With a look of regret; Aria nodded, taking a step back from the bed. Standing guard at his side, she watched. Glancing back toward the bloody mess that Dr. Vega was working on, Aria winced as Robert jerked with pain.
Setting the knife aside, Gabriella used a thick bundle of gauze to wipe at the wound as she inspected her work. She could see the bullet now. With some luck, she would be able to yank it out in one smooth motion. Grabbing the tweezers, she shifted her focus to Aria.
“I can see it.” Trailing her gaze over to Robert’s sweaty face, she gave him a firm look. “I’m going to try and retrieve it now. But I need you to remain still. If you move, I could do worse damage than I could help.”
Tense with pain, he nodded. “Do your worst, Doc.”
Pressing her fingers to either side of the enlarged wound, Gabriella ignored the twinge of pain in her shoulder as she held his thigh down. Taking a breath, she prayed that she knew what she was doing.
* ~ * ~ *
Walking out of the bedroom, Aria released a breath of relief. Robert was fine. Lucky for them, Dr. Vega was able to remove the bullet and stop the bleeding. Thanks to his shifter healing, the wound was already closing up. Feeling that their guest posed no danger to her patient, Aria left to check on Doyle.
She could understand his resentment towards Dr. Vega. He’d been there with her over the last few months as she regained her memories of her early days as Malca’s lab rat. Nightmares of being strapped down to a table as scientists injected and experimented on her had filled their nights. But every time she awoke in the grips of her horrific memories; Doyle had been there.
Doyle stood in the kitchen area with his back to her. His shoulders were tense with anger as his hands curled around the edge of the cracked counter top. By the door, she saw Eric leaning his shoulder against the front door as he watched them. If she had to guess, he wasn’t simply leaning against the door because it was a comfy spot. He was blocking Doyle’s only escape route in case he got it into his head to go after the men that shot Robert. She was grateful for that at least.
Glancing around the rest of the living room, Aria nearly scoffed as she saw that Athena had not returned yet. Upon Eric, Robert and Dr. Vega arriving, Athena quickly ran out the bedroom window, before disappearing she’d tossed over her shoulder, “Mind the glass.”
Whatever that was supposed to mean…
Moving forward, she saw the change in Doyle the moment he realized she was behind him. The tension in his posture melted away like ice as he turned to look over his shoulder at her. Coming to a stop in front of him, she didn’t wait for his arms to enfold her. Wrapping her arms around his waist, Aria rested her head against his chest. Not soon after, she smiled softly as his heavy arms coiled around her, pulling her closer.
“How is he?” His warm breath feathered against her temple as he rested his cheek against her crown.
Pulling back, Aria’s hands slid along Doyle’s forearms with reassurance. “He’s fine. I bet in an hour the wound will be completely healed now that the bullet is out.”
“Is it safe to leave her alone with him?” Eric asked, moving away from the door.
Pulling back and turning around in Doyle’s warm embrace, Aria nodded. “Yes. Robert may be wounded, but he’s not helpless.”
Nodding, Eric raised his dark eyes above her head to Doyle. “What do you want to do now?”
Settling his hands on Aria’s shoulder, Doyle hesitated before speaking. “That’s up to Aria.” Then as if on cue, Aria felt the heat of both sets of eyes looking to her in question.
“What was she like on the drive up here?” Aria asked, accepting the authority that was just handed to her.
“What do you mean?” Moving toward the kitchen table, Eric settled lazily into a chair as Aria followed him.
“Did she fight you? Was it difficult to get her here?”
“Well we were being shot at so—not really. If I had to guess; I’d say survival is that woman’s first priority.”
“What are you thinking, Aria?” Doyle asked from behind her.
“We can’t keep her here. Even if she is compliant now—that doesn’t mean she’ll stay that way.” Turning to the side, she looked at Doyle with a conceding look. “We’ll have to take her to the compound; we can keep her where you kept Raoul before.”
“And then what happens?”
* ~ * ~ *
As the softly spoken question escaped her lips, Gabriella could feel her throat tighten with anxiety as all eyes turned to look at her. Stepping out into the living room with her arm slung around Robert’s waist she assisted him as he walked across the floor.
Helping Robert to the couch, Gabriella winced as the movement pulled at her injured shoulder, though she made no complaints. Her mild injury was the least of her worries now. Turning back to the group that had been discussing her fate not moments ago, she repeated her question.
“What happens now?”
No one’s answer came. She was only confronted with the hard stares of Doyle and Aria as they seemed to be deciding what to tell her. Eric—much to her relief had a relaxed expression on his face; giving her a small spark of hope.
“I see you still have a leg left, Robert. Good for you.” Eric pointed out with a slight grin.
Stretching his bandaged leg out in front of him, Robert grimaced with the movement, but didn’t reply to Eric’s teasing.
Watching their exchange, Gabriella felt her lips curl despite how nervous she felt. Clearing her throat, she crossed her arms over her chest, turning her attention to the three in front of her.
“I want to know what is going on. Why did you really bring me here? And what was it that I really saw in the woods?” The last question was directed at Eric; who much to her surprised flinched with guilt.
Ignoring her completely, Doyle turned to face the guilty looking werewolf. “What is she talking about?” He asked, each word hissed out between clenched teeth. At first Eric avoided looking at Doyle; much less answering his question. Turning his accusing gaze to Robert next, Doyle received the same avoiding gaze.
“Guys?” Aria asked with a raised eyebrow.
Meeting Doyle’s gaze, Eric rubbed at the back of his neck in aggravation. “She saw me.”
With realization, Aria sighed heavily, her hand reaching up to cover her eyes. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Stepping around Aria, Doyle approached the werewolf with a vengeful look. “You did what?!” he growled out, sounding more like a feral animal than a man.
Taking a step away from Robert even as he tried to prevent it, Gabriella took a courageous step toward the three that were ignoring her questions. “I deserve to know what is going on here. And if no one is going to tell me, I see no reason to stay here.”
Rolling her eyes at her persistence, Aria shook her head with amusement. “You’re not going anywhere. Sit down and shut up.”
“Or what? Is this where you kill me, Aria? Torture me? Trust me there is nothing you can do to me that Malca won’t do and worse.”
Scoffing, Aria rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic. None of us here are going to kill you.”
Huffing with disbelief, Gabriella eyed the woman before her with mistrust. “But you do still kill people, don’t you? How many enhanced soldiers have you killed since your escape?”
“I fight for my survival and the safety of my family.” Aria bit out. A grateful glow filled her hard gaze as Doyle’s fingers intertwined with hers as he came to stand beside her, gripping her hand with reassurance.
“Hey, guys—” Robert began but was cut off.
“And how thin is that line between your survival and Malca’s ambition? What do you plan to do if I refuse to give you whatever you brought me here for? You’re not fooling me for a second. Robert tried to tell me otherwise, but I see no difference between Malca and you.”
“Guys, stop and listen—” Robert began again but was drowned out by Doyle’s enraged roar.
“Take back what
you said!” He snarled at Gabriella.
Startled, Gabriella jumped back as Doyle’s eyes began to glow brightly as he took a threatening step towards her. Reaching out, Aria laid a staying hand against the front of his t-shirt before Doyle could take another step. Her eyes widened as Doyle’s fingers transformed, growing deadly claws that he held clenched tightly at his sides.
“What kind of monster are you?” She gasped out in fear.
Darting towards the door, Gabriella found her hopes of escaping dashed as Eric exploded out of his chair. Moving too quick for her to anticipate, Eric now blocked her way out. His lip curling slightly as a soft rumbled echoed through his chest.
“That’s enough!” Robert roared out, drawing everyone’s attention. “Everyone shut up and listen to me. We aren’t alone anymore.”
His warning look, forced Doyle to look past the anger that clouded his mind. His bear inwardly snarled as he realized Robert was right. He could feel a shift in the air, warning his senses that a threat was near. Inhaling deeply as he moved toward the kitchen window, his eyes widened as he saw ten heavily armed men heading toward his cabin. Before he could move, one lifted a wide barreled gun toward the window.
“Get down!” He yelled, spinning around, wrapping his arms around Aria as he jerked her to the floor. With a thundering explosion, the window shattered, raining shards over his curled body as he shielded Aria. A small clump of metal landed beside them before a heavy cloud of smoke began to fill the room. Both Robert and Eric moved to cover Gabriella as she fell to her knees.
“Smoke grenade.” Aria gasped out, covering her mouth and nose. “It’s Malca! Move!” Shoving out of Doyle’s arms, she jumped to her feet. “Quick! Everyone get to the bedroom!”
Coughing on the increasing smoke as several more grenades flew through the broken window; Doyle shook his head as he gripped Aria by her arm, jerking her to a stop. “There are three shifters here plus you. We can’t run.”
“We can’t hide either. Do as I say, Doyle. There are too many.” Jerking her arm free, Aria blindly rushed across the living room to Gabriella’s fallen form. Shoving Eric and Robert away, she jerked Malca’s scientist to her feet. “Let’s go if you want to live! Eric; help Robert!”
Eric quickly jerked Robert to his feet as he rushed to follow Aria’s orders. Doyle was the last to rush into the bedroom before slamming to door closed. Rushing to the dresser, Aria jerked the bottom drawer open to pull out a small wooden box.
Tossing it on the bed, she jerked the lid off to reveal her Glock43 handgun and two explosive grenades. As Aria pulled out the grenades to toss one to Doyle who caught it, Gabriella’s eyes widened with fear. Now that Malca had found them, they were going to blow themselves up?!
“You’re crazy!” She gasped out. “You’re plan is to kill us all?” She nearly screeched.
“The only ones that are going to die around here are those soldiers. If anyone is crazy here, it’s me. I’ll kill every last one of them if they think to lay a finger on my mate.” Doyle hissed out dangerously.
Shoving Eric’s assisting hand away; Robert pulled his petrified mate away from the window as Aria flicked the safety off her gun. Pointing at the window, she fired off two rounds and shattering the window. Through the barrier of the bedroom door the sound of the Malca’s soldier’s breaking into the cabin had Gabriella clutching at Robert with fear.
“Time to go!” Aria said while she tucked her gun inside the waistband of her jeans. Nodding at Eric and Robert, she smirked before saying, “Mind the glass.”
Before Gabriella could guess what was happening she was scooped up in Robert’s arms a moment before he leapt out the window with Eric behind them. Landing in a crouched position, he lowered her to her feet.
“Let’s go.” Eric said. Jerking his jeans down to his ankles in a quick movement, his body quickly shifted into the form of a wolf. Gripping his pants between his teeth, Eric disappeared through the trees ahead of them.
“I don’t have time to explain, so just don’t freak out.” Robert huffed out beside her. Turning to look at Robert, Gabriella’s question died on her tongue as Robert’s body began to grow faster than the incredible hulk. His hands grew large claws and his face grew into a large muzzle. A silent scream froze in her throat as seven foot tall grizzly bear stood before her.
Before she could react the bear charged at her, lunging toward her stomach, Gabriella found herself tossed onto the back of the giant beast as it surged forward. Gasping in terror, her fingers tightened around the chocolate fur as she struggled to keep from falling.
Ignoring the screaming in her mind at what was going on; she tightened her legs against the bear’s sides as they raced far from the cabin.
“Robert.” She gasped out as her body was jostled with his rushed movements. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”
* ~ * ~ *
Glancing over her shoulder as a wolf and a large grizzly bear with Dr. Vega clutching at its back, sped away from the cabin, Aria turned back to Doyle who waited by the door.
“They’re gone.”
Smirking, he strode towards her with a bag slung over his shoulder. “Guess it’s only right we follow them.”
Since Doyle had shoved the bed against the door, Malca’s soldiers fought to shove through but it wouldn’t hold them for much longer. Attached to the door was a length of string that led to the pins of the grenades that were attached to the overturned bed. Once they broke through, Malca’s soldiers were in for a surprise.
Sweeping Aria up in his arms Doyle jumped out the window before handing the bag of their precious belonging to her.
“Ride me?”
Laughing, Aria tossed the long strap of the bag over her head to lie across her chest. “Like you need to ask.”
Shifting into his other form, Aria quickly climbed onto his back before Doyle took off like a race horse. Looking over her shoulder as they raced away, she watched as the cabin exploded into flames and smoke.
She was just starting to like that cabin.
12
Aware that someone was hovering over her, climbing up from layers of sleep, Gabriella opened her eyes. Sitting at the end of her recovery bed was a young girl with flowing fiery hair and startling green eyes. The girl appeared to be no older than twenty if Gabriella had to guess. Narrowing her eyes in contemplation, she felt like she’d seen this girl somewhere else before.
Before she could ponder long on the strange girl that watched her like a hawk, the events of the previous day flashed back before her eyes. She remembered running for her life three times in one day and she remembered the terrifying sight of Robert taking on the form of a vicious grizzly bear. But after barely escaping the cabin before that crazy Arianna Koski and her monster of a partner blew it up, she couldn’t seem to remember anything else; much less where she was.
“You’re at the compound.” The girl said with ease before Gabriella could even form her question. “I’ve been waiting hours for you to get up. I guess you didn’t get too much sleep with a stud muffin like Robert Mackenzie cuddling with you the last time you slept. Not that I blame you. No way would I sleep if he had his hands on me; no sir.” The girl said with a knowing grin as she arched her back in a cat-like stretch.
Shoving at the thin blanket that covered her from the waist down, Gabriella slipped out of the bed. The girl said they were at “the compound”, whatever that meant. Looking around, it appeared that she was in a recovery room of a hospital. The knowledge made her heart skip a beat. Had Malca gotten them? Where was Robert?
Jumping off the bed with a graceful leap, the girl landed right in front of Gabriella with a smile. “He’s getting looked at by the doctor. You should have heard him earlier moaning and groaning. The doctor nearly had to strap him down and drug him.”
Her fear meter suddenly sky rocketed with the girl’s words. Malca must have captured them. If she knew what Robert was—whatever he was...it would mean death or worse for him. Shoving past the smiling girl,
Gabriella jerked the pale door of her room open. Stepping out into an equally pale hallway, she jerked her head down the long hallway in both directions. She forced herself to jump out of the way when the girl rushed past her and nearly knocked her down.
“I know where he is. Follow me.” Not waiting for a reply, the girl rushed down the bright hallway to the left. Her tiny bare feet barely made a sound as she dashed away. Not waiting to debate her course of action, Gabriella followed after the strange red head. Once they neared the end of the brightly lit hall, Gabriella followed as she was led into a storage room. The room was a maze of steel shelves holding hundreds of boxes. They weaved through towering shelves toward doorway. Without warning Gabriella’s guide spun around toward her and shoved her into a dark corner between two shelves.
Startled, Gabriella gasped. “What are you—” Her words were cut off as the girl slapped both her small hands over her mouth to silence her.
“Shush! They’ll hear you.”
For a moment, neither of them moved. Gabriella strained to hear anything that might indicate that they weren’t alone, but there was nothing. Just when she was about to shove the girl’s hand off her mouth, she heard it then. Two sets of heavy footsteps coming towards them. Pressing against the side of one shelve, Gabriella watched as two large men slowly move right past them.
Both were dressed in dark t-shirts that hugged their wide muscular chests and matching cargo pants. At their hips was a holstered handgun and something that looked to be a sheath blade. Neither of them looked to be one of Malca’s soldiers. They seemed too…different.
Dropping her hands from Gabriella’s mouth, the girl gently pushed between two boxes at eye level, peering through the space she watched the two men until they disappeared from sight. Sighing with relief, she turned away from the shelf with an apologetic look. “Sorry about that. It’s just…I’m not supposed to be down here, so I can’t be seen.”
Moving past her, Gabriella stood at the edge of the shelves. Glancing left and right to make sure they were alone once again, she turned back to face her strange companion. “Alright, I want some answers.”
Big, Bold & Bearing (Grizzly Affairs Book 2) Page 14
