Katlyn (M/F/M red-hot menage shifter romance) Standalone (Shadow Creek Shifters Book 1) by Madison Johns Page A

to ask a few more questions. “What about Robert’s mother, Annabelle? One of the children mentioned that she was on the committee. Is that the Rancher’s Committee?”
    Brendan sighed, leaning back against the desk. “No. We formed a shifter committee a few years back and she’s a mediator for shifter troubles. As you can imagine, troubles between different types of shifters should be expected, but luckily most have been resolved. The biggest danger here is the death of livestock from neighboring ranches. This morning our neighbor, Jonathan O’Reilly, called, asking about a few lost sheep. He followed the blood trail onto our property.”
    “Is he supposed to do that?”
    “No. He’s supposed to take it up with the Rancher’s Committee. He didn’t care for my thoughts on his trespassing or me asking him if he was responsible for damaging our fences. If he was responsible for that, he caused his own problems.”
    Katlyn straightened the desks and wanted to broach the subject of Tessa, but wasn’t sure how. “I really need to speak to Paige privately today. Can you make that happen?”
    Brendan turned Katlyn to face him. “I don’t think that’s wise after last night.”
    “You mean when she injured Tessa?”
    “What did Tessa tell you exactly?”
    “She doesn’t remember anything about last night.”
    “Then there’s nothing to talk about.” Brendan strode away and Katlyn was left to think her dark thoughts. If he wouldn’t set up a meeting with Paige, she’d seek her out herself.
     

Chapter Nine
    Katlyn didn’t go to dinner that night, but instead strode to the main house after she knew Brendan and Chase were gone on horseback. Tessa had been quite ill for the entire night, and she couldn’t even keep down soup broth.
    When she went around to the front door, Katlyn tried the doorknob and walked in without knocking. It was quiet except for the crackling from the fireplace. Paige wasn’t in the room, and Katlyn slowly made her way up the long hallway, passing through the dining room and entering the kitchen when she heard a strange noise.
    Paige was in the kitchen, hunched over a bloody animal leg and it took no longer than a few moments to realize it was a sheep from the wooly appearance of the fur that rested at her feet. Nausea overtook Katlyn and she gasped, backing up as Paige sucked the blood from the animal’s leg.
    Paige looked up and leveled her eyes at Katlyn. Her eyes moved back to the leg of the sheep, and she quietly said, “This isn’t really a good time, Katlyn.” She straightened, tossing the leg into the sink and wiping the blood from her mouth with the linen napkin in her hand.
    “I-I— Wh-What are y-you?”
    “I-I—” she began, approaching Katlyn who ran out the door.
    Katlyn dodged through the dining room, unsettling the chairs and knocking them to the floor. Before she made it to the front door, Paige whizzed past her, barring her way.
    “Please, wait. I really wanted to tell you how sorry I am about what happened with Tessa.”
    “Why did you bite Tessa last night?”
    “I didn’t mean to, but I guess we were both a little drunk. Usually I can resist the temptation, but you see, I was really drawn to Tessa and I couldn’t control myself.”
    “Like sexually?”
    “Well, yes. Why is that a surprise to you?”
    “I-I don’t know, but Tessa isn’t like that,” Katlyn insisted.
    “I’m sure she’s not, but we did kiss and believe me, Tessa wasn’t resisting what happened between us.”
    “What are you saying? What really happened?”
    Paige took a deep breath. “Just what I said. We were kissing and the next thing I knew I was biting her neck. I never meant to, but when she began bleeding, I did everything in my power to stop it, I swear.”
    “What are you?” Katlyn asked, her back still firmly against the wall.
    “I’m a vampire and I only feed on animals most of the time. This is not something that normally happens.” She sat down on the sofa,