The Sweetest Mercy (Sexy Shifter Shorts) by amanda bonilla Read Free Book Online

to hurt him anymore, but she didn’t have time to be gentle. Kiera examined the wings on either side of the trap and unscrewed the clamps to accommodate their girth. She jammed the first clamp over a wing and screwed it down tight, cursing under her breath as it only opened the jaws a few inches. Once she’d tightened the clamp as far as it would go, she set to work on the opposite side, crying out in relief as she watched with each turn of the screw, as the jaw of the trap opened wider and wider.
    When the silver-tipped teeth pulled away from Carter’s leg, he groaned as if in relief. Kiera grabbed the awful trap, stained with his blood and gently shimmied it down his leg and tossed it to the side. The eastern sun rose higher in the horizon, streaking the sky with vibrant reds and oranges. Gods, it had been one hell of a night, and they weren’t out of the woods yet.
    “Carter?” She couldn’t carry him to the cabin. He’d have to get there on his own steam. The wound on his leg was ugly and raw, still seeping blood, though Kiera had to admit it looked better than it had a few moments ago. “I know you want to rest, but you’ve got to get up. We need to move you to the house so I can take a look at your leg.”
    A guttural sound rumbled up from Carter’s chest and with his good leg, he propelled himself over to his stomach. Kiera waited, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder as he took a few cleansing breaths. He pushed himself up on all fours, and then to his knees. Swaying a little like a ship at sea, Kiera steadied him and bore his weight as he stood. “You’re amazing, you know that?” His eyes flashed gold and Kiera smiled. “Let’s get me to the house.”
    Together, they walked to Carter’s cabin in silence. Kiera marveled at how quickly he healed, already his limp had become less pronounced and he used her less for support. They took the stairs slowly, Carter wincing as he put weight on his injured leg. Once inside, Kiera helped him to the living room, for the first time actually taking in her surroundings.
    A man lived here, no doubt about that. Warm earth tones and leather furniture accented the flagstone and hardwood floors. Rough-hewn logs stood in columns to support the vaulted ceilings and a loft—presumably the location of Carter’s bedroom—looked over a river-rock chimney that stretched from a wide fireplace to the second floor ceiling.
    “I don’t think I’m ready to tackle the stairs,” he remarked as he jutted his chin toward one of the couches. “I’ll just crash right here for now.”
    Kiera eased him onto the couch and her eyes traveled the length of his sleek form as he stretched himself out. Her cheeks flushed as she recalled what it had felt like to straddle that powerful body, to feel his hard length thrusting inside of her. “I should get you cleaned up,” she murmured. “Where do you keep the washcloths?”
    “Top drawer next to the sink.” Carter sighed as he laid his head back on a throw pillow. “You don’t have to, you know. I’ll be fine in an hour or so.”
    An hour? Kiera couldn’t believe he’d be as good as new in such a short time after seeing him so close to death only moments before. Truth be told, she didn’t know any shifters and her curiosity got the better of her. “Do you always heal so fast?” She turned on the kitchen faucet and retrieved a couple of washcloths while she waited for the water to heat.
    “Faster,” Carter replied. “It’ll take a while for my body to reject any residual silver particles that might have lingered in the wound. Kiera, how did you find me?”
    Kiera soaked the cloths under the hot water and wrung them out. “I heard you swearing and shouting,” she said as she walked back to the couch. “You sounded hurt. I couldn’t just leave you there.”
    “You ran from me.” His eyes delved into hers as though he wished he could climb right into her thoughts.
    “I was afraid.” She focused her attention on his