Bearing It All (Grizzly Affairs Book 1) (6 page)

“Don’t tell me not to be afraid!” She snapped, not sure whether she should slap him for scaring her or run away screaming her head off in hysteria. “Did that really just happen? Did you really just turn into a big bear and attack me?” Her voice rose higher with emotion.

“Big? I don’t know whether to be insulted or proud.” He stated with a teasing grin before replying seriously, “And I didn't attack you, my bear just got frantic when you ran away. We feared we’d lost you. Bear shifters are very protective of their mates. Please understand that we can’t lose you now that we’ve found you.”

Shaking her head, she couldn’t bring herself to deal with his tender words about her; it made everything all the more confusing. And yet why did she feel so calm? Over and over in her head, she saw him change from bear to man, as she tried to wrap her head around what her eyes had just seen. But where she should be scared out of her mind, she found that she was only mildly confused.

“It’s true; you can change into a bear.” She stated in astonishment, the knife falling from her suddenly numb fingers. With careful movements, Doyle bent to pick up the discarded blade just as Aria lost the battle with her quaking legs and sunk down onto the snow covered ground.

Tapping the sharp blade against his bare thigh, Doyle nodded solemnly. “Yes. It’s true. Man, this wasn’t the way I wanted to break the news to you. I had it all planned out and then my stupid family had to stick their noses where it didn't belong.” He fumed softly.

Looking down at the soft icy flakes, she ignored the bone deep chill that threatened to consume her body. How was this possible? How could were-bears exist? Not raising her eyes to his, she focused on his hovering shadow that fell across the sheet of frozen white. “How is this possible?” She asked in astonishment.

“How did you come to be as you are, Aria? I was born a shifter. I can’t tell you how shifters came into being, because I don’t know.”

Slowly standing to her feet, Aria walked a few steps ahead. Looking down at the second steep hill, she saw it led directly behind a tall red brick building in town. Quietly she simply stared down at it. The one place she’d been fighting to get to and now she was torn in between running there and staying to learn more about this exciting discovery.

“That’s Darkwood Springs.” Doyle’s voice admitted softly from behind her. “It’s a bit of a forgotten town, many people drive through here without really seeing it. Eighty percent of the people that live around here are shifters. We’re really not all that different from humans, you know.”

What she could see from her vantage point of it looked like a quiet town like any other. The streets were only filled with an occasional vehicle. On the sidewalks were a few people walking from store to store. The soft sound of children laughing floated on the breeze. Slowly his words registered in her mind as a mixture of curiosity and fear filled her brain.

“There are others? More shifters like you and your family?” She asked curiously, turning around to face him, determined to keep her eye on his face and not roaming his delicious body.

Maybe I could just get one more look?
She shook her head as if she could shake the lust filled thoughts out of her head. 

“Of course, there are wolves, pumas, tigers, more bears, and a bunch others.” Seeing his mate furiously shaking her head as she scrunched up her face, he rushed to insure her that she was in no danger.

“This is insane.” She mumbled, shaking her head. Slowly she felt her fear easing, but only to be replaced with curiosity.

Doyle stared down at his mate. He could barely taste her fear anymore in the air; though it had lessened it was still there.

“If you really want to go to town, there it is.” He pointed. “But don’t go because you fear me; because I would rather you stab me right now than run from us in fear.” Though he was an overly intimidating male, she could almost glimpse a flicker of uncertainty in the depths of his liquid chocolate eyes.

Before she could even begin to think of a response to his sincere words, a flash of red on his arm caught her attention. On his right forearm was a six inch cut ending at his elbow. A few drops of liquid garnet fell onto the soft snow from the divided flesh.

“You’re hurt.” She reached out to his injured arm, but withdrew her seeking hand at the last instant. It was nearly the same spot she had sliced at the bear with the knife moments ago. A sick feeling settled in her stomach at seeing the harm she’d caused him.

“This is nothing,” He assured with a dismissive wave of his hand. “You should be proud. I don’t know many that would have fared as well with a grizzly as you did.”

“But I wasn’t in any real danger.” She stated realistically, as she tenderly reached out to his injured arm, inspecting the cut.

Doyle felt his bear groan with happiness at her reply. One more step in the right direction. Maybe there was hope for winning his mate after all. Stepping away from him, Aria glanced away from him nervously. “Besides; if you had been a real bear, you probably would be chewing on me right about now.”

Laughing out loud, he reached out, circling a bright lock of her hair around his finger teasingly. “It would depend on what part of you. I could think of a few places I wouldn’t mind chewing on.” He whispered, his suddenly dark eyes slowly roaming over her body as though she were a four course meal.

Slapping his hand away, she fixed her reprimanding eyes on him as she cleared her throat loudly. “We should get you bandaged up before your arm falls off. I don’t know about you, but it’s getting too cold for me out here, Smokey.” Walking past him she headed back up the incline they’d just raced down. It had seemed a difficult task to get his mate back to his cabin and lay down the rules. And here she was leading him back home as though she hadn’t just discovered how different he really was. He only wished he wasn’t shin deep in snow without a stitch on.

Turning around, Aria looked down at his musing expression; a scowl appeared across her soft face as she asked in confusion, “Where are your clothes?”

I hate snow!

Looking down at the damp bottoms of his jeans with discontentment, Raoul glared at the unwanted snow. Slowly he allowed his eyes to shift to the bigger problem. As though looking in a mirror he glared at his partner and clone brother, Thomas; or as Malca called him 50T. They both were just two of many clones, according to Malca; they were the most successful ones. Being born with superior strength, healing and senses, they were the perfect killing machines. It also didn't hurt that he had been created with a unique DNA alteration.

Though they were identical physically, their personalities were polar opposites. Thomas loved field assignments. He craved the danger and the killing. In a nut shell; he was a killer and he got off on it as well. Usually when his brother caught an unsuspecting victim in his sight, which was when Raoul made himself scarce. The body count didn't unsettle Malca one bit. As long as Thomas left no evidence behind, she would turn a blind eye to the occasional dead girl from time to time.

All throughout the night they had been tracking an escaped experiment. Hours of trudging through snow was grating on Raoul’s nerves, he’d much rather be off the ground than on it. The bark bit into the leather of his jacket as he leaned against a nearby tree, waiting for Thomas to return. Thomas had scouted ahead a few minutes ago, certain he’d located where the escaped experiment was hiding out. He just wanted to get this job done and over with.

His deranged brother believed he was here for the job. This wasn’t the first time he’d been out in the field, but it would be his last field assessment. Raoul longed for freedom from this kind of life and in a few hours he would hopefully be within reach of it. Malca had already promised that if he brought her fleeing experiment back in one piece, she would to release him.

The thought of Malca keeping her promise almost made him laugh. He wasn’t so dim- witted that he’d believe for an instant that his brother or Malca wouldn’t betray him on the spot. However this apple was just too sweet not to take a bite. Freedom from this endless, empty existence was what he wanted and it was what he’d get. Even if he had to resort to using an escaped prisoner as leverage to get what he wanted.

“Wake up, dreamer.” The cocky tone of Thomas only made his eyes shift slightly. His face remained cold and indifferent as he turned the direction of his focus. Striding through the sun saturated woods; his brother wore a smug smile on his face like a mantle. Whenever his brother wore a smile like that is was never good in the scheme of things.

Pushing away from the tree, Raoul shoved his hands in his jean pockets as he attempted to appear non-threatening. “Did you find anything?” He asked hopefully, the sooner he got out of this godforsaken snow the happier he would be.

Walking over where their supply bags were stashed, crouching down next to his bag, Thomas dung down nearly to the bottom before pulling out his stash of cigarettes. Placing one between his lips, he patted down his demy jacket pockets for his matches. “She is shacking up with some hermit.”

Slowly he took a step forward. “Let’s go grab the package then.” Raoul said eagerly as Thomas leisurely withdrew a pack of matches from the breast pocket of his coat.

Striking a match, Thomas focused completely on his cigarette. “Cool your jets.” Tossing the burning match carelessly into the snow, he savored the first drag from his cigarette with silent appreciation. “Right now there are three big guys down there.” Flicking ash off the tip of his burning cigarette, he gave Raoul a serious look. “They aren’t human like our target.”

Raoul clenched his hands tightly with frustration within the confines of his pockets. That could only mean one thing; they were shifters. “Well, that does complicate things,” his words gritted out, rubbing his chin with deep frustration, “What now?” He bit out.

“Eventually they are going to leave that piece of crap house and that’s when we will grab the package. Not a moment before then.” Thomas decreed, pulling his cigarette back to his lips with a look of authority directed right at Raoul.

Approaching his callous twin, all his pent up aggression began going quicker to his head than a rocket to the moon. He knew why his twin was dragging his feet and it had nothing to do with the other shifters. Thomas would shoot up an airport full of armed cops if he was able, he loved the challenge. No, Raoul knew the real reason was because his sadist brother was hoping to have some one on one time with the girl they were trailing.

“Why the fuck not? If I were running point on this I’d say just shoot the place up, grab the girl and have it done with. You are wasting time on this and I know why, freak.” For a moment he didn't think his twin even heard him. There he stood, appearing more interested in the stream of smoke he was expelling from his lips than his words.

Never dropping his cigarette, Thomas’s fist stuck out like a bolt of lightning, sending his twin unremorsefully into the snow. “Let’s clear something up right now.” Gripping his cigarette between his index finger and thumb, taking a last puff he flicking it inches from Raoul’s face. “I am leading this hunt, not you. The next time you want to act like you got a bigger gun, you better be prepared to use it. Because I sure as hell am not afraid of slitting your throat and leave you here like the worthless crap you are.” Taking a step forward, he jerked his glaring clone to his feet, ignoring the heated glare pointed in his direction.

“Sooner or later, our target has to leave that cabin without her new found bodyguards, and when she does then we will grab her. The last thing we need is a bunch of bears chasing us down on unfamiliar terrain.” Bending to pick up his pack, Thomas turned back to his brother with a haunting grin. “Besides, that gives us some time to head into town for some well deserved fun.”

As Thomas strode away, Raoul dark eyes narrowed as his inner beast clench its claws in aggression. He just wanted this job done and over with, so he could be rid of Thomas and Malca forever. More than anything he wanted to kill the smug bastard that wore the same face as he did, but if anyone was capable of getting him closer to freedom it was that killer. Until then he just had to buy his time and let him continue to think he was superior—for now.

* ~ * ~ *

“Hold still.” She stressed for the fifth time in the past ten minutes.

They had gotten back to the cabin at a slower pace than she’d expected. Aria had insisted that they go and grab his clothes before returning to the warmth of the cabin. How was she supposed to know that when he shifted with clothes on they ripped to pieces? Even after handing over her coat that he immediately wrapped around his naked hips. She could still remember the bad attempt by Doyle to weasel her out of her sweater with his
“Maybe we should share clothes until we back. I’ll take the sweater.”
While he knew full well that she had nothing on beneath that particular item of clothing. Fixing him with a disbelieving look as she ignored his puppy dog eyes, she told him to shift if he was so cold.

She was so relieved that his father and brother hadn’t been waiting for them when they had got back. After demanding that Doyle put at least some pants on, they both sat on the deer skin rug before the roaring fireplace with a few bandages and alcohol swabs spread out around them. Bringing an alcohol swab to the slash above his left eyebrow, she was forced to lean closer as Doyle leaned away from her hand.

“I really don’t need doctored up, you know.” He stated hesitantly, his eyes carefully watching her determined hand.

“Stop moving!” She snapped in frustration. It was taking her forever just to clean the cut on his head, no telling how long it would take for the longer one on his arm. Scooting closer to him again, her legs folded underneath her, she practically was crawling into his lap at this point.

“You know I have a low pain threshold.” He declared while eyeing the alcohol swap like it was a blade.

“Good. I’d hate for you not to feel it when I stab you if you don’t let me try and fix this!” She gritted out. She reached out for his face again, only to be stopped when his fingers encircled her outstretched hand.

“Aria, I am a shifter. We heal quickly and rarely require first aid. While I am pleased you want to play nurse, I think I’d prefer it in another setting.”

Exasperated, she tossed the swap down and sat back on her butt. “Meaning…”

Pushing up on his hands against the soft fur rug underneath, he leaned closer to her. His face inches from hers that was straining away for more space. “Well…” A secret conniving smile formed on his firm lips, drawing her attention from his eyes to his lips that she had a sudden craving to experience. “If you want to play nurse, the nurse doesn’t really take care of the patient as she really takes advantage of him…” His lips hovered closer as each word escaped between them with a husky whisper that had her head swim with mounting longing.

Raising a skeptic eyebrow she leaned closer to him, “Is that right?” She asked coyly, her hands sliding up over his thickly muscled arms until they came to rest on his hard, rippling chest. “Why didn't you say so?”

Smiling teasingly at him, she urged him from his Indian style position and onto his back. Slowly crawling over him, she straddled his hips, all the while making sure to
accidentally
brush against his straining desire beneath his black trousers. A breathy gasp escaped his mouth as his desire laden eyes stared up at her in surprise.

Shifting her hips against his hard form beneath her, she lightly trailed a seducing finger over his muscular chest, through the light dusting of dark chest hair as her hand drifted toward his lower stomach. Lowering her eyes coyly, her voice became heavy with sensual promises.

“I think I ought to take your temperature, just to be safe.” Her hair fell around her shoulders in waves of gold that shone in the mid-day light.

Doyle closed his eyes as his bear rose to the surface, fighting to take over and to take their mate. “This is so much better than my typical nurse fantasy…” He murmured his breath caught in his throat as he felt her hand gliding close to the opening of his pants. His cock jumped in anticipation.

Out of nowhere, fire erupted along his forehead as he felt Aria swab at his injury. Doyle's eyes snapping open with dismay, after feeling her quickly wiping at the cut on his arm, he looked up at his now serious mate as she tossed a cotton swab aside. She gazed down at him with a satisfied smile as she climbed off him and stood.

“Pervert,” She murmured as she began collecting all the items of his medical kit and returned them to the large box. Sitting up, a low growl escaped as he rubbed at his burning wound.

Jumping to his feet, he advanced on her with his eyes promising retribution for her false seduction. “Don’t think I won’t get you back for that.” He remarked, pointing a finger down at her unconcerned face. Shrugging her shoulders, Aria walked past him into the kitchen and threw away the used swabs in the trash can; she had located under the sink.

Staring after her swaying hips and the delicious roundness of her rump, Doyle felt his mouth water with a sudden desire to feel that meaty flesh against him. He smirked as she tried adjusting her borrowed clothes as the overly large pants slowly began slipping lower over her hips. Growling under her breath, she struggled to tighten the drawstring even tighter than it already was.

As sexy as she was in his clothes, he couldn’t help but admit it may be a good idea to get her some of her own. A trip to the local clothing store may be called for tomorrow. Following quietly behind her, he walked past her to the fridge. Selecting a beer, he popped the metallic cap off as he silently observed her.

Slowly taking a sip, he allowed the bitter, but satisfying flavor to settle down his throat. “Tomorrow we’ll head into town and grab you whatever you need.” He stated calmly, pressing the perspiring bottle to his lips once more as she spun around obviously startled.

“Why? You said I could stay here until—” Her words rushed out until Doyle set his bottle aside and interrupted her.

“I’m not taking you to town to get rid of you and as much as I love seeing you in my clothes, you can't wear them all the time.” He stated in a soft tone.

Closing the space between them, he placed his hands on her shoulders, rubbing the tight muscles in a firm, soothing motion. Even without his enhanced hearing, he could clearly hear her heart galloping like a race horse on steroids. His bear paced with apprehension at their mate’s obvious distress. He needed to get to the bottom of his mate’s fear and crush it.

“I was just planning on taking you into town for clothes, since you will be staying here.” Seeing her fear was not ebbing, he asked, “Who is chasing you?”

“No one…” She started, but trailed off as her startled eyes met his firm ones. She could tell he wasn’t going to accept that reply any longer.

“I can tell when someone is being hunted, kitten. I will find out one way or another. It will be easier if you tell me the truth, so that I may protect you.”

“I just want to disappear.” Shaking her head furiously, Aria shrugged his hands off and paced into the living room. She was all too aware that her handsome companion was shadowing her every step. “I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to forget about it all.” She mumbled softly, keeping her back turned to him, her armed crossed defensively over her chest.

Gripping her shoulder, he spun her around to face him. Ushering her to the couch, Doyle sat, pulling his surprised mate across his lap. When she tried to slide off his lap, Doyle locked his arms around her. Capturing her eyes with his, he held her immobile.