Thea Harrison – True Colors

An Elder Races novella, book 3.5, published December 2011.



Meeting your soulmate? Great. Preventing your possible murder? Even better.
Alice Clark, a Wyr and schoolteacher, has had two friends murdered in as many days, and she's just found the body of a third. She arrives at the scene only minutes before Gideon Riehl, a wolf Wyr and current detective in the Wyr Division of Violent Crime—and, as Alice oh-so-inconveniently recognizes at first sight, her mate.
But the sudden connection Riehl and Alice feel is complicated when the murders are linked to a serial killer who last struck seven years ago, killing seven people in seven days. They have just one night before the killer strikes again. And every sign points to Alice as the next victim.

Product Warnings
This book contains a hot police detective, a violent murderer on the hunt, and a heroine that can blend in anywhere.


I have one big complaint about this story: it is WAY TOO SHORT! I enjoyed it so much, it was over before I knew it.

Alice Clark has an appointment with her best friend Haley for that evening. One of their friends has been found murdered, and another friend is missing. They are so afraid that the dreadful murders that happened seven years ago are repeating themselves. So Alice is determined to convince Haley to stay at her place for a while. But she is too late. To her horror, her friend is murdered, mutilated on her own bed.
And to make matters worse, someone is entering the apartment, and Alice has to hide, fast! Is it the murderer who has come back? What is she to do?

Gideon Riehl, a Wolf Wyr, is investigation the recent murders. Yes, murders, as the second body has been found. 7 years ago, the murders were committed alphabetically among a small group of very rare full color chameleon Wyr. Haley’s name on the list is next. So Gideon has come over to make sure she is safe. But he is too late, the body is still warm. There is no trace of the murderer whatsoever, not even his wolf can scent him. So the murderer must have masked his scent, like hunters do, and criminals, and he has been wearing gloves. Still, Gideon has the strange feeling there is someone else in the tiny apartment, and he can’t find that person. So he decides to hide out front across the street, and watch who will leave the apartment building next. He is sure that he will recognize that person by his/her scent.

And his patience is rewarded when Alice leaves the building. Their eyes meet, and the earth tilts on its axis. They are mates. Alice is horrified, how can a brutal murderer be her mate? Gideon doesn’t yet know what hit him, but he is determined to catch her. Which is much more difficult than he would have believed. At the last minute, he convinces her he is a police officer, and she needs to come to the nearest police station. Not being stupid, Alice takes precautions. But when they meet, everything falls in place. They fit.

And now it is up to Gideon to keep Alice safe. No matter what his boss, Wyr Sentinel and Gryphon Bayne will order him to do, he will keep her safe.


The two of them together is so very sweet. Gideon, a hard ex-military man of many years, and now a cop. Alice, a school teacher of only 35 years. A large Wyr Wolf and a tiny Wyr Chameleon. It sounds incompatible, but it just works out. I love how they are together, how Gideon reacts to her house and person. And how Alice seeks refuge near the wolf after a nightmare. And of course, the sex scene was really nice and still hot as well. They mystery and suspense part was very well done, although I did guess who it was early on.

All in all, a very good short story, which I enjoyed very much.

Hero: hot, large, protective, I love him
Heroine: sweet, nice, but not a doormat
Secondary characters: not really
Romance: great
Plot: great
Heat-level: hot enough
Writingstyle: very good
Summary: excellent short story, I heartily recommend it

9,5 stars