word, every motion. The circus folk were no Puritans, but he ignored the few
invitations he received. To take a trouper as a lover, even casually, meant stronger ties
with the circus. He preferred the anonymity of women who sold their services for a
price.
Even so, he was tempted. His body was hungry for the release it had been denied so
long. Sex was touching without true intimacy, pleasure without commitment—not as it
was among the wolves. Tamar might be satisfied to know she had conquered him, if
only for a night.
A slow smile curved Tamar's lips. Her hands left his arm and wandered lower. He
flinched. She laughed under her breath.
"My poor, poor wolf. You are sick. Tamar can ease your pain." She cupped him boldly.
"No one understands you as I do. Come, my fine stallion. We will ride fast and far.”
To Catch a Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 04
Page 50 of 410
Caitlin made a rude noise, jerking Morgan from his daze. "The man who wrote about the
subtlety of serpents cannot have been thinking of you, Tamar.”
"And no man would want you," she hissed. "You stink of horses. You are shaped like a
stick. Morgan would not have you if you begged him.”
"Morgan is my friend." Caitlin cast Morgan an apologetic look. "I don't seduce my
friends.”
"I do not think you are a woman at all. Why don't you find another girl to play with?”
"That is hardly an insult worthy of you, Tamar. Where's the poison in your tongue?”
Morgan growled. Two pairs of feminine eyes fixed on him, and Tamar shut her mouth.
Caitlin folded her arms across her chest and started to speak.
"Be quiet," he said. "If you want to fight, wait until I am gone.”
"Gone?" Caitlin repeated.
"I'm leaving tonight.”
Tamar clutched his arm. He shook off her grasp and met Caitlin's stricken gaze. "The
Professor said I should tell you before I go.”
"How very kind of you. How gentlemanly.”
"I never claimed to be either. I have repaid the debt—”
"And now you go on your merry way without a thought for what you're leaving behind.”
To Catch a Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 04
Page 51 of 410
"I made no promises.”
"Good riddance, then.”
"You are strong, Firefly. The strong survive.”
"If you don't say good-bye to Harry, I will hunt you down and kill you myself.”
"I would be a fool to risk your anger.”
"You would never make a good clown, Morgan Holt," she said, tears thick in her throat.
"Go on. Go." She ran back into the big top as the band struck up the finale.
He obeyed before she could change her mind. Tamar had already slipped out of the
pad room, for which he was profoundly grateful. But he hadn't come away unscathed.
The unfamiliar, bitter taste of regret burned on his tongue.
This was sadness. Guilt. He had let himself grow too close to Caitlin—and to Ulysses,
and Harry. There was still one final ordeal ahead.
He waited by himself at the edge of the lot until the stream of townies emerging from the
big top heralded the end of the show. Laughter and excited chatter dwindled and faded,
only a few children lingering to catch a final glimpse of the freaks by moonlight. The rest
drifted past the ticket wagon, down the midway and toward the town lights.
The performers came next—Florizel and the clowns, Vico with his dogs, Caitlin and her
assistants leading the horses to their pickets, Regina the bird-boned rope-walker, Tor
the strong man, and all the others. They left the tent singly or in small groups, each to
his or her own wagon or tent. The roustabouts and crew would work through the night to
tear down the big top and prepare the troupe for departure before dawn.
To Catch a Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 04
Page 52 of 410
But even the rest would not sleep. It was a time for celebration, because at last the
troupe could afford to take up winter quarters and rest until spring without fear of
disbanding or starvation. The "freaks" of French's Fantastic Family Circus
invitations he received. To take a trouper as a lover, even casually, meant stronger ties
with the circus. He preferred the anonymity of women who sold their services for a
price.
Even so, he was tempted. His body was hungry for the release it had been denied so
long. Sex was touching without true intimacy, pleasure without commitment—not as it
was among the wolves. Tamar might be satisfied to know she had conquered him, if
only for a night.
A slow smile curved Tamar's lips. Her hands left his arm and wandered lower. He
flinched. She laughed under her breath.
"My poor, poor wolf. You are sick. Tamar can ease your pain." She cupped him boldly.
"No one understands you as I do. Come, my fine stallion. We will ride fast and far.”
To Catch a Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 04
Page 50 of 410
Caitlin made a rude noise, jerking Morgan from his daze. "The man who wrote about the
subtlety of serpents cannot have been thinking of you, Tamar.”
"And no man would want you," she hissed. "You stink of horses. You are shaped like a
stick. Morgan would not have you if you begged him.”
"Morgan is my friend." Caitlin cast Morgan an apologetic look. "I don't seduce my
friends.”
"I do not think you are a woman at all. Why don't you find another girl to play with?”
"That is hardly an insult worthy of you, Tamar. Where's the poison in your tongue?”
Morgan growled. Two pairs of feminine eyes fixed on him, and Tamar shut her mouth.
Caitlin folded her arms across her chest and started to speak.
"Be quiet," he said. "If you want to fight, wait until I am gone.”
"Gone?" Caitlin repeated.
"I'm leaving tonight.”
Tamar clutched his arm. He shook off her grasp and met Caitlin's stricken gaze. "The
Professor said I should tell you before I go.”
"How very kind of you. How gentlemanly.”
"I never claimed to be either. I have repaid the debt—”
"And now you go on your merry way without a thought for what you're leaving behind.”
To Catch a Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 04
Page 51 of 410
"I made no promises.”
"Good riddance, then.”
"You are strong, Firefly. The strong survive.”
"If you don't say good-bye to Harry, I will hunt you down and kill you myself.”
"I would be a fool to risk your anger.”
"You would never make a good clown, Morgan Holt," she said, tears thick in her throat.
"Go on. Go." She ran back into the big top as the band struck up the finale.
He obeyed before she could change her mind. Tamar had already slipped out of the
pad room, for which he was profoundly grateful. But he hadn't come away unscathed.
The unfamiliar, bitter taste of regret burned on his tongue.
This was sadness. Guilt. He had let himself grow too close to Caitlin—and to Ulysses,
and Harry. There was still one final ordeal ahead.
He waited by himself at the edge of the lot until the stream of townies emerging from the
big top heralded the end of the show. Laughter and excited chatter dwindled and faded,
only a few children lingering to catch a final glimpse of the freaks by moonlight. The rest
drifted past the ticket wagon, down the midway and toward the town lights.
The performers came next—Florizel and the clowns, Vico with his dogs, Caitlin and her
assistants leading the horses to their pickets, Regina the bird-boned rope-walker, Tor
the strong man, and all the others. They left the tent singly or in small groups, each to
his or her own wagon or tent. The roustabouts and crew would work through the night to
tear down the big top and prepare the troupe for departure before dawn.
To Catch a Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 04
Page 52 of 410
But even the rest would not sleep. It was a time for celebration, because at last the
troupe could afford to take up winter quarters and rest until spring without fear of
disbanding or starvation. The "freaks" of French's Fantastic Family Circus
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