Hunter s Moon - By Lori Handeland Page 0,7

rarely happens."

"And why is that?"

"The only other way to kill a werewolf, besides the silver, is for a werewolf to kill one of its own."

"They never kill their own kind. It's against the werewolf rules of conduct."

"Apparently we have come across one who can't read."

Humor again. What was wrong with the man?

"Wolves and werewolves may appear the same," Jessie said, "but they're not."

"No shit," I muttered. I was already sick of Miss Know-It-All-Come-Lately.

She ignored me. Point for her.

"Though it's rare, wolves will kill another wolf, but werewolves won't. They'll fight, drive one another from their territory, but they won't kill. I'd say it was a remnant of their humanity shining through, but we all know that most humans aren't very humane."

How true.

"So what's going on?" I asked.

"That's what we're trying to find out."

"Why?"

She blinked. "I'm sorry."

"What difference does it make who kills them as long as they're dead?"

Jessie glanced at Edward and he took over.

"It does not matter who kills them. What matters is that there is a werewolf out there behaving unlike a werewolf. I do not like it."

"Because... ?"

"The last time one of them behaved oddly, we met the wolf god."

"You think someone's trying to raise another wolf god?"

He shook his head. "A wolf god can only be brought forth under the blue moon. That time is past."

"Then what?"

"I do not know. But I have a very bad feeling."

I'd been around Edward long enough to understand that when he had a very bad feeling, the shit was usually going to hit the fan real soon.

"What's the plan?" I asked.

"You teach Jessie all that she needs to know."

"Why?" I demanded. "You've always taught the new guys."

"I am not as young as I used to be."

"Yeah, join the club."

His lips twitched, almost as if he might laugh. Wonders never ceased these days.

"I have enlisted the help of an expert to search the pages of history. Perhaps we will find a mention of what they are up to this time before it is too late. Until then, I must go back to headquarters. Elise needs my help."

Elise was Dr. Hanover, head research scientist at the Jdger-Sucher Compound in Montana and Edward's right hand. There was something else between them, too, though I'd never quite figured out what that something was. He was old enough to be her grandfather.

"You're not going to leave me alone with her!" I demanded.

"There are at least four hundred people in this town. You will not be alone."

"You know what?" Jessie stood and put her hands on her hips. "I don't need her help. I did Justine in Miniwa without any training at all."

"Yeah, I heard about that," I sneered. "Thanks to you, the werewolf population has doubled in this area and there are fresh new recruits running all over Canada. I just spent the last three months thinning them out."

Jessie's fingers clenched into fists, and she took one step toward me before the apartment door opened.

I had only an instant to register that a man was running through the room; then he grabbed Jessie around the waist and lifted her off her feet.

I started forward, but Mandenauer's hand on my arm stopped me. Good thing, too, because the guy locked lips with Jessie and the two of them shared the deepest, hottest, wettest kiss I'd ever witnessed outside of a pornographic movie.

I knew I should look away, but I couldn't tear my eyes from the sight. In my line of work, I didn't get a chance to see much affection. I didn't get a chance to see anything but death, and that was the way I wanted it. So why was I watching Jessie and whoever with misty, longing eyes?

Because I'd caught my first sight of a half-naked male in several years. My libido was acting up. My skin felt prickly, my stomach wobbly. I couldn't get Damien Fitzgerald out of my head, and that just wasn't like me.

The man stared into Jessie's face and very gently touched her cheek with his knuckle. She smiled and covered his hand with hers. It was as if Edward and I, maybe the whole world, didn't exist.

True love. Hell.

"She's going to get us killed," I muttered.
Chapter 4
Jessie and her boyfriend turned toward me. I gritted my teeth so my mouth wouldn't fall open. Not only was he Indian, but he also was quite possibly the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen. Even better than Damien, the possible figment of my imagination.

He towered over Jessie, his body lithe and strong.