Bad Moon Rising

By Asha King

Abriella Simone doesn't believe in tempting fate, but when she walks home after a costume party dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, she does just that. A werewolf is prowling the streets of her small home town and he's big, bad, and out for blood. She escapes the encounter with her life but not without his infected bite.

He's not the only wolf in the neighborhood, however. Abriella's key into this new world is her childhood friend Maddox Black. At fourteen, he was whisked away from town to live deep in the mountains with his family. Seven years later, Abriella understands why: he's a werewolf, living in secret with a pack nearly driven to extinction. Whether it's the hungry beast rising within her or a child's crush that's blossomed into a woman's desire, Abriella can't resist Maddox's draw.

When a pack elder reveals a cure for her condition exists, her relief is short-lived. For one, the cure requires the saliva of the mysterious wolf that bit her. Worse still, taking the cure will force her to give up Maddox forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Asha King
• Release date: Sep 23, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301846160

Asha King

Asha King likes good-looking men and hot books, and often strives to combine the two in contemporary, paranormal, and suspenseful romantic stories. She lives in the exotic land of Alberta, Canada, where she doesn’t ride a polar bear to work but does drink vast amounts of locally brewed beer and watches hockey. She loves connecting with readers and you can keep up to date with her online at www.AshaKing.com, where you’ll find a list of her books as well as what she’s working on and potential release dates.

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Bad Moon Rising

Asha King

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Bad Moon Rising

Copyright © 2013 by Asha King

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Edited by Adrienne Jones

Cover Art © 2013 by Asha King

SMASHWORDS EDITION

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Chapter One

The party at Bad Moon Rising was in full swing. Classic rock blasted over the speakers but was barely audible over the din of voices and laughter from the bar’s patrons.

Abriella Simone worked the bar, keeping busy by mixing drinks. Her hooded red cloak hung off her shoulders, the sash at her neck pulling slightly as she bustled about.

Her coworker, Pam, stopped at the end of the bar and set her tray on the counter. A pitcher of Red and three Porn Stars!

Like I don’t have enough here. I’m coming! Brie said instead of complaining. She ducked a wadded napkin flying through the air and mixed a Whiskey Sour for the next guy in line. Stephen was already ringing someone up at the cash register, at least, so he took care of collecting the money while she started on the order Pam brought.

The waitress was tapping her long, manicured black nails on the counter while Abriella filled a pitcher with beer and then set about mixing up the cocktails. A straw in each of the glasses and they were good to go; she set everything on the tray and nodded.

Pam made a face as she hefted the heavy tray up, rolled her blue eyes, and then plastered on a fake smile to deliver the drinks.

With a brief break of no customers for a moment, Brie grabbed a cloth and gave the bar a good wipe-down, then snatched a dish of peanuts to refill in the staff area. A glance at the clock revealed it was only eleven-thirty—still a couple of hours left. At least she was keeping busy.

In the rear of the bar was the kitchen, and stepping through the door afforded her ears a break as it dulled the music and voices. Her heels clicked on the tile as she made her way for the pantry cupboard.

She nearly collided with a tall, broad figure as he stepped from the backroom, arms stacked high with bags of tortilla chips. His steps skidded to a halt and half the bags went flying.

I’m sorry! Brie scrambled to collect some of the fallen bags.

No problem, came the low, easy voice of her boss, Lee Wheeler.

As far as bosses went, he was great, but she’d had her share of quick to anger tyrants, and she swiftly gathered the still-sealed packages from the floor as to not abuse his goodwill.

Lee stacked the bags on the counter and took the remaining ones from her arms. Really, no harm.

Still. I’m not usually so klutzy.

He waved her off. Busy night. Everyone’s a bit frazzled.

That was true. She hadn’t had time to sit down since she started. Her feet ached in a pair of sexy Mary Jane heels after being behind the bar for four hours, but the tips slipped her way for her Little Red Riding Hood getup were totally worth the discomfort.

With no one to run into this time, she finished her trek for the peanuts from the pantry and snatched the tin from the top shelf.

Can you grab the salsa? Lee asked.

Sure thing. She stacked two large jars on top of the peanut tins and went to him at the counter.

Lee had half a dozen chip bowls set up where he emptied the contents of the bags. Dishes for dips hung off the sides; he handed her a spoon and nodded to one. A few scoops of salsa. Freebies for the crowd.

And that was why everyone loved Bad Moon Rising—Lee was generous. She set to scooping out salsa per his instructions.

Say, when was your last break? he asked.

Um...during my shift yesterday.

His dark eyes moved her way and he cocked a brow. You need a break.

I’m fine—

Break. He pushed two chip bowls that were ready her way. Booth one and booth two—I’ll be bringing the rest and I can work the bar for a bit. You take thirty to rest. Or dance, have fun. I promise the boss won’t mind.

I dunno, I heard he’s a bit of a tyrant, she teased.

His grin was sexy and easy as he gazed down at her. Nah, he’s a pussycat. I’m sure he won’t notice either if Stephen gets you a drink. On the house.

She scooped up the two bowls of chips and salsa. Yes, sir. Two steps toward the door and she turned back to him. Oh, the—

"I’ll worry about the peanuts, darlin’. Go take a break."

Well, she certainly wasn’t going to argue.

Abriella slipped out of the kitchen, back into the fray.

Patrons were dressed in all manner of costumes—lots of cats and mice among the women, which involved leotards, headbands with ears, and stilettos. Some witches, some ghosts. Among the men were a dozen pirates, some ninjas, and a few full body monster costumes. Masks abounded and there were several people she didn’t recognize at all.

She dropped the chips and salsa off at booth one and two, and then swung around for the bar, squeezing past patrons so she could order a drink.

Stephen had worked the longest of any of them at Bad Moon Rising, next to Lee himself, and grinned as she stepped up to see him. ’Bout time you took a break. What’ll it be?

Sex on the Beach, she returned and laughed as he raised a brow suggestively.

Coming right up.

She turned to face the crowd while she waited for the drink, her gaze drifting over everyone. Space was cleared in the center for dancing and people took advantage of it, about twenty or so of them in a tangled mess of bodies and arms and legs.

Stephen nudged her shoulder with her drink, which she accepted with thanks. Her lips wrapped around the straw and she took a long drink, sweet alcohol flooding her taste buds and rolling down her throat. Prickles ran down her spine, her body coming alive with awareness as she sensed someone watching her. She scanned the crowd for someone she recognized.

Her gaze snagged that of a man across the room.

He stood a head over most the people there. A black T-shirt and a black jacket were stretched over broad shoulders and a muscled torso. Dark hair was loose and nearly to his shoulders, looking silky to the touch. A wolf mask hid his face, however, blocking all features but his eyes from view.

He was most definitely looking at her, though.

She’d seen him earlier, across the room standing outside the crowd. He’d been holding a beer then though she didn’t remember him coming up to order it, and it was gone now. She didn’t think he was there with anyone. Though tempted to wave in case she knew him, instead she averted her eyes.

A shiver