Tempted by the Bear - Complete (48 page)

A
nnie

T
he wet washcloth
is cold in my hand as I wipe Sven’s brow. He’s been unconscious for hours, but by some miracle, he’s still alive. The human werebear hunters shot him eight times and left him for dead. Sven managed to call for help telepathically in time for us to save him, but not in time to keep the men from taking Lucy and the triplets. Sven’s going to have a hard time with that fact when he finally wakes.

I glance up as Marion Robichaux enters the room. The woman’s vivid blue eyes are the same shade as her daughters’, Carly and Lucy. She says, “I just put water on for tea. Why don’t you take a break, and I’ll stay with him for a while.”

“Still no word from Lucy?” As alpha of the Robichaux clan, Marion can communicate with Lucy. When the attack happened, Lucy put out a distress call, but Marion was too far away to do much about it other than contact Carly. Now she’s here, feeling as helpless as I do while we wait to find out the fate of our children.

I pass by the triplets’ bedroom on my way to the stairs. I glance in at the three beds lined up and inhale sharply as my throat tightens.
I can’t lose them.
As I descend the steps, one squeaks, and I recall how Echo pretends it’s talking to her and replies. When I get to the living room, I take in the disarray. Toys are strewn about, and I walk over to tidy things up. But I stop the moment I pick up Eva’s doll. A tear burns a path down my cheek as I imagine Eva wishing she could clutch her favorite thing for comfort, and I long to hold my darling girls close.

I move on to the kitchen, and when I get there I gaze out the window at the dorm next door. Most of the lights are on, and I picture my mother, Donna, running the show. While it would make sense that my house be the central location for the rescue efforts, Mom didn’t think it would be a good idea for Sven’s recovery and my state of mind. A tear tickles my chin as it drips off. She was right; I’m hanging on by a thread right now as I imagine the horrors the sweet little girls might be experiencing at the hands of human hunters.

The teakettle whistles, and it pulls me away from the window to stop the noise. Marion set out a mug for me along with the basket I keep full to offer guests a selection of tea. I pick a chamomile blend, and steam rises as I pour water into my cup.

I glance over at the pantry in a knee-jerk reaction to my stress. Usually baking calms my nerves, but I don’t think I could focus on a recipe right now, even if Thanksgiving is tomorrow. I can’t fathom being thankful until Lucy and the girls are home and safe. I wander over to the table and set my drink down before I fall into a chair with a thud.

Marion’s voice carries down the stairs. “Annie! I just heard from Lucy.”

I scramble to get up and go to her. My feet pound on the stairs as I jog up. “Are the triplets safe?”

“I think so,” says Marion as she stands in the doorway of Sven’s room. “She said nobody was hurt and that they’re being held in cages inside a horse trailer.”

Like animals.
“Does Lucy have any idea where they are?”

“She said they’re at a farmhouse with a barn and horses.” Marion touches my arm. “Lucy put a sock near the window to help with the scent. The polar bears will find them.”

The ability of a polar bear to sniff out something from hundreds of miles away is legendary, and Tristan assured me it’s true. I nod as I clasp her hands. “I know. I just hope it’s in—”

Marion squeezes my fingers. “Hush. They’re going to be fine. I suspect the hunters want them for research.”

I shake my head. “You know, it’s crazy. All these years we’ve lived among humans as if we had the upper hand. We take great care to keep them safe from any rogue werebears, and you’d think we might be awarded the same consideration.”

Marion says, “I know. I’m beginning to understand how werebears can be prejudiced after all.”

Marion left her clan when she was younger to be with a human man, Al Cutler. Their relationship was a scandal, and Marion moved to California, where she eventually had Carly. She returned when her father died, forcing her to take over as the Robichaux alpha.

“No,” I say a little too loudly, and I control my voice as I continue. “I don’t believe the majority of humans are evil.”

“I agree with you.” Marion sighs. “The spirits don’t seem to want the Northeast Kingdom to live in peace. We were so close before something else had to come along to ruin it.”

I think about how the De Rozier, Robichaux, Le Roux, and Veilleux are all in on the effort to save Lucy and the triplets. I say, “Actually, the fact that all four clans have combined forces for this rescue effort says a lot about how close to peace we are.”

The older woman releases my hands. “Thank you, Annie, for putting this in perspective. You’re right. I should be proud of the way our kingdom is responding to this crisis.”

A soft knock on the front door captures my attention, and my hand flies up to my mouth when a realization hits me. The final four members of the De Rozier clan were due to arrive in town on the midnight bus this evening, and the man who was supposed to pick them up is part of the search party for the Lucy and the girls. “Oh my gosh. The Lindquist boys.”

I scurry down the steps and open the door to four men that leave no doubt they’re De Rozier, with their pale-blond hair and towering height. I speak before they have a chance to say anything. “I am so sorry I forgot to get you.” Cold air flows in as I open the door wide and step aside. “Come in, please.”

The boys enter, and their thin, ragged appearance makes me jump into nurturing mode. I continue to speak. “Drop your packs right there, and come with me to the kitchen. We’re going to fill your bellies.”

I lead them into the kitchen as one asks, “Are you Annie?”

I wave my hand at the table to indicate they should sit. “Oh my, forgive me. Yes, I’m Annie.” Glasses thump on the counter as I take them out of the cupboard. “We’re in the midst of a crisis right now.” Orange juice gurgles into glasses as I pour. “Tell me your names.”

The one who spoke before says, “I’m Aleck.” He points at each man sitting at the table. “This is Adrian, Andre, and Aaron.”

I set their drinks down as I memorize the faces. They’re quadruplets, but each one has distinct features and hairstyles that make it easy to tell them apart. “Nice to meet you. Now, how hungry are you?”

“Very,” says Adrian.

While I’d prefer to heat up the leftover lasagna I have in the fridge, I bet these guys won’t mind it cold, so I pull the heavy container out and set it on the table in front of them. “Tristan has been known to eat this for breakfast without heating it. Just wait for me to get you forks.” Plates clatter as I grab them from the dishwasher.

Once they’ve started on the pasta, I work on removing every other leftover I have and adding them to the table. I was right. The guys have no trouble devouring chilled versions of my usual hot meals. I even hear moans of appreciation that make me smile.

As they slow down, I decide that since tomorrow’s Thanksgiving feast is likely to be postponed, I may as well give the men dessert in an effort to fatten them up. I grab two apple pies from the pantry. I say, “While I’m sure you’re full now, it would be very rude if you didn’t have some of my pie.”

Aaron groans as Andre smiles without a word. Alex hits one of his brothers and says, “Thank you.”

The others join in with their thanks too, and I say, “You’re very welcome. Now, tell me how you got here. Please say you found a ride.”

Adrian says, “Yes. We did.”

Aleck grins at me as he speaks around a mouthful of pie. “Seems every town has a human drunk enough to let people ride in the back of their truck once the bar closes.”

“You guys didn’t have to ride up front with him.” Aaron winks at me and says, “I know a little too much about a woman who can attend to my needs, should I so desire.”

His joking makes me grin back. “You met the welcoming committee.”

Andre hasn’t spoken, and the deep tone of his voice surprises me when he asks, “What is your crisis?”

“We have human hunters. They’ve kidnapped a young woman and Tristan’s triplets.”

Silverware clatters on plates, and chairs scrape as the guys stand. Andre says, “Give us their scent.”

I gaze at the men who are so willing to jump in to save the girls. Emotion wells up in me, and I blink back tears as I say, “Let me talk to Tristan and see if he needs your help.” I motion with my hand for them to sit back down. “Finish the pie, and I’ll let you know what he says.”

I push my way into the laundry room and gaze out at the black sky. A single star flickers amongst the others, and I let my tears fall down my cheeks before I speak to my mate.

T
ori

T
he moment
I heard that my best friend, Lucy, and the De Rozier triplets were kidnapped, my bear became restless. I want to kill. And guilt or shame isn’t even registering on my moral meter right now, because nothing is going to stand in the way of saving my kind. Lily kept me from joining Keith when he left with Brady. Instead she convinced me to leave the rescue to lifelong werebear and helped me arrange to send a team from the Veilleux to help.

The lights of an oncoming car are bright in my eyes as it passes. I’m in Lily’s BMW on the way to the Veilleux mansion, and I ask the question that is rolling around in my head. “You think Patricia is in on this too, don’t you?”

“Yes,” says Lily. “I’m not sure how, though.”

My skin prickles with what is becoming a familiar sign that I need to control my shift. “Then let’s see what we can find out. Do you know where she lives?”

Lily cuts me a glance. I wonder if she’s struggling to stay human too. “Yes. She lives in a cottage on the lake not too far from here. Shall we go pay her a visit?”

“What a lovely idea.” I recall the lake house from my dream Patricia gave me when I drank the tainted champagne, and I wonder if it’s the same one. “Should I give her advance warning?”

Lily’s smile is evil as she says, “No. I think an element of surprise might serve us well.”

“I sense Patricia and you have a history.”

My body slides toward the passenger door as Lily turns the car sharply to make a U-turn. “You have no idea,” she says. “Let me recap the whole thing by saying she’s had some experience with kidnapping.”

I recall that Patricia was the mastermind behind the attempt at taking Sierra’s children to raise them as Veilleux, because she thought one was the next alpha. It led to the circumstances that caused Victor’s death. I say, “That’s right. You’d think she’d have learned her lesson.”

“I don’t think women like Patricia ever learn. The ice in her veins never thaws.”

“Or she’s psycho,” I say.

“That theory definitely holds water. From the stories I’ve heard, I think she had a weird need to empower Victor, even over her husband.”

I communicate with Keith about our plan and say I’ll keep him in the loop. He says he’ll let Brady and Tristan know we’re watching Patricia.

I think about how my grandmother wanted to raise the Veilleux alpha without any input from another clan. “Maybe she’s trying to destroy all the other alphas so the Veilleux have complete control over the kingdom.”

Lily slows the car, and we turn onto a dark road. “We’re almost there. Are we going with the ‘in the neighborhood’ excuse?”

I grin. “Let’s. And once we’ve been served our hemlock tea, we can watch her for signs of uneasiness. If she’s behind the recent kidnapping, she’s going to want to monitor it, which will be hard to do with company.”

Lily chuckles and asks, “How good are you at mindless conversation for hours on end?”

Years of boring cocktail parties with my mother’s country club friends have taught me how to talk to anyone. I say, “I can dig deep when I need to. Besides, I have
so
many questions about my father. I can’t wait to hear his childhood stories.”

“We make a good team, Tori.”

Lily has welcomed me as the Veilleux alpha with open arms. She’s smart, fair, and well respected in the clan. I have every intention of keeping her involved in Veilleux politics. The headlights shine on a simple white cottage, and the engine cuts off, leaving us in silence as I say, “Yes. I think we do.”

Vapor is frosty as it escapes my mouth in the cold, and Lily shivers as she hugs herself. She stops for a moment as if something’s wrong. I notice her eyes are glassy and ask, “Everything okay?”

She pastes on a smile. “Yeah. I just haven’t been here since...” A single tear rolls down her cheek. “This is where Victor died.”

No matter how awful my father may have been, he was Lily’s true mate. I reach out and touch her arm. “We don’t have to go in there.”

She straightens up a little taller and finally swipes at the moisture on her face. “Yes, we do. That woman needs to be stopped.”

Icy wind blows around us and stings my cheeks as we make our way to Patricia’s front door. Just like the dream she gave me, she’s on the edge of a lake. The water looks like a large black hole in the darkness, barely lit by a sliver of the moon. I think about Lucy and hope she’s not suffering.
Hang on, Lucy. We’re going to get to the bottom of this.

Patricia must have heard us pull up, and I watch the windows to see if she’ll peek out to figure out who’s arrived. Lily rings the bell, and the story of Hansel and Gretel comes to mind as we wait at the door. My werebear ears detect rustling as if she’s tidying up quickly.

Patricia greets us with a smile. “Ladies, what a pleasant surprise.”

Lily says, “Tori and I were in the neighborhood, and I thought it would be nice to show her where you live. We’re not interrupting anything, are we?”

“Of course not,” says Patricia. “Come on in.”

She takes our coats when we enter. The cottage is cozy, with a fire crackling in the fireplace on the far wall. A couch and chair are set before it, and Oriental carpets are on the hardwood floor.
Probably hiding bloodstains.
When I glance around the space, I notice a duffel bag set by the door.
Going somewhere, Grandmother?

Patricia says, “Welcome, Tori,” as she leans in for air kisses.

I pretend that she never succeeded in getting into my mind and I say, “What a lovely home. I noticed the lake on the way in; you must love the view.”

My grandmother walks us toward the sofa. “Yes. I do.” Her fake smile falls a bit when she gazes at Lily and says, “Victor bought this for me when I moved out of the mansion.”

I say, “How nice. You know, I’d love for you to share some stories about my father. I don’t know much about him.”

“I’d be happy to.” The expression Patricia doesn’t quite hide says otherwise.

Lily is staring at the floor, and I wonder if that’s where Victor died. She wraps her arms around herself again as she says, “Goodness, it’s chilly out tonight. A hot drink would be nice.”

I want to snort at her calling Patricia out for not offering us anything, but I maintain my composure instead as the couch sinks when Lily sits next to me.

Patricia’s face looks like it’s going to crack as she forces a smile and asks, “Would you two like some tea?”

I’m enjoying myself more than I should, and I poke at her thin figure, which is not becoming for a werebear. “That would be wonderful. Do you have any cookies or pastries to go with it?” I turn to Lily. “I love sweets, don’t you?”

Lily says, “I do.” She turns her attention to Patricia and says, “You must miss Carol’s butter cookies. I really must thank you for hiring her. She’s a gem.”

Now Patricia fails at hiding her displeasure as she squints before she catches herself and says, “I’m sure I have something in the pantry. Excuse me.”

I want to laugh at how much this is annoying my grandmother. If she moved here from the mansion, she’s probably used to having hired help, and it’s apparent she has none here. I have no doubt waiting on Lily and me is rubbing salt in her wounds.

Patricia returns with a plate of store-bought cookies and our tea. While Lily and I take our time preparing our drinks, I watch my grandmother out of the corner of my eye. She’s sitting with her legs crossed and bouncing a foot. She definitely has somewhere to go and can’t wait for this visit to end. Fat chance. I’m just getting started.

I say, “I’m so glad we’re doing this. I’ve got so many questions. Now tell me all about what my father was like as a child.”