Bear Naked

by Dana Marie Bell

  “Hmm.” Barney grabbed the back of Ryan’s shirt and tugged him out of the flow of pedestrians. “Is he now? There’s a man I’d like to have little a chat with.”

  Ryan groaned as his arm hit the bricks of one of the storefronts. “Damn it, Barney.”

  “Sorry.”

  “If you fuck with Julian you’re in for a nasty surprise. And his mate has a hell of a bite.”

  Barney actually laughed as he parked Ryan at the mouth of an alley. “She’s tiny. I can take her.”

  Ryan just stared at him. “If believing that helps you sleep at night.” He shifted restlessly, groaning as a fresh wave of agony rolled through him. “Where’s Julian again?” Ryan still couldn’t focus long enough to go into the healing spiral or he’d try and take the edge off himself, and Barney had shown no inclination to help him other than to drag him out of traffic.

  What a pal. Ryan couldn’t wait to be trained by him. Not.

  “He’ll be here shortly.” Gray held out his hand to Barney. “Grayson Howard.”

  “James Barnwell.” Barney took Gray’s hand and grinned. “Call me Barney.”

  “Okay, Ryan.” Ryan jumped. When the fuck had Gabe gotten there? He must be in worse condition than he thought if he hadn’t noticed the sheriff making his way toward them. Gabe knelt next to him, scowling at something. Possibly Barney. Ryan had the feeling the man inspired a shit ton of scowls. Hell, he’d managed to piss off Heather. That usually took an act of God. “Tell me what happened.”

  “Was coming back from getting Glory coffee when I was jumped. Asshole used an aluminum bat, tried to take my head off.” The pain was becoming unbearable. Ryan could barely breathe through it. He filled his lungs in shallow pants. It felt like his head was going to explode, and the thought of moving his shoulder at all made him swallow thickly. “He had on a ski mask, so I didn’t get a good look. He seemed maybe your height, maybe a little thinner in the chest and shoulders, but I was on the ground so it’s difficult to tell for sure. Oh, and I caught sight of blue eyes through the ski mask. And he smelled of Wolf.”

  “That’s it? That’s all you got?”

  Ryan shot Barney a look that bordered on loathing. “I was too busy trying to keep my head from becoming a piñata to catch his name and address, asshole.” He turned his attention back to Gabe. “It was the same one who bit Glory.”

  “Bit Glory?” Gabe snarled, the sound pure cat. “When did that happen?”

  Shit. What with Ryan claiming Glory and Temp and Faith arriving, they’d forgotten to call Gabe. “Glory went out front to clean the windows and got jumped by a Wolf. The same damn Wolf that just tried to hit a home run with my skull.”

  “Where were you when she got attacked?”

  Ryan sighed. “Taking out the trash. I thought, hell we all thought, she’d be safe in front of the store in broad fucking daylight.”

  “We’ve got ourselves someone who’s not afraid of the consequences.” Barney’s hat was so low on his forehead Ryan couldn’t see his eyes. “Something’s changed for him. All of a sudden he’s attacking both you and Glory. Why?”

  “He used a changing bite on her, but he couldn’t claim her because—”

  “She’s not his mate.” Gabe sighed. “This is so fucked up.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  “Barney.” Gabe pointed toward Ryan’s injuries.

  “Pfft. He needs to learn to take care of himself in the field or he’s never gonna make it.” Barney pushed back his hat, crossed his arms over his chest and attempted to stare down Gabe.

  Gabe snarled, but before the two Hunters could truly get into a pissing match, a very welcome figure spoke from behind Barney with an authority Ryan had only heard once before, when he’d nearly gone feral in a dance club full of humans. “Move, Boo-Boo. I’ve got this.”

  With a startled look, Barney moved.

  Julian stepped into the alley and knelt next to Ryan, his black hair turning pure silver, his deep brown eyes going gray. “Hey, Rye. Glory’s going to be pissed when she sees you’ve dropped her coffee.”

  Ryan sighed in relief as Julian’s power washed over him, dulling the pain. “I’ll get her another.” Warmth washed over him in gentle waves, his bones realigning, the damage healed to a degree Ryan could not have done on his own. He shuddered as the pain finally ceased completely. “Thanks.”

  Julian’s eyes opened, the silver fading once more to brown. Only a single silver line remained to mar his long dark hair. “You’re welcome. What happened?”

  “Got jumped by a dude with a baseball bat and a grudge.”

  Julian’s brows rose. “Hope’s captor?”

  “Or the good Reverend Walsh.” Ryan wasn’t taking bets yet. As far as he was concerned, it was still fifty-fifty. For all he knew Glory’s parent was a shifter. Her inability to scent it wouldn’t be a surprise, and if the man had been changed after his children were born it would explain why they were all human.

  Julian helped Ryan to his feet, rotating Ryan’s arm and grunting in satisfaction. “It healed well.”

  Ryan tested his arm and his face with his own healing powers. They were nowhere near as strong as Julian’s, but he could still heal in the same manner.

  But where Ryan could seamlessly heal a paper cut or a small wound, Julian could take a brutal beating and make it almost disappear. Ryan couldn’t detect anything had ever happened to him beyond the long-healed break in his arm from childhood. “You’re good.”

  “I am.” Julian buffed his nails on his shirt. “Make sure you point that out to my mate.”

  Ryan laughed. “I’ll do that.”

  “Unless Reverend Walsh is a shifter, I doubt he’s the man who attacked both you and Glory.” Gabe sniffed deeply. “It’s faint, but it’s there, and most definitely Wolf.”

  Ryan exchanged a glance with Julian. “We have to call Alpha Lowell.” A rogue Wolf was in the area. The Poconos Pack Alpha, Richard Lowell, would definitely want to know about it.

  “Um, excuse me?” Barney tapped Ryan on the shoulder, his gaze still glued to Julian. “Why did I just obey your friend?”

  Ryan grinned. “Because of his freaky shaman powers.”

  Barney grunted. “Okay. Anyone want to explain that to me?”

  “Nope.”

  Barney growled.

  Gabe laughed. “Man, I love the fact that I know something you don’t.”

  “Asshole.” Barney blocked the entrance to the alleyway. “Someone explain this to me. Now.”

  Julian rolled his eyes, then captured Barney’s gaze. “Move.”

  Barney moved, his eyes wide and startled. But damn if the Hunter didn’t make sure Julian and Ryan had plenty of room to get past him.

  “Let’s go, Ryan.”

  Ryan went, ignoring Gabe’s laughter and Barney’s sputtering.

  “That guy needs an enema.”

  Ryan nodded his agreement. For someone who seemed so laid back, James Barnwell was wound really tight. “Or a good, hard—”

  Just as Ryan made the very explicit gesture Barney caught up to them. “Wait!” Barney stared at Julian intently as he walked beside them. “Seriously. How the fuck did you do that?”

  “One of the reasons Kermode stay separate from all of you is our ability to get other shifters to obey us.” Julian eyed Barney. “Doesn’t your Senate teach you anything?”

  Barney shrugged. “Apparently not.” He adjusted his hat. “So it’s like an Alpha voice or something?”

  “Not quite.” Julian made a face. “Alphas, I’ve found, can usually shrug it off.”

  “So you don’t have the same powers as the Leo.” Barney seemed strangely relieved.

  “No, thank fuck.” Julian shivered. “Could you imagine?” He turned toward the coffee shop instead of Cynful Tattoos. “I feel the need for caffeine.”

  “You know, that’s something to think about.” Ryan frowned, trying to chase the elusive thought that had just occurred to him.

  “Coffee?” Barn
ey seemed to be getting more and more confused.

  “No.” God, this guy was slow. “The Leo is a white Lion. Kermode are white Black Bears.”

  “And rare as fuck. There aren’t many of us left.”

  “There aren’t many Polar Bear shifters that I’m aware of either. And they’re as elusive as the Kermode.” Barney shook his head. “Three hunters and a Kermode all in the same town. Something is about to go down. I just wish I knew what.”

  Ryan bit his tongue. The Hunter did not need to know there was one other white shifter in the area, one who didn’t seem to have any strange powers at all. At least, none she’d discovered yet. Chloe’s secret would remain just that until Ryan knew more about why she’d gone from a red Fox to a white one. “I hope it waits its damn turn. We have enough shit going down right now. We don’t need some mysterious whatever turning up to fuck things up further.”

  “Amen, brother.” Julian nodded his head. “Preach it.”

  “You guys are crazy. I like that about you.” Barney grinned. “I’m going to try and hunt that Wolf’s scent down.” Barney stopped just outside the coffee shop. “I’ll call you if I find anything.” And with a final, weird glance in Julian’s direction the Hunter took off for parts unknown, his cowboy hat still pushed back and his long brown duster flapping around his legs.

  “Someone’s lovin’ the drama.” Julian opened the coffee shop door with a smirk.

  Ryan smiled. “Then he’s definitely come to the right town.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Glory watched closely as Julian, Ryan and that Barney guy all trooped into Cynful Tattoos with grim expressions. They took one look at her and immediately had guilt stamped all over them. What the hell could have happened while Ryan was out getting coffee? The coffee shop was only three blocks away, and as far as she knew Ryan wasn’t the one the Wolf was after.

  But it was obvious something had happened from the quick glance all three exchanged. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at them. “Okay, guys. Spill. What happened?”

  Both Julian and Ryan exchanged a startled glance, but Barney merely flopped into a chair with a nonchalance that didn’t fool her for a moment. “I’m thinking of getting a tattoo.”

  “Good.” Cyn, who’d just come out of the back room, grinned at the Hunter. “Come with me and we’ll hook you up.”

  Barney, reluctance written all over his face, followed Cyn to her station. She bet the man would have something inked on his skin before the end of the day.

  Barney would learn not to lie to Cyn. It just wasn’t worth it.

  Glory kept most of her attention on Julian and Ryan. One of them would crack and she’d know what had gone on. “Well?”

  Julian patted Ryan’s arm. “I love you, man, but you’re on your own.” He then carried his two coffee cups over to Cyn, handing one to her with a quick kiss and a whispered word that had Cyn glancing sharply over at Ryan.

  “Rye.”

  Ryan sighed. “Don’t freak.”

  Like that was going to calm her down. “Rye,” she growled, startled at how deep her voice sounded.

  “I’m fine. You can see that.”

  “So something did happen.” God, she got that he was trying to keep her calm and all, but this dancing around shit was getting on her nerves.

  He stared at her for a moment before answering. “I was attacked on the way back from the coffee shop.”

  Glory’s blood ran cold. Her arms fell to her sides as her breath caught in her throat. “Are you hurt?”

  “No. Julian took care of it.”

  Julian. He’d needed Julian’s healing powers. That meant it had been bad, right? Because she knew from Alex that all Bears could heal minor wounds like other people breathed. “Rye?”

  “I’m fine, SG. I swear it.” Before she realized it he was in front of her, holding her hand, anchoring her before the panic could take her over. “I’m here, safe and sound, but he got away. Even better, Barney and Gabe got his scent.” Ryan sighed and took hold of her arms, rubbing up and down. The soothing motion frightened her even more. “It was the same Wolf that attacked you.”

  Glory took a deep breath. Something inside her stirred, angered by the thought that Ryan had been injured. How dare someone lay a hand on her man? How dare someone try and take him away from her?

  She was going to…

  Her fingers twitched, itched in a strange way.

  She was going to rip into the man who’d thought Ryan could be taken from her.

  “Whoa.” Ryan stroked her cheek. “Your eyes changed.”

  She blinked. What? “You mean like yours do?”

  He nodded, looking unbearably pleased with himself. “And you definitely smell like Bear now.”

  Oh, thank fuck. If Tabby had bitten her, that would have been one thing. She loved Tabby like a sister and would have been proud to be her Pack mate.

  Being changed against her will, forced to call the psycho who’d possibly stolen her sister, her Pack mate? That would have sucked big time.

  Still, Glory wasn’t finding it easy to let go of her anger. “I want to find the guy who hurt you and shove his nuts up his anus.”

  Ryan choked on a laugh. “Down, SG. Your claws are showing.”

  Glory looked down at her hands. Sure enough, her claws were visible. They weren’t quite the five-inch monsters Ryan sported, but they were close. “Holy shit.”

  Ryan hugged her. “It’s fine, Glory. This is what’s supposed to happen.” He chuckled again. “But I think you’re going to change fast, just like Cyn did.”

  “Wonderful.” Just what she needed on top of everything else. A big, furry ass.

  “Look on the bright side. You’ll be able to open the pickle jar all by yourself now.” Ryan laughed as she smacked his arm and curled his fingers around her claws, hiding them from general sight. “Where’d your brother and sister go?”

  “They left soon after you did. Temp said something about going back to their hotel to get some rest.”

  “Did he?”

  She didn’t like the speculation in Ryan’s voice, but she couldn’t blame him. He was attacked right after Temp and Faith left. It would be natural to suspect the new element in their lives.

  But Ryan hadn’t seen the way Temp had looked at her or the gratitude in Faith’s eyes when she’d returned her sister’s embrace. The two of them really wanted a life that included Glory.

  And the dread she’d seen on their faces whenever their father was mentioned was all too familiar. Ryan didn’t know what it was like to fear a parent, to know what it was like to realize that the person who was supposed to protect you was the one you needed protection from. But Glory did, and so did Temp and Faith.

  If they were acting, they were damn good at it.

  “Barney is going after the guy who did this.” Ryan’s embrace tightened. “And so will I.”

  “What? No.” The guy had already hurt Ryan once.

  “Listen. You know Gabe is a Hunter, right?” Ryan let go, cupping her face in his hands. “Remember what Barney said when we met with my family?” She nodded reluctantly. “Barney swears I’m one too.”

  She studied his expression, the determination on his face. The man was stubborn. If he truly believed he was a Hunter, nothing she said or did would deter him from becoming just that. “Do you think you are?”

  Ryan reluctantly nodded. “Yeah. I think I am.”

  She blew out a breath. “What does that mean? Because Gabe and Sarah were separated for months while he trained.” And if Ryan left for months to be trained, Glory would damn well be going with him.

  “Don’t worry so much. I’m not leaving. I told him he could shove it up his ass if he tried to get me to go.”

  Glory immediately relaxed. As stubborn as he was, Ryan would put his word to her above anything Barney wanted. Ryan wasn’t going anywhere. “Good.”

  “But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to train, and train hard. If I’m going to be a Hunter, I’m
going to need to learn everything Barney and Gabe can teach me.”

  “As long as you come home safe at night, that’s fine by me.”

  She squirmed in his grasp when she realized what she’d just said. Damn it. Why did she keep stripping herself bare in front of him? She might as well tattoo Ryan’s on her ass, because now the shifter had to be aware he owned it.

  Glory wasn’t willing to admit out loud what else the Bear owned. Not yet, anyway. Let him work a little harder before she admitted to him how she really felt.

  The satisfaction in his gaze wasn’t making it any better. She had the bad feeling he was already aware just how much Glory was willing to give up for him. “That’s a promise I intend to keep, sweetheart.” Ryan kissed her, holding her with a possessiveness that should have had her fighting to get free.

  Instead, she sank into his embrace, giving as good as she got. Because damn it, if her ass belonged to Ryan, then Ryan’s belonged to her.

  And it was about time she laid her own claim on the man who’d knocked her off her feet.

  Ryan had refused to leave the shop, even to return home long enough to get his laptop. He sat in Tabby’s empty station, watching like a hawk every single customer who entered, sniffing the air to make sure there wasn’t anything odd about any of them. It was almost closing time, and he’d stayed right there the whole day.

  Glory would never admit it, but just having him around calmed her. Knowing he was right there where she could keep an eye on him had soothed that strange feeling of other inside her. She’d been shaken to the core, more by the attack on him than on herself.

  It had been unexpected, the rage that had filled her at the thought of Ryan so badly hurt he needed Super Bear’s special touch. And until they caught the fucker who’d hurt him, she was going to insist he bring his laptop to the shop with him. Between Tabby, Cyn and Glory, Ryan would be safe.

  She snorted, amused at the direction her thoughts had gone in. The man was the size of a small country. She was pretty sure if she told Ryan why she wanted him here, in her sight, he’d laugh his majestic ass off at her.

  Either that or she’d find herself bent over the break room table again. She shivered. She wasn’t sure if she wanted a repeat performance or not. The fact that she’d done him on there was going to fuel her fantasies for years, but the look on Julian’s face had embarrassed the hell out of her.