This story is written for the private entertainment of fans. No infringement of any copyrights held by Due South c/o Alliance is intended. This story is not published for profit, and the author does not give permission for this story to be reproduced for profit. The author makes no claims on the characters or their portrayal by the creation of this story.

Rated PG - m/f - Romance - Halloween Story

Of Full Moons & Wolves
(by Catalina Dudka - Copyright 1996)

The wind blew. Cold gusts swirled dry leaves and ragged jetsam in a helter skelter dance against the night sky. Diamond-sharp stars trailed behind the full October moon ... and the wolf howled. The deep, mournful ululation carried for miles until it was nothing but a vibration unnoticed by most. Hitching a ride with the Autumn wind, the summons weaved between cars and buildings, finally reaching a particular window.

Diefenbaker lifted his head. Though he couldn't hear with his ears anymore, the sensitive whiskers round his muzzle and soft fur on his body served him well enough these days. Well enough to sense the call, a command he hadn't expected to experience in this place. With a gruff bark, he leapt to the window, trying in vain to catch a scent, a clue, but to no avail. The call faded and once again Diefenbaker settled down in his spot disappointed.

Puzzled, Fraser noted the wolf's behaviour. This was the second night in a row that Diefenbaker had acted so peculiarly. Usually he wasn't a fidgety companion, but maybe because they hadn't gone to the Reserve recently ... Seeing that his friend had settled for the night once more, Fraser resolved they would visit the woods tomorrow night. They could both use a good run.

The wolf watched the full moon as she floated across the black heaven of night. It waited, ears pricked expectantly for an answer, but non came. No matter, there was still tomorrow. Inhaling deeply of the cold, acrid air it ran, soon becoming one more shadow.

"Come on, Diefenbaker. Let's go!" Fraser encouraged the lagging wolf. "I know we haven't done this for a while, but I can't believe you have become this soft."

As usual, Diefenbaker chose to ignore his human friend, and continued to nose around the undergrowth. He had caught a strangely familiar scent the moment they had entered the place of trees. It was a puzzle, this smell, doubly familiar and doubly strange. A unique perfume that should have been a mingling of two completely scents, but wasn't. It was definitely one scent, belonging to one being but ...

The howl flooded over him. His fur stood on end as the sound captured and pulled him deeper into the wood. The force of the call so strong, he didn't even bother to check whether the human followed.

Frozen in place, the Mountie felt the howl as it penetrated his very pores. A sound so melancholy it brought a lump to his throat, so seductive, his paralysis broke. Fraser found himself dashing behind Diefenbaker, uncaring as thousands of branches drew welts on his face and hands.

Breaking through a barrier of desiccated undergrowth, Fraser skidded to a halt, his eyes taking in an impossible sight. The moon shone a pool of light onto the clearing. Diefenbaker's fur gleamed a pearly white as he prostrated himself. He crawled along the ground, whining a surrender, and offered his throat to the most beautiful creature Fraser had ever seen.

The wolf stood proud, its coat black as the heavens above, its eyes darkly glowing with the reflected light of the moon. It's mouth opened to reveal diamond-sharp teeth that gently closed round Diefenbaker's throat as if accepting fealty.

Its eyes never left Fraser's, and the Mountie couldn't help but be drawn into their swirling depths. Throat constricted, and knees almost buckled as he recognized what he saw there. Beyond the moon's reflection, beyond the darkness, Fraser caught a glimpse of something ... someone. But it couldn't be! A rush of air filled his lungs in a gasp as the form in front of him began to shimmer.

Diefenbaker crawled back while the piece of night that was the wolf liquified and was reborn into a new shape.

Wide, incredulous eyes drank in the sight of her as she straightened. Gone was the sleek coat, the pointed muzzle, the strong paws. Gone, as if they never existed. In their stead, there she stood, still as proud, still as mysterious, still as impossibly familiar. The moon gleamed on her bare skin, painting her in silver and pearl. Her dark hair brushed naked shoulders, and lips parted in a beautiful yet feral smile. She stepped towards him, and Fraser filled his eyes with the grace of her. She was as sensuous as he always imagined whenever he had watched her at the Consulate.

"Inspector?!?" he whispered in awe.

"I think you can call me Meg now. Don't you?" she answered, stopping well within his reach.

"Meg ..." Fraser's heart leapt at the beauty of her.

Without hesitation, his arms wrapped around her and his mouth descended onto hers. With a sigh, her lips parted and her night-cooled body pressed against the warmth of his. Fraser inhaled deeply, and finally realized that which had captivated him from the beginning, and eluded him for the longest time. It never was Escada, Cartier, nor Chanel, but always had been the scent of woman, full moons and wolves.

The End

Cat (cdudka@direct.ca)
who wishes one and all a scaaaaaarieeee All Hallow's Eve.