Page 3 of Blue Moon Mistress

He’s behind Tomas, leaning out as though he’ll pop back the moment he feels threatened. Sweet little Chase has tinted his black hair with blue, and I’m curious how the nose ring works with his wolf.

“I was briefly a part of a coven that thought of your kind as pets meant to be tamed.” I don’t manage to keep the disgust in my tone tamped down. “That was one of the many reasons I left.”

The ones in the door shift, uneasy.

I turn back to Joshua. He’s the one of them who’ll be hardest to convince. The other three want it. Especially Johnny, despite his silence, I saw his pale green eyes—so striking they’re distracting—when I looked over. Know the heavily muscled man is possibly the gentlest of them all.

“You weren’t easy to find. And I am here because I need your help. I’m not asking you to do this for me without compensation. It is a partnership I am offering.”

“Why would we need a partnership with you if doing this one thing would change us from then on?”

“I don’t threaten to withhold the potion. If you want to buy it from me, we can work that out, but… having a witch who is in a mood to do you favors is always a bonus.”

I wait for them to ask about the rest of the spell.

They don’t. But I can’t leave this house without telling them everything.

“After the potion, you will need to meet me at the Hillgate Pioneer Cemetery. The mausoleum is a show piece. No one is actually interred there. I will trim your fur to use in the spell. The more of your fur, the stronger the results. Once I perform the spell, your forms will change and your urges will dissipate. From then on, you will never be full wolves again.”

Joshua watches me. Jaw tight as he considers the decision. “What do you get out of it?”

“Clarity, power, and protection.”

A flash of distrust crosses over Joshua’s face. “Who’s protection are you gaining.”

“The wolves you’ll lose. They are specters, notactualwolves, but used correctly, they’re just as effective.”

“We won’t be bound to you.”

“Not at all.” I pause, waiting for him to mull over my words.

Even in their human form, werewolves can usually sniff out lies.

That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll believe me.

“The spell is an unbinding. What comes next will bind the wolf spirits to me. But that will have nothing to do with you.”

Joshua looks at the others and I wait. If they’ve been together long enough—and they’re close enough—they can hear each other’s thoughts. They can have a whole conversation without me.

And it looks like they’ve been together for a while.

“We’ll consider it.”

I almost say “that’s all I can ask.”

But it isn’t.

“My offer is only good for this Halloween. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait until twenty thirty-nine.”

Standing, I open my bag and pull the flask from where I’d nestled it. “Either way, the potion is yours this full moon. Free of charge.”

Joshua takes it and I close my bag and I hesitate. Because what I’m about to say could make up their minds in either direction.

I just have to hope they’re horny.

“There is a third part to the spell. Itwouldbind you to me. I would be able to control your shifting. You could be man or wolf, or somewhere in between, any time you chose.”

“You mean…” Chase says, eyes shifting to Johnny, “We could theoretically never have to change again?”

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