by Katie Reus
“We’re going out on a search party in half an hour. He’s getting everyone together, but . . .” He shook his head, his normally bright eyes dull and filled with agony.
He didn’t need to finish. New Orleans and the surrounding areas were massive. If someone was taking pregnant shifters there were so many places to hide them and clearly whoever was behind these kidnappings wasn’t afraid of the Campbell pack. They’d been targeting felines up until now, but today they’d taken not only a feline, but a lupine. And Imelda was incredibly loved by the pack. That was a ballsy move. “We’re going to find her and everyone else.” They had to. Daphne refused to believe they were dead either.
Hector ran a hand over his face. “Angus said the newest enforcer is on the way. She should be here tomorrow.”
She? Daphne had heard rumors of a new enforcer appointed by the Council, but she’d wondered if it had been bullshit. Now she was incredibly grateful for an enforcer’s presence. They lived by their own set of rules, and as far as she knew, an enforcer had never failed a job. Maybe those were bullshit rumors too, but right now she’d hold on to that hope.
“We’re going to find her,” she repeated again, stronger this time, needing to say the words for Hector as much as for herself.
He tightened his grip around her for a long moment, then stood, a mask of anger and determination covering his face. The rage pulsing from him chilled her. “You’re right. We will. And when we find out who’s behind this, they’re going to die.”
PRAISE FOR
MATING INSTINCT
“Katie Reus creates a vivid world filled with sexy shifters, explosive danger, and enough sexual tension to set the pages on fire. A fabulous paranormal romance!”
— Alexandra Ivy, New York Times bestselling author of Fear the Darkness
“With scorching chemistry . . . Mating Instinct’s romance is taut and passionate. Add to that a fast-paced suspense plot and a deftly built paranormal world, and Katie Reus’s newest installment in her Moon Shifter series will leave readers breathless!”
— Stephanie Tyler, national bestselling author of Surrender
“Reus brings us another alpha male hero with whom we can fall in love. Combine that with an edgy plot, a strong and conflicted heroine, even stronger, hair-raising suspense, and a clear mystery at the story’s center, and you’re left with one good read. Once again, Reus delivers another clever page-turner.”
— RT Book Reviews (4 stars)
“A sexy, well-crafted paranormal romance that succeeds with smart characters and creative world building.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“I love picking up new books in this series because I know I’m going to have all my paranormal romance needs satisfied with a sexy and dangerous alpha, a heroine who can make said alpha beg, and an action- and drama-laced story all brought together with some great writing.”
— Paranormal Haven
“A great read with complex characters, serious political issues, and a world I am looking forward to coming back to.”
— All Things Urban Fantasy
“An absolute treat full of sexual tension and danger, Mating Instinct is not to be missed!”
— A Book Obsession
“This book is full of action and drama . . . sure to keep you entertained from beginning to end.”
—Under the Covers
“If you’re looking for a sexy shifter series, heavy on action and romance, Katie Reus’s Moon Shifters is definitely worth taking a look at.”
—Vampire Book Club
“Mating Instinct gives the reader an outstanding plot and more importantly unparalleled romance. This series keeps getting better and better.”
—Joyfully Reviewed
“Katie has built a nice world with her characters and I fall in love with a new couple with each installment.”
— Urban Fantasy Investigations
“Mating Instinct does not disappoint. Katie writes with an intensity that can be felt right down to your soul. There is plenty of action, suspense, steamy sex, and a little bit of humor to keep everyone smiling.”
—The Reading Cafe
“I could not put this book down. . . . Let me be clear that I am not saying that this was a good book for a paranormal genre; it was an excellent romance read, period. . . . The story was a completely enjoyable and poignant read. . . . I loved the book.”
—All About Romance
PRAISE FOR
PRIMAL POSSESSION
“Reus’s world building is incredibly powerful as she seamlessly blends various elements of legend and myth while laying groundwork for future plot points. Her characters manage to both charm and frighten, but the romance between a shifter and human is the real highlight—it’s lusty, heartfelt, and shows that love can conquer all.”
— RT Book Reviews (4 stars)
“Primal Possession is like a summer blockbuster. It has all the right ingredients: hot couple, evil villains, and a killer action-filled plot. . . . [The] Moon Shifter series is what I call Grade-A Entertainment!”
— Joyfully Reviewed
“This book has mystery, suspense, and a heart-pounding romance that will leave you wanting more!”
—Nocturne Romance Reads
“If you like your romance hot with plenty of buildup and a plot that sucks you right in, Primal Possession is simply a must read!”
— A Book Obsession
“A page-turning, action-packed rush brimming with intense primal desire.”
— Book Lovers Inc.
“The romance is hot and heavy with cosmic attractions and loaded consequences. . . . It actually reminded me of the Black Dagger Brotherhood and its Lessers. . . . These books have a brilliant balance of steamy romance and intriguing plots filled with action.”
— Vampire Book Club
“Another exciting storyline in Katie Reus’s Moon Shifter series. . . . There is rarely a moment to breathe between scenes.”
— The Reading Cafe
PRAISE FOR
ALPHA INSTINCT
“Reus has an instinct for what wows in this perfect blend of shifter, suspense, and sexiness. Sexy alphas, kick-ass heroines, and twisted villains will keep you turning the pages in this new shifter series. Alpha Instinct is a winner.”
— Caridad Piñeiro, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost
“Alpha Instinct is a wild, hot ride for readers. The story grabs you and doesn’t let go.”
— Cynthia Eden, New York Times bestselling author of Deadly Heat
“Reus shows great promise and you’ll look forward to visiting this world again soon!”
— RT Book Reviews (4 stars)
“Reus crafts a fast-paced action story . . . Alpha Instinct is awesome, an engrossing page-turner that I enjoyed in one sitting. Reus offers all the ingredients I love in a paranormal romance.”
— Book Lovers Inc.
“Prepare yourself for the start of a great new series! . . . I’m excited about reading more about this great group of characters.”
— Fresh Fiction
“A well-plotted, excellently delivered emotional and sensual ride that grabs hold and doesn’t let go! . . . Ms. Reus delivers mystery, suspense and a romance nothing short of heart pounding!”
— Night Owl Reviews
“If you’re looking for a new shifter romance to sink your teeth in, then look no further. Alpha Instinct is action-packed with a solid romance that will keep the reader on the edge of [her] toes! . . . Highly recommended for fans of Rachel Vincent’s Werecat series.”
— Nocturne Romance Reads
“Alpha Instinct is a strong book full of mystery, intrigue, and a new world to explore. . . . I thoroughly enjoyed this one as I suspect lovers of the paranormal romance genres will do as well!”
— Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
Also by Katie Reus
The Moon Shifter Novels
Alpha Instinct
Lover’s Instinct
(A Penguin Special from Signet Eclipse)
Primal Possession
Mating Instinct
The Deadly Ops Novels
Targeted
Enemy Mine
(A Penguin Special from Signet Eclipse)
Don’t miss the next novel in the exciting
Moon Shifter series by Katie Reus
AVENGER’S HEAT
Coming from Signet Eclipse in February 2014
Please enjoy this preview.
Chapter 1
Erin Flynn shot the tall male shifter next to her a quick glance as yet another female they passed on the street gave him an assessing, purely sexual look. Since they’d arrived in New Orleans an hour ago it had been the same reaction from practically every woman they’d come across. A few men too. Not that she blamed any of them, even if she did have a sudden urge to claw their eyes out.
Simply put, Noah Campbell was smoking hot. Tall, broad shoulders, sharp cheekbones, inky black hair a woman could easily imagine running her fingers through, and perfect olive coloring that belied his Greek heritage on his mother’s side. Didn’t matter that it was an icy January day, he looked like he’d just stepped off a Mediterranean beach, all toned and tan. He definitely evoked thoughts of sex, sin, and sultry summer nights.
They passed a woman dressed in jeans that might as well have been painted on, a bright red coat belted around her tiny waist, and five-inch knee high boots. When she practically undressed Noah with her eyes, Erin frowned at her friend. “Are you being intentionally oblivious?” No way could he have missed how people were looking at him.
Noah’s guarded dark eyes flicked her way once before he continued scanning the nearly deserted cobblestone streets. They’d parked outside the long and narrow shotgun-style house they were staying in with another shifter and fae warrior, both of whom had decided to hang back while she and Noah scoped out the city. And the tension hadn’t left his body since the moment they’d stepped out of that pastel blue and pink house with peeling yellow shutters.
“Not oblivious, just not interested.” A curt answer so typical of him when he was annoyed or stressed. Right now she thought he might be a bit of both. He didn’t look at her again, but she could practically feel the heat of his dark eyes searing her. Knew what she’d see if he looked her way again. Lust and need.
Some days she wished he’d find a woman. A sweet beta female who would be perfect for him. It would slice up her insides to know that someone else would be touching what she considered hers, waking up every morning to him . . . but at least he’d be happy. Maybe she’d finally be able to move on from this constant state of wanting him but knowing she could never have him.
God, she was so fucked up.
Instinctively she patted the front of her thick coat, needing to feel the two short blades strapped to her chest beneath it. She didn’t go anywhere without them, even slept with one under her pillow. “Did you finally call your father?” she asked.
“Nope.”
Resisting the urge to growl at him, she shoved her hands in her jacket pockets.
Just great.
As the newest enforcer-in-training for the North American Council of lupine shifters, Erin was on her first mission by herself. Technically she wasn’t in training anymore, but she still thought of herself that way. Her mentor, Jayce, had told her that she was ready to go out on her own investigation, so here she was. He’d sent Noah along, but it wasn’t so Noah could look out for her—that would have pissed her off. New Orleans was Noah’s father’s territory and the situation had the potential to be volatile.
Noah’s father and his pack shared the city with vamps, feline shifters, and fae, and she was pretty sure a few demons made their home here too. The old city just appealed to them. New Orleans was the one place in the United States that paranormal beings had agreed to share. It was either that or endure a bloodbath fighting over it.
Not worth it when they were practically under a microscope by the humans they’d revealed themselves to two decades ago. Erin still thought that was a stupid decision on the Council’s part, but it was over and done with. Not much anyone could do about it now.
The one thing she’d asked Noah to do was make contact with his father before they’d arrived. It irked her that he hadn’t, but in the past year and some odd months since she’d been friends with Noah, he hadn’t said more than a handful of sentences about the powerful Alpha and she hadn’t pushed. She didn’t like talking about her past so she understood his need for privacy. Still, his father was Alpha of this territory and deserved the respect of a freaking phone call.
“Damn it, Noah,” she muttered, but didn’t continue as they rounded another street corner. The difference from the quiet one they’d just come from was stark.
A variety of scents and noises accosted them. Tobacco, liquor, a mix of cheap and expensive perfumes, raw sex, and some kind of spicy food tickled her nose. Sometimes she cursed her extrasensory abilities. A few bars blasted music, but a steady, low-key stream of tunes flowed out from the Full Moon Bar as they neared it.
Even if she hadn’t scented all the paranormal beings inside, the lower level of music was the first giveaway that the place catered to people like her. Paranormal beings had extrasensory everything, something humans seemed to usually forget. And something she was thankful for because it had the potential to make her job as enforcer easier.
“I talked to my mom earlier and she told me my father would be here tonight,” Noah said quietly.
Erin knew Noah talked to his mother practically every week but hadn’t talked to his father in years. She might not know everything about his family dynamics, but she knew enough. And this had disaster written all over it. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, ready to dial the number of Angus Campbell she’d received from Jayce before she and Noah had left North Carolina.
She should have just taken care of it herself, but she’d wanted to let Noah do it. Even if she was on Council business she was still entering another Alpha’s territory and he deserved a heads-up. Noah knew the protocol well. No doubt he was just showing up unannounced to piss his old man off. Not the way she wanted to start this investigation.
Scrolling to the number as they crossed the street, her head snapped up at a crashing sound. A giant female jaguar tumbled out of the bar they were headed into, fangs and claws extended. Definitely a shifter. The animal let out a loud snarl then rushed back in through a splintered blue door.
Erin’s eyes widened as a shot of adrenaline punched through her.
“Shit,” Noah muttered, moving into action.
Unzipping her jacket as she ran, she unsheathed her short blades from their protective casings. They weren’t quite two feet long, pure silver, and her best defense in close combat. Which was the type of fighting she preferred.
She respected the hell out of snipers, but this was her game. As a shifter she was unique because she preferred to fight in her human form, just like the other enforcers across the globe. It wasn’t because she was stronger in human form—though she was strong and fast—it was because once she let her beast out, it was difficult to rein her wolf back in. For Erin, keeping the balance between her animal and human side was a bitch.
After the long drive cooped up in a car with Noah and too much sexual frustration, she needed to let off some steam and this was the way to do it.
To her annoyance Noah rushed into the dimly lit bar first, but she was right behind him. The gorgeous black jaguar with a faint orange background and dark spots was rolling around on the floor with a male vampire. They were slicing each other to ribbons, though Erin knew the big cat was holding back. Jaguars—regular or shifter—had powerful jaws and this
one wasn’t biting.
There were about two dozen people there, but no one was intervening. What the hell?
A few humans, a handful of tall ethereal looking fae, vampires, and lupine and feline shifters in human form all lounged around the bar staring at the two in open amusement. How was this remotely funny?
Screw that. “I’m taking the male down. Stay out of it,” she murmured to Noah, hoping he’d listen. Sometimes he was overprotective and she had no problem taking care of herself.
Without waiting for a response, she jumped into the fray. She was young for a shifter, but incredibly quick and knew one day—if she lived long enough—she’d have a better grasp on the strange power she could feel growing inside her every day.
Lightning fast, she sliced at the feline’s shoulder, earning a surprised cry. The big cat immediately jumped off the vamp and backed away.
The vamp lunged at Erin and even though she could sense the power rippling off him in waves, she dodged to the side and sliced her blade across his chest as he sailed past her. Blood spurted everywhere but it wasn’t even close to a killing blow. The sweet scent that filled the air was different than the normal coppery scent of human and shifter blood.
The dark-skinned vamp turned with supernatural speed, a look of surprise on his face. She didn’t know if it was because of her speed, her gender or her apparent youth. She also didn’t care. His fangs flashed, claws unsheathed as those hostile dark eyes narrowed at her. She heard Noah growl behind her.
“I’ve got this, Noah!” They’d fought side by side before and while he might hate her fighting, he better at least respect her enough to handle herself.
Out of the corner of her eye she realized the feline shifter was crouching, ready to pounce—on her!
What the hell is going on? She’d been trying to help the shifter out. Before Erin could move to defend herself an eerie growl and the sound of bones breaking ripped through the slight murmur of voices and low music along with a flash of dark fur she recognized as Noah flew at the cat.
