Free Caught in Heat [Half-breed Shifter Series Book 1] by Miranda Stowe Page A

that?”
    “Another one of my traps has been tripped.” His face was grim as he strode to a table full of technical devices to slap a button and silence the strident noise.
    Riley’s mouth sagged open. “How many traps do you have?”
    He shrugged, not making eye contact as he moved away. “About a dozen.”
    Shadowing his every step, she hurried after him. “What are you going to do?” The pitch in her voice rose as he grabbed his gun off the wall and slung the strap over his shoulder.
    Glancing at her, he sent her an unreadable look. “I’m going to check the trap.”
    “But—”
    “Stay here,” he said, his voice uncompromising. “Keep the door locked.” Striding toward her, he grasped the back of her head and tugged her close.
    His lips were warm and compelling. She started to melt toward him just as he pulled back. “It’s probably just a squirrel. I’ll be right back.” He kissed her again gently on the forehead before turning away.
    “But—”
    He closed the door behind him and locked it.
    Riley frowned. Oh, no he didn’t. She was the shapeshifter here. If anyone should check the trap, it should be her.
    And squirrel, her ass. She knew deep in her bones, there was no squirrel in that trap up there. From the way she’d been running all willy-nilly through the forest, she’d probably left a mating scent trail even a human could follow. She’d probably led a whole horde of horny shapeshifters here, and some dumb lust-crazed male too intent in following her smell to pay attention to where he was going had more than likely landed himself in one of Shaw’s traps.
    Surging toward the door, she yanked on it, but the damn thing wouldn’t open.
    He’d locked it from the outside. Gritting her teeth, she wrenched again, putting all her muscle into it. The hinges groaned and protested before they popped off the frame. She shoved the useless door aside and hurried into the stairwell just as Shaw closed the hatch back over the top.
    Her jaw dropped. For a human, the man could move fast when he wanted to. She stepped toward the stairwell, and her bare toes tread through broken glass. Glancing down, she found the broken remains of the flashlight, which only lifted her level of anxiety. Enough time had passed, it was night again. Dark outside.
    He was charging out into the night without a light.
    Stupid, fool man. He was just begging to get hurt, wasn’t he? Any predator he stumbled across would see him coming, where he wouldn’t be able to see shit.
    And though she hadn’t lied when she’d told him most shifters were as normal as humans, that didn’t mean they were a huge fan of humans, especially if that human had just caught them in a trap.
    With the need to protect him surging through her bloodstream, Riley leapt up into the ladder cage and shifted into her animal. She reached the top in seconds, where she shifted back to human so she could throw off the hatch and climb through. She stormed her way out of the tree and burst into her animal, diving into the forest at top speed.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Seven
     
    It took Riley a few seconds to catch up to Shaw. Her initial plan had been to charge after him and order him back down to the compound so she could check the trap by herself and free whatever was inside. But when she caught sight of him in front of her, gliding through the forest, she fell to an amazed stop.
    He was beautiful. She’d never seen a human move so silently, so stealthily. Sure, she could see him as bright as daylight and he obviously didn’t sense her behind him at all, but his skills were frankly impressive.
    When he paused to crouch down and listen, she paused, too, keeping his flank covered as he looked around, glancing directly at her without seeing her. His breaths were even and quiet, but she could still hear each draw of his lungs as clearly as if she were pressing her ear to his chest.
    God, he had to be the bravest man alive. Or the stupidest.
    Awed