When the Moon Shines (Six Shooter and a Shifter Book 1) Read online

  When the Moon Shines

  BOOK ONE IN THE SIX SHOOTER AND A SHIFTER SERIES

  LUCÍA ASHTA

  When the Moon Shines

  Book One in the Six Shooter and a Shifter series

  Copyright © 2022 by Lucía Ashta

  www.LuciaAshta.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, places, or events is purely coincidental.

  Cover design by Mirela Barbu

  Editing by Ocean’s Edge Editing

  Proofreading by Geesey Editorial Services

  About When the Moon Shines

  Welcome to Traitor’s Den. I hope you like it here, because there’s no leaving the small western town that’s more theme park than authentic. Once you walk through the portal, you’re stuck as a boot heel in a half foot of mud.

  I’ve never seen the outside world and I don’t care. The cannon-toting, trigger-happy residents here are like family, even if most of them are a few spoons short of a full set. Eventually, everyone grows on you, kinda like nail fungus. But the booze flows freely, and Tiger keeps me company. He’s as much a prisoner as I am.

  I don’t figure there’s much point in wanting what you can never have. I’ll eventually accept one of my boyfriend’s marriage proposals and then keep policing the one-way town while I pop out the babies he wants. I was born knowing how to make chicken salad out of chicken shit.

  At least I won’t be bored. Denners aren’t fans of following the rules, and the longer they’re in town, the worse they behave, thanks to the spell that keeps us all trapped here.

  Just when I think I’ve made my peace with my lot, the portal pops open and two men shoot through, throwing punches before their feet even finish landing in my town. When they finally look at me, all I see is problems. Big, ginormous, entirely-too-handsome problems. And that’s before I even take into account the little “surprise” they brought through with them.

  No one’s ever looked at me the way they do.

  They aren’t the kind of men who back down after claiming something.

  Or someone...

  Did I say I had my life in Traitor’s Den all figured out? Hell, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

  * A sexy fantasy western with growly shifters, sketchy vamps, peculiar mages and creatures, and one badass cowgirl sheriff. Within this small town, magic and gossip flow as freely as whiskey, and work and pleasure are nearly the same thing. Weird things happen on the regular in Traitor's Den. Come and join the quirky family, where everyone's packing. Oh, and don't mind the tiger.

  For the unexpected twists and turns that make life such a thrilling surprise. Sometimes it turns out best when we don’t get what we think we want.

  ♥

  And for my daughters and beloved. Always.

  You make every day so much better.

  A good horse is more important than a good man, but if you can have both, do that.

  LORETTA MAYBELLE RAY, SHERIFF OF TRAITOR’S DEN

  Contents

  1. Keep Your Cock Problems to Yourself

  2. Motherflapping Flashers and Other Rules to Break

  3. You Need Something Stronger Than a Good Roll in the Hay

  4. Uncle Tucker’s Western Theme Park Calls for Moonshine

  5. Size Doesn’t Matter, or You Get Dynamited

  6. Bigger, Bulgier Problems Make for a Doozy

  7. Rhett’s Goods Are a Big Concern

  8. Strawberry Shortcake Trumps a Handlebar Mustache

  9. Mind Where You Stick Your Hands and Other Pertinent Warnings

  10. I’ll Be Good and Other Lies

  11. Everything Burns with Devilish Grins

  12. Not Even Dragons Poop Gold Nuggets

  13. Hear Tiger Roar

  14. I’mOkayReallyIAm, AKA Wishful Thinking

  15. Double Trouble

  16. When Bad Turns Worse

  17. Dragon Shifters Perform

  18. The Heart of Traitor’s Den

  19. Save-Our-Fine-Sheriff Mission

  20. From Embers to Ashes

  Read the Next Book

  Sneak Peek of When the Sun Burns

  Also by Lucía Ashta

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  CHAPTER 1

  Keep Your Cock Problems to Yourself

  Without waiting for me to catch up, Tiger ducked under the swinging doors of the saloon, whined when his fur caught, then settled on the floor next to my usual table in the back.

  I scowled at him over the doors while removing the tuft of orange fur. Pocketing the puffy strands so Sharmayne wouldn’t holler at me for dirtying her floor, I pushed through and crossed the room to pull out the chair next to Tiger’s sizable bulk.

  “Howdy there, Loretta,” Sharmayne called, already sashaying in my direction. “Saw Tiger come in, knew you’d be right behind the good for nothin’. Isn’t that right, boy?”

  Sharmayne was voluptuous, bordering on voluminous, but her ample curves were in all the right places, straining the integrity of her patterned dress. She crouched next to Tiger, scratching behind his ears while she slid a bowl of water in front of him.

  He began to lap it up, making both too much noise and too much mess, splashing water onto the floor’s worn wooden planks.

  “Now that’s a good boy,” Sharmayne cooed, even though Tiger hadn’t done anything particularly good. If I were the one to slop water all over her floor, I’d be hearing about it from now till next Sunday.

  “You do remember he’s not a boy, but a shifter man trapped in his tiger form, right?” I asked, though this certainly wasn’t news.

  “Such a good boy,” she went on, giving him a full head rub, all while ignoring me.

  I’d take offense if not for the fact that Sharmayne liked animals more than she liked most people.

  “Just making sure,” I muttered, pushing out the chair next to me and kicking up my dusty boots … which put them at eye level for Sharmayne.

  She squinted at my shoes and started to rise to her full height, which wouldn’t have been particularly impressive if not for the fact that I was sitting and now peering up at her. “Loretta Maybelle Ray…”

  I sighed loudly and obnoxiously. Nothing good ever followed the use of my full name.

  “I know you don’t go puttin’ your feet up on your momma’s furniture when you’re in her house. Collette would tan your hide.”

  While a blatant exaggeration since my momma did as much doting as she did scolding, Sharmayne did have a point.

  Another sigh. “Stop busting my balls, Shar. It’s been a long day and I just want to kick back with one of your amazing drinks. You know how much I love them.”

  Sharmayne tsked at me, but I could tell my compliment had done its job. She pulled a rag from her dainty apron and wiped down the already clean table.

  “If I was to be bustin’ your lady balls, Loretta, you’d know it. Trust me on that.”

  I definitely did. Sharmayne’s talent for ball busting was well known all across town, which, given the size of the place, wasn’t saying all that much.

  Even so, the small town was all I’d ever known. All I’d ever know, unless Uncle Tucker decided to show up to let us all out already.

  Sharmayne straightened. “The usual, honey?”

  See? Compliments always pay off…

  “Yes, ma’am. Thank you kindly.”

  Giving me an approving nod, Sharmayne bustled back to her bar.

  “You don’t help things by being so friendly,” I mumbled to Tiger, who continued to lap up water in the most obnoxious way possible.

  I registered what I said and chuckled to find myself talking to my constant animal companion—yet again—drawing looks from the handful of other patrons in Sharmayne’s Den. The sun was still up, so the establishment was mostly empty. It’d be hopping in a few hours.

  I felt Sharmayne returning before I saw her crossing the room back toward me. The heat of her stare on my boots reached through the beat-up leather to tingle the skin of my feet.

  Rolling my eyes in a way she wouldn’t see, I plastered a smile on my face and swung my legs down off the chair a moment before she slid a Moon Mixer across the smooth table at me.

  I caught it, holding the mug of swirling, milky white liquid in both hands, enjoying the cold of it against my palms.

  “Mmm-mmm.” This time, I wasn’t even trying to blow smoke up her skirt. “I’ve been dreaming of having one of these since Leroy and Ollie walked into my office.”

  Sharmayne frowned and shook her head, her chignon holding strong; not a single strand of her brown hair tumbled loose. It wouldn’t dare.

  “Those men only got one oar in the water between the two of ‘em. What were they goin’ on about this time?”

  “Oh, apparently Leroy’s rooster keeps escaping his pen to harass Ollie’s hens. Ollie’s complaining that the cock’s causing fights among the ladies since they all want to have at him first.” I snickered at the memory of having to keep a straight face while the neighbors yelled at each other, saying cock this and cock that.

  “And the fools can’t figure that one out on their own without in
volving the sheriff? Don’t they realize you got better things to do?” Again, Sharmayne shook her head. “They could throw themselves at the ground and still miss.”

  “Tell me about it.” I held up a finger and thumb, almost touching. “I’m this close to ordering them to move away from each other. That’s why I’ve been sorely needing one of these.” I lifted my Moon Mixer in front of my face.

  Sharmayne patted the table. “Sounds like you’ve earned it good and well. Enjoy, honey, and let me know when you’re ready for another.”

  Smiling my thanks, I pulled in my first sip slowly, savoring the sweetly tart taste. I’d never bothered to ask exactly what was in it. Sharmayne liked to keep her secrets, and I liked to keep on good terms with her. She ran the only reputable saloon in town and wielded her power to ban any patrons like a lethal weapon. No one wanted to be forbidden from hanging out in the most popular joint around.

  The Moon Mixer tasted like candy, got me tipsy—or drunk when I overindulged—and was mesmerizing to watch. Smoky tendrils of white that mimicked moonlight swam around the glass until the last drop was drained.

  A witch with low-grade powers, Sharmayne went for show, adding a small spell to her entire list of drinks. Her liquid offerings were so spectacular that no one ever complained about how poor the food was.

  With Sharmayne busying herself once more behind the bar, I surreptitiously kicked my legs back up, slumped in my chair, and nursed my drink. I was usually on duty until sundown, but as sheriff I was giving myself the authority to call it a day. The mayor was unlikely to notice, since he spent most of his workday bent over a golf club—or a woman who wasn’t his wife.

  Besides, anyone would need a stiff drink after dealing with Leroy and Ollie for the full hour I had. They’d been coming to see me with equally frivolous complaints nearly twice a month. Something had to give.

  Placing my Stetson on the table, I shook out my dark hair, letting my scalp breathe. The day was hot, though not scorching. Those days would come soon enough though.

  Without wanting to, my thoughts wandered back to the two men who used to be best friends before they had a bitter falling out over a woman. The story was a lasting theme around these parts. Neither Leroy nor Ollie ended up with Letitia, but their rivalry endured, making their neighboring homesteads sworn enemies.

  Maybe I could convince one of the mages in town to do a spell on them? The residents frowned upon using magic on each other, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Not many folks around these parts were sticklers for the rules. If one of the witches or wizards gave me a good deal on their services, I was going to consider it. Mayor Reginald Roone would think twice before admonishing me, especially when I knew his secrets. Everyone in town seemed to know about his adultery—all but his wife.

  She, Magnolia Roone, was as sweet as my drink, and I’d come perilously close to warning her about her husband’s true nature more times than I could count. But there was no escaping our small town, and I had to work with her husband. In theory, he was my boss, even if he didn’t act like it. With regret, I’d kept my mouth shut every time, hoping someone else would alert the kind woman to the weasel who shared her bed.

  I took another sip of my drink and studied the saloon. Buster Brane, whose name didn’t reference his level of moderate intelligence, was sporting droopy eyelids and a number of empty mugs on his table. Since he’d caught his wife cheating on him—with the mayor—he’d become a day drinker.

  If I hadn’t had such an annoying day already, I would’ve joined him. Tried to pep him up a little. He was a nice enough guy when he wasn’t crying into his drink.

  Next was Henrietta Hammer. She was an odd one to find here while it was still light out…

  After convincing myself that my job entailed keeping tabs on all the residents, whether I was on duty or not, I was halfway out of my seat to go speak with her when the bell rang.

  And not just any bell, the bell.

  “Aw, hot damn. This day just keeps getting better and bloody better.” I downed half my drink without a look of appreciation at the mesmerizing moonlight inside my mug.

  “Don’t ya hear that, Loretta?” Sharmayne called from across the saloon—as if there were a chance in blazing hell I could miss the clanging; it was loud enough to rouse the newly dead. Thankfully, so far we’d only had two residents die, and none had walked out of their graves yet. Given the varied citizenry of Traitor’s Den, there was no telling what might happen with enough time, however.

  “Loretta…” Sharmayne repeated.

  “Yeah, yeah. I hear it all right.” I drained the rest of my drink. What a shame to have to hurry it up, but I wasn’t about to waste a drop, if for no other reason than I might offend Sharmayne. We regulars of her saloon directed an unreasonable amount of thought to making sure we didn’t upset the matron, who was loose with the alcohol—and her snap judgments.

  When I dragged my chair back along the floor as if it were leaden, Tiger looked up at me, big ears perked. Everything about him was large.

  “Sorry, buddy. But we gotta go.”

  He whimpered.

  “I know. I’m feeling ya hard right now, but you know how it is. I’m the sheriff. I put my life on the line for the good people of Traitor’s Den every single day.”

  Tiger was polite enough to ignore my double set of exaggerations. Despite its rowdy and varied population, my life had never been truly in danger.

  I didn’t go anywhere without my matching set of six shooters and I wasn’t afraid to use them when people got to misbehaving. One was loaded with regular bullets, the other with silver.

  The residents of Traitor’s Den weren’t all good. Some were fair to poor on the quality-people meter. But they were damn entertaining after a few Moon Mixers, I’d give them that.

  With Tiger at my side and my hat back on my head where it belonged, I was almost at the swinging doors when they snapped open inward, slamming against both sides of the wall from the force.

  “Dammit, Hank Henry,” Sharmayne snarled. “How many times do I gotta tell you to take it easy on my doors? You break ‘em, I’m gonna make ya fix ‘em, ya hear me?”

  “Loud and clear, ma’am,” Hank Henry said, because Hank was smart enough to know when to back down from an enraged saloon owner. But his gaze zeroed in on me immediately after.

  “Ya’d better hurry. Two guys just came through the portal and they’re fightin’ up a storm.”

  I rushed out, knowing that Sharmayne would add my Moon Mixer to my tab like she always did. Buster, Henrietta, and the last two patrons of the bar ran out behind me.

  We hadn’t had a newcomer in nearly a year, so long that I worried the pocket portal might have closed entirely from the other side. And we’d never had anyone come through fighting. The whole town was going to turn out for the show.

  The portal was at the far edge of town, so I ran for my horse, who waited for me just outside. Jolene was a stunning Appaloosa with lots of brown spots, a caramel-colored mane, a large white patch across her face, and bright blue eyes. Without using the stirrups, I grabbed on to the horn of the saddle, pushed off the ball of my left foot, and leapt into the seat.

  “How long ago’d they come through?” I asked Hank, wrapping my fingers around the reins, itching to take off.

  “Maybe five minutes ago? Maybe more. I only just heard the relay signal and ran to ring the bell. Then I came to find you.”

  Without another word to him or anyone, I clicked my tongue at Jolene, and the mare charged forward, Tiger at our side.

  CHAPTER 2

  Motherflapping Flashers and Other Rules to Break

  The stampeding hooves of other horses thundered behind us, but I didn’t turn to look. Neither did Tiger. There weren’t many options when it came to who might be following us, and we knew them all by name.