Moons forbidden claim

g felt like it was about to scratch my eyes out. I glared at the temperamental beast that had been

ing the machine's chrome side an e

ng in with her usual Tuesday morning scowl. At seventythree, she had perfected the art of look

mug the one with the chipped handle that she claimed was the only on

the caffeine to deal with it." She settled onto her favorite stool at t

o. The rich, dark liquid flowed like liquid gold, and for a moment, everything felt right in my s

"Flattery won't get you

oss the weathered wooden counter.

to appreciate the few constants in life. This little coffee shop, inherited from my foster mother who'd taken pity on an eighteen-year-old aging o

udying my face with the intensity of a detect

ests bathed in moonlight, of running through trees with inhuman speed, of amber eyes that seemed to see straight into my sou

forcing a casual shrug. "Probably too

y explanation, but before she could probe further, the bell

hat seemed to fill the entire space. Dark hair, sharp jawline, and eyes the color of whiskey caught in sunlight. He wore an expens

ding came alive, like someone had plugged me into an electrical socket. The air itself

re settling on me, and when our eye

at

s, or any of that romantic nonsense. I was practical, cynical, the kind of person who rolled her eyes at fairy t

low rumble that seemed to resonate in

did I feel like he'd just asked me to

ged, proud that my voice

I prepared his order, and I silently cursed my body's ridiculous reaction. So what if he was attractive? Port

rough my internal panic. She'd apparently decided to insert her

tention never wavered from me. I could feel his gaze

erson pressed, clearly enjoying h

ed that was all the informat

counter. Our fingers brushed as he reached for it, and the c

r a moment, we stared at each other in stunned silence,

ty," I whispered, my

ounter without breaking eye

r a cup of coffee," I protested, rea

his time, the contact was deliberate, and the electr

ng across my knuckles in a gesture that felt far

forgetting every lesson about s

he was testing how it felt

we had an audience. The stranger whose name I still didn't know r

d something about the way he said it made it

behind a twentydollar bill and a coffee shop that sudden

her voice dripping with amuse

still tingling from his touc

hout hesitation. "The kind

d Maya burst through the door, her black h

said urgently, then noticed

her purse and coffee. "I'll see you tomo

lipped the sign to closed, despite the fac

what th

r voice deadly serious. "Big ones. Dangerous ones.

ine. Maya was dramatic on her best days

es? Because I'm pretty sure we don

nds through her hair. "Werewolves, Lyra. Shap

and disbelieving. "Maya, I know you

a w

ited for her to say she was kidding. When she

ay

ut something's happening, Lyra. Something big. And I think" She paused, her gaze

ft a ridiculous tip." I tried to keep my

e look like

ing as Maya's face gre

a, that wasn't just some guy.

ing to me, but clea

oast, maybe in all of North America." Maya began pacing, her movements sharp and

t sure if I was more frightened by her words or

fee shop, it means he's found what he's been looking for." Maya stopped pac

the same word that had whispered thr

nviction. "I'm human, Maya. I don't even believ

different, Lyra. Stronger, faster, more intuitive than you should be.

told anyone about the

did

u hidden. But if he's found you..." She shook her head. "My magic isn't strong eno

embering the electricity when he'd touched me, the way my body had resp

aid grimly. "And now we need to figure

lear skies, and I had the strangest feeling that my quiet, p