by Susan Bliler
Skin Walkers:
Baymac
By
Susan A. Bliler
Copyright © 2017 by Susan A. Bliler
www.susanbliler.com
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Cover fonts, spine, and back cover done by:
Cindy Hubbard
www.cind-e-designs.com
Images courtesy of Shutterstock
As always thanks to my Beta readers,
Cindy Hubbard and AnnaLiesa Fauth
I couldn’t do this without you.
Thanks for believing in me.
;o) ting
This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidences are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from Susan A. Bliler.
DEDICATION
Happy holidays, my Stalkerz and wolves.
Hope you all have a blessed year to come!
2017 look the fuck out, the wolves are coming!
Let’s go see!
A’hau -S
Chapter 1
Baymac snarled as he drove through the winter storm blasting his windshield. He was trying to remember how in the hell Monroe had talked him into taking this mission.
Mission? Ha! This wasn’t a mission. This was an errand and one a Sentry of his caliber shouldn’t be handling. No, Baymac was better suited to battle. Hell, just the thought of bloody carnage brought a rare grin to his lips. It lasted only a second as the wind gusted and the thick cover of snow howling across his windshield nearly hid the road from his sight. He cursed under his breath for having gotten such a late start. It wasn’t like Monroe to assign such a duty so late in the day, but Baymac was bolstered with self-assurance that Monroe had chosen him specifically because Monroe knew he could handle the task.
That task? A simple one. Drive to White Sulphur Springs, pick up a waiting passenger, and deliver said passenger to the wolf shifters in Glacier National Park. Easy enough. Or so he’d thought before he’d left the Estate in an all blacked out Raptor with thick treaded snow tires. With his four wheel drive kicked on, he assumed the trip would be smooth, but he hadn’t been prepared for the blizzard that was currently raging outside. Part of him wondered if the passenger he was going for was smart enough to bunker down in one of White Sulphur’s three cafes, but his concern didn’t last long. If the guy was too dumb to take care of himself than that was on him.
Taking a bend through the thickly wooded national forest, he wondered why the guy was even in White Sulphur Springs. It didn’t make sense. Monroe said the guest was an out-of-state visitor. The airport was in Great Falls and the roads to the city would be maintained way better than this narrow stretch of blacktop in the complete opposite direction.
He rolled his neck and then his shoulders in an attempt to relieve some of the tension in his frame as he forced himself to loosen his grip on the steering wheel. If there was one thing a SkinWalker didn’t like, it was lack of control, and right now the snow was the one dictating his pace while the icy road determined whether it’d tolerate his tires’ grip.
Huffing an agitated sigh, Baymac gritted his teeth as his thoughts meandered back to the assignment. Dark brows speared down over equally dark eyes as he kept his steady gaze on the road. Maybe this outsider is trouble. It was the only reason he could think that Monroe would send him. The thought was…soothing. Monroe had clearly sent him because the Dominant Walker was aware that Baymac was a worthy Sentry for the mission. Still, he could’ve done without the damn blizzard.
Leaning forward in his seat, he eyed the heavens as if his dark expression would scare the clouds into retaining their fluffy flecks of brrrr. No such luck. If anything, the snow fell thicker as he relaxed back in his seat and growled his displeasure. Snow made him grumpy. Cold made him grumpy. Heat made him grumpy and so did too much sunshine. Hell, now that he got to thinking about it, there wasn’t much that didn’t make him grumpy. It was one of the reasons the other Sentries gave him a wide berth. With his mood already this foul, Monroe’s poor guest was in for one sour ride back to the Estate and Baymac couldn’t even muster up any guilt for it. Poor sucker should have found his own ride to the Estate.
***
Son of a blizzard! Grace paced inside the only café that had been open in the small town—if you could even call it that—of White Sulphur Springs. She’d caught an employee just as she was shutting down because of the storm. Thank God the employee turned out to be the owner. Her name was Faye, and she was a kind older gal who didn’t mind keeping the restaurant open until Grace’s “friend” could arrive to pick her up. Grace didn’t have the heart to tell the old woman that she was waiting for a stranger and wasn’t even one hundred percent certain that whoever was coming would actually show. No, all she’d told Faye was that her friend Kya Blackbird promised to see to it that Grace got to Glacier. Maybe the snow changed the plans. Glancing over her shoulder at the clock above the counter had worry pitting in her stomach which was in stark contrast to the jolly Christmas tune currently playing on the radio. Her eyes touched on the window for the dozenth time since she’d arrived, and worry began to gnaw at her. It was twenty minutes past her pickup time. Grace turned her gray eyed gaze to where Faye was wiping down coffee mugs behind the counter and humming to herself.
“Faye?”
Faye’s faded gray eyes lifted. “Yes dear?”
“How far do you have to go? I don’t wanna keep you out in this.” She zipped up her coat. “I really don’t mind waiting out on the curb.” She turned to eye the window again and shivered at the prospect. Hell yes, she minded waiting on the curb but if it meant the difference between Faye getting home safe or not at all, then she’d gladly do it.
“Nonsense, dear. I’m just down the road. Plus I’m a Montana gal through and through. Got me a big ol’ four by four parked out back. Haven’t gotten stuck once in the past thirty years, knock on wood. I’ll be fine.” She set down her glass and approached the window, eyeing the nearly invisible street. “You sure your friend is coming though. Maybe she got snowed in. Several roads have closed in the past hour. Maybe she just can’t get to ya.”
Even white teeth chewed a full bottom lip as Grace twisted her hands together. Faye could be right, but she had no way of knowing. She’d made plans to go stay with her friend Kya in Glacier National Park. When she’d called Kya, she’d been in a frenzy, and Kya had promised that even if she couldn’t get to White Sulphur Springs to meet her, someone would be there. Yet here she stood, waiting for whomever to show up.
“Have you got a cell?” Faye queried. “Maybe you could call that friend.”
Grace’s shoulders slumped. No. She didn’t have a cell phone. She didn’t even have a bag. All she had was the clothes on her back and the purse slung over her shoulder. It wasn’t too bad though. She had about three-thousand dollars in an account she’d kept hidden from Otto, and that’d help her get started once…if… she ever got to where she was going.
“Oh look!” Faye pointed. “I see a truck.” She turned to Grace. “Is that her vehicle? Does she drive a truck?”
Not wanting to go into the long story of how she didn’t know who was coming, Grace feigned studying the vehicle as it slowly crept through town in the haze of snow. “Uhhhh, yeah. It looks like my friend’s truck.”
Before Grace could say anymore, Faye was out the front door of the diner and waving the truck down like a lunatic.
Shit! Grace shouldered her purse more tightly and braced h
erself against the cold as she made her way out of the dinner and into the arctic air.
“I think they saw me,” Faye turned to beam a smile as the truck pulled into a spot across the street.
The driver didn’t even cut the engine, just threw the door open and climbed from the vehicle.
“Oh dear!” Faye backed up a step at the large behemoth that stepped down and shrugged into a coat. “He seems…” But she didn’t finish the thought.
Oh dear! Grace mimicked inwardly as she backed up a step too. This couldn’t be right. This….guy couldn’t be who Kya had sent for her. He was the size of a damn barge and he looked mean as hell. For a second she wondered if he was someone Otto had sent after her, but she quickly discarded the thought. Otto didn’t have those kinds of connections or money. Still, she couldn’t stop her internal mantra, No, no, no! I am NOT going anywhere with him!
Chapter 2
As if reading Grace’s thoughts, Faye whispered, “Sometimes the tough looking ones are the softest.”
What? Grace wasn’t looking for soft. She wasn’t looking at all! When she looked at Faye though, she knew she was in trouble when the woman smiled at the giant coming their way.
Grace turned to duck back into the restaurant to hide but stilled when the approaching man yelled. “Hey!”
She turned to look at him and as he stepped onto the curb, she tilted her head far back just to make eye contact.
“I’m looking for someone,” but his eyes weren’t on Grace or Faye. They were scanning the empty diner. “A friend of a friend. Was supposed to meet him here in town.”
“What’s your friend’s name?” Faye asked and squeezed Grace’s arm as dread pitted in Grace’s stomach.
“Not sure.” The guy ducked his head side to side and lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the snow as he squinted through the glass. “Don’t know the name of the guy I’m picking up, just know that his friend’s name is Kya Blackbird.”
Grace swallowed hard and turned to look at Faye. Shit! He was her ride! Grace warred internally. She desperately needed to get to Glacier Park, but didn’t know if she could trust this guy, and from the size of him she’d be hard pressed to fight him off if it came to that. Suddenly, her jaw clenched and self-loathing washed over her. She hated that Otto had done this to her, turned her into this. No woman’s first impression of a man should be how well she could fight him off if it came to that. Still, she backed up another step and felt like a coward for doing so as she dropped her eyes. She hated this, hated all of it. She hated running, she hated being homeless, and mostly she hated that Otto was going to ruin another Christmas.
“Oh!” Faye exclaimed beside her. “This is Kya’s friend.” Her weathered hands gestured toward Grace. “You wouldn’t happen to be single?”
Shiiiiiit! Grace’s head snapped toward Faye and she could feel the weight of the stranger’s stare before she even chanced a glance at him. What in the hell is Faye trying to do?
The stranger seemed as taken aback by Faye’s question as she was. “Uh, I’m not in a relationship, if that’s what you mean.” Dark eyes turned to Grace. “What do you mean she’s Kya’s friend?”
Beside her Faye clapped giddily, which was annoying as hell because she hadn’t even asked Grace if she was seeing anyone, and it was clear as crystal that Faye was trying to play matchmaker, and that was the last thing she needed right now.
“Grace, dear!” Faye waved her forward. “Come on. Don’t be shy.”
Lifting her lips in a tentative smile, she looked at the guy and offered shyly. “I’m Grace.”
The man’s dark gaze bore into her, and if she wasn’t mistaken, she saw shock flash across his features before his dark brows lowered in a scowl.
“My name is Grace Rowland. I’m Kya’s friend.”
The man shook his head and looked over hers back toward the restaurant. “No. Was s’posed to be a guy.”
“No,” Grace was the one shaking her head now. “I’m all woman.” She blushed at her own words as the stranger let his eyes glide up and down her frame. Trying to force herself to keep from running screaming down the street, she held out her hand for a hand shake. The guy didn’t immediately take her hand and when both he and Faye simply stared at her proffered hand, Grace looked down at saw what was so enthralling. She was shaking like a damn leaf. Quickly, she dropped her hand, balling it into a tight fist as she turned to eye the road. “It’s cold,” she offered lamely by way of cover-up.
“Maybe you just stay the night with me,” Faye whispered.
Finally, Faye had caught on that Grace was fearful about leaving with the stranger, but from the look in his eyes at Faye’s words, it was too late now.
The stranger looked down at her and shoved his hand out. “Baymac.”
She waited for a last name and when he didn’t offer, she lifted her hand a second time and let it be swallowed up by his as she dumbly offered her name again, “Grace Rowland.” Then quickly followed it up with, “N-nice to meet you.”
Baymac simply snorted at that. His hand was warm over hers and he didn’t let go as he eyed the ground around her. “Where are your bags, Grace? We need to get moving or we’ll be stuck in this storm.”
“Oh. I didn’t. I don’t… It’s just me.”
Baymac’s eyes darkened as he studied her, and she swore his nostrils flared as he leaned in slightly. Is he smelling me?
“I’m Faye.”
When Faye stepped around her to introduce herself, Grace ducked her head and sniffed at her shirt. She didn’t smell funny. Did she?
“Grace, just a minute before you go.” Faye was clutching Grace’s hand in a death grip and was dragging her back into the café where she smiled politely at Baymac through the glass. She spoke through the smile that belied her words. “That man is as big as bear shit. You sure you’re okay taking off with him?”
Grace chuffed a laugh even though she wasn’t certain about anything. “I don’t know. I don’t even know this guy, but I trust my friend, Kya.”
“If your friend actually did send him, isn’t there a way to test him so we know for sure?”
Not a bad idea.
Baymac stepped into the café with his still dark scowl in place and pinned Grace with even darker eyes. Does the guy ever smile?
As if he’d heard their conversation, Baymac offered, “Look, I know you don’t know me, but I’m legit. I admit, I’ve never met Kya, but I have met Dell, and I’ve got nothing but respect for the shif… man.” He pointed to the counter. “You can give him a call if you like. Tell him I’ve got you. Verify that I’m safe.”
I’m safe. Grace wanted to laugh at the words. She hadn’t been safe in a man’s presence for years and now she was supposed to just jump into a vehicle with this giant, ornery stranger.
“What’s the harm in staying?” Faye implored.
And that was the problem. There was harm in staying. Grace had had enough and now was her one and only chance. Swallowing hard she nodded. “You know Dell, that’s good enough for me. Let’s go.”
She hurried out the door and was rushing across the street through the blinding snow when a firm grip captured her elbow to steady her as she jogged. Stopping, she looked up at Baymac before glancing over her shoulder and throwing a wave at Faye. “Thank you, Faye! For everything! Get home safe!”
Guilt hit hard at Faye’s worried expression even as the old woman waved then disappeared deeper into the diner.
Baymac yanked the passenger side door open. As Grace was climbing in, she slipped and Baymac caught her with a large hand under her thigh. The gesture was too familiar and had Grace tensing. Her head jerked around and her eyes thinned into slits as she glared at him. Quickly he secured her foot on the running board then dropped his hand and stepped back.
“Easy, lady. Just making sure you don’t fall.”
She scurried into her seat and buckled her belt as he closed the door. When he crossed in front of the vehicle, she got her first chance to really look
at him and wow! Just…wow! She’d never met a man his size. Not a man, man anyway. Dell and the shifters in Glacier were huge too, but as far as human men went, nope. She’d only ever seen guys like that on TV when watching the world’s strongest man competitions. Baymac was huge all over, and it wasn’t the tubby kind of huge but all thick muscle that spoke of strength and power. The wind blew and caught his dark hair. It was longer on top and shorter on the sides and black as pitch. It suited him with his dark expression and dark attitude. Even the dark scruff along his square jaw added to the scary as hell vibes he exuded. Sexy as hell, but scary as shit too.
Swallowing hard, she wondered again if this was such a good idea. By the time Baymac reached his door and climbed in, Grace had her hand on her doorknob and was just about to jump out.
“Stop!”
She didn’t look at Baymac, but tensed against the door, her breath fogging the glass as she waited, her body already primed to escape.
Behind her, Baymac growled a perturbed sound before starting. “Lady, I don’t know what you’re in to or what you’re running from, but I’m your best bet here.”
Her grip tightened on the door handle, and he must have noticed because he snarled. The sound reminded her of Kya’s mate, and for the first time, she wondered if Baymac was a wolf shifter too.
“Listen! Dell is mated…er, married to Chloe, and your friend Kya is with Briggs. They live out at that compound in Glacier with Mama and that annoying as shit younger cousin they call Pony.”
Relief hit Grace hard. Everything Baymac said was true and his comment about Pony had her relaxing in her seat as she turned to him with just the hint of a grin. “Pony can be a pain sometimes, can’t he?”
Turning forward, Baymac nodded his head and started the truck.
Chapter 3
When Baymac rounded the vehicle and climbed in, he knew the woman, Grace, was ready to bolt. He was at a loss. He’d been sent to retrieve Kya’s friend and this wasn’t what he’d expected. He’d told Grace that she was supposed to be a man, but that wasn’t the truth, he’d just assumed the passenger would be male. Monroe only referred to the package as a “guest” so the fault was Baymac’s own for assuming. He should have asked. Now, the scent of Grace’s fear was filling the cab of the truck and suffocating him. He hated the scent of a woman’s fear. Worse, every line of her body spoke of making a run for it. She was facing the door and her body was taut as a bowstring. He couldn’t have her jumping out of the vehicle before they even got rolling though. It was too damn cold, and he wasn’t about to fail this simple mission. Still, he wondered at why he was chosen. Monroe had picked him for a reason, and now more than ever, Baymac was at a loss for what that reason could be. Clearly, the female was no match for him, and if she ran, he worried he’d have to tie her up just to get her to Glacier. It wasn’t something he wanted to do, but she had to be important for Monroe to have sent him to retrieve her. Grace was clearly uneasy in his company, but he’d try to be less intimidating to get her to relax so he could deliver her in a timely fashion. He’d never failed a mission before, and he certainly didn’t plan on starting now.