Chapter 13
JOHN finished his shift at the Ursa Lodge pub, demoralized and desperate.
He never should have taken out that line of credit from the casino.
It all seemed to make so much sense at the time. Borrow a bit of cash, just to start him off, and win enough to pay off all his debts. He’d seen it happen before. People won massive amounts at the casino all the time.
Unfortunately, the roulette table hadn’t quite been on the same page as John. He’d lost, more than ever. Not only did he owe Royal Hill he now also owed the casino. Big time.
As dozens of imaginary zeroes followed him, thumping against his head to punish him for his recklessness, John checked the dock schedule that was posted for employees. Another boat would be here at any time. Did he dare go home? He hadn’t been there in a day or two, deciding to splash out and enjoy the casino hotel and its room service. That was no longer an option.
He might as well go home, return Hill’s calls, and get it over with. Maybe, if he was lucky, Hills goons would only break a few bones.
Then again, he hadn’t been all that lucky lately.
After finishing up at the pub, he passed Ryland Snow in the hallway heading to reception. The resort owner had caught his eye and waved, his gaze narrowed.
Prick. If he’d only given him another advance or two on his pay, John wouldn’t be in this mess.
Annoyed, John headed outside and trudged toward the dock. The evening sunset held no beauty for him. All he saw was the end of another dismal day where he just couldn’t catch a break.
A group of children raced past, their faces red after a bracing afternoon in the woods. Some adults followed, no doubt their happy parents. Everyone on this goddamn island was so fucking happy. It made him sick. They were all shape shifters and completely oblivious to the danger he posed. He had retrieved his gun from the tree stump and now had it tucked carefully into the holster at his waist. His long winter jacket concealed it well, but it would be so easy to whip it out and fill them all full of lead.
His bear groused. Stupid, pansy teddy bear. No wonder he had so much trouble following Hill’s orders. The animal had better morals than he did.
John arrived at the dock, but the boat wasn’t there yet. Sighing, he dropped his backpack and sat on one of the support beams at the edge of the dock.
Only then did he hear the cry.
He glanced up, his attention drawn toward the woods. A flash of gold appeared between the trees.
Hair. Her hair.
Only Elaine had that color.
He focused his ursine senses. She was alone, and she was crying.
Adrenaline kicked in, and John automatically checked out his surroundings. Lex’s boat was nowhere in sight. The families he’d seen had escaped into the lodge. No one else was near.
And, glory be, a small rowboat had been overturned on the beach about fifty feet away, near where Elaine stood.
He could knock Elaine out, dump her in the boat, and bring her to Hill.
He could make this work. There was no choice. Hill had grown impatient. The idea of attacking Elaine made him want to spew chunks, but she would hardly go with him voluntarily.
His debts to Hill might finally be erased.
As for the casino credit line, well, he would find a way to deal with that too.
Driven by resentment, John stood and removed his gun from its holster. He couldn’t shoot her, but he could clock her over the head with it. With one glance to make sure he wasn’t watched, he followed Elaine into the woods.
He moved with a slow, casual air, like just any other person out for a stroll. The woods were quiet tonight, and even though she wasn’t making a lot of noise, Elaine’s sobs seemed amplified.
It didn’t seem very sporting to abduct a crying woman. Never mind that. He couldn’t afford to take an interest in her woes. Hill had plans for the bear woman. No doubt, they would be creepy as shit, but John refused to speculate.
Elaine approached a snow-covered park bench on the path. She brushed it off and sat down.
He waited a few minutes, and then he waited a bit more. Only then did he make his approach.
She looked up and spotted him. Her eyes were red and wet. “Oh. Hi, John. I didn’t see you there.”
“Hey, Elaine. Sorry to startle you.” He smiled and glanced around the clearing. It was way too open for what he had planned. Maybe he could persuade her to walk with him into the forested area. “Just out for a walk after my shift.”
She wiped her eyes. “That’s nice. Me, too. The weather is starting to change. I think the snow will melt soon.”
He sat next to her, at the edge of the bench. “Yeah.” Whatever. Did he really need to make small-talk about the weather? “On your own tonight?”
“Yes. I needed some quiet time. My husband used to walk this path when he was alive. I come here when I need to think.”
“Sorry about your husband.”
“Thanks. Are you mated?”
“Who, me? No. I doubt I ever will be.” Why are you still talking to her? Just hit her! He held the gun under the flap of his coat, steadying his shaky hand on his leg.
“Don’t say that. A handsome man like you? Of course, you’ll find your mate. She’s out there somewhere.”
John didn’t respond. He had no words. All he could think about was where he should hit her in order to knock her out. He’d need to silence her quickly. He wished she would turn her head so he could attack from behind, but she kept her gaze pinned on him. His intestines lurched in anxiety and disgust.
She laid a hand on his arm, and he tensed. “I’m sorry I look like such a mess, John. You found me at a bad moment. I’m not normally so teary. I just feel so…alone right now.” Her lips turned up at the corners. “I appreciate you stopping to talk to me. You look a little pale. Are you feeling all right?”
“I’m fine.” He wiped his sweaty lip on his coat sleeve. “Thanks.” Why does she have to be so nice? This would be so much easier if she was a bitch.
“So you’re a bear, huh? That’s cool. Me, too. So was my mate. Such beautiful animals, loyal and strong.” She grinned. “Of course, bear men are some of the sexiest I know.”
Was she flirting? It had been a long time since any woman had flirted with him. And yet the evidence was there in her dilated pupils and moist lips.
Elaine was a good-looking woman, no doubt about it. His bear was already foaming at the mouth, wondering how she would taste.
No. After the way Hill had drooled over her photos, John didn’t dare make a move. Hill would likely slaughter him on the spot. “So where’s your pal Connor? I see you with him a lot.”
“Now, John.” She rolled her eyes. “You didn’t really follow me into the woods so we could shoot the breeze about Connor, did you?”
“I guess not.”
She sighed, stood, and stretched, arching her back. “The last time I spoke with you, you mentioned something about wanting to see my cabin. Do you still want to see it?”
Holy Christ, she was flirting with him.
A hundred scenarios unfolded in his brain, most of which involved fucking her into a state of unconsciousness. He couldn’t help but notice her tits when she stood like that. Even through her winter coat, he could make out her curves.
Damn.
Maybe just a little fun before business…
What are you thinking? Just do the job. His revolver felt hot and heavy in his hand.
“You seem like a nice man.” Her smile hardened. “It makes me wonder how you got to this place.”
“Do you mean how I got my job at the resort?”
“No, John. What I mean is I wonder why you would bring a gun onto Gemini Island.”
He jumped off the bench and pulled out the revolver, taking aim. Tree branches snapped behind him, and he whirled around, his hands shaking as he pointed.
From out of the trees, a group of predators stalked. A brown bear, a polar bear, and an assortment of tigers, jaguars, and wolves emerged. Leading the pack, a massive mountain lion prowled, its raspy voice rumbling in warning. The animal walked right over to Elaine, and she rested her hand on its head, giving its ears a scratch.
How had he not sensed their approach? Perhaps because he was too busy gawking at her tits.
“So,” said Elaine, “I know you’ve probably met everyone from the Ursa, but I doubt you’ve seen them in their animal forms. Allow me to reintroduce you. You know, so that if one of them decides to tear your throat out, you’ll know who it is. Your boss Ryland is right over there. He’s the big brown bear, and he looks kind of hungry. For the record, I think I’m safe in speaking for Ryland when I say you’ve lost your job here. Isn’t that right, Ry?”
The brown bear lowered its head and growled.
“Have you met Ryland’s brother, Soren?” she continued. “He’s the polar bear. Huge sucker, isn’t he? You don’t want to get on Soren’s bad side. Of course you must know Bart, our head of security. He’s the wolf. Don’t even try to put anything past him. The tigers are Anton and Jani. I wouldn’t piss them off if I were you. The jaguar brothers are Killian, Byron, and Percy. Did you know jaguars have the most powerful bite in the animal kingdom? Interesting stuff, huh?” She patted the mountain lion. “Oh, and I think you already know Connor. He’s especially protective of me so be careful what you do next.”
“An ambush, huh? Doesn’t seem fair.”
“You cornered a lone woman in the woods. Do you really want to go down that road?”
He edged away, aware of the fact several bright eyes followed his every movement.
“By the way, John, I should warn you there are shifter police officers all over this island, and several of them have sniper rifles trained on you right now.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“No?” Elaine looked off into the trees and called out. “Drew, would you mind showing John what a good shot you are?”
A shot rang out over John’s head.
In the next heartbeat, Connor’s mountain lion stepped toward him, moving with deadly agility.
John’s bear didn’t even bother showing its face. It knew it was outnumbered. Damn, why couldn’t he make his hand stop shaking? His finger trembled against the trigger.
An aggressive hiss emanated from Connor’s great cat.
Not knowing what else to do, John squeezed the trigger.
The mountain lion pounced as the gun went off, but John had no idea if he hit anyone.
The last thing he saw was the open mouth of the cat, aiming for his neck.
* * * *
“Wake up.” Connor shook Page again, but the man lay unconscious, bound in his chair, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. “Wake the fuck up.”
“I think you bit him too hard,” commented Jani in a blasé tone. “He lost some blood.”
“He’s lucky he didn’t lose more.”
“You could have let the sharpshooters take him.”
“I wanted the pleasure. I should have killed him right there.”
“You did the right thing, my friend. We need information right now.” Jani put a hand on his shoulder. “Vengeance can come later.”
Connor gave Jani the side eye. “You know, I always thought you were a little dark. I’m glad you’re on our side.”
“I am happy to be of service.” Jani bent over at the waist, in imitation of a courtly bow. “Now we’re lucky Ryland persuaded Drew and his officers to give us a few minutes with this piece of shit, but they’ll want to take him away soon. Would you like me to wake him up for you? I know a number of ways that won’t leave marks.”
“Thanks, but I’ll handle it.”
“Because I would do it for you and Elaine. I like her. She’s tough like my Fleur, with lots of hidden depths. And I like you. You’re a good man, Connor. I can understand if you don’t want blood on your hands. As for me,” he said, shrugging, “mine were stained long ago.”
“I appreciate it, but as I said, I’d like to take care of this.”
Jani pretended to wash his hands. “I’ll leave you to it then. I’ll wait outside with the others. If you need reinforcements, just holler, as they say.” He exited the room, closing the door behind him.
The word “holler” sounded funny in Jani’s Hungarian accent, but Connor was in no mood to laugh.
They’d brought Page back to a private room at the resort, spiriting him in through a back door. Once there, they tied him to a chair, just in case his bear decided to make a belated appearance. They hoped to question him, but he was out cold, despite the fact Connor had been trying to prod him back into a state of consciousness.
At least they’d caught the shooter, in huge part due to Elaine’s valiant efforts.
She’d been amazing out there, poised and calm. Connor couldn’t wait to get her alone again so he could show her just how much he admired her talents.
After Jani left, the door opened again. Elaine entered, her wary gaze trained on Page’s form. “No luck yet?”
“No, and I’m running out of patience.” He extended his arm, and she curled up under it. “Are you sure I can’t kill him? I know for a fact Jani would help me hide the body.”
Elaine reached up on tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. “Don’t kill him. You’ll regret it.” She turned to Page. “Besides the place is crawling with police. Too many witnesses.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Boy, whatever happened to our peaceful, fun-loving gang? I think we’ve all turned into the Addams Family.”
“You’re right.” She sighed. “We’ve all changed, but we never set out to hurt anyone. I don’t think our peaceful natures are lost. We have hope.”
He touched her chin. “Do you?”
“Yeah, I do, because of you.” She touched her lips to his.
Greedy for another taste, he kissed her, teasing her with his tongue. He kept it soft, slow, and full of promise. A kiss to bring her to her knees. When they pulled apart, her eyes were a little glassy. He grinned. Mission accomplished.
She touched her lips. “I liked that.”
“Me, too.”
“I appreciate you involving me today. I know it wasn’t easy for you.”
“Watching Page with you, smelling his lust, I wanted to kill him. I swear Soren was stepping on my tail so I wouldn’t bolt.”
She smiled. “You showed great restraint.”
“What about you? You handled yourself better than a hostage negotiator.”
“I meant what I said, Connor. I’ll do anything to keep this place safe. The people here, they’re my family.” She looked at the ground. Her mouth twisted in disappointment. “Sometimes I feel like they’re my only family.”
“But you still have your folks and cousins.”
“It’s not the same though, is it? Most of my human relatives don’t know the truth about me and our kind. It puts a wedge between us. Sometimes I wish I could let it all out and tell them all my secrets, but I can’t. They’re not just my secrets.”
Connor considered her dilemma. It was one he’d never had to deal with because he came from a long line of shifters. At his family gatherings, no one held back. No one had to lie. They understood each other.
It had to be hard for Elaine, being separated in this way from her immediate family. Especially now when she probably wanted more than anything to talk to her mom and dad.
In so many ways, she was alone. There were so many voids in her life. Could he ever fill them all?
The door opened again. Drew Maitland, head of Lake Gemini police, walked in. He crouched in front of Page and peered into his face, giving it a light slap. “Wakey, wakey.”
Page groaned. “Help.”
Connor stepped in front of Elaine, his entire body tensing with the need to administer pain. “Hope you enjoyed your snooze.”
The man opened his eyes, but they crinkled in obvious discomfort when he felt the sting of the wound at his neck. “Where am I?”
“In one of the function rooms of the Ursa,” said Connor. “What’s your end game?”
“Fuck off.”
Connor turned to Drew. “I just want one.”
“You’re lucky you’re a friend. You get one.” Rolling his eyes, Drew turned away.
Grinning, Connor punched Page across the face.
The man’s head snapped back. “Shit!” He gaped at Drew. “You saw that! This guy wants to kill me. Are you going to just stand there and let him?”
“Don’t tempt me. I have half a mind to give Connor here free rein. You targeted our people. We want to know why.”
Connor cracked his knuckles. He pulled up a chair and sat on it across from Page. “Why did you try to shoot me?”
“I…I had no choice.” Page’s shoulders slumped.
“What does that even mean?” Elaine demanded.
“I owe money! Big time. To Royal Hill.”
“Royal Hill?” Drew’s eyebrows came together. “The guy who runs the taxidermy shop on Ninth?”
Page huffed. “The taxidermy thing is a front.”
Strange, horrible images tore through Connor’s mind, ones that made his mountain lion prowl closer to Elaine. “So Hill is running the illegal hunting ring? He’s been the one killing bears?”
“Fuck the bears, man! That dude is nuts. If I talk to you, you have to swear to protect me. He’ll find me. He’ll do horrible things to me.”
“Tell us about Hill,” said Drew, “and I’ll consider your request.”
Page grunted and moaned and looked ready to cry. He turned to Elaine. “He wants you and your kids.”
As all the color drained from Elaine’s face, Connor’s body went cold.
“Why?” she asked.
“I’ve been his spy for months. He wanted me to collect information and send him pictures of everyone at the Ursa. He said he’s been interested in the place for a while. Lots of superior specimens here, you see.” He nodded at Elaine. “When he saw your picture, he got a strange look in his eye. I think he likes you. He kept calling you Jinny.”
Elaine didn’t seem to absorb that info. She pounced on the comment about her children. “What about my kids?”
“I was there the night they shifted, at the party. I saw it all and took pictures. I sent them to Hill because I was desperate to get him off my back.”
She raced forward and grabbed Page by the scruff of the neck. “Why would he want my kids? Answer me!”
Connor grabbed her and pried her off him, as much as he was tempted to let her do her worst. He had a suspicion she could do some damage. Based on the way his bear woman struggled in his arms, she was stronger than she looked.
“Hill said young bears make the most money,” Page rambled. “I was to bring them in, but I wasn’t supposed to hurt you.”
Drew grabbed the man by the shoulders. “You’re not making any sense.”
“Don’t you understand?” Page shouted. “He’s not just hunting bears. He’s hunting shape shifters!”
Elaine stilled in Connor’s arms. Aghast, Connor turned her face to his chest, hoping she wouldn’t hear the wild thumping of his heart.
“Royal Hill kills his own people,” Page continued. “He chops them up and sends them to places where they’ll use the organs. Wild animals make a lot of money, but he says shape shifter organs are worth more, especially the young ones.” He looked at Elaine. “When he saw the pictures of your kids shifting, he told me he wanted them.”
Her cry terrified Connor, and he’d never been more sickened. An organ trafficker had pictures of Elaine and her kids. His family.
It defied reason that anyone could be so evil.
“But you,” Page continued, looking Elaine up and down. “He has a thing for you. I don’t know what it is, but he wants you, lady. He threatened to kill me if I didn’t bring you to him. I’m telling you, the man is obsessed.”
Obsessed. The very word sent chills down Connor’s spine.
If Royal Hill thought he was getting anywhere near Elaine, he was more delusional than he sounded. Connor would tear him limb from putrid limb before he let the man touch her.
He exchanged grim looks with Drew over her head.
Whatever happened next, he wanted in. He knew Drew would take charge of the investigation, but there was no way in hell they were doing it without him. Royal Hill apparently thought nothing of taking the lives of innocents for his personal gain. Any shape shifter working the case would feel nothing but revulsion and a need to stop the carnage. Police or no police, they would all be gunning for him.
But Connor swore he would be the one to kill him.