She nodded. His restlessness that evening was a new thing and made her feel jittery. Eric insisted on cleaning up after their meal, since she’d cooked, so she let him, but afterward he prowled around the small living room like a wild animal confined to too small of a space.
“Are you all right?” she finally asked, as she realized what might be his problem. “I can watch Garth for a few hours tonight if you need to change.”
The grateful look he shot her made her smile. “How did you know?”
Secretly pleased, she shrugged. “How could I not know? You’re acting like a grizzly trapped in a cage. Go hunt. Garth and I will be fine.”
Brows lowered, Eric stopped his pacing long enough to consider her words. “I don’t know,” he hedged. “I’m still afraid to leave you and Garth unprotected. And I can’t take you with me, because the last thing he needs is to be outside in the cold while he’s recovering.”
“We’ll be fine.” She smiled at him. “I’ll lock the place up after you leave and won’t sleep until you get back. Remember, I always have my own secret weapon. Wolves have sharp teeth and claws. Besides, unless they’re watching us, they’ll have no way of knowing you’re gone.”
Still he hesitated. Full of love, she couldn’t keep herself from going to him and wrapping her arms around his waist. Eric stiffened for an instant, but then relaxed enough to hug her back.
They stood that way for the space of a few heartbeats, while she battled a surge of desire. About to look up and pull him close for a kiss, she instead stifled her disappointment when he pulled away.
Chapter 25
Some of JJ’s disappointment must have shown in her face.
“Do you have any idea how much I want you?” Eric asked, his voice low and rough. When she shook her head, he grimaced and dragged his hand through his hair. “I haven’t stopped wanting you since that night. Hell, the truth is, I’ve desired you since the first moment we met.”
Speechless, she stared at him, her heart racing while a slow heat built inside her.
“But,” he continued, “I want to do things right with you. Get to know you without all this evil hanging over our heads. Hunt with you, run with you, have a picnic in the park in the spring, go on a real date, all the things a man should do to court a woman.”
“Court?” She liked the old-fashioned word.
“Yes.” He came closer, his gaze intense. For a second, she could have sworn she saw a hint of his bear self in his eyes.
When he stopped less than six inches from her, she swallowed hard. Her entire body tingled with anticipation. “I could tell you everything I want to do to you, starting with my mouth on your lips, but I won’t. My bear is already agitated. But I can promise you this—once all the danger is past and those crazies are safely locked up, if you’re game, we’ll begin our courtship.”
Courtship. She liked that. The way he said it sounded as if he meant for them to have a real shot at a future together. “I’m game,” she told him, smiling. “Now go and let your bear out to play. I’ll be here once you get back.”
He did kiss her then, a light, lingering kiss that he broke off too soon. “I won’t be gone long,” he promised. “I’ll go right after I put Garth down for the night.”
Though her wolf stirred at the thought of hunting, she knew she could wait a few more days before she’d need to change. The idea of shape-shifting with Eric, hunting and running as they’d done once before, filled her entire being with longing.
Someday, she told herself. Someday.
Finally, after bathing and feeding Garth, Eric had him settled in his crib. The baby fussed for a moment or two, but eventually drifted off to sleep.
Though Eric practically vibrated with impatience, still he hovered. “Are you sure about this?”
“Yes.” She gave him a small shove. “Just go. Run. Hunt. Let your beast out to play.”
Finally, he nodded. “All right. But JJ, stay vigilant, just in case.”
“I will.”
He kissed her on the cheek, a chaste kiss that plainly showed his worry. Once she heard the front door close, she went to the bedroom window and watched as he hurried across the frozen field toward the woods.
Before she settled down with her book, she went from room to room, checking every window and door, making sure no lock had been left unfastened. Once she was satisfied, she settled in the rocking chair next to Garth’s crib to read.
A loud roar startled her from a restless doze. She picked up her book from the floor where it had fallen and listened. Nothing.
Had she dreamed it? First she checked on the baby, relieved to see his chest rising and falling with deep, even breaths as he slept. Padding to the window, she looked out, barely able to make out the dark outline of a man crossing the field toward the house. Eric! On his way back.
Her soft smile became a frown as she saw him stop. He turned back to look at the woods. Or something at the edge of the trees. As she tried to make out what it might be, the thing moved into the clearing and roared again.
Now she saw it. A giant bear lumbered a few steps toward Eric and stopped, eyeing him. Her heart skipped a beat. She remembered what Eric had called Rhonda, and whispered it to herself, hoping against hope that he’d been wrong.
Berserker.
If Eric’s suspicions were reality, then he was in great danger.
Indecision froze her. She should call someone, except 911 was clearly out and she didn’t have Felts’s or DeLeon’s number. JJ knew objectively that Eric was capable of defending himself, though she wanted to help him if at all possible. But how?
As she watched, the giant beast circled around Eric, as if sizing him up. His best chance would be to change into his own bear self. Except she knew he had already done that earlier, and like all shifters, he’d have little energy to do so again. Shifting a second time so soon after the first wasn’t always possible. There were only a few rare individuals strong enough.
Her heart pounded as she watched. She couldn’t just stand here and let him be cut down. Which meant she would have to save him.
After another quick glance at the sleeping infant, JJ decided. Garth would be fine left alone, as long as she made sure the place was locked up. For his sake—and hers—she couldn’t let Eric be killed. Garth needed his father. And she needed Eric, too.
Shedding clothes as she went, she ran out through the door and locked it. When the outside air hit her skin with a blast of icy cold, she began the change, faster than she’d ever done before. She was wolf before her paws even left the cement.
And she ran. Blasting through the snow, past a startled Eric, who had turned to face the charging bear. He’d crouched low and had his arms up, as if he thought his human strength would be enough to deflect the blow.
JJ snarled, drawing the huge beast’s attention. The bear skidded to a stop and swung its huge, shaggy head from her to Eric and back again. As wolf, JJ knew she wasn’t huge, but she still made a threatening figure. She’d become a skilled hunter and would fight to the death to defend someone she loved.
Like Eric.
Of course she loved him. She filed this bit of astounding information away. Now was not the time to philosophize. She had to either frighten the bear away or fight it. Right now, she thought savagely, she was good with either choice.
Planting herself in front of Eric, JJ bared her teeth and made it clear she would defend him. The bear tossed its head and grunted. It was either Yolanda or Rhonda, but JJ couldn’t tell which one.
“Rhonda, please stop,” Eric said, speaking directly to the beast. “You don’t have to do this.”
Rhonda. Okay. JJ cut her gaze from Eric to the bear. So Rhonda had returned and taken the shape of her beast. Did that mean Yolanda and Shawn were somewhere nearby?
While she struggled to assimil
ate this information, the bear—Rhonda—roared again. Another roar came from deeper in the trees, and then a second bear emerged. JJ’s heart sank. As wolf, she had strength and skill, but against two bears?
“Yolanda,” Eric said, his voice resigned. “I’d recognize her anywhere. Damn.”
In response, JJ crouched low, preparing to spring at her, and snarled, letting him know she’d fight with him.
“Where’s Garth?” Eric asked her, low-voiced.
Since she couldn’t answer in words, she cut her eyes back toward the house, where she’d left the baby asleep in his crib. And then she realized what she’d done in her mad rush to help Eric. She’d left his son unprotected. The doors were locked, but with Rhonda and Yolanda this close, surely Shawn wasn’t far behind.
“Go. Now.” Eric kept his voice calm. “I can deal with the two of them.”
Since she could run much faster as a wolf, JJ kept her shape and spun around. The instant she did, the wild-eyed first bear charged, heading directly for her.
Bracing herself, JJ readied for the moment of impact. Crouching low, she’d slash up with her teeth, going for the vulnerable belly and throat.
Just before the beast was upon her, a shot rang out. The bear fell backward, almost in slow motion, clawing at the air and then at its bloody throat.
Disbelieving, but aware Garth had to be her first priority, JJ jumped up and raced off again. She took a final glance back. Eric stood frozen, one arm extended, his hand holding a pistol. He stared in sorrow and shock at the downed bear, which didn’t move. As they watched, the bear began to shimmer. Slowly, it turned back to its human form. Rhonda.
Though the shot had given the second bear pause, after watching Rhonda fall, it resumed racing toward them.
Eric shook his head, his anguish plain to see even from this distance.
JJ swallowed, her heart pumping. She hated that Rhonda had died, and she definitely didn’t like leaving Eric alone to face Yolanda in her possibly Berserker form. But Garth needed her now, especially since the third member of the trio—Shawn—hadn’t shown up. For all she knew, he could be in the house right now, snatching Garth from his crib.
In the end, she did the only thing she could. She tucked her body as low as possible and sprinted for the house. She would change back to human once she got there, and then she’d make sure the baby was safe.
* * *
Facing Yolanda as bear, Eric kept his pistol up, finger near the trigger. Both he and Yolanda watched as the wolf took off, running low to the ground, across the field toward the house, as fast as the snow would let her.
JJ. His heart swelled. He’d recognized her immediately. She’d come out here to try and save him. He knew she wouldn’t have left Garth if she had thought there was any alternative. Now, he could only pray she got back in time. Once he dealt with Yolanda, he hoped he’d be able to help JJ against Shawn, who probably wasn’t far behind.
Yolanda growled, her eyes glinting red. Berserker? Most likely. If so, once she launched an attack, nothing would stop her but death. He had loaded silver bullets and he’d already killed Rhonda. He hoped like hell he wasn’t forced to shoot his ex-wife, as well.
Across the clearing, Yolanda paced, sizing him up, her massive body vibrating with rage. She seethed with hatred, yet something held her back. He suspected she understood what his pistol would do. Either that, or she was waiting for Shawn to appear with Garth.
Luckily, Eric considered himself an excellent shot. While he couldn’t and wouldn’t kill her outright, in cold blood, self-defense was a different matter entirely.
In his pants pocket, his phone vibrated, indicating a text. DeLeon had called right after Eric had changed, and left a voice mail warning him that the trio was on the move, most likely in his direction. He’d been glad then that he’d packed his pistol and the silver bullets. Better safe than sorry.
Across the clearing, the massive bear continued to pace at the edge of the trees. The third time she swung her head toward the house, he knew.
Furious, he raised his weapon. While he was an excellent marksman, hitting her from such a distance would be a stretch. But since he had no other choice, he squeezed off a shot.
Yolanda jerked back and he knew he’d hit her. She roared, this time the sound more of a cry of pain than a belligerent threat. Dropping to all fours, she disappeared into the woods. He knew if he wanted to track her, a trail of blood would lead him right to her.
Instead, he turned away and holstered his pistol. As he passed the dead woman lying naked in the snow, he reached for her shredded and tattered clothes and covered her the best he could. His bullet had hit her right between her eyes.
Then he headed off at a jog for what truly mattered now—his son and the woman he loved. Though he wanted to run, the best Eric could manage was a series of short sprints. The earlier change and subsequent hunt had zapped his energy.
On the way, he dug his cell from his pocket and jabbed the call back button for DeLeon. The call went straight to voice mail.
* * *
Running as if the devil nipped at her heels, JJ didn’t slow down until she reached her house. Since without opposable thumbs she couldn’t open her front door, she’d need to change back to human.
So she did, right there on her back doorstep, under her porch light, praying no one saw her. As soon as she’d become human again, she fumbled with the doorknob and let herself in. Moving quickly, she yanked her previously discarded clothes on piece by piece, following the trail she’d left earlier, all the way to Garth’s room.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside. To her infinite relief, the baby still slept in his crib. Unbothered and safe. Thank goodness for locked doors and windows.
Exhausted, she wished she could drop into the rocking chair next to the crib and exhale in relief. Instead, she crossed over to the window to see how Eric was faring with the other bear.
As she squinted to see what was going on out in the field, she saw Eric and his ex-wife had apparently reached a standoff. The massive bear circled at the edge of the field, keeping her distance. Eric still had his gun at the ready, careful not to let down his guard. She watched him bring his pistol up and fire off a shot.
Clearly, he’d hit his target. While his bullet didn’t take Yolanda out, the huge bear went to all fours before disappearing into the trees.
Hand to her throat, JJ watched as Eric holstered his gun and began running for the house.
“There you are.”
A shudder went through her and she froze, her heart stuttering in her chest. It was a voice she knew intimately, and one she’d hoped never to hear again. Shawn. How long had he been there? Had he seen her shape-shift from wolf to human? And if needed, did she have enough strength to change again? Her life might depend on her being able to do it.
Of course, Eric would be here in a few minutes. Clearly, he was armed and wasn’t afraid to use his pistol. Even Shawn would have to respect that.
Until Eric arrived, she’d have to try and stall Shawn. And keep him the hell away from baby Garth.
Turning slowly, despite her racing heart, she managed a completely fake smile. “Hey, there,” she said calmly, as if terror hadn’t immediately turned her blood to ice. “Shawn. What are you doing here?”
Casual, casual. Even though they’d already faced each other down, in his arrogance and narcissistic pride, Shawn wouldn’t have considered her lost to him. In the time they’d spent together, she’d come to know him well. He considered himself a shark of a man, an alpha male hunter, even though he was only human and she the true huntress. The bitter irony in that had never been lost on her. At least right now, she had a small advantage. A larger one, once Eric reached them.
Except as she stared at Shawn, she noticed he, too, had a gun. A black, dangerous-looking pistol, pointed at her. She wonder
ed if he knew how to use it, but figured he’d probably taken the time to learn. She prayed the baby wouldn’t wake, wouldn’t make a sound. Shawn knew her well enough to know if he threatened an innocent infant, she’d do whatever he wanted.
“I’ve been looking for you,” he said, the grimness in his voice matching his expression. “You really didn’t think I’d let you go so easily, did you?”
“Why?” Though she already knew. He’d never actually understood that she was a person with real hopes and needs and desires. To him, she’d been his possession. Something to do with as he pleased. And when she’d fled, he’d been infuriated, as if she’d tried to steal herself away from him.
“Because you’re mine. And you’re coming with me,” he declared. “Right this instant.”
“No.” Lifting her chin, she met his gaze to let him know even though her response had been quiet, she meant it. “I’m not. This is my home now.”
He hadn’t been expecting this; she could tell from the way he cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. “You’re different,” he finally said, his tone hard with fury. “Impertinent. I don’t like it.”
“I really don’t care what you like.”
“Bitch.” He hit her. Hard, an uppercut fist under the chin. She went down like a rock, fighting to stay conscious, swallowing back the nausea and pain. She’d bitten her tongue, she figured, tasting blood. And maybe lost a tooth or two. The coppery taste woke her wolf. Inside, the beast rose, less exhausted now, alert once again. And dangerous. After all, she hadn’t let her beast hunt.
“Get up.”
Blinking up at him, she tried to focus, but everything had gone blurry. Still, she could make out the black outline of his weapon. Garth, she thought. She had to keep Garth safe.
“Get up,” he repeated, spraying her with spittle.
Her Guardian Shifter Page 25