“What can I do to make this better for you?”
Heart near bursting with gratitude, she snuggled closer. “Please don’t think I’m a wimp or immature. Everything happened so fast, it took me by surprise. Just knowing someone died to re-capture me… it’s scary. Freaked me out,” she murmured as her cheeks flamed in remembrance of her actions earlier. She’d been a complete basket case. The dim building, muffled sounds from outside, the inability to flee. Those few things, collectively, unlocked the terror that had burrowed deep in the recesses of her mind and she lost it. Swallowing hard, she placed that information on hold.
“When will this be over?” she asked the question wedged in her mind from the moment she realized those men had come for her. How long would they hide? Would she ever be able to go to the mall or movies without Tag? The future didn’t look nearly as bright as it had before.
“I’d like to go and take care of it tonight.”
The certainty in his voice surprised her. Lifting from the warmth of his chest, she looked down. “Tonight? You know who did this?” She searched his face and wondered at his lack of response.
“The bus. How’d you know I was on that bus?”
“Your scent.”
Frowning, she placed her arms on the side of the bed next to his arms. “You smelled me on a moving bus?”
“No. The guy in the bus stop had on your clothes.”
Her head jerked back. “Whaaat? Somebody had on my clothes? When? Where? Who?”
The look on his face said they’d discussed this already but she didn’t remember anyone wearing her clothes. His palm ran down the length of her back as he explained his search.
“Your ability to smell things is that strong?”
“Yes.”
“And you never forget a scent or something you see?”
“Haven’t so far but Mom says I’m still a cub, so…” he shrugged as his fingers played with strands of her hair, twirling and rubbing them.
Her gaze dropped to his muscled chest, thick arms and neck. “You’re a baby bear?” No way would she believe that.
“We develop slower, pregnancies are longer and we stay with our parents until marriage unless our jobs take us away.” He wiggled his brows and grinned boyishly.
Longer pregnancies, living with parents, slower development - they’d definitely discuss those issues after she got her life back.
“So you know where Rex Green lives? Can we call the police? Tell them he kidnapped me? What about that detective who came to the condo, should I talk to him?” She really didn’t want Tag to shoot anybody else and if the cops arrested this guy she wouldn’t know or see what happened.
“Yes, to Green and Jenson’s addresses. What proof do you have that Green had you taken? You can’t talk about Grizzle –”
“No, I tried and my mouth won’t say the words.”
He frowned and tapped her nose. “Don’t try.”
“Had to test it,” she said moving out of the way of his finger. “Okay, so no proof to report Green or Jensen. What do we do?” Whining over the situation on the night of her mating sucked but escaping kidnappers who wanted to sell her filled her mind leaving room for little else.
“I can go and handle this tonight. No one can get in here.”
Camilla heard the hope in his voice as terror seized her lungs at the idea of being left alone below ground wondering unimaginable things.
She gasped, rolled to the side and tried to force air into her lungs. Her mind clouded as she fought to remain coherent. Through the fog, she saw a man placing his arm around her waist, propelling her across the grass. Helpless, she couldn’t stop him. “Oh God, no,” she moaned holding her throat. A large, dark veil ripped in half in her mind. Flashes, like snapshots on a loop went off in her mind - of the park, the car, IV bags in a dark, dank room, voices of women crying and wailing. Heart racing, she struggled to break free from the grip of the rubber tubing and tumbled into darkness.
“Camilla. Please baby, come back to me. Camilla… Camilla… please...”
Water wet her neck and ran down her shoulder. The bed moved beneath the heaving motion from his chest. “Baby, please…” he said in a hoarse voice, lying across her side, with his face in the crook of his neck as he wept.
Tag’s despair freed her from her own. She stroked his head murmuring soft words of comfort, promising him everything would be fine.
When he leaned up on his arms, her heart broke in tiny pieces. Red-rimmed eyes stared down at her. “You remembered?”
Camilla didn’t need him to spell it out. Unable to push the words through her mouth, she nodded.
He breathed deep. “Baby, I’m so sorry. I’ll kill that bastard, both of them.”
Her palm cupped his cheek and his pain and determination to avenge her were evident. A part of her lightened, loving how he came to her defense. Other than her mom and her roommates, no one had ever done that. On the other hand… hmm, was there a downside?
“They need to be stopped...” But did she want him to be the one to stop them? What if he and Grizzle got hurt? Inwardly she groaned at how selfish she sounded after the gut-wrenching moments they both just experienced.
“Selling anyone is wrong. The way I look at it, I’ll just help the law stop a criminal permanently.”
“Earlier today, when I was locked in the building, it ALL came back.”
“Oh my God,” he gasped and stared at her, stricken. His face lost all color and swallowed hard, repeatedly. “I’m so sorry, I never thought…please forgive me. No wonder you were … please, please forgive me.” The raw pain in his voice scraped against her heart.
Hugging him close, this time she assured him that everything would be fine, that she was better now, because of him. He saved her life more than once and she was grateful.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“I think I should.” She snuggled closer into his warm embrace.
“How much do you remember?”
“There were other women in there, wherever they took me; I remember hearing them cry and beg. Some were raped by the men, others beaten.” Her throat tightened at the painful memories. “You’re right, that bastard should be shot and Daddy taught me to shoot. Give me your gun.” Well, she didn’t think she could actually do it but right at that moment, she wanted him stopped even as her mind shied away from the word “dead.”
“Do you have any idea where he hid you?”
Closing her eyes, she ventured into the shadowy abyss of her memories, allowing them to surface so she could face them. “Concrete walls, rows of beds with chains and handcuffs, as if we were fucking animals. Pee, piss…” she choked as the smell returned. “Oh my God, how could I forget how bad that place smelled? Lots of movement, footsteps passing the bed, like I said voices.” Camilla released a long breath and shook her head. Sweat rolled down her forehead as she gathered her wits and slammed the door on that horrific experience in her life.
“That’s all I remember, sorry.”
His lips brushed against hers in that way she loved, making her toes curl. “It’s okay. I’ll find it.”
“I need to go with you.” He tensed before leaning up on his arms and staring into her eyes for a long moment. “Staying here alone, waiting, scared alone? I can’t.”
“What if I took you to the place where Ryan is, just until I finish this. Remember you said they’d use you as leverage against me and you were right.”
“I thought no one could see him?”
“Well, technically you can’t but this is an emergency.”
“Where is he?”
“Would you remain there while I finish this?” he asked again.
As much as she loved her cousin, she didn’t want to be separated from Tag. But she was no fighter and it had been years since she handled a gun. Bottom line, she’d be no assistance to him at all. Actually, she’d be a liability.
“You’ll take your guns?”
“Answer me this,” he said. “I
f someone came after one of our cubs, babies and the only way to stop them was with a gun, would you use it?”
She jerked. “Yes. I wouldn’t hesitate to protect my kids.” Violence wasn’t the answer but no one would hurt her babies.
He placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Neither would I. You’re the most important person in the world to me, so yes, I’m taking my guns. Grizzle would tear anyone who threatens you apart but we can’t allow that.”
At the mention of Grizzle, her heart melted. “Let him out so I can spend time with him.”
Smiling, Tag flowed into his beast.
Standing on all fours, Grizzle grunted as she wrapped her arms around him, comfortable with the bristly, dark fur.
“Behave, I need you and Tag to work together, okay?” When he grunted Camilla stepped back and looked into his eyes. “I love you too, Grizzle, be good and bring Tag back home safe.”
Grizzle’s large head went up and down as he grunted and whined.
Camilla laughed and moved to lay on his back. Grizzle lay on the floor with his head on his paws. She sighed as she stroked his fur.
“When this is over and we’re free to live as a couple, we’re going to spend more time in the pool house with you in this form. Now I understand why it’s so big,” she said.
Grizzle grunted.
Silence filled the room, the perfect backdrop to find her backbone and do what needed to be done. She couldn’t go with Tag, not yet. Visions of Lara Croft crept into her mind and she wished she could recall how to shoot a gun.
A few minutes later, Tag took his human form.
“How far away is Ryan?”
“Does that mean you’ll go?”
Camilla nodded. “I’ll stay there until you come back for me.” Seeing the relief roll across his face confirmed she’d made the right decision. Tag rolled to the side of the bed, grabbed his cell and placed a call.
He talked for a few minutes then turned to her. “It’s a go. Not tonight, they need to make preparations for you. Tomorrow.” He tossed his phone to the side and jumped on the bed, landing on top of her.
Camilla squealed and tried to inch away. Tag grabbed her hips and pulled her back beneath him.
“Where are you going, mate?” He asked in a husky voice that stroked her core.
“Nowhere, now.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, as a feeling of love and security swept over her and seeped into her skin. “This is the only place I want to be.”
He stopped placing kisses on her face and met her gaze. “Same here. Tonight is all about you, your pleasure. Tomorrow, close your eyes and remember this moment, it will be branded in your mind, I promise.”
Camilla wiggled beneath him. “Promises, promises.” She winked.
“I make good on all my promises, baby girl, wait and see.” He pushed downward as her hands rested on the back of his head.
She gasped and made a noise that sounded like, amen.
Chapter 30
Tag spent a day and a half searching for Jensen with no luck. Camilla worried he was too hyped and needed to employ more patience. That sage piece of advice had been their last conversation three hours ago. But, the man had vanished. After wasting the morning waiting for someone to open the travel agency, Tag left to search the buildings Jensen owned. When searching for Camilla, he had visited the first four locations on the list so he took up where he left off. The first two were vacant residential homes in moderate income subdivisions.
Driving south, he reached the next property on the list. The address belonged to a series of buildings identified independently with an alphabet beginning with A and, from what he could see, ended with M. Great. Less than 10 cars were in the parking lot which he thought strange considering the number of buildings and today being a weekday.
The large, two-story, masonry buildings were equipped with roll-up doors, smaller side doors and high, narrow, rectangular windows. Ventilation systems created a large buzz in the air. Smoke curled and dissipated from a few areas. Asphalt walkways, surrounded by pockets of grass and rock beds, curved in various directions creating the means to locate the desired building.
Exiting his car, Tag strode toward the closest path, inhaled then coughed. Something in the air tickled his throat and burned his nose. He turned and walked back toward the parking area. Leaning forward, hands on knees, he snorted to clear his nose. When he inhaled clean air, he searched for human life in the buildings and found several which wasn’t surprising given the number of cars in the parking lot.
With slow precision, he broke down the scents and searched for Jensen then Green. The pungent odor of urine knocked him back. “What the hell?” he murmured wondering if the plumbing pipes failed somewhere nearby.
“Pee, piss, how could I forget how bad that place smelled?” Tag jerked as Camilla’s accounting of the place where she’d been held rose to the surface. Inhaling again, he located the area containing the smell. It was in the back. He returned to his car, grabbing his pistol and ammo from the glove compartment. His adrenaline spiked as traces of Green’s scent reached him and were in the same direction. Heart pounding, he took off at a fast pace. Man and Grizzle both hunted their prey. The numbing odor assaulted his senses again and he lost his tracking ability. Rather than allow Green a second chance to escape, Tag continued and hoped the air would clear as he moved closer.
Four concrete, two-story, block buildings, the lengths of medium-sized churches, were surrounded by all the other buildings with one way in and out. The soft whirring of security cameras drew his attention as he stepped between the structures. Fortunately, the odor dissipated and the urine smell pulled him to the middle nondescript building. Pulling out his phone, he placed a call.
Tag stood next to the building in front of the one he needed to enter when the door opened and Rex Green walked out. The man did a double take when he saw Tag. Green pulled out his pistol, fired and yelled for back-up.
Tag ran around the building and came up the side as he twisted his silencer in place. Inhaling, he inched closer to the edge of one of the buildings and took aim. He made two shots, taking out two men before he ran to the next building. Looking around he realized he needed to get up high. Pistol secured, he ran fast and leapt 23 feet in the air. One hand caught the edge of the rooftop. Breathing hard, he grabbed the hot metal with both hands and swung. His feet caught hold of the metal trim on the roof.
Fire shot through his palms as heat sizzled against his skin. He took another breath and half-rolled, half-climbed onto the top. Quickly he moved to the middle area as men scrambled below searching for him. Stooped, he moved to a position where he could find Green.
The coward either returned to the building or sat hiding in his car. Tag cursed the missed opportunity to put a bullet between Green’s eyes.
“Find that son of a bitch,” Green yelled.
Tag inhaled and moved to the far end of the building. Green stood beneath a small porch barking out orders. Tag lay on his stomach, inhaled and started to shoot when the bastard moved. Jaw clenched, his gaze never left Green. He pulled the trigger just as Green turned and the bullet slammed into his shoulder instead of his heart. Tag backed away as the men yelled and pointed in his direction.
Green’s scream of pain filled the air. Tag knew it wouldn’t be long before men poured out onto the rooftops. Leaping from building to building, he came to the end and jumped down. He fell and rolled right in the path of two men running with pistols drawn.
One Grizzle, one black bear.
Grizzle roared, wanting a chance to take them apart. Before he could draw his weapon, they opened fire, hitting him in the arms and legs. After a brief pat down, they took his gun.
None of the shots would kill him but they slowed him down if he didn’t shift. The grizzly grabbed him beneath his arm and dragged him inside the building. The black bear locked the door behind them. Away from prying eyes, an angry Grizzle took over.
Tag leapt forward just as the two men shifted into thei
r beasts. Excited, Grizzle ducked the first blow and dodged out of the way of the running black bear who hit the brick wall and fumbled around slowly before sitting on the ground.
Tag took several blows to the side of the head and connected a few of his own. The fight was fierce, much different than anything he’d experienced in the past. Similar in height and size, his opponent was quick, his claws deadly and it was obvious from the start that killing Tag was his goal.
Locked in battle, Tag used his claws and huge incisors to gain traction. So did his opponent. Evenly matched, in the end it would come down to who tired first. Body battered and bruised, Tag’s energy waned. His opponent didn’t appear to lose any steam and connected more damaging blows. Blood ran down his chest. His face throbbed as the last blow knocked him on his ass.
Camilla. Her image floated across Tag’s mind. What would happen to her if he failed? Pushing from the floor, he leapt forward and embedded his five-inch claws into his opponent’s chest, piercing his heart. The grizzly beat at Tag, trying to dislodge him. Tag began digging, going deeper. His opponent roared and rocked backward as if intoxicated. Curling his hand, he pulled it out and moved to the side as the grizzly dropped to his knees then returned to human.
Tag returned to his human form and said a prayer of thanks for his military training. The black bear, now human, shot him.
Not again. He jumped and fell to the floor behind a large roll of aluminum. Where the hell was his gun? He couldn’t recall which of them took his weapons.
A voice came from the other side of the room where the black bear stood holding a tablet. “Tag Brewer, well, well. Something good in this otherwise dreary day. Where did you hide, my men have been looking for you?”
Tag smiled even as anger boiled in his chest. Sanchez, he hadn’t figured him into this equation. Was Sanchez dual-natured? That would explain why his father was on that last job and why the man was so successful. “For me?”
“Yes, you have taken something else that belongs to me. That’s a bad habit you have, taking my property,” Sanchez said in a hard tone.
Bear with Me (Bear Mountain Patrol Series Book 1) Page 19
