Her Werewolf Hero Read Online Free Page A

took risks to get the perfect shot, she wasn’t a danger seeker who would stand at a cliff’s edge peering over.
    â€œBron? Is that what you said your name was?”
    â€œHas been all my life. Buckle up.”
    She did so, unstrapping the camera bag and setting it on the floor. She pulled the camera off from around her neck and turned to track the harpies through the back window.
    â€œPut the camera away,” he insisted. “The last thing the world needs is evidence of those bastards’ existence. I’m surprised they are so blatantly out in this realm.”
    â€œYet you know about them? You’re familiar with birdmen?”
    â€œHarpies. They can be male or female. And, yes, they are real, if that’s what you’re asking.”
    â€œI know they’re real. I narrowly dodged one!”
    She sighed and tilted her head against the back of the seat. A self-awareness assessment checked her heartbeats had slowed. And her skin felt cool when she thought she should be sweating from the jaunt through the woods. Perhaps she was in shock.
    â€œI’ve searched for proof of the paranormal all my life,” she said. “For some reason I thought my first encounter would be less...”
    â€œHarrowing?”
    â€œYeah,” she said on a nervous sigh. Though why should she have expected a friendly “how do you do” instead of an attack? The creatures she believed in were deadly and dangerous, and, hell, yes, they flew and had claws and went after people.
    But still, the surprise of suddenly knowing was exciting. Things she’d always wanted to believe in did exist. How cool was that?
    Suddenly the truck swerved, and they turned right. Toward town.
    â€œWait? What are you doing?”
    â€œThey’re veering toward town. I can’t let them out of my sight.”
    * * *
    There were two of them. They soared toward the small town and circled back like vultures eyeing the kill. Harpies had minds like birds yet also like men. The human side of them was calculating; the animal side ruthless. Bron knew they had identified his truck. But were they aware the woman was still with him? Why had they gone after her? Because it hadn’t been him they were after. Harpies generally avoided his sort.
    He turned the vehicle sharply into an alley. It was strange to find himself back in this town. He knew this area. Had been here about fifty years earlier on a mission. He’d met a witch... Lots of memories—both good and bad—he didn’t have time to resurrect now.
    Here in the tight confines of the town, night darkened the narrow tarmac; there were no streetlights, so he pulled over to park and turned off the vehicle’s headlights. Leaning across the seat, he opened the glove compartment. Half a dozen arrows tumbled forward, and he grasped them all. The hand-sized crossbow he utilized was a sweet little weapon designed by the Acquisition’s Armoury. It had biothermal-GPS tracking to lock in a target and pinpoint accuracy. Also, the fletch-less arrows were tipped with silver, and the hollow core was filled with rowan wood. Useful against werewolves, vampires and, fortunately, harpies.
    He got out of the truck and the woman followed. Standing in the narrow alleyway, he didn’t worry for her safety. He’d have her back if the creatures swooped down toward her. The trouble was, she was fascinated. Not scared enough to look out for herself.
    No matter where his journeys took him or what creatures he encountered while on a mission, Bron always strove to keep that which shouldn’t be known from humans. Having the “it’s real” talk with them never went over well. And if it did feel necessary, it was always easier to walk away and pretend they were the crazy ones. A vampire? Eh, you’re nuts.
    But this woman? In the heat of the moment when she should have been cowering and screaming, instead she’d taken pictures. And one of the