothes.

  ###

  Acknowledgments

  Special thanks and acknowledgment to those who helped along the way: Lynne Missen, my editor at Penguin Canada, whose keen eye and insightful suggestions made this a much better novel; Andrea Spooner from Little, Brown, whose comments on the first draft also helped me very much; my best pal and Webmaster, Rodger Turner, for unflagging encouragement and support; my agents Russ Galen, Heather Baror and Danny Baror for wise suggestions; my young friend and first reader Charlotte Bonyun, whose unbridled enthusiasm gave me a welcome lift as I finished the book; my sister-in-law Lynn Harris, who helped with final proofreading; and last, but not least, my wife MaryAnn Harris, who helped me edit and fine-tune all along the way. I am grateful to you all.

  About the Author

  Charles de Lint is a full-time writer and musician who makes his home in Ottawa, Canada. His many awards include the World Fantasy Award, the Canadian SF/Fantasy Aurora Award, and the White Pine Award, among others. Modern Library's Top 100 Books of the 20th Century poll (voted on by readers) put eight of de Lint's books among the top 100. With 37 novels and 18 collections of short fiction published to date, de Lint writes for adults, teens and children. His most recent adult novel, The Mystery of Grace (Tor, 2009), is a fantastical ghost story and a heart-wrenching tale of love, passion and faith. His newest young adult novel is Under My Skin (Penguin Canada, 2012); his latest collection of short fiction is The Very Best of Charles de Lint (Tachyon Publications, 2010). For more information, visit his web site at http://www.charlesdelint.com.

  You can also connect with him at:

  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Charles-de-Lint/218001537221

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/cdelint

  Cover design by MaryAnn Harris.

  eISBN 978-0-920623-11-4

  For information:

  Triskell Press

  P.O. Box 9480

  Ottawa ON K1G 3V2

  Canada

  http://www.triskellpress.com

  This edition published April 2012.

  Also available, only in Canada, from Penguin Canada in paper and digital editions.

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.

  Also available:

  The Butter Spirit's Tithe

  http://www.amazon.com/The-Butter-Spirits-Tithe

  Companions to the Moon

  http://www.amazon.com/Companions-to-the-Moon

  Crow Roads

  http://www.amazon.com/Crow-Roads

  Dharma

  http://www.amazon.com/Dharma

  Dog Boys

  http://www.amazon.com/Dog-Boys

  Jack in the Green

  http://www.amazon.com/Jack-in-the-Green

  That Was Radio Clash

  http://www.amazon.com/That-Was-Radio-Clash

  Other books by Charles de Lint

  EYES LIKE LEAVES (early work, 1980 novel, Tachyon Publications, 2012 )

  THE PAINTED BOY (young adult novel, Viking, 2010)

  MUSE AND REVERIE (collection, Tor, 2009)

  THE MYSTERY OF GRACE (novel, Tor, March 2009)

  WOODS & WATERS WILD (collection, Subterranean Press, 2008)

  WHAT THE MOUSE FOUND (children's collection, Subterranean Press, 2008)

  DINGO (young adult novella, Viking, 2008)

  PROMISES TO KEEP (novel, Subterranean Press, 2007)

  LITTLE (GRRL) LOST (young adult novel, Viking, 2007)

  TRISKELL TALES: 2 (collection, Subterranean Press, 2006)

  WIDDERSHINS (novel, Tor, 2006)

  THE HOUR BEFORE DAWN (collection, Subterranean Press, 2005)

  QUICKSILVER & SHADOW (collection, Subterranean Press, 2005)

  THE BLUE GIRL (young adult novel, Viking, 2004)

  MEDICINE ROAD (novel, Subterranean Press, 2003)

  SPIRITS IN THE WIRES (novel, Tor, 2003)

  A HANDFUL OF COPPERS (collection, Subterranean Press, 2003)

  TAPPING THE DREAM TREE ("Newford" collection, Tor, 2002)

  WAIFS AND STRAYS (young adult collection, Viking, 2002)

  SEVEN WILD SISTERS (novel, Subterranean Press, 2002)

  THE ONION GIRL (novel, Tor, 2001)

  THE ROAD TO LISDOONVARNA (mystery novel, Subterranean Press, 2001)

  TRISKELL TALES: 22 YEARS OF CHAPBOOKS (collection, Subterranean Press, 2000)

  FORESTS OF THE HEART (novel, Tor, 2000)

  THE NEWFORD STORIES (collection, Science Fiction Book Club, 1999)

  MOONLIGHT AND VINES (collection, Tor, 1999)

  SOMEPLACE TO BE FLYING (novel, Tor, 1998)

  TRADER (novel, Tor, 1996)

  JACK OF KINROWAN (omnibus, Orb, 1995)

  THE IVORY AND THE HORN (collection, Tor, 1995)

  MEMORY AND DREAM (novel, Tor, 1994)

  THE WILD WOOD (novel, Bantam, 1994)

  INTO THE GREEN (novel, Tor, 1993)

  DREAMS UNDERFOOT (collection, Tor, 1993)

  SPIRITWALK (collection, Tor, 1992)

  HEDGEWORK AND GUESSERY (collection, Pulphouse, 1991)

  THE LITTLE COUNTRY (novel, Morrow, 1991)

  THE DREAMING PLACE (novel, Atheneum, 1990)

  ANGEL OF DARKNESS (novel, as Samuel M. Key; Jove, 1990)

  GHOSTWOOD (novel, Axolotl Press,1990)

  DRINK DOWN THE MOON (novel, Ace, 1990)

  SVAHA (novel, Ace, 1989)

  WOLF MOON (novel, NAL, 1988)

  GREENMANTLE (novel, Ace, 1988)

  JACK, THE GIANT-KILLER (novel, Ace, 1987)

  YARROW (novel, Ace, l986)

  MULENGRO (novel, Ace, l985)

  THE HARP OF THE GREY ROSE (novel, Starblaze, l985)

  MOONHEART (novel, Ace, l984)

  THE RIDDLE OF THE WREN (novel, Ace, l984)

  ###