Skin Walkers: Monroe (4 page)

“Then why’d you call in the first place?”

“Just thought I’d help out.”

Eden snorted, folding the stack of papers and cramming them into the pocket of her parka.  “Well
thanks
for all the help, Rob.”

He
grinned and nodded, completely oblivious to the fact that Eden was being sarcastic.

Back in her truck
, Eden pulled her cell phone from her inside pocket, confident that it would actually work since she was in town.  She pulled the crumpled papers from her pocket and dialed the number listed for Stone Crow Industries.

“
StoneCrow Industries.  Lilly Worthington speaking.”

“Lilly, this is Game Warden
StCloud.  I need to speak with Monroe StoneCrow.”

“Game Warden
StCloud…Eddie?”

“Edie
,” she corrected as she rolled her eyes and demanded in a clipped tone, “Monroe StoneCrow, please.”

“Yes, is it Ms.
StCloud or Mrs. StCloud?”

Annoyed now, Eden responded through clenched teeth, “
It’s Warden StCloud, and this is a rather urgent matter.”

“Yes, I’m sure it is
Warden
StCloud, but Mr. StoneCrow is not presently in the office.  May I take a message?”

Eden gritted her teeth, “Sure
Lilly
.  Please let Mr. StoneCrow know that at least one of his registered exotics is on the loose in my county.  For his sake, I pray it isn’t dangerous as it’s already come into contact with a handful of residence.  Let him know that I’m heading back to Shonkin today to track and capture the animals.  He
will
be billed by the State for my time.  Also, please let him know there is a fine associated with each animal registered to him that has to be collared and brought in.”

“
He…”

Eden continued
, irreverent to Lilly’s attempt at intrusion.  “Also
Lilly
, let him know that if any of his pets attacks or even threatens a resident or Warden it is sufficient cause for me to put it down.  I’m not sure what he’s paid for his panther or gemsbok, but I’m sure it wasn’t a minuscule sum.”

“If you let me…”

“Should Mr. StoneCrow return to the office, have him contact me directly.  The Wildlife Department can assist you with this task.”

“Ms.
StCloud, please…”

“Have a good day
Lilly
.”  When Eden hung up the phone, she could hear Monroe’s assistant still attempting to speak. 
Snooty little bitch!  I don’t think she appreciates who she’s messing with.

Chapter
5

An hour later
, Eden was traversing the winding county road that led back up the Highwood Mountains.  Suddenly, she had to slam on her brakes to keep from hitting the black Humvee that appeared from out of nowhere.

“Jesus Christ!  DRIVE MUCH!”  She was halfway out of her truck when a second
Humvee pulled up behind her.  She thought the first vehicle was the same one Monroe StoneCrow had been riding in the day he’d come to her cabin, but with no one exiting either vehicle, Eden stilled with one hand still on her door.  She turned to stare at the Humvee behind her.  Both vehicles had black-out windows and neither door was opening.  Realizing the compromising position she was in, Eden climbed back in her truck and retrieved her rifle that lay in the back seat. 

Taking a deep breath, she was just about to exit her vehicle when the driver’s side door of the
Humvee in front of her slowly opened.

She didn’t recognize the large man that exited the vehicle, but for some odd reason he reminded her of Monroe. 
Dressed in head-to-toe winter camo, the dark haired man frowned as he approached.  His build was similar to Monroe’s.  Both men were impossibly large and handsome.  Eden watched the man as he slowly advanced.  His features were stern, drawn tight in concentration as he stared at her. 

Unnerved, Eden reached inside her coat and pulled her pistol, knowing she wouldn’t be able to maneuver her .300 Win
Mag from inside the cab of the truck. 

The closer the man got, Eden could see that his eyes were a
dark green. 
Hot, but definitely not as sexy as Monroe.
  Annoyed with herself for the thought, Eden quickly opened her door and jumped down from her truck.  She wouldn’t be intimidated by Monroe’s men, and she had no doubt that’s exactly who they worked for.

Eden hel
d her pistol in her hand, but kept it pointed at the ground.  She heard the door of the Humvee behind her open and she flattened her back against her truck as she eyed the stranger that was closest to her.  “Is there a problem?”

The man in front of her held up his hands, “Ms.
StCloud, my name is King Mulholland.  The gentleman behind you is Bishop.”

Eden turned
, startled that the man behind her had gotten so close, so quickly, without her having heard his approach.  He too was wearing all winter camo.

Frowning at the man momentarily, Eden
turned back to eye King warily, “Any reason you boys have my truck surrounded?”  She tightened her grip on her pistol.

Eden watched as King shook his head and it
only took a moment to register that he wasn’t shaking his head at her.  Quickly, she raised her pistol and pointed it at the man, Bishop, behind her.  “Put your hands up!”

Bishop
looked from her to King before he did as she asked. 

Careful to
keep her pistol trained on Bishop, Eden flashed a glance over her shoulder to ensure King hadn’t moved.  She motioned with her pistol for Bishop to move, “Keep your hands up and move toward your friend.”

Bishops lips cracked in a grin, but he kept his hands in the air and moved all the same. 

Once the two men were side by side, Eden frowned at the Humvee behind her.  “Anyone else in that vehicle?”  When she looked back to the two men, Bishop was shaking his head.

“Look,” King began taking a step closer.

“Don’t move!” Eden shook her head.  “Both of you keep your hands up and stay where you are.”  She leaned into her truck and pulled out the receiver on her radio.  She was just about to call in for back-up when the back door of the Humvee in front of her opened and Monroe StoneCrow stepped out. 

“Ms.
StCloud, what seems to be the problem?” He was fighting to hide a grin.

Enraged at
his clear enjoyment of the situation, Eden reached back in and replaced her radio before she stepped back out and lifted her pistol.  “Hands in the air Mr. StoneCrow.”

His smile faded
and when the muscle in his jaw twitched, Eden repeated herself. “I said, Put. Your. Hands. In. The. Air!”

Monroe ground his teeth together and did as he was told.

“Walk toward me.” 

Monroe c
omplied and sauntered toward her to stand beside King and Bishop.

Keeping her pistol trained on the
three men, Eden cautiously stepped back keeping her voice assertive, “Is there anyone else inside either vehicle?”

Bishop rolled his eyes, but it was King who responded.  “No.”

Eden demanded, “Gentlemen turn and place your hands on the vehicle and spread your legs wide.”

Monroe’s
lip curled in a derisive sneer, “You can’t be serious.”

“Up against the vehicle!
  NOW!”

The trio of towering men did as she demanded. 

She had no doubt that Monroe had ordered the little maneuver that had her truck currently trapped between the two Humvees.  With her heart pounding she approached Bishop who stood nearest the hood of the Humvee.  He was ridiculously tall and there was no way in hell she’d be able to search his upper body.  She holstered her pistol and ran her hands around his waist half expecting to find a firearm.  Finding none, she patted down each of Bishop’s legs in turn.  When she heard Bishop growl she stood and kicked one of his ankles and commanded, “Wider!” 

She thought she heard King laugh
as Bishop spread his legs further apart dropping him down so she was able to search his upper body.  When she was finished searching Bishop she shoved him hard in the back trying to force him to sprawl over the car.  It was like pushing against a brick wall and when Bishop didn’t move she shoved him harder.

“Bishop
!”  Monroe growled.

Bishop turned to stare at Monroe before acquiescing to Eden’s shove and flattening his upper body against the hood, frowning at her from the corner of his eye.

“Keep your hands where I can see ‘em.”  Then she moved to King and repeated the process.  When she got to Monroe his body was rigid with anger.

“Is this really necessary?”

Eden ran her fingers around his waist, her pulse picking up as her breasts brushed his back in an effort to reach around the breadth of him.  Her hands glided over hard muscle.  “Intimidating a peace offer is a criminal offense boys.”

“Boys?
”  Monroe growled insulted.  “We weren’t intimidating, we were…”

Finished searching his legs Eden stood and ran her hands the length of one arm
then the other.  “You
were
intimidating a peace officer.”

“Can we help it if you’re intimidated by our presence?”

Satisfied none of the men were armed and satisfied that they were now fully aware of just who was in charge, Eden stepped back several paces.  “You can drop your hands.”

All three men slowly turned and faced her.

“Just what is it you men are doing out here?” 

“Monroe rubbed the back of his neck.  “We’re hunting our escaped exotics.”

Eden crossed her arms over her chest, “So they
are
yours then?”

Monroe didn’t blink, “Yes.  They are mine.”

“And what exactly is it I can expect to find up there?” Eden motioned with her chin towards the mountains.

When Monroe didn’t answer King supplied. 
“Black panther and a gemsbok.”

“Anything else?”

“No.” King supplied shortly.

“You don’t need to track them,” Monroe bit out angrily, “They’re my animals, I’ll find them.”

Eden pulled her hood up and smiled, “Well you and your men are welcome to search on your own, but I’ve been assigned by the State.  I
am
hunting your animals…”

“They’re
exotic; you wouldn’t even know where to start.”

Eden bit back her
retort opting instead to smile coolly, “They might be new to the area, but I’m not.  While they are
your
animals, these are
my
mountains Mr. StoneCrow.  I’ve walked them every day for the past six years and I can guarantee you two things.  First, I will find your exotics.  Second, if those animals have caused any damage or have been damaged themselves, you will be prosecuted…and if I have any say it’ll be to the fullest extent possible.”  Eden’s smile faded then.  She hated the thought of an animal being injured by a careless or unconcerned owner.  She’d seen it often in her line of work.  Rare breeds of goats brought from overseas only to freeze by the hundreds in Montana’s harsh climate.  It was a cruel reality and one she fought to keep from occurring.

“Now gentlemen,” her fake smile was back, “I suggest you get
your…
vehicles
outta my way.”

“
Ms. StCloud,” Monroe began, “these are dangerous predators we’re dealing with.  I demand you stand down and allow my men to bring them in.”

“A gemsbok is hardly dangerous,” she scoffed as she
crossed her arms over her chest.  “And you’ll demand nothing of me.  I have a job to do and I’m paid to do it.”  She turned to frown at King.  “Move the vehicle.”  Without waiting for a reply she turned her back on the men and strode back to her truck before tossing over her shoulder, “Happy hunting gentlemen.” 

Eden was just reaching for the handle to her car door when all hell broke loose.  One minute she was about to climb into her vehicle, the next a massive roar rent the air and a black flash of fur swept past her mere seconds after she was knocked to the ground.  She pushed at the object that was crushing her when she heard Monroe
growl, “Stay down!”  She hadn’t even realized he’d tackled her until she stilled to stare up at him.

“What in the hell was that?”
she asked breathlessly.

Monroe’s eyes were fixed on something. 

Eden tried to force her way up from underneath him, but his strong hands held her shoulders pinned to the ground as his body weight held the rest of her down. 

“Get off me!”

“It’s the panther Eden, stay down!”

Her hand slid into her jacket and closed around the cold steel she’d holstered only a few moments earlier.  She writhed under his weight as she tried again to struggle to her feet.  “Get off me.  Monroe!”

He ignored her demand and dropped lower until his face was inches from hers.  With his eyes still fixed on what Eden could only assume was the panther she didn’t know whether he’d heard her or not.

“I’ve got a gun, let me up. 
Now!”  She swore his eyes blackened completely moments before she felt a deep vibrating rumble emanating from his chest.

When Monroe finally turned and looked at her, his eyes
were normal once again.  “Are you okay?”

She shoved at his shoulder angrily, “Get the fuck off me!”

He rolled to his side and was on his feet in an instant, offering a hand to help her up.

E
den shoved his hand away and got to her feet without aid.  “What in the hell was that?”  She turned to frown up at him, “Your panther’s not tame?” she questioned accusatorily. 

Monroe simply shook his head.

She scanned the area, “Where are your friends?”

“They went after it.”

“Jesus!” she quickly threw her driver’s side door opened and retrieved her rifle.  “Were they armed?”

When Eden made to chase after the men, Monroe blocked her path.  “Yes, they’re armed
and they are highly trained.  They’re also familiar with the animal so I see no need for your interference.  Go home, Eden.”

Her checks flushed in anger, “Go home?
  That thing just tried to attack me.  I’m not going home.”

Monroe grabbed both of her arms and
pulled her into him. “Eden, you don’t know what you’re dealing with here.  Just…just stay out of it.”

Something about the way he was looking at her, the words he said, had her backing up slowly as she whispered, “What in the hell are you people doing up here?”  She watched as Monroe
shoved an angry hand through his jet black hair.

“
We’re trying to survive.” His eyes were imploring, but his words made little sense. 

Her skin prickled with goose bumps and for the first time since she
’d met him she was actually afraid of him.  She shook her head and continued to slowly back away from him, lifting her rifle a little higher in her hands.  She flicked a glance to the area of the forest where she assumed Monroe’s men had disappeared.  “What’s really out there?”  She looked back at him and she shuddered at the look on his face.  The resignation she’d seen only lasted the briefest of moments, but she’d caught it and in it she saw a man trying desperately to hide something that he knew he couldn’t hide and it spoke volumes.  Something strange was happening at StoneCrow and his eyes had just confirmed it.  Now Eden needed to decide if she truly wanted to find out exactly what it was that was happening.

She raised her chin with a cool resolve.  “I’m going after that animal.”  She sidestepped Monroe, “If you can contact your men, I suggest you call them off.”  She pulled the bolt on the rifle and chambered a round as she used a thumb to flick the caps off the ends of her scope.
  Her feet stuttered to a halt at Monroe’s plea.