Halloween Party fun!

Welcome to the Shape Shifter Halloween Party Blog Tour! Come on in, sit down and have some punch and snacks! We hope you've had fun all week and that you'll stick around for the party and chat with some of us a little later. The place should be pretty full from 9 - 11PM (sorry, that's EST). Lots of the characters are coming, and I'm sure you'll be able to find a few authors in the bunch.

Once again, there's still time to enter the drawing for a copy of Wolf! Just leave a comment and tell me what kind of animal shifter she is and what she does for a living. (If you click on the title you can sneak a peek and find the answers...)

Let's get on with the party!

"Will you leave the beef jerky alone, Wolfe. There won't be any left for our guests. I only made ten pounds!"

Wolfe stepped closer to Lyssa and pulled her to him. "Have a taste. You've outdone yourself." Wolfe licked at her lips until she started laughing - then he dove in.

As usual, Lyssa could only hold on for the ride. Her hands clutched his shoulders as she sipped at his tongue, enjoying not just the tang of the jerky but the sweet taste of Wolfe. "Mmmm, maybe I should have made more..."

Wolfe's chuckle vibrated through her.

Lyssa pushed out of Wolfe's arms when the doorbell rang. "Be good," she said, as she turned to get the door. She looked over her shoulder as she stepped around the cage of rabbits, catching a glimpse of Wolfe munching on another piece of jerky. "That's what I get for cooking meat," she grumbled. "Next time I'll make cookies." She yanked open the heavy wooden door and stared out at the troop of gypsies on the doorstep - unless they were in costume - but they certainly looked like the real thing.

"Um, can I help you?"

"Is this the Reardon house?"

Was that an Irish lilt in his voice? And what was a priest doing with them? Lyssa stepped back to watch as they carried some strange looking instruments into the house - what looked like a hollow log and a large rock, among other things.

"Buck!" Wolfe said from behind her as he held out his hand. "I was a little worried you weren't going to make it."

Lyssa glanced back and forth between them.

"Oh, just a little side trip along the way. We had to dodge a paparazzi fellow, but no worries."

"Come on then, you can set up in the Great Hall. There'll be plenty of room for everyone." Wolfe put his arm around Lyssa's shoulders and turned her so they could lead the way. "These are the Travelers," he said as he met her gaze. "They have a couple CD's out and I'm sure most of our guests will love their music. Kind of a taste of the wild."

"Just how many 'guests' are we expecting tonight?" She glanced around at the meager snacks she had put out. "I thought you said a few friends were joining us."

"Friends, family, friends of family...you know how these things grow. A bear, a few werewolves, an elf, and a few angels." He shrugged. Wolfe kissed the top of her head. "Who knows? No need to worry. A number of people are bringing snacks, plus we have fresh meat."

Her eyes went wide. "No one is eating those rabbits in this castle! Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get blood off of stone floors and walls?" Lyssa stomped her foot. "I am not going to spend days cleaning this place or paying a huge bill to the owners to have it cleaned."

Wolfe smiled, his gold eyes glowing. He slid a hand through her hair and leaned down for a kiss. "Do you have any idea how adorable you are when you're all flushed and your whiskers are showing?" His thumb brushed over her lip, tickling the whiskers that had sprouted there. He gave her one more chaste kiss then whispered in her ear, "The owners will be here too. They're not worried about it."

"Just who are the owners?" Lyssa narrowed her eyes and looked around. The pumpkins and glowing ghouls and goblins had certainly livened up what had been a pretty gloomy place.

"Doesn't matter. You'll meet them soon enough."

The doorbell rang again and Lyssa glanced up at Wolfe. "You want to get that?"

Come on in and join the party...the more the merrier...right?Let's see what Anthony has to say today .

Hopping time is over! Time to join the party!

When the doorbell rang again, Lyssa opened the door wide. "Come in, come in," she said, and held out her hand. "And you would be?"

"Umm, Max and Richard. Wolfe invited us."

She nodded her head. "I'm sure he did." She noticed the dish in their hands, but didn't ask what it was. She pointed behind her. "You can find him in the Great Hall helping the band to set up.

They nodded their heads as they passed and she heard them say, "I didn't know there was gonna be live...shit! look at all those rabbits. I hope there's gonna be a hunt!"

Lyssa shuddered but her inner cat growled in agreement.

"Hi."

She turned her head so fast she could have been on The Exorcist. "Hi." She clutched her hand tight to keep the claws in her own palm.

"Hi, I'm Gregor, and this is Regina."

Lyssa took a deep breath and smiled. "Hi." She held out her hand. "I'm Lyssa. Come on in. Wolfe is in the Great Hall with a few other guests."

"Sorry if we're early-"

"No, no, any friend of Wolfe's is welcome anytime."

Again they nodded and followed down the hall in the direction she had pointed. "Look at those paintings - and the murals...and those rabbits. Do you think-"

And she couldn't hear anymore. She turned back to the most gorgeous men she had ever seen. Four golden eyes stared back at her and a pair of sinfully blue ones gazed at her. The wings on their backs, although folded in, were daunting nonetheless.

The one with blue eyes and long black hair stepped forward and took her hand to kiss it, his lips soft as silk. "You must be Lyssa." His blue eyes pierced her.

She nodded and tried to pull her hand back but he held onto it gently. Let me introduce myself. I'm Grayson, this is Eli." He gestured to his left. "And this is Gabriel."

"Welcome," she whispered then cleared her throat. "Please, join Wolfe and some of our other guests in the Great Hall." She gestured behind herself and breathed a sigh as they walked through.

She turned back in time as a man and woman walked through with a nod. "I'm Jack, and this is Kate."

Lyssa nodded back. "Come on in."

With a heavy sigh she stared out into the darkness then turned back to the cage of rabbits. A smile tilting her lips, she lifted the door at the end of the cage and the rabbits slowly realized freedom was calling. As the last one hopped out the door Wolfe stepped into the hallway.

"Lyssa?"

She turned back and smiled as she shifted. If she could have spoken she would have dared him to match her catch. The last thing she heard was the scrabble of claws on the stone floor as she leaped out the door.