Chapter Thirteen
Eliza pulled up outside her apartment building and took a moment to just sit and look around the neighborhood at the cracked sidewalks, discolored asphalt, and faded brick buildings. She’d called this place home since she’d aged out of the foster care system. She’d learn to stand on her own two feet here, had fallen in love, had her heart broken, and brought Audrey home from the hospital to this place. A small part of her would miss it.
A larger part of her was damn glad she was moving on. Her life had changed so much in the last couple of months that she hardly recognized it, but all the changes were for the better. She had a new home and job and, most importantly, a promising relationship with a fine man. Carter was so good to her. She couldn’t help but love him with all her heart. Fortunately for her, he returned her feelings and wanted to settle down and be a mate to her and a parent to Audrey.
She was a little nervous to be moving in with him so soon, but she couldn’t deny that the decision felt right. She trusted Carter not to do wrong by her, like so many people had in the past. He was the real deal, her knight in shining armor, and she had every intention of being as loyal and dedicated a partner as he deserved.
The first step was getting out of her car, dropping off a notice of her intention to be out of the apartment by the end of the month, and collecting the essential things she and Audrey would need for the rest of the week. She and Carter would return over the weekend to pack up and move the remaining contents of the apartment.
She got out of the car and strode toward her building with purpose. In the foyer, she stopped to slip the letter to her landlord into the correct box, and check her own mail. Dread filled her as she flipped through the flyers and bills, expecting to find to another piece of hate mail. To her relief, she found nothing. Apparently whoever had been tormenting her had finally given up. She stuffed the bundle of mail into her purse and headed upstairs with a little extra bounce in her step.
She let herself into the apartment and made a beeline to the kitchen for something cool to drink. She grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and spotted dirty dishes in the sink. Since she made it a habit to always wash up before she went to bed, seeing a cup and plate in the sink was weird. Chalking her forgetfulness up to not feeling well on the last night she’d been home, she shrugged off the mess and turned to go into the bedroom to gather their clothes. As she moved, something white on the table caught her attention.
She frowned at the blank white sheet of printer paper and wondered what it was doing there. She picked the paper up and flipped it over. The words typed neatly in the center of the sheet sent a wave of shock and fear vibrating through her bones.
Exodus 22:19 – Whoever lies with a beast shall be put to death.
Panic shot through her. Someone had been in her apartment. For all she knew, they could still be there. Every ounce of survival instinct she possessed kicked into high gear and sent her running toward the door. To hell with their clothes. She could come back later, with Carter by her side and a police escort.
Only steps from the exit, the sound of her name echoed through the apartment, and her hair was roughly grabbed from behind. Pain flared up her scalp as she was yanked backward by her ponytail and thrown to the floor. Her breath exploded out of her on contact with the ground.
She stared up at the man looming over her with a rising sense of horror. “Harlon?”
“Surprise.” Harlon smirked and moved into position between her and the door. “I bet you thought you’d made a clean getaway, hmm? That you could just run out on me and your job and you’d never have to face up to your sins?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Harlon.” With the only exit blocked, her mind raced, trying to think of a way out. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a backdoor and she couldn’t very well jump out of window since they were several floors off the ground.
“Don’t play dumb. It isn’t becoming.”
“I’m not.” She gazed around the room frantically, looking for something she could use as a weapon. “I swear, I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“I tried to warn you and gave you every opportunity to change your wicked ways, but you just wouldn’t listen.” His features twisted with rage. “Why wouldn’t you listen!?” He screamed at her, spittle flying from his lips.
“I didn’t understand,” she lied, stalling. “I’m sorry.”
“You will be. By the time I’m done with you, you’re going to wish you’d heeded my warnings.” He pulled what looked like a black plastic pellet gun out of the waistband of his pants and pointed it at her.
She had a split second to wonder what he planned to do with a pellet gun before he pulled the trigger and a small red tipped dart lodged in meat of her upper arm. She gasped at the quick stabbing sensation and immediately yanked the dart out of her arm and threw it across the room. Blood welled in the small puncture left behind. “What the hell, Harlon?”
“Don’t worry. There’ll be plenty of time for you to repent your wicked ways before the tranquilizer kicks in.” He stalked toward her.
The thought of being unconscious and unable to fight back scared the hell out of her. She scooted backward and tried to climb to her feet.
He kicked her legs out from underneath her, grabbed a handful of her hair, and started dragging her toward the bedroom.
Eliza screamed and dug her heels into the floor. Her eyes watered from the pain shooting through her scalp, but it was nothing compared to the fear of what would happen to her once they made it into the bedroom. She hollered for help as loud as she could and beat at his hand and arm, trying to break free of his punishing grip.
She had to get loose and make a run for it. That was her only chance. Help wasn’t coming to save her. Carter wouldn’t miss her for hours and by then it would be too late. Who knew what the lunatic would do to her by then.
She was on her own. If she wanted to survive, she had to fight.
Despite her struggling, Harlon managed to pull her all the way to the entrance of the bedroom. Desperate to stop him, she grabbed a hold of the door casing and held on with all her might.
“Quit fighting me.” Harlon gave a vicious yank to her hair, pulling a wad of it out by the roots. “Don’t you understand? I’m trying to save your soul.”
Eliza screamed, tearing streaming down her face. “You’re not saving me from anything, you freak. Just let me go.”
“I’m going to show you the path to forgiveness and send you home for judgment.” He released her hair.
She had a split second of relief from the pain and pressure at the back of her skull before something slammed into the side of her head and the world went dark.
* * * * *
Alarm bells went off when Carter’s mom phoned from the community center at half passed four and asked if he’d heard from Eliza. She’d failed to pick Audrey up by four and hadn’t answered repeated phone calls.
Carter knew Eliza had planned to run some errands and go by her apartment, but she hadn’t planned to be gone all day. Even if something unexpected had come up, she would have called. No way would she have forgotten about Audrey. That baby was Eliza’s entire world.
Something was very wrong.
After arranging for his mom to watch Audrey until he could figure things out, Carter left his foreman in charge of the work site and took off toward the city. If Eliza’s vehicle had broken down, he would spot her. If she was still at the apartment, hurt or sick, he would find her. He’d go to the ends of the earth to locate his mate and bring her home safely.
A million different scenarios for what might have happened ran through his mind during the drive, tormenting him with one gruesome scenario after another. Fear clawed at his guts and riled up the beast inside him until they were both itching for blood. He prayed for a simple reason why Eliza had dropped out of contact, and that he’d find her whole and healthy; if he didn’t, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to control the beast within. Going feral in the city was as good as signing his own death certificate and would probably kick-start the tension between the species again. As much as that would suck, he couldn’t find it in himself to give a shit. Eliza was his only concern.
After an interminable wait, he arrived at her apartment building and discovered her car in the lot. The doors were locked and it appeared in good condition. Automotive problems obviously weren’t to blame.
Best case scenario, he found her safe and sound inside, napping and having lost track of time. They could both have a good laugh about how he overreacted and go home to Audrey. Nothing would make him happier than letting her rag on him about being over protective.
He hustled across the lot, keeping a vigilant eye on his surroundings for anything strange or out of place, and headed into the building. The vestibule was vacant, so he wasted no time jogging up the stairs to Eliza’s floor. Only once he’d reached the landing did he remember that he had no keys for her apartment. If she didn’t come to the door, he wouldn’t be able to get inside.
He approached the door and tried the knob. To his surprise, it turned easily in his hand. Hope blossomed in his chest. He swung the door open and stepped inside, shoving it closed behind him. “Eliza? Are you here?”
Only silence greeted him. He took a deep breath, inhaling the stale scent of Audrey, a fresher trace of Eliza, and a hint of something bitter that didn’t belong. A muskier male scent that hadn’t been there the last time he’d visited the apartment.
Concerned, he moved deeper into the apartment and looked around. Eliza’s purse sat on the kitchen table. She had to be there. She wouldn’t have left without it.
He rushed toward the bedroom, sure he’d find his mate on the other side of the door. He crossed the threshold and spied Eliza lying on the mattress, as still as death, with her hands and feet bound to the bedposts. Her left eye was swollen and bruised, and blood matted the hair around her temple. Anger and worry blasted through him like a bomb. He flew across the room to her side and pulled at the bindings around her wrists. He got her hands free and bent to caress her face. “Eliza… Eliza, can you open your eyes? Can you hear me? Please, babe…” Please be all right.
Her skin was warm to the touch. He checked the pulse in her neck and exhaled in relief when he found her pulse strong and steady. She was unconscious, but alive.
He bowed his head and chuffed, the line between man and beast blurring.
A metallic snap sounded and something sharp penetrated his nape. He grabbed his neck, discovered something small and hard, and yanked it from his skin. A glance down revealed a small red dart.
“Isn’t this sweet. Almost like Beauty and the Beast, if Disney had envisioned Belle fucking an animal.”
Carter’s vision wavered. “Who the fuck are you and what have you done to Eliza?”
“You should be more concerned about what I’m going to do to you.”
Carter roared, letting the change rush over him in a snap and pop of breaking bones and muscular reformation. Deadly teeth shredded through his gums at the same time sharp claws burst through his nail beds. The rush of adrenaline burned through the effects of the tranquilizer in seconds and he launched himself at the stranger, tackling the man to the ground beneath his larger, heavier frame. He sank his teeth into his foe’s shoulder and shook his mighty head, ripping flesh from bone. The man beneath him shrieked and struggled as the taste of hot copper flooded the bear’s mouth. Something hard jabbed into the soft, furry bulk of his stomach and a muffled bang sounded.
A white hot lance of pain exploded through his center mass. He roared his displeasure and used his claws to swipe at the enemy who’d dared to hurt his mate. The human would die for his transgressions. There could be no other outcome.
“Carter?”
The sweet sound of his mate’s voice drew the bear’s attention. With little room to maneuver his considerable bulk, he lifted his head and turned his beady brown eyes her way. She sat up on the bed, one hand cradling her head, while the other worked at the binds around one of her slim ankles. He chuffed in frustration at the sight of her distress.
While the bear’s attention was diverted, his adversary lifted his weapon, aimed, and fired. The bullet slammed into the fatty deposit around the bear’s upper right shoulder. The next shot went wide and hit the wall above Eliza’s head.
“You can’t have her,” the man screamed, waving the gun wildly.
Before the man could pull the trigger again, Carter slashed his claws across the man’s neck, nearly severing his head from his body.
Eliza cried out his name. The bed behind him rattled as she struggled to break free.
Concerned for his mate, he twisted around and sliced through the rope binding his mate’s feet to the bedposts. Eliza bounced out of the bed and threw her arms around his neck. “Oh my God, Carter. I was so scared he’d kill you.” She pulled back and blanched at the blood covering the front of her shirt. “Oh Jesus. We have to call for help. You’re bleeding so much. Too much. You stay here and I’ll go grab my phone and be right back.” She sidestepped around the carnage and disappeared out the door.
With the threat neutralized and his energy rapidly depleting along with the blood pouring from his wounds, Carter slumped to the floor. He rested his head on his paws and closed eyes, unable to resist the urge to rest for just a minute.