Abby's Heart (Bryant Station Curves)

by Rachels, Rayne

  Abby looked at the river. I had to stop that evil thing from killing Skylar. She turned to Mother Bear. He is alive, right?

  Yes, he is alive.

  And he will live?

  It is possible, he will live, but if he does, it will not be much of a life.

  What do you mean? Abby’s eyes widened. I did not stop that evil thing in time, did I?

  You stopped it from immediately killing Skylar, but the beast mortally wounded the bear shifter. He is dying.

  You can save him.

  Mother Bear stared at Abby, but did not say anything.

  Abby felt hot tears roll down her cheeks. You have to save him. You can’t let him die.

  I cannot save him. There is one who can save his life, but it will come at a price.

  Abby blinked. We have to find this person.

  I already have.

  Where is he?

  I am looking at her.

  Me?

  Only you can save Skylar, but it will cost you, and it will cost Skylar.

  What will it cost me? Abby shook her head. You know what? Just forget I asked. Tell me what I need to do to save Skylar.

  Mother Bear studied Abby.

  Hello! We are wasting time.

  Look at the banks of the river. Mother Bear stretched out her arms.

  Abby wanted to resist, but the power in Mother Bear’s words would not let her. She looked at the banks. Where did they come from? Kodiak bears lined both sides of the banks.

  They are all my children—children, who are stuck here, because there was no one who could prevent the death of their human halves. Death is inevitable. Do you understand?

  Human doctors can handle minor things, but it takes a healer—a true shifter healer to heal shifters. Abby turned to look at the woman standing next to her. Movement behind the woman caught her eyes. Three Kodiak bears walked up to them. Two of the bears sat down. The third bear walked over to Abby, sat down, and stared at her.

  My bears have not had a true healer for a long time.

  Abby shook her head. I am not a healer. I am a structural engineer. I make old buildings stable and renovate them.

  You look at the past beauty, the current potential and bring life to what is considered lifeless. You are a healer. You have been healing the broken buildings, but you have more potential.

  The bear behind Abby moved closer. It pressed its shoulder up against her legs. Abby reached down and scratched its ears. If I accept this, I can go back and heal Skylar?

  Yes, but there is a price.

  Will Skylar be alive? Will there be any problems or side effects?

  Your mate will be alive and whole.

  Then let’s do this.

  Do you want to know what it will cost you? Mother Bear tilted her head.

  It does not matter what it costs, as long as Skylar is alive. That is all that matters. Abby knew she was dead, but if there was a chance to make sure Skylar lived, she was going to take it.

  As long as you realize there is a price for the gift that will save your mate’s life.

  I understand there is a price, but Skylar hast to live. I can’t let him die. He was just trying to protect me. Abby wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks. I love him too much to let him die.

  Mother Bear nodded her head. You will return as a healer, and not just to my bears. You will be able to heal Skylar. Let your instincts guide you.

  Thank you.

  Mother Bear shook her head. Do not thank me, because the price of saving your mate is your burden to carry, and like a sword, it has two sharp edges. Either side can and will kill you.

  Abby’s heat thudded against her chest. I’m not going to like this, she whispered.

  Mother Bear put her hand over Abby’s heart. You will remember, but your mate will have no memory of you.

  Abby paled. Skylar won’t remember me?

  No, he will not.

  Abby wrapped her arms around her waist. Her legs trembled. He won’t know who I am? He won’t know I am his mate?

  No.

  Is it the only way to save him?

  Yes.

  Abby cried. It wasn’t fair. She had just found him again. He will be alive and that is better than dead, she told herself. She let go of her waist and rubbed the tears away from her eyes. He will be alive?

  Yes.

  Please, just let Skylar have a good life. Abby swallowed. If I can’t be his mate, let him find a mate to love, and make sure she loves him back. He deserves to be happy and to have cubs. Abby thought her heart had been broken years ago, but at that moment; she knew her heart was being ripped out of her chest. Skylar was her mate, and he was lost to her.

  It is done. You are giving up your mate so he may live. You will never find another mate, but you will live with the knowledge that you mate is alive and has a good life with his new mate. While he goes on to have cubs, you will never know that joy. You will be alone, but your gift will benefit others.

  With each breath, the hole in Abby’s chest grew bigger. How was she going to survive this? Abby closed her eyes. For Skylar, she would survive this. “I love you, Skylar,” she whispered as her world turned black.

  Abby woke with a jerk. Pain radiated through her body. A moan escaped her lips.

  You have to wake up.

  Abby tried to move, but her arms wouldn’t cooperate. It’s not happening today. Abby tried again to move her arms. She managed to wiggle a finger.

  Our mate is dying.

  Skylar.

  We must help our mate.

  And who are you? Abby wondered if hearing voices in your head was something that happened just before you died.

  I am not a voice in your head and you are not dead. I am your bear.

  I don’t have a bear.

  You have me. I am your bear. I chose you. We must make sure our mate lives. Look inside and you will see why.

  Abby searched deep inside and found a small spark of energy. She grabbed it, and cradled it.

  You see it.

  I see it, whispered Abby. What is it?

  You know what it is. We have to help our mate. Our cub needs its sire.

  Our cub? I’m pregnant with Skylar’s cub. How? We only just—

  The bear snorted and shook its head. Do I have to explain to you how our mate gave us a cub?

  No! I know how it happened. I’m just surprised that I got pregnant so quick, and then there is the fact that we already know. It takes a couple of weeks at least, depending on what test you use. Abby wondered if her face actually turned as red as she thought it had.

  We are healers. We don’t need the tests humans use. We know these things.

  Abby frowned. Mother Bear said I wouldn’t have any children.

  She did not know you were pregnant.

  How could she not have known?

  The bear snorted. You are special. She could not see past her anger.

  Tears rolled down Abby’s cheeks. Our cub won’t ever know its father. Skylar won’t know he has a child. Abby felt the hole in her chest grow bigger. She forced her arms to move and pushed herself into a sitting position. She slowly turned her head to her left. “Skylar.”

  A few feet from her, Skylar laid on his side, with his back to her. He was no longer in his bear form. He was human again—a very naked human.

  Abby rolled to her knees. The intense pain threatened to send her back into the darkness. She swallowed several times and forced her body moving.

  “Skylar.” She touched his shoulder.

  A moan was his only response.

  Gently, Abby rolled him over to his back. She gasped.

  Deep claw marks cover his throat to his stomach. Some were so deep, she was sure she could put her hand inside his body and feel his organs. Abby put her hands over Skylar’s wounds, and then moved them away.

  You know what to do.

  He won’t remember me.

  But he will be alive.

  Abby sobbed. How are we going to survive?

&
nbsp; We are strong. We will protect our cub. Maybe he will remember us. If he does not, then we will have to make him remember. His bear will recognize its cub.

  Tears rolled down her face and fell onto Skylar’s skin. “I can do this. I have to do this.” Abby repeated the words over, and over to herself.

  Put your hands over his wounds.

  Abby nodded and put her hands over Skylar’s wounds. Nothing’s happening.

  Feel. Focus. You can do this. You can save our mate.

  Abby pushed through her emotions until she found a small spot of peaceful calm. She latched onto the calm, clinging to it as her emotions swirled around her. She closed her eyes.

  Her hands grew warm.

  Abby focused on the warmth and poured her energy and love into it.

  After what seemed like forever, Abby smiled, and collapsed next to Skylar. Her arms trembled. She couldn’t move them. All she could do was stare at Skylar. She hoped he could feel her love, and somehow remember.

  You did good.

  You are the bear that stood next to me on the bridge, aren’t you?

  I am.

  Why? Abby had to know.

  Which why do you want to know?

  Why me? Why this? Why let Skylar get me pregnant, and then force me to watch him sleep with other women because he doesn’t remember me?

  The bear chuffed, but it sounded more like a laugh to Abby. We have a mate. We have to make him remember.

  Can we do that—make him remember? Abby felt weak and tired.

  Mate’s bear will know us. His bear needs me as much as I need him. He is my other half, just as Skylar is your other half.

  Abby closed her eyes. It took too much energy to keep them open, even though she wanted to watch Skylar. You were here before.

  My mate and I were here before, but it was a long time ago for me. I had to wait for you. You are a healer, even though you do not think you are. You can focus our power.

  Abby tried to draw in a deep breath. Her efforts caused her to cough.

  We have our mate’s cub. Our mate will come back to us. Abby’s bear sounded confident.

  I hope you are right. I don’t know how I will survive without him again.

  For our cub, we will survive.

  The pain was gone.

  Skylar opened his eyes and blinked.

  Nothing hurt.

  It was odd, but he wasn’t sure why.

  He could have sworn he had been in pain—excruciating pain, yet he couldn’t even remember the cause of the pain. It was more like waking from a bad dream. The details were quickly fading away.

  Skylar ran his hand over his stomach. The pain had something to do with his stomach; at least he thought it did. “Where the hell are my clothes?” He suddenly sat up. His muscles protested the movement.

  Female smells good, grunted Skylar’s bear.

  What female? Skylar sniffed the air. He turned his head to his right. A beautify, curvy woman laid next to him. The metallic smell of blood hung heavily in the air.

  Skylar touched the woman’s shoulder. “Hey pretty lady, you need to wake up.”

  Abby moaned and blinked. “You made it. I was so worried you wouldn’t.”

  Skylar frowned. He didn’t know who she was, but it sounded like she knew him, or at least knew more about what was going on. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know who you are.” He watched sadness cross her face. “I’m supposed to know you, aren’t I?”

  Abby closed her eyes. A tear fell from the corner of her eye. His question hurt.

  Lady smells good. Smells like mate.

  We don’t have a mate.

  She smells like mate.

  Skylar sniffed again. The faint hint of honey and vanilla was in the air. He frowned. There was something familiar about it. He felt he should know that scent. It smelled delicious and it made his cock react.

  Want woman. She smells good. She smells like mate. His bear pushed against Skylar’s ribs.

  The metallic tang of blood grew stronger.

  Skylar moved his hand. It was covered with the woman’s blood. He knew she needed medical treatment, or she would die. There was too much blood. Skylar got up, aware of his lack of clothing, but concern over ruled modesty. “I need to see where you are injured, so I’m going to tear your shirt.”

  “My shoulder,” whispered Abby.

  “Your shoulder?”

  “Yes.”

  Skylar knelt down next to her. Her clothes were covered with soot and blood. “This may hurt.” He grabbed the edge of the collar of her t-shirt with both hands and tore the material to expose her shoulder. The movement caused the wound to bleed more. He ripped off the rest of the sleeve and pressed the cloth against the wound. “Who stabbed you?”

  Abby blinked. Skylar sounded so impersonal. “The demon.”

  “I’m assuming he took off with the knife?” He raised an eyebrow at the woman.

  Abby knew he didn’t believe her. “Don’t you smell the sulfur and brimstone?”

  “Yeah, but I thought it was part of the basement smells.”

  Abby shook her head. “The demon turned and attacked you. I pulled the knife out of my shoulder and stabbed the demon with it.”

  “Why would you do that?” Skylar stared at the woman. Her grey eyes were filled with sadness.

  “I couldn’t let it kill you.”

  “I don’t even know you. Why would you care if something was trying to kill me?”

  “Because you are special to me.” Abby couldn’t stop the tears. “Go. Find some clothes and get some help. I’ll be okay until help gets here.” She closed her eyes.

  Skylar put Abby’s right hand on the rag-covered wound. “Hold pressure here. I will be back with help as quick as I can.” He stood up and moved toward the light on the other side of the basement.

  Do not leave her.

  I have to go for help.

  We should take her with us.

  She wouldn’t want us touching her. She carries a mark on her shoulder. Skylar wasn’t happy about seeing the bite mark on the woman’s shoulder, but there was nothing he could do. Someone else had already claimed the curvy beauty.

  She smells like honey and vanilla. She smells like our mate.

  Skylar shook his head. She can’t be our mate. She already has a mark on her shoulder.

  Close your eyes and feel with your other senses. Honey and vanilla means she is our mate. The bear growled.

  Skylar gave his bear a mental shove. Go lay down somewhere while I get some help.

  Abby opened her eyes and watched her mate walk away from her. She wanted to scream and hit something—preferably him! Maybe that would make him remember.

  He will remember us.

  He didn’t even recognize his own bite mark.

  Her bear snorted. Males are stupid. They cannot see what is in front of them.

  Abby closed her eyes. I’m so tired.

  I will protect our cub, but you must fight to live for all of us.

  I know, said Abby as she slid into the darkness.

  Chapter 13

  “Billy, would you quit sniffing me?” Abby swatted Billy with the papers she was holding.

  “You hit my nose!”

  “Bad doggies get a newspaper across their noses.” Abby tried keeping her face as blank as possible, but the corners of her lips turned up.

  “And I thought we were friends.” Billy rubbed his nose.

  “I am, but you need to quit sniffing me. It is annoying, and just plain wrong. Besides, my bear doesn’t like it.” Abby put the papers into a folder. “Okay, I think I have everything I need.” She closed the file and put it into the leather messenger bag sitting on the table.

  “You broke my nose. You need to fix it.”

  Abby raised her eyebrows and looked at Billy. “You’re nose isn’t broken.”

  “But it hurts. Can you please, pretty please, make the pain go away?”

  Abby roll her eyes again. “There’s nothing wrong with your nose. Go pu
t some ice on it.”

  “But doesn’t that go against the Hippiecratical oath thingy.” Billy plastered a silly grin on his face.

  “Only doctors take that oath. I am not a doctor. I’m a healer.”

  “Even better, I don’t have to worry about using my insurance and having the premiums go up.”

  “You are so not funny.” Abby picked up the messenger bag and swung it over her shoulder. “While I’m gone, make sure they finish the trim and paint on the third floor. They need to open a couple of windows too. The fumes the other day were a little overpowering.”

  Billy snorted.

  “What?”

  “Do you realize who you’ve got painting?”

  Abby looked at Billy. “What are you getting at? Of course, I know who I’ve got painting.”

  “They’re wolves, honey.”

  “I know.”

  “Wolves have sensitive noses, and we use chemical free, odorless paints because of that fact.”

  Abby turned red. “If it wasn’t paint I smelt, what was it?”

  “Hank had burritos for lunch. He was kind of gassy afterwards.”

  “You’re joking.”

  Billy shook his head.

  Abby leaned against the table. “Great! Now my sense of smell is off the charts.” Her stomach made a loud rumbling noise, causing her to turn redder.

  “You’re hungry. Did you eat breakfast this morning?”

  “Yes, I ate breakfast.”

  Billy glanced at his watch. “Did you eat a midmorning snack?”

  Abby sighed. Since the pack found out about her pregnancy, her new abilities, and the situation between her and Skylar, they had become overly protective of her. It didn’t matter to the pack that she could now shift into a bear, but heaven help if a bear shifter got too close to her, especially if its last name happened to be Anderson.

  She was never alone, but she was lonely. She and her bear were thrilled with the life growing inside them, but they mourned the loss of their mate. Skylar and his bear should be here with her, taking care of her, and watching the changes in her body as their cub grew inside her. Instead, it was the pack rallying around her, and she was thankful for them, but they couldn’t hold and snuggle with her under the covers.

  When she woke up in the hospital with only her parents and Sheriff Todd Anderson in the room, she knew she had lost Skylar. He had made sure she had gotten to the hospital, but he hadn’t come back by to check on her. Her suitcase and other belongings appeared in her hospital room a couple of days before she the hospital released her, but she didn’t even know who brought them to her room. She was sure it wasn’t Skylar. From what she overheard, Skylar had picked up with his life and gone on without her.