Blood Moon (33 page)

Heart’s Sentinel

Copyright 2010 by PJ Schnyder

Born human, Mackenzie never wanted to be a Shapeshifter. After a Shifter stalks and brutally changes her, she runs to the jaguars of River Gap pride for protection from the stalker still searching for her, to come to terms with the attack and learn to control her new, powerful cougar body.

Adam, a River Gap Sentinel, is assigned as her guard and mentor. Well aware of his strength and how new she is to the Shapeshifter world, he holds himself back from the flames of primal desire she ignites. But, to survive the stalker, they both need to first battle their pasts and learn what it truly means to be the sentinels of each other’s hearts.

Excerpt:

Adam knew every jaguar in River Gap Pride, and the woman who walked through the door wasn't one of them. He'd have remembered her sweet face framed in shoulder length hair, so dark a brown it shone black indoors. She must be new in town, come to stay in pride territory.

Pausing in the entryway to the dojo, her dark chocolate eyes scanned the foyer. When he approached, she tensed as if poised to bolt, but squared her shoulders and faced him, anyway. Used to taming wild things, her response didn't bother him.

He gave her his friendliest smile. “Hi there, here for classes?”

People didn't get wilder than Shapeshifters, and a fellow Shifter stood before him. His inner beast growled, her scent exciting things deep inside his core. And yet, she had a newness about her, an awkwardness he associated with teens growing into their maturing bodies, even though she moved with more grace than any human. 

“Yes.” Her answer came in a quiet, wary voice. “I was interested in beginner martial arts classes.” The melodic timbre sent shivers down his spine. “I spoke to Jacob. He told me my father and I would be expected.”

With those words, Adam knew her. His beast surged inside his skin, drowning him in the need to protect.

And she needed protection. It was why she’d come to River Gap Pride.

An older man stepped in behind her, bearing a strong family resemblance, his dark skin weathered brown as opposed to her golden tan. His hand, worn with honest work and slightly wrinkled with age, came to rest on her shoulder. He looked around the school, nodding to himself in response to some inner dialogue. The girl remained motionless under the man's touch, watching Adam, and it seemed her dark gaze saw right through to the violence just under his surface.

Adam struggled to control it, knowing she had every right to caution. “Is this your father?”

She gave a slow nod. Adam focused on the way the silken ends of her hair brushed against the corner of her mouth. His beast, redirected, wondered if her hair felt as soft as it looked. He clamped down on his reactions, wondering why meeting one girl could throw his control off so badly. He didn't have time for it. She needed his protection from the bastard who had put the bruised look in her eyes—the reason she’d come here in the first place.

“Nick Sunton.” Her father held out a hand, shifting Adam's attention to him, and Adam shook it without hesitation. For a human, the older man gripped not only firmly, but strong.

He nodded. “I'm Adam, an instructor here at the school.”

“You look young to be an instructor.” Not a challenge but a straightforward statement of fact.

Adam grinned. He already liked the old man. Nick approached with no nonsense and got direct to the point, dominant for a human. “I grew up in town, taking classes here. It was a natural progression, becoming an instructor. I'm the youngest, but I know everything we have to teach.”

Nick grunted. Whether in acceptance or a dismissal, Adam couldn't be sure.

The young woman glanced at her father for a long moment and then introduced herself, her voice still full of caution. “I'm Mackenzie.”

She gave him an equally firm handshake, but he couldn't ignore the fine tremor running through her arm as she forced herself to grasp his hand. He released her as soon as she began to withdraw. His inner cat raged, wanting to find the person who'd brutalized her and do the monster mortal damage.

Instead, he forced a cheerful smile, tucking away his ferocity with the ease of long practice. “Why don't we step into the office for more privacy?”

Wariness never left her eyes, but she followed her father into the office at Adam's direction. Adam gave her space as he followed them in, not wanting to make her fight the natural reluctance to let another predator behind her. If she had been born a Shapeshifter, and not made, she might not have let him behind her at all.