Master of Smoke

David’s not even a werewolf. He’s ... well, he’s something else. There was this guy, he attacked me. I went jogging one night and ...” Eva cut herself off, realizing she was babbling again. And God, she was tired. Without thinking, she sank down on the love seat. It produced an alarming creak of protest. She jumped up and almost tripped, but David grabbed her elbow and steadied her with automatic, offhand strength.
    “I keep thinking it’s got to be a costume,” Charlotte said in a distant voice, “but it’s not, is it?” She reached out and stroked a trembling hand over Eva’s furry arm. “It’s warm. It’s really you.” She looked up into her daughter’s face. “Your eyes are the same. They’re just the same.” Her fingers lifted to trace the length of Eva’s muzzle, feeling flesh and muscle move beneath the thinner fur there. “That’s definitely not a costume.” Suddenly her eyes went fierce with a mother’s anger. “Somebody attacked you? He hurt you? Eva, is this the same man who’s after you now?”
    “No, Mom.” Her father had taken her hand to examine her claws, one thumb brushing absently over her palm in a soothing gesture. At her mother’s words, his grip tightened.
    “If it was the man I suspect it was, he’s dead,” David said. Eva shot him an astonished look—when did he find that out? He lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “Trey Devon was a serial killer. He murdered the sister of one of our people, and she and her fiancй hunted him down. There was a fight, and they killed him.”
    Bill’s jaw dropped and he stared at David. “A serial killer?” He transferred his horrified gaze to his daughter as if he was only just now starting to process what he’d heard. “You were attacked by a werewolf serial killer? Why didn’t you tell us, Eva!”
    “Because she was afraid we’d freak, Bill,” Charlotte said tartly. “Which is exactly what we’re doing.” She looked up at Eva again. “For the record, you’re still our daughter, furry or not. We love you, and nothing will ever change that.” She turned toward the kitchen. “Now I need something a hell of a lot stronger than white wine. In fact, I’ll get some for everybody.”
    “I’ll help you,” Bill said, and strode after her.
    “Which sounds like my cue to change back,” Eva muttered, and summoned her magic.
    NINETEEN
    When her transformation was complete, Eva sank down on the couch again. This time it didn’t creak. She leaned forward and buried her head in her hands. “Oh, God.” A short, semi-hysterical laugh burst out. “Believe it or not, that actually went better than I expected.”
    David sat next to her and looped an arm around her shoulder to pull her close. “You know, you didn’t have to do that. I could have cast a spell to make them go with us.”
    She shot him a horrified glance. “Oh, God no. It’s bad enough that I lied to them for all these years.”
    He sighed. “I thought that would be your reaction. I think we might as well bite the bullet and take them to the Mageverse. They’d be safer there than they’d be in the safe house. We strengthened the city’s wards a couple of years ago so nothing can get through without a spell key. And besides, even Warlock isn’t going to want to take on the Knights of the Round Table.”
    “What?” Bill stopped short in the doorway, a glass of something amber in his hand. “Did you say Knights of the Round Table? They’re real? And alive?”
    Eva rubbed a hand over her aching forehead. “Yeah, they’re real. And they’re definitely alive. You’d like ... well, Arthur. Tristan’s an asshole.”
    Bill’s eyes got even wider. “Arthur?”
    David stood, dropping a hand to her shoulder. “Why don’t you three talk. I need to make a call.” He turned toward the front door.
    “You can use our phone,” Charlotte called, but he’d already stepped outside.
    Eva sat back on the couch. “That would be one hell of a long distance bill.” She noticed her father staring at her in puzzlement. “What?” Her voice sounded a trifle defensive.
    “Your clothes are back. Where did they go?”
    She shrugged. “Got me. It’s magic, Dad. I have no idea how it works.”
    Charlotte handed her a glass. Eva accepted it and discovered it was a Coke with enough rum in it to burn all the way down. “Yeah,” she sighed, sitting back and taking another sip. “That’s about right.”
    “Is your boyfriend a werewolf, too?” Charlotte