Mating Instinct: A Moon Shifter Novel by Katie Reus Read Free Book Online

would other supernatural beings want to hurt me?” She’d thought that since supernatural beings came out to the world, they were all okay with each other—that humans were the ones that had the problem with different species.
    Jayce’s smile was wry, his gray eyes flashing an eerie, almost iridescent shade for a split second before returning to normal. “You really have a lot to learn, little wolf,” he murmured, almost absently.
    For a split second he showed her a softer side of himself. His almost gentle expression reminded her of the time when they’d been together. When she hadn’t had to keep her guard up at all times. When she’d known that being in his arms was the safest, warmest place she could be. But all that was over now. Straightening, she pushed her shoulders back and kept her limbs loose. Now wasn’t the time to reminisce. She needed to keep her focus. “So teach me already.”
    Just like that, Jayce slipped back into battle mode, his face hardening. Without warning, his hand struck out at her, lightning fast. He made contact with her temple, but it was only a glance, not a strike intended to harm her. His touch was whisper soft as he grazed her temple. “This can be a killing blow if you hit hard enough. Or you might knock someone out instead.
Then
you can kill them. Try it on me. Don’t hold back.”
    Kat eyed him warily, but did as he said—and only because she knew that if and when she struck him, she wouldn’t hurt him. Balling her hand into a fist as he’d done, she lashed out.
    Jayce dodged to the side, easily avoiding her would-be strike. So she tried again, and again. And he continued to evade her with a fluid grace that fascinated and annoyed her.
    Her heart rate increased as adrenaline pumped through her. He’d said all was fair in fighting. As she struck out with her right hand, she simultaneously struck out with her left foot. Her foot connected with his stomach even as she missed her punch.
    The moment her foot made contact with him, he grabbed her ankle and flipped her onto her back. The hard earth was unforgiving as she slammed into it.
    For some reason, Jayce looked pleased with her. “Good. Use your entire body to come at me. If you can strike
me
in the temple like I showed you, you can strike
anyone
. Don’t hold back.”
    This kind of training was different from what she’d been doing with Aiden. He’d basically showed her how to punch and kick and they’d done a lot of running. To stay in shape, he’d said. Jayce’s training seemed less structured and she found she liked it. Pushing to her feet, she didn’t pause as she advanced on him.
    For the next couple of hours, she went at Jayce like a missile. More often than not she was able to strike him with her feet—and half the time landed on her ass afterward—but it was damn near impossible to hit his face or head.
    He dodged like a freaking butterfly, flitting with a supernatural grace that was maddening. She’d never seen anyone move so fast. What he wanted her to do was so simple.
    As she struck out again, Jayce ducked, then snatched her wrist in a tight grip. Before she could react, he’d spun her around and pulled her tight against his front. His muscled chest at her back was impossibly firm. “All you have to do is hit me
once
. You’re not trying hard enough,” he growled.
    Not trying hard enough? The sports bra she wore under her long-sleeved top was damp with perspiration. More than a little sweat poured down the sides of her face, and her legs and arms strained under the constant movement. Just one solid strike. That was all she needed.
    Wrenching out of his embrace, she yanked her long-sleeved black T-shirt off and tossed it to the ground. Cool air rushed over her bare stomach, but she hardly noticed it. Her focus was on Jayce and his changing eyes, which had now turned a much darker shade. They were almost black.
    His hands hung loose at his sides and his breathing was slightly erratic as he stared