Enemies in Love [High-Country Shifters 4]
High-Country Shifters 4
Enemies in Love
Henla, of the lion clan, senses someone she loves has been injured. When Jude Trisk asks the tall, sexy blonde for help, she learns the injured wolf-shifter is Kranor Ryn and risks entering enemy territory for her childhood friend. As she and Jude travel toward danger, they bond and their passions bloom.
Delirious Kranor poses a challenge, but Henla’s care not only cures the warrior but ignites a deep love that leads to forbidden sex. While the two men want Henla forever, societal taboo prevents their union, and she retreats home.
Time and time again the men risk their lives to be with her, but to spare her the burden of prejudice by her own clan, they need to let her go. Despondent without her, Kranor and Jude reevaluate their lives. What changes can they make that will enable them to be with her yet keep her safe and happy?
Genre:
BDSM, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Shape-shifters
Length:
50,143 words
High-Country Shifters 4
Melody Snow Monroe
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
ENEMIES IN LOVE
E-book ISBN:
978-1-62241-717-9
First E-book Publication: December 2012
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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Enemies in Love
by Melody Snow Monroe from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.
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To my wonderful husband who inspires me every day.
ENEMIES IN LOVE
High-Country Shifters 4
MELODY SNOW MONROE
Copyright © 2012
While the Black Fur bar wasn’t crowded, the roar from the small group was enough to halt the conversation of wolf shifters Kranor Ryn and Jude Trisk. Kranor glanced at the huge screen and let out a groan. Some of the locals had made a wolf movie. It was pure blood and gore, with all of the deaths on the side of the lions.
Like that was likely to happen?
The credits rolled, and the three tables behind them whooped and hollered.
One of the viewers pumped his fist. “Serves that stupid idiot lion right. Who was he to think he could take down five wolves?” The men guffawed.
Another wolf shifter pounded the table. “The best part was when Dakrin shifted back into human form, picked up the machine gun, and killed all ten lions.”
“You got that right!”
Kranor polished off his beer and motioned the bartender for another one. There was no way any human with a gun could get a drop on a lion, let alone ten of them. Carrying a gun was asking to be mauled. The lions would have sensed the man and the gun before the guy had a chance to touch the trigger. Talk about dumb and improbable.
As his mind wandered over the movie’s implications, he couldn’t help but pick up pieces of the obnoxious conversation behind him. The words
ripped, cubs
, and
deserved it
all smashed together. Even though he was a wolf, Kranor prided himself on keeping his cool, but after catching too many glimpses of the horrors of the homemade movie, he was fed up. “Stupid barbarians.”
The scrape of a chair sounded behind him. “You say something, Kranor?”
Jude jerked.
Don’t let him goad you
.
His friend’s warning almost pissed him off as much as that ass’s comment. Maybe it was the fact he’d come to the bar for some downtime and didn’t need anyone’s shit that made him the maddest. He shoved back his chair and faced the jerk.
Jude yanked back his arm.
Don’t.
I won’t hurt him. Much
.
Two more men from the table stood then immediately shifted, the universal sign that this fight was meant to end in death. Even if he’d wanted to laugh in their faces and walk out, he doubted they’d let him.
“You sure you boys want to do this?” He always wanted to give his opponent one last chance to save face.
All three snarled, and saliva dripped from their fangs. Before the first wolf had a chance to charge, Kranor shifted. Everyone else moved back to give them room. Cheers sounded around the room and people were probably taking bets on the outcome. He shot Jude a death glance, hoping his friend wouldn’t enter the fray.
The challenger sprang forward, but Kranor deftly moved out of the way, not letting the attacker make contact. Before Kranor could regroup, the other two wolves bared their teeth again and charged, digging their fangs into his flank and neck. Pain seared him but only for a moment until the rush of adrenaline pushed down the ache. He twisted his body and shook his head to dislodge those two. They wouldn’t budge. He dipped his head and sank his teeth into one of the wolves’ legs, causing the injured wolf to let out a yelp and stumble backward.
Encouraged by the odds, he lifted his hind legs and shook off the other one. The surprise move worked. That gave Kranor the chance to go on the offensive. Facing the two remaining wolves, he snarled and growled before launching himself through the air. He landed on the first wolf’s back. As the second wolf came to attack, Kranor moved out the way, but not far enough before teeth lodged in his rear. Only when the second wolf opened his mouth to take another bite was Kranor able to escape.
The battle continued with each wolf getting in his share of bites. One fang cut into Kranor’s throat, and while the hole missed his jugular, blood splattered everywhere. He sprang at the other wolf, but his aim was off. His energy was waning, and he wasn’t going to last long. Out of the corner of his eye, Jude charged in.
Skelak
.
As expected, his friend’s interference caused two more wolves to join in. Now it was two of them against four others. The odds would have been worse, but one of the original wolves remained on the ground. Kranor’s bite must have broken his leg. The wolf who’d just attacked backed off for a second, probably to get a better angle before charging in. That gave Kranor the chance to go for his jugular. Reining in every ounce of willpower, he leaped, aiming for the wolf’s neck.
Bull’s-eye
. A geyser of blood shot out. That one would be out of commission for a good long while.
Two more wolves came at him. Using all of his remaining energy, he dodged the first attack, but the other wolf got his sharp claws into his back. Pain sliced through him. Unfortunately for that second wolf, being close exposed the guy’s gut. One bite on Kranor’s part and that wolf was history. Now they were down to two against two. Jude was easily able to take care of the wolf facing him. Both advanced on the last bleeding wolf.
A flash of light later, the hurt animal shifted back into human form. His face and neck were highly lacerated. Even without the wounds, it would only take about three seconds to kill the human, but that wasn’t Kranor’s style. He wasn’t like the others. He didn’t kill for sport.
As soon as he and Jude shifted back, Kranor’s vision blurred. He looked down and saw that blood covered most of his body. Large gashes marred much of his skin. Dread slowed him even further, and he grabbed on to the table to keep from falling.
Jude disappeared from his vision but seconds later returned with several cloths. “Hold these over the wounds.”
Kranor looked up and tried to smile. “I only have two hands.” It would take ten people to press coverings over his injuries.
“I need to get you to a hospital.”
That insult made him stand up straighter. “I’m going home. Pay the bartender.” His voice came out strong, but he knew his time was limited.
A wave of dizziness nearly made him collapse, but he used some inner strength to straighten up to his six-foot-eight-inch height and head for the door, hoping the other wolves didn’t want to take him on. Given there were five injured wolves, perhaps they were happy just to be rid of him.
As soon as they got outside, he shifted back into wolf form. Getting home would be easier, or so he thought. His ass hurt, three of his limbs were heavily damaged, and his neck was still dripping blood.
I should call for help
. Jude faced him.
Like hell. I’m not giving those bastards the satisfaction. I wouldn’t be surprised if the attending doctor tried to finish the job.
You’re an idiot. You could die.
Putting one foot in front of the other was enough of a task. He didn’t need to be arguing with his best friend. Perhaps he should amend that. He didn’t need to be arguing with his only friend.