People were screaming and running after her. Some whipped out their mobile phones and starting snapping pictures of her. Lisha growled. What the hell? These people should be helping to stop a deadly shooter from getting away. Instead, they were busy taking pictures of a rare white tiger to post of their social media pages. Some were even trying to snap selfies with her in the background.
Lisha pounded past the honking cars. Some drivers were cussing loudly while others stuck their heads out of their windows and trained their mobile phones at her, capturing her on video.
White tigers were rare. White tiger shifters were even rarer. Videos and photos of her were going to be uploaded onto a gazillion social media sites with just one click. She was going to be famous. And that was bad, very, very bad.
Lisha narrowed her eyes and unsheathed her claws fully as she increased her speed, closing in on Mack's car. He was speeding past red lights, running over shopping trolleys as panicked pedestrians scooted backwards in a hurry. He was going to escape, so he could come back and kill her another day.
Lisha snarled. No, this had to end now. There would be no more running and hiding for her.
If she ran, she would be the prey. She was a predator, an apex predator. She was a big, lethal cat, not a mouse. Her tiger had finally emerged. She would reclaim her life. Those criminals had taken so much from her. She wouldn't allow them to take any more.
She glanced at the mobile phones and cameras that were trained on her, capturing her every move. She was going to be exposed, no two ways about it. People would talk, people would post. Everyone was curious. But she wasn't going to let curiosity kill the cat.
Fame might not be good.
But notoriety was.
She bared her teeth and lunged, grimacing at a few blinding flashes from a camera.
Click away, everyone!
Let the world see this.
Let them see the consequences of messing with a tiger...and her clan of bears.
Lisha sucked in a breath and closed her eyes for just a heartbeat. Brad, I need you, now. And I need the clan.
She felt a sudden spike of adrenalin as she sensed Brad's emotions. Their mate bond was strong, and she knew Brad could sense that she was in danger. She heard a roar in her head and she knew her mate was coming.
She wouldn't be fighting alone. She had a clan.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Lisha ran alongside the car and saw Mack gripping the steering wheel with a bloody hand as he reached into the glove compartment.
He pulled out another gun and fired a shot at her. Lisha ducked just in time. Shit! Even bleeding and wounded, his reflexes were fast.
Mack stuck his arm out of the window so he could shoot her dead between the eyes. Lisha saw her chance. With a running leap, she pounced and latched on to Mack's arm. She sank her teeth deep into his flesh and wrenched hard.
Her paws burned as she stopped running abruptly and let the car streak away from her in a spray of fresh blood.
She had Mack's arm in her mouth. She had yanked his whole arm out of its socket and tore it clean from his body.
Lisha dropped the bloody limb on the ground and snarled. Mack Kross was a stone cold killer. Even minus an arm, he could still kill.
Lisha jerked at the sound of a loud crash. Her roar was drowned out by another deafening, ferocious roar.
Brad.
She saw him then, in bear form, charging across the intersection and almost causing a chain collision. She raced to the junction and saw Brad punching out the lights of Mack's car.
There were gunshots as Mack fired wildly at Brad. Lisha's blood turned to ice in her veins.
Don't let Brad get shot. Please!
The bullets only grazed Brad's brown fur, but the shots enraged the bear. Brad roared and smashed his massive paw through the windscreen. With smoke billowing from its engine, the car careened and skidded before finally flipping on its side.
Mack struggled to get out of the smoking wreckage. With a low growl, Lisha began to prowl towards him. He was missing an arm, and his face was twisted in rage and agony. In his remaining hand, he still clutched a gun. He was still going to try to shoot her.
Lisha crouched as Mack stumbled out of the car and pointed the gun at her. As he fired a shot, she sprang forward and knocked him to the ground. They wrestled on the ground, and Mack's demented rage imbued him with an almost superhuman strength. He was a formidable opponent, and when Lisha stared into his eyes, she saw no remorse, no emotion, no humanity there at all. Mack Kross was a killer. That was all he was. He was nothing else, and nothing else mattered to him.
A large crowd had gathered. Most of the crowd still looked incredulous and awe-struck at the sight of a majestic white tiger. There were some civic-minded individuals who had shifted to their animals forms, preparing to come to her aid. But the majority were still too absorbed in taking photographs and videos of her to render any help.
Lisha looked up and shook her head at the few wolves and leopards who were preparing to come forward and help her subdue Mack Kross. I've got this, thanks!
Even as he grunted and struggled, Mack somehow managed to press the barrel of the gun at her head.
Lisha tensed for just a moment, letting all the cameras around her capture the image of a man with a gun to her head.
Then she lurched forward and bit down on his arm an instant before he squeezed the trigger.
Mack screamed as Lisha staggered back a few paces. She had torn out his remaining arm.
But she wasn't done. Lisha flung his arm in his contorted face and pressed her paw down on his writhing, thrashing body. Mack was armless, bleeding, completely helpless under her claws. She could slice him open and gut him right there and then.
But gutting him wouldn't end things. They would just send more killers after her.
Lisha glanced over her shoulder at Brad. He nodded at her and growled.
We're all here for you.
There were more growls and Lisha saw the clan. All in bear form.
Cole and Dalton were leading the clan towards them. The whole clan was here. All the men, their families, even their grandparents and great-grandparents had come. The brown bears surged through the street, brusquely pushing past cars and pedestrians to reach her. They came and stood with her, surrounding her and her prey.
Cole and Brad prowled forward, snarling and growling. The two brown bears were powerful, lethal predators. They could kill a man in a matter of seconds, but they wouldn't kill Mack Kross. This man had killed Lisha's father and had tried to kill her. It was her choice.
If Lisha wanted the scum alive, they would let him live.
Even though death would be more merciful.
Lisha nodded, giving the signal.
As Lisha held Mack down, the two huge bears clamped their jaws around Mack's ankles and tore his legs from his torso.
Mack stopped screaming and there was a moment of stunned silence. Then Lisha raised her head and roared.
The entire Nightfire clan reared up and roared with her.
She was sending a message to her enemies.
Lisha Kwok was a powerful, deadly white tiger in her own right. But now she had a whole clan of big, brown bears behind her, beside her.
Anyone who dared messed with Lisha would have to answer to the Nightfire clan.
Lisha knew that videos and pictures of her and her clan were already being uploaded onto websites, blogs, social media sites.
Her location and status as a shifter had been exposed. But Lisha turned her exposure to her advantage. It was a warning to all those who would hunt her and her loved ones.
She was no sitting duck. She wasn't prey and she wasn't alone. The tables had been turned. Anyone who had a mind to terrorize and hunt her had better be prepared to be hunted and taken down. Ripped apart and gutted, without mercy.
Lisha turned and saw Abby running towards them. Abby wasn't a bear shifter, but she had the heart
and stout courage of a bear. She gasped at the sight of Lisha in tiger form. “You are so beautiful!” Abby caught her breath and gave the clan a quick thumbs-up sign.
“I've made the call,” Abby informed them. She didn't even balk at the gory sight of the limbless human at Lisha's feet. The man was unconscious but still alive.
Abby's eyes blazed with fury as she spat, “The authorities are on their way. They're coming to collect...the trash.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Lisha frowned at the computer screen and changed the font of the website heading. With a few more clicks of the mouse, she changed the background color and added some lively graphics.
Satisfied, she sat back and rubbed her bulging belly absently. She was working from home today, designing the new website for Nightfire Landscaping. Lisha found that she enjoyed her job as a librarian too much to give it up entirely, so she worked part-time at the library instead. On her days off, she worked from home, freelancing as a web designer.
But with her pregnancy now in its final stages, she was finding it tiring to sit for long periods at a time. The little rascals were getting restless as well, constantly wrestling and kicking around in her belly.
Brad and the entire clan had been ecstatic to find out that she was expecting twins. Everyone had fussed over her, constantly bringing nutritious food and nourishing soups over to feed her. Lisha swore that she was now larger than a full-grown whale.
Lisha uploaded the website and pushed back from her desk. Waddling out of her study, she made her way to the kitchen to grab a glass of milk.
She stood and gazed out the window for a few minutes. Finishing the tall glass of milk and giving herself a milk mustache, Lisha smiled and waved to some of her clan members as they passed her house. Bruno's grandmother had just returned from a shopping trip with Jason's mother and sister. The three women waved back and grinned. From their guilty, conspiratorial glances, Lisha knew what their shopping bags contained. She narrowed her eyes at them and they laughed. They had bought yet more baby stuff for her. Her house was already overflowing with baby gifts and presents from the clan. And from the Book Babes. The Book Babes had morphed into the Knitting Babes though. Her book club members had been dropping by to give her beautifully knitted baby booties, bonnets, blankets, shawls and even a matching pair of sweaters for her and Brad.
Lisha shook her head and chuckled as the three she-bears hurried eagerly away. They couldn't wait to rush home and wrap up all those presents.
She rested her hand protectively over her swollen belly as her mind flashed briefly back to Mack Kross. Mack had given a full and damning confession, describing in detail the workings of the human trafficking syndicate that he was a part of. With a full list of names, dates and locations, the authorities and government agencies successfully infiltrated and smashed the syndicate. The masterminds and minions were all prosecuted and convicted. Most of the kidnapped, missing humans were found but not all could be rescued. Some had contracted incurable diseases, and some had been maimed and mutilated beyond recognition. Some had gone mad, their minds and bodies irretrievably broken and wasted.
Mack Kross would end his days in a maximum security prison. With no arms and no legs, he would be easy prey for the more violent, savage inmates. Maybe the prison guards would intervene and stop the violence. Or maybe they'd look the other way.
Lisha didn't care.
Mack Kross and his ilk would never touch her and her loved ones again.
Lisha exhaled a long breath and shook away the horrific memories. She would think happy thoughts, soothing, cheerful thoughts for her babies. She'd conceived her babies the night she first mated with Brad. It seemed her life took a sharp turn for the better that very night. Everything fell into place. Her tiger, her heart, her life.
Turning away from the window, Lisha went to the phone and called her sister-in-law. Abby picked up on the first ring.
“Lisha! Are you...”
“No,” Lisha laughed. “No labor pains, yet.” She heard Abby blow out a breath. “I just wanted to tell you that I've uploaded the website for Nightfire Landscaping. I want you and Terri to take a look and tell me what you think.”
“Oh, wow! That's fast! Okay, I'll just...”
“Oh, oh, ow!” Lisha clutched the edge of the table and panted. “Abby! Are you there?”
“Yes, Lisha, I'm here! What's happening?” Abby yelled. “I'm coming over right now!”
“I...oh, gosh! I'm leaking water...”
“I'm on my way! I'll call Terri and Terri will call Brad. You stay calm, you hear me? Calm, calm!” Abby shrieked, sounding less than calm herself.
Lisha grunted against the sudden, shooting pain and fumbled her way to the front door. She'd just gotten the door open when she saw Abby's car screech to a halt in front of her house.
“Let's get you to the hospital!” Abby ran up and helped her to the car. “Terri has gone to collect Brad and the boys. They'll meet us there. Let's go, let's go. Now! Move it, people!” Abby yelled commands to herself in stern, military tones as she hustled Lisha into the car.
Lisha grimaced as she pulled the seat belt over her shaking body. Abby nodded approvingly and hollered, “Seat belts everyone! We're on our way!” Lisha had to glance behind to see if there was anyone else in the car, but there were only the two of them. She shrugged and stifled a giggle. Apparently, treating this as a military exercise steadied her usually unflappable sister-in-law.
Abby revved the engine and announced, “And Team Cubs-a-coming is on the move!”
*
Lisha cradled her two babies in her arms and looked up to see Brad skidding into the hospital room. His eyes were round with worry and excitement. “Lisha,” he breathed.
He came to her side and kissed her hair, gazing down proudly and lovingly at their newborn twins. Cole, Dalton and Tony crowded round, grinning and gawking.
“Everyone, meet Daren and Rita,” Lisha beamed. She'd named her son after her dad, and her daughter after Brad's mom.
Cole shared a smile with his younger brother, and came to kiss her on the cheek.
Dalton and Tony came up to kiss her as well, and eagerly asked if they could hold the babies.
Terri and Tony cooed over little Rita, who was yawning and wrinkling her nose.
“Oh!” At Dalton's startled cry, everyone rushed over to him. Only Brad remained at Lisha's bedside, holding her hand.
Daren Junior had started bawling in Dalton's arms. Then right before their eyes, the baby shifted into a little bear cub. Dalton held the squirming ball of brown fur in his large hands and laughed.
“He's just like you, Brad,” Dalton chuckled.
“Yeah,” Cole laughed, peering at his nephew. “When Brad was young, he used to turn into a growling little bear whenever he got angry. After he exhausted himself, he would shift back to human form in his sleep.”
Sure enough, when Dalton settled the little cub back in his arms and patted him to sleep, Daren Junior shifted back to a human babe.
“Rita is not a werebear,” Terri said, sniffing her sleeping niece. “Is she...a weretiger? Ooh, she's strong!” Terri grinned and tried to pry her little finger from Rita's tiny fist.
“I don't know,” Lisha answered with a shrug. “White tiger genes aren't dominant. That's why there are so few white tigers around. She might be a weretiger, or she might grow up to be a human woman without her animal ever emerging.”
Brad beamed. “If Rita grows up to be a beautiful white tiger like her mother, that would be simply wonderful!”
“If she grows up to be an amazing human woman like her Aunt Abby, that's wonderful too,” Lisha grinned.
Brad went to hug Abby. “Thank you for driving her to the hospital.”
“That's what family is for,” Abby said, patting his shoulder. Then she squealed and danced around the room with Terri. “I'm an aunt! I'm an aunt! I'm an auntie!” they sang, twirling each other around.
C
ole and Brad went to hold the babies, while Dalton and Tony hovered over their shoulders, clucking and cooing and making all sorts of unintelligible noises.
“The rest of the clan will be coming soon,” Terri told Lisha. “I don't know if this room can hold the lot of them.”
Before Lisha could reply, Abby planted her hands on her hips and faced Brad. “Lisha has given you two beautiful babies. Now, when are you going to make an honest woman out of her, Brad Jameson?” she demanded in her sternest big sister voice.
Brad blinked at Abby, then carefully handed his yawning son to Tony. A slow smile was curving his lips.
Terri and Abby stood flanking Lisha, like two overprotective big sisters. Lisha stared at Brad as he walked to her bed and took her hand. “Lisha, my beautiful, brave, amazing mate. You have given me a son and a daughter, and you have made me a very happy man.” Brad took a deep breath and withdrew a velvet box from his pocket. “There is only one thing that will make me even happier.”
Lisha gasped as Brad opened the box to reveal a sparkling diamond ring. He dropped to one knee and said, “I know we're mated but I'll like to get married as well. I love you, Lisha, now and forever. Will you be my wife?”
There were rushing footsteps and familiar voices along the corridor. The rest of the Nightfire clan jostled through the door and stumbled noisily into the room. They stopped in their tracks when they saw Brad on bended knee, holding out a diamond ring to her.
“How romantic!”
“He's proposing to her!”
“How come you never proposed to me, huh?” one of the she-bears grumbled and smacked her mate over the head.
“Say yes, Lisha! He won't get up till you say yes!”
Lisha stared at Brad for a long while, seeing all his love and all her tomorrows in his eyes.
A Wife For The Bear: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Bear Brides Book 3) Page 6