Did you miss Part One of Bad Moon Rising?  You can check it out here.

Now…let’s check out Part 2 of the Halloween Round Robin!  This time, Shelli Stevens is taking over the story:

Bad Moon Rising, Part 2

by: Shelli Stevens

Shit. That quick glance had cost her. Karen opened the door, but couldn’t get out before it slammed shut once again. Razor sharp claws dragged through the wood beside her, leaving gashes that again made her damn happy that his credit card was the one they’d checked into the Love Shack hotel with.

Why couldn’t he have just let her go? Resignation swept through her as she tightened her grip on the silver knife and turned to face him again. Jon shifted back to human, fur receding and his body morphing, until he stood before her in full male human form again. She clenched her jaw, determined not to let her gaze slide over the rock solid body she’d come to know so well.

Instead she held his gaze–bloodshot from the silver spray–and even though it had been years since she’d feared a werewolf, the savagery in his expression sent a cold shiver skating down her spine.

“You should’ve killed me when you had the chance, wifey.” A humorless smile flickered across his face as he backed her up. His hands slammed on either side of her head, pinning her between him and the door.

The man before her should’ve been her nemesis. Someone she was trained to kill at the first chance. Even though he’d been damn stealth at hiding any hints of a paranormal side, she still should’ve picked up on what he was. Surely there must have been some clues in the month they’d been together.

She may not have picked up on what he was, but he’d known all along who she was. So what the hell had the last month been to him? Foreplay to an epic battle to the death?

She could feel the bite marks on her neck begin to tingle and warm at his possessive, furious stare. Jon was now her husband. Her mate. But none of that mattered at this moment. Her heart twisted with an emotion she refused to analyze.

She was a hunter and he was a Were. And it was pretty clear only one of them would walk out of this schlocky hotel room alive. She had no choice. Like it or not, there would be death and blood tonight. And she’d do whatever it took to ensure it wasn’t hers.

“You know, I could blame me agreeing to marry you last night on a ridiculously strong Bloody Mary, but it’s irrelevant. You’re right. I should’ve killed you.” A familiar cold calm settled over her, as she replied, “And I still will.”

***

Jon was ready for her this time, stopping the knife before it was just inches from his heart. He tightened his fingers around her slender wrist, not squeezing hard enough to break her bones, but enough to make her drop the knife with a sharp cry.

Bitterness swelled in his throat and he swallowed it back down. For the past month he’d waited for Karen’s assassination attempt. Expected it. And now here it was. The morning after he’d broken from the plan and lost his mind long enough to mark her, she decided to make herself a fucking widow.

He’d started to think maybe he was wrong about her. Maybe Karen had retired from her hunting days. But unfortunately–or maybe it was fortunately–he wasn’t wrong. Karen was exactly the skilled, heartless Hunter he’d set out to wed last night.

Before she could blink, he had his hand around her neck and her imprisoned against the door once more. He had to give her props, because there wasn’t even a trace of fear in her hard gaze.

“Come on, Karen. Surely by now you’ve realized there was a little more in that drink that tomato juice and vodka.”

She sucked in a swift breath and he could practically see the wheels in her head spinning as she put it together.

“You son of a bitch,” she snarled and clawed at his hand, trying to free herself. “You slipped me wolf blood.”

“And you liked it. Best damn Bloody Mary ever, I believe you said.”

“Fuck you.”

“Yes. You did.” His glanced at the broken bed and his mouth curved into a smile. “Pretty well, actually. But then that’s just one of your numerous talents, isn’t it?”

By the way her blue gaze could’ve frozen boiling water, he knew she’d picked up his reference to her little side job of sending Weres to meet their maker.

“I’m not going to beg for my life.”

“Now, angel face, it would only disappoint me if you did.” The endearment had caught on soon after they met. Because even though she had the cunning, bloodthirsty mind of the devil, the kicker of it was she did look a damned angel. With her heart shaped face, soft red curls, full lips, and striking blue eyes. But her body left angels in the dust and headed straight for the Goddess category.

“Why go through a wedding, claim me as your mate, if you’re just going to kill me?”

Her voice cracked slightly, and his heart softened just enough to send alarm racing through his blood. There was no time left for lenience or regrets.

“You’ve made it clear that you have no qualms about carrying out my death, Karen.” He curled his upper lip up to flash his sharp canines. “However I have no intention of killing you. I need you alive, angel face.”

Her mouth parted slightly and her brows drew together. He felt the pulse beneath his thumb quicken as she swiped her tongue over her bottom lip.

“What exactly do you want from me, Jon?”

“Besides what I’ve already had?” He gave a humorless laugh.“Tell you what. Lets throw on some clothes and take a ride in that souped up little Porsche of yours. We need to talk, and this time you will listen to what I have to say.

***

Tomorrow, the always awesome Juliana Stone will be writing our story! Come back to see what happens next!

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 28th, 2010 at 7:03 am and is filed under Romance. You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.