Alpha Omega 02 - Hunting Ground

Mercy.”
    â€” Romantic Times
    Â 
    MOON CALLED
    â€œPlenty of twists and turns . . . It left me wanting more.”
    â€”Kim Harrison, New York Times bestselling author of
White Witch, Black Curse
    Â 
    â€œPatricia Briggs weaves her magic on every page.”
    â€”Lynn Viehl, New York Times bestselling author of
the Darkyn series
    Â 
    â€œWill have you on the edge of your seat.”
    â€” Romance Junkies
    Â 
    â€œInventive and fast paced . . . entertaining from start to end.”
    â€” Fantasy & Science Fiction
    Â 
    â€œA thoroughly entertaining read.”
    â€” Monsters and Critics
    Â 
    â€œMercy’s a compelling protagonist.”
    â€” Romantic Times
    Â 
    â€œAn exciting new entry in the field of dark urban fantasy.”
    â€” Rambles.net

Titles by Patricia Briggs
    The Mercy Thompson Novels
    Â 
    MOON CALLED
BLOOD BOUND
IRON KISSED
BONE CROSSED
    Â 
    The Alpha and Omega Novels
    Â 
    ON THE PROWL
(with Eileen Wilks, Karen Chance, and Sunny)
CRY WOLF
HUNTING GROUND
    Â 
    MASQUES
STEAL THE DRAGON
WHEN DEMONS WALK
    Â 
    THE HOB’S BARGAIN
    Â 
    DRAGON BONES
DRAGON BLOOD
    Â 
    RAVEN’S SHADOW
RAVEN’S STRIKE



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    This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
    HUNTING GROUND
An Ace Book / published by arrangement with Hurog, Inc.
PRINTING HISTORY
Ace mass-market edition / September 2009
    Copyright © 2009 by Hurog, Inc.
    All rights reserved.
    No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
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    eISBN : 978-1-101-13348-4
    ACE
Ace Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
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ACE and the “A” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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Boo. To my home team,
who puts up with “get your own meals,”
frozen pizza, and glop so I can get the book done.
    Â 
    Love you all:
Michael, Collin, Amanda, and Jordan.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
    Thanks to the daring young men and their flying machines, for letting us pick their brains: Clif Dyer of Sundance Aviation, and John Haakenson, director of airports and operations at the Port of Benton.
    And to the usual suspects who read it when it’s bad so you don’t have to: Collin Briggs, Michael Briggs, Dave and Kath arine Carson, Michael Enzweiler (who also does a terrific job on the maps), Debbie Hill, Jean Matteucci, Anne Peters, Kaye and Kyle Roberson, and Anne Sowards.
    And a very big thank-you to Cthulhu Bob Lovely for “Run ning Eagle.” I’m sure Charles will forgive us eventually.



ONE

    SHE observed him from her chosen cover, as she’d done twice before. The first two times he’d been chopping wood, but today, after a heavy snowfall appropriate for the middle of December, he was