Roman's Gold (Underground Heat, Book 1) by Ann Gimpel

judgmental. It occurred to him they might not believe him, might think he was playing some sort of underhanded cop trick to gather classified information. He laid both computers on the table.
    No time for a trip to San Bernardino. He’d didn’t have any vacation or sick time on the books. That took six months to accrue. He considered quitting—again. It would be the kiss of death for his law enforcement career. What career? He asked himself bitterly. I won’t have a career once they find out what I am.
    The implications of that sank in and bit deep. What he’d told Kate was true. His life had altered radically in the seconds it took for fur to sprout from his sides. Never mind the tail and claws and lengthened incisors.
    Devon clapped a hand over his mouth and bolted for the bathroom mirror. He skinned back his upper lip and inspected his eyeteeth. His eyes narrowed. They were longer, but it wasn’t that noticeable. Still, he couldn’t be a cop anymore. It would only be a matter of time before they found him out.
    His gaze roved down his body. It felt alien. Strange. Had anything else changed? With his jaw set in a hard line, he stripped off his clothes and examined himself, using the wall mirror and a handheld one for his backside. He exhaled sharply, not realizing he’d been holding his breath. Nothing else was different. Not yet, anyway.
    He flipped on the taps in the shower. May as well clean up. Some shreds of condom were stuck in his foreskin; he peeled it back to loosen them. Kate’s scent filled his nose. A wave of longing so intense it undid him made his cock spring to attention. He ignored it and stepped into the shower.
    His dick was still hard, curved against his stomach, when he turned the water off. He dried himself, hands lingering at his crotch. Finally, he gave in and leaned against the bathroom wall. He saw his reflection in the mirror as his hand closed over his shaft. He knew what he needed. His hand pumped, slowly at first, and then his grip tightened and he worked himself harder. His muscles tensed.
    Kate with all her splendid hair unbound appeared before him. She straddled him and thrust her hips against him. His breathing quickened. He was close. He imagined closing his mouth over Kate’s nipple and sucking hard. Her body writhed under him. She pushed his head lower. He strung kisses down her flat stomach and sucked on her clit. Kate’s lusty abandon unfolding behind his closed lids intensified his desire. Just a few more strokes…
    His balls tightened; his cock bucked in his hand. Semen arced out of him, splattering the floor. He came hard. It surprised him since he’d just come a few hours before. After all, at thirty-eight he was well past the age when he’d gone around with a perpetual hard-on and could come half a dozen times a day.
    Panting hard, he opened his eyes and grabbed a towel to clean up the mess. It slipped out of his hand. He bent to retrieve it and glanced downward. Shit! No wonder he’d dropped the towel. He didn’t have hands anymore. Paws with fur and claws mocked him. He looked at his belly; a line of fur gathered at his groin. It moved upward as he stared at himself.
    Kate did this to him. Emotions made him shift. He straightened. Bile rose, filling his mouth with a sour taste. He stood frozen in place, waiting. What the fuck? I’m just standing here like a goddamned idiot. There’s got to be something I can do. Something proactive—
    His wrist computer chimed … the regular one. He had no idea what the black market computer even sounded like. He made a dash for the kitchen and snapped it up awkwardly. “Heartshorn.”
    “We have a situation.” His captain’s voice was sharp with urgency. “Know it’s your day off, but we need everyone we can scare up.”
    Devon opened his mouth to say he was quitting, but his captain started talking again. “Need you at Market and Fifth. Wear your body armor and riot gear.”
    “What happened?” In spite of himself,