Mating Instinct: A Moon Shifter Novel (5 page)

His hands hung loose at his sides and his breathing was slightly erratic as he stared at her.

Fighting fair is bullshit.
That’s what he’d told her.

And she intended to follow that advice, which was why she’d taken her top off. If she could distract him with her body, she would do it. Without warning, she struck out again.

This time she connected with his temple in a sharp, satisfying blow. His head jerked back a bit, almost as if she’d barely touched him, but she felt the hard sting on her hand and knew the blow had made serious contact.

“If I was human, I’d be on my ass right now. Not dead, but definitely unconscious.” There was a slight note of pride in his voice as he looked at her.

Taking a chance, she struck out again, but he grabbed her hand in his own fist and twisted until he had her pinned on the ground, flat on her back.

Without even thinking about the move, she kneed him once in the groin. His hold loosened as he groaned, but just as quickly his hand tightened on hers again.

“Does that not hurt as much to shifters?” she growled between gritted teeth.

“It hurts,” he rasped. “We just know how to channel the pain better than humans.”

“That doesn’t seem fair,” she muttered, trying to wriggle out from his hold. Maybe she should feel bad about kneeing him, but after hours of his form of training, she was beyond guilt. The feel of his hard body on top of hers did things to her she’d rather ignore. Her entire body heated and the juncture between her thighs was embarrassingly damp. Feeling all that muscle and strength against her made her remember the many,
many
times they’d been in this very position before. With a lot fewer clothes involved.

“Fair . . .” Jayce’s gaze trailed to her mouth and instinctively she licked her lips.

The instant she did, she felt his erection, hard and unmistakable, pressing against her lower abdomen.

Before she could tell him to stop—or even mentally protest to herself—Jayce’s lips covered hers. His tongue delved into her mouth, searching, hungry and needy. As his grip on her hand loosened and moved to cup her cheek, she could feel herself falling.

Falling under the weight of his desire and his kisses. The scent of his lust combined with her own was damn near suffocating. She felt as if she were drowning in sensations as his tongue probed her mouth, not gently but expertly and wickedly. He knew exactly what he was doing. Exactly what she needed because he’d kissed her a thousand times.

And she’d let him.

But not now. No matter how much she enjoyed it. No matter how much she’d fantasized about being with him again, this would never, ever work between them. He hadn’t wanted her enough to turn her into a shifter when she’d been human. She couldn’t give in to what were purely physical desires now. Even if her new animalistic side wanted only that. She was still in control of her actions. Panic bubbled inside her as she shoved against his chest.

Thankfully he didn’t fight her, but he also didn’t move fully off her. Just kept his muscular body over hers, pinning her to the ground until finally she pushed him again.

“I thought training was supposed to be professional,” she said as she got to her feet. Without glancing at him, she grabbed her top from the ground and stalked out of the barn. Jayce didn’t follow and she was glad. Getting away from him was the most important thing for her sanity right now.

He might have kissed her, but she’d definitely kissed him back. She couldn’t afford to make that mistake again. She needed Jayce for his skills and training. Getting tangled up with him again . . . She shuddered. No, thank you. She might need him, but she wasn’t enough of a masochist to invite the kind of agony he would bring her in the end.

Chapter 3

H
ow could I be so stupid?
Kat hurried across the open yard toward December and Liam’s house. She shouldn’t have allowed herself to be vulnerable to Jayce like that.

Taking off her top probably hadn’t been the best idea, but damn it, she’d needed to get a punch in before her arm fell off. Being pinned underneath him with no shirt on . . . She shivered, and it had nothing to do with the icy chill in the air. The feel of all his muscle and strength and raw power was way too familiar. It would have been so easy to give in to that kiss, to wrap her legs around him and . . . Nope. Not going there. She gave her head a sharp shake as if that could somehow force away memories of their hot, sweaty bodies tangled up together.

When she reached December’s doorstep, she knocked once. Moments later the door opened and her redheaded best friend stood there with a slightly swelling belly. Petite and much shorter than Kat, December practically glowed. Pregnancy definitely agreed with her. Her blue eyes widened slightly. “Kat! Come in.”

Kat pushed down the guilt. Her friend shouldn’t be surprised to see her, but Kat had been keeping her distance since December and Liam moved back to the ranch recently. After the torture Kat had endured, both of her friends had lived with her for a little over a month, and for that she was grateful. She should have visited here more. “If you’re sure you’re not busy and I’m not interrupting anything—”

December rolled her eyes, grabbed Kat’s hand, and tugged her inside. “You can join me in the kitchen. I can’t seem to stop baking. Though of course I can’t eat any of it without puking it back up. But I like the smell. I think I’m driving Liam a little crazy.”

Kat snorted softly at she followed her friend into the country-style kitchen. “I don’t think that’s possible.” Her eyes widened when she saw the racks of cupcakes, cookies, and a couple of cakes. “Holy crap, you weren’t kidding.”

“I
know
.” A timer went off and December opened the oven, pulling out what looked like lemon squares, and Kat’s mouth watered.

“Is that what I think it is?”

“Yes, and you can take the whole thing once I’m finished.” December didn’t look up as she grabbed a metal tin from the pantry, so Kat took a seat in one of the chairs at the center island.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been around lately.”

December shook her head as she started to dust the contents of the pan with powdered sugar. “You don’t have anything to apologize for.”

But she did. December was just too forgiving. And an incredibly good friend. She’d never once pressured her to talk about what had happened to her in that barn. Well, December had tried to talk Kat into seeing a therapist, but she hadn’t been pushy. Considering that December had been turned into a shifter too—though she’d undergone the change because of her pregnancy and wouldn’t be able to shift forms until after the birth—she had her own issues to deal with, but she’d been the best friend Kat could ask for. “I just stopped by to see what you and Liam were up to. I’m surprised you’re not working today.” Especially since it was Saturday. One of the busiest days at her friend’s bookstore.

“Right now Erin’s watching the store, but I’m going in around lunchtime. I’m going to try selling some of these baked goods, see if there’s a market for them.”

Kat inhaled deeply, dying to dive into the lemon squares, especially after the workout she’d just had. “I can’t imagine any of this stuff lasts very long in your store.”

A small smile touched her face. “Or in this house. Liam’s like a garbage disposal.”

Kat grinned. “So, what’s your man up to today?” In addition to avoiding December she’d also been steering clear of the entire pack and Liam. She felt like a jerk for avoiding the two people who’d been so good to her when she’d needed it most. But she hadn’t wanted to bring them down with her issues. Not when they were newly mated and soaking up the bliss of their new relationship. Plus Kat had begun to feel like a third wheel around them.

“He’s with his brother.” December shrugged, but Kat didn’t miss the tart, almost bitter scent that emanated from her friend. It was subtle, but Kat was learning to read scents better.

“And?”

December glanced up as she set her hand sifter down a little harder than necessary. Powdered sugar scattered across the counter. “Liam and Brianna seem to think it’s all fine and dandy for Brianna to infiltrate . . .” She cleared her throat as she trailed off, her eyes widening.

Kat brushed past the awkward pause. “The APL?”

December nodded. “Yeah.”

“And you don’t agree with your mate?”

“No. And neither does Connor. With all the stupid newscasts lately trying to paint a poor picture of shifters I think it’s smarter if we keep a low profile. We’re not doing anything wrong, and going after them will only invite trouble.” December growled low in her throat as she yanked another cookie sheet out from a cabinet, and Kat guessed she wasn’t even aware of it.

She also knew that the reason December was getting worked up was because of her brother, Parker. The local sheriff had recently taken some flak from the town news, insinuating that he was covering up shifter wrongdoing. Kat had to bite back a snort at that thought.
As if.
The sheriff was too good a man. Even though Kat didn’t agree with December, she didn’t voice her opinion. “So he and Connor are out hunting down APL members?”

December shook her head. “Not exactly. Liam, Connor, and Brianna are out scouting some of the addresses from that damn
list
.”

“List?”

“Yeah. About six weeks ago Liam and Jayce found a flash drive at the house of that asshole who tried to kidnap me. It’s got names and addresses of a lot of local APL members or supporters and now Connor’s given Jayce, Liam, and Brianna a copy. I don’t know exactly what they’re doing today, but I think Brianna wants to see who will be her easiest target. Or at least that’s what Liam insinuated.”

They had a list of APL members who lived in the vicinity?
Kat’s fingers ached to get hold of it. Her hands clenched in her lap. Even knowing it was out there made her palms damp and her heart rate increase. But she didn’t let her excitement show. It would only worry December if she knew Kat wanted the list. And if she knew Kat was interested, it would make it that much harder for Kat to get a copy for herself.

Hating herself at that moment, Kat stood. “Mind if I use your bathroom?”

“Of course not.” December didn’t glance up as she scooped out a cup of flour and poured it into a mixing bowl.

Kat fought the surge of guilt that forked through her, jagged and twisted, reaching all her nerve endings with a sharp warning note, telling her how wrong her plan was. But she ignored it as she bypassed the bathroom and hurried to Liam’s office. She needed this. Had to do something to find closure. Connor had made copies for his brother, Jayce, and Brianna, but of course he hadn’t given her one or even told her about it. She didn’t know much about pack dynamics, and it made sense that he hadn’t involved her, but she didn’t plan to ignore this bit of knowledge. She wasn’t even sure if Liam would have the list lying around, but before she checked Connor’s house, she had to eliminate the possibility that it was here. Searching her Alpha’s office wasn’t an idea she relished. Granted, searching her best friend’s house made her feel like shit too, but it had to be done.

* * *

Jayce slowed his bike and steered down the nearly hidden turnoff from the two-lane highway. After talking to Connor about the importance of working with the fae in regard to the APL—and giving the Alpha some vague information about possible vamp blood issues—he’d made his way to one of the last places he wanted to be.

Ned Hartwig’s house. Well, “house” was a bit of a stretch. The guy lived in a run-down trailer half the time, and the other half he lived in a hollowed-out school bus. Ned was a bit of a freak and had worked with the APL on occasion. However, he wasn’t a white supremacist. Nope, first and foremost Ned was a drug dealer. Mainly weed, but Jayce had received a tip that Hartwig had expanded into vampire blood. The guy wasn’t in Connor’s territory, though. Unfortunately this wasn’t the only tip Jayce had received about vamp blood trafficking in the state. There was another supposed dealer closer to Winston-Salem, but that was in the opposite direction and Jayce would rather talk to someone he knew first.

Seemed the shit was popping up everywhere lately. And no one had any idea who the source was. Or if it was multiple sources. If it was voluntary or if some dumbass humans had captured a vampire that they were now using as a blood source. God help anyone who was stupid enough to do that.

Vampires might be more individualistic and scoff at the type of pack mentality shifters embraced, but if someone fucked with one of their own, they got pissed and retaliated. There was nothing subtle about the way vamps reacted either. If they thought someone had wronged them, they more or less killed first and asked questions later. So in addition to that concern, Jayce was definitely worried about what would happen if the wrong person got hopped up on vamp blood. He could just see the headlines, and it made him cringe.

Moss and low-hanging branches from an abundance of thick, old trees nearly blocked the crumbling paved path. The fact that it wasn’t completely dirt was a miracle. Part of the reason was because the property Ned lived on had once held an antebellum mansion. That structure was now just ruins, lying about a mile from Ned’s trailer.

After hiding his bike in the underbrush, Jayce ducked into the woods and jogged parallel to the path. He knew for a fact that Ned had booby traps rigged, and even though he could survive damn near anything, he didn’t feel like getting his ass blown up and he didn’t want to announce his presence sooner than he had to.

About thirty yards farther along he noticed a trip wire stretched between two trees. He avoided it and slowed his pace until he came to the clearing where the rusty school bus and trailer were. Listening, he heard a steady heartbeat from the direction of the trailer. So he made his way to the bus.

He checked for traps, then hoisted himself up and through one of the open windows. Once inside, he froze for a moment. The seats had all been removed and what looked like one long, haphazardly built bench lined the left side. Odd.

Jayce tapped on it, then ran his hand along the rough-hewn material until he realized that it wasn’t nailed down. It was like someone had just nailed some wood together to create a giant L shape and then shoved it over . . . a bunch of mini-refrigerators.

Anger burst inside him as he removed the wood covering. Before he’d even opened one of the fridges, he knew what he would find inside. He opened one after another, fury building in him with each display of long, cylindrical tubes containing blood. Just to make sure it was what he thought it was, he opened one and smelled its contents.

Vampire blood had a sweeter, more distinctive odor than human blood. This was definitely vamp blood. He replaced the wood cover on the refrigerators, then slipped out the way he’d come in. Once on the ground, he realized that the electrical cord he’d seen draped from a hole in the bus must lead to a power source. Following it, he was silent as he crept up to the trailer. The windows were boarded up and he could see a couple of mounted video cameras, so he avoided them.

As he neared the trailer he changed his mind and backtracked to the bus. He would bring Ned to him. Grabbing the cord with both hands, he wrenched it apart. The soft hum of the refrigerators died instantly.

Jayce grinned to himself. Ned was a survivalist conspiracy-theorist type who didn’t believe in banks and hid all the cash he made from drugs only God-knew-where, so Jayce had no doubt that the guy had an alarm rigged to his refrigerators.

It would be silent, of course, but the amount of blood in those things was worth at least half a million. Maybe more. Jayce wasn’t sure what the current street price for the shit was. If more had flooded the market recently—and it seemed as if it had—then the price might have dropped a fraction.

Pressing his body against the side of the bus and making sure one of the wheels blocked any view of his legs, he was silent as he heard a curse from the direction of the trailer, then the trailer door opening. Jayce tugged down the zipper on his jacket, but didn’t draw either of his blades—or either of the two guns he had on his person. He waited only thirty seconds before revealing himself.

As he stepped out from behind the bus, he found Ned with his hand on the back door of it, his eyes wide with surprise. “Hey . . . man. Jayce, what the fuck are you doing here?”

“What the fuck are you doing selling vamp blood?”

The fear that rolled off Ned was pungent. Some of the stench was probably because the guy hadn’t showered in a few days.

At six feet tall, with thickly muscled and tattooed arms, slicked-back hair, and a full beard and mustache, Ned didn’t look like a man easily intimidated. To any other observer he would even have looked calm and collected. But the human couldn’t hide the smell of his terror from Jayce.

“What are you talking about?” There was a waver in Ned’s voice, so slight that Jayce might not have heard it if not for his extremely sensitive hearing.

“I’ve been in your bus.” His voice was monotone.

Now anger punched off the human. Anger and that roll of fear again. Ned swallowed hard. “Why the hell do you care? You’re not a vamp.”

“Thanks for stating the obvious.” Jayce kept his gaze on Ned steady as he allowed his wolf to show in his eyes. He knew he could look like a scary bastard when he wanted to.

To Ned’s credit, he didn’t step away. Probably because he was frozen to the spot. Finally the human shrugged. “It’s none of your fucking business what I do. There’s money in vamp blood, and I’m not hurting anyone.”

“Who’s your dealer?”

Okay, now that fear turned to something acidic and . . . dark. Interesting. “None of your business.”

“How many clients are you selling to a week?”

Ned held up a hand and reached into his jacket pocket slowly. “Just grabbing a cig.” As he lit up, he said, “If I didn’t know better I’d think you were trying to move in on my territory.”