Mark of the Bear hc-2

by N. J. Walters

  “Why are you here?” That low rumble of a voice made her skin tingle and her toes curl. And her toes hadn’t curled in a very long time. Considering the situation she was in, this was no time for them to start.

  “Why are you here?” She countered. “And where exactly is here?” She just wanted to go home. She frowned. No, she didn’t want to go home. She was on her way somewhere. Wasn’t she?

  “You are in my thoughts.”

  “But this is my dream.” She was certain of that. Even the lady she’d met had understood that this was Kellsie’s dream.

  His frown deepened and the muscles in his jaw tightened. She really should be more terrified of the giant in front of her. Instead, she was fascinated. It was like being before some great predator, a perfect specimen of the species. She only hoped he found her interesting enough not to kill her.

  He lowered his gaze and a slow smile cut across his face. She gasped as large white teeth, several of which were very sharp, were revealed. “You like bears?”

  She glanced down at her nightshirt. She hadn’t realized she was wearing it in her dream. And what did her choice of sleeping attire have to do with anything? “Yes, I like bears.”

  Reaching out a huge hand, he cupped her jaw. Or rather the entire left side of her face. His hand was as big as a dinner plate. She swallowed hard. She really should make a run for it. He was so big he was bound to be slower. She could run like a jackrabbit when necessary, and this situation certainly was that.

  Not giving herself time to think, she ducked beneath his arm and took off. She hadn’t gone five feet when a large, muscled forearm wrapped around her waist. She was yanked backward and right off her feet. A large male chest cradled her back and a very impressive erection pushed against her butt.

  Kellsie opened her mouth to scream, but all that came out was a squeak. She sounded more like a mouse than a scream queen. With his forearm banded across her diaphragm, she couldn’t suck in enough air to generate even a mild yell.

  “Shhh,” he whispered in her ear. “I won’t hurt you.”

  The rough stubble of his jaw grazed the sensitive skin of her neck and jaw, sending a shiver through her entire body. And it wasn’t brought on by fear, but arousal. She was in big trouble. She strained forward, trying to get away from him. It was like trying to move a block of granite.

  His lips caressed the nape of her neck and she moaned before she could stop herself. “You have to stop,” she gasped.

  “Why?” he countered. “If this is a dream, why not enjoy it?”

  Kellsie froze in his grip, no longer trying to escape his grasp. This was a dream, wasn’t it? It had to be. She was running around in her nightgown, for heaven’s sake. But how weird was it to know it was a dream? She was confusing herself just thinking about it.

  He slowly lowered her until her feet were touching the floor. Except it wasn’t a rocky floor any longer, but a soft mossy forest floor. She could smell the fresh scent of pine in the air and a light breeze brushed over her skin. He loosened his hold but didn’t release her. Instead, he shifted his hands over her sides and under her sleep shirt.

  His skin was warm, his fingers callused and strong as he stroked her torso and around her breasts. Her nipples tightened, the traitors. God, she wanted him to touch her. Was it wrong if it was a dream?

  His movements pushed her shirt higher, and she felt the heat and pulse of his erection against her bare back. It throbbed against her skin. A matching beat started deep in her core and her sex swelled. Kellsie bit her bottom lip to keep from moaning as his clever hands lifted her shirt over her head and tossed it aside.

  He stilled. Before she could figure out what was wrong, he began to trace the tattoo on her shoulder. “You really are mine, aren’t you?” She could hear the wonder in his voice. “You belong to the bear.”

  “I belong to myself.” Never again would she allow a man to mean more to her than herself. She’d made that mistake with Jonathan and wouldn’t make it again. She didn’t need a man in her life, not even in her dreams. Didn’t matter how damn sexy he was.

  “No.” He tightened his hold. “You’re mine.”

  She began to fight him in earnest. She wanted to get away from here, from him. Panicked, she kicked at him with her heels and reached behind to tug on his hair. “Let me go.”

  “I will never hurt you, but I cannot let you go.” He sounded sad. Resigned. She felt his pain as if it was her own, and it staggered her in its scope and depth. For a moment, she almost stopped struggling. Then common sense kicked in and she began to pummel at the arm holding her captive.

  “Let me go. Let me go…”

  Kellsie sat up in bed, gasping for breath and still muttering aloud. She scrambled backward and hit the headboard with a loud thud. She glanced around the nondescript motel room. She was alone.

  “Shit.” She swiped at her forehead, not surprised to find it damp with perspiration. “That was one hell of a dream.” And not surprising when she thought about it. She hadn’t had sex in so long it was no wonder she’d dreamed about a good-looking guy. Once upon a time, she’d wanted to belong to someone, with someone, knowing she could depend on them. But those days were gone. She was alone and, as the first male voice in her dream had stated, she was a survivor.

  “Jesus, I really should have eaten something last night.” Lack of sleep and food, mixed with the few intense days of work and all the stress, and it was no wonder she’d had such a crazy dream. She relaxed and then tensed again. She was naked.

  She shoved back the covers and found her shirt balled up near her feet. “Must have ripped it off during the dream.” Her limbs quivered as she sat up and dragged in a deep breath.

  She checked her watch and noted it was nearly dawn. No way she’d go back to sleep now. “I need another shower and some food. Then it’s time to hit the road.”

  She made her way into the bathroom and under the cool spray of the water. Her enthusiasm returned as she thought about her new movie role. By the time she was halfway through her shower her dream was all but forgotten.

  Chapter Three

  Kellsie studied the map. She wasn’t lost, not exactly. She just wasn’t quite certain where she was. She’d taken the I-5 before turning off onto a secondary highway in Skagit County. The scenery was breathtaking with the majestic North Cascade Mountain Range rising in the distance. She needed to hit Rockport and then the town of Marblemount before she found the movie set. Although, given the size and population of both, they could barely be called towns, according to Maury. Kellsie thought they’d be beautiful and quaint, much like the other places she’d passed on her drive.

  She’d driven most of yesterday before finding another motel to crash for the night. She hadn’t rushed the trip, taking the time to stop and eat so she wouldn’t be exhausted when she arrived. According to Maury, as long as she hit the movie set sometime today she was fine.

  Thankfully, she’d slept long and hard last night, rising refreshed to hit the road in Betsy once again. With the window rolled down and The Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil” blaring through the speakers, she’d put Jonathan and Los Angeles out of her head and focused on the job ahead. She’d left all the turmoil behind her and was currently in the great state of Washington.

  Several hours ago, she’d stopped at a drive-through for a chicken burger and parked in the lot to eat it. Usually she was very careful with her food, but today she’d needed the junk-food kick.

  While she was stopped to eat, she’d read some of the stories in the tabloids she’d picked up at the convenience store back in L.A. She hated that they’d brought up her childhood history, the death of her parents when she was little more than a toddler and her years as a ward of the state.

  They had several quotes from former foster parents. Kellsie curled her upper lip into a sneer, wondering how much they’d been paid. She was realistic and cynical enough to know money was involved, especially when dealing with these particular folks, none of whom had
been particularly good or caring foster parents.

  That in and of itself was enough to make her sound pitiful. Then they piled on the fact that Jonathan had dumped her and his career had flourished while hers had trundled on much the same as it had for years.

  Over coffee, she’d studied the old pictures of herself, most of which were totally unflattering shots from film roles. Thankfully most of them were on the inner pages of the tabloid with only one plastered on the front cover.

  She’d consoled herself with the fact they were small pictures. The larger ones were of the movie exec’s daughter who’d come after her, Jon’s current wife and the actress he was reportedly currently sleeping with. The cheating bastard.

  She shoved all those negative thoughts aside. The day was too beautiful to let thoughts of her ex ruin it. She was on her way to a movie set and she had the leading role. The paparazzi hadn’t found her either. Life was good.

  Now she was closing in on her destination. She ran her finger over the map Maury had highlighted for her. He’d given her written directions as well as the movie script. She couldn’t wait to read it. Maury had assured her it was a great role and that was good enough for her. She couldn’t afford to be picky and turn down work.

  The only thing she wouldn’t do for a role was get naked. She’d worn her share of skimpy clothing, bathing suits and even strategically placed bedclothes, but she’d never been naked. Not even in a shower scene. She’d worn bikini bottoms and skin-tone patches to cover her nipples. For some reason it was a line she couldn’t cross.

  It had limited the amount of work she’d gotten. With her figure, she would have gotten a lot more roles if she’d been willing to lose all her clothing.

  She shrugged and concentrated on her map. She was happy with what she’d done and that was all that mattered. “That’s all fine and good.” She glanced out the window and back to the map. “But if you don’t find where the movie set is located you won’t be working at all.”

  Someone involved with this movie had some pull. They had the permits to shoot on the edge of a national park. The backdrop for the film was going to be spectacular. Tossing the map onto the passenger seat, she checked for traffic before pulling back onto the road. A sign on the roadside informed her there was a small diner two miles down the road. Kellsie immediately decided to stop and go to the restroom before getting something else to eat and asking for directions.

  The building came into view a few minutes later. It was small, but well kept. Made of logs, it blended with the surrounding forest. Perfect for a movie. As she pulled into the parking lot, she could picture the exterior scene. The rugged west at its best with a touch of Native American thrown in.

  Kellsie got out of the car and grabbed her purse. She locked her doors and pocketed her keys. This might be an isolated spot, and hers might be the only car in the lot, but she’d lived in the city too long not to take precautions and lock up behind her.

  Dreamcatchers fluttered in the breeze as they hung on a display just outside the main door. They were lovely and immediately caught her eye. She took a closer look and realized they were made from bent branches and rawhide, not metal hoops and synthetic string. These were the real deal. She fingered one long feather that hung from the bottom of one of the larger hoops.

  “An eagle feather,” someone said from behind her.

  She immediately pulled her hand back, feeling like a kid who’d touched something she shouldn’t have. Too many times in her life she’d felt that way—as if she was always on the outside looking in. Immediately, the thought made her angry as the old insecurities surged forward. She’d worked long and hard to rid herself of those feelings, but they still popped up on occasion. She reminded herself that she had money she’d earned all on her own. She could touch and buy whatever she wanted.

  Kellsie turned to face the owner of the low, male voice and was immediately struck by his face. He had a strong jaw and straight nose with heavy lines on the forehead and crow’s feet around the eyes. He could be anywhere from sixty to ninety. It was difficult to tell. There was an ageless quality about him.

  His skin was bronze, proclaiming his Native American heritage. His hair was long, flowing almost to his waist. Most of it was still black, but it was streaked with gray. It was held away from his face by a leather headband trimmed with intricate beadwork. He wore jeans and an embroidered shirt. Her first thought was that he could make a fortune as an actor. Her second one was that she was staring rudely at him and had been for some time.

  “I’m sorry.” She motioned to the dreamcatcher. Although why she was apologizing was beyond her. The stuff was here to be bought. She couldn’t be the only person who’d touched it. “It’s very beautiful.”

  The elderly man shook his head. “The eagle is a strong messenger, but not for you.”

  Now she was getting annoyed. All she wanted was to use the bathroom, get directions and a few road snacks. “Fine. Good to know.” She spun on her heel and headed to the door, letting it slam shut behind her as she entered the cooler confines of the diner. It probably wasn’t even a real eagle’s feather anyway. There were most likely restrictions about such things.

  She blinked, letting her eyes adjust to the dim light. It wasn’t strictly a diner, she quickly realized, but two separate rooms. There was a shop on one side and a small café on the other. A young dark-haired woman sat behind the counter perusing a magazine. “Hot one today.”

  Kellsie smiled and nodded her head. “Sure is. Do you have a restroom I can use?”

  The woman nodded and pointed. “Through the café, right down at the end on your left.”

  “Thanks.” Leaving all thoughts of the old man behind, she hurried to the restroom. It was small but thankfully clean.

  Kellsie yanked off her hat and removed her sunglasses. She looked tired. The dark circles under her eyes weren’t helping matters. Even though she’d managed a good night’s sleep last night, the lack of sleep this past week was beginning to catch up with her. There was no way she could show up on a movie set looking this bad. She wasn’t vain, but she wasn’t stupid either. No director wanted to see his lead looking like something the cat had dragged in.

  Dropping her bag onto the tiled countertop, she dug out her brush and fixed her hair as best she could. Then she pulled out her makeup bag and found her mascara, concealer, eye shadow, powder and an assortment of brushes. Over the years, she’d learned a lot of tricks from the makeup artists she’d worked with on movie sets. In five minutes flat, her eyes looked brighter and the dark circles were gone, hidden under the female version of war paint.

  Satisfied, she popped her hat back on her head, pulling her ponytail through the back opening and slipped her sunglasses back on. She threw all her stuff back into her bag and headed for the toilet. Once she was done, she washed her hands and reached for the door handle. Five minutes to pick up some food and get directions and she’d be on her way again.

  She hesitated just outside the door of the restroom. The old man was sitting at a table for two about halfway down the café. All the other tables were empty. There wasn’t even a waitress around. Muted sounds came from the kitchen area, but they were the only two people in the room.

  She wanted to turn away from his penetrating gaze but couldn’t. Had she ever seen eyes that golden brown before? She didn’t think so. They reminded her of an eagle’s, alert yet with the wisdom of the ages mirrored in them. It felt as though he was seeing all the way into her soul, into the deepest parts of herself she hid from the rest of the world. She didn’t like feeling quite so vulnerable.

  Kellsie took a deep breath and starting walking. The old man was nothing to her. What did she care if he looked at her? Maybe he recognized her from the movies. She knew she was grasping at straws. He didn’t look like the horror-movie type. But what did she know? Stranger things had happened.

  “Wait, please.” He stretched his arm out, blocking her progress toward the front of the room.

  Kellsie stop
ped, wondering if she was making a mistake trying to leave or if she should just hear the old guy out. She really should just hurry by and make a run for her car. This was starting to get creepy. But something in the man’s gaze stopped her. Sincerity. Concern. As if he had something very important he wanted to impart to her.

  “You are headed toward great evil.”

  She rolled her eyes and sighed. So much for her intuition. She really didn’t have time for this. Some days she wondered if she had some kind of invisible sign tattooed on her forehead. For some unknown reason, all the crazies seemed attracted to her—the homeless people, the drug addicts, those who lived in their own reality. Didn’t matter where she went, they seemed to find her. You’d think she’d be used to it by now.

  She tried to be kind and respectful to all of them. If she hadn’t gotten lucky in her early days, she could have easily been among their ranks. She never forgot that. But some days it was simply a pain in the ass.

  Kellsie glanced at her watch and winced. It was later than she’d hoped. At this rate it was going to be dark by the time she got to the movie set. “Excuse me, but I really need to get going.” She started to push by him.

  “The bear is strong with you. You wear his mark.”

  His words stopped her cold and a shiver raced down her spine. Slowly, she turned to stare down at him. “What did you say?”

  His face was set in stern lines and his eyes were deadly serious. “You have powerful bear magic. Strong. You will need it.”

  Kellsie shook her head, not understanding what he meant. How could this guy know about her connection to the bear? And what did he mean about bearing his mark? He couldn’t know about her tattoo. That was impossible.

  As soon as she thought it, commonsense kicked in and told her it was impossible. There was no way he could know. It was nothing more than a lucky guess. He probably had something he wanted to sell her.

  “Look. I really need to go and I don’t have the money to buy anything, okay.” That was technically a lie. She had money. She just didn’t want to spend it on useless trinkets.