"Because the other half of me isn't all there is."

She'd thought about it while she was growing up, especially when the teasing at school got really bad. Before she got out of the habit, shifting had been easy, and she could have changed into the Wolf and dealt with her tormentors for good and all if she'd wanted to. It would have been really easy.

But she didn't want to live like an animal. She'd been a half-breed since the day she was born, but that wasn't the same thing as being a monster. Papa had learned to live among humans long before he fell in love with Mama, and she'd learned by his example. Even when it sucked.

"Who were you? Before." She gestured at the new day's sun, then at the other woman. "You're not a vampire, because you'd be a pile of ashes by now if you were. How did you get here?"