She’d gotten herself in this, mostly because her conscience wouldn’t allow her to leave the man alone, especially after finding out the shortcut path he was using. She’d gotten there just in time, otherwise those altered creatures would have torn him apart with how many there were. Trust it to a stubborn bear shifter to stand his ground when he was outnumbered, when the best option would have been to run.
And now here she was, stuck in a bargain that she shouldn’t have agreed to in the first place. But she supposed it was better than she expected, and what he said actually made sense—something that surprised her.
She found a tiny squirrel and cajoled it to come closer, earning its trust in slow intervals and finally carrying it in her arms, where it nuzzled her fingers. Nikolai eyed it in distrust, then kept following her as she took it to her front yard.
“Stay still and don’t distract me,” she muttered to him before focusing on the creature again.
Irene placed the squirrel on the ground, keeping her hands on it as she petted it some more. Then she let her magic surge from her body to her fingers, a gentle easing that wouldn’t frighten it as she let that magic flow through its body.
It transformed right before her eyes, though she’d have still felt it even with her eyes closed. The small squirrel increased in size, getting fuller and fuller until it was as large as an average dog. Its teeth turned sharp, and its hands turned into claws. The final touch was the glowing eyes, magic that ensured they wouldn’t get out of this particular area and terrorize everyone.
She kept her hands on the creature for a while, stroking. She leaned in to murmur reassurances in its ear. Then she removed her hands from it, watching as the now-altered squirrel scrunched its nose in her direction before sprinting out of her yard and straight into the forest.
Irene took a deep breath, rolling her shoulders to get rid of the excess magic and the muscle pain that little stint brought. Then she turned to the quiet man beside her.
There was a hard expression on his face, one that had her wariness coming back. She eyed him cautiously, expecting him to lay it on her strong and give her a scolding—possibly more, considering bear shifters liked using their brute strength more than proper reasoning. But Nikolai surprised her again when he nodded his head with no force whatsoever. Then he tilted it, looking at her with nothing but curiosity in his eyes.
“So you do this to make sure they don’t die?”
She shrugged. “I can’t monitor the whole witch territory, so I need to do what I can. The others don’t care, mostly because they don’t get to see it. But I’m near predator territory and believe me when I say the sight of predators tearing into those helpless creatures is a sight that I’m just tired of seeing.”
“I believe you.”
She blinked. “You do?”
“I don’t eat raw meat. It just seems senseless, especially when we’re trying our best to be civilized people. Being a beast doesn’t mean I’m going to act like one.”
That…wasn’t what she was expecting, and she found herself staring at him again. Nikolai was throwing her for a loop, and she still wasn’t sure if it was deliberate or not.
“So you’re going to let me keep doing it?”
“As long as you can promise that it won’t harm the townspeople. They’re my priority.”
“It won’t. So long as those townspeople don’t venture into an area they’re not supposed to be in.”
“Then we’re clear here,” he said evenly.
The way that conversation went by so smoothly made her suddenly unsure of him. She heard the rumors about his just attitude but hadn’t really believed it until she now got to experience it in person. That didn’t mean she trusted him fully now, but…
“So you’ll wait for my decision, right? About the whole helping thing?”
“Isn’t that what I just said?” he asked.
“Well…just making sure.”
“I keep my promises.”
Chocolate eyes were steady on hers when he said that. Irene realized that while the color was common, the way they gazed into hers was unsettling—intense, probing, almost as if he was looking into her soul. She felt raw, and she wanted to shut him out as fast as she could before he could see more than she wanted him to see.
She remembered more about him now, from town whispers whenever she got supplies and managed to eavesdrop. Apparently, Nikolai Bastet wasn’t just the admirable sheriff who fought for right over wrong and didn’t judge anyone—he was also the man who literally charmed panties off women and slept with them for the sake of sleeping with them. The man was allergic to commitment, made women scream in pleasure before he left them in the dust, and was apparently fought over still by those same women who wanted a second round with him.
Except once he was tired of them, he apparently didn’t see the need in going back into potential heartbreak and drama. Coupled with that intensity, she should have backed off.
Instead, she squared her shoulders and stared right back, letting him see that she wasn’t the least bit affected by it.
“I’ll walk you to the border of our territory,” she said firmly.
He didn’t protest, following her instead as she chose a safer and clearer path in the middle. Their trip was almost uneventful until they got near the end, where she felt a stirring in the air before she heard the footsteps—faint, something that wouldn’t be heard by regular humans. But she heard it.
And Nikolai obviously heard it.
Two vampires stepped in front of them, pale and young and obviously aware they were breaking into witch territory. They showed nerves at the sight of her, obviously knowing her reputation and how she dealt with trespassers. But that nervous look changed to surprise once they spotted who was with her, and Irene watched incredulously as their attention got hooked right off.
“Sheriff,” they said in unison.
“Hey, kids,” Nikolai responded easily, his stance as calm as ever and his tone friendly. “Shouldn’t you be in vampire territory?”
“Well…our mother isn’t home yet, and there’s nothing in the fridge, so we were hoping to get some snacks here,” the teenage boy said, a hint of defiance in his tone.
“We’re very hungry,” the teenage girl piped up.
Irene would have easily blasted them and sent them off with a scare, but they ignored her and didn’t even look her way. Nikolai stepped forward.
“The blood bank’s not far off.”
“We’re teenagers and don’t have the authority to order,” the girl said.
“And we don’t have a car,” the boy added.
Smart alecks.
“I know. I’ve got my car just outside this area and can drive you over to the hospital if you want. I can get those blood bags for you. Then we can head over to the diner and get some dessert, where you can wait until your mother gets off work. How does that sound?”
His tone was easy but firm, and Irene realized that while he sounded relaxed, everyone listening to him knew he wasn’t asking them. He was telling them, and them disobeying meant they would be in more trouble than it was worth.
The boy’s shoulders slumped first. The girl crossed her arms and shrugged.
“Sounds great, Sheriff,” he mumbled.
“Great. I’ll lead the way,” Nikolai replied, obviously pleased with it all. “Irene, I trust we’re good to walk on our own in this area?”
Silence filled his question before she reluctantly nodded. He waved in her direction and turned to walk with the teenage kids, the sight so bewildering and eye-opening that Irene found she couldn’t just stand there and watch. He was doing his best for the town, and he meant it with every bone in his body.
And that included his proposition.
Her damn conscience was acting up again, and really, it wasn’t going to let her sleep tonight if she didn’t get the words out. Irene inwardly cursed herself before taking a tiny step forward.
“Sheriff?”
There was a pause,
and he glanced in her direction. Chocolate eyes waited patiently, and she wanted to smack him and smile at the same time. “Yes?”
“My answer’s yes.”
She expected gloating. Instead, that mouth formed into a slow grin, one that had her cheeks almost flushing. She frowned to combat it.
He only grinned wider. “Great to hear, Irene. I’ll keep in touch. One request, if you please.”
“What?”
“Call me Nikolai. Or Nik. We’re gonna be working closely together, after all.”
Great.
Just great.
Chapter 5
“So have you ever tried the restaurants outside town? I know a few that are very…private. With some rooms to rent for the night nearby.”
The words were teasing and light, an indication that the woman meant what she said but was willing to brush it off if Nikolai changed the subject. Layla was practically offering herself on a platter to him, one that was commitment-free and promised a night with no strings attached. Normally, that would have been enough for him and for the anticipation to build up.
But Nikolai found the notion unappealing, and he realized he still needed to think if he was up for the night or not. So he looked at her, giving her a grin and telling her that sounded like a swell idea. Then he steered the topic, trying to enjoy the food without any expectation of what was to follow.
If he was honest with himself, he was distracted—distracted with work, distracted with that gut instinct telling him things were about to go awry any day now, distracted with little things like regular shifter-vampire scuffles and such.
If he was really honest with himself, he was also distracted by a certain woman who just puzzled him so much. So much power and so many rumors about her antagonistic attitude…yet there she was, altering helpless animals to give them something to defend themselves with.
What was Irene all about?
It had been a week since he got his yes from her, and he’d visited her every day since then: to watch her alter more animals, to learn more about her magic, to teach her some physical attacks in exchange for potions. Her magic was now infused into his system from staying in her front yard too much, but she still refused to let him in her house, adamant that it would only happen when she trusted him.
This weekend was supposedly their break, but he found himself thinking about their sessions and finding it more fun than this night out. He tried to pay attention to Layla, who was gorgeous, smart and the type of shifter who understood his needs and wasn’t going to pressure him.
“Want to share dessert?” she asked.
“Sure,” he replied casually.
She ordered dessert, and they did share, as Layla made a move by sitting right beside him. Her toes kept playing with his ankles, and when dessert was finished, she whispered in his ear that she wanted to be taken home.
He drove, scolding himself and trying to forget about the eventful week. He walked her to her doorstep and absorbed her flirting, undecided whether to flirt back or call it a night. The decision for the latter was just starting to settle in his mind when he saw a shadow step out of a nearby forest area. The walk was familiar, and so was the choice of clothing: a dress that was too loose and ill-fitting in a drab brown color.
“I think I’d better turn in early, Layla,” Nikolai found himself saying. “I had a great dinner with you.”
Not a lie, since the dinner itself was pretty delicious. He didn’t miss the disappointment on her face, though she hid it well with a bright smile. But that was all he could register before he was walking back to his car, then walking to the forest area.
Then he was following Irene.
*****
She was a fast one, not because of her magic but because she simply was. Irene probably had a lot of experience navigating this town without being seen, and she’d probably already been too successful as she got her supplies and avoided the general public.
Except he wasn’t general public and was more experienced than that.
He had no idea what she could be doing out at ten in the evening, when supply stores were closed and everyone was either out having dinner, at the local park or staying at home to rest. But he found her crossing a field beyond the park, then heading further to another forest in territory she shouldn’t be in: shifter.
As quietly as he could, he walked behind her, keeping his profile low and watching as she moved about. She looked like she was trying to find something, her steps calm but hurried. He felt the magic on her fingers, but it was subdued, as if she didn’t want anyone in the vicinity to detect it.
He watched her slip in an area where there was a lake, and the thought that she’d take a night dip flashed in his mind and had him scrambling to warn her of the perils of that. But she didn’t take off her clothes, instead lifting her head in the air and looking around.
Then she started making animal noises.
Bewildered, he opened his mouth, about to slip out that he was there and to interrogate her on what the hell she was doing. He clamped his mouth shut when he started recognizing the noises—or, to be more specific, started recognizing where he last heard them. Her magic singed from her fingers, a gentle call that he felt in his body and made him want to take that step forward and answer her call. But like her door’s force field, he absorbed this energy instead, letting it fill his body and give it extra warmth.
He stilled immediately when he sensed movement—not that he was doing anything to begin with, considering he was hiding behind a tree and making an effort not to be found. But it didn’t hurt to be extra careful, and that paid off when no one paid attention to him. In fact, the movement he sensed went for Irene right away, scurrying about and surrounding her like children to their mother.
Or predators to their prey.
Irene watched them steadily, then muttered something under her breath. He thought they were spells before he cocked his ears and realized she was actually scolding them, hissing something about them not supposed to be here and to return to witch territory immediately. Then she knelt down and touched them one by one, letting her magic resurge to her fingers and transferring it to them.
Belatedly, Nikolai realized that their eyes hadn’t been glowing when they got here, and that was what Irene was trying to do now—make them glow again. He wondered what happened there and knew he was going to need to bring it up on his next visit, even if it made her mad. She promised him these creatures wouldn’t get out of her territory, yet here they were.
Once their eyes glowed, they let her nuzzle them before they sprinted off, and the quiet assurance in her stance told him they were going to return where they belonged. That assured him too, and he lowered his guard as he watched them glow one by one, then move away from sight.
Three more creatures were left, and she held out her hand to these, too. They were altered iguanas, so much bigger than her and looking vicious. It looked like they were being openly defiant at first, but she managed to calm the two down enough to touch them and transfer her magic. Then she murmured to them and stroked their scales, something about their need to return to their habitat and be safe there.
Nikolai eyed the last lizard, who looked the most defiant of all. Dark eyes narrowed in on Irene, and the lizard’s body tensed. Nikolai tensed, too, but didn’t shift yet as he didn’t want to be detected until the last second.
As Irene’s eyes focused in on the two lizards that left, the third one moved in her direction, claws prepared. She slowly turned her head and held out her hand, looking slightly distracted now. But she snapped to attention when the claw sank on her outstretched hand—specifically her finger, which started to bleed.
She made a muttered curse. More magic surged out of her, and she hid the bleeding finger and held the other one to the creature.
The lizard struck again, this time slashing her palm.
Then it ran off, and Nikolai watched as Irene made a run to follow it.
Chapter 6
The night didn’t
start off good, and it looked like it was about to get worse as Irene found herself running as fast as her feet could carry her. The damn stubborn lizard wasn’t giving her a break, and she was about to bleed all over territory where shifters could probably smell her a mile away.
Not a very good idea.
Still, she gritted her teeth and ignored the ache at the soles of her feet, hating running in the first place but not having any choice regarding it. She caught the end of the lizard’s tail as it rounded a tree-filled corner and ran in that direction, too. When she saw the lizard was about to dive into a river source, she let her magic surge through into her fingers.
Then she blasted that magic out towards the lizard, like an invisible lasso spinning around its body.
It protested. It made a hissing sound, one that had nerves coming up from her body. But she banked that down and focused on the power, pulling in the struggling creature and holding it tight a few inches from her, where it tried to claw her face off.
She blasted that power in the lizard until the struggling stopped and the glowing started. When the glow was sufficient enough, doubled at that, she finally, tentatively let it go.
Irene heaved a sigh of relief when the creature nuzzled her arm, licked the blood and sprinted out of sight.
Well, that was fun.
That took a bit of a toll on her, and her knees were starting to shake. Bad thing, because she wasn’t in her territory yet. Irene tried to forget about the muscle pain as she started to walk again, one step after another until she was out of that river area. She kept walking until she got out of shifter territory and returned to the park she passed by earlier, feeling hunger set in and realizing she needed food to get her energy back up.
She froze when she felt something stir in the air, then felt a chill when she turned her head to her right and found something unusual.
The park was not so big, but it was well-kept, with flower patches everywhere and grassy walkways leading to cobblestone pathways to the entrance and exit. To her right, part of the grass was dark, and at first, she thought it was just dead grass. She walked over and studied the dark grass extending to some tall bushes, which led to an offbeat path that no one really took.
Bear Guards: A Paranormal Romance Page 24
