Free BlackMoonRising by Melody Lane

minutes later, two small dogs peeked out of the open
window and jumped from the car. One was a beagle mix and the other looked more
like a terrier of some sort. They moved stealthily between the cars to the back
of the club, hiding in the bushes by the floor-to-ceiling windows.
    A door opened and an older man walked outside with Barbara.
They strolled along the concrete walkway away from the building as the dogs
glanced at each other. Once the couple made it farther out onto the grounds,
the pooches followed quietly at a distance.
    “Barbara, we’d love to place a stone or plant a tree in one
of our gardens to commemorate your husband. Since he became ill, many people
around here had missed seeing him. We were shocked by his death at the hands of
his own son.”
    “Thank you for your kind words.” Barbara smiled. “I know
Lawrence would love to be remembered that way.” She put her hands inside her
coat pockets. “It’s chillier than I thought it would be today.”
    They came to an area of rock and stone garden beds full of
tall grasses, spiraeas and low-growing evergreen shrubs. Barbara sat down on a
wooden bench. The dogs inched between the shrubs nearby to listen.
    “Thank you, Cyrus. Please let me know when it’s time to pick
something out.”
    “Will do.” He nodded. “Here comes Roberto.” Cyrus turned to
the handsome man with salt-and-pepper hair. He had on a dark overcoat and black
leather gloves.
    “Cyrus, thank you for keeping Barbara company for me.”
    Cyrus bowed. “See you two inside.” He started walking back
to the building.
    Roberto sat down next to her. “Any news about Herman?”
    “No. I’m afraid not.”
    “I’m tired of waiting for the police or recovery agents to
pick him up.” He crossed his legs. “Some of my own people are looking for him.
Don’t fret. We’ll get that bastard.”
    The dogs turned to each other. Steve couldn’t help but
whimper at the news.
    “I feel guilty seeing you so soon in public.”
    “Public, private. What does it matter? We can finally be
together. After a reasonable time period, we’ll marry.”
    “Please, Roberto.” She shook her head. “I can’t think about
anything like that right now.”
    “In due time.” He took her hand and held it inside his
gloved hands. “You’re shivering.”
    “I forgot my gloves today.” She smiled.
    He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. “Let’s go
inside and have lunch. I have a business meeting later.”
    When they stood, Roberto saw Steve and Eric in the shrubs.
He stared a moment and the expression on his face darkened. He picked up a
handful of small stones from the garden and started throwing them at the dogs.
As they ran, his aim became better.
    “What are you doing?” Barbara asked, frowning. “They’re so
little. You’re going to hurt them.”
    “Hurting them is the objective. They’re not supposed to be
on the premises.” Roberto picked up more stones. He continued to bombard the
dogs, hitting his marks numerous times as they hurried away. A last stone hit
the beagle mix squarely on its left hip, and it fell to the ground with a thud.
    “Oh dear.” Barbara gasped, putting a hand to her mouth.
    “Leave it for the wolves,” Roberto hissed as he turned away.
    “Wolves? Here?”
    He laughed. “I’m joking, Barbara. Quit taking everything I
say so literally.” He took her arm with his gloved hand. “Let’s go.”
    Roberto and Barbara started for the club and moved out of
sight just in time. Steve and Eric had shifted back into human form on the
ground.
    “Steve, Steve.” Eric shook him. “Wake up.”
    Steve opened his eyes, but then closed them again. “Are they
gone?”
    “Yes.”
    “I hurt all over,” Steve said.
    “Me too. That bastard.”
    “He knew we were shifters.”
    “I’m sure of it.”
    “Those two obviously have something going on. I didn’t like
what he said about his people looking for Herman.”
    Eric let out a breath. “Scary. But they didn’t