by Lauren Wood
Under the witches spell, the three men shifted. Now, four bears advanced the vampire, and his screams were horrible as they devoured him.
The witch held up her amulet. “Reverse,” she whispered. “Reverse.” She knelt down next to her as the four bears shifted back to humans. “Shh. My name is Natalie.”
Another woman scrambled by her side. “Brent,” she called out. She pressed a hand to Tara’s wound. “She’d dying.”
Dying. Yes. She was dying.
Brent looked at her helplessly. “Micah,” he said harshly. “Please.”
The alpha nodded, and Tara saw Brent shift just before the darkness took her.
Chapter Seven
“Let me get this straight. You three faced the vampire leader and got your ass kicked. It took the empath witch and the alpha female to help you kick some ass?” Gratsky asked.
Brent narrowed his eyes. “Not the point,” he hissed.
“Right. Well, I will say this much. You three bring me the most interesting women,” Gratsky said with a sigh. “A newly turned bear. A witch. And now a human bit by both a vampire and a bear. I should probably consider asking for a raise.”
“Is she going to be all right?” Brent asked tightly.
“Will she live? Yes. Will she be a bear shifter? I don’t know.”
“Will she be a vampire?” Jackson asked. Brent glared at him, and he shrugged. “What? You don’t care?”
Honestly? Brent didn’t care. He didn’t give a damn how Tara woke up from the bed as long as she woke up, and she was happy. It didn’t matter whether she was a vampire, a shifter, or some freak hybrid of both.
“Doubtful. To change into a vampire, you have to actually die. And since Tara here is still very much alive, there is no way she can be a full-blown vampire. Now whether the vampire bite mingles with the shifter bite remains to be seen. What’s really interesting is that Tara was fairly immune to de’Massier’s charms.”
Brent’s head shot up. “What do you mean? Is that unusual?”
“De’massier is a powerful vampire. To have someone immune to him is quite intriguing. It’s more than just your relationship with her. She’s resisted his requests from the very beginning. That means that there is something very special about your Tara Schmidt.”
“What do you think it is?” Micah asked.
Gratsky shrugged. “Most likely, it means that humanity is evolving. They’re finding ways to defend themselves against more powerful species. It’s a fascinating thought. But what I can tell you is that between your three mates, absolutely no one is going to mess with this pack.”
“Sure. We have nothing to do with it,” Micah said sourly.
Gratsky grinned. “You do deserve credit. How you got Stacey and Natalie to fall in love with you two is beyond me.”
Brent tuned them out. He was watching the door to Tara’s room anxiously. Part of him wanted to be by her side right that very minute, but he knew she wouldn’t be happy to find her by her bed. She’d been perfectly fine in her life, and then he had to put her danger.
And turned her.
“I need to leave,” he said abruptly. “Keep me posted.”
“You’re leaving?” Jackson stared at him. “She’s going to want to see you when she wakes up.”
“I doubt that very seriously,” he muttered, and he slipped out the door. Deep down, he feared he would never see here again.
***
“It’s so romantic to wake up and find that your boyfriend isn’t there,” Tara said sourly. Brent’s head shot up from his desk, and he stared at her. “It’s even better when two whole days pass, and he doesn’t even send you flowers. Or a card.”
“Tara,” he breathed.
“It’s even better when a stranger has to tell explain things to you. You know, the part where the guy you were dating turned out to be the leader of the vampire clan and was trying to manipulate you. And the fact that you alpha female can shift at will. And that your second-in-command married a witch.”
He lowered his eyes. She was pissed. Of course. She had every right to be angry. “I wanted to tell you.”
“But you didn’t. That’s okay. I just thought that you should know that I’m alive and kicking. I thought I’d come by to say goodbye and tell that you I’ve leaving.” She waited a heartbeat which she watched his reaction. She was rewarded with the sad look in his eyes. “Except that I’m not leaving.”
“You’re not?” he muttered.
“So then, I thought I’d come by and say hi and give you a kiss, but I’m pissed at you. So that’s not going to happen.” Her eyes narrowed when he leaned back in his chair and regarded her with interest. She was not going to let him get the upper hand.
“I couldn’t figure out why you’d stay away from me. I don’t really take you for the wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am approach. I think we both know that it was more than that. And you can’t be pissed about putting me in danger because de’Massier did that. Not you. And you can’t really be distraught over biting me because I’d be dead if you didn’t. But you’re a really hard guy to read. So tell me, Mr. Jenson. What’s going on through that head of yours?”
“Marry me,” he said softly.
Of all the words that she expected to come out of his mouth, those were not even in the top thousand. “What?” she whispered.
He scooted his chair back and stood. “I love you, Tara. I’ve loved you from the very beginning. I didn’t have one single reason for keeping you close to me except that I selfishly wanted you. And for the first time since I met you, I finally realized that you’ve had no say in this. So I gave you a choice. You’ve had days to leave. And you’re still here. By choice. No one is keeping you.”
She tried to hold her ground as he stalked her, but soon she was pressed up against the wall. “And you think that because I decided to stick around that I should marry you?”
“I think that you stuck around because you love me. And I’m going to marry you before you have a chance to change your mind,” he said softly. His hands skimmed her arms, and she shivered.
“Jesus, Brent. I do love you. But you have no idea what I’m going to become. When the full moon rises, I might be some weird bear vampire creature. I could be hideous.”
“You could four heads and still not be hideous,” he murmured. “And I don’t care what you become. You’ll always be you, and I’ll always love you. Marry me.”
“Once again, no flowers. No ring. No candlelight dinner. You know, at some point, I’d like to feel wooed and courted,” she pointed out. He frowned, and she reached up to stroke his face. “But nothing about this relationship has been traditional. So yes, Brent Jenson. I will marry you.”
He captured her lips, and she held him close. For the first time in forever, she finally felt at peace. “I’ll spend the rest of my life courting and wooing you,” he whispered.
“Oh, I know you will,” she said with a grin. “And I’ll protect you until the day I die.”
Three weeks later, when the full moon lit the Woodland pack and everyone stared at her nervously, she watched as everyone else shifted.
But her. As she stood in the middle of the woods, surrounded by the most dangerous creatures out there, she never felt more powerful. She didn’t need to be a bear or a vampire. She had the strength of both running through her veins, and the love of a man devoted to her.
So she ran with the pack, human on the outside, and powerful on the inside. And she knew that this was where she was meant to be.
THE END
HUNTED BY THE BEAR
Chapter One
Usually, Jackson loved his life. He ran an outrageously successful business with one of his closest friends. He was rolling in wealth and power without actually feeling the weight of most of that power. As second-in-command, Jackson lived a pretty cushiony life. He took orders from Micah, but the life of a bear shifter was usually fairly quiet.
Until recently.
The local vampire clan had recently overth
rown their leader, and Andre de’Massier was looking to tighten the alliance between vampires and shifters. It was a great idea, but the reality was much harsher. Shifter and vampires had notorious trust issues, and a treaty had to be signed by all.
Normally, pushing a new treaty on the pack was the job of the alpha. But Micah had recently married Stacey, his love and mate. They were off on their honeymoon, and Micah had three rules for Jackson. Keep the business running. Keep the pack running. Push the new vampire treaty.
Easier said than done.
Before getting married, Micah had put a huge dent in one of the older traditions of the pack. Shifters married shifters. But Micah fell in love with Stacey before she became alpha female, and so he decreed a new law. A shifter can marry whomever they pleased.
As with any new law, chaos ensued. The younger shifters eagerly embraced the rule and paraded humans, other shifters, and even witches on the territory. The older shifters were not pleased. Micah had only been gone for a week, and Jackson was fielding calls every day of people complaining. And if he had it bad, his friend and head of security Brett Jenson had it worse. He was doing his best to keep the peace and make sure no one truly dangerous entered the territory.
Jackson was tired.
Second-in-command was supposed to be a fun gig. He had dreams of impressing the ladies with his wealth and power, and responsibility wasn’t really his thing. Sure, he had Micah’s back anytime anywhere. But Micah could take care of himself.
Jackson was getting plenty of attention for the women, but none of it was quite the attention he was expecting.
“I’m sorry Sarah, but if Ronnie doesn’t want to marry you, there’s nothing I can do about it. Micah’s rule stands. No one can enforce the arranged marriage,” he said as he massaged his temples.
“We’ve been betrothed since birth,” she hissed. “And I know he loves me. We’re meant to be.”
“Yes, but if he’s called off the wedding because he’s fallen in love with someone else, there’s nothing the pack can do. Everyone deserves a fair shot at his or her own happiness. You are a lovely woman, Sarah. I’m sure you’ll find someone who makes you happy.”
A new wave of fresh tears carried through the phone, and Jackson shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He was at work for fuck’s sake. “Sarah, please calm down.”
“Don’t you tell me to calm down! You have no idea what’s it like to have a broken heart. I’m well aware of your reputation. You don’t care about love. You’re just a heartless bastard!” she screeched before slamming down the phone.
Jackson sighed. Just how exactly had his life come to this? He glanced at the calendar. Micah and Stacey would be back in two days. And he wasn’t sure he would make it until then.
***
Natalie Mackleroy shivered. She was used to the warm sun of the south, and the northern winds were more than her thin windbreaker could handle. She would eventually have to stop at some point.
She’d been running for three days. She needed to put as much space between her and Paul as soon as possible. The problem was that the full moon would be up soon, and he’d be able to cover the entire distance in that night alone. Not only that, but he’d be able to track her. She needed to find safety.
She let down her hair in an effort to cover her neck. Pulling her baseball cap low, she put her head down as a few cars passed her on the lonely highway. One of their headlights briefly lit up the green sign. Two miles to Woodland.
Quaint name. Her destination had been the city just passed Woodland, but she hadn’t eaten in an entire day, and she’d found nowhere to crash. She had just enough cash to give herself one last meal and a night in a motel. So she’d just have to make it to the small town to hunker down for the night. Then she’d reach the city by the next afternoon. And she could reevaluate her situation there.
And just what exactly do you plan on doing, Natalie? You can’t hide forever. Paul is going to find you.
Her next shiver had nothing to do with the cold. She knew that once Paul got his hands on her again, that was it. There would be no one to save her.
She pushed the thought out of her mind and trudged the rest of the way into town. As she passed the town border, a strange sensation curled leisurely through her body. More than one species called Woodland their home. Natalie curled her lip in disgust. Of course she’d find shifters here. They were everywhere.
Natalie’s grandmother had been a full-blown empath. While her mother had shown no abilities at all, Natalie was able to get a few traces of humans. She connected best with shifters, and once she’d realized that, it had all gone down hill from there.
The sex had been incredible, but it overshadowed Paul’s true nature. And when she realized just how dangerous he was, it was almost too late.
A decent looking motel lay just ahead. She smiled with relief with she saw the red neon vacancy sign. She was exhausted. Deciding to save her last meal for breakfast in the morning, she paid cash for her room. The attendant was a bored little teenager who didn’t really look twice at her.
The energy of her room was faint, but there was nothing ominous about it. She fell immediately on the bed and was asleep in minutes.
Natalie awoke the next morning with a renewed sense of energy. She’d slept for ten solid hours, and even though her stomach rumbled, she had a feeling today was going to go her way. She took advantage of the hot shower and was delighted to discover that a motel included a continental breakfast. Avoiding the curious gaze of some of the other guests, she lined her purse with muffins and biscuits before scarfing down some cardboard eggs and slightly chewy pancakes. It was the best meal she’d had in days.
“It’s going to be cold tonight. Past freezing. Winter is coming early this year,” one guest remarked.
Natalie quietly groaned. Past freezing? On foot, she’d never make it to the city before nightfall. If she didn’t find a new change of clothes, she’d freeze to death.
With a sigh, she found a payphone just outside the hotel and dropped a few coins in it. She was both grateful and surprised to the find the relic still worked. Punching in the numbers she knew by heart, she felt anxiety tighten in her chest as she waited.
“Natalie?”
Natalie exhaled a sigh of relief to hear her old boss’s voice. “Terry. I was afraid you wouldn’t pick up if you didn’t recognize the number.”
“Are you kidding? I’ve been waiting for days to hear from you. What the hell is going on? Paul came by here yesterday looking for you. He was outraged when I told him that you’d quit unexpectedly. I thought he was going to shift right then and there.”
Terry owned the small boutique where Natalie used to work. She’d lost her mother not that long ago, and he was the closest thing to family she had left. She felt the tears burn behind her eyes as she heard the worry in his voice.
“Do you know if Paul is still in town?” she gripped the phone tightly as she looked around.
“Susan just called me this morning. Apparently he’d been to your old place, so he’s definitely still in town. She said he trashed it. Natalie, you’re clearly in trouble. Let me help you.”
“I’m fine, Terry, but I’m not going to be able to come back. Paul is dangerous. I wish I had seen it before. He’s obsessive and controlling and abusive. I need to be as far away from his possible when the full moon rises.”
“Abusive? Natalie, we’ve got to call the police!”
Natalie shook her head before realizing that Terry couldn’t see her. “The packs police their own. You know that. The police aren’t going to do anything. No one is going to take the side of a human. Listen, I can’t tell you where I am or where I’m going. It’s not safe for you. But I’m going to be okay.”
“Natalie,” he moaned. “At least let me send you some money.”
As much as she needed the money, she couldn’t risk it. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m going to be fine. I still have some cash on me.”
“Well what the hell did you
take from him?”
“What?” Natalie’s eyebrows knitted together. “I didn’t take anything, Terry. Trust me, I don’t want anything from him.”
“He thinks you took something, darling. He kept screaming about you being a little thief.”
“Well, he’s a notorious liar. I didn’t take anything. Listen, Terry, I need to get going. I’ll call you in a few days, okay?”
She heard him protest, but she hung up the phone gently. She knew that Terry would protect her, but if Paul was having one of his delusions again, there was no telling what he would do to the people she loved.
Wrapping her arms tighter around her body for warmth, she began the long walk across the town.
Chapter Two
The last employee left hours ago, but Jackson was not ready to go home. So he brewed himself a pot of coffee in the back and settled down at his desk in hopes to getting some more work done.
He’d taken care of the weekly inventory last night, but he really wanted to revamp their emails. Micah was not very technological, and he was perfectly happy just slapping some text in the body of an email and calling it a newsletter.
Jackson wanted to add a bit more finesse to it. He practiced with a few templates before he found one that was both sporty and simple.
He smelled her before he heard her.
Feminine. Scared. Desperate. He stilled at his desk and held his breath. The door closing should not have been audible, but his hearing had always been excellent. Reaching over for his mouse, he brought up one of the security cameras that covered the floor below him. Sure enough, he saw a shadow moving quietly through the store. She made a beeline for the jackets, and he watched as she glanced around furtively before slipping one on.
She was careful to keep her face away from the camera, and she had a hat pulled low over to cover her face. He grimaced before switching off the camera.
Female or not, no one stole from him.