Bite of the Moon: Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance Boxed Set Read Online Free
Author: Erika Masten, Catherine Vale, Bryce Evans, Michelle Fox, Elle Boon, Katalina Leon
she should've been long gone by now.
Concerned, he stopped his cruiser and took a closer look. Her car sat, silent and empty, and peering through the café’s big windows, he didn’t see her inside, either. Aside from a bored cashier, the café was empty, too.
Where had Charlotte gone? Kane pulled into a parking spot and stepped out of his cruiser, discreetly sniffing the air, hoping to catch her scent. He recalled well the way she’d smelled like caramel and flowers. Thinking he caught a whiff of her, he walked to the side of the parking lot, where a line of bushes separated Java Jump from its neighbor, a high end art gallery.
"Damn," he swore under his breath as he picked a strip of pink fabric out of the bushes. A piece of Charlotte's shirt. He found her purse tucked well under a bush, visible only because of the way the sunlight caused the metal clasp to gleam. Her clothes must have been a lost cause, but she’d tried to save her purse. Taking it with him, he returned to the cruiser and headed for Route Nine at full speed.
Something had made her shift, and he feared that whatever it was put her life at risk.
***
On a desolate, empty stretch of road, he spotted a battered Ford pickup on the side of the road, its hazards blinking. The two men emerging from the brush that ran along the side of the road, guns in hand, caused Kane to slam on the brakes.
The men holstered their guns the second they saw him. Parking his cruiser behind their truck, Kane stepped out of his car, keeping the door between his body and the men just to be on the safe side.
"Morning, officer," said a man with blond hair. He didn’t raise his hands, but he did hold them palm up and away from his body, the gesture showing he was unarmed.
Kane tipped his hat in greeting. "You boys been firing your guns?"
The two men exchanged looks before shrugging in unison.
"Care to tell me what you were shooting at?" Taking in their construction crew gear, he added, "You should be at work by now, right? What made you stop and go hunting?"
The dark-haired guy looked sheepish. "We saw a wolf."
Kane gave them a blank look intended to prompt them to explain further. He’d perfected it over the years, and it never failed to keep a suspect talking.
"Fuckers are keeping us up at night with all their damned howling." The blond man spat on the ground. "It’s time to thin out the pack."
"Did you hit it?" Kane asked, his stomach clenching at the idea of a bullet tearing into Charlotte. A booming growl from his wolf filled his mind, throbbing like a bass drum.
The blond shrugged. "Maybe. It yelped."
Kane worked to contain his anger. His wolf continued to growl deep in his chest. Thankfully, the sound was mostly in his own head.
Through a clenched jaw, he said, "Hunting season is for deer, not wolves, boys, and you’re discharging weapons in Glen Vine’s city limits. For future reference, that’s against the law." Kane gestured to the men. "Take out your weapons and put them on the ground, nice and slow. I’m going to have to take you both in."
The dark haired one groaned at that, but followed Kane’s orders and set his gun on the ground. The blond stared at Kane, his expression hostile. When his gaze darted over to the trees, Kane said, "You could cut and run, but I would find you, and you’d be in even more trouble than you already are." He softened his voice, wanting to sound friendly, even though the wolf inside him would happily tear both men apart. "Look, just come in with me, we’ll get all the paperwork done and you’ll be on your way in no time."
After thinking it over for a few seconds, the blond grudgingly put his gun down on the berm.
Kane smiled at them. "Thank you. Now kindly walk over here and put your hands on the cruiser’s hood."
They shuffled over, walking slower and slower as they neared Kane’s vehicle. Eventually, they reached the cruiser and bent over, hands on the hood. Kane zip-tied their hands behind them and escorted
Concerned, he stopped his cruiser and took a closer look. Her car sat, silent and empty, and peering through the café’s big windows, he didn’t see her inside, either. Aside from a bored cashier, the café was empty, too.
Where had Charlotte gone? Kane pulled into a parking spot and stepped out of his cruiser, discreetly sniffing the air, hoping to catch her scent. He recalled well the way she’d smelled like caramel and flowers. Thinking he caught a whiff of her, he walked to the side of the parking lot, where a line of bushes separated Java Jump from its neighbor, a high end art gallery.
"Damn," he swore under his breath as he picked a strip of pink fabric out of the bushes. A piece of Charlotte's shirt. He found her purse tucked well under a bush, visible only because of the way the sunlight caused the metal clasp to gleam. Her clothes must have been a lost cause, but she’d tried to save her purse. Taking it with him, he returned to the cruiser and headed for Route Nine at full speed.
Something had made her shift, and he feared that whatever it was put her life at risk.
***
On a desolate, empty stretch of road, he spotted a battered Ford pickup on the side of the road, its hazards blinking. The two men emerging from the brush that ran along the side of the road, guns in hand, caused Kane to slam on the brakes.
The men holstered their guns the second they saw him. Parking his cruiser behind their truck, Kane stepped out of his car, keeping the door between his body and the men just to be on the safe side.
"Morning, officer," said a man with blond hair. He didn’t raise his hands, but he did hold them palm up and away from his body, the gesture showing he was unarmed.
Kane tipped his hat in greeting. "You boys been firing your guns?"
The two men exchanged looks before shrugging in unison.
"Care to tell me what you were shooting at?" Taking in their construction crew gear, he added, "You should be at work by now, right? What made you stop and go hunting?"
The dark-haired guy looked sheepish. "We saw a wolf."
Kane gave them a blank look intended to prompt them to explain further. He’d perfected it over the years, and it never failed to keep a suspect talking.
"Fuckers are keeping us up at night with all their damned howling." The blond man spat on the ground. "It’s time to thin out the pack."
"Did you hit it?" Kane asked, his stomach clenching at the idea of a bullet tearing into Charlotte. A booming growl from his wolf filled his mind, throbbing like a bass drum.
The blond shrugged. "Maybe. It yelped."
Kane worked to contain his anger. His wolf continued to growl deep in his chest. Thankfully, the sound was mostly in his own head.
Through a clenched jaw, he said, "Hunting season is for deer, not wolves, boys, and you’re discharging weapons in Glen Vine’s city limits. For future reference, that’s against the law." Kane gestured to the men. "Take out your weapons and put them on the ground, nice and slow. I’m going to have to take you both in."
The dark haired one groaned at that, but followed Kane’s orders and set his gun on the ground. The blond stared at Kane, his expression hostile. When his gaze darted over to the trees, Kane said, "You could cut and run, but I would find you, and you’d be in even more trouble than you already are." He softened his voice, wanting to sound friendly, even though the wolf inside him would happily tear both men apart. "Look, just come in with me, we’ll get all the paperwork done and you’ll be on your way in no time."
After thinking it over for a few seconds, the blond grudgingly put his gun down on the berm.
Kane smiled at them. "Thank you. Now kindly walk over here and put your hands on the cruiser’s hood."
They shuffled over, walking slower and slower as they neared Kane’s vehicle. Eventually, they reached the cruiser and bent over, hands on the hood. Kane zip-tied their hands behind them and escorted
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