The Sweetest Mercy (Sexy Shifter Shorts) by amanda bonilla Page A

Carter didn’t much care. In his opinion, magic was unpredictable. It made his hackles rise and his inner beast agitated. The very magic that made him what he was also made him nervous as fuck. He’d always been a walking contradiction.
    Carter walked the fifteen yards to where his trail pack was stowed along with his rifle and clothes. He dressed quickly, laced up his boots and slung his pack across his back, opting to carry the rifle like a suitcase. Reece was many things, but stupid he wasn’t. Carter wanted to be sure the rifle would be ready to be put to use if by some miracle Reece realized he was being tracked and took the offensive.
    By the strength of Reece’s scent, Carter assumed he’d set up camp five or so miles up the trail. And if memory served, there was a large cave near the summit. An hour hike would get him there just after sundown. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. Like he ever left anything to chance. An ambush at dark would provide the right amount of cover. If the wind continued to blow from the north, Carter could circle around and come at Reece from the south-east. He’d never see it coming.
    Damn. Carter loved it when a plan went off without a hitch.

    KIERA WARE HUDDLED against the cold granite wall of the cave, her hands bound behind her with a thick length of rope. Her sanity slipped by the hour, the need within her burning at a fevered pitch that would soon consume her. What kind of woman begged her kidnapper for sex? It was beyond twisted. But she had. Gods, she’d groveled at his feet, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded with him to give her release. And the bastard had sneered at her. Called her horrible names, kicked at and spat on her. “You think I’d debase myself with a filthy whore like you?” he asked incredulously. “You disgust me.”
    A sob worked its way up Kiera’s throat and her eyes burned with unshed tears. She’d wept herself dry. Her body had nothing more to give.
    When she agreed to her sister, Erica’s suggestions that they leave their mother’s coven in Coeur d’Alene, she had no idea what sort of trouble they’d find. Kiera could never quite understand Erica’s motives for leaving, but the thought of her sister being out in the world, alone when the need came on the heels of the full moon, well, what kind of sister would she have been to let her sister go alone? Besides, they’d both wanted an adventure, hadn’t they?
    And man, had Kiera gotten one.
    Her wood nymph blood gave her certain… advantages over human men. For starters, with nothing more than the sound of her voice, she could enthrall them to do whatever she wanted. She’d been restless, and looking for a little fun, and so she’d gone out to a dive bar off Highway 2 and the guy sitting alone in the corner had seemed like the perfect prospect. No ring. No date. He looked as miserable as she felt. Perhaps licking his wounds after a nasty breakup, he nursed his beer and scowled at anyone who looked like they were having a good time.
    “Is this seat taken?” she purred, infusing her voice with just the slightest bit of power.
    He raised a brow, studied her. Then held out his hand in invitation.
    Sometimes it was too damn easy.
    Even with that unhappy scowl on his face, he was pretty good looking. Not a bad catch for the night if she did say so herself. Erica always had a problem with the hunt, but not Kiera. Wood nymphs were sexual creatures by their very nature, but during the full moon phase they were insatiable. Sex was necessary. If she didn’t find release, her sanity would slowly slip by degrees until the madness consumed her. That aspect of their nature never bothered Kiera. It was easy enough to deal with. Once a month, she got laid. A lot. Didn’t seem like a huge burden to bear. It was a hell of a lot better than walking over shards of broken glass or being forced to sit and watch reruns of Wheel of Fortune. Now that would have been torture.
    “I’m Kiera,” she