by Sy Walker
“Hello, Melanie, Zara. It’s nice to meet you both.” Jennifer twiddled her thumbs for a minute, unsure of what to do with herself. A light press on the small of her back by Luke, was the cue to sit down.
“I hate to just bail on you ladies, but I have to meet Trevor and a few of the others to talk about a pest problem.” He turned his attention to Jennifer, “You okay with me taking off?”
Well, no not really. I just met these women! “I’ll be fine. Go do what you gotta do.” Luke bent down and kissed Jennifer on the cheek and waved goodbye to the other two.
“Oh man, Jennifer. You have no idea how bad he’s had it for you. And now! You’re pregnant with his baby? He’ll never let you go.” Zara stated.
Jennifer felt the blush creep up her cheeks and another wave of nausea growing. She quickly waved down their server to order some tea. Once they all placed their drink orders, the conversation quickly turned back to Jennifer and babies.
“Um, that’s really reassuring. Thank you.” Jennifer fiddled with her silverware set while she figured out where to start. “So, are you both like Luke?”
“Yeah, exactly the same. All of our parents were also in our group. You could say we were born to this.” Melanie answered.
“So it’s hereditary, not like the movies where you get bit and suddenly you change?” She tried to keep her voice down and be as vague as possible.
This time, Melanie spoke, “Right. It’s a special trait that runs in the bloodline of the Achomawi people. Only a few other tribes have the ability to do what we do and the animals are all different.” She smiled sweetly before continuing. “And since the ability is passed down by the father, your little bundle should be like us too.”
Zara bounced up and down in her seat like a kid on sugar. “I just love babies. And I’m so happy for Luke that he finally found somebody. And after Paige – Oof! What was that for?” Melanie elbowed Zara in the ribs to shut up.
“Who’s Paige?” Jennifer asked.
“It isn’t our story to tell. You’ll have to wait until he’s ready to tell you about her… if he’s ever ready.” The baby at Melanie’s breast had fallen asleep. Gentle snores were coming from the little burrito in her arms. She popped the baby off and adjusted her tank top. “Don’t worry about that though. Luke asked us to guide you through this time in your life and I am so happy to do it.”
Jennifer was touched. These two women were so welcoming and warm to her. She may have found the sisterhood her sorority couldn’t give her. “Is this going to be like a normal pregnancy or is there anything special I need to do or be aware of?”
Zara nodded, “There are a few things. Instead of being pregnant forty weeks, ours go a little longer. You’ll be pregnant closer to eleven months because of the extra, uh,” she waved her hand trying to think of the right word, “just the extra that needs developing.”
Jennifer’s jaw dropped. This was going to be the longest year of her life! “Won’t my doctor be suspicious? I feel like no sane OB/GYN will just let me go eleven months.”
“You don’t go to a regular doctor. Next week I’ll take you to the reservation to see ours. She’s a wonderful woman and an amazing midwife.” Melanie explained. “You’ll be expected to have a drug free birth. Our people don’t respond well to the drugs used in delivery.” She watched Jennifer’s eyes grow wide. “Don’t get me wrong, the babies born that way live, but some complications and reactions happen. They are often sick for months after delivery and always have something lingering as they get older.”
Jennifer put her head in her hands. A drug-free birth? An Eleven month pregnancy? What the hell did she get herself into? “That’s sweet of you. We’ll set up a time for us to go before I leave.”
“Where are you going?” the two women asked in unison.
“I have to go back to school. I go to college in Arizona and classes start again in less than two weeks.” She explained. “Apparently, I chose this life without realizing it because this is my last year before veterinary school. I’m going to specialize in big dogs.”
Melanie and Zara exchanged a look. Jennifer could have sworn they just communicated without speaking.
“You can’t leave.” Melanie declared.
“Yes I can and I have to.” Jennifer fired back.
“No, you have to stay here with Luke and our doctor. You can’t be so far away because of the baby.” Zara told her.
“I kind of have to. This is my last year before grad school. I can’t lose my momentum now or I may never finish. Isn’t there someone in Arizona your doctor could refer me to?” Jennifer was annoyed. These two women she only just met were ordering her around, which made her really cranky.
“Probably, but you have to be protected.” Zara reached out and grasped Jennifer’s hand. “I don’t know if Luke explained this to you or not,” she lowered her voice and leaned in closer, “The rest of the world doesn’t know about the shifter community. You seem like a smart girl. Tell me, don’t you think you might raise some suspicion on campus by having the longest pregnancy ever?”
She had a point. “Maybe. But don’t your babies come out looking perfectly human? Melanie’s baby has a crazy amount of hair on his head, but otherwise looks normal.” Jennifer was about ready to go.
“Just see what the doctor has to say. Zara and I will be here for you and will coach you through anything you need help with. Maybe talk to the school and do the distance learning thing this year.” Melanie suggested.
Jennifer mulled it over for a moment before answering. “I can look into it, but I have some hands-on lab stuff I have to complete this year. I’ll probably have to go.” Zara’s face hardened and Melanie blanched. The two women were no longer looking at Jennifer, but through her. “What’s the matter, guys?”
A familiar and dark voice chimed in from behind Jennifer. “I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but you aren’t going anywhere.” Jennifer whirled around to discover JP hovering over her shoulder. “Hello, ladies. So good to see you.” JP turned his focus on to Jennifer alone, “Especially you, curvy girl.”
All Jennifer could do was stare. No good could come of JP being there.
“You say you’re going to leave, but I just can’t let that happen, because I need you to stand up and come quietly with me. If you don’t I’m sure your lovely little friend, Tiffany would be very upset.” His voice was placid and soft, but had the weight of nothing but malice in his words. “Come with me now. We have things to do.”
Jennifer stared, wide eyed at the other two women. She tried to communicate silently with them to get in touch with Luke as soon as she left. “Don’t hurt her, please.” Jennifer begged.
“Come with me and I’ll let her go. Scout’s honor.” JP held up two fingers and crossed his heart.
With a nod, Jennifer rose and followed JP out of the diner and into the waiting Chevy Tahoe. “You’re going to let Tiffany go now, right?” Jennifer asked as JP pulled away from the sidewalk.
“Huh? Oh yeah, her. Don’t worry about her, she’s fine.” JP answered, waving his hand. “I’m so glad you came out with no fight. I never had anyone watching her, but if you resisted, one quick phone call and a cut brake line was all I needed to make things happen.”
Jennifer sat back in shock. She had been under the impression that they already had Tiffany with them. She could have run and warned her and Luke about JP. Snakes uncoiled in her belly. What was going to happen now?
“Where are you taking me?” Jennifer’s eyes darted around the interior of the SUV searching desperately for a way out. JP caught her in the rearview and hit the child safety lock on his door.
“I’m taking you to a very special place. I find it to be rather cozy and I hope you will too.” JP’s eyes focused back on the road. The next several hours into the mountains would be difficult. He needed to get enough of a head start that Luke couldn’t possibly follow them. He pressed the gas to the floor as the light changed to yellow.
He wanted to ruin that as
shole. JP didn’t really want to hurt Jennifer. In fact, he thought she was rather fetching, but since he got the news earlier that day that Luke knocked her up he knew immediately what he needed to exploit.
The sun was hanging low in the darkening sky as the car pulled up to a shabby looking cabin. One of JP’s goons tried to manhandle her into the house; an issue she only made worse by struggling.
She stomped on his foot and made a break for the woods. Jennifer only made it to the tree line before she was tackled and dragged back towards the cabin.
“Tie her up!” JP commanded, “I can’t risk her pulling anything.” He tossed a bundle of rope to the blond haired heavy and stomped off towards the cabin. Jennifer cried out as she was knocked to her knees before having her wrists and ankles bound.
She could not believe this was happening to her. Not two days ago, her life was ordinary to the point of being boring and now she was staring down the barrel of the proverbial gun. She screamed in terror as she was dragged into the cabin.
A mile away a trio of very large, very tense wolfs prowled the mountainside. The largest of the three perked his ears up. That sound was exactly what he needed and didn’t want to hear. He cocked his head to one side signaling the two lions behind him to move towards the sound.
Their pace accelerated. Who knew what awful things JP would want to do to her. Luke would never forgive himself if Jennifer got hurt or worse.
“Come sit on my lap, baby.” JP gripped the rope around Jennifer’s wrists and hoisted her up onto his lap. With a grin he stroked up her inner thigh. “A girl like you can do so much better than a piece of shit like Luke. It’s a shame you’ve been tainted.” He patted her belly. “But that can easily be remedied, I think.”
Jennifer cried. The thought of potentially losing her baby was so much worse than anything else that could happen to her own person. She pulled away as JP nuzzled her neck.
JP hooked his hands in her ponytail and jerked her back to him. The shriek of pain she cried excited him. He inhaled deeply the scent of her, lavender, sweat, and his favorite aroma, fear. “Oh, baby I am going to be so good to you.” He declared as he grabbed a handful of her ass.
Jennifer took her molestation in silence. She sent a silent prayer up that soon, someone would figure out where she was and follow her.
From the mountains, the sound of a howl echoed in off the mountain. Every man in the room was suddenly on edge and straining their ears to pick up where the sound came from. Jennifer held her breath in the hopes it was her wolf announcing his arrival.
“You and you get out and see where that noise came from. When you find the source, kill it.” The two heavies started stripping off their clothes as they headed out the door. Their bodies shifted as they hit the ground from the porch.
“I’m sorry darling, but it’s time we get a move on. I have lots of plans for you and I can’t have you getting taken from me.” JP nipped Jennifer’s earlobe.
A shiver of disgust ran through her. She bit her lip to keep from speaking. She couldn’t jeopardize herself or anyone else by saying something stupid. She nodded and removed herself from JP’s lap to let him up.
“Hold on.” JP crushed his lips to Jennifer’s. She pressed them together and screwed her face up. The violation and the wetness were just too much.
As JP herded Jennifer out towards the Tahoe another scream cut through the still mountain air. A very large and angry wolf cruised out from behind the big black truck. Its eyes passed over Jennifer’s body before zeroing in on JP.
“Hello there, Luke. So good to see you’ve showed up.” He shoved Jennifer behind him, “I’m afraid I don’t have time for you.”
Luke bared his teeth and hissed; an open challenge for JP. Luke was determined to end this insanity once and for all.
JP dragged Jennifer back towards the porch and shoved her through the door and locked her in. She needed to be there when he was done killing her boyfriend. He tossed his leather jacket aside and quickly stripped. JP shifted into his own wolf form and leapt on Luke.
Jennifer tugged and banged on the door, “Help me! Someone let me out!” she screamed. She hollered and banged and kicked, all the while forced to listen to the shrieks and growls of the big dogs fighting in the yard. She dashed over to the window and peeked through the curtains.
She couldn’t tell the two apart. Both dogs were the same color and nearly the same size. Teeth and claws flew, ripping into furry flesh and delicate ears. Jennifer gasped when one dog climbed on the back of his rival and bit down on his neck.
The suffocating dog slowed, stumbling around trying to get his bearings to get away. Jennifer watched the top dog adjust its grip on his rival’s neck and bear down harder. She had never felt so impotent in her entire life. All she could do was wrap her arms around her growing waist and pray that Luke wasn’t the one dying.
She allowed herself to mourn for the fallen dog as it hit the ground and stopped moving. Hot tears streamed down her face as she stared at the winner, who didn’t move for several minutes.
When finally, the wolf let go he shook himself and shifted back. Jennifer’s heart leapt when she recognized Luke’s strong form limping towards the house. The doorknob jiggled and rattled, still firmly locked. A moment a heavy bang struck the door, followed quickly by a second, then a third. On the fourth, Luke’s oversized frame tore the door off its hinges.
“Luke!” Jennifer cried as she ran to him. The man was a little wobbly on his feet, but scooped Jennifer up into his arms anyway.
“You’re alive!” Jennifer kissed Luke hard while wrapping her arms and legs around him. She refused to let go for fear he wasn’t real.
“Jennifer. I can’ breathe!” Luke forced the words through his teeth.
“I’m sorry. I’m just so happy you’re alive.” She loosened her grip and slithered off of him.
“Did JP hurt you?” Luke’s hands traveled over her body searching for any signs of injury.
“No. I’m fine. How hurt are you?” Jennifer stepped back to look him over. Luke’s body was decorated with a few welts and bruises, but was otherwise physically okay.
“Just a few scratches.” Luke peered out the window. The corpse of the big dog had shifted back into the form of a very battered and broken man. The body didn’t move, but from the distance the body lay, they couldn’t tell if he was breathing. Judging from the angle his head was hanging, they assumed not.
“How did you find me?” Jennifer asked.
“Melanie told me. She and her husband came with me to find you. I left them to take out JP’s cronies. Zara had taken off with the third guy waiting in another car. Mel told me everything. I guess Zara was the one that filled in JP about you being pregnant.” Luke cast down his eyes, “I am so sorry, Jennifer. I should have known. I put you in danger… I should have just left you alone.”
Jennifer smacked his hand, “Leaving me alone would have been the most stupid thing you could have done. You’d have left me to raise this baby myself?”
“You’d have told me?” Luke seemed surprised.
“Of course I would have, dummy.” Jennifer took a deep breath to collect herself, “Look. Don’t blame yourself. I’m okay and you survived your fight, can we just go home now?” Exhaustion had settled deep in Jennifer’s bones. She really needed to lie down in her own bed.
“Of course. Grab the keys to the Tahoe and we’ll head out. Melanie and her husband will be joining us in a designated meeting place.” Luke wrapped his arm around Jennifer’s shoulders and planted a kiss on her head, “I’m glad my two babes are safe.”
The End.
Grizzly Bear Biker
Chapter One
Lily Walker poured two beers, and took the cash for them with a smile and nod for the tip she received. She closed the drawer, and looked toward the next customer at the bar. She sighed inwardly. It was Luther Daniels, a hard ass Biker.
“Watcha need Luther?” She asked pleasantly.
“You darlin, I need y
ou,” he told her bluntly. As usual there was no warmth in his eyes. Just a hard cold focus of his desires. He was a good looking man, but put off a vibe that was more than a little creepy.
“I'm not on the menu Luther, so will it be a beer or a shot?” She asked. He grabbed her by the wrist quickly. Lily tensed.
“It is on my menu. I could make you howl,” he told her with a leer. Over his shoulder she could see the bouncer watching the situation closely.
“Come on Luther, time to ride brother!” A fellow biker called to him. Luther glanced over his shoulder as his friends were headed out.
“Be right there,” he called to them. He then looked back at Lily.
“You'll come around Lily, you have to,” he finished coldly before letting go of her just as the bouncer was approaching. Luther left with a sneer at the bouncer, and followed his gang out the door.
“You alright Lily?” Jake asked. He was a big man with a heavy beard and jovial expression until someone pissed him off. Luther had just pissed him off.
“Yeah, you know Luther. He is a jerk. Thanks for looking out,” she told him honestly. Luther did creep her out, so Jake and the other bouncers at the Outpost Bar and Grill were always keeping an eye on him. It was appreciated by Lily. Two more customers, tourists, approached the bar, and she got back into the groove of her job.
At this time of the year her customers were mostly tourists going to Yellowstone National Park. As annoying as they could be, they were better than the pain in the ass regular locals. Not that all locals were a pain in the ass, just enough of them were to make her job less comfortable. In the next hour she poured fourteen more beers and eight mixed drinks, doing pretty well in tips too. The night was going good, and she was looking forward to last call. It had been a long week, and she still had two more days to go before she was off for the weekend. She got a beer and a shot for Mike Jameson at the end of the bar.
“You know honey, if you would go out with me you wouldn't have to worry about that idiot Luther,” he told her with a warm smile. She actually liked Mike, she just had no interest in dating anyone at that time. Mike was a biker as well as smoking hot. His muscular chest was tightly wrapped in a black tank top and leather vest. He was certainly easy on the eyes. Especially with his wavy brown hair.