Master of Smoke

roar.
    That last thrust was all it took. Fire roared up from her belly and tore through her blood, making her writhe and scream with its sheer violent glory.
    Finally she collapsed to lie limp as a rag over the arm of the chair. The room spun around her as David picked her up, sat down on the couch, and draped her across his lap, boneless as a sock puppet. She wrapped her arms around his waist and lay her head against his chest. Content, they cuddled as their sweat cooled and their pounding heartbeats slowed.

    Some hours later, David lay staring up at the bedroom ceiling, brooding over Eva’s revelations. She curled next to him, her breathing deep and slow in sleep.
    He had no real memory of what had happened during the fight with the werewolves, but according to Eva, two other beings normally occupied his body, one a god, the other some kind of big cat. Which explained how his decorative practice sword had acquired an edge sharp enough to massacre werewolves.
    What would happen to him when those beings returned? Would he cease to be himself? He wished he could ask this Cat, but his attempts to communicate had garnered no response at all. He ...
    “Arhhhhhhhhhh! Get off me! Get off! Get! Off!” Eva shrieked right in his ear, a shattering cry of panic and agony. He shot upright, but she was already moving, rolling out of bed to land on the floor in a crouch. Her eyes were wild, glowing red in the darkness. She screamed again, the sound dropping, going guttural as it grew in volume, becoming a roar. “Stay away!”
    Even as he hit the floor, he saw magic spill over her, lengthening her head into a wolf muzzle. Her hair became a wild, dark mane as a wave of fur rushed across her bare skin. Her delicate hands grew huge, tipped in talons, and her teeth sharpened into tearing daggers. Her snarl rumbled, low and menacing as she stared at him through the darkness, no recognition at all in her crimson gaze.
    David had bounded out of bed with every intention of catching her in his arms. Now he realized that was exactly the wrong thing to do. “Eva?” He kept his voice low and soothing.
    She ignored him, gathering herself to attack. And with that wolf body, she could hurt him badly before she woke up enough to realize what she was doing. She’d never forgive herself.
    And he wouldn’t exactly have a great time either.
    “Eva, you’re dreaming.” He said the words firmly as he kept out of reach. “You’re safe. Wake up. Wake up, love.”
    She hesitated, cocking her head as if trying to remember him.
    He lowered his voice to a soothing croon. “Eva, love, wake up. It was just a nightmare. You’re safe.”
    Awareness suddenly filled those dark chocolate eyes. “David?”
    He blew out a relieved breath. “Yes, it’s me.”
    “I had the most god-awful nightmare ...” She lifted her hands—and froze, staring at them in horror. “Oh, shit. I turned, didn’t I?”
    “Yes.”
    She took a step toward him, her gaze going frantic. “I didn’t hurt you, did I? Shit, shit, shit. This is why I never sleep with anybody!”
    “I’m fine.” To prove it, he stepped in close and slid his arms around her waist. “And so are you.” As he embraced her, his head came to rest under her chin. Her breasts were as large as the rest of her. Unable to resist, he cupped one, enjoying the silken caress of fur as soft as a kitten’s. “Mmmm.” He grinned up at her, teasing. “This has possibilities.”
    Her hands came tentatively to rest on his shoulders, almost painfully careful of her claws. “Uh. Yeah. It feels weird, you being this—” She broke off.
    “Short?” Despite the alien shape of her head, the eyes were still Eva’s, big and brown and human.
    “Something like that.” She sighed and stepped away from him. “I’d better turn back.”
    With acute fascination, David watched the magic spill. Fur disappeared as her body shrank from big and powerful to delicate and feminine. When it was over, Eva sank back on the edge of the bed, panting. “Jesus, that hurts. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve shifted, but I never get used to it.”
    He moved to the other side of the bed, sat down, and propped his back against the headboard, opening his arms to her. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
    “It’s the same damned nightmare I’ve been having for years now.” Eva crawled across the mattress and settled into his arms, resting her head against his shoulder. “Anytime things get tense, I dream about the