Shadow of Seduction: Other Worlds Forever, #2

By E.L. Thorne

This is a closed door, clean, supernatural suspense, coming of age romance. The language has been toned down and the books have been specifically reworked for those who do not particularly enjoy open door romances.

 

Kane Ortiz is a mountain-sized bear shifter who wants to avoid a group of shifters hunting him down. He follows some advice and heads to Bear Canyon Valley hoping to get some help.

The last thing he counted on was finding a spitfire with her own secrets.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ELTH
• Release date: Apr 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201187422

Book preview

Chapter One

Kane

Know what you get when you save a girl from being abducted? Your ass kicked. That’s what. And that’s exactly what had happened to me.

But I saved the girl, that’s what matters, right?

I made my way toward my destination in a slow, painstaking, meandering manner. The painstaking was because I’d been severely wounded in that fight with shifters trying to kidnap the girl.

Now I was busy hiding from a bunch of ruthless mercenary shifters that have a price on my head. Yeah, tons of shifters looking to make a bounty. I was slowing making my way to Mae. Bear Canyon Valley, that’s where I was headed.

Chapter Two

Astra

Brrrrt... Brrrrt... Brrrt...

I ignored it. Wouldn’t even look at it. Nope. Not once. I’d promised myself tonight would be a night off. I shoved my hair away from my face, and thought again about cutting my long blond locks. But there was no way I would do short hair. It didn’t suit me.

Brrrrt... Brrrrt... Brrrt...

I stirred the pasta instead of looking at the phone. The stupid cell phone vibrated again. Though I couldn’t see it, and wouldn’t look at it, I could hear it, clattering loud against the wood of the table.

Wow. Someone is way too persistent.

I was looking forward to a night of spaghetti and a movie. I’d DVRed a movie last week and hadn’t had a chance to check it out yet. I’d spent the last few days helping ranchers and pet owners, being called to assist with problem deliveries, wounded animals. Not that I didn’t love my job. I did. I enjoyed training to be a vet. But I needed a minute off. Okay, maybe more than a minute.

Brrrrt... Brrrrt... Brrrt...

The phone vibrated on the table again.

I bit back a curse word. Why couldn’t they call another vet assistant? I picked up the phone and turned it over so I could see the screen. It wasn’t someone looking for veterinary help.

I couldn’t resist the smile that crept onto my face. Grant. My favorite uncle. More like my favorite shifter. Except I didn’t like shifters. At all. Well, my stepdad and Grant were the only shifters I liked. The only ones I knew, too.

Who could blame me for hating shifters, though? Enemy shifters had killed my mother, leaving me to be raised by Doc.

I tapped on the screen to answer it. Hi, Grant. Chelsea didn’t get bonked on the head again, did she? I liked Grant’s woman, Chelsea. Had liked her since the moment I’d met her, a little over a month ago.

No, Astra. The smile on Grant’s face could be heard in his voice. But I was hoping to get Doc to pay us a visit. Not an emergency, but... his services are needed.

I squealed out loud. Then I clamped my hand over my mouth. I hadn’t planned to lose control that way. Doc was a doctor. A people doctor, not an aspiring animal doctor like me. Could this mean—?

Chelsea’s not pregnant, is she? Excitement was hard to hide when it came to Grant and Chelsea having a baby.

Grant laughed, the sound welcome in my tired ear. Hey, now! We’re not rushing that part. Still planning the wedding.

I laughed too. I knew that. In fact, I was going to be in the wedding. Chelsea had asked me to be the maid of honor. Mae was supposed to be matron of honor. I hadn’t heard what we were going to wear yet, but I hoped it wasn’t one of those god-awful colors that bridesmaids’ dresses seemed to always be.

Well, Doc’s out of town. Did he not answer his cell?

Grant was silent on the other end. That set alarms off for me. I wasn’t sure what kind of alarms, because he didn’t seem panicked or anything like that, but still, his silence spoke volumes. Maybe I’m overreacting.

I was just going to sit down to dinner. I didn’t mention the movie part, because I didn’t want Grant to feel guilty if he had to pull me away from it. I’ll put it aside and eat later.

I heard Grant saying something. It was muffled, though, as if he’d put his hand over the mic. Then I heard Chelsea’s voice in the background.

Hey, Astra? Chelsea. Clearly Chelsea had either taken the phone from Grant or he’d handed it to her. Why don’t you bring whatever you cooked over and we’ll do a potluck thing? Mae’s here, too.

Now the signals were really going off in my head. What was Mae doing there? Why did they need medical attention? And why had Grant hesitated when I’d asked him if he’d called Doc?

Chapter Three

Kane

I glanced from Grant to Chelsea, back to Grant, and finally to Mae. What am I missing? Who’s Astra?

She’s Doc Evans’ daughter—stepdaughter, Mae corrected herself.

Doc’s out of town. Astra’s coming over. She can check you out.

I’m fine. I’ve mostly healed. I frowned at the three of them. There was an undertow I didn’t understand. I appreciated Mae’s overprotectiveness, but I wasn’t a child.

Jeez. I was full-grown. More than a century and a half old, for shit’s sake. I ran a hand over my stubble. The several days of growth was itchy.

Grant frowned back at me, a look of concern underlying the frown. A shifter bite, certain shifter bites—those are altogether different from a regular wound, Kane. They can create issues. Just let her check.

I nodded.

Grant had said that I could stay in one of his cabins, and I could acquiesce to a little examination in exchange for that. Especially since I had to stay off the grid and lie low.

I felt guilty not telling Mae everything, but I pushed the guilt away. Sometimes knowledge could prove dangerous to others. It was best I just mind my own business, stay off the radar, let things settle, and then move on. I was a nomad anyway, with no interest in putting roots down. In spite of my nomadic ways, though, I didn’t want to bring trouble to these nice people who would give me a place to stay, if only for a while.

I inhaled deeply and my stomach roiled from hunger. The dinner they’d put together was tempting. I’d