Twelfth Moon

Cadence LaPorte is about to be hanged. For weeks, U.S. Marshal, Jonah Kincaid, has been hot on her trail for the murder of his brother. His pursuit ends in a dusty Texas town at the scene of a lynching - namely, Cadence's. Since revenge is at the top of his list, he saves her from death-by-hanging - for now. Except Jonah thinks he's been tracking a young boy. And Cadence has this itsy-bitsy little problem: The women in her family are shape-shifting panthers, and once a year they're compelled to mate with any male who happens to be in the vicinity - and become bound to him for life. Jonah Kincaid is the last man on earth Cadence would wish to bind herself to. If she doesn't find a way to escape him soon, she'll be mauling the infuriating (handsome) U.S. Marshal - but as a woman, not as the panther. Jonah is determined to take his prisoner back to New Orleans for a quick trial and a proper hanging. But the kid doesn't seem to possess the size and strength to overcome, let alone kill, a man much larger than he was. After one escape attempt and one erotic dream that ends with Jonah's elbow jammed in Cadence's chest, they arrive in San Antonio. Jonah gets a room, orders a bath, and plies her with whiskey, determined to make a 'man' out of her. Her mind made fuzzy by the liquor, Cadence can't seem to remember the significance of why she should protest the bath. She kisses him. Caught off-guard, Jonah pushes her into the tub and she hits her head on the way down, rendering her unconscious. Then he discovers she's a woman. Shock over his discovery turns into something dark and hungry. Temptation rises within Jonah - sudden, inexplicable, and uncontrollable. But the painful memory of a past experience with a woman makes him uneasy and distrustful of his own judgment where Cadence is concerned. On their journey from Texas to New Orleans, Jonah and Cadence meet a trio of Apache warriors from the spirit world, Cadence's secret is revealed, and Jonah is faced with a life-altering event. Despite the obstacles thrown in their path, can two imperfect people find perfect true love?