Abby's Heart (Bryant Station Curves)

by Rachels, Rayne

  Shivers raced down Abby’s spine. The voice was pure evil.

  A dark figure walked toward her. The shadows hid its face.

  Abby tried scooting away, but she had nowhere to go. She screamed when a bony hand reached out and wrapped around her throat. Abby’s screams abruptly ended.

  The person chuckled again.

  Abby grew dizzy from the lack of oxygen. Her world faded away.

  Skylar rolled his shoulders. He glared at the papers scattered across his desk. It had taken him three hours to find the receipts he needed for the report Theo Willis demanded to have before he would release any money to Anderson Construction. Without the money, Skylar couldn’t pay the bills or make payroll.

  Want my mate.

  Skylar shook his head. Yeah, I want her too.

  We go get mate.

  As soon as I finish with this paperwork and stop by the sheriff’s office to see Todd, then we will go home to Abby.

  Not good enough. We go now.

  Skylar shook his head again. We will go when I get finished.

  Away from mate too long. Not good.

  She is safe at home—our home.

  Evil tried to hurt mate. We must protect mate.

  If you would settle down, I could get this report finished a whole lot faster.

  Skylar’s bear growled, but it didn’t say anything else. The animal started pacing back and forth.

  Skylar closed his eyes. The pacing back and forth was extremely annoying, but at least the two of them weren’t fighting as they used to fight. Having Abby back in their lives brought a peace to them that they had lost.

  He didn’t like leaving Abby alone at his house, but she needed her sleep. He thought about calling her, but he didn’t want to wake her. He honestly did not know how she had kept going for so long.

  Our mate is strong.

  Yes, she is. Skylar had to agree with his bear.

  Cubs will be strong.

  It is a little soon to be thinking about cubs. We just got Abby back in our lives.

  Mate is beautiful. Mate will be more beautiful when she is huge with cub.

  Skylar loved Abby’s curves. Her wide hips gave him something to hold onto when he pounded into her. He closed his eyes. He could feel her heavy breasts in his hands. He imagined the pebbled nipples. His mouth watered, knowing her soft skin tasted of honey and vanilla.

  He adjusted his jeans, but it didn’t help much. The more he thought about Abby, the harder his cock became.

  Go get mate.

  I am almost finished.

  His bear growled. Work faster.

  Quit thinking about Abby and how her body feels.

  The bear licked his lips. Like the way mate sways back and forth when she walks.

  Skylar groaned. He knew exactly what the bear was talking about, and it didn’t help his problem. He gritted his teeth. Skylar wasn’t sure which was worse—a horny man or a horny bear.

  Want mate.

  Sit down. Pace. I don’t care. Just be quiet, so I can finish this paperwork.

  His bear snorted, but it sat down.

  Skylar readjusted his jeans but he knew only one thing would actually help him with his problem—burying himself deep into Abby’s sweet, tight pussy.

  Want mate too.

  Skylar growled. Give it a rest.

  The bear chuffed as it nodded its huge head.

  Skylar grinned. You are right about one thing. Our mate will look even more beautiful when she is huge with our cub. He turned his attention to the computer screen. He scanned through the numbers, verifying them with the pile of receipts in front of him.

  Several minutes later, he sent the document to Theo Willis, and shut down the computer. He paper clipped the receipts and stuck a sticky note on top of the stack. Skylar glanced at the rest of the papers littering his desk. “I have got to get a secretary and soon.”

  Skylar’s stomach growled as she stood up and stretched. He looked at the clock on the wall. It was almost noon. Abby should be waking up about now, he thought.

  Grabbing his keys, he locked the office and got into his truck.

  Chapter 11

  Skylar turned onto Main Street. Going this way meant he would have to go a couple of miles out of his way to get to the sheriff’s office. He knew he should turn around and retrace his route, but he couldn’t do it. Something wasn’t right. He had to go by the building. A block from the building Abby’s company was contracted to renovate, Skylar turned down a side street that led to the alley behind the building.

  He understood why Abby went into the renovation side of construction. So many times in the past, he wanted to restore a house instead of tearing it down and building a new, modern structure. The older buildings had character that the newer ones lacked.

  Skylar slowly passed the building. He stepped down hard on the brakes, causing them to squeal. Two vehicles were parked in the parking lot. One was a car he didn’t recognize; the other was Abby’s truck.

  “What the fuck is she doing here? She should be home resting.” Skylar parked next to Abby’s truck and got out. He sniffed the air. The sweet smell of honey and vanilla was faint, but there was no mistaking it. Abby had been here. A strong, tangy smell filled the air.

  Skylar’s eyes turned silver.

  Wolf.

  Not just any wolf either, but the wolf from last night. It was here. Its scent mingled with Abby’s sweet smell.

  Skylar walked toward the building. The closer he got to it, the stronger the scents grew. Abby was in the building, and so was the wolf.

  Pushing open the basement door, Skylar walked inside. The wolf’s scent was stronger, but a new scent mingled with it. Skylar wrinkled his nose. The dark, stench of death filled the air. “No, it can’t be Abby.” Skylar didn’t even realize he had spoken the words aloud.

  His bear roared. It slammed its head against Skylar’s stomach.

  Skylar swallowed several times. The lump in his throat wouldn’t budge. He couldn’t have lost her. It wasn’t fair. He had just found her. What was the Great Mother Bear thinking?

  A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the basement.

  Skylar whipped around, giving death his back. His bear rammed it massive head into Skylar’s chest.

  Skylar’s skin itched.

  In minutes a huge Kodiak bear stood where the man had been. It sniffed the air and roared. Only thinking about its mate, the bear charged into the black depths of the basement.

  She felt the hand caress her cheek.

  A smile flickered across her lips. Skylar had found her. Abby pushed through the foggy darkness clouding her brain.

  The caress trailed down her arm.

  Abby slowly forced her eyes open. She blinked several times, trying to make her eyes focus in the dimly lit room. Her mind pushed and pulled at the pieces of information, trying to put them together.

  Where was she?

  Was she still in the basement?

  Where was Edwin?

  A cold chill filled the room causing bumps to form on Abby’s arms. Something or someone moved just outside of Abby’s line of vision.

  Abby froze.

  Her mind screamed she was in danger. She frowned.

  But from what?

  Who?

  Edwin. Edwin had attacked her, but she had gotten away from him. The image of his body lying on the ground flickered through her brain.

  He was dead.

  Abby pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her body screamed its protests. Pain rippled through her hip. Her muscles trembled in protest.

  “I’m so glad you are finally awake.”

  Abby’s eyes widened. She slowly turned her head toward the voice. Her eyes narrowed. A dark figure moved in the inky black.

  “It is so much more fun when my pets are alive.” The voice laughed.

  “I am not your pet, or anyone else’s.” Abby watched the dark figure paced in the shadows.

  “But you are my pet. You have been my pet since the f
irst day I met you.”

  Abby slowly shook her head. “We have never met. I. Am. Not. Your. Pet.”

  “Humans. You are so entertaining. You believe you are in control of your lives—of your fates, and you are so gullible.”

  “I’m not the one hiding in the shadows.” Abby pushed herself to her feet. A wave of dizziness swept over her. She closed her eyes and swallowed several times. The sick feeling slowly went passed. She opened her eyes and looked at the figure in the shadows.

  “Come to me.” It held out its hand to her.

  The desire to walk toward it was suddenly overwhelming. She took a couple of steps toward it.

  The figure laughed. “Yes, come to me.”

  Abby frowned. She didn’t want to go anywhere near the person in the shadows, if it was even a person. “No.” Her voice was low.

  “Come here.”

  Abby lifted her right foot to take a step. She swallowed. Her forehead wrinkled and her eyebrows scrunched together. Her foot stopped in midair.

  “Come here!” The demand was stronger.

  Beads of sweat popped up across Abby’s forehead. “No!” She forced her foot back down.

  “You will obey me.”

  Abby shook her head. “I don’t know who or what you are, but you can go straight to Hell!”

  “Hell is my home, and it will be yours too.” The figure stepped out of the shadows.

  Abby gasped. At first, the figure looked like an old man, but then it changed into the most hideous monster she could imagine.

  The monster’s black eyes glittered. It took a deep smell. “Fear. It tastes so good, and your fear is much stronger than the last time we met.”

  “I think I would remember if we had met before.” Every instinct told Abby to turn and run, but she couldn’t get her feet to listen.

  “Maybe it is because I looked different.” The monster disappeared and a beautiful cheerleader. “I believe you remember me now.” The blonde cheerleader threw her head and laughed.

  Abby’s mouth dropped open. She quickly closed it. “You—You’re the—”

  “I’m the bitch your mate was fucking.”

  Abby paled. “How is this possible?”

  The blonde propped a hand on her hip. “Actually, it was really easy.”

  Abby shook her head. Tears threatened to fall.

  The monster changed again. “It was easy when he was convinced it was you in his bed, and once I had my hands on him, he couldn’t think of anything else. He didn’t even realize you were in the room.” The monster laughed. “He thought he was fucking you, and you thought he was fucking a blonde. The pain radiating off you was delicious. I haven’t tasted anything like it since.”

  Abby glared at the monster. “You drove us apart. Skylar and I would have mated if it wasn’t for you.” She shook with anger.

  The monster changed back to its original self. “Yes, I did. It was the best meal ever. Pain from a pure source is so delicious. Nothing else compares to it. I want more of it, and I want it from the original source—you.” The monster shifts again, this time into Edwin.”

  Abby stepped back. She looked around the room. She quickly realized she was still in the basement. “You murdered Edwin.” Her voice quivered.

  The monster Edwin threw its head back and laughed. “Don’t tell me you actually cared for that pathetic excuse for a wolf.” The monster Edwin suddenly looked at her. “He was in the way. I couldn’t let him live.” It took a step toward her.

  “Stay away from me!”

  The monster Edwin grinned. “Now what fun would that be?” It took another step toward her.

  “I mean it. Stay away from me!”

  The monster Edwin slowly moved toward her. “You and I are going to have so much fun. I’m going to fuck you in ways your bear never even dreamed of doing.” The dim light reflected off something in his hands.

  Abby looked around for anything she could use as a weapon.

  “And then I’m going to carve one piece flesh after the other off of you bones.” The monster laughed.

  Abby saw the chair a few feet from her. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do. She grabbed it and threw it at the monster, hitting it solid in the face and chest, causing it to scream in anger. She turned and ran.

  Abby was almost out of the room, when she felt a hand wrap around her arm.

  The monster Edwin spun her around and threw her against the wall. “I didn’t say you could leave.” He raised the knife he still had, and drove it down toward Abby.

  Everything seemed to go in slow motion.

  Abby screamed when she saw the knife. She knew she had no defense against it. She knew she was going to die. Her only regret was Skylar would never know just how much she loved him. A searing hot pain ripped through her body. Stunned she looked down. The knife was embedded into her left shoulder. Her legs trembled and buckled. She could not stop herself from sliding down the wall.

  A blur rushed past her.

  A roar filled the room.

  Abby turned her head.

  A huge Kodiak bear stood on its hind legs. It growled and clawed at the monster that had changed into a huge demon bear with red glowing eyes.

  The two beasts charged each other.

  The clash caused the room to tremble.

  Teeth and claws flashed in the dim light.

  Abby knew the Kodiak bear was Skylar. He had come to save her, but in her heart, she knew it was too late. She felt her life slipping away with the blood that slowly ran down her shirt. Each beat of her heart pushed more blood out of her body. Please, Skylar. Please get out of here. I don’t want you to die too, she silently pleaded as she helplessly watched the fight.

  Drops of blood and bits of fur fly through the air as the two beasts rip at each other with their teeth and claws. Skylar’s bear had several severe cuts, but he kept fighting. He had to destroy the monster.

  The monster stepped back from the Kodiak bear. It watched the animal for several minutes.

  Skylar’s bear growled. It was breathing heavy.

  Without warning, the monster lunged at the Kodiak bear, taking it by surprise. The monster managed to throw the bear on its side, exposing the bear’s neck.

  Abby screamed as the monster clamped its teeth into the bear’s neck. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She had to do something. She had to stop the monster before it killed her mate.

  Digging deep for her last reserves of energy, Abby pushed herself to her feet. Dizziness swept over her, threatening to send her into the dark. She pushed it aside as she staggered toward the monster.

  Abby grabbed the handle of the knife embedded in her right shoulder and pulled. The pain was horrendous. She felt a gush of blood, but she didn’t look down. She focused on the monster. She raised the knife as high as she could and she drove it deep into the monster’s back. As the monster whirled around, the darkness inside it exploded, throwing Abby back into the wall.

  The darkness surrounded her as she slid to the ground. It called to her. Blood slowly pooled around her.

  She prayed Skylar would live.“I love you, my mate, my heart,” she whispered as her life slowly slipped away.

  Chapter 12

  Abby turned her face up toward the sky. The warm sunshine felt good on her cheeks. A soft breeze played with her hair, tossing strands into her face. She brushed them away, only to have the wind toss the strands of hair back into her face, but she just smiled. The trickling of water flowing over rocks filled the air and lulled Abby into a relaxed state.

  Abby let out a contented sigh.

  Slowly she opened her eyes. Metal beams and blue sky filled her vision. Abby blinked. Where am I? Her brain was a little foggy, but something told her this was not where she was supposed to be. She looked around.

  The river stretched out in front of her until it disappeared around a bend. She looked down at her feet. Abby saw the river through the gaps in the wood boards. She raised an eyebrow. “I’m standing in the middle of a camel-back bridg
e, in the middle of nowhere. The last time I checked, there weren’t too many of these old bridges still in existence.” She shook her head. “I hope someone is having a good laugh.”

  “But this is not a laughing matter, but then, death never is.”

  Abby whirled around. The woman standing next to her was tall, with high cheekbones, and long black hair draped over her left shoulder. The woman’s thick, shiny hair wrapped around her until it touched the ground.

  The tall woman stared at Abby.

  Abby raised an eyebrow. Who are you? The words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself; at least she thought they had come out of her mouth.

  The woman’s dark eyes drew the warmth out of the air. I am the guide and protector of all bears. My shifters call me the Great Mother Bear.

  Abby stared at the woman and frowned. I am not a bear or even a bear shifter, so why am I here?

  You are the mate of a shifter.

  You mean Skylar.

  Yes.

  I know I am his mate. I have known for a long time, there was just a problem that kept us separated for a long time.

  Mother Bear stepped to the railing. She looked over the side. The river is beautiful. It is the blood of the land. If it is not happy, the land is not happy.

  And what does the river have to do with Skylar and me?

  Nothing and everything.

  Abby rolled her eyes. Okay, that was really clear and helpful.

  Do you expect everything to be clear or helpful to you?

  Don’t you like things to be clear to you so that you understand what is going on?

  The Mother Bear threw her head back and laughed. Yes, I like to understand things, as you put it, but life is not always that clear. Life is full of mysteries and misunderstandings, just as it is full of life and death, love and hate. No answer is perfectly clear. We have to interpret the signs, even if they lead us away from what we really want.

  Okay. Abby took a deep breath and slowly let it out. How is this for an interpretation? I took a knife in the shoulder, and it hit a major artery. I am bleeding to death. I pulled the knife out of my shoulder.

  Why did you pull out the knife? You should have left it in your shoulder until medical help arrived.