Moon Shifter 02 - Primal Possession

be fun to throw beer cans at some night skiers. When they brought him in, he tried to…” He trailed off as if he remembered whom he was talking to. “Never mind. I’ve got one of my deputies dusting that car for prints. Didn’t you say you got the keys?”
    Liam pulled out the plastic bag from his pocket. He’d put the keys in there earlier so he wouldn’t accidentally touch them.
    “December needs to make a statement,” Parker said.
    “You gonna drag her down to the station now?” From his limited experience with the man, Liam knew the sheriff was a stickler for the rules. Except where his sister was concerned. For her he’d not only bend them—he’d probably break them in two and run over them with a semitruck.
    That was probably the only thing the two men had in common. They both cared deeply for the woman upstairs and would do anything to keep her happy and safe.
    Parker raked a hand through his dark red hair. “No.”
    “You think she’ll listen about getting that security system now?” Liam asked quietly.
    The sheriff shrugged. “Damned if I know. Make the call anyway and send me the bill. They can install it while she’s at work. Did you get a good look at her date?” he asked, quickly changing subjects.
    Liam clenched his teeth. He’d be the one paying for her security system, but he didn’t voice that. As he described what December’s date looked like, Parker jotted everything down. He went over everything from what he was wearing right down to the small mole behind his left ear. The man’s image had been seared into Liam’s memory forever.
    Once he was finished, the sheriff flipped his notebook shut. His blue eyes were the same bright shade as December’s. They narrowed at Liam. “Where are you sleeping tonight?”
    Liam wanted to be offended by the question, but if he had a sister, he wouldn’t be showing as much restraint as the sheriff. “The guest room.”
    Parker was silent for a long moment as he eyed Liam. “If you wanted to hurt her, I know you would and couldhave by now. I get that you care for her, I really do, but you realize you’ve brought this on her, don’t you?”
    Liam fought back a growl at the sheriff’s words. “By existing?”
    Parker shook his head. “I don’t mean this is your fault. The people who want to hurt her…well, somehow I doubt they’re alone in their thinking. I’m just saying the more you’re around her, the more she becomes a target for ignorant assholes.”
    Liam knew that was true. He also knew that barely half a century ago people of different races would have been ostracized for having a relationship with each other. Racism and hatred never seemed to change and he wouldn’t walk away from December because of it. He wasn’t a coward and wouldn’t let some backwoods idea dictate how he lived. Instead of responding, he stayed silent. There wasn’t much of a response to that anyway.
    Parker was the one to break the silence. “I’ve got to get back to work. We’re short staffed this week, but I’m going to send a patrol by to keep an eye on the house.”
    So that was the real reason the sheriff didn’t mind Liam staying at December’s place. He needed him to protect her. A completely adolescent part of Liam smiled at the thought. It had to be killing Parker that Liam was watching over his sister.
    Once the lawman left, he slid the crappy lock into place, then methodically checked the house again. It didn’t matter that he’d done it earlier—he was driven with the need to protect December. Someone who truly wanted in wouldn’t bother with locks. They’d break a window or smash a door, but Liam wasn’t going to make it easy for them. He slept light anyway and tonight he doubted he’d sleep at all.

    Edward Adler leaned against the wooden post in the middle of the two-story barn. He hated waiting. Especially for this idiot. But in the war against supernatural abominations, he’d do what he had to. Even if it meant waiting two hours out in the cold for a dumbass pretty boy who’d likely screwed up his first mission. Unfortunately he needed this guy for multiple reasons. He might be the leader of the local group around Fontana Mountain, but he had a boss to report to. And his boss wanted results faster.
Always
faster.
    Mike was well past the time he was supposed to check in. They were supposed to meet in the unused barn a couple hours ago. Edward hadn’t brought his cell phone. He wasn’t exactly worried about the