The Night Beat

jam, and sliced fruit. It was like I’d gone out to one of the nicer breakfast eateries -- I’d certainly never seen food this lovely in my own home before.
    I managed to wait until he seated himself, forced myself to say grace, which caused a raised eyebrow but no questions from Jack, and then waited until he picked up his stainless steel flatware. Silver, even silver-plate, isn’t good for werewolves.
    As soon as he started, I dove in. I’d spent years being sure I was still able to eat like a human, but I hadn’t had food for going on twenty-four hours, and hunger is a dangerous thing with my kind. I wolfed my food, literally. I tried not to, but I was starving,
    I finished well before Jack did. He smiled, got up, took my plate, went to the stove, and returned with a new plateful of food. “I like a girl with a healthy appetite.”
    “Thank the Gods and Monsters.” This serving I could eat a little more slowly. The third plateful I could eat like a human. I finished plate three when he finished plate one. I managed not to burp, but only just. “You’re a great cook.”
    He grinned. “Glad to hear it. You always pack away that much food?”
    “Yeah, pretty much.” Not in front of him before now, though. He’d only seen me eat like a human girl before. I wondered if I’d blown it.
    “I’m amazed you stay so tiny. Is it because you burn it off?”
    “I guess. And I’m not that small, I’m just a lot smaller than you.” This was true. I wasn’t going to be mistaken for either a skeleton or a slime monster -- I was an average-sized female, at least as far as I’d ever seen. “It takes a lot to get a fat werewolf. Our metabolisms run high, and we have to eat well and frequently, or we start to go…a little on the bad side.”
    “I can imagine. You need more?” He sounded ready to cook again.
    “Nope, that was great. I’m full and ready for a nap. Not that we have the time.”
    Jack reached across the table and took my hand. “Wish we did, but I know you’re right.” He took a deep breath. “Last night, well, I guess, this morning….”
    I tried not to tense up. Tired or not, being with Jack had been fabulous. I’d felt relaxed and happy as well as aroused beyond belief. I wanted to pray on this one, but held it. If it hadn’t been that way for him, there wasn’t anything Yahweh or any other god could or should do about it.
    He stroked my hand with his thumb. “It was…really special for me. I…I know it’s kind of fast, and it’s going to sound kind of high school-ish, but…you want to go steady?”
    I let out the breath I’d been holding. “I never went to high school.” Whoops. Not exactly the smooth response I’d been shooting for. Found myself wishing I was in werewolf form as I felt my cheeks get hot.
    Jack just smiled. “Not sure if I can take that as a yes or if that was a nice way of saying a human just can’t stack up to the undead guys.”
    “You more than stacked.” Wow, perhaps, somewhere, I could get a coherent, non-stupid sentence out about this. Not right now, perhaps, but was someday too much to hope for?
    He grinned. Either he thought this was cute or he liked idiots. Maybe both. I hoped for cute. I cleared my throat and tried again. “I’d really like to be in a monogamous relationship with you.” Hmmm, not better, really. Now I sounded like I was trying for the Stuffiest Girlfriend award.
    Jack started to laugh. “Is there a way that undeads do this that I could learn, just to make it easier?”
    “No, not really.”
    He stood up, helped me up, and pulled me into his arms. “You’re mine, I’m yours, no one else in between. Yes or no?”
    “Yes.”
    I was rewarded for brevity and coherence by him kissing me. I was then further rewarded by another round of truly amazing mating. All in all, it was a cheerful way to start the night.

Chapter 21
     
    Fortified with food and sex, we showered and I dressed.
    “I should have washed these or something,” Jack said as he stared at his clothes. Still folded neatly? Yes. Ready to wear? Not so much, really. They’d been through a lot the night before. “I’d put them on, but, uh….”
    “They reek, yeah. Fortunately for you, we undead have our ways.” I called Maurice. “You up and about?”
    “Yes, and don’t you sound all relaxed and satisfied. The human came around? Pun completely intended.”
    “Funny you ask. I need a set of men’s clothes, pronto.”
    “What, you ripped them to shreds