by Desiree Holt
The knife dug deep, sending a rush of hot wetness over her hip. Searing pain followed a second later. “Don’t talk to me about betrayal, you fucking bitch. Not after you let another man fuck you.”
Chapter 11
He’d been angry before, but nothing like this white-hot rage licking through his veins. All the human refinements he’d built over the years burned away as the coppery-scent of blood filled the air, competing with the bitter stink of terror. Harriet.
Tobias leaped from the back of his horse and threw the reins toward Clyde. They were a few hundred yards from the property, so he hadn’t distinguished the threat to her. A scream rent the air, and his bear punched forward, desperate to get to their mate. “Take the horses round back, Clyde, and call for help.”
He didn’t wait for a response. Pulling on the bear’s strength, he sprinted toward the five-bar gate separating the yard from open pasture and vaulted it. He landed in a crouch, senses firing as he scanned the area. Information rushed to him in a wave of scent and sound, amplified by the pain and fear of his mate.
His boots would prove a hindrance if he shifted, so he removed them quickly and stood. Fighting the bear at every step, he stepped out of the shadows and walked toward the horror show playing out before him.
A dark stain spread down the side of Harriet’s pale gray shirt. The rest of her body was obscured by Shane’s body where he pinned her to the vehicle, so he couldn’t tell if she had any other injuries. He edged nearer, keeping his movements slow and quiet to avoid drawing their attention until he could get closer. Harriet’s sobs tore at his heart, and drove the bear to the brink of madness. Silver flashed, sunlight reflecting off a blade as it sliced through the back of her shirt, and Tobias surrendered control to his animal.
Fury fueled his shift. There was barely time to register the agonizing snap and twist of bone before black fur flowed over his re-shaped body. Slapping his front paws hard on the compacted dirt floor of the yard, Tobias unleashed a bellow of challenge. He roared again, the sound echoing back from the surrounding buildings, and charged toward the truck.
Shane stumbled back, lips stretched wide in a high scream of terror, giving Harriet the chance to scramble around the side of the truck. Tobias shifted his angle of attack, placing himself between the vehicle and the man. He rose to his full height of eight feet and roared again, swiping a huge paw at Shane. His first priority was to get him well away from Harriet and then he would deal with him.
Faking a charge, he forced the man to retreat toward the center of the yard. Shane brandished the knife, shouting and waving his arms wildly, as though he thought he could scare Tobias away. He chuffed, the bear’s equivalent of a laugh, and dropped to four paws again. Worry for his mate’s injury gnawed at him, but the bear would not yield control. Their prey was cornered, and Harriet’s blood would be paid for a hundred times over.
He raised his snout and roared again, a declaration of death. Shane turned tail and ran, obviously not realizing how fast a charging bear could move. Dust flew beneath Tobias’ paws and he leaped forward, slamming his full weight into the fleeing man. He rolled away, not wanting to crush him—he wouldn’t be allowed to die so easily.
“Help me, help me! Oh God, I’m going to die!” Shane screamed.
Tobias savored the taste of Shane’s fear, rolling it on his tongue like a sommelier with a vintage claret. He circled the fallen man, nudging him with his snout, growling and snarling until a circle of moisture damped the ground beneath Shane. The stink of ammonia burned the bear’s sensitive nostrils and he shook his head, trying to clear the smell of piss. His bladder’s weaker than a week-old baby. A soft moan of pain sounded behind him, reminding him there were more important things than the sniveling bastard at his feet. He clamped his jaws around the back of Shane’s neck. One quick bite would end this and he could see to his mate.
The loud boom of a shotgun filled the air, and he released his grip to face the new threat. “Get away from him, Tobias.” Clyde racked the shotgun, sliding a new shell into the barrel. He pointed the gun straight at him and advanced a step. “You heard me, son. Leave Shane alone.”
Shocked and confused, the bear roared a challenge at their new foe.
“Tobias, no.” His mate called out, and he swung around to see her staggering toward them. He growled a warning. Didn’t she see the danger? She clearly didn’t understand and kept moving closer. Her safety came first, above all things, and it was only this knowledge that enabled him to force the bear down and resume control.
Tobias called on his shift. Pain lanced his body, and he writhed in the dirt, scraping his over-sensitive skin raw in the process. “Stay back, Harriet. Stay back,” he gasped, struggling to his feet.
Too much adrenaline coursed through his system. The world tilted on its axis, making him stumble a few steps before his brain righted itself enough for him to catch his balance. He clamped his lips, refusing to yield to his heaving stomach.
“Jesus Christ and all his saints, that is even more terrifying in broad daylight,” Clyde muttered.
Tobias frowned at the older man. Clyde hadn’t been surprised at finding a black bear in the yard, had even called him by his name. So, how did he know? Explanations could wait. Harriet needed his help, but he didn’t dare go to her while Clyde still pointed his shotgun at Tobias. “I’m in control now, Clyde. You can lower your weapon.”
Shane scrambled to his feet, still brandishing the knife, “Shoot him! Shoot him! Goddamn it, that freak tried to kill me.”
The foreman frowned, but didn’t alter his aim. Tobias risked a glance over his shoulder. Harriet was still on her feet, but the hand she held pressed against her side was red with her blood. He swiveled his head back to Clyde. “I need to help, Harriet. Let me go to her.”
“No! You stay away from her, you filthy monster. She’s mine!” Shane lunged toward him, blade extended. The slash across Tobias forearm barely registered, as he blocked the knife and punched with his other arm, sending his enemy reeling back.
“Enough!” Clyde advanced, putting himself between them. “Harriet, girl, are you okay? The EMT’s should be here any minute, the sheriff too.”
“I think so. It’s not too deep, and the bleeding seems to be slowing down.” Her thready voice belied her declaration.
Tobias growled in frustration. “Shoot me if you have to, but Harriet needs me.”
Clyde ignored him, his attention on Shane. “Why’s your belt unbuckled, boy?” The loose ends of the wide leather strap dangled free on either side of Shane’s zipper. In his fury and fear over Harriet, Tobias hadn’t noticed until Clyde mentioned it. The image of a knife slicing open Harriet’s shirt flashed into his head. A red film of rage obscured his vision, and he launched himself at Shane.
Boom! The shotgun blast rang out, and he braced himself for the impact of the bullet. Shane’s mouth dropped open as the front of his shirt turned into a red ruin and he toppled sideways, hitting the dirt seconds before Tobias reached him. He spun on his heel to see Clyde drop to one knee, his pale face covered in beads of sweat.
Harriet limped to the old man’s side and half-collapsed beside him. Tobias reached them both in time to see her wipe away the sweat trickling down Clyde’s brow. “Why, Clyde? Why?”
He raised a shaking hand to cup her cheek. “Because he hurt you, my girl. Would’ve hurt you more given half a chance, and I couldn’t let Tobias kill him. You need him too much.”
Her breath jerked in a sob. “I need you too!”
A siren’s wail split the air, followed by another slightly different cadence. “That’ll be the sheriff and the ambulance.” Clyde coughed and lifted his gaze to Tobias. “I told you once already today that I didn’t need to see your naked ass. Go get dressed before they get here.” His eyelids flickered closed, and a grimace of pain twisted his features into a ghastly mask.
The adrenaline drained away, leaving Tobias dizzy and confused. Two people who needed him the most crouched before him, and
for the first time in his life, he had no clue what to do for them. “Harriet?”
How she managed to smile at him through the taut lines of pain on her face, he would never know. “I’m okay.” The sirens sounded again, much closer this time. “Quickly now, before we’re facing questions I don’t know how to answer.” She glanced past him to the fallen body of her former friend. “Or any more questions, I should say.”
Tobias ran for the bunkhouse, snatching up the shredded remains of his clothing along the way. He grabbed the first things at hand—an old pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt he’d been sleeping in and scrambled into them. He needed to get his head back in the game, put away the emotions bombarding him and deal with them later. No one else would die this day.
The sheriff’s cruiser and a large red-and-white ambulance turned into the yard, as he reached Harriet’s side. He nudged her hand away from her side, replaced it with his own and clamped down hard enough to make her gasp. “Sorry, sweetheart.” Reaching out with his other hand, he eased the shotgun from Clyde’s limp fingers and sent it skittering away across the yard.
Heavy footsteps thundered toward them, but he couldn’t look away from the dark patch on Harriet’s side, the shock of red staining his fingers where he applied pressure to the wound. “I’m okay, Tobias. I’m okay,” she whispered, cupping his cheek with her hand to force him to meet her eyes. She looked blurry, out of focus, and he blinked away the tears he hadn’t noticed flooding his eyes.
“You can’t die,” he growled, and she laughed weakly.
“If I’d known you were so bossy, I might have thought twice about this mating thing.” She winced, sending shards of panic slicing through him.
An EMT knelt beside him, echoing an older man in a gray uniform and battered hat, who crouched beside Clyde. “Sir, I need you to move aside so I can examine her.”
Tobias ignored him. He had things to say. It was too soon, and yet nearly far too late. He leaned forward, blocking everyone and everything but the jade-green eyes of his beloved mate from view. “Always here, Harriet. Always now.”
Tears clung to the delicate sweep of her eyelashes, sparkling like diamonds. “I love you, Tobias,” she whispered. He kissed the perfect bow of her upper lip and reluctantly yielded his spot to the EMT.
Clyde and the sheriff were deep in conversation while the other EMT fixed a blood-pressure cuff on the foreman’s arm to check his vitals. Tobias raised his hand to rub his eyes, and the coppery scent of Harriet’s blood filled his nose. The bear surged forward, his need for revenge unsatisfied. Shaking with the effort, he clenched his fists and held it back. Enough! He roared the silent command, and the enraged animal retreated. Clyde had risked everything, including his own freedom, to give Harriet and Tobias a chance, and he would honor that sacrifice.
“Sir? Sir, can you help me lift her?” The EMT called out, breaking through his reverie.
“Of course, whatever you need.”
Epilogue
“Will you stop fussing, son? I’m not a damned invalid.” Clyde groused. Harriet hid a grin, as her stubborn bear ignored the other man’s complaints and tucked the ends of the blanket under the foreman’s feet where they rested on a low stool.
She lifted her head for a kiss when Tobias bent over her to adjust her own blanket. He’d been like this for days, ever since her return from hospital. By the time he let her stand on her own two feet, she’d likely have forgotten how to walk, but she didn’t complain. His need to take care of them was stamped into every line of worry creasing his brow.
He had two more days. Two more and then she would start pushing back. Strong as Tobias was, he couldn’t shoulder the burdens of the ranch alone, and Clyde would not be returning to work, whatever he might think. She and Tobias both agreed upon that.
The sheriff had taken brief statements from them all, arrested Clyde, and let the EMT’s transport him to the hospital alongside Harriet. A search of Shane’s house had uncovered a corkboard in his basement covered in covert photographs of her, along with a diary. The sheriff had refused to disclose the contents, giving her a tight-lipped “You don’t need to know,” response when she asked. They were still awaiting a decision on the charges against Clyde, but given the advanced state of his cancer, he would unlikely ever make it to a trial. He’d been released on a minimal bond into her care.
An unfamiliar Jeep tooted its horn as it drove into the yard and Tobias straightened up. “About damn time,” he muttered before descending the front steps of the porch to meet the vehicle.
“Expecting someone?” Clyde asked Harriet.
“Apparently so.” The two men exiting the front of the Jeep were unfamiliar to her, though their size and coloring marked them as relatives of Tobias as much as the big hugs they took turns hauling him into. She smiled to herself. Bear hugs.
Two more men alighted from the rear seats, and she recognized them both. Tobias stepped away from his relatives to shake hands, first with Mitch and then Pete. “Well, I’ll be damned.” The emotion in Clyde’s voice echoed her own.
Tobias led the group of men toward the porch. “Harriet, I’d like to introduce you to two of my brothers—Julius and Tanner.”
They stepped forward in turn to shake her hand, the younger one leaning forward to brush a kiss on her cheek. “Aww, you should’ve waited for me, Harriet. I’m the good-looking one.” He ducked away from the playful swipe Tobias aimed at his head.
“Sarge?” Clyde rose to his feet, clutching the arm of his chair to keep upright. His gaze was firmly fixed on Julius.
A look of pain creased Julius’ face, so stark it brought tears prickling to the back of Harriet’s eyes. “I think you mistake me for my brother, Jacob.” He rolled his shoulders, and a bland expression slipped into place to mask the pain. “It’s a pleasure to meet someone who served with him, though. Been a long time since I saw him, and I’d be honored to hear about your service together.” Julius settled a meaty hand on Clyde’s shoulder, eased him back into his seat and settled on his haunches beside him. They put their heads together and began conversing quietly, oblivious to anyone else.
The wood of the porch creaked, and Harriet looked up to see Tobias staring down at her. “What did you do?” she breathed.
He shrugged, and scratched at the dark stubble on his jaw. He’d been too busy to shave, and she had to admit, she kind of liked the rough look of him. “Called in some reinforcements, I hope you don’t mind?”
She shook her head; how could she mind? “This is your place now, too, Tobias. Our place.” She held out her hand to him and he took it, turning it over to place a kiss in the center of her palm.
“Afternoon, Mizz Mills,” Mitch called from the bottom of the steps, dragging her attention away. “Mister Langstreet told us what happened, asked if we could see our way to coming back to the Happy T.” He twisted the brim of his hat between his fingers, then placed it back on his head. “Damn nasty business. Whoever would’ve guessed that about Shane?”
Not her. She shook her head. “I’m so very sorry for what happened, Mitch. I hope you can forgive us for our lack of trust in you?”
“It’s all forgotten, ma’am. Me and Pete are just glad to be home. It was an honor to work for your daddy, and we’ll be here for as long as you need us.”
“Thank you.” Such simple words couldn’t do justice to the burgeoning hope in her heart. She cast her eyes over the men grouped around her, overwhelmed at the strength and support she read on every face. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she turned to Tobias. “You did this. You saved our home.”
He swooped down, gathered her into his arms and carried her into the house. “No, darling. You did this. You gave me a home worth saving.”
About the Author
Merryn Dexter is a military spouse who, after a varied employment career, is thrilled to be pursuing her dream career as a romance writer. Her hobbies include crying at books, crying at movies, crying at television series (there’s a theme!) and believes all stori
es should have a Happy Ending.
Merryn is the author of A Mate’s Healing Touch, A Mate’s Redeeming Touch, Mating Dance (part of Decadent Publishing’s Black Hills Wolves series) Soul of Flame (Wiccan Haus), Silver Moon and Hunger Moon (Hot Moon Rising Series) and Pretty in Ink (part of the Curved Lines Collection)
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An Evening in the Superstitions
Kate Richards
Delia clutched the phone. The male voice could be any of her ex’s creepy friends, the tone of glee reminding her how little sympathy she’d found in her new country.
“When?” she forced out through her tight throat. “When are they letting him out?”
Prologue
“He’s coming for you.”
Delia clutched the phone. The male voice could be any of her ex’s creepy friends, the tone of glee reminding her how little sympathy she’d found in her new country.
“When?” she forced out through her tight throat. “When are they letting him out?”
“Where would be the fun in letting you know that? He just asked me to call and give you a head start. You know, to make things more interesting.” The caller clicked off.
She stumbled out of the little outbuilding, tripping over the delicate table she’d been refinishing for a client and into the house, pausing only long enough to grab her purse and the envelope of emergency cash from the top dresser drawer before tearing off down the street to the bus stop. She’d head for home, but no method of getting there wouldn’t leave a trail. Plus, the elders had been about as empathetic as the bar bears Cerberus called friends. And their skeezy mates who thought it was hysterically funny to watch him slap her around.