Somewhere in the Midwest…
“Have I told you how much I love you today?” Nikos whispered to Ari as they lay in bed.
Moonlight filled their bedroom, giving Ari full view of his brother bear. Lean muscles glowed in the light, the dips and hollows were shadowed as Ari’s stare roamed over his dark haired Greek god.
Ari groaned, sliding closer and aligning his body against Nikos’. “How about you show me?”
Nikos grumbled, but there was a wicked smile spreading across his lips. “You’re insatiable.”
“With a man as delectable as you beside me, how could I not be?”
He was already hard and throbbing, ready to see where the night took them. He and Nikos had been together for over a decade… yet no matter how many times they shared one another’s body, it was never enough.
Ari leaned in for a kiss, knowing how lucky he was to have found his brother bear. As human populations had grown, it had become harder and harder for their kind to find all the members of their triads. With some shifters going into hiding, many didn’t even find one of their pair, let alone both.
While Ari knew how blessed he was, he couldn’t help but feel as if there was a little piece missing. Perhaps that was what fed his insatiable nature. Or maybe it was just because Nikos drove him insane. He preferred to think it was the latter.
“I showed you three times last night,” Nikos said with a frown. All the while, his fingers trailed down Ari’s abdomen… and then traced along the bulge below.
“That was yesterday. Now it’s today and I need a reminder. You know—” He gasped when Nikos squeezed his cock, unable to utter another word. A growl rose up and vibrated through his throat as his need focused onto that one spot.
Nikos chuckled. “So lusty, my bear.”
Ari rolled on top of Nikos and pinned the man to the bed. He rotated his hips, his hard staff rubbing against his brother bear’s. They both still wore their briefs, and the two layers of cotton were too much. He needed to feel Nikos’ hot flesh against his.
He rose to his knees between his lover’s thighs and grasped the waistband before yanking them down.
“Careful, Ari. Don’t rip another pair.”
“I’ve always replaced the ones I did,” he said with a grin.
Nikos chuckled. “We’ll go bankrupt replacing my underwear.”
“Never.”
A light shone in Nikos’ eyes, the glow of strong emotion. Here in their home, they could show it without concern. Out in the human world, they fought to control their emotions and hide the supernatural light that sometimes came to their eyes. Now, it told him how far he’d pushed his lover. Even with all the protestations, he knew his bear loved it when he was wild and aggressive. Nikos liked it rough… always had. The more forceful he was, the better Nikos got off.
And the more it drove Ari wild.
A smile came over his lips seconds before he shredded the fabric and jerked it from his lover’s body. Using the torn material, he knotted it around Nikos’ wrists before attaching the scrap of fabric to the bedpost. “That’s how I like you. Bound and writhing for my pleasure.” And yours.
Ari stared down at the handsome man. His mouth opened in silent anguish, his breathing quickened. Nikos’ back arched, a moan coming from his lips. Ari lowered his head, trailing his mouth down Nikos’ side, over his hip, and down to the furry patch of hair above the thick shaft jutting out of it.
Passing over his lover’s cock, he nipped at the inside of Nikos’ thigh.
A sound came to his ear, not one of pleasure, but something foreign.
Pausing, he lifted his head, waiting.
“Ari,” Nikos sighed, his eyes closed.
Ari lifted a single finger and placed it over his bear’s lips. Nikos opened his eyes and met Ari’s stare seconds before another sound came.
They lay silently for a few seconds, listening for another. Ari tensed, his muscles coiled and ready.
Nikos drew in a deep inhale. “I scent human,” he whispered. “More than one…” he frowned. “And…” He shook his head. “Something else, but it’s too far away.”
Ari quickly tugged at the fabric around Nikos’ wrists before they both jumped to their feet and moved to the shadows. Slipping through the cabin, Ari spied the front door. He stopped when both the front and back were in sight.
He crouched and waited… his body ready to jump.
More sounds came to his ears, footfalls and whispers.
He lowered to one knee in the darkness and listened again. Nikos stopped just behind him, his head pivoting as he drew in a breath.
Nikos lifted up both hands and waggled the fingers on them. There are at least ten. The humans were too close for them to speak, so they’d have to rely on gestures. They’d both learned the same motions as boys… ways to protect themselves in the human world. A single look between them could share volumes.
He pointed up and then down. Nikos used more hand signals to answer. Possibly more than ten, but not much more.
Ari nodded before considering his options. It likely wasn’t a simple robbery… there were too many for a simple cabin this far out in the woods. Had someone seen them on one of their night runs in the woods? He’d gotten careless out here in the middle of nowhere. Nikos had chided him repeatedly that they’d be caught.
He glanced at his brother bear, fearful he’d brought death to their door.
Before he could admonish himself another second, the shattering of glass filled the air and a can rolled into the cabin, spewing smoke. The gas had almost no purpose—at least not for a bear shifter—as it only made it harder to see. Tear gas didn’t have an effect on shifter eyes and noses; at least not in the way it did humans. Soon after, roars and screams echoed around them. Both doors burst open, and the humans rushed inside.
The desire to shift rose in him, but doing so could spell both their downfall. If these men weren’t here because of what they were, it would only add fuel to a wildfire. Humans feared the unknown…
He needed to know his enemy before attacking…
Nikos rose to his feet, but Ari grabbed his lover and forced the man behind him. Seconds later, there were lights and machine guns trained on the both of them. He looked up at humans in gas masks… making them look most inhuman.
“Who are you?” he demanded seconds before one of them lifted a gun and fired.
Ari spun out of the way and pushed Nikos back. He glanced at the wall behind them and saw a dart wedged into the now splintered wood.
Tranquilizer?
They weren’t trying to kill… they were here to abduct—which could be a worse fate than death.
Ari turned back just as two more darts were fired. Swinging his hands, he caught them both before jabbing them into the human who’d fired. A scream sounded before a scuffle behind him broke out. As he turned, he saw a gun muzzle up against Nikos’ head.
“Come with us, or we kill him,” the human holding the gun to Nikos’ head said.
Ari’s whole body tensed. Yet he saw the calm, collected look on Nikos’ face and knew the soldiers were underestimating them both.
“Go where? You still haven’t told me who you are.” Ari said coolly, trying to still the beating of his own heart and attempting to not be terrified of the gun to Nikos’ head. If they shoot, they will die.
“I owe you no answers,” the human said. “Either you come willingly, or we kill your friend here.”
“How do I know you won’t just kill him after I go?” he asked, buying them a minute or two more. He felt his claws extend ever so slightly and saw Nikos doing the same.
“You don’t,” the human answered. “At this point, you’ve got a fifty-fifty chance he survives. Do as I say and don’t cause any more trouble… and maybe that percentage goes up.”
From far behind them, shots sounded. The humans spun to face the noise, giving him and Nikos the distraction they needed. Ari leapt. He shifted as he moved, his claws slashing out and catching the man who’d had his gun trained on Nikos right in the chest. Blood splattered all over Ari, the opened heart gushing. Another man turned at the human’s screams, and Ari felt bullets hitting his abdomen. He roared in pain moments before he watched a shifted Nikos rip the human who’d shot him apart.
Chaos ensued. They made their way through the humans one by one. Bullets flew and men screamed. Ari led the charge, shielding Nikos from their guns with his body. The coppery scent of their blood filled his nose, along with the scent of gunpowder and death. He kept fighting…until he came face to face with another bear shifter.
He paused… dragging the unique scent into his lungs.
This wasn’t a bear shifter. He was more… more than one animal.
Werewolf? Impossible.
Another two creatures walked closer and stopped just behind the monster staring him down. One was bear mixed with the gods only knew what. The other? Ari sniffed the air and he thought he caught cat shifter, but since the damned thing had enormous wings like an eagle, he knew there was more. It looked like a damned griffin. He’d heard the rumors of the soldiers who showed up on your doorstep with freakish monsters along with them. Ari rose up on his hind legs and roared, baring his teeth and showing his claws. The beast before him did the same, appearing just as ready for a fight.
A male moved between them, lifting a hand in surrender. “No! We’re not with the other soldiers! We’re here to save you!”
The beast roared, pushing the man out of his way.
“Jericho! No!” the man screamed and the beast… calmed some.
Ari’s haunches remained raised, even as he watched this male named Jericho shift back into his human form. Pain lanced through his body and the need to return to his human form beckoned… but he was stronger in his bear form.
He had to protect his brother bear.
The man who’d pushed himself between them turned to Ari. “We came to save you from the humans and take you to safety.”
Ari stared a moment and felt Nikos pad closer, stopping just behind him. He scanned those remaining on their feet and realized they were all shifters. All kinds, from bear to lion, to wolf, and others. Slowly, he shifted back and held the man’s gaze, trying to hide the pain he was in all while attempting to determine what kind of shifter the guy was. He sensed Nikos shifting back behind him. “Who are you?”
“My name’s Bull. We’re shifters… who fight against Project Zed.”
“Project Zed?” Ari asked as he gripped his stomach with one arm. He could feel the skin beginning to repair itself, but he needed to get the bullets out before they remained within his body and infected the new flesh.
Bull looked down at some of the humans on the ground before lifting his gaze. “These were Project Zed soldiers. There’s a secret government agency abducting shifters… mixing their DNA with other beasts and turning them into weapons.”
Ari looked at the three creatures. “How do I know you aren’t a part of this? You seem to have some monsters of your very own.”
One of the beasts growled at him, his eyes glowing bright with anger.
“We saved them from Project Zed. They weren’t as lucky as you are now… they were captured and tortured. Now they fight with us to prevent others from going through the same agony they did,” Bull said. “Your location was on a list we recovered from a downed plane—shifters the project had targeted for abduction. We have a place where you’ll be safe from the humans, and we can take you there now.”
“This is our home,” Ari said. He wouldn’t be run from the place by humans. Pain hit as one of he bullets was absorbed into one of his organs. He bit back the scream that wanted to rise up his throat.
“Oh they’ll come again,” another of the shifters spat. “If they’re not already on their way now. They won’t stop until they have you. Next time… we won’t be there to help.”
Ari turned to Nikos. Nikos shrugged, apparently as unsure as he was. He turned back to Bull. “We can make do on our own.”
“Idiots,” Jericho murmured under his breath.
Bull cocked his head to the side and looked at Jericho. “They’re free to choose. I can’t force them to go with us or we’re no better than General Lore.” Bull turned back to Ari. “Stay off the grid. No credit cards, kill your cell phones. Stay away from your friends and family, if you want to keep them safe. Go completely underground.”
“What? We go live in a cave somewhere?” Ari asked, frowning.
“Have you heard of Bear Mountain?” Bull asked.
Ari stiffened. “It’s a myth.” But supposedly, so were the soldiers who’d just come busting through their front door.
“No,” Bull said. “It’s no myth. You two would be safe there.”
“Or we could go to Midnight,” Nikos murmured. “Some of my cousins live there.”
“Either one would be safer than amongst the humans,” Bull said. “For now. Until we can shut them down completely.”
Midnight wasn’t exactly known for being safe, but at least he had some idea what he was getting there. Bear Mountain was a tall tale his grandfather had shared when Ari was a boy. A whole valley of bear shifters, living amongst their own? Yeah right.
Pain hit again, taking him down to one knee. He released his hold on his stomach to catch himself.
“Ari!” Nikos cried before dropping to his knees and forcing Ari to let him look.
“My gods,” Bull said looking him over. “We need to get those bullets out of you. I have a medic with me.”
Ari lifted a hand, stopping the man from getting any closer. “We’ll be fine.”
Nikos caught Ari’s stare before his gaze lowered to the wounds. “Ari. If they can help?” Worry filled his brother bear’s gaze. “Let them.”
“No,” he spat. “We’ll be fine.”
“You’ll be on the run. Unable to care for those wounds properly. The flesh that grows around the bullets might begin to rot away, and the rot could spread through your body,” Bull said. “It could ultimately kill you.”
“Or it might not,” Ari said. I have a fifty-fifty shot. The words rang in his head, parroting the human who’d uttered them. These shifters had saved them… or had they? Was this just a ruse to get them to go?
Theater… a manipulation to put him and Nikos at ease and accept their lies.
Bull nodded. “Fine. Just get to wherever you’re going as fast as you can.” The man glanced around at his team. “Time to move out before a second wave arrives,” he yelled before once again turning to Ari. “If you change your mind, Bear Mountain is just to the south of the Amarinth Native Reservation. There’s a dome protecting the whole valley. You can only get through if you mean those inside no harm. If you get in, the alpha will welcome you with open arms. Declan… tell him Bull sent you.”
“And if you don’t get through the dome?” Nikos asked.
One of Bull’s eyebrows rose. “You’ll be fine on your own. Remember?”
Bull and the others began to clear out.
“Wait,” Nikos cried before turning to Ari. “We go.”
“No,” Ari murmured.
“I won’t let you die,” Nikos said before moving close. “You wanted me to show you how much I love you. This is it.”
A chill breeze blew through. Steam rose off the damp grass as the temperature cooled. Above, the moon hung full and swollen and made him think of Luna.
Lunacy.
That’s what the night felt like. A surreal nightmare he desperately wanted to wake from.
“And what if they’re a part of this Project Zed?” he whispered the question as low as he could.
Nikos glanced down. Ari followed his gaze and saw the dead bodies littering the ground.
“Would they truly sacrifice this many humans in order to trick us into going with them?”
“I don’t know,” Ari said before another pain struck him. He could feel the tissue surrounding the bullets and pushing at them. It burned like fire.
“We go. We let them fix you. And then we get out of there. Together,” Nikos said. “If that’s what it comes to.”
Ari nodded as another pain hit. “If you’re sure.”
Nikos turned to Bull. “You hurt my brother bear and you’ll regret it, rhino.”
So that’s what the man was. Leave it to Nikos’ extra-special nose to figure it out.
Bull smiled. “I’m impressed. Few can figure that out.”
“I’ve got other skills up my sleeve. Ones you might not like to see,” Nikos said, his hackles rising.
A smile rose to Ari’s lips at Nikos’ fierce protection. His brother bear would stand up to a dozen shifters and wild beasts without batting an eyelash. His gamma was worth ten betas any day of the week.
Bull looked between them. “We can’t sit here all night measuring dicks. Either you come or you don’t. I want to help, but I won’t force you to come, either.”
“We go,” Nikos said before helping Ari rise to his feet.
“Yessir,” Ari murmured.
“Do you need anything from inside?” Bull asked them.
“I do,” Nikos said before urging Bull over to take Ari’s arm. “I’ll be right back.”
Ari watched Nikos’ back, growling under his breath. He cocked his head to the side and glared at Bull.
One corner of Bull’s lip rose. “Let me get you to my medic.”
“We wait for him,” Ari spat.
“Every second counts,” Bull said.
“We. Wait.” There was no way he’d let them separate them any more than they already are. He wasn’t moving one inch until he saw Nikos’ face.
Bull sighed. “Okay. We wait, Ari.”
“How do you know my name?”
“We’ve been watching you both for a while, waiting to see if Project Zed showed up.”
“You could’ve prevented all this.” Anger roiled through him as a realization hit. “Were we bait?”
Bull didn’t meet his stare for a moment. “We couldn’t let them know we were watching… or they might not have moved on you.”
“You could’ve come to us and told us.”
“And you’d have believed us?” Bull asked, frowning.
Ari barely believed them now. “You could’ve intercepted them. Stopped them before it went to extremes.”
“We waited as long as we could… to see if they’d brought others like Jericho with them. It’s our only means of saving them from the lab at this stage.”
“So, we were bait.”
“Not exactly.”
“Not exactly,” Ari growled. “I suppose these aren’t exactly bullets in my gut, either.”
“We moved in as quickly as we could,” Bull muttered.
“Quickly wasn’t fast enough.”
“I thought you were fine on your own?” Bull asked. “You can’t be mad at us for not helping quickly enough two seconds after telling us you don’t need our help at all.”
Ari growled, but remained silent otherwise. There was a glimmer of truth to what the rhino said… and arguing got them nowhere.
He was in too much pain to continue the bickering. All he wanted to do was lie down and roar in agony. Time dragged on. The pain came in waves as the bullets re-lodged inside him. He knew he jerked with each one, so there was no hiding it from the rhino. When he finally saw Nikos emerge from the house, he sighed heavily in relief.
His brother bear tossed a bag over one shoulder and met his gaze. “We can go now.”