Hunter's Moon by Loribelle Hunt Page A

his arm. Her pistol was still in her other hand, but pointed at the ground, as if she was at ease. Anthony knew better, could feel her tension, and knew she’d react quickly, no hesitation, if necessary. He didn’t want it to be necessary. Didn’t want her anywhere near this life at all, but he didn’t have much choice in the matter.
    “Well?” she asked softly, asking him to confirm the cat’s assertion.
    “No,” he responded. She shivered. Now that the excitement was over, he became aware of the cold. “It’s not him.”
    Carlos let out a relieved breath. Cat must have realized he was safe for the moment. Gia tugged her bottom lip between her teeth, a gesture that never failed to bring Anthony’s body screaming to full life. He fought the reaction, willing his cock to behave. There were a lot of things he wanted to do to her, none of which she’d let him try yet, but trying to coax her into accepting him in the cold, in the middle of the woods, in front of a stranger was not high on his list. His struggle for control was easily achieved when he caught the gleam of interest in the cat’s eyes, however.
    “Don’t even think about it, cat.” He added a sub-vocal growl to the warning for good measure, and saw it was noted immediately.
    The cat grinned. It transformed his face from cruel beauty to charm, and Gia sucked in a breath. “You wolves are always so possessive,” he said. Trying to defuse the tension? He couldn’t risk asking now.
    Anthony narrowed his eyes, and wrapping his hand around Gia’s elbow, pulled her close to his side. “What are you doing here?”
    “And rude. How could I forget rude?” the cat continued as if talking to himself. He sighed dramatically, but Anthony ignored him. Waited him out. He hadn’t met a non-theatrical cat yet. The façade hid cunning and god only knew what else.
    “The same as you probably.” This time spoken seriously, with a bite of menace in his voice. “Hunting for the feral one.”
    “And did you find him?” Gia asked.
    “No,” he answered with a curt shake of his head. “I found an abandoned camp, next to a dirt access road. Tire tracks. Whoever he is, he’s moved on.”
    “Shit,” Anthony muttered. He’d really hoped to find the feral cat quickly, execute it, and go back home. Now the search would start all over again. Unless… “Are you going to keep tracking him then?”
    “Sorry, wolf. No such luck.” The damned cat grinned. “I was on a mission for my king when I got word of the feral. Since he’s not here and you are, however, there’s no reason for me to continue the delay.”
    He swore under his breath while Gia asked what was obvious to him. “King?”
    “He’s a lion,” Anthony practically snarled. He’d come across a few werelions over the years. They tended to be charming but standoffish and were fanatically loyal to their pride and king. “Is this feral cat a lion?”
    “Of course not,” Carlos answered disdainfully. Oh yeah, now he remembered why he really didn’t like lions. They thought their shit didn’t stink. Whatever. Time to move on.
    “Where’s the camp?”
    Carlos gave them directions, then backed away in the opposite direction and disappeared into the trees. Anthony changed back into his wolf form and led Gia to the camp. The camp had been abandoned and the feral cat hadn’t left anything that might identify him behind. His scent ended on the dirt road where he’d obviously hidden a vehicle of some kind. A truck, Anthony guessed by the size of the tire markings.
    They made the trek back to their car and the return drive home in silence. It was dawn before they reached their North Carolina town. He watched until Gia let herself into her house, before returning to Hunter headquarters. It had been a long day and night, and he collapsed in his bed fully clothed, asleep before he could motivate himself to strip.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Two
     
    Anthony woke hard and aching, alone and