Caught in Heat [Half-breed Shifter Series Book 1] Read Free Page A

And they’d caught one.
     
    * * * * *
     
    Shaw Griffin jerked awake as the alarm sounded through the dim compound. He snatched his combat boots off the tabletop and pushed out of the old office chair, ignoring the sore muscles that shrieked at him for falling asleep at his desk again.
    He didn’t pause to roll his thick shoulders for a nice, relaxing stretch. There was no time.
    One of his traps had been sprung.
    After slapping off the alarm, he grabbed his shotgun from the peg where it hung on the wall and strode toward the door as he opened the action to make sure it was still loaded. When he spied a shell resting where it should be, he slung the gun’s strap over his shoulder. Grabbing a spotlight on his way, he pulled open the door. He didn’t turn on the light but found the ladder’s railing by feel.
    Grasping the sides, he hoisted himself up by his arms and began to climb. Twenty feet later, he reached the ceiling, where he grunted as he cranked on a lever and pressed open the round hatch before shoving it out of his way. After doing a chin-up to pull himself from the earth, he pushed through the hole, hefted his jean-clad ass onto the ground beside the opening and then swung his feet up after him. By the time he had the hatch replaced, he was already panting with exhaustion. Hot, moist marshy air pressed against his lungs, sucking away even more of his oxygen. Using the tail of his black t-shirt, he wiped at the sweat beaded on his brow.
    All that work and he still had to hike through the thickest part of the woods to check the trap.
    If he’d caught another opossum or raccoon, he was going to be good and pissed.
    Unable to see shit in this darkness, he itched to turn on his light but resisted the urge. There was no reason to bring any more attention to himself than necessary. He already knew these motherfuckers would be able to smell and hear him coming a mile away.
    Their fine-tuned animal senses put his pathetic human instincts to shame. Not that such a frightening fact was going to make him stop his pursuit. Clutching the darkened spotlight and patting the shotgun to reassure himself it was still there, he started his hike. Breathing evenly so his panting wouldn’t echo too far ahead of him, he paused every few steps to listen.
    It took him ten minutes to reach the spot. Before approaching the clearing where he’d set the trap, he stopped and crouched into the underbrush. Waiting until the forest returned to its usual rustle from him disturbing its environment, he lifted his ear toward the direction of the trap.
    Finally, he heard the faint sound of something struggling to break free. It wheezed in anxious exertion. It didn’t sound like a coon.
    His lips spread. Maybe he’d caught one, after all.
    Keeping alert, he waited another minute. When no other sound besides the thrashing at the trap reached his ears, he stood and vigilantly approached the area. One couldn’t be too cautious when dealing with shapeshifters. They were wily and dangerous and way too damn smart.
    When he reached a place where he could see into the clearing and yet stay relatively hidden, he paused again, waiting for his vision to adjust to the small amount of moonlight splaying down on his trap.
    The pale limbs and long dark hair took him by surprise, stealing his breath.
    Oh, shit. He’d caught a human.
    He’d expected a savage beast, saliva dripping from its fangs. Not a beautiful helpless woman, sobbing as she clawed at the trap. Seeing her reminded him too much of his sister, small and defenseless, right before that monster had torn out her throat with its teeth.
    Hailey.
    She’d needed a savior that night, just like this woman needed one tonight.
    Shaw started forward. The woman cried out a very non-human sound, a hoarse scream like a cat on steroids. Her body shorted out, showing too-quick-to-distinguish-clearly blinking images of a four-legged animal in its place, before she became fully human again.
    Jerking to a stop,