His eyes, an olive green that twinkle in the light. Dark brown hair that trails down past his shoulders, very broad shoulders that look as if they can hold the weight of the world. There’s a few others who look like they’re related to him, family or neighbors, I’m unsure of who they are or why there’s such a huge welcoming committee. My eyes glance around at all of the faces, but they always land back to him.
Dr. March steps in to make introductions, “These people are residents of the town nearby. They say they’re protectors of the land and wildlife and simply want to make sure that we’re doing exactly what we said we were going to do. We are free to come and go as we please so long as don’t disrupt or interfere with their way of life, or that of the animals. They’ve greeted everyone who’s a part of our little experiment out here and you are no different. Come, I’ll show you around and get you set up with what you’ll be doing.”
“What about Momma bear and her cubs?” I ask Dr. March.
“No worries, Blissa,” he smiles, “You’ll see how all of the participants are handling the process.”
And see is exactly what I’m doing at 2am… 2 am in a wooden box, painted to blend in with the trees as cameras capture movement around our camp. The camp consists of four cabins where two of us each split one. We take turns doing the night watch, but seeing as I’m the last one to arrive on this trip I’ve been on it for the past week or so and it looks like I’m banished here the remainder of our trip. They won’t say it to me, but I know that the lowly zoologist’s assistant gets the shit job and I’m perfectly okay with it because I get to watch my cubs.
The unfortunate thing is they aren’t adapting like Dr. Taggart said they would. Night after night, day after day, the bears turn their snouts at that trash cube these scientists believe will wean them off of living, breathing, running prey. If they can see how hard I roll my eyes at the preposterous notion, they would probably send me back home but this is certainly the opportunity of a lifetime.
Staring out into the darkness, I see Momma bear. They look so hungry and I can’t take it anymore so I go against the program. The following day I buy some fish from a local fisherman in town and when I’m out in the post again, I keep it nearby. When Momma bear comes out, I hop out of the box and head into the trees. With a deep breath I set the fish out and she comes willingly, cautiously but still willingly. The look in her eyes when she spots me is as if she recognizes me. I hope she does. Her cubs certainly do as they gallop toward me, smiling and jumping on me. They’ve gotten so big since I last saw them.
A rustling in the brush takes my attention away from them. I can sense eyes on me but there’s no one out there. Only the bear and her cubs. But I do catch the twinkle in an eye. The moonlight bounces off of his olive green iris but instead of the man I saw at the helicopter, a bear walks in his place.
That sounds crazy!
I’m probably just sleepy. I didn’t get any rest since I had to travel into town earlier for the fish. But I can’t help but wonder…
It snarls in the dark. Familiar eyes or not, he doesn’t like me near the cubs. Perhaps Momma bear is acclimating better than they thought. And I’m doing too much by bringing the fish so close, playing with the cubs. As much as I miss them, as much as I care about them, I won’t make this mistake again.
Chapter 3
The nights continue as they have been. I leave the fish out. The bears piss on the food bricks. Momma bear and her cubs eat. Dr. March is getting suspicious. The bears are doing much better, but they’re not eating the cubes.
“I just don’t get it!” he slams his hands on the ledge of the box. Joining me for a night watch isn’t a plan that I like but he’s here, watching.
There are only three monitors installed but over twenty cameras in the field. Over the course of the night we see bears come and go. Most end up by the lake. It’s as if they know they’re supposed to be on the opposite side where the glacier sits. I almost feel bad for them. I’ll be happy when this experiment is called the flop it is. But you can’t tell men like Dr. March that.
“Look! Look! Look!” he shouts pointing to the monitor. The shapes and figures may be green but I can see it in the bear’s gait. Its stride. The way it glares into the camera’s lenses. His eyes can burn a hole into me as it knows I’m watching. Something’s different.
“Who’s that?” Dr. March points to one screen. “Is that one of the residents? Do they usually come out this late?”
“No, never and not this far in the trees,” I shift around Dr. March. Whoever is out there, isn’t birdwatching. “Look, what’s that they’re carrying?”
Dr. March squints as he tries to focus on the screen but nothing is clearer than the glimmer of moonlight bouncing off of the barrel of a shotgun.
“It’s a gun!” he whispers in a hushed shout.
“No! The cubs!” I don’t know what comes over me as I hop out of the box and take off running into the woods. I can feel my mouth moving, I can hear myself speaking, shouting for the hunter not to pull the trigger. But by the time the shot goes off, I’m too late and Momma bear is shot. The cubs are snuggling against her, crying, while she whimpers on the ground. Her white fur holds the splatter of her own blood as she still holds the tiniest sliver of fish in her mouth. This is my fault and I can’t stand it.
The tears falling down my cheeks burn their so hot. I fought for her to be released here, and she gets hurt. The tears won’t stop. Guilt rips through me, and all I can hear is Dr. March calling out to me, “Blissa! Blissa! Get out of there! There’s another bear!”
Another bear? Turning around, those brilliant green eyes gaze at me before turning around and taking off. I can hear the footsteps of the hunter. His screams, his pleas for mercy and salvation as the bear tears into his hide. Good for him! Who stalks a mother and her cubs? Cold hearted human deserves everything he gets.
It isn’t long before Dr. March is by my side. Flickering his flashlight through the trees like a dancing lightning bug.
“Blissa this is a natural part of nature. We can’t stay out here. It’s dangerous. The bear will be back and I don’t want to be next. I think he’s still chomping on that poacher,” he tells me nervously.
“Nature? Nature! This isn’t a part of nature. Her dying of natural causes and old age is nature. Not some coward, stalking her in the dead of night, learning her routine and for what? A rug? A coat?! This isn’t natural and it’s all my fault,” I sob to him.
He pushes away from me nervously. It’s as if he doesn’t know how to console anyone. Maybe he’s never had to.
“I can see you’re taking this personally, but you should know that bears die. Whether it be by us, themselves, or other acts of, um,” he hesitates, but says it anyway, “By other acts of nature. Let’s get out of here, and we’ll check back in the morning, in the daylight.”
“You go! I’m not going to leave her out here alone,” I tell him. “I can’t.”
“What if? What if the bear comes back? What happens if you, um? You can’t be out here unprotected,” his eyes continue to dart around nervously.
“I’m not worried about anyone else. The only dangerous thing in these woods that don’t belong are humans!” I snarl.
“Fine forget it. I’ll make sure to notify your family of your demise. That bear, he’s an alpha. We’ve been watching him since we got here and he’s not going to let this go. He’s going to track us all down and kill us!”
“You’re being paranoid! As a matter of fact, just go ahead and leave! I’ll find my own way home!”
“You mean back to camp?” he attempts to correct me.
“No I mean back home in the states. You can notify Dr. Taggart of my formal resignation, and when he asks you why … tell him it was for the bears. To protect them from the heartless,” I puff out my chest with a sense of pride and granted it feels a bit silly but I’m happy to stand by Momma bear.
I didn’t know what I was saying but even worse … I didn’t think that Dr. Mar
ch would actually leave. That’s exactly what he does as he waves his hand at me and takes off into the night.
Alone and in the dark, the cubs are still crying and Momma bear is still bleeding. I’m trying my best to find where the bullet is but it’s no use. I can feel her pulse growing fainter with every passing minute. I want to run for help, to scream out for someone, anyone but no one is as crazy as I am.
“Please,” I beg to no one. “Please don’t let her die.”
Vibrations in the ground startle me. I know the alpha is close. But I refuse to leave her, her cubs. I can hear his grunts, his snarling growls. When he comes into the moonlight, I can even see his breath in the cool night air.
“LEAVE HER ALONE!” I drape my body over her.
The bear croons into the night. His roar is full of pain and agony as he charges toward us.
“NO!” I stand up with her blood all over me, but I will not let this bear do as he pleases to her body. They’re known to be carnivorous if push comes to shove, but he won’t get an easy meal. Not with me.
He roars again at me.
“No!” I cry even harder, “You will not take her! You will not maul her body! I will protect her. I will protect her with my dying breath!”
And as if he understands me, he stops roaring and stares at me. Those magnificent green eyes twinkling in the moonlight suddenly flicker. The bear that sits before me changes. His fur recedes into his flesh. The snout disappears and every other bear-like feature evaporates into a stunning piece of human masculinity. His muscular physique is thick like a cage fighter and it looks like he just got out of the octagon with beads of sweat dripping all over him.
“There isn’t enough time to explain. Alkina? Darling you must change so I can treat your wounds,” turning to me he motions to the cubs. “Watch them. They obviously know you.”
I simply nod as I stand back and watch my sweet Momma bear, Alkina, change into her human form. Whatever sorcery or magic this is, I don’t care. I just want her to be okay. Cuddling with the cubs is all I can do as I watch the stranger, the stranger with familiar eyes work to save his wife?
“I can’t do anything out here,” he shouts in frustration. “Please grab the cubs and follow me. Where you are going isn’t safe for humans so stay close to me and don’t let my nephews out of your sight!”
Nephews … okay so Momma bear is his sister. My heart both aches and leaps for joy as I scoop one of the cubs into my arms and the other follows by my side. It’s as if they know something is wrong. I know they must if they’re anything like their mother.
My entire body trembles the further we move away from the camps. They’ll be looking for me in the morning, but after what I’m seeing right now. I hope they never find me. They’ll kill and experiment on all of these creatures. Are they creatures? Or are they human? I have no idea what’s what anymore as I follow the man carrying this bear that I wanted to have out here. And now because of me she’s hurt.
We walk for what feels like hours. Through the trees and even over a ridge or two. I can see why the bears aren’t interested in the food cubes. After trekking through the forest, the only thing left out for them are solid blocks of meat paste and it doesn’t even taste good. Well I’m assuming it doesn’t taste good, but how can it? It looks gross. It smells gross. It probably tastes gross.
“Where are we going? I don’t know how much further I can walk without a break or water,” I tell the masculine stranger.
Still with Alkina in his arms, he doesn’t even turn to speak, simply saying, “We’ll be there shortly. By morning light you will see.”
Chapter 4
Walking toward a clearing, I can see how far we’ve come. All through the night, traveling by twilight lands us a stone’s throw away from the glacier. It’s even bigger up close. I can’t even see its peak from the base. Honestly, I don’t even think it’s the base, it’s just where the huge ice rock meets the coastline. A huge chunk of it sits on land. An entrance lies a few feet ahead but something tells me this isn’t the place for me.
Hanging back, I don’t want to be rude, but I don’t want to go inside either. He must sense my hesitation, but with the blood of Alkina no longer pouring out of her, his patience is paper thin.
“Will you come on already?” he urges me, motioning with his head for me to walk ahead of him. “We cannot help her out here. And she will not stand for her cubs not to be present. Neither will I. You have questions, I’m sure. They will be answered here.”
The opening looks like that of any other cave, but the deeper I go it only gets brighter. It’s a dark, dim blue hue glowing from behind the walls. Ancient markings and carvings can be seen as we pass through a long hallway. The cubs take off running ahead of me and suddenly I feel like my protection is gone. I slow my pace to wait for him to catch up with me. He’s mumbling something to Momma bear. Shoot, Alkina. That’s what he calls her… his sister.
Running my hands over the language, I can’t make out any of the symbols. It’s not hieroglyphics, and he doesn’t look Egyptian. By the time we get a dozen yards into the glacier, the hallway opens up into a large room. It looks like a lounge area of sorts. An ice bar lines one side of the space while chairs and tables are scattered throughout. There are several other openings, doorways, and the most obvious thing I see… claw marks.
All across the heavy wooden furniture are claw marks. I see them in the dirt beneath my feet. I see them in the walls. There are a bunch of people inside of the glacier but I’m sure they’re just like Alkina and her brother. The look of panic in their eyes escalates as some crowd around him, but even moreso, they start coming near me.
“Juquo! Explain yourself! What is she doing here?” the old woman’s wise and weathered face remind me of the greeting I received when I landed. She was there.
“Help Alkina first. Blissa brought the cubs,” he says to her sharply. “No one touches her!”
The roar in his voice is deep, echoing around the chamber. Many of the others shrink back. All of them except for the old woman and a tall woman. She looks like him. Her hair is dark brown trickling down her back. Her bold blue eyes almost mimic the color of the ice around us. I can feel her hatred towards me. I’m uncomfortable and the fact that he has to tell them not to touch me already says my life's in danger.
“Follow me, Blissa,” he commands. I know power when I feel it. This one they call Juquo, the one who I followed blindly through the night, he doesn’t seem like the type of man to disobey.
“What about Momma bear, um, Alkina? Her cubs?” I ask looking around for them but they’re nowhere to be seen.
“The cubs are fine. With the rest of the little ones. But please just come with me now. I don’t want you away from me or else the clan will kill you,” he murmurs.
“Why?” tears form in my eyes as I feel the glares of everyone behind us, “I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“You haven’t, but you don’t speak for the entire human race. Especially with the folks who travel up here for the sole purpose of hunting us. The last thing I need is for your mauled body to show up anywhere near this glacier. They’ll hunt us down and kill us all.”
“Dr. March said the same thing about you. He says you’re an alpha and that you would take her getting shot, I guess you’d take it personally and go back to kill of the scientists,” I tell him hesitantly.
Juquo doesn’t say anything else to me as he leads me down another ice carved corridor. We stop in front of a thick wooden door. He pushes it open revealing a suite of sorts. A huge bed lies in the center of the room pushed against the back wall. There’s another doorway that leads to what looks like a bathroom. Another area of the room has a small table and chairs set up with a fireplace and stove. The heat is skyrocketing the longer I stand there. Then I see why. All around the edge of the room is a trail of water. The canal is only about a foot or two wide as it circles into a large hot tub like feature sitting in the floor of the ice.
“You’re going to be
hot with all of that on,” he says motioning for me to hang my clothes up next to his on the wall. A line of hooks show various pieces that I assume he wears into town. The only thing he wears around here are form fitting shorts that stop just above his knees.
I swallow hard staring at his body from top to bottom. My eyes can’t turn away as I remove my clothes slowly. My hat and gloves are the first to come off, and then my coat and snow pants. He watches me for a minute but then slips into the hot tub, which looks more like a heated fishing hole. It isn’t too big; fits two to three people tops.
“You need to get inside here to let your body adjust to the temperature around you. The longer you stay inside the better the powers of the glacier work,” he tells me. His head tilts back as I continue to remove my layers upon layers of clothing until finally I’m down to my bra and panties. I can’t imagine getting into the tub with him, with this stranger but I’m drawn to him and his protective nature.
The ice under my feet is a bit cold to the touch, sending goosebumps all over my body. He holds his hand out to help me step in. There’s a bench to sit on. The water is hot but the ice is cool.
“How is this possible?”
With my hands moving under the water I inadvertently graze his thick leg. They’re so strong and muscular but I pull back and he does something I’ve never seen him do … he laughs. That smile reveals a dimple I want to take a shot out of and so much more.
“There are many things in your world that appear to be impossible. My people, our clan, have called this glacier home for centuries. We do mix and mingle with the rest of the world as it’s inevitable for our survival. With humans continuously encroaching on wildlife reserves and land, we have to become active within the community in order to fight back. But you have shown me that some humans can be trusted. You defended Alkina and her cubs with your life. You’ve even stared me down a night or two. I was impressed.”
Forced To Kill The Prince Page 72
