The Bear King's Captive: Curvy Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (24 page)

FORTY-EIGHT

In his polar bear fleece, the wind didn’t touch his skin, but his body froze with fear. Leah had gone over the cliff’s edge into water at the freezing point. He had less than twenty minutes to get her on shore and warmed.

His bear didn’t hesitate. He hit the water seconds later. The extreme body weight took him deep, almost to the rocky bottom. Large paws pushed against water, propelling him upward. Passing by an unconscious Leah, he gently snatched her forearm in his mouth and took her to the surface with him.

When her unresponsive body floated face-up horizontally, he put his head between her shoulder blades and lifted her face out of the water. He paddled toward the ferry landing which was closer than the boat dock at this point.

Winston slid down the ramp to the water and dragged Leah off the bear’s body. He began chest compressions immediately, clearing her lungs for air. After she breathed on her own, he wrapped her in blankets while the bear climbed up and receded for Hannes to take over caring for their mate. Whoa. He didn’t have time to ponder that thought from the bear. Maybe later when they knew she was going to live.

The revving of a boat motor drew their attention. Lt. K tore past them heading in the direction of the marina. They could do nothing but watch. If Winston would’ve brought the gun with him, they could take a shot at him. But that wasn’t the case.

Hannes scooped up Leah’s bundled body, ignoring the cold to his own limbs, which was nil since the bear decided to play along. He carried his fragile load through the front door and down the hall to the master bedroom. When shoving open the sauna door, dry heat greeted them. Hannes laid Leah on the bottom bench, threw a handful of water on the rocks sitting on top of the heater, and turned back to Leah. He brushed away the hair clinging to her pale face. Controlled panic raced through him.

He unbuttoned her wet jeans and slid them off. Holding her partially frozen clothes, despair took a foothold in his heart. “Hang in there, Princess.” He pulled her arms through the heavy sleeves then removed the garment. Leah’s head rolled to the side, and she mumbled. He knelt and took her face in his hands. “Hey, wake up.” He smoothed her wet hair behind her ear.

“Cold.” Her lips barely moved. Her teeth grinded together, and she slipped back into unconsciousness. Hannes carried her to the end of the bench. He sat against the hardwood wall, brought up his knees, and tucked her into his lap. He held her close to his body.

Winston hurried through the open sauna door with more blankets dangling from his arms. He didn’t ask her condition; he read Hannes’ eyes. He draped layers around them both. “You need more humidity for inhalation to be effective.”

Hannes furrowed his brows and glared at Winston. “I know.” Seeing Winston’s instant frown and drawn eyes, Hannes regretted his reaction. He lowered his head and sighed. “I meant I intentionally left open the door to cool it off first. What is the temp read-out?”

Winston briefly stepped out, then back in. “Forty-two.”             

“Good. Close the door and water the rocks.”

Winston shut the door then dropped a handful of water onto the rocks, saturating the air with vapor. He sighed. “Very well. There is nothing more I can do in here. I shall be in the kitchen preparing hot food.” Winston left, closing the door behind him.

Hannes placed his hand on her cheek and pressed her face against his warming chest. He smoothed her hair back and kissed her forehead. “I’ve waited for someone for so long. I don’t want you to leave me.” He held her closer, fighting the lump in his throat.

FORTY-NINE

Time refused to move as Hannes held Leah, listening for her every breath. Finally, her lips and skin regained their peach color. Hannes laid her flat on the bench and repositioned the blanket. Seeing her warmed face, he gasped.

Her left eye was swollen shut. Puffy blue skin extended from her forehead down to her cheek. Bloodless cuts and bruises covered the other side of her face. He felt each rib and every bone in her arms and legs.

Winston walked up behind Hannes. “How is she?”

“She’s taken a bad beating, but no facial fractures that I can tell. Her collarbone and several ribs may be cracked. And her left arm is broken.”

Hannes felt Winston’s stare. “You are not taking her to the hospital, are you?”

Strained fear crossed Hannes’ face. “We can’t risk that, Win. If she sleeps in a hospital, anyone can get to her. If I’m recognized, word will get around to those I’ve battled for years. And I don’t even want to think about those consequences right now.”

Nodding, Winston stood. “I will return with an ice pack and a makeshift splint for her arm.”

Hannes sat back on his heels and looked at his watch. He didn’t want to stay in the room too long, but he needed to make sure her body temperature rose high enough. He would not fail again--this woman would live.

Winston returned with a small ice pack wrapped in a hand towel and an old Vogue magazine with strips of torn sheet resting on top. “You have been in here for a while. She looks better. Has her temperature raised enough to perspire yet?”

Hannes slipped the thick magazine under Leah’s left arm. “No, and I’m concerned she’s still unconscious.” He took the white strips and tied them around her arm, securing it to the magazine. “That will have to do for now.” He took the ice pack and held it against her swollen eye.

“Perhaps she has more head trauma than you can see.”

Hannes frowned and looked up at him. “You’re not helping, Win.”

“Sorry. I presume you want to keep her downstairs in the master for a while.”

“She’s definitely not walking upstairs any time soon.”

Winston stepped into the bathroom and grabbed two bath towels. “Here, you look like you are melting.” He tossed one to Hannes.

Hannes wiped the sweat from his face and bare chest then swung the towel over his shoulder. He took the other and dabbed at Leah’s newly glistening forehead. Letting out a big sigh, he stood.

Winston smiled. “I guess you will not be taking her to the airport, either, this morning.”

“I want her to stay, but not for this.”

Leah’s head rolled to the side, causing the ice pack to fall. Hannes dropped to his knees. “Leah, wake up. Come on, Princess, open your eyes.” He turned her face toward him; a weak moan came from her throat. He whispered into her ear, “Open your eyes, baby.”

Her eyelid fluttered opened; the swollen lid didn’t move. Her eye rolled from the top of the socket to focus on him. A weak murmur came from her open lips. “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself.” He smiled and brushed her cheek.

She looked at Winston whose shirt dripped with sweat. “Why are…you here…with clothes on?”

Winston smiled. “I am being modest for our first sauna together.”

Leah gave a small laugh and then stopped moving. Her eyes squeezed shut and color drained from her face. She clutched Hannes’ hand so tightly he reacted instantly. “What’s wrong? Leah?”

After a few seconds, she relaxed her grip and her watery eye blinked open.

“Leah, what’s wrong?”

She breathed out the word “hurts.” Hannes kissed her hand. “I know, Princess. You have cracked ribs and bruises everywhere. Your left arm is broken, so don’t try to move it. I’m so sorry. Try not to laugh or cough.” A thought came to him. He laid her arm on the bench and rushed out the door.

Letting the sauna door close behind him, Hannes dragged out his green backpack from under the sink. He pulled out the brown plastic bottle and shook a pill into his hand.

When he reentered the sauna, Winston looked at what Hannes held. “Are those your pain meds? You are not giving her that!”

Hannes knelt on the floor. He crushed the pill between his thumb and palm. “Yes, I am.”

“Hannes, you know what they do to you. How do you think they will affect her?”

“I already know.”

“Watch her closely, Hannes.” Winston turned and left.

Hannes laid a sleeping Leah on the master bed and draped an extra blanket over the thin duvet cover. He sat by her feet, watching her. Winston carried in a tray of hot sandwiches and fruit. Hannes dragged the wood table and fancy chairs from the sitting area to the bed.

“Will she be all right?” Winston placed the tray on the table.

Hannes took a plate with a sandwich and set it on the table beside him. “She’s not coughing blood, so I’m hopeful there are no serious internal injuries.” He bit into his sandwich and looked at her resting form. “Her feet and hands don’t look frostbitten.”

Winston wiped his fingers on a linen napkin. “Now, what are you going to do with her?”

Hannes ran his fingers through his hair and smiled to himself. “We’ll keep her here until she can move around. With cracked ribs that could take two months, at least.”

Winston wryly smiled. “Oh, at least. Perhaps three or four.”

Hearing Winston’s playful sarcasm, Hannes dropped his head and grinned; he gave himself away.

Winston looked at him. “Hannes! I do believe you are blushing.”

Still grinning, Hannes looked away.

“My goodness, you are. This is scary, Hannes Otila.”

Hannes turned back to the table and took another bite of his sandwich. “More than you know.”

Winston raised his eyebrow. “Tell me.”

A shadow darkened his face. “In the sauna, I’ve never in my life felt so…” he paused, searching for the right word, “helpless. I couldn’t…”  

Winston translated. “You were afraid she was going to die. And you had no control over it. Just like before.”

“Yes, just like before.” Hannes looked down at the sandwich in his hands. Just like Catalina. He hadn’t been there to keep her car from rolling off the cliff.

Winston cleared his throat. “I must say, you have finally found one amazing lady. She is different from most women. When you two were at each other’s throats, a sparkle always lit her eyes. You enjoyed it also, even though you may not admit it.” Winston took a bite of his sandwich.

He continued. “She does not worry about what she cannot control. I know someone who should take lessons from her.”

Hannes rolled his eyes.

“Also, she has done something no other woman has.”

“What?” Hannes looked over at him.

Winston grinned. “She has tamed a wild, angry bear.” He sat back in his chair. “So, I ask again, Hannes Otila, what are you going to do with her?”

Hannes let out a sigh. He knew he couldn’t hold on to her forever. Her best interests didn’t lie with him, no matter what his animal said. “I’ll take care of her until she’s healed enough, then she can go.”

“What if she doesn’t want to go?”

Hannes snapped his head around. “I watched her face when she saw me change. She’s not staying. Why would she? Did she say something?”

“Perhaps, in a roundabout way, before she knew about your hidden side.”

Hannes hung his head. “She probably thinks I mean to hurt her.”

“Have you told her?”

“Told her what?”

Winston covered his eyes with his hand. “You are just like your father before he met your mother. Clueless to matters of the heart. You know, you could try being kind to her.”

Hannes grunted. “Both times I tried, she bit my head off.”

“Both? Only two times?” Winston shook his head. “Were you nice or bearable?”              

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Turning his chair, Winston faced Hannes. “You being nice means a bullet in the arse instead of the head. True nice is not wanting to hurt another’s feelings--showing you care.”

Hannes frowned. “I’m a soldier, Win, not a Romeo.”

“But you are human still, and she needs a human, not a stonewall.”

Hannes remained quiet. He’d been an emotionless machine for so long, he didn’t know how to be anything else. Where did he even start?

“Your heart has decided.” Winston stood and put his empty plate on the tray. “Stay with her.” He collected Hannes’ plate and left the room.

Hannes gazed at Leah. After scooting his chair against the bed, he took her hand and pressed it to his lips. Leah’s head rolled a bit and her eye opened. She saw Hannes and smiled. He leaned in closer. “Hey, Princess. You joining the world for a while?” His hand glided over her forehead.

She moved her chapped lips slowly while she breathed out words. “Don’t…leave…me alone.”

Hannes laid his palm along her cheek. “Never again, baby. I promise.” His body cried out for her. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and hold her so tightly, her body would mesh into his and she would be part of him, always with him. He leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers.

Not enough. He needed more. His beast pushed for more. She tasted so good. Like nothing he’d ever savored. And despite the desire, hunger, in her look, her eyes closed. Hannes started to sit back when her eyes fluttered. “Hannes.”

He leaned forward. “I’m here, Princess.”

She took a shallow breath. “Were you…polar bear…did I dream that? Talk to me…your voice in my dreams… Who are you?”

He shook his head. “Who am I? I don’t understand.”

She fought the elixir threatening to take her consciousness away. “I need…to know what…you’ve lived through.” She closed her eyes and her body relaxed.

What he lived through? That was a story he wasn’t sure he wanted her to know.