Drake crossed his arms. “Most of us are happy to live under the current law, just as it is.”
So in other words, you’re not outright willing to name Dimitri. “Alright.” She unclipped a pair of spare cuffs. “I’m afraid I’m not quite prepared to interview an entire democracy of vampires tonight,” she said. “Either you will need to leave the room, or Mr. Devine will need to come back to the precinct, so I can finish questioning him.” She eyed Eternity. “And I think we’ll need to take her as well.”
“You’ll never take me alive!” Eternity shrieked, throwing herself in front of Dimitri. “We’ll never give up our secrets to you! Long live the Rebellion!”
“Calm down,” Angela replied, but before she knew it, Eternity had launched herself at Angela, moving at superhuman speed, but Angela was already prepared for the assault. Moving fast, she snatched one of the vials of holy water from her boot, and crushed it into the vampire’s face. Eternity howled in pain and rage, clawing at her face, as she fell back on the floor, her body writhing. “You bitch!” She stood up, shakily, and rushed at Angela again, nearly driving her into the wall. Eternity’s eyes were blazing blood-red, her sharp fangs glistening from the overhead light, her jaw snapping, trying to get a shot at Angela’s throat. Evading, Angela grappled with her, struggling for the upper hand, and they rolled across the floor.
Suddenly, Angela was on top, suddenly grateful for the sword that Cole had given her. Pulling it from the strap on her side, she took a quick swing at Eternity, the blade slicing across the vampire’s throat. Eternity screeched, blood rushing out of the gash, and Angela sliced again, knowing that if she didn’t, the vamp would never stop attacking her. She felt her strength begin to fade, knowing she should shift into bear-form before another attacked her, but too caught up in the struggle against this blood-sucking undead. As warm blood seeped onto her hand, and she knew Eternity was gone, she stood up, as Cole moved in to shield her from Dimitri’s coming attack.
Dimitri screamed, his face twisted with anger and horror. “No! Eternity!” he cried, his own eyes flashing red. “Kill them!” Drake roared, and the vampires charged them. “Kill them both!”
Angela immediately began her transformation into her bear, knowing that her thick hide would better enable her to protect herself from vampire bites. It took a few minutes for the change to start, but then her skin began to ripple, her clothing ripping at the seams, as it stretched with the changing shape of her body. Fangs and fur and claws, and muscle, took shape where there was none before. A long, low, inhuman groan echoed from her lips, as her body continued to stretch and grow, elongating and widening. Dense brown fur sprouted all over her body, and Cole’s breath caught, as she finally took her true form, and he saw her bear for the very first time.
Cole growled, a completely inhuman sound, wanting to join her. He hunched over, as the change rippled over him. Violet-tinged fur began to sprout from his arms, face and the back of his neck, his muscles stretching, the nails peeling back, as thick claws jutted out, and took their place, until his shirt and pants began to tear at the seams to accommodate his massive form. The palms of his hands widened, growing leathery and thick and black, turning into the heavy paws of a bear He was stunningly handsome as a human, but absolutely glorious in bear-form, standing on his hind legs, his claws slicing through the air.
Angela took a similar stance. She rose up on her hind legs to tower over them all, and grabbed the first vampire who reached her, clawing at her throat, before sinking her huge fangs into the vamp’s shoulder. Another vampire bit down on her leg, drawing blood, but she didn’t let go, making sure to sever the vamp’s neck, before turning to handle the other one, chewing on her hamstring. As the battle drove on, blood covered every inch of her, and she spat again, unable to get the taste of vampire blood out of her mouth.
Cole was absolutely stunning in his strength and ability to battle many vampires at once. Not only did he have the size and power, but being half Mage meant that he also had the power of magic on his side. Roaring, and swiping the air with his massive paw as vamp after vamp came at him, he lit balls of fire in both palms, and started hurling them at the vampires who got too close. Screams filled the air, furniture catching on fire, walls erupting in clouds of billowing smoke and ash. The moment the flame contacted a vamp’s skin, their entire body went up in flames. It was absolutely fantastic, and terrifying, all at the same time.
“Retreat!” Dimitri shrieked. “We have to retreat!”
“Where?” Drake roared. “It’s daylight outside, you fool!”
Angela took advantage of the momentary distraction, and lumbered towards Dimitri. Pulling him into her crushing arms, he struggled mightily against her, but she was too big and strong for the vamp. Suddenly, every vampire in the room stopped moving, fearful that if they didn’t surrender, they would all die in the clutches of two powerful bears.
Cole stepped into Drake’s line of sight, his jaws snapping at the terrified vampire. Growling in his face, he raised a claw to his neck, ready to strike.
“T-take Dimitri…” Drake gasped, his face taut with a combination of anger and fear. “Take him… and leave the rest of us be! We surrender!”
Chapter Eight
“I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you for taking Eternity from me! For being filthy loyalists! For betraying your own kind! The Rebellion will burn everything down to the ground, so that those who deserve it can have freedom again!”
Angela growled, as she and Cole walked out of the precinct. Dimitri’s words still echoed in her ears, full of strife and passion, forever memorialized on the computers that recorded his interview, when she and the Captain had sat down to interrogate him. As she suspected, he and his dead girlfriend had been rebels, or at least held the same ideals as rebels. They’d never been in any active rebel groups before, but had jumped at the chance to help the Black Moon Clan kidnap the Commander’s daughter, which is how they’d ended up being involved in this mess.
“It looks like this rebellion could be bigger than we thought,” she said to Cole, as they climbed into his car again, anxious to go grab some food. “From what little we managed to get out of Dimitri, it sounds like my brother’s Clan may have support from other supernatural beings.”
Cole growled, angrily. “I’m sure there are larger groups of rebels who are supporting your brother’s quest for madness and revenge.”
Angela slanted Cole a narrow look. “Sounds like you know more than you’re saying.”
Cole shrugged, as he started the engine of the car. “I’ve heard some rumors over the years, of a larger rebel group orchestrating things in the background. It’s entirely possible your brother, and his clan, were recently recruited, and that this stunt they’re pulling is a test, to prove their worth.” He backed out of the parking lot, and merged smoothly into traffic. “But I don’t have anything concrete, so there’s no point in messing around with speculation.”
“Hmm.” Angela frowned. “Don’t you have any contacts though? People you could ask, who you could get more information out of?”
“It’s possible.” He slanted her a look. “But really, isn’t there a contact you should be taking us to right now?”
“What do you mean?”
Cole pulled into a restaurant parking lot, and eased his car up, to join the queue in the drive-thru. “You’re his sister. Of the two of us, you should be able to gather better Intel on where your brother is located.”
Angela bit her lip. “I’ve been thinking of that.” She sighed. “I didn’t really want to do this… but we may have to go and visit my father.”
Cole actually paled a little. “Visit? As in, meet in person? Why can’t we just call him over the phone?”
Angela snorted. “Asking my father to give up my brother’s location is not the kind of favor you ask for over the phone.”
“Text message, then?”
She looked at him incredulously. “Are you actually afraid of meeting my father?”
&n
bsp; Cole was spared from answering that question, as they rolled up to the drive-thru speaker. They both ordered a mountain’s worth of burgers, and then headed back to Angela’s apartment to polish them off – if there were any left by the time they got there. They’d spent most of the afternoon tied up, between getting grilled by the Captain, and having to fill out a mountain of paperwork – all perfectly normal occurrences, when a house call turned into a vampire killing, or in this case several vampire killings – so the sun was setting over the bay now, streaking the sky gold and orange and deep pink.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Angela groused, around a mouthful of juicy hamburger. She tried to glare at Cole, but the effect was somewhat lost by the grease dribbling down her chin, so she swiped hastily for a napkin, and wiped at her face. “Are you seriously afraid of meeting my father?”
“I didn’t think we were at the ‘meet the parents’ stage of our relationship,” he replied with a teasing grin. “But no, not really. It’s just that once he realizes you’re partnered with a half-shifter who is also part Mage, things will probably get ugly.”
Angela nodded, thoughtfully. “Probably, but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to talk to him, if it brings Raina home. As for being at the meet-the-parents stage, if we didn’t need information from him, I would skip that whole process. Not because I care what he thinks – I don’t. But because his approval isn’t necessary.” She reached over, and ran her fingertips over his arm. “Besides, it’s not like I’d be able to meet your parents anyway. Or would I?” she frowned, remembering that as part Mage, he was probably too old to have living relatives.
Cole’s face tightened, and she felt a stab of guilt for even bringing it up. But after a moment, his expression smoothed, and he simply shrugged. “My mother, no. She’s been dead for years, so far as I know. As for my father, I suppose it’s possible, but I don’t really know who he is. Judging by the powers I’ve inherited, he must have been a high-level mage, but that doesn’t mean he’s still alive. And I doubt it would end well for me, even if I did know how to find him.” He clenched his jaw.
Angela reached for his hand, her heart aching with a combination of guilt and sadness. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he shrugged, and his expression relaxed again. “Go on, get eating. We’ll need our strength.” He winked, and finished eating his burger. Once done, they drove the rest of the way in silence, holding hands, but in deep, quiet thought.
Cole didn’t speak again, until they were back up at her apartment, sitting in her living room and polishing off a bottle of wine. “Look,” he said, taking a sip, “The fact that I’m uncomfortable with the idea of having to meet with your father, doesn’t change the fact that he’s the best chance we’ve got at rescuing Raina.” He snuggled closer to where she was sitting on the sofa. “I’ve reached out to some of my contacts for more information, and I’m sure I’ll hear something soon, but we’re running out of time…I’ll do whatever is needed to find her, Angela. And if that means meeting dear old Dad, I’m in.”
“Thank you.” Angela pulled him in for a soft, heartfelt kiss. “I know how hard something like this has to be for you, and I appreciate you putting aside your feelings for me.”
“Bah.” He turned his face away, but she caught the blush staining his cheeks, and grinned. “I can handle him.”
“Oh, no doubt about that,” she teased, curling against him. The smile faded from her lips, as he looked down at her, and she was mesmerized by his violet eyes. “To be clear though, expressing your emotions doesn’t make you weak. It just makes you mortal. You know, like the rest of us.”
He quirked his lips. “I’m over two thousand years old. I think that makes me a little different than the rest of you.”
“Different? Certainly. And definitely an old geezer.” She giggled, before climbing onto his lap. She kissed him again, crushing his mouth with hers, pushing him back against the love seat. Her fingers pulled hastily at the buttons on his shirt, opening it up, so she could run her hands up and down the hardened muscles of his chest.”
“Damn you, woman,” he growled against her mouth, when she ran her fingernails across his chest. “Let’s go to bed.” He sprang to his feet before she could answer, and she squealed, wrapping her arms and legs tightly around him, as he walked with her to the bedroom, just like the first time they were together.
“Well aren’t you bossy,” she teased, as he laid her down amongst the messy sheets of her unmade bed.
“My personnel report says I have a take-charge attitude,” he chuckled, as he unzipped her jacket, and opened it.
“I believe it,” she murmured, sitting up so he could help her out of her jacket. His fingers immediately went to the hem of her shirt, and he pulled it over her head, and tossed it aside.
“You’re so beautiful,” he replied, ignoring her sarcasm. “Even when you sleep. Now, relax,” he said, laughing as he pushed her back down on the bed. “This is going to take all night.”
“Oh, yeah?” She began to relax, and then stiffened again, as another thought occurred to her. “Wait. What do you mean…even when I’m asleep?”
He paused, in the middle of kissing his way up her abdomen. “I meant just what I said. You’re just as beautiful when you’re off in dreamland.”
“And why exactly would you watch me while I slept?”
He flushed guiltily. “I heard you crying in the night… it woke me, and then I just couldn’t get back to sleep.”
The vulnerable look on his face tugged at her heartstrings.
“I had no idea,” she said, running a hand through her hair. “I’m sorry that I woke you. I didn’t even realize I had been crying. I guess I just miss Raina, and I’m worried.”
He nodded, his face solemn. “We’re going to get her back, Angela. You have my word on that.” He ran his fingers over her cheek softly, before leaning in to capture her lips in a soft, sweet kiss. “But right now, you have way too many clothes on.” He tugged off her jeans, and panties, in one swift motion. Before she knew what was happening, he’d buried his face between her legs, and started licking her pussy.
“Cole!” she gasped as he flicked her clit with his soft, skilled tongue. A low groan echoed from her throat, as her hips rocked involuntarily against his mouth, pressing herself more firmly against him. The tension building inside her spiked even further when he slid two fingers inside her, and began massaging her g-spot.
“God yes,” she groaned, rubbing herself shamelessly against him. He locked gazes with her, as he continued to please her, the look in his violet eyes so hot and intense, that she came right then and there.
“Jesus,” she panted when he sat back, licking his lips like a cat, who’d just thoroughly enjoyed his bowl of cream. “That was incredible.”
“Good.” He grinned at her, then pulled her against him for a long kiss. The taste of her pussy on his tongue was incredibly erotic, and she grew wet all over again. She heard a clink, as he undid his belt buckle, and then in the next second, he pulled her on top of him, spearing her with the hard, thick length of his cock.
“Oh yes, baby,” he groaned, his entire body going rigid.
Angela looked down at his face, worried that she’d hurt him somehow, but the rapture tightening his face assured her otherwise. Smiling, she braced her hands on his broad shoulders, and began to move up and down, slowly working his shaft. His eyes began to glow that unearthly violet again, that gorgeous color that told her he was on the verge of losing it. But rather than coming, he ducked his head down, pulling one of her nipples in his mouth, sucking greedily.
“Oh!” She felt her body tense and buzz with adrenaline, and she knew she was at the point of no return, as he bit down on her nipple, the waves of pleasure taking her by surprise. His growls told her that he was right behind her, following her lead, and when she collapsed against him, her head lying on his broad chest, a satisfied smile curled her lips, and she felt herself relax against him.
; “Well, I’m glad we got that out of our system.” Leaning back, she squeezed his arm, and then kissed him. “At least you’ll be in a good mood, when we go to talk to my father.”
He groaned. “I don’t know about that. Maybe we should try this again, just to be sure?”
Chapter Nine
A few hours later, Cole was easing his car along a dirt road, winding up a hill in Big Sur. “You didn’t tell me your father lived out in the middle of nowhere,” he said irritably, downshifting.
“Yeah, well we’re a bit more of a rural clan,” Angela replied, leaning back in her seat, and looking not at all concerned about the fact that they were driving up a dirt road, with no rail guard at all to keep them from falling straight over the side, if something were to happen like, say, an earthquake. “Dad likes the freedom of being able to run around in his bear form, as do most of the others. He has a pretty live-and-let-live philosophy.”
“I see.” Cole frowned, as he tried to imagine what that must have been like. “I have to admit I haven’t spent too much time in my bear form.”
“Really? How come? You’re so beautiful as a bear.”
“After I was thrown out of my mother’s clan, it was dangerous to walk around as a bear shifter,” he said darkly. “Most lower level mages, at a glance, can’t tell that I’m different from them, so it was easier for me to blend in with them. I honestly can’t even remember the last time I shifted before the other day.”
“Well that explains a lot.”
Cole glanced sideways at her. “What do you mean?”
She shrugged. “Usually when shifters get angry or emotional, their eyes turn orange and their fangs and claws come out. But with you, your eyes just turn that crazy amazing violet.” She squeezed his forearm gently. “If it weren’t for my nose, I’m not sure I could tell that you were a shifter either.”
Bearly Magic: (Bear Meets Girl: BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Werebear Romance) Page 8
