Full Moon by Rachel Hawthorne (best biographies to read .txt) 📕

that we’d been through, this moment seemed as though it should be bigger; after all, it was going to change everything, not only for us but for all Shifters. I held his brown gaze, a gaze that was at once warm and tender, but also determined and unafraid. It touched me deeply; it gave me courage.

“Be careful,” I whispered.

“Always. And remember, you save yourself first.”

I nodded, even though I wasn’t certain it was a promise I was prepared to keep. How could he expect me to put myself before my friends? I mean, what kind of friend would that make me? Besides, I wasn’t the one planning to serve myself up as bait for two Rottweilers with powerful jaws that could crush cement.

Rafe started to move away again, but his gaze dropped to my lips. “Ah, hell, I can only be so good.”

He pulled me into his arms and kissed me. His lips were very much like his gaze: warm and tender, yet determined and oh-so-passionate. I couldn’t help but wonder if, like me, he was fearful that we might never have another opportunity for this, so he wanted to make the most of it. He cradled my face between his hands, tilting my head slightly upward and deepening the kiss, until my toes, my fingers, my entire body simply wanted to curl into itself and savor every aspect of this moment.

All too quickly it was over, and he was dashing into the brush before I could plead with him to come up with another plan. I touched my fingers to my tingling lips.

A couple of minutes later, I saw the moonlight glinting off his fur as he slipped away to the far side of the camp, where one of the guards and a dog were headed. The other guard was on his way back to my end of the camp, where the prisoners were secured.

Suddenly, at precisely the same time, both dogs stilled and lifted their heads. Their ears flattened, and I heard their ominous growls. I knew a Rottweiler could move fast. I could only hope that Rafe could move even more quickly. They’d tear him up if they got their teeth into him.

All of a sudden both dogs took off running, barking, growling, pulling their handlers along with them. The guards finally released the leashes and just followed as best as they could. I darted out from my hiding place. Kayla saw me first, and her smile was so bright that it seemed as though she was simply welcoming me to a sleep-over.

“Jesus, Lindsey, are you insane?” Connor asked, bringing me back to reality.

Ignoring his ungrateful greeting—and knowing it was fear for me that prompted it—I was at the tree, sawing through the ropes that held Kayla before the guards were even beyond the camp.

“Hurry,” Lucas said, and I heard in his voice how anxious he was to get into the thick of the battle.

“I’m trying.”

As soon as I had Kayla free, I started on Lucas’s bindings.

A light came on in the tent.

“I got Connor,” Lucas said as soon as he was free. He took the knife from me. “Get out of here.”

“Connor, meet me at Rafe’s bike,” I ordered before rushing toward where it was stashed. I knew I would be the slowest of all of us.

Kayla took my hand and we started running, our very lives depending on our speed.

“Hey! They’re escaping!” I heard Mason shout. “Damn it! People! Get up, get after them!”

I didn’t know if the guys would shift and take care of them or just use their fists, I had to trust that whatever they decided, they would succeed. Although I was the most vulnerable, I had a strong urge to turn back around, face them, and fight.

“Can you drive the bike if Connor doesn’t get there?” Kayla asked, her breaths coming in short bursts.

“Yes, but I don’t want to take off unless I know everyone is safe. I don’t think we’ll get another chance at escape.”

“I can’t believe we got this one. You’re awesome.”

I heard the rapid pounding of footsteps. Glancing back, I saw that it was Connor and Lucas—so it seemed we Shifters weren’t always quiet, not when our lives were in danger and we had to get away fast.

“The bike’s over here,” I shouted and headed for some brush.

“I’ll take care of Lindsey,” Connor said, coming up beside me to grab the bike and straddle it.

“Kayla and I are out of here,” Lucas said, turning to go even as he spoke.

“Get on,” Connor ordered as he turned the bike on and revved the throttle.

I straddled the seat and wrapped my arms around him. “What about Mason—”

“Left him and his buddies knocked out.”

Knocked out. Not dead. I hoped that decision wouldn’t come back to haunt us—although killing someone brought its own haunting effect.

With a roar of the engine, we took off, slicing through the forest. Suddenly there was a low growl, and one of the Rottweilers seemed to come out of nowhere. It leaped up and bit into my thigh. I screamed. Connor quickly veered, knocking the dog against a tree.

“You okay?” he asked, never reducing speed.

“Yes.” But then I was aware of a distant explosion like gunfire. I felt a burning pain rip through my shoulder, and I clung more tightly to Connor.

I heard him curse and felt a sticky warmth seeping into my clothes.

“Hang on, Lindsey,” I heard him yell, although the words seemed to come to me through water or some sort of barrier. “Stay awake! Stay alert!”

How did he know that I wanted to go to sleep? Oh yeah, he can read my mind. No, he can’t. Rafe can.

“Stay with me, Lindsey!”

I wanted to. I really did. But my shoulder was on fire and my thigh ached. I wanted the agony to go away. Something seemed wrong about going to sleep, though—and then I realized that if I succumbed to the darkness hovering at the edge of my vision, I might tumble off the bike.

Yes, that’s