Lover's Instinct: A Moon Shifter Novella by Katie Reus Read Free Book Online Page B

to Antoine.
    Behind him, the vampire was silent, but Nikan didn’t take his eyes off the shifter.
    “If I see you in this hotel again, you’ll regret it. And I’ll be reporting you to the Council.” He probably wouldn’t but wanted to scare the guy.
    The shifter shrugged as his gaze moved back to Nikan. “You think they’re gonna give a shit about some money issues we’re having with a fucking vampire?”
    Unfortunately the guy was probably right. “They will if this screws up shifter-vamp relations.”
    Another shrug. “He’s not protected by anyone.”
    Damn.
If a vampire didn’t belong to a coven they had no one to look after them. Vamps tended to congregate together, but there were a lot that chose to live alone, more so than shifters. Sure, the Brethren, the small group of four ancient vamps that ruled all vampires, would intervene if there were serious issues going on between the different species, but for the most part vamps governed themselves. It took a lot for their leaders to get involved with the everyday lives of their people. Nikan’s own Council was almost as bad, but not quite. “Get out of here before I change my mind and do to you what I did to your brother.”
    The guy looked at Antoine again, snarled, then left, hefting his brother up as he backtracked from the room. Once they were gone Nikan shut the cracked door then hurried to Esperanze’s side. The need to touch her was overwhelming and the only way to convince his inner wolf she was safe. Barely keeping his wolf chained, he ran his knuckles down her cheek, savoring her softness, before turning to Antoine. “What’s really going on?”
    “I told you, I owe those guys money.”
    Nikan shook his head, annoyance popping inside him. “Your lies have a metallic scent to them.”
    Antoine was silent until Esperanze moved closer to him. She grasped the vamp’s hands in her much smaller ones, making Nikan’s wolf claw at his insides, shredding and tearing, eager to add to the blood on Antoine’s face. Damn, this need to mate was making him crazy.
    “Tell us what’s going on. Trust Nikan, he’ll help you if he can. We both will,” Esperanze said softly.
    Her words were like a soothing balm over Nikan. Still, he hated the sight of her touching another male. Any male, regardless of species. He balled his hands into fists. No need to act like a complete fucking Neanderthal and piss Essie off.
    “I . . .” Antoine withdrew his hands from Esperanze and scrubbed them over his face. “Fuck! I’ll just say it. They took Chandra and they’re using her to get to me.”
    Nikan had heard enough. He pointed to the bed. “Sit.” It looked as if the vamp was close to breaking down and Nikan wanted answers that made sense. After Antoine did as he ordered, he continued. “Who is Chandra? And what do they want you for?”
    “She’s my . . . well, we’re not involved,
yet
. She’s a human friend of mine. A biology professor at the college.” He looked at Esperanze, a ghost of a smile on his drawn, pale face. “You’d like her, Esperanze.” Shaking his head, he refocused on Nikan. “I’d planned to ask her to undergo the change so we could be together always, but something happened. I don’t know how they knew she meant something to me. Maybe they were watching, I don’t know . . .” He scrubbed another hand over his face.
    “Who was watching?” Nikan demanded. He didn’t have time for kid gloves.
    Antoine’s head tilted toward the door. “Gregorio and Marco Moretti, those two young shifters. They’re blackmailing me.”
    “For what?” Esperanze asked.
    He looked at Nikan, his face distraught. “If I tell you, I don’t care what you do to me, but you have to swear you’ll help save my friend.”
    Nikan shook his head. “I’m not swearing to anything until you tell me exactly what’s going on.”
    The vampire pursed his lips and stood. “Then leave.”
    Esperanze swiveled to Nikan, placing a hand on his forearm.