Twelfth Moon (Legend of the Pantera #1)

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?