Joaquin nodded. “Come on, Gina, we have to do this for our child.”
“What about Linda and Craig?” she asked, her voice cracked with emotions as she spoke.
“We’re willing to do what it takes to make sure you and Joaquin get away safely,” Craig said impatiently. “It’s your job to get yourselves down the cliff safely and find your way to Bear Creek.”
“Go.” Linda turned her attention to the beasts making their way toward them. “Let us handle this.”
“I…” Gina’s protests were shut off by Joaquin.
“We can’t help fight,” he said firmly. “This is beyond us.”
Gina looked over Linda’s shoulder and saw the shifters coming their way. “Oh, my.”
“Go.” Linda kissed Gina on the cheek and turned around, ready to face their foes with her mate by her side.
“You should go, too,” Craig told her as he dragged the sled to the edge of the cliff and sent it sliding down toward the river below.
“You might be good, but there is no way you can hold them all off on your own.”
She was right, but he hated to admit it. If they were going to buy Gina and Joaquin any time, they had to stand and fight together. “I’ll take the black bear and the cougar.”
“Really, I thought I might take a bear and the cougar. I always wanted to skin a cat.” She gave him a sideways glance. “Ready?”
He nodded and as one they shifted into their bears. Side by side, one step at a time, they left the edge of the crevice behind them and approached the creatures who had been sent to harm Gina. His temper flared as he tried to comprehend what kind of a shifter would take on a job that meant killing an innocent woman. But he had seen lots of innocent people killed over the years and understood some people had no conscience when it came to their beliefs or the size of their bank balance.
Chapter Seventeen – Linda
Her nerves jangled like her grandma’s wind chimes in a storm, but she was ready to fight. To the death if she had to. When Gina asked Linda to protect her, she’d agreed, there were no get-out clauses if it got too hard.
Linda glanced across at Craig, his face was set, neither of them were backing down.
Her bear inched sideways, touching Craig’s bear lightly, before nipping him on the shoulder as if to reassure him. They were in this together. Their lives were entwined and if the sole purpose of their meeting was so that they could protect Gina and her unborn child, then so be it. Children were the future, the innocents who had to be protected.
We’re not dying today, her bear told her resolutely.
Linda didn’t answer, she didn’t have the same confidence as her bear, they were outnumbered and the closer the shifters got, the bigger they appeared.
Craig’s bear took in a big, deep steadying breath and slowed down. Linda did the same. Craig was used to fighting for his life, he was a seasoned warrior, and she would follow his lead.
Head down, Craig focused on their foes who were now no more than twenty feet away. Linda steeled herself for the moment of impact. The moment when she would have to fight tooth and claw with her enemy.
She could do this. She would do this. Even though every part of her being screamed run away, she would make a stand with her mate and not abandon him, even though her fear turned her knees to water.
Her bear snarled a warning as the two bears and the cougar slowed their pace. She could almost hear their thoughts as they figured how they were going to get past the two fierce bears in their path. But even as Linda and Craig faced down their enemy, the birds flew straight over their heads and swooped down into the chasm.
Her bear cursed and snarled with renewed force. They had to get rid of these three mammals before they could defend Gina and Joaquin.
Linda inched forward, wanting to get this over with. She had no doubt that, as a team, they could beat the three shifters in front of them and she was ready for a fight. Craig’s bear swung his head and snarled a warning at her. She checked her position, aware she was likely to have three sets of teeth and claws tearing at her if she didn’t stick with her mate.
Bowing her head, she acknowledged his warning and Craig turned his attention back to the approaching enemy. There was a rage in his eyes, a bloodlust she’d never seen before. Yet it was the same rage and bloodlust that built inside her as the musky scent of the two bears reached her. She had to protect her mate and her family.
And Gina was family.
Craig’s bear recoiled like a wound-up spring and then launched himself at the nearest bear. Linda did the same, her teeth grazing the fur of the second bear, a large grizzly. He shifted his weight sideways tried to grab ahold of the lose fur on the scruff of her neck.
Linda twisted to avoid his teeth. As her line of view changed, she saw the cougar ready to pounce.
Craig lunged at the black bear. The bear reacted and swung his head to the right. Anticipating his enemy’s reaction perfectly, Craig’s bear swiped the other bear’s snout with his giant paw. There was a sickening crunch and the bear howled like a scolded cat as he landed in the snow, his blood staining it red.
One down, her bear thought as she took courage from how easily Craig had taken out the black bear. She had to focus on the grizzly with all her senses and figure out his next move, so she was ready to counteract it in a heartbeat. That was how she would win this fight. Not with brute strength, but by learning to read her opponent.
Knowledge is power, Linda told her bear, who scoffed at her words.
Claws and teeth are power. But her bear watched her opponent closely all the same.
The bear was old, his fur tipped with silver, but his eyes were keen, and he was fit, his sinewy tough body honed into a fighting machine. A shiver of fear slid up Linda’s spine as she looked into the dark, soulless eyes of the creature who wanted to kill her. And Linda had no doubt the bear wanted her dead. Wanted them all dead.
Not happening, her bear said fiercely.
The silverback grizzly shuffled his weight from side to side in a mesmerizing motion. He was trying to lull Linda and make her senses dull when they needed to be sharp. Gnashing her teeth, she lunged forward, but the bear was instantly alert and dodged, his teeth grazing her cheek but drawing no blood.
This bear was old and wise, he knew how to fight. He knew how to watch his enemy’s body language and react quickly to the small signs that gave away their attack.
So we use that against him, her bear said quickly, taking full control of the situation.
Shaking her head as if dazed, she circled the silverback bear, a look of fear on her face while she kept her head and shoulders leaning away from him as if scared. The old bear simply watched, almost disinterested, as a few feet away Craig fought the cougar who was agile and fast.
Don’t get sidetracked, Linda said firmly, even though she ached to go to his side and swipe the cougar off the face of the earth. If anyone could beat the cougar it was Craig.
But if we don’t beat this bear, or at least keep him occupied, he’ll attack Craig, too. Her bear moved forward, head down, teeth snapping. The old bear dodged out of the way, she wasn’t fast enough, but that was all part of the plan.
Resuming her circling, Linda eyed his front legs. If she could take out one of his legs he’d be next to useless.
The bear attacked.
Shit. She’d been so consumed in planning her own attack she’d forgotten to keep her senses focused on him.
Blood stained the snow as the silverback bear grazed her shoulder with his teeth. Propelling herself backwards as fast as she could, she slipped down on the snow, leaving herself vulnerable. The silverback came in for the kill.
Linda’s bear dug her claws into the snow and propelled herself forward as the silverback attempted to grab her throat in his sharp teeth. Sliding like the sled across the snow, her bear slipped under the silverback, knocking his feet out from under him as his teeth clamped down on nothing but empty air.
A sickening crack sounded as Li
nda’s massive bear paw whacked into the silverback’s hind leg, sending him sprawling across the snow. A howl of pain and rage filled the valley as the silverback attempted to rise.
Linda swung around, a challenge in her eyes. Stay down or I will beat you down. Her bear’s eyes flashed with anger and triumph. This bear had come here to hurt her and her friends. Maybe he would think twice in the future.
The silverback limped away, knowing he was beaten. That left only the cougar to dispatch.
Linda swung around ready to fight. But the cougar was gone.
Scanning the area around them, she saw him. A brown blur heading away from them as fast as four paws could take him. They’d won.
Only round one, her bear replied. We still have to rescue Gina and Joaquin from the birds.
And we don’t know if they’ll be back in greater numbers, Linda finished, her sense of triumph diminishing. They were still a long way from home, with the river between them and the other side of the valley.
“Come on.” Craig had shifted back to his human form and was heading toward the crevasse. Linda shifted and followed. They would need two hands and feet to climb down to the others.
As she ran, she gave a silent prayer to whoever might be listening. Please let them be safe.
They reached the edge of the crevice and looked down, searching for Gina and Joaquin. There was no sign of them, or the two birds who had given chase. “What if they’re dead and the birds have gone?”
“They’re alive,” Craig said forcefully.
“You can sense them?” Linda asked, pushing her own senses out further.
“I can sense the birds.” Craig leaped down to a ledge that hung out over the side of the crevasse. “Can you make it?”
Linda nodded, gauged the distance and then jumped, landing with her knees bent before standing upright, ready to move on. “You go on and I’ll follow.” She reached out and took hold of his hand. “Don’t wait for me. Go the quickest route and if I get left behind, I’ll figure out my own way.”
Craig leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I love you, Linda.”
Linda buried her face in the crook of his neck and inhaled his scent. “I love you, too, Craig. Every part of you, with every part of me.” Her voice choked on the words. They were like two halves of a whole, and she could not bear him to be away from her side, but they had to save Gina and Joaquin.
He kissed her lips, a searing kiss, sealing their love, then he pulled back and navigated his way down the rocky side of the crevasse. Linda followed, noting the disturbed snow and exposed rock, signs Gina and Joaquin had come this way. It was an easy route to follow but she wasn’t as fast as Craig, who was like a mountain goat rather than a bear as he moved further away from her.
Gina. A shout reached her, urging her on faster, but she knew she couldn’t afford to be reckless. The route might look easy but one wrong move and she would fall onto the frozen river below.
Ahead of her she saw Craig falter and her heart hammered with fear. Were they too late? No, they’d come too far, overcome too much to fail now.
“Craig?” Linda caught up with him.
“It’s close.” He looked up at the clear blue sky, searching for something she could neither see nor sense.
“Where?” She turned in a circle, looking for the ancient beast Craig had sensed before, the enormous beast who had left large footprints in the snow. Then she sensed it.
“From the west.” He turned and looked in the direction their journey would have taken them if not for the chasm.
“I can hear it.” A steady thrum of wingbeats thumped in time with her heart.
“There.” Craig’s voice filled with awe as a large creature appeared from the far side of the valley.
“What is it?” Linda peered into the distance, blinking as she tried to comprehend what her eyes were seeing.
“A dragon.” Craig swallowed hard. “We need to get to the others.”
They moved as one, heading in the direction of Gina’s voice. Although, what they could do against a dragon, Linda didn’t know.
Focus on the now, her bear told her as Linda missed a foothold, sending small stones rolling down the cliff where they plopped into a snowdrift some ten feet below.
With each step they took, the sound of dragon wings reminded them of the danger they faced. This was one fight they might not win.
“Careful,” Craig warned as they reached a rocky bluff that blocked their path. He placed a foot on the rocky outcrop and levered himself around it, grabbing for a handhold before transferring his weight forward.
“How did Gina and Joaquin get around this?” Linda asked as she followed behind him.
“With determination,” Craig answered as he landed on both feet in the snow on the other side of the bluff. Instantly his attention switched to the dragon who was approaching at speed.
“I can see Gina and Joaquin.” Linda slid past Craig, who was frozen to the spot, his eyes looking skyward. “Craig, we have to get to the others.”
“Red.” Craig shielded his eyes and stared at the dragon.
“You’ve seen the dragon before?” Linda asked.
“No, but I know the person riding on its back.” He shook his head in disbelief and then grabbed her hand and ran forward toward Gina and Joaquin.
“Who is it?” Craig hadn’t said if the person riding the dragon was a friend or an enemy.
“He works for the same people I do.”
“So that’s a good thing.”
“It is.” Craig grinned at her. “It’s a very good thing. I trust Red with my life.”
Linda’s shoulders sagged forward. “So this is your idea of a rescue mission?”
“Yeah. Although I had no idea Red knew a dragon. He’s been holding out on me.”
“Well, don’t berate him about it until he’s gotten us down off this mountain.”
“I won’t,” Craig promised as the two bird shifters launched themselves into the air and took off in the opposite direction of the dragon. But no matter how hard they flew, they could not outpace the winged beast who opened his mouth and breathed out deadly fire.
Linda froze on the spot. This was the stuff of myth and legend and as they watched the two birds tumble from the sky, their feathers singed and black, Linda had to question whether this was all real or whether she was still asleep in the cave.
Chapter Eighteen – Craig
“Man, am I happy to see you,” Craig told Red.
After the dragon singed the feathers on the two bird shifters, Craig and Linda had helped Gina and Joaquin climb back out of the narrow crevasse. They now stood ten feet away from the mighty dragon, who watched the bird shifters with a small menacing eye.
“We’ve been out here looking for you the past two days,” Red said, embracing Craig in a bear hug. “I thought you were dead.”
“No such luck.” Craig patted Red’s back and then pulled back. “A dragon?”
Red shrugged. “Who knew?”
“I didn’t,” Craig replied.
“Neither did I until Flint called in a favor.” Red indicated the dragon behind him. “I don’t know who he is, I’ve only ever seen him as a dragon. But he’s carried me over these mountains in search of you. I owe him.”
“We owe him.” Craig eyed the dragon nervously. “I sensed him the first night. But you were far away.”
“Damn, we must have been close to you, but there was no sign of the plane wreckage. Even from the sky we couldn’t see or sense you.” Red pulled back from Craig. “I thought you were gone.”
“So did I. But Joaquin here saved us, he took the controls and prevented us from crashing into the mountains.” Craig’s eyes rested on Linda, who gave him a small smile. “I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to thank him enough.”
Red’s face broke into a grin. “I’m getting a vibe here. You found your mate.”
“I did,” Craig admitted quietly. “This is Linda, she was protecting Gina.”
“Hey,
Linda, good to meet you.” Red closed the space between them and pulled Linda into a bear hug. “I never thought I’d see the day.”
“Red here is a buddy from the Army,” Craig explained. “We go way, way back.”
“Good to meet you, Red.” She blushed beautifully as Red let her go.
“We should get going. The dragon can’t carry us all, so you four go on ahead and I’ll stay here with the bad guys, or bad birds.” Red strode across the snow toward the dragon. “When you come back, do you think we could round up the others?” Red asked the dragon.
The dragon nodded and then puffed out a plume of smoke.
“We’re going to ride on a dragon?” Joaquin asked nervously.
“Unless you want to continue on the sled.” Craig’s suggestion was quickly dismissed. “Great, then let’s grab our stuff and finish our journey on the back of a flying reptile.”
The dragon turned toward him, and a lick of fire escaped from between his massive jaws.
“Don’t upset him,” Linda said. “Or you might be walking home.”
Linda grabbed her pack and approached the dragon with her hand outstretched, as if he were a nervous dog. The dragon lowered his head and breathed warm air over her before touching his noise to her fingertips.
“How do we get on?” Gina asked as she joined Linda.
The dragon lowered himself down toward the ground and stretched out his foreleg. Linda placed her foot on his leg and then sprang upward. In one swift movement she was sitting astride the dragon.
“Amazing.” Linda smoothed her palms over the dragon’s scales, triggering a wave of jealousy in Craig.
He pushed the feeling down, there was no need for jealousy. Linda was his, the bond between them was real and too strong for anyone to break. Not even a fire-breathing dragon, no matter how impressive his green scales were.
With some effort, Craig helped Gina and Joaquin onto the dragon’s back. Before he joined them, he needed to talk privately with Red.
“You good to go?” Red asked. He’d trussed the two birds up like a couple of turkeys.
Survivor Bear (Bear Creek Protectors Book 2) Page 13
