Fey enchantment has marked her life until she finds the truth about herself and locates love in the strangest of ways.

Eileen has always known she couldn’t control her shifts. She also knows that it is not normal to shift into hundreds of different animals.

When she is declared close to her heat, she is ordered to the Crossroads and her payment for the transport causes a stir. Her claw is that of a chimera and the enchantment that she thought was binding her, in fact, wasn’t doing anything at all.

Harris has been at the Crossroads for a few days, and when he sees a woman dressed to the nines in a classic manner, he is enthralled. When she is spunky and direct, he is charmed, and when she touches his hand, he is smitten.

Excerpt:

Eileen staggered through the door with her arms loaded with test papers and textbooks. The scent of dinner was hanging in the air, and she groaned in appreciation when she noted the glass of wine on the counter.

“Thanks, Mom.” She set her papers down with a huff and took the glass of wine, going in search of her adoptive parent.

Amy was in the greenhouse, misting her plants. Here at home, she had her hair in a ponytail that exposed her rather delightfully pointed ears. “Your text sounded wiped out.”

Eileen laughed softly before sipping at her wine. “I am; the life of a sub is to be despised and harassed. Is this the malbec?”

“It is. Well done. Lots of papers to grade?”

“Yeah, and an unexpected shift in the middle of the day. I had to jump into the janitor’s closet and was just lucky that the animal was small. I am pretty sure I was a gerbil.”

Amethyst Heller shook her head. “I am getting worried. They are becoming more frequent. I think we are going to have to call him in.”

Eileen groaned. “Do we have to?”

Amy laughed, “Are you the teacher or the student? That whining is impressive.”

“I have learned over the last two years. I can also make small armaments with office supplies and smile at my crotch when I text. It is a lovely learning exchange; I teach them and they teach me.”

“Come on, there is a pot roast in the crock pot. Yes, I put plenty of wine in it.”

Eileen watched as her caretaker for the last sixteen years took off her gloves and set the spray bottle aside.

“You really don’t need to call him.”

Amy reached out and ruffled her hair. “Sorry, honey. It is already done.”

Eileen groaned. “When is he coming?”

“Moonrise. You have a few hours.”

She nodded and began marking her students’ papers before she ate.

Adros Heller was a full elf and he tended to blast things when he was in a mood.

She wanted this work out of the way so that he wouldn’t have reason to set them on fire for contaminating his daughter with the human world.

Eileen was sure that she ate somewhere along the way, but she doggedly plowed on with her homework. When the last paper was graded, she took the pile out to her car and locked them in the trunk. It was Friday night, so she still had the chance to put the grades into the computer before Monday, though it wasn’t due until the following week.

The teacher had gone on another sudden vacation, and Eileen had swept in to the rescue as she always did. With seven schools having her number, she tended to drop everything and sweep off at a moment’s notice. She liked to get paid, so she answered every call she got.

When the paperwork was safe, she trudged back inside and flopped on the couch. Amy was working on a tapestry for one of the elven court, and she chuckled at Eileen’s exhaustion.

“Judging by your complete bonelessness, the class was high school and mostly male.”

Eileen held up one thumb. “Correct.”

The sunlight faded and the house hummed.

Eileen made a face and sat up, running her hands through her hair.

Amy seated her needle and put the hoop and frame aside. She folded her hands in her lap and watched the cyclone taking shape in the centre of the room.

Eileen watched from the couch and kept her hair from blowing into her mouth. When Adros Heller fully materialized, Amy got to her feet and greeted him with both hands extended. “Hello, Father.”

“Daughter. You are looking well.”

“Thank you. You are devastatingly handsome and elegant as always, Father.” Amethyst smiled.

Eileen got to her feet and approached. “Welcome to our home, benefactor.”

Adros looked at her and sighed. “What is happening to you, shifter?”

She waved him toward the couch. He took the high-backed chair instead and sat in it as if the silvery green upholstery covered a throne.

She stifled a snort. “The crux of the issue is that I am shifting randomly and without control. I am starting shifts in front of the humans I teach, and that is not a good thing.”

He leaned forward and extended his long, pale fingers, the white silk of his hand slid over the side of his impeccable suit as he moved. He was grace and delicacy; Eileen had dirt under her nails and ink on her skin.

He wrapped his fingers around hers and closed his eyes. She felt the cool wash of fey magic over her skin, measuring and assessing her.

The contact between them was enough of a catalyst, and she felt her body starting to go.

Adros released her hand suddenly. “Good lord.”