by Raeden West
This stopped them, and they look towards me. I think that they were trying to understand what was going on. “I mean it…if you insist on doing this, then you may as well just get it over with. I don’t think that this is really what you both want. Living in harmony might not be an easy thing to do, but it only takes one person to make a difference.”
I didn’t want anything to happen to Eric. He had been very kind, all be it in a way that was most unexpected. The passion had been unparalleled and there was no denying that the chemistry between us was something that was going to keep us coming after each other.
I stood there and waited for them to finally come to the conclusion that this was barbaric and not necessary. They may never be friends, but surely they could leave each other in peace. They stared at each other and then the anger that I had seen earlier was now disappearing. The wolf was the first to make the first move, turning the other cheek and changing back into the human form of Eric.
The bear shifter could have killed him in that moment of weakness, but it decided that it was better off changing back to its normal human form.
“I don’t think that I have ever told you this, Quinn. I really do regret my part in taking away the one true love of your life. If it helps you sleep better at night, I was never able to satisfy her. I think you know what I mean by that.”
“Actually, it does help a little. I guess we may have taken this a step or two too far. I don’t like you, but it does make me smile to think that you are not capable of giving her what she wanted. I always thought that it was me, but apparently she’s just the dictionary meaning of an ice queen.”
They had found common ground and it turned out to be an unsatisfactory love life with the woman that had gotten in between them.
“Quinn, we’ve allowed this woman to control our lives for too long. We could continue the same way, or we can walk away. I’ve never wanted to fight you, but you never gave me a chance to talk this out. You’ve allowed the bear part of you to hold you hostage. I was guilty of that with the wolf and I think that we can finally put this behind us. It’s been fifty years and it’s time that we let the past be the past.”
I didn’t know that they were immortal and I guess I really didn’t know much about them at all.
Quinn eventually left with his blond hair pulled back into a ponytail. He had borrowed clothes from Eric. I don’t think that he was very happy that he would never see those pieces again, but he didn’t lament over the loss. They shook hands and then they began to squeeze with this intense need to see who was going to come out victorious.
“I’m through with this. This is macho crap and when you’re through measuring your dicks, then I will expect you to come upstairs and finish what you started, Eric.” I wasn’t angry. They were just doing what men do. They had this need to compete and each one was not willing to back down or concede in any way.
“I promise that this won’t take very long. I’ll be up in a few minutes and if you want, you can always start without me.” Walking up the stairs, I purposely opened up the robe and showed my curves to Quinn. He was in the position to see me and Eric had no idea that I was flashing my wares for an enemy that turned out to be nothing more than an unrequited love triangle. “I can see that he’s waning and that eventually I’m going to be the one left standing.” The distraction of my body had certainly got underneath Quinn’s skin.
Quinn wasn’t paying attention and his grip had lessened, when Eric’s had only intensified. He finally pulled away. “Well played, but don’t think for a second that this is over by a long shot, Eric. I’ll be back and the next time, I’ll be ready for you and that grip. Perhaps you would like to meet the woman that stole my heart. It appears that we have that in common. You may not know it yet, but that girl that you have is going to twist you around her little finger and there’s not going to be anything that you can do about it.” He bowed politely, showing me respect and not letting on that I was responsible for turning the tide against them.
I was halfway up the stairs when I felt a presence behind me. He picked me up into his arms and carried me effortlessly up the stairs. Nobody had been able to do that in some time and I was quite taken by the fact that he was tapping into his inner wolf.
“Sheila, don’t think for a second that I don’t know what you did. I could see your reflection in the glass mirror behind the door. That was pretty ingenious and a little on the devious side. If I wasn’t careful, I was the one going to be falling to your interesting feminine charms.”
I would say that I was caught with my hand in the cookie jar. When I landed on the mattress and I felt him ready for round two, I knew that I would be able to tame the wolf.
It wasn’t long after that when I found out that I was pregnant with his child. I was worried that I would have this thing in my belly, but Eric was quite adamant that his condition was not hereditary. I breathed a sigh of relief with him holding my hand and placing his ear against my stomach to hear the baby’s heartbeat. We were never going to be apart and it didn’t matter if I had to contend with him running off to feed the needs of the wolf. I would be there waiting for him with open arms.
THE END
Rescued by the Werebear
Chapter one
“Sofia, you are one of my best writers I know. Several of the things that you have sent to my publication have gone viral. There isn’t anybody that has gotten this close to the Russian administration. We’re very pleased with your work and we would like to offer you a fulltime position here in Washington. We believe that if you can be this tenacious against a dictator, you’ll be a valuable asset.”
Anthony Wallace was my editor, even though I had never even considered going into journalism as a career. I always wanted to be a part of the fashion industry, but sometimes God has plans that you can’t foresee.
“I don’t know why it’s such a surprise that I would be able to get this information into the right hands. I have a few sources that I’ve cultivated over the last few months: dissidents who are not very happy with the way the direction of this country is going. We have formed a small alliance that allows us to work within the shadows.”
It was kind of exhilarating to be a spy, but it certainly didn’t feel like the way they showed it in movies and television. There was a lot more work than actual romance, or any kind of intrigue for that matter.
“I’m amazed that you’re able to get Internet access outside of your country,” Wallace mused.
I had Jensen to thank for that. He wasn’t from this country. He had come here to follow the love of his life. She had died during an insurgence that had gotten out of hand. Innocent bystanders were killed and I was the only one who was able to tell the truth without retaliation. I had learned that my diminutive form and my non-threatening attitude was a good way to make inroads with those who wanted to make a difference.
“I think I’ve already told you this before and I’m not going to reveal how I get things done. That is a secret that will have to stay with me. Your curiosity is to be expected, but I don’t think it’s in my best interest to tell you how to do your job, and you shouldn’t tell me how to do mine.”
I was only teasing him. The screen was fuzzy, but I knew that he was a bald man with a white goatee. He had real journalistic integrity, the kind that made his publication the one to go to.
“I want you to be careful. I’m sure that I’m starting to sound like a broken record by now, but I’ve grown quite fond of you. I know that I’ve been hard on you, but it’s only because I see something in you that I want to cultivate and see blossom into something extraordinary. I’m not saying that your work is stellar, but it has real potential. Now, your stuff is written in a biased way and we’re going to have to work on that when you come to work for me.”
I had a black sweater on and I was still shivering, as the heat was at its bare minimum. Outside, I could see snowflakes and I knew that there was a call for a snow storm. I was going to have to go out and retrieve some s
upplies and hunker down for next day or two. They were calling it a blizzard and warning people that staying on the streets was not an option.
“I’m going to give your proposition the due diligence that it deserves. I’ve researched your publication and I’m quite impressed that you are not sequestered in any way. There’s nobody that is pulling your strings. I do have to admit that I’m curious what it would be like to come to the United States. I’ve lived here all of my life and I don’t know anything else. I never thought that I would have adventure, but maybe I’ve been naïve to think that my life revolves around these people. I don’t really have any family, except for an old uncle that is pretty much off his rocker.”
My parents had died a few years ago and that was the primary reason why I had started this campaign.
It wasn’t Putin that I was targeting – it was those that were working alongside him. They had been in power for far too long and now they were corrupting the new leader of the country. He didn’t have much say and even though he claimed to be his own man, everybody knew that there was somebody behind the scenes telling him how to act and what to do during a crisis.
“I’m glad that you’re going to give it some thought. The invitation to join this publication is open ended, but I wouldn’t wait too long. There’s going to come a time when people are going to start looking at you. You can’t stay hidden forever and it’s just a matter of time before somebody starts to put two and two together. You think that you’re untouchable, but secrets have a way of rearing their ugly heads at the most inopportune times. I’ve seen it too many times in my life and believe me it translates to any country that is being run with an iron fist. There are those in Washington that have their own agenda. That’s the reason why I want you to be here to help me make those rats scurry into the light.”
I heard the snap of the trap behind my refrigerator and I knew that one rat had already been taken care of. They were disgusting little animals, but this area was known to have many outbreaks of their kind. The temperature had gotten colder and now they were trying to find someplace warm to settle down.
“I have to go now, Anthony. It’s been really nice talking to you and I hope that we do get to see each other face to face one day. I need to get a few things done, but trust me I will be in touch at my earliest convenience.”
I shut down the communication and I sat back and hugged my body. My breasts were form fitting inside the sweater. Had I walked out like this, I probably would have a lot of guys gawking at me like I was an expensive streetwalker offering her goods. It didn’t hurt that my tight jeans molded to my ass like a second skin.
My breath could be seen inside the enclosed space of my bachelor apartment. I don’t even know why it was called that. There was no bedroom to speak of. It was mostly a closet and I decided to make myself at home in the living room. I had to go down to the local store and I just hoped that there was still something left after everybody had finished hoarding supplies for the storm. I didn’t need much and my pantry was pretty much full, but there were some necessities like fresh water and bread that I needed.
I pulled my dark hair up over my head and then I attached the dark blue scarf and wrapped it, so that it was covering not only my head, but my neck as well. It was kind of sickening to see the bland colors and you couldn’t find something flamboyant if your life depended on it. This government didn’t want anybody to stand out in a crowd. They wanted us to be complacent and to live our lives by their rules. The curfew kept crime down, but it was what happened after curfew that made people start to cock an eyebrow.
I was thankful that I was a little handy and I was able to make sure that my apartment had a lock that worked. That was a far cry from what other people had in this building, but I was doing everything I could to make sure that everybody was safe and secure from those that wanted to take advantage. I had become the resident den mother. If they needed something, I could get it through regular channels or from the black market.
I grabbed my black parka, zipping it up and feeling like I was in some sort of cocoon. It was not very flattering, but the chilling bite of the cold was a good incentive to try and not to come down with the death of cold. I’d seen too many fall victim to hypothermia. The elderly were more susceptible, but they weren’t the only ones.
I went out into the hallway to see the peeling wallpaper and the holes in the wall where there was no doubt an infestation inside the building. I heard the click of a door and I looked up to see Tamara. Her blonde hair was disheveled and her makeup was fucked up. She looked like she was drinking heavily and most likely just finished one of her Johns.
“You know that it’s dangerous out there. You don’t see me out in that peddling my wares. Be careful, Sofia, or this weather is going to be the death of us.”
She was blonde, but it was from a bottle and she wanted her clients to see her as something special and unique. She was not like all the others and she prided herself on giving a service that was worth coming back for over and over again. I’d heard screams of approval inside my apartment through a wall that was pretty much paper thin.
“I’m glad to see that you are staying in. It wouldn’t hurt you to take today off, recharge and wait, until this storm passes. The brunt of it is not going to hit until later today, but it has already started. Do yourself a favor, bundle up and make sure that your windows are closed and covered with a blanket or some very thick sheet.”
She nodded her head, her red blouse ripped at the shoulder from an overanxious lover. The black skirt and the spider web stockings were not exactly conducive to staving off this weather.
Chapter two
“I think that you might be my final customer of the day.” The walk over here was a little slippery and the snow had started to fall just a little bit harder than it was already. The flakes were huge, but at least it was fluffy and it probably wouldn’t take much to clear off it off. The streets were virtually deserted and those who had ventured out were not staying out for long. “I think that I’m going to close up early today. Nobody should be out in this.”
I passed him the last of the money that I had received from my last assignment from Anthony. He was nice enough to convert the American money into Russian currency, so it wouldn’t look suspicious.
“I don’t think that you’re going to see too many people out. I just needed a few things.”
I left the proprietor and as I did it occurred to me that I didn’t know him by name. I’d always seen him here and we had talked like we were friends, but we never knew that much about each other. Perhaps, I should take the time to get to know him and maybe there was something there that would be interesting to write about. I could see the lines around his eyes and that look of vacancy that comes from knowing that there is no escape.
I walked with my head down, with my bag of goodies inside my jacket to protect it from the elements. The wind had picked up and you could see the swirls in the street. I heard what sounded like brakes squealing to a stop. It was in the distance, but I couldn’t understand why anybody would risk their lives to come out in this. I heard an engine. I looked over my shoulder to see one of the freelance taxis taking home a fare. Those of us who lived in this neighborhood knew that they were considered to be pirates, jacking up their prices to extremes. If they were caught, they could probably be held against their will for days on end. Repeat offenders could find themselves disappearing altogether.
The soles of my boots were thin and I slipped a few times, but was able to stop myself from falling by grabbing onto the first available thing that I saw.
When I came up to the building I noticed all these black cars parked out front and I decided to take the back stairs. Seeing them gave me a sense of dread. I wasn’t sure, but I had a feeling that they weren’t here to see Tamara. It couldn’t be for me. I’d been too careful.
One government vehicle would have sufficed for a clandestine romance, but there were four of them clustered around each other. Two very burly you
ng men stood at the ready by the vehicles.
I slipped out of sight and down an alley way, until I came to the back stairs. The door was ajar; somebody had used a crowbar a long time ago to break in and nobody had done anything to fix it. I was able to fashion a steel bar over the inside. I was the only one that was able to loosen it enough to squeeze through to the other side. It was by my own design. The stairs were littered with garbage and a drunk named Owen was sitting with a bottle at the top of the stairs. This was really the only place in the building that had any heat.
“You know what, Owen? I think you may be the only sane one around here after all. If I had any brains, I would come out here with you.”
He smiled with one tooth missing and raised his bottle. I took it and had myself a slug and it warmed my insides. I did wipe the top of the bottle first to make sure that I didn’t catch anything. I need to keep up appearances, but I wasn’t stupid. I handed it back to him and he gave me this smirk and went back to talking to himself.
I opened the door and made my way over to the stairs that would lead to my floor. I was going to take the elevator, but I had this feeling that I should keep myself incognito. I climbed the stairs two at a time, feeling the cans of pasta sauce slamming up against me. I took care of myself and I ran every day. It wasn’t that I wanted to have a nice figure, but it was something to do when I didn’t have anything else on my plate.
I had my hand poised on the door leading to my hallway, but I stopped and decided to press my ear against it instead. There was nothing but silence. I took a few steps forward and opened the door, gritting my teeth and hoping to God that it wasn’t going to make a noise that would attract anybody’s attention.
I walked cautiously down the hallway towards my apartment and I saw that Tamara had come out at the end of the hall and had begun to shake her head vehemently. I wasn’t sure, but I think that she was trying to warn me away. I was standing at the threshold and I heard somebody inside my apartment. The door was wide open and splintered from somebody using more force than necessary.