Storm Bear

by Bianca D’Arc

  Marilee nodded, her eyes wide. “I heard to keep an eye out for strangers and try to learn what I could if any of them came in here.”

  “How could any human camp out in werewolf territory and not be seen except when they want to be seen?” he asked, a steely look in his light chocolate eyes.

  Marilee gasped, and even Sabrina knew what he was getting at. “You think these strangers are somehow masking their presence?” she asked. “With magic?”

  “Possibly,” he said, refocusing his attention on Sabrina. “Whatever they’re doing, it doesn’t seem friendly. If they were on the level, they would have approached Tobias when they arrived in his territory. All magic folk know enough to observe the polite conventions. If they’re non-magical humans, then how can they be so good at hiding their presence? Even some Special Forces soldiers I’ve known don’t have those sorts of skills, though they can hide in ways most people can’t even imagine. Ditto for hunters. No human is that good that they can fool an entire wolf Pack of trained hunters patrolling their own territory. It boggles the mind.”

  “He’s right,” Marilee whispered. “If they’re hiding their presence in our territory, they’re definitely up to no good.”

  “And you’re suggesting they’ve come here after me?” Sabrina squeaked.

  “It’s very possible they were attracted by your wild magic. I know, for a fact, that the Venifucus has been very active in trying to convert or capture mages and Others who were just coming into their powers,” he pronounced in a dark tone that almost made her shiver.

  “The who?” Sabrina asked, confused.

  “Oh, Brina, I’ve heard of those guys. You don’t want to get mixed up in anything they’re involved in, believe me,” Marilee said, her expression tight with worry. “They’re, like, pure evil.”

  “The Venifucus is an ancient organization of mages and Others who are dedicated to returning the Destroyer—their leader—a fey sorceress named Elspeth, to the mortal realm. Some think she’s already made it back, and a big war is coming,” he told them.

  “You know how crazy that sounds, right?” Sabrina asked. “It’s like something out of a fairytale.”

  “I wish it was a fairytale,” he agreed. “But it’s not. The Venifucus have stepped up their game in recent years, and they’re actively going after young mages who aren’t fully in control of their gifts, and Others who have power they can corrupt. Your wild magic would be attractive to them.” He paused a moment, then his gaze softened. “I can help you control it, if you’ll let me.”

  That took the wind out of her sails. She had to think, but she needed more information, first.

  “But, if the bad guys are already here and the Pack can’t seem to pin them down, then I’d be safer if I left, right?” she reasoned aloud.

  “Possibly, but you’re vulnerable as long as your magic is out of control. The minute you use it, they’ll be able to zero in on your location, again,” he warned. “But, if we travel together and we head for a safe place, you have my oath that I will do my best to protect you.”

  “A safe place. Like where?” she wanted to know. No place sounded safe to her after what he’d just told them.

  “I believe the Lords would help you. Their mate is a priestess, gifted with magic. If, for some reason, I can’t help you gain control, I know she can,” he promised.

  “Where are they? Is it far?” Sabrina asked the next logical question.

  “Montana. More than that, I can’t say, but I can take you there,” he told her.

  Sabrina looked at Marilee. She trusted her friend more than any other wolf in this town. “What do you think, Mar?”

  “I think, first, we should verify that he is who he claims to be,” Marilee said boldly. “No offense intended,” she said, glancing somewhat nervously at the man. “Then, if he checks out, I think it’s probably safer for you to get help. Much as I hate for you to go, it might be the only way to keep you safe. You can trust the Lords without question. If this man was sent by them, then I suppose you can trust him, as well.”

  “But I’m not a shifter. Why should they care what happens to me?” Sabrina asked the thing that was really bothering her.

  “Every soul the Venifucus corrupts will make the coming battle that much more difficult,” he told her. “All beings who serve the Light will have to band together as they once did, to fight evil. If you’re committed to the right side, the Lords—and I—will help you. Simple as that.”

  “What happened the last time good and evil fought?” Sabrina asked, almost dreading the answer.

  “Have you heard of the Dark Ages?” One of his eyebrows rose, and the hint of a smile teased over his lips.

  “Seriously?” Sabrina gulped. He nodded, and her heart sank. Damn.

  Ace hated breaking such bad news to this pretty woman, but it had to be done. She had to know exactly what kind of danger she was in. It was clear she had never really considered her weather-working skills anything anyone else would be interested in exploiting, but he had to make her aware of the truth.

  From the little he’d seen of her power, it wasn’t insignificant. In fact, it was a lot more potent than he’d expected. Whatever was happening within her to create such chaos outside, it wasn’t something small. She seemed to be…evolving. Her power growing in fits and starts, like a youngster’s. That’s the kind of loss of control he’d seen when he drove into town. It looked very much like someone who’d grown used to one intensity of power suddenly being ramped up to a whole new level.

  “Look, leaving town is probably a good idea,” Ace told her quietly. “I’ve met the Alpha, and he doesn’t impress me as the type who would go out of his way for anybody who wasn’t Pack.”

  Sabrina nodded slowly, and Marilee looked pained. “He’s right,” the wolf woman said after an uncomfortable moment. “He’s fiercely protective of us, but anyone who’s not Pack doesn’t really scan on his radar, I’m sorry to say.” Marilee turned her attention to Ace. “You’re a bear, right?”

  He was somewhat taken aback by her direct question, but he liked her straight-forward approach. Ace nodded confirmation.

  “Brina, bear shifters are among the most magical of all,” Marilee said, reaching for Sabrina’s hand. “The Lords sent you a bear for a reason. He can protect you—both physically and magically. If you go with him, he’ll get you to safety, or die trying.”

  Sabrina looked alarmed. “I don’t want anybody to die,” she said in a shaky voice.

  Ace wanted to reassure her. “I don’t want that, either,” he said in as light a tone as he could manage under the circumstances. “But I did give my word to the Lords, which means I’m committed to your safety. Your friend is right. Once one of us is given a task by the Lords, it becomes a sacred trust. You are safer with me than anywhere else, right now…unless you have allies we don’t know anything about?”

  Sabrina shook her head, looking a little lost. She looked away, and he wanted nothing more than to reach out and give her a hug. She seemed so alone just at that moment. But then, she looked up at him, her big blue eyes wide.

  “And you…turn into a bear?” She seemed hesitant about asking.

  Ace nodded solemnly. “A grizzly,” he clarified. “I assure you, my furry form is as in control as my human shape. Just like the wolves. We remember who we are when we shift. I will never hurt you.”

  He gave her that information just in case she was worried he’d attack her when he was in bear form. Humans didn’t know much about shifters, even those humans who had magical gifts. Shifters usually liked to keep it that way. They liked having their secrets. But, if she was going to be traveling with him, she needed to trust him.

  Sabrina looked at her friend, as if for confirmation. Marilee nodded, and Sabrina seemed to relax a fraction. It was good to see the true friendship between these two women. Ace regretted that the rest of the Pack hadn’t been so welcoming to this poor little weather witch. The Alpha could have protected her and helped her, but instead, h
e’d just called for help—which at least was something—and brushed his hands, glad to let someone else handle the so-called problem.

  Sabrina wasn’t a problem to be dealt with. She was a lovely woman who was having trouble with her gift. If Ace had been in charge around here, this whole situation would have been handled a lot differently. But he wasn’t in charge, and he had to make the best of the situation. Taking Sabrina to the Lords sounded like a good idea, especially if she’d already drawn interest from the Venifucus.

  He had no way to be one hundred percent certain the strangers were Venifucus, but it was all damned suspicious. He wouldn’t know, for sure, until they attacked, and at that point, it could be too late for Sabrina. Better to remove her from the area, now, and try to sneak away from the strangers, hoping they didn’t follow.

  It wasn’t really Ace’s style to run from a threat, but he had Sabrina to consider, and he couldn’t really count on these wolves for backup. If his brothers were here, the story would be quite different, but they weren’t, and he had to do what was best for Sabrina.

  He liked the shortened version of her name that Marilee used, but somehow, he liked her full name even better. It was more regal. It fit her better than the nickname in his mind. He wondered which name she preferred and if she’d object to his using her full name rather than the nickname. He hoped not. Of course, she didn’t know him at all, yet, really. He’d fix that as they traveled together. This woman was way too intriguing to leave alone. Both his human half and his grizzly side were growing increasingly fascinated by her.

  “If it helps, I’ve noticed that most of her problems lately are wind related,” Marilee offered. Ace was touched once again by how good a friend Marilee was to Sabrina. If only the rest of her Pack were as sympathetic.

  “Good to know,” Ace replied, nodding his thanks to Marilee. “Now, do you want to verify who I am and who sent me? I’ll do a bit of scouting nearby, and then, if you’re ready, I think we should get out of here as soon as we can,” he said to Sabrina.

  “How do I um…verify you?” Sabrina asked hesitantly. Ace looked at Marilee.

  “You call the Lords and ask them if they sent me. My name is Ace.” He looked at both women as he introduced himself. “Describe me and satisfy yourselves that I am the same guy they sent. Then, tell them the code words Tango X-ray Delta Roger. They’ll know that we’re heading back to them, possibly with bad guys on our trail.”

  “You want me to call the Lords?” Marilee seemed hesitant.

  “Do you have their hotline number?” Ace asked the woman. She nodded. “This is the kind of thing they set it up for. When someone answers, tell them you need to speak with either one of the Lords or Rocco Garibaldi. That’s it. Nobody else. If they give you trouble, say I told you to call, and I’m on a sanctioned mission direct from Tim and Rafe. That’ll get them hopping.”

  “If you’re sure,” Marilee said, still looking a little uncertain, but she was reaching for her phone.

  Ace nodded at her. “I’ll be outside to give you some privacy. Ask them what you need to. Satisfy yourselves that I am who I claim to be. I need Sabrina’s trust if we’re going to be traveling together, and this is a good place to start,” he said honestly. They had to know he was trying to make the connection as easily and quickly as possible because the threat was real.

  Ace headed out the door of the shop but didn’t go far. He started by sniffing around the perimeter of the shop, looking for any scent that didn’t quite belong. He went only a short distance before the pungent scent of old blood brought him up short.

  Ace lifted his gaze to the direction from which the light breeze was blowing. The scent came to him from across the street. More specifically, from the man watching him on the sidewalk across the street.

  Fuck. Ace thought he would have more time, but there was no doubt in his mind that the guy watching him was trouble. That scent… It made Ace’s hackles rise. It was the scent of evil. Of blood magic. Something so heinous that it had been outlawed among mages since before the time of Elspeth. Only those who sought evil would follow the blood path, for their power came from the blood of the innocents they tortured and killed.

  Ace suddenly understood the fate the strangers wanted to impose on Sabrina. They’d come to steal her power. To make her bleed.

  Bastards.

  No way would Ace let that happen.

  Ace sent his senses out and realized there was another man approaching from an oblique angle. He stank, too. Both wore leather coats like they were something out of the Matrix. Stupid gear for the Rockies. These two must be city slickers, which made Ace smile. He could outsmart two city slickers any day of the week—magic or not. This might be easier than he thought.

  Then, the first wave of aggressive magic hit him.

  Or not.

  Fuck, that hurt.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Sabrina tried to be patient as her best friend made the phone call. Marilee got through, right away, but had to wait to be connected to one of the Lords. During the hold time, she did her best to explain to Sabrina exactly how trustworthy Ace was, if he checked out. Marilee, like every other shifter Sabrina had ever met, placed a great deal of trust in their so-called Lords.

  Sabrina had never questioned it aloud, not wanting to be rude, but if she was going to place her life in this man’s hands, she wanted some answers. Sabrina asked several very pointed questions of her friend and was starting to feel relieved by the answers.

  Then, something happened. She felt a wave of nausea come over her about the same time she heard something that sounded like a small explosion out on the street.

  “What was that?” Marilee asked, still holding tight to the phone.

  “I don’t know, but it didn’t sound good. There’s some kind of weird magic happening out there,” Sabrina told her friend. “Stay back here. I’ll go peek out the window and see if I can tell what’s happening.”

  “Be careful,” Marilee admonished her as Sabrina crept closer to the front of the store and the big windows that fronted the street.

  Ace had gone out there. Was he in trouble? Or was this some kind of ploy to get her outside? Was Ace really on the level, or was this a trick? Sabrina approached cautiously.

  At first, she didn’t understand what she was seeing. There was a man in a sleazy black leather coat across the street, his hair slicked back in what he probably thought was a cool fashion statement. Sabrina didn’t like the look of him. Not at all.

  And then, she felt another spell of nausea, and she actually saw a wave of power cross the street in a clear shimmer, like heat off a desert highway. Only, they were in the Canadian Rockies, and it wasn’t nearly hot enough to cause that sort of visual effect. And it was traveling vertically, not horizontally.

  There was so much wrong with this picture, it confused her for a moment. Then, she saw Ace stagger under the impact of the nearly invisible wave of power. That was an attack!

  A moment later, Ace got hit with another wave from the side that nearly swept him off his feet, but he stood strong. Sabrina had no idea how much power each one of those shimmering waves packed, but it had to be substantial. That Ace was still standing under dual impacts was impressive.

  Even more impressive was the hard-muscled chest he revealed when he suddenly decided to strip off his clothing, right there in the middle of Main Street. What was he doing? Oh, yeah. He was a shifter. And shifters liked to get naked before they changed shape.

  Was he intending to go furry, right then and there? As he dropped his chaps and jeans to the ground, having already kicked off his boots, she suspected he was. Goddess help her. The man was built.

  She’d thought she’d seen some impressive physiques since coming to this werewolf-dominated Pack town, but those wolves were puny compared to Ace.

  The man in the black leather coat stepped down off the curb on the other side of the street. He was moving closer. Sabrina peered down the road at the angle from which the other attack had come an
d saw another man, dressed similarly in black leather, also moving closer. They let loose with a simultaneous attack, even as Ace shrugged, and a misty magic formed around him.

  A blur of brown earth energy, and then, he was a bear. Right there, in the middle of town. A seven-foot grizzly bear shook out his fur. Sabrina’s mouth hung open in shock as the double blast of evil magic hit the bear and sort of rolled right off his fur. Damn. Now, that was impressive.

  She could easily see the anger on the approaching men’s faces. They were pissed. Then again, so was Ace. He stood on his hind legs and let out a bellowing roar that shook the glass in the window and rolled across Sabrina’s senses in a wave of power.

  He was mighty when he was riled. And, looking at him standing up tall, she realized she had probably underestimated his height by a good two to three feet. The bear wasn’t backing down, and the mages were heading right for him. Sabrina couldn’t let him take another hit. Not for her. If these guys had come here to get at her, she would face them, and she would do her best to blow them away.

  Sabrina wasn’t sure where this newfound courage was coming from, but it felt right. She opened the door and walked out onto the sidewalk. Ace, in behemoth bear form, stood between her and the approaching men. They didn’t seem to see her. Not at first. Not until she called on her power.

  Her single, solitary, stupid little power to affect the weather. She really had no idea what she intended. She just knew she had to do something. And then, she let loose.

  Her magic seemed to recognize Ace as one of the good guys, because the surge that came from the palms of her hands seemed to skip right over him but hit the two men full blast. It was a blast of wind. Hurricane force wind.

  It blew them both off their feet. She watched, amazed as they sort of tumbled down the street. Sabrina cringed as they kept smacking down on the pavement. There had to be broken bones and maybe concussions involved. Ouch.