Bears & Beauties - Complete (21 page)

Julie continued to stare at Cyrus, her eyes locked on his, as if in trance. Anthony knew that the only way he’d be able to break the domination would be to dominate Cyrus himself. Even then, there was no telling how much damage had already been done. Anything that Cyrus told Julie while under his domination would likely be ingrained in her brain, truth or not.

Anthony growled. “I have your money. Release the girl.”

Cyrus cocked his head to one side, glanced over at Julie for a moment, then turned back to Anthony. “No,” he said flatly. “I don’t think I will. Raul, Gavin, collect those suitcases, please. I think you’ll find the payment within well worth your time.” He paused, then flashed a wicked smile at Anthony. “And as for the bear… Tear him to shreds.”

With that, Cyrus turned around and walked back into the greenhouse with Julie in tow behind him.

Before Anthony had a moment to react, he heard the shredding flesh of two men shifting. The beasts emerged from the greenhouse side by side, their mangy dark fur blending in with the shadows. The beasts leapt forward, darting toward Anthony with their fangs bared. When they were a few feet away, Anthony was finally able to make out exactly what type of shifters they were.

Coyotes.

7

HE WAS READY for them. Despite fleeing from his once-violent past, Anthony had still maintained his fighting prowess. He’d even been employed as a bodyguard to one of the most gifted shifter fighters in New York, and had even acted as his sparring partner, both in and out of bear form. So when the first coyote lunged at his leg, clearly attempting to clamp down on his thigh and drag him to the ground, Anthony slammed a knee into its snout with enough force to send it toppling over backward. By the time the second coyote reached him, he was already in the process of shifting.

Anthony felt the familiar shredding of clothing as his body transformed into that of a massive grizzly bear. He had been one of the largest and strongest grizzlies in his clan, and the evidence of that was clear as he slashed wildly at the oncoming coyote. His paw connected with the beast’s shoulder, immediately crushing the bones under its flesh, and sent it flying across the clearing until it finally slammed into the trunk of tree and slid limply to the ground.

The blood lust came over him then, and Anthony let his bear ease into the driver’s seat as the first coyote scrambled to its feet. Anthony dropped onto all fours and stared down at the coyote, his fangs bared, and his eyes daring the overgrown mutt to make a move. After a long moment, the coyote finally worked up enough courage to make a final assault on Anthony. Before the coyote could close the distance between them, however, Anthony leapt forward and tackled the coyote to the ground. He stood atop the enemy shifter, his paws pressing the coyote as harshly into the ground as possible, and let out a roar of dominance in the creature’s face. The coyote whimpered once, pleading for mercy, but Anthony’s bear had none to spare. Instead, Anthony heaved the coyote off the ground and tossed him into the forest, sending him crashing into a tree near where his fallen ally already lay in a crumpled heap.

The coyotes were still alive, Anthony knew. He could smell their breath. He could taste their fear. Everything in him screamed to finish them off, to rend them limb from limb. But he managed to fight it off as the human part of him sought to regain control. Finally, after a brief internal struggle, Anthony regained control of his bear and shifted back into his human form.

He stood there, in the midst of the clearing, completely naked. His still-large frame heaved as his muscles twitched from the shifting. It had been a long time since he’d fought like that, since he’d let the bear off his chain. It had felt equally disgusting and fulfilling at the same time.

Anthony shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He couldn’t waste time reflecting on it now. Julie was still in danger and it was up to him to get her away from Cyrus.

Inhaling deeply, Anthony raced toward the greenhouse, slamming his shoulder against the metallic door and forcing it open as he reached it. Once inside, he sniffed the air, searching for any trace of the wolf.

There
.

Anthony turned toward the far corner of the greenhouse and felt his heart fall at what he saw.

Julie was standing atop a small wooden stool, her wrists bound behind her. She was on her tip-toes and panting heavily. Around her neck, there was a long rope noose, tied just tight enough to allow her to breathe, and wrapped around a metal pole that hung out in an L shape above her. The rope had been tightened to the point that if she so much as moved or dropped to the flats of her feet, she’d hang herself.

Despite the panting and obvious discomfort, Julie still seemed calm, and her eyes were fixated on a nearby shadow.

“Son of a bitch,” Anthony snarled. “Let her down, Cyrus.”

A cackle sounded from the shadows, and Anthony watched as Cyrus took a step into the faint moonlight that filtered in through the glass ceiling. Wherever he went, Julie’s eyes followed, still locked in Cyrus’s thrall.

“She doesn’t seem to mind,” Cyrus snickered. “Do you dear?” He turned to look at Julie, who absently shook her head in response.

“What do you want?” Anthony demanded, taking a step toward Cyrus.

Cyrus chuckled. “Nothing,” he said, a shrill coldness in his voice. “And everything.”

Then, without warning, he turned to Julie and kicked the chair out from under her, leaving her to dangle in the noose, her body jerking violently and her hands clinging to the rope around her neck in instinctual protest. Even under Cyrus’s thrall, her subconscious wanted to survive. It was human nature.

“No!” Anthony roared, already shifting as he raced toward his dying mate.

Before Anthony could reach her, he felt something massive slam into his broad side, sending him reeling into a nearby stack of crates which exploded into splinters under the force of his weight. Anthony didn’t waste any time before he was back on his feet, scanning his surroundings. He could smell the overwhelming stench of Cyrus’s wolf, but couldn’t track him in the dark. Even with his bear’s enhanced senses, he couldn’t find him. Rather than waste time searching, Anthony darted back toward Julie once more, leaping and slashing out at the rope once he was within distance. Julie fell to the floor with a loud thump, but before Anthony could stop to check on her, his right side ignited with pain and he felt a pair of razor-sharp claws dig into his hide.

Anthony bellowed out in pain, spiraled, and slapped out with a paw in an effort to strike his assailant. He failed to connect, though, instead swiping at nothing more than a shadow. Anthony’s let out a roar, his fangs bared as he rose to his full height and glared into the darkness.

“Come out and fight me!” he roared, turning slowly while his eyes scanned the darkness. Behind him, he could hear Julie gasping for breath. She was alive, but she was still under Cyrus’s thrall. He had no choice but to put an end to that. If it came down to it, Anthony knew that he’d kill Cyrus to free Julie.

In that moment, Anthony knew what he had to do. He needed to give into the bear. He needed to let it run loose, to work on its own without his inhibitions. He needed to let the bear’s predatory instincts take over. He needed to let the beast run wild.

So he did.

Anthony let his human side fall to the wayside, allowing for the bear to fully emerge. In an instant, he knew where Cyrus was. He could feel him in the room, taste his adrenaline, and smell the blood flowing through his veins. Flashing his fangs, Anthony dashed into the darkness. This time, he would be the one doing the stalking.

He found Cyrus lurking behind a table and crashed into him at full speed, sending the massive wolf rolling backward. Cyrus got to his feet quickly, crouched low, and then pounced at Anthony. Even with the bear running on pure adrenaline and instinct, Cyrus still managed to clamp his fangs around Anthony’s arm, sending a flash of pain through his body as blood began to seep out and onto the greenhouse floor. With Cyrus still clamped to his arm, Anthony swung wildly, lifting Cyrus off the ground, and slammed him into every object he could find. He used Cyrus’s body like a hammer, driving him into the ground with enough force to shatter the wolf’s bones. Finally, Cyrus released his clench on Anthony’s arm, and he slumped to the floor in a heap of blood and broken bones.

Anthony didn’t waste any time. He bore down on Cyrus, tearing into him with fang and claw. His bear wanted blood. His bear wanted destruction. His bear wanted
revenge
. And he was fully prepared to give it to him.

“Anthony?” a weak voice called out from the other side of the room, just as Anthony was about to deliver the killing blow. “Anthony, is that you?”

Anthony turned, his fangs still bared and rage still in his eyes, searching for the source of the voice. There, in the darkness, stood Julie. The noose was no long wrapped around her neck, though her wrists were still bound behind her. She looked exhausted, but, Anthony realized, she looked like herself. No longer was her gaze locked on Cyrus. No longer were her gorgeous eyes empty and soulless. She was free.

The human side of Anthony jumped at that, fighting to reclaim control from the bear. But the bear wasn’t finished. The bear wanted more…

“Anthony…” Julie said, looking at him with longing in her eyes.

She knew, Anthony realized. She knew it was him. She knew what he was. She could see it, sense it, and feel it. She
knew
.

“Anthony, please,” Julie whimpered. “Please stop. You don’t have to do this.” She looked down at Cyrus’s crumpled form. For the first time, Anthony realized just how utterly destroyed the wolf looked.

Cyrus’s eyes were matted shut and dried blood caked his entire form. He was missing fur in half a dozen places, and even part of his tail was missing. His fangs were broken, his body contorted in an unnatural angle, and his chest was barely rising. For all intents and purposes, the man was completely and totally broken.

Did I do that?
Anthony thought, still trying to edge out control from his bear. He hadn’t realized just how much damage he had done to Cyrus. Hadn’t realized how destructive he had been.

“You don’t have to kill him,” Julie pleaded. “Just…let’s just go. Let’s just leave him.”

Anthony shook his head. He couldn’t. That was out of the question. If he left Cyrus here, he’d heal up in no time and come back for revenge. He’d probably even bring some of his pack to finish the job. Julie would never be safe. But…

He couldn’t just kill him. Not with Julie watching. Not with her right there…

“He’ll hunt us,” Anthony growled. “He won’t stop until he’s killed the both of us.”

Julie shrugged and smiled weakly. “He can try.”

Anthony just stared at her, taken aback by her words. The woman had been abducted by Cyrus. She’d been beaten by him. She’d nearly been hanged by him. And she was begging Anthony to have mercy on him? Was she really that forgiving?

Anthony stood, moving away from the broken wolf and toward his mate. He searched her eyes, his bear testing her for any trace of uncertainty. She was in shock. She had to be. It was the only reason…

Julie flashed Anthony a wolfish smile, then her eyes sank back into the empty pits they’d been when he’d first seen her outside the greenhouse. Before he knew what was happening, Anthony found himself flying sideways with Cyrus digging into his ribs, his jagged fangs and claws desperately searching for purchase as he tore into Anthony.

Anthony roared, the pain almost unbearable as Cyrus tore his flesh from his body and dug into him form.

Of course,
Anthony thought absently as his consciousness began to fade.
She’s still under his thrall.

“I’m going to rip you to pieces,” Cyrus barked into Anthony’s ear. “I’m going to tear you to shreds, just like I did Vyncent. And then, when I’m done, I’m going to do the same to your little slut.”

Anthony snapped back to attention, his mind suddenly clearing at the threat to his mate. He couldn’t let her get hurt any further. He couldn’t let Cyrus lay another hand on her. He’d save her, if it was the last thing he did.

With a roar, Anthony managed to rise to his feet, forcing Cyrus backwards and off him. Then, in a single desperate motion, he threw the entirety of his massive form forward and crashed into Cyrus, collapsing on top of him. Anthony smothered Cyrus onto the floor, letting the immensity of his weight relax entirely on top of the wolf, crushing him against the floor. Cyrus fought against him, digging with fang and claw into Anthony’s stomach, desperately searching for air as Anthony’s blood spilled out onto wolf below. Finally, just as Anthony’s vision started to fade into an eternal black, he felt Cyrus’s body grow still and what little breath he still had fade.

Realizing that he’d finally won, Anthony let out a long, shallow breath, and his world went black.

***

JULIE GASPED. One moment, she had been moving through life in a fog, as if something was dulling her senses and directing her motions. The next, everything was crystal clear. She could feel the burning sensation of the rope binding her wrists. She could feel the nearly agonizing pain that tore into her throat. Her breathing was forced, tighter than she could ever remember it being, and it felt like her lungs were on fire. At the same time, she felt like the fog had been lifted and her awareness returned.