by E A Price
Isis pouted. “You should be; I don’t give them out lightly. I don’t suppose you told Gunner where you were going tonight?”
Erin blushed. “No, he told me to stay away from you.”
The tigress smiled toothily. “Good advice. But given that no one will think to check on me until tomorrow, I would say we are screwed.”
She bit her lip. “What about your neighbors? Surely they heard what happened and called the cops.”
“They’re used to hearing a lot of screaming from me and my guests. Although, that’s usually only with my male guests.”
Erin narrowed her eyes, and Isis rolled hers in return. “I didn’t mean Gunner.”
“It doesn’t matter if you did, Gunner already told me about the two of you. He said it was just functional sex.” She emphasized the word for effect.
The tigress barked out a laugh; her eyes danced with flecks of yellow. “Yep, that sounds about right for Gunner. Old, romantic bear.”
Erin frowned as a wave of protectiveness assailed her. Gunner was perfect just as he was! “He doesn’t need to use flowery language, he says what he means, and that’s what’s important.”
“Wow, you’ve got it bad. I can see why you like him, most women are attracted to the power he radiates, but I gotta say, I’m surprised he would go for a human.”
“You didn’t have to say that,” replied Erin, primly. “Just because you don’t think I’m pretty enough…”
“It’s nothing to do with looks. I mean, I’m not saying this from a personal point of view, but most shifters want to be with other shifters. Humans are so… breakable.”
She made humans sound like eggs. “Not that breakable…”
“A guy in the tech division – a moose shifter - mated with a human, and they got a little rough in bed one night and he broke her arm by accident.”
Erin shook her head. “I trust Gunner not to hurt me.”
And she did. She knew he was a hell of a lot stronger than her – he was like twice her size! But, she trusted him to keep her safe. Although she’d be interested to know just how rough was a little rough.
“It’s not personal, Erin. But shifters are animals, do you really think he’ll be satisfied with gentle sex with a human, making sure he doesn’t sneeze too hard and break your ribs? When he could be having wild, animalistic sex with a shifter?”
Now that was something that bothered her. If six months – or even one month – down the line Gunner did decide she was too ‘breakable’ and took off to be with someone more suitable, what would she do? She’d already fallen for him, hook, line and sinker. Hell, she already loved him! How would she cope if he left her?
“Ladies!”
Erin let out a very undignified squeal as a huge man burst through the door. She would guess he was a bear shifter, given that he had height and muscles to rival Gunner. She wasn’t proud of herself, but she pressed herself as far against the tigress as she could. Isis, in turn, tried to shield Erin.
Alright, so the tigress wasn’t as bad as she seemed!
He gave them a horrible grin, and Erin almost gagged at his scent. He smelled like a wild, unwashed animal; even she could tell it was bad.
“So glad you’ve decided to gossip instead of trying to break out. I suppose that’s the benefit of kidnapping women, too busy flapping their big, fat mouths to be of any use.”
Isis snarled and bared her teeth.
“Careful kitty cat,” he crowed, “we need you alive for now, but I’m not above punching you in the face.”
“What do you want with us?” demanded Erin, with bravado she definitely didn’t feel at that moment.
The big guy squatted down next to Erin and ugh, his breath was as bad as his scent. It’s called mouthwash…
“You? Nothing, we just want the tiger.”
“Let her go then!” snapped Isis as she helplessly tried to kick him.
“Can’t do that now. She’s seen our faces.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “What are we going to do with you? Me and the boys have never been with a human; it might be an interesting new experience.”
Isis snorted. “I wouldn’t bother, they just lay there like wet fishes. Do you ever wonder why human males look so miserable all the time?”
Wet fish indeed! Erin held back her pique; she knew Isis was just trying to help.
Sadly, it didn’t seem to be working. His leer intensified. “Only one way to find out.”
He began roughly pulling at Erin’s clothes.
Erin remained still, and glassy-eyed, but Isis struggled against her bonds. “Don’t you dare!” she screeched.
“It’s okay, button, everything’s okay…” whispered Erin calmly.
He stopped and stared at her with frightened eyes. ‘Wha… what did you just say?”
“It’s okay, button; I forgive you, button.”
The shifter shot across the room as if scolded. He gulped and looked between Erin’s dreamy expression and Isis’ look of bewilderment. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but changed his mind and fumbled with the door, escaping the room as quickly as he could.
“What the fuck was that?” exclaimed Isis.
Erin shrugged. “His mom told me what to say. Her ghost follows him around.”
Isis looked around the room suspiciously. “She does?”
“Yeah, he killed her, so she’s following him until he dies, and they can be reunited.”
“Shit. Why’d he kill her?”
“I think he loved her too much, and if he couldn’t have her…”
Isis curled her lips and let out a growl. “Ugh, disturbing. And I’m disturbed by how calm you are about the whole ghost thing, but at least it got rid of him.”
“And he didn’t lock the door on the way out…”
Isis looked to the door, hope sparking in her eyes. She wriggled against her chains. “I need to get out of these.”
“Can you cut through my ropes?”
Erin twisted until her hands were hovering over Isis’.
“Just, it’s hard to shift with this silver.”
The tigress flicked out a claw and began sawing through the thick rope. Soon enough, her hands were free, and Isis then worked her way through the rope around Erin's ankles.
“Now what?”
Erin stood up and stretched. “Now, I need to find the key to your chains.”
“Be careful,” ordered Isis.
“Sit tight,” quipped Erin.
“I promise not to leave this room,” she replied scornfully. “If you can’t find the key just look for a door and get out of here, call for help when you can, just make sure you get out. No reason we both have to die.”
“Don’t be so quick to sacrifice yourself, you’re not Bruce Willis and this isn't Armageddon. I’m not leaving you here.”
“Yeah, well don’t be so quick to go down with me. He said they wanted me, remember? You need to protect yourself. We’re not Thelma and Louise.”
“Well, if we were, I’d be Susan Sarandon.”
*
Gunner paced Jessie’s office. The squirrel shifter surreptitiously started hiding all the stationery and paraphernalia on her desk. He was in a throwing kind of mood.
“I’ve called her over and over but I can’t get a reply. Cutter even drove by her place on the way back from talking to Los Lobos PD, no lights were on, and she didn’t answer her door. Jessie, track her phone. Now.”
Jessie hopped to it. He was not in the mood for an argument.
“It’s outside, oh….”
“What?” he growled.
“Well, she wanted to know where Isis lived, and I sort of told her…”
He full on roared. “What?!”
Jessie shrank just the teensiest bit into her seat. “Her phone’s at Isis’ apartment.”
Gunner gritted his teeth and called Isis. No answer.
He panted with the effort of controlling himself. The bad feeling he’d been having was growing to epic proportions. Something was wrong. D
eep down he could feel it. “Something’s going on; I’m going to find Erin.”
“Wait… I know you’re worried about Erin, but it’s about the case…”
He stared at her coldly for a few seconds. “What have you found?” he asked quietly.
She couldn’t help the sigh of relief that popped out. “I couldn’t find any record of our doctor anywhere before two years ago when he opened his clinic.”
Gunner grunted. “Fake ID?”
“Yes, I’m trying to find out who he used to be. I’m trying to find out if he actually did train as a doctor. All I can say is that the clinic is doing well – as far as I can tell – and they’ve never been sued or anything like that. So if he is an amateur surgeon he appears to be doing a good job.”
“Hmmm, okay, keep digging.”
“I hope Erin’s okay,” she added softly. “I don’t think Isis would hurt her.”
“No, I don’t either.”
He just had a very bad feeling, and his restless beast was no help.
He dialed Lake from tactical as he ran out to one of the agency SUVs.
“You still on the doctor?” he demanded as soon as the call was answered.
“Hasn’t left the clinic in four hours; car’s still here.”
That was the great thing about Lake. Direct, to the point, no bullshit.
“Go in and check,” ordered Gunner.
A few minutes later, Lake called back.
“Fuck, he’s not here, how the fuck could he have gotten away?”
Good question, but however he did it, the reason why he needed to was not going to be a good one.
Chapter Eighteen
Erin made an undignified scuttling motion across the floor. She was very thankful no one was there to watch her. Getting around the building was actually as easy as she expected. It looked like an old hospital, ugh, more like a mental institute. Most of the rooms had glass panels in their walls, and she found walking upright wasn’t possible.
She held still as she heard a squeak. What was that? Her heart pounded in her chest, and she could swear that her breaths were louder than an industrial fan. Lord, this was so much more nerve wracking than they made it look on Mission Impossible.
Her lip trembled as she heard gruff voices up ahead and the sound of a door opening. She plastered herself against the wall, hoping for the best. No way could they fail to see her there, unless the building was graced with a lot of exceedingly bumpy walls.
Erin blew out a breath as the voices retreated in the opposite direction.
Stop stalling! She admonished herself. She needed to get a wriggle on. Isis was in danger, and panting up against a wall was not helping. No way was she leaving without Isis.
She tried the first door she came to and slowly pushed it open. It was a hospital room. Thankfully, an empty one. The next couple of rooms were the same, but the room at the end looked more like a surgery.
Razor-tip winged butterflies fluttered in her stomach. This was bad…
Erin trembled as she slunk towards the voices. If the key to Isis’ manacles was anywhere, it would be near them.
She peeked around the corner into what looked like a hospital waiting room. Four brawny men, including the shifter who had tried to maul her earlier, were watching the TV. With distaste, she noticed it was a porno, and, ugh, the men were actually rubbing their crotches.
Focus!
She glanced around the room and saw the ghost again. The specter smiled and pointed at a table close to the door. Erin frowned and looked in that direction. A cell phone. Yes, she could call for help. Perfect.
She sidled into the room and reached her arm out. The ghost shook her head quickly, and Erin froze. One of the males stood up and walked to the window. Erin held her breath as he looked outside, scratched his rear and then settled back into his seat.
Erin snatched the phone and then scrambled back out the room and in the direction she came from. Her fingers floundered over the keys as she typed in Gunner’s cell number.
She almost shrieked in despair as it went straight to voicemail. She tried his home his office and then his home number – but no answer. Gunner, where are you?
She fought back the frustrated tears that wanted to spill and instead called Jessie’s number.
“Hello?” came the voice of the curious squirrel.
“Jessie!” cried Erin in the loudest whisper she dared.
“Erin! Where the heck are you? Where are you calling from?”
“Jessie, I can’t talk, please just track this cell phone I’m using. Isis and I have been abducted…”
“Wha…”
“We’re in danger, please track this number and come get us, hurry! Shit, I think someone’s coming.”
The squirrel was suddenly all business. “Don’t hang up, I’m tracking you, and don’t worry, help is coming.”
Erin switched the phone to silent and slipped it into her pocket. She could hear the rumblings of movements echoing down the corridor. She bolted for the room where they were keeping Isis and sat back down, trying to artfully drape the rope back over her ankles and wrists.
Isis glared at her. Her expression spoke volumes, or rather it said, ‘what the hell do you think you’re doing, you moron?’
But before Isis could let rip at Erin, the men she saw watching the porno walked into the room.
“Shit, Hank, you didn’t even lock the door.”
The man who’d tried to put his paws on Erin – Hank apparently – sneered and gave Erin a disagreeable look. “Fucking bitches didn’t even notice.”
Hank and two of the others grabbed hold of Isis’ struggling body. The tigress was strong, but she was no match for three male shifters. Although, Erin was pleased when Isis managed to head-butt one of them. She drew blood and everything! The guy just grunted and tried to restrain her with more gusto.
The fourth guy plunged a syringe into Isis’ neck and eventually she went limp. They took off her bonds and carried her out the room. Hank eyed Erin warily before closing the door, and this time he made sure he locked it.
Crap. She had a really bad feeling that the case they were working was hitting a little too close to home for Isis.
Erin grabbed the phone out of her pocket and was dismayed to find it was dead. Frak. She tried the door, and she even tried putting her shoulder to it – that only resulted in giving her shooting pains. She inspected every inch of the room, but it was pretty pointless – it was just a room, oddly enough it had no secret passages.
If only she were a shifter! She would just bust through the door and go beastly on all their asses! But, no, she had to be a human, didn’t she?
Hell, how much time had passed? If they really were plundering one of her organs, how long would it take? Maybe they’d already taken her heart!
In distress, she tried the door again. Still locked. Oh, why wasn’t she more capable?
Erin stared at the door, willing it to open. She almost climbed the wall when it did just that.
The smell of Hank wafted into the room, quickly followed by the man himself, and his ghostly mother, shaking her head sadly.
He shut the door behind him and placed himself in front of it, glowering at her. Okay, clearly Isis wasn’t the only one in danger. At least he seemed to be ignoring the fact that she’d made her way out of the ropes.
“How did you know what my mama called me?” he growled.
Yep, definite bear. She stared at him blankly, refusing to answer. Quick as a flash, his hand swiped at her head, knocking her to the ground. Stars danced in front of her eyes, and she felt the blood from a split lip, but she refused to cry out. Shakily she got up and stood before him, shoulders back.
“How did you know?” he ground out through gritted teeth.
“I’m psychic,” she replied petulantly.
He lifted his paw to smack her again, and, God help her, she flinched. Her ears were already ringing, and her brain felt scrambled, a few more blows like that might kill her.
“I’m psychic,” she said more forcefully, “I can see your mom’s ghost. She follows you around and has done so ever since you killed her.”
His hand hovered in the air, menacingly waiting to strike her.
“Nobody knows about that.”
“You strangled her with your bare hands because you were angry and jealous that she was going to get married,” blurted Erin.
Fury lanced across his face as his muscles twitched and seemed to grow. Maybe she went too far… Surprisingly, though, he chuckled and rubbed his jaw.
“Huh, maybe you really are psychic. The boss said you were, but I didn’t believe him.”
“The boss? Who’s the boss?”
He snorted. “This ain’t some James Bond movie. You really think I’m gonna tell you?”
“What does it matter if you’re going to kill me anyway?” she asked innocently.
“Good point, but I’m done talking.”
His face darkened as he took a step toward her, and latching onto all the bravery she could muster, she stood her ground, and didn’t even yak at the smell.
“Because you don’t know?”
“I know well enough,” he spat.
Oh, well, time to push a few buttons… “Yeah, right, you’re just a hired thug; the guys doing this wouldn’t tell you anything important.”
Hank grabbed hold of her shirt, pulling her toward him until their faces were inches apart. “Shut your fucking mouth.”
She’d never felt so scared before; she’d never felt like she was in so much physical danger. Not even when the young wolf shifter attacked her. But from that fear, she felt a rush of adrenaline and no way was she going to let that go to waste.
“Why, you’re going to kill me, aren’t you? What does it matter what I say? You really care so little about your fellow shifters that you’re allowing this Frankenfreak doctor to cut them open and fish out their organs?”
His eye twitched. She was right. Through some awful twist of fate, Isis had become the next victim of the guy they were looking for. Oh lord, poor Isis. Erin was all too aware of the fate awaiting her - if she hadn’t already met it.
“People die every day; they might as well donate a few organs so that people can live.”
“But the people who are dying are fit and healthy, this is murder, and kidnap and… and…”
