Hunter s Moon - By Lori Handeland Page 0,50

Soon it would hang heavy and full. By then we needed to know where they went to change. We needed to even the odds as best we could. We needed to find out what they were up to.

Jessie went first, cutting through the trees, heading away from the road. I followed, just behind and to the left, keeping an eye on our back trail. You never know what might creep up on you.

I was impressed with the way she moved, avoiding sticks, dry leaves, low-hanging branches that could not only blind but also make a helluva lot of noise if they snapped.

I'd heard rumors that she'd been some hotshot deer hunter in her previous life, which must have thrilled all the manly men in Miniwa to pieces.

At least she knew how to walk through the woods with a gun. I wouldn't have to worry about getting my brains blown out. One less thing.

Jessie glanced at me, pointed ahead. I followed her finger. The entrance to the mine loomed from the night. Set into a hill, it was boarded up. Except for a single plank that hung free. By accident? Or design?

Time to find out.

Together we moved out of the cover of the trees, eyes searching the shrubbery for movement, the ground for tracks. There was nothing.

Jessie made for the entrance. I grabbed her arm and she scowled, tugged, but I shook my head. I was going in first.

I held out my hand for the flashlight that hung from her utility belt. She stuck out her tongue, but she gave me the flashlight.

I didn't have to tell her to watch the clearing, make sure we weren't trapped in here. She turned and scanned the woods, rifle ready.

Switching the heavy-duty cop flashlight to on, I aimed it inside the abandoned mine. No shining eyes stared back. Nothing jumped out and said, Woof!

So far, so good.

I squeezed through the small area left by the lapsed plank and entered the cool, damp interior. The flashlight revealed a packed earth floor, decrepit poles, and beams that had collapsed. No clothes, no shoes, no wallets or purses. Double damn.

They hadn't been here. At least not today.

The lack of a lair was beginning to disturb me nearly as much as the lack of missing persons reports.

There had to be a lair somewhere. It didn't take a genius to find it, just patience and time. Neither one of which I had in abundance.

"Leigh?"

"Yeah?" I whispered. "I'm here."

"Anything?"

"Not yet."

"Hurry up," she said quietly. "This place gives me the creeps."

I had to agree, though I wasn't sure why. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Abandoned mine, middle of the forest. Deserted, dark. Big deal. As long as there weren't any werewolves out for my blood, it was a good day.

I inched farther inside, flicking the flashlight back and forth across the floor in front of me. The earth tilted downward. The air grew cooler. I kept walking - until something crunched beneath my boot.

I froze and aimed the beam onto my toe. I'd stepped on a femur. As in human leg bone.

Ugh.

There were a lot more bones scattered in a descending trail of white down the path in front of me.

"Jessie?" I called. "You'd better come see this."

She didn't waste time. In less than ten seconds she was at my side.

"Looks like you found a few missing persons."

"Looks like."

"Hell. Now what?"

"I don't know. We can find out who they are, but it'll take time and raise a ruckus."

"Ruckus? Good word."

"This makes no sense." I shook my head. "Why would they drag their kills here? They've never cared before who they killed or where they left them."

"They've never eaten one another before, either."

"Good point."

"No body, no proof," Jessie murmured. "If they kill transients, hide what's left when they're through, no one's the wiser. They could keep hunting until they clean out the town. Except that might be suspicious."

"Wouldn't it, though?" I shook my head. "This makes no sense. A werewolf is smart, but it's a werewolf.

People are food. Any people. I just can't see them picking and choosing like they're at a buffet line. Can you?"

"I don't know. You're the expert."

I was, and I was stumped.

"This could be their lair. If we set up outside, waited awhile, we should be able to pick off a few."

"Won't they smell us?"

"Maybe. Depends which way they approach." I shrugged. "I don't know what else to do."

"Can't hurt to try."

I agreed and we headed for the entrance.

"I hate to leave them here like