Read Online Hunter Moon (Lupine Moon Series) by Cait Lavender - Free Book Online Page A

then something occurred to me. “Where’s Cash?” Tyler had gone to his car to get some gloves and a flashlight, so it was sheriff Henderson who answered.
    “Cash Newcomb? He’s just a game warden. This sort of thing is our jurisdiction. We told him to stay home. It would have been best if you’d have called us directly, Ms. Flint.” He said the last bit with a deep frown. Irritated just a little that Cash hadn’t come anyway, I was a little bit snappy.
    “Oh, I’m sorry. Next time a strange man with a gun shows up outside my place in the middle of the night, I’ll be sure to have you on speed dial, sheriff.”
    I stomped up my steps and went inside to get my things. Then the idiocy of what I’d just said struck me; 911, AKA the sheriff, should have been my first call. I knew it didn’t pay to be bitchy to your local law enforcement, but I was running on no sleep and the adrenaline rush had worn off. Plus, my knight in shining armor hadn’t shown.
    I held together fine as Tyler grabbed my bag and helped me into the back of the sheriff car. I was perfectly coherent, if a little sleepy, as he drove the fifteen minute drive to his and Jesse’s little Western home. But as soon as Jesse walked out, tears sparkling in her eyes, and wrapped me up in a giant hug, saying, “Thank God you’re okay”, I lost it.
    I collapsed onto their front porch, Jesse still hugging me in a death grip. I spouted hysterically about being too tough to cry, about evil cousins and finding dead guys. I cried about wolves saving my life, and men with guns, and finally about one infuriating man who didn’t care enough to come and check if I was still alive.

    I don’t remember much after that. I suppose the exhaustion that I’d been fighting off had finally found me and I passed out. I woke up the next morning in the mass of pink, lacy frills that was Jesse’s guest bedroom. She’d decorated it for Tyler’s nieces, who came to stay for several weeks during the summer. It looked like Sorority Barbie had exploded.
    I sat up and immediately regretted the decision. The pain blossomed flickering colors in front of my eyes and subsided when I laid my head gently back down on the pillows.
    “Yeah, you might want to take it easy,” Jesse’s voice said from the corner. “You sorta passed out on me when we were walking to the bedroom, and I wasn’t strong enough to keep you from bumping your head against the door jam.” Jesse was 5’4” in three inch heels and 115 sopping wet. I wasn’t surprised she couldn’t manage my much sturdier frame. Yeah, sturdy is a good way to put it.
    “Shit, Jess. What kind of ‘bump’ makes my head feel like this?” I said, rubbing the large goose-egg on the side of my head. At least my hair would keep anyone from seeing it.
    She looked guilty. “Well, ‘bump’ may have been putting it lightly, but you’ll be okay after a couple aspirin and a bag of ice.” I nodded and even that movement made my head want to explode again.
    “If it’s not too much trouble—?” I asked glancing at the door. She made a little oh! noise and flew out of the room. When she didn’t return right away, I glanced at the Malibu Barbie clock.
    “Crap, ten o’clock. I’ve got to get home and feed!” I sat up as slowly as possible, my head protesting the whole way, and slid out of bed. I worried about my starving animals. I was in my T-shirt and panties searching for my pants underneath the bed when I heard a familiar and most unwelcome voice behind me.
    “As much as I love the view, shouldn’t you be in bed?”
     I jumped so hard I knocked my aching head on the underside of the bed. The pain was such that I could have been naked for all I cared. I held my hand on my head and I yelled out the door.
    “Jessica Lynn Weaver, as God as my witness you will pay for this!”
    I spun to Cash and punched him in the chest, hard. “Where the hell were you last night, dammit!” I would have laughed at the look of shock on