Once, excusing herself for a morning walk, she ranged as far afield as she dared and discovered signs of the midnight hunting: blood frozen in the snow. “I’m…” The lump in her throat was pride. “But, if you’ll hear the rest—”
“I will not,” said Leona. At least it wouldn’t take long. Each little torment made her smile. Rupin also seemed to have more on his mind. “Midnight has come and gone. It would have made a picturesque nude scene…. Her curiosity aroused even more, she stopped him in the middle and said, “Do you mind if we retire to the study? You don’t know what these superstitious country folk are like. Eventually the cat was gone, and in its place was a dazed, huddled, naked man, his body still racked with the pain of the transformation, sweating and panting as if he’d just finished a fight or a race or a nightmare, or something in between all three.
