The Shadows of Christmas Past

had lulled her sense of dread and confusion, but it rushed back again once they were alone. Inside there was more laughter than she'd heard in a long time, and people were singing Christmas carols.
    Harry put his arms around her and drew her close. Being near him was delicious and heart-wrenching at once. "Harry…"
    He cocked his head to one side, and listened for a moment. "They're having a good time."
    "At our expense," she muttered.
    "Nice and noisy," he went on. "Gives us a chance to talk without being overheard." He drew her to the porch steps, and they settled down side by side at the top. "What's your problem, sweetheart?" he asked her, when they were huddled close together.

    She wanted to cry. "I've finally met the one man in the world who understands me, the one man I'm comfortable with, the one man I need in my bed—and I can't have him."
    "Would that one man be me?"
    She glared at him. "Of course it is!"
    He kissed her. After her bones had just about melted, Harry said, "I'm not going anywhere."
    "But—your people don't mate with humans."
    He put a finger over her lips. "Sure we do," he whispered. "Look at Clark and Heather."
    "Yes, but, you said… Didn't they run away because it's forbidden?"
    "It's not forbidden, and they ran away because his dad's a jerk."
    "Harry, I got the distinct impression that your Council forbids fraternization between you kind and mine."
    "It's never been forbidden, just strongly discouraged for a couple of generations. Besides, you can't forbid people to marry their true mates. And you're mine."
    Hope flared to life. "I am?"
    "Didn't you recognize it the moment we first touched? We found our life partners at Murphy's dairy case. I didn't want to recognize it at the time, but it happened. And here we are."
    "What do you mean, you didn't want to recognize it?"
    Harry laughed softly. "We guys get notions in our heads about not giving up our carefree bachelor days. It's a macho crock, really. I'm no lone wolf, Marj. I need to mate, with you, for life. I'm not saying it's going to be easy," he went on. "My people can't forbid it. We don't have laws so much as guidelines. They can strongly discourage human and werefolk unions, and certainly do. Our people have gone along with this policy, but you've seen how dissatisfied the younger generation is. But times are changing, and you and I can live here, away from all the Council politics."
    "You can't abandon your own kind. Not for me."
    "I don't intend to abandon anyone, but a mate is always more important than anyone else. My family will accept you into our home pack, though we're going to have some trouble with your in-laws at first."
    "I'm going to have in-laws?" Even if they didn't want her, she liked the idea of having family again.
    "Besides, if anyone complains about our mating, there are traditions I can call on to counter any protests. Remember when I told you that there are only two ways to deal with humans who find out about shapeshifters?"

    "No."
    "I did bring it up. Actually, there are three ways to handle humans knowing about us. One is to make the human forget the knowledge permanently. But that won't work on someone with your psychic gifts. The second is, and I'm sorry to admit this, to kill the human. But we only do that if the persons intends us harm, and after a trial. And the third…" He kissed her again, then repeated. "And the third—"
    And once again they were interrupted by a car pulling up to the house, an expensive sports car that Marj didn't recognize. This time, the dogs didn't set off their usual racket.
    "Werefolk," Marj said.
    "Yeah," Harry agreed, as he and Marj rose to their feet.
    A handsome, platinum-haired male got out of the car and strode arrogantly forward. There was something very familiar about his looks.
    "Lucius Malfoy?" Marj asked Harry.
    "Clark Losimba's dad."
    She recalled Clark's comments about his father. "That could be worse."
    "Yeah."
    She wondered if she should get the tranquilizer gun from the kennel. Harry must have caught the thought, because he gave her a smile.
    Then he turned to the newcomer. But before he could speak, the back door opened and Clark came rushing down the stairs.
    "Dad—"
    That was as far as he got before his father swept him into a fierce hug. Clark hesitated, stiff with tension, but only for a moment, before he hugged back just as fiercely.
    "I missed you so much, Clark."
    "Me too."
    Then Heather came out of the house and walked toward the men. Clark