“I know a few shifters around the city. Real independent type guys. A couple of them might be able to point us in the right direction tomorrow morning. I'm hoping they can help.”
Cheryl nodded her head. “I'm sure they can. I just wish there was something else I could do to help us find them. But let's worry about that in the morning. Do you want a beer?”
Another smile from Derrick. “I would love one.”
Cheryl went into the kitchen, searching through her fridge to find a bottle buried in the back. She poured herself a small glass of wine and went back into the living room. She moved past her old spot on the couch, instead deciding upon the cushion closest to Derrick. For a second, he seemed guarded, but then he smiled as she curled up next to him, handing him the beer.
“I'm nervous, Cheryl. I don't know if I'm good enough for you,” Derrick said, holding out a shaky hand. “I don't know if I'm good enough to save my brother. I don't have any real experience with this type of stuff. Whenever someone needed protection, or there was a dangerous job, whoever needed help always went to my brother. I was the guy that stayed back at headquarters and worked the bar. This is all new territory for me.”
“I still believe in you,” she replied, snuggling up closer. “I haven't known you for long, but I can tell that your brother has nothing to worry about. You're smart, you're strong, and you're brave. You're going to find your brother and if they really didn't respect you before, they will now. And I'm falling for you.”
“You shouldn't.”
“Let me make up my own mind.”
“Do you really think we can rescue them?” he asked.
“I do. Plus, I can't wait to see the look on Beth's face when we show up. I bet she thinks I've turned tail and ran.”
“Sounds like everyone's in for a surprise when we rescue them.”
Cheryl leaned into Derrick, resting her head on his shoulder, relieved that he didn't pull away. Despite everything going on, being this close to Derrick just felt right. She wondered if things would have went this way if the others hadn't been kidnapped by Ramsey and his shifters, but that train of thought was cut off when Derrick bent down, closing his eyes. Cheryl closed hers, feeling his warm lips pressing against hers. Warmth flooded her body, starting from her lips down to her toes. With one blind hand, she put the wine glass on the table. Immediately after releasing it, she heard it slip off the edge, wine splashing across the carpet, but she couldn't bring herself to break their kiss.
Derrick took her head in his large hands, pulling her close, his fingers dancing through her hair. She wrapped her arms around his large, barrel shaped chest, one hand running underneath his shirt, his toned chest smooth under her hand.
Derrick's tongue pushed through her lips, dancing across her teeth for the briefest of seconds, then pushing gently against her own tongue. She wrapped her lips around it, sucking it deep into her mouth. Cheryl swung a leg over Derrick's lap, straddling him. His hands grabbed her by her ass, squeezing.
The shifter's large hands grabbed her shirt, starting to pull it over her head, when a knock came at the door. A knock? Cheryl wondered. She couldn't think of anyone who would be knocking on her door this late at night, and she didn't think it would be like Ramsey to knock before barging in.
Cheryl felt herself being thrown off of Derrick in a split second. She landed softly, watching him peel his shirt over his head and discard it. He started to unbutton his pants as he strode to the door, then he turned around, as if to ask Who is it? Cheryl shrugged her shoulders. No idea. Derrick dropped his pants, standing behind the door and shifting. In a few seconds, Cheryl was sharing the space of her small living room with a fully grown bear.
Derrick hid behind the door as best his large bulk would allow. Cheryl took a few deep breaths, steeling herself for what was to come. She didn't think it was Ramsey's men, but she couldn't be sure. One more deep breath and she reached out, turning the lock and then the doorknob. The door swung open…
Cheryl could see Derrick tense up, but a smile broke out on her face and she jumped forward, wrapping her arms around the man outside. She broke the hug and ushered him inside.
The man gave a jump at seeing Derrick behind the door, his huge form standing up on his two hind legs. Derrick didn't move to attack. Cheryl held out a hand, indicating the man. “Derrick, this is Jeff Kastner. My boss. Jeff, this is Derrick.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Kastner said, and he seemed genuine when he said it. Cheryl rushed around, picking up Derrick's clothes. Kastner turned around as Derrick shifted back into his human form and pulled his clothes back on. “I'm so glad you're okay, Cheryl.”
“What's going on? Please, sit,” she said, angling him towards the couch where only seconds ago, her and Derrick had almost done some things that she'd been wanting to do since she'd met him. She blushed. If Kastner noticed, he didn't say anything.
“I've got some bad news, but I'm sure you already know more than I do,” the lawyer said, pulling out a piece of paper. “I found this left at my office earlier tonight. I don't know why it was left to me.”
On the piece of paper was a phone number. Cheryl turned it over, but there was nothing else.
“After I found it, I had a bad feeling in my gut. I called Beth. She didn't pick up. She wasn't at her house. I decided to come straight over. I was worried that a bitter client, or someone we put away, was out for vengeance. Seeing Derrick here, however, makes me think that I was a little off in my assumption.”
“Beth, my brother, and the rest of the shifters and their girlfriends have all been kidnapped, Mr. Kastner,” Derrick explained. “We were the only two that managed to get away. We have been laying low for the past few hours and planned to track them down early tomorrow morning. They might not know where to find us, but they know leaving this number will draw us in. Right into their trap.”
“What do you want, Ramsey? What's your end game?”
“Ah, Derrick, my boy. Your brother misses you dearly. Meet me at the old factory on Jefferson Street in two hours. If you don't, you'll never see your brother, any of your Clan mates, or their women alive again. Tell no one and come alone. If you do what I say, I won't hunt down your woman.”
The phone went silent. Cheryl leaned back from the coffee table, staring at the phone. For a few moments, the three of them were quiet, mulling over what Ramsey had said. Cheryl grabbed Derrick's hand, squeezing gently. His hand had been shaking earlier, but now it was steady.
“That gives us until about 2,” Derrick said, glancing at the clock. It's probably about a 30 minute drive from my house, Cheryl reckoned. Doesn't leave a lot of time to prepare.
“Should we call the cops?” Kastner asked. “I know he said not to, but that's the only thing I can think of. Walking in there just like he wants is asking for disaster. He'll never let you, or anyone else, walk out of there alive.”
“I know,” Derrick said. “There's got to be a better plan, though.”
“I'm going in with you,” Cheryl said.
“You heard what he said, Cheryl,” Kastner replied, shaking his head at her idea. “If you stay out of it, he'll leave you alone. At least that's something.”
“He'll never let me go, no matter what he says. If I go in with Derrick, I might be able to do something.”
“No, it's not worth it,” Derrick said. “He told me to come alone. I can go in and rescue them.”
“You need a better plan than that, Derrick. The cops can help,” Kastner said again.
“A whole bunch of cops swarming in is a sure fire way to get everyone killed,” Cheryl said. She wracked her brain for a few seconds and something finally clicked. “What about Emma's partner? I've heard Beth talking about him before. He helped bring down a guy name Joe. Maybe he could help here.”
Derrick's hackles raised at the mention of Joe's name. Cheryl knew he was a sore subject for a lot of the shifters. However, Derrick nodded. “That's a good idea. He has experience and the gear necessary for taking down
shifters. He's solid and sending in one guy won't draw much attention. He can watch my back.”
“He's not going in alone, Derrick,” Cheryl told the man sitting next to her. He opened his mouth to reply, but Cheryl cut him off. “I'm in this now. We're going to see this through, together.”
A couple of blocks from the old factory, Derrick pulled his truck over. Cheryl and Sergeant Brock Franklin piled out. Sergeant Franklin, a large man in his own regard, filled Cheryl with determination. He was kind and had immediately agreed to help. She knew that he was the type of man you wanted next to you during a fight. Plus, his tranquilizer guns, designed especially for shifters, didn't hurt.
Cheryl moved around to the driver's side door. Derrick's window was rolled down. He looked nervous, unsure if their plan would work. She couldn't tell what he was more worried about: failing his brother, his own safety, or hers. She imagined it was a mix of all three.
“You don't have to do this,” he begged. “Franklin and I can handle this ourselves. I don't want to put you in danger.”
“I've made up my mind. You're not going to change it.”
“I know, but I figured it was worth one more try,” he replied, a smile appearing on his face. Cheryl leaned in to him, planting another kiss on his lips. She kissed him deeply, lovingly, like it was the last time they would ever kiss. Maybe it will be, she thought, but quickly banished the thought. There was no room for that kind of thinking.
“We'll be right behind you,” Cheryl said. “Just know that you're the bravest man I've ever met.”
And with that, Cheryl let him go. Derrick drove off, his headlights piercing the darkness. Franklin waved them forward, and they were running down the dark street, carrying the rifles on their backs. Streetlights were burnt out and clouds were thick overhead, so keeping a low profile wasn't too hard. At least it was warm, Cheryl reasoned. Up ahead, Derrick turned his car into the parking lot of the old factory.
As they followed the truck into the parking lot, Cheryl and Franklin turned and ran along the side of the chain link fence. The factory had once produced car and truck parts, but it had closed down only about a year ago. Cheryl wasn't sure what to expect, though Franklin had assured her he knew the layout.
“I had to chase some squatters out of here a few times with Emma,” he had said in the truck, a grin splitting his face. “It was one of her first patrols with me.”
Now, they were silent. Cheryl followed Officer Franklin to the building, where he started climbing up an old fire escape she would never have seen in the darkness. She turned to watch as Derrick got out of the truck, parked at the front of the building. He was surrounded by three bears. One came close to him, sniffing. With a bellow, the bear latched onto Derrick's forearm with its mouth. Cheryl almost screamed, but managed to keep herself quiet. She watched as the bear simply dragged Derrick inside. It didn't look like he'd done any serious harm to Derrick, but she couldn't be sure.
The fire escape swayed and creaked as they climbed, but the ladder held. Once inside, Cheryl looked around. The building was surprisingly well lit from below. Lights had been strung up, though they weren't strong enough to light up the high catwalk they were now crouched on. Cheryl could see the entire interior of the building. Massive machines sat along the far walls, hulking and rusting, never to be touched again.
In the direct center of the building sat a huge ring of spotlights. In the middle of them was a jail cell, or as she realized with a shudder, a cage. Inside were a group of men, women, and bears. From her perch, Cheryl thought she recognized Beth, though she couldn't be sure. She looked unharmed.
“Looks like there's about twelve shifters that we're going to have to deal with,” Franklin whispered. Cheryl followed his finger as he pointed them out to her. Four surrounded the cage. Two were positioned at a large garage door at the far back of the building. Two more were positioned on a lower catwalk that gave them a good view of the ground floor. They were in partial darkness and Cheryl realized she wouldn't have saw them unless Franklin pointed them out. The three guarding Derrick made 11, and Cheryl watched as a hulking shifter strode forward.
That must be Ramsey, she thought. He makes 12.
Mikhael Ramsey was one of the largest shifters she'd ever seen. He was ugly, too – though Cheryl couldn't be sure if he was naturally ugly, or if something had happened to him over the course of his violent life.
“Welcome, Derrick! I didn't think you would have the guts to show up!” Ramsey boomed. Even from their distance above him, his words were loud and clear. At the cage, a man was yelling and screaming, banging on the bars and trying to get out. Clive.
“I'm going down to the lower catwalk,” Franklin said. “I'm going to take out the two there. Those two are yours. I'll signal you when I'm ready. We need to time this perfectly.”
He pointed towards two of Derrick's escort, moving back to guard the front door. “I can handle them.”
“Don't hesitate, Cheryl. You can do this. Derrick was right,” Franklin assured her, before climbing down a ladder and moving away through the inky darkness.
Cheryl braced herself. She couldn't remember the last time she'd shot an actual gun. When he'd arrived at her house, Franklin had taught her the basics, even letting her go so far as shooting a few darts in her backyard. The gun was silent, which would definitely help. Derrick, watching from the sidelines, had told her she was a natural. She wasn't sure if she believed him, but the confidence was inspiring, all the same.
She looked over at Franklin. He'd moved slowly along the railing so as not to attract attention. She saw his signal, so she took a deep breath and aimed the tranquilizer gun at the nearest shifter.
He had shifted back into his human form, sitting naked in a chair with a magazine in his hands. The open door illuminated him with weak moonlight just enough for Cheryl to get a good lock on him. She let out a breath, and squeezed the trigger.
Without waiting to see if her shot connected, she was aiming at the other shifter, still in bear form. Right before she pulled the trigger, his head jerked to the side, looking at the man in the chair. His movement wasn't enough for him to escape the dart, however. It buried deep in his neck. The bear collapsed on the ground just as the man coughed and slid out of his chair, falling to the ground hard. None of the other shifters noticed that their two comrades were out.
Cheryl turned to look at Franklin's progress. The first shifter was out, laying on the catwalk, silent. And the second was… Oh, no, she thought.
The second shifter was leaning precariously on the railing. He was out, but he'd fallen forward and threatened to fall off, alerting the remaining shifters to their presence. He swayed backwards, his weight finally falling back, and Cheryl let out a sigh of relief.
And then he shifted forward, tumbling over the railing.
Everyone sprang into motion simultaneously. Ramsey screamed, “There's someone else!” And he was rushing towards Derrick. Derrick's other bodyguard kicked him in the back, dropping him to his knees, and Ramsey swung his fist out, connecting with Derrick's face. He went down, hard.
The four bodyguards at the cage were moving closer to the cage, guns out, trying to keep it safe. The two at the far door were moving quick, shifting and sniffing out Franklin's location. A dart exploded from the darkness, catching one in the side. He went down quick, but the other shifter was on Franklin before Cheryl could blink.
Then Derrick was up on his feet, grabbing his bodyguard and squeezing with a sickening crunch that Cheryl could hear from her location high above. Clive reached through the cage, grabbing one of the men too close to the bars, and he was dead, too.
But the surviving shifters moved away from the cage, hunting Franklin down. And then Ramsey screamed, “Come out now or he's dead!” and Cheryl looked back at Derrick, seeing him on his knees, nose streaming blood, a gun held to his head.
Cheryl watched as Franklin lowered himself to the ground, giving himself up. And Cheryl realized that she was the only one left.
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Ian (BBW Bear Shifter Wedding Romance) (Grizzly Groomsmen Book 4) Page 109