Burning Bright

by A. Catherine Noon

  Mitch made a noise suspiciously like a growl. “Just jog, Doc. Don’t be so goddamn obvious.”

  Sasha glared but did as he was told. Mitch separated at the next fork and took off toward the baseball diamond across the park. Sasha tried to see everything at once but got nothing.

  An idea came to him. Slowing a bit, enough to concentrate, Sasha centered himself. He let his empathy spin out of him and “looked”.

  He almost ran into a tree. Shit, there were a lot of animals in the park. He found all the usual vermin, squirrels and pigeons and geese, but a fair few dogs and even several cats.

  And a bear.

  He faltered. He quested for Mitch’s familiar energy and found him about a quarter mile behind him, his attention on something else. Idiot was backtracking it by mistake. Dammit. He wished to Pan he could send thoughts mind to mind.

  Of course, mobile phones worked too…

  He hit the button and dialed Mitch’s phone, grateful that TJ programmed all the numbers into it for him. “Yeah, Doc. What’s wrong?”

  “There’s a bear here, in the park,” he panted. “I can’t see him, but he’s nearby.”

  Mitch grunted. “Stay on the path.”

  “Mitch, I’m—”

  “Stay on the path. Focus.”

  Sasha swallowed. “Do they have guns?”

  Mitch snorted. “If you were a bear, would you need a gun? Look, treat it like a drill, Doc. You’ve done this in training, right? Played fox and hounds?”

  “Of course. I used to drill in that all the time.”

  “Good. You’re the fox. Keep heading south on the main path, don’t take any side paths and stay away from buildings. If you see something, hit the screamer on your phone.”

  “Mitch…”

  “Focus. It’s gonna be okay.”

  Riiight. “Yeah.”

  Sasha might have been more reassured if Mitch’s nervousness didn’t bleed through their link. He headed out again at regular speed, trying to keep his empathy open and focused on the bear. The second time he twisted his ankle, he pulled his mind back into his body and concentrated on running.

  A mile went by, then another, but nothing happened. He started to get annoyed. He got all worked up over nothing, dammit. Where was this mysterious bear, anyway? He turned to look behind him. Mitch waved, about a quarter mile back, but no one else was nearby. Sasha slowed but didn’t stop or turn around.

  Mitch came up to him, panting. “All better. See, Doc? That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

  “What? Nothing happened.”

  Mitch preened. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

  Sasha smacked him with his left hand. “I’m serious.”

  “So am I,” Mitch shot back. “I’d be a pretty poor mole if I let you see what I did, wouldn’t I?”

  Sasha slowed and then stopped. He stretched enough to keep his muscles from cramping on him, and then walked over to stand by a tree.

  “What are you doing?” Mitch asked, a smirk on his face.

  “Watch,” Sasha snapped.

  “Why you all mad at me?” Mitch demanded.

  He let his empathy fill him and before he could start to “look” for the bear, Mitch’s sense of indignation filled him. He opened his eyes and met the tiger’s gaze. “Look. I’m sorry. I’m just amped, okay?”

  Mitch blinked. “Oh.” He cocked a hip against another tree. “That’s all right.”

  Sasha resisted laughing by closing his eyes and centering. The now familiar dogs, cats, squirrels, geese… Tiger…

  No bear. Anywhere.

  His eyes popped open. “You didn’t kill him did you?”

  Mitch studied him, for once not humorous. “What did you do?”

  “I’m an animal empath, I told you. Where’s the bear?”

  Mitch straightened. “I thought…”

  “What?”

  Mitch looked uncomfortable. “I thought that was…” He trailed off.

  “Just bullshit, is that it?” Sasha spun away.

  “You’re really worried I killed him?”

  “Yes.”

  Mitch cocked his head. “Thing is, you don’t seem worried that I could kill. You seem worried that he’d be dead, but not that I’m a murderer.”

  “You’re not.”

  “Even if I killed someone?”

  “You’re a soldier, Mitch.”

  “I didn’t kill him.”

  Sasha sagged against the tree.

  “You’re really relieved.”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Come on Doc. Let’s get back. I need to tell Neal what happened.”

  “What did happen?”

  “I chased him to a car and he got the hell out of here,” Mitch told him calmly.

  Sasha stared at him and then burst out laughing. “That’s all?”

  Mitch shrugged. “Yeah. Actually we kinda had a stare down. He might’ve been heading for his car anyway.”

  “It’s just anticlimactic.” He waved his arms around.

  Mitch laughed. “You’re somethin’ else, Doc. Come on, I’ll race you.”

  “I don’t know… Go!” Sasha took off toward home.

  The tiger behind him growled and leaped after.

  Best exercise he’d had all week.

  Chapter Twenty

  Da Bears

  They arrived at his apartment and Sasha stretched downstairs, then led the way up. “I’m heading to the Factory, you want to go with me?”

  Mitch eyed him. “Yeah, sure.”

  Sasha packed his overnight bag and drank some water, then brought Mitch downstairs to his truck.

  “This is yours?” Mitch demanded.

  “Yeah, why?”

  “I expected something like a Volkswagen Beetle, or something. Not a work truck.”

  He shrugged and unlocked the door. “I own a dairy farm. A Beetle would be pretty fucking impractical.”

  “A dairy farm?” Mitch echoed, clearly startled. “No shit.”

  Sasha climbed into the driver’s seat and pulled into traffic. “Yeah. My dad sold most of the cows a few years ago, but I still have the farm.” He hesitated. “If I don’t find a job, I have to go back.”

  “Where’s ‘back’? Madison and the farm?”

  Sasha nodded, a heavy weight forming in his stomach.

  Mitch grunted. “This thing with Neal, it’s not that serious?”

  Sasha glanced at him. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, if you have to go back, can’t be all that serious, right?”

  Sasha’s stomach clenched and he turned back to the road. Fuck, would he have to leave?

  “Shit, Doc.”

  “What?” His voice came out unfriendly, even hostile.

  “It really is serious, at least on your side.” Mitch sat back and watched the road. “I hope, for your sake, you get this job.”

  “Madison’s not that far away…”

  “You don’t want to commute. Your body don’t lie, Doc. I’m a tiger, I can smell it on you.”

  “Yeah.” He rubbed his face. “Don’t tell Neal, okay?”

  Mitch laughed, but sobered when Sasha turned to glare at him. He held up his hands. “Relax. I’m not that much of a dick.”

  Mitch’s arrival set off a minor storm and Sasha slipped out of Neal’s apartment to wander downstairs. He padded down the staircase to the main floor and paused. His empathy flared to life and made his throat tighten. “Hello?” It didn’t feel familiar, nor like a tiger… Gods, it was a bear.

  A tall man stood about ten feet away, facing the restaurant tables. The Factory opened for business but no patrons occupied the tables yet. Sasha had a feeling this man wasn’t here to eat. He wore a long black wool trench coat that fell to his knees. Blond streaked his brown hair and caught in the lights.

  “What do you want?” Sasha asked. He cursed himself for coming down in jogging clothes with nothing else, like a cell phone, or maybe a gun…

  The man inhaled dee
ply, and then turned.

  Sasha jumped. The eyes that examined him were not human. He backed up a step and the man moved toward him. Sasha carefully circled around the stranger, edging toward the kitchen filled with people, including Mario and his favorite assault rifle.

  “What are you?” the stranger asked in Russian.

  “Speak English, dammit,” Sasha snapped.

  The man smirked. “Why? You understand Russian. Why shouldn’t I speak it?” The stranger took another step toward him, inhaling again. “What are you?”

  Should he tell him? Probably not… “I’m a veterinarian.” He stepped back but missed the swinging door to the kitchen and banged into the door jam.

  The man moved then, too fast for Sasha to see, and ended up in front of him. His hand, big enough to palm his whole head, enclosed Sasha’s throat. Sasha pulled away and whacked his head against the wall.

  “I am called Kiril,” the man growled, still in Russian but with the flavor of something deeper under the words, like a growl or something. “How are you called?”

  “Let go of me.”

  Kiril laughed. His eyeteeth were longer than a human’s and his breath smelled of meat. “Or what, little man?”

  “I said, let go of me,” Sasha grated. He moved his hand sideways and tried to open the door to the kitchen, but Kiril’s hand closed on his wrist.

  “Freeze.” The loud shout made Sasha jolt. The click of a gun cocking echoed in the sudden silence.

  Kiril snarled, his teeth drawn back from his mouth. His hand tightened around Sasha’s throat.

  “Let him go, dude. This is the last warning I’ll give you.” The tall form of TJ appeared behind the Russian, his eyes on the big man. His gaze flicked to Sasha’s and back, utterly cold.

  Kiril moved sideways so he could see TJ but didn’t let go of Sasha. “I wish to speak with Neal.”

  TJ laughed. “I’d let go of that one, if that’s what you want. He sees you choking him, he’ll fucking kill you.”

  “Very well.” Kiril released him and Sasha stumbled away, rubbing his neck.

  “Go back upstairs, Doc,” TJ ordered.

  “What?”

  “Now. You’re wearing sweats with no weapons. You’re in the way.”

  He sucked in his breath, offended. “I can take care of myself.”

  “You can tell Neal to get his ass down here,” TJ shot back.

  “No need.” Neal stepped off the last stair, Steve behind him. “I’m Neal Harrison. What do you want?”

  “I am called Kiril Vasilyevich. I am the leader of the Plemya.”

  “It’s Russian for tribe,” Sasha told Neal. He walked over to stand next to the big Marine. “He’s a bear.” Sasha’s stomach tightened. Did Kiril follow them from the park? Then it hit him. Kiril spoke Russian. “The other totem?”

  Neal’s bolt of fear spiked against Sasha’s empathy at the words, though nothing appeared on Neal’s face or body language. “Good guess.”

  “I’ve been hired by Ivan Andreievich.” Kiril’s tongue made a weird sucking noise against his right eyetooth, and it reminded Sasha of a predator getting meat out from between his teeth.

  “To do what?” Neal asked.

  “I think you know,” Kiril said with a slight smirk. His eyes flicked to Sasha’s. “But you should send your loved ones away.” He inhaled again. “What is he? He’s not a tiger.”

  “He’s not a lycanthrope,” Neal said.

  “I’m an animal empath,” Sasha told him.

  Kiril took a step forward and two things happened. Neal stepped in front of Sasha, and TJ brought up his hand again, aiming the heavy pistol at Kiril. The bear froze, staring at Sasha.

  “I’d leave, if I were you,” TJ growled.

  “Ivan will come with men in a week. You should have your answer ready by then. I have twelve men with me.” Kiril looked at Neal. “Be prepared.”

  “Get out,” Neal grated. “And don’t look back.”

  Kiril threw his head back and laughed, his teeth very white. The sound bounced around the restaurant. Kiril turned then and walked away, a steady strength to his steps that meant he was a fighter. He went out the front door without glancing back and Sasha exhaled, trying to relax.

  Neal turned and met Sasha’s gaze. “Fuck. Are you all right?”

  Sasha, very conscious of the other soldiers standing around, nodded and squared his shoulders. “I’m fine.”

  “Okay…”

  “Sarge, what the fuck?” TJ demanded.

  “Go find out everything you can about him,” Neal ordered. “And his guys. Call Paul. I want him here as soon as possible.”

  TJ nodded and disappeared downstairs, heading for the security console there.

  “I can finish dinner,” Steve murmured. “I left the waffles in the oven to stay warm, but I still have half the batter to cook up.” He went over and hit the call button for the elevator.

  Sasha relaxed with relief. He didn’t really want to climb all those stairs weak in the knees. Carlos went into the kitchen and came out with two-dozen eggs.

  Neal slipped an arm around him. He resisted at first, but Neal shook him gently. “Stop being such a tough guy.”

  The elevator arrived and they walked in. He pulled away from Neal to stand by himself in one corner. They arrived on the top floor to the smell of waffles and powdered sugar. Steve went to the kitchen and pulled the batter over to start making the rest of them.

  Sasha rinsed quickly in the shower and dressed in clean clothes. He went into Neal’s bedroom and laid down on the bed with his arm over his face.

  After a moment, the mattress bounced as Neal sat next to him. He rubbed Sasha’s chest with a warm hand. “Hey, Doc.”

  Sasha let his hand fall back over his head onto the pillow. He met Neal’s gaze. “Why did he come here?”

  Neal shook his head. “I have no idea. I guess to tell me there’s going to be a fight.”

  “Can you win?”

  He shrugged. “No idea.”

  Sasha sat up, anger flooding him. “No idea? Fucking hell, Neal.”

  “Doc, calm down.”

  “No. No, man. What the fuck? These people are crazy.”

  “Yeah, and they want my place. Do you think I should hand over the deed?”

  Sasha blinked. “You’re not serious.”

  “That’s what this has been about since the beginning.”

  He brought his hand down to close on Neal’s elbow. “No. You can’t do it.”

  “I have almost a dozen guys coming from the Troika,” Neal told him. “We’ll settle this once and for all.”

  “I…”

  “You don’t have to stay here for it.”

  Sasha whipped back. “Fuck you.”

  “Doc.”

  “I can fight.”

  “That’s not what I meant.” Neal caught his wrist in a gentle grip. “I meant, if you don’t want to deal with the drama.”

  “Oh.” Sasha inhaled, heat flowing into his face. “I…”

  “I don’t think it’s going to be much more than a pissing contest, anyway,” Neal said. “We’ll get some intel and then we’ll know for sure.”

  “Neal…” He wanted to say, I love you, but couldn’t quite get it past his lips. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “Of course I will. Besides, we haven’t had a good fight since we got back to the States, and the guys are getting bored.”

  That made him laugh.

  “Come on. Steve’s made waffles for dinner. That’s my favorite.” Neal stood and held his hand down for Sasha to take, and hauled him to his feet.

  “I come to Chicago and meet lycanthropes and get involved in a turf war. No one at home is going to believe this.”

  “They think you’re too innocent?”

  He shook his head. “They’ll be pissed I didn’t invite them to the fight.”

  Neal laughed and led the way out to the living room.

  Carlos and Mitch didn’t stay to eat, but Sasha e
njoyed his time with Steve and Neal. Considering how antagonistically the two Marines reacted to each other upon their reunion, relief filled Sasha. He didn’t want to take sides.

  Steve’s waffles rivaled any his aunts made and he had two servings. The tigers, of course, had twice that…

  “Do lycanthropes eat more?” Sasha asked, watching Steve take another serving of bacon.

  He shrugged. “Yup.”

  Neal chuckled. “You’ve always been a pig.”

  Steve pointed his fork at the other man. “You watch it, smartass.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Bring it on, fur ball.” Neal turned to Sasha. “Any news on your job situation?” Neal asked Sasha.

  He shook his head. “I should hear soon, though. Doctor Salisbury said the board met and is discussing it. He thinks they’ll have a decision by Tuesday.”

  Neal pursed his lips and nodded. “Well, we’ll see.” He sipped his coffee. “Got plans for tonight?”

  “No…”

  “I’m doing a demo on stage, if you want to watch.”

  “Yeah, sure. That would be fun.”

  Steve got up to wash dishes, and Neal sat back. “I have to do some paperwork downstairs, if you don’t mind hanging out for a while.”

  “You sure I won’t be in the way?” Sasha asked. He had the overnight bag in his truck “just in case”, but now he guessed it might be imposing.

  Neal leaned forward, capturing his attention. “You’re not in the way, Doc.” His voice sounded all growly and low, like a tiger’s mutter.

  Gods, but the man was hot…

  Neal chuckled and got up from the table, going to retrieve something or other from the bedroom. Sasha stayed in his chair, trying to center himself by taking deep breaths. Steve said nothing, just washed dishes like he didn’t hear a thing.

  Sasha sighed. His life certainly didn’t get boring, that was for sure.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Unexpected

  The heavy rhythm of the industrial rock song sounded like a giant heartbeat to Sasha. It swept through his body like a tsunami, carrying him along. He arched and swayed, his feet never still as he danced. Dillon had been with him earlier, but left to prepare for his demo on stage. A hand smoothed over the curve of Sasha’s hip, way too familiar. Sasha snapped his head around and his glare bounced off of Mitch’s grin.