Tempted by the Bear - Book 2

by V. Vaughn

So much blood. My stomach tries to turn inside out as I retch.

  The stench floods my nose as if it’s more than a memory. Torn bodies and sightless faces. My mother’s bloodstained claws. An eyeball is impaled on one, with veins dangling down. She hates people staring at her.

  Vomit smears on the floor as I try to shove my gruesome memories aside. My feet are almost healed, and I lift up to my knees. “You need me,” I tell Tristan. “Where is she?”

  He replies quickly, and I know things are bad by his tone. “New Brunswick, Canada. Contact me at the border by St. Andrews. Come alone.”

  Adrenaline seeps into my bloodstream as I hobble on my tender feet toward my room. I communicate with Luke. “Helping Tristan with my mother. I’ll be back in a few days.”

  “Need me to come too?” I should be touched by Luke’s offer, but I don’t have time for sentiment. The door to my closet bangs against the wall when I yank it open. A backpack scrapes along the shelf as I tug it down.

  “No. This is family business. Taking the truck.”

  I’m sure Luke wants an explanation, but he’s not going to get it. Because if I tell him what Helga’s capable of, he might start asking questions I don’t want to answer. Questions about the truth only my mother and I know. Makeup clatters on the bathroom counter when I dump my bag to grab only essential toiletries.

  Tristan is convinced Helga doesn’t get violent when she’s manic. That’s because he’s never witnessed it. He just cleans up the mess she convinces everyone someone else started. While it’s true that Helga appears to be happy in this phase, she also lacks a filter. My mother thinks nothing of swiping a paw to shut up the human or to take what she wants. It’s as if she uses up her compassion during her manic episode, and when she comes down, she operates on a completely selfish level.

  Stomach acid rises in my throat as I recall the scene when four police cruisers finally surrounded us to stop our joyride. Helga didn’t even get upset. She calmly exited the car, and then all hell broke loose. My mother’s bear is so large it’s awe-inspiring, except when she’s opening her mouth to rip off an arm. I shake my head as the vision of flesh hanging from Helga’s teeth invades my mind. Items rattle in my drawer while I search for my passport. The Le Roux believe they can help; they haven’t seen how polar bear take ferocious to a place beyond comprehension.

  Can I even keep Brady and his warriors safe? We don’t need to alienate the clan that has taken us in. Oh Tristan, what would your sweet Annie think?

  I hear Helga’s voice in my head. You’re just like me, Izzy. They don’t understand. That fateful trip with my mother was when I learned her bipolar disorder is a curse on the female De Roziers. I’ve known for over a decade some day I’ll be just as crazy as my mother. Every time anger gets the best of me, I wonder if I’ve finally snapped, and I pray when I do someone can stop me.

  Tristan swears I won’t ever be like Helga, but I know the truth. My mother’s words echo in my head as they dredge up my fear. Don’t tell your father. He’d kill you if he knew. I’m beginning to think that wouldn’t have been such a bad thing. The elevator doors swish open, and I step into the small space. My stomach lurches as it descends, but it’s not from the motion. My queasy belly is from the reality that I can’t let Helga continue on like this. My hiking boots clomp over the plush carpet of the apartment-building lobby, and the sound is faint, like it’s muffling the truth. But nothing can hide it from me. It’s time for me to stop my mother. For good.

  Chapter 2

  Tori

  Changing into a werebear is a bitch. People say that when you think you’re about to die, your life flashes before your eyes. I would have guessed I’d see my sisters and my parents. But that’s not what I saw. A man with jet-black hair and vivid-green eyes like mine smiled at me as if he was proud, and I think it might have been my father. Although I’m not sure why he was impressed, because I might have hearing loss from all the screaming I did.

  The scent of lavender wafts around me as warm bathwater trickles from my fingers when I lift my hand to inspect it. The sound is amplified by my new hearing. Once Keith bit me, I experienced searing-hot pain like someone had poured liquid steel into my veins. That was followed by the sensation that every bone in my body was being broken while hair, claws, and teeth pumped in and out of me as if they couldn’t decide where to be. I finally passed out. I thought I had experienced agony when I got my tattoo. I was so wrong. Carly said childbirth will be a walk in the park after what I went through.

  I massage my calf as I wash my leg and moan at the soreness. It’s the kind of muscle pain one feels after working out for the first time in months, but there aren’t any visible scars to prove what I endured. Apparently the Le Roux learned to restrain the human during the change to keep them from injuring themselves. Human.

  I chuckle to myself. I’m no longer human. I’m a werebear now, and once I get cleaned up, I’ll discover just what that means. I stand, and the cool air chills my moist skin before I wrap myself in an oversized towel. My feet seem as though they can detect every fiber in the bathmat I step onto. My senses are super-aware, and everything’s magnified. Carly told me the shock of it would wear off over time.

  She also said food would taste amazing, and I sniff when I notice that something is cooking. I detect beef, and the idea of a hamburger makes me salivate. Although fish is what I’m craving, and I smile at myself when I hope Keith has salmon. I really am a bear.

  Once I’ve dried off, I gaze at myself in the mirror. I lift my arms into a flexed position and notice my muscles are more defined. Do I have abs? Holy cow, I do. I still have ample hips, thighs, and breasts, but my body has definitely changed. I like it.

  I jump when a light rapping sounds at the door. Keith asks, “Tori, how are you doing?”

  “Fine.” I twist so I can check out my butt. It’s rounder, and I think my cellulite is gone. I grin. “So fine. Wait until you see.”

  Keith chuckles, and the volume is as if he’s right next to me instead of on the other side of the door. The doorknob is cold in my palm when I twist it open. I slide my hands over my body as I cock a hip. “Can I be obnoxious and say I’m smoking hot now?”

  A rumble forms in Keith’s chest as he speaks in my head. “The things I want to do to you.” He steps forward and grips my hips as he leans down to kiss me.

  “Oh my god! This secret talking part is so cool. Did I do it right?” Keith’s touch isn’t as hot as I’m used to, and I realize I now have a higher internal temperature.

  “Um-hmmm,” he says in a low voice that makes my insides twinge in desire. I reach up to wrap my arm around his neck and wince at the pain that shoots down my arm.

  Keith pulls away. “Sorry. I know you’re sore. But—” He sighs. “I can wait.”

  “Yeah. I’ll heal quickly, right?” I ask. “Maybe tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow. Get dressed and come downstairs. I’ve got burgers on the grill.”

  Even my skin has a new awareness, because my jeans seem to scrape at my skin while my worn cotton tee is softer. When I’m ready, I make my way to the kitchen and marvel at how I can even detect the light lemon odor of the furniture polish Keith’s cleaning lady used days ago. It’s pretty neat, but I bet there are times it’s a curse. I focus on the aroma of crispy potatoes that are in the oven, and my stomach growls as I imagine their starchy goodness.

  I gaze out the window. My jaw drops when I realize I can see minute detail like the leaves on a tree from where I’m sitting. I get up, and the glass of the pane is cold on my hand as I gawk in wonder. I turn to Keith when he walks in from the grill and say, “I feel like I missed so much as a human. This is so amazing.”

  He smiles. “Isn’t it? There’s so much for you to experience. Ready to eat?”

  I nod as he slides a beef patty onto a bun for me. He gets the potatoes out of the oven while I dress my burger with condiments. Even the sound of the spatula on the cookie sheet reveals nuances I never noticed before. I squash the top
of the roll on my burger and take a bite. My hand flies up to cover my mouth when I mumble, “Oh my god!” Salty beef flavor explodes in my mouth along with the vegetables. The onion actually stings my tongue. I moan as I chew, and when I swallow, I say, “I loved food before. Now?”

  I chuckle as I lick beef juice off my finger. A spike of Keith’s musky scent startles me, and my jaw drops again as I stare at him. “I can— I—” I snap my mouth shut as my cheeks heat up. If I can smell his arousal, he sure as hell can smell mine, and the implications of that make me want to cringe in embarrassment when I think about all the times I lusted after him when I was his intern.

  He waggles his eyebrows at me. “Not many secrets in our world, are there?”

  I shake my head and lift my hamburger up for another bite. But food is no longer what’s on my mind, and I decide I’m not too sore. I glance over at Keith, knowing his nose has detected what’s on my mind, and I speak telepathically to him. “I don’t want to wait.”

  My mate doesn’t speak as he stalks over to me and takes my face in his hands. His kiss heats me up even more, and I break away when it threatens to drown me. My chest is heaving as my breathing rasps against my ears. My plate scrapes across the counter as Keith shoves it out of the way, and I stand up. The granite digs into my spine when I lean back so my mate can work on my waistband. He drags my jeans down, and my core twitches in anticipation of what’s going to happen next. I squeal when he lifts me onto the counter by my hips.

  The surface is cold under my bottom, but I’m so turned on that it barely registers. My eyelids flutter shut as I say, “I might come before you even touch me.”

  Keith lets out his signature growl. “I’m about to blow your mind, Tori.”

  “Oh, god.” I spread my thighs for him as he moves between my legs. His hair is soft on my tender skin, and I just about levitate when he laps at my folds. The roughness of his tongue on my sensitive slit sends pleasure through my body, and I squirm under his ministrations. The scent of me floats up to my nose as I pump my hips in a rhythm. Keith fills me with his fingers, and moans come from me as I throw my head back. It’s almost too much as sensation overwhelms me, but at the same time it’s not enough, and I want more. The world around me disappears, and I just about pass out when my orgasm takes me.

  I fall back on the counter as my muscles twitch. Everything hurts, and I can barely move, but what I just experienced has washed away any memory of the pain I experienced when I changed. I say, “Mind blown. This werebear stuff rocks.”

  Chapter 3

  Isabelle

  Dirt and rocks crunch under the tires of my truck as I head toward the back parking lot of the gas station. I might be leaving the vehicle for a while and don’t want to call attention to it. I reached the Canadian border in under two hours, and I’m waiting for Tristan.

  My door thuds shut, and a beep sounds when I lock it as I walk toward the convenience store. I might as well get something to eat while I wait. A screen door squeaks on its hinges as I pull it open to go inside. The floor of the building is rolling hills of worn wood planks that creak as I step on them. A thin man behind the counter smiles at me, and I try not to cringe at the toothpick-like teeth that probably never saw a toothbrush. He makes some noise I suppose he thinks is a word, and I offer a quick attempt at a smile. I know I’m judging him on something I shouldn’t, but one of Helga’s weird quirks was dental hygiene. Tristan and I have her to thank for nearly perfect teeth.

  The dust I notice on canned goods sends any idea of using the restroom here out of my mind, and I search for a sweet snack. I already picked up a cooler full of meals from the deli in case this mission takes longer than I hope. Tristan’s voice in my head says, “Get me cookies too.”

  I smile, because he knows me well, and he must be in the parking lot. The packages thump on the counter along with two chocolate milks, and I slap down cash to pay for it all. Even though I’m dressed down in a simple black tee and jeans, my white-blond hair and large stature make me memorable, and I have to be careful. I should be wearing my hair tucked in a hat, and I bet Tristan will tell me so.

  When I get outside, my brother is leaning against his new black Hummer with his arms crossed. I notice how big they are. Maine is treating Tristan well. Along with a successful boutique-vodka business venture, he’s eating his fill and has found a true mate with the finances to afford him life’s luxuries.

  He’s also just as memorable as I am, especially since he’s dressed entirely in black too and has the same blond hair. Only his is tucked into a ball cap. Right now the two of us look like some kind of special-forces unit, and it would make me laugh if my stomach wasn’t knotted up over what we’re about to walk into.

  I toss a container of milk at Tristan, and he catches it in his hand as his icy-blue eyes squint at me. I say, “Hat. I know.”

  “She’s in jail.”

  “What?” Shit. I flash back to the shredded bodies of the policemen that littered the road after Helga did what she thought necessary to free the two of us from the consequences of our joyride. This could go wrong in so many ways. “Any—”

  “No. She called Annie for bail.”

  I raise my eyebrows at him. The fact that she’s in a jail cell and hasn’t killed anyone surprises me. I’m also sure she thinks Annie is too naive to be aware of her devious ways and hopes that’s who would be retrieving her now that the fun is over.

  He shrugs. “Apparently they’re treating her well, and she likes the food.”

  I snort. Leave it to my mother to have coerced the Canadian police into thinking they’re dealing with a kind old lady who’s not quite running on all cylinders. I hope for their sake they continue to buy it. I ask, “So what did she do?” I move to the back of my truck, and the tailgate thuds when I open it.

  “She left a diner without paying for her food, and the owner thought she might be a dementia patient when he noticed she pulled out and drove on the wrong side of the road.” The cooler scrapes against the metal truck bed as Tristan drags it out. “He called the police to see if maybe she was lost, but when he discovered she had managed to clean out the cash register too, he pressed charges. The police think he’d be willing to drop them if we pay off her debt.”

  I sigh. But my stomach relaxes. Maybe this isn’t so bad after all. I slam the tailgate shut and lock up. “So all we have to do is go bail her out and pay her tab?” My bicep flexes as I pull myself up and into the Hummer using the panic handle.

  Tristan turns over the engine, and it purrs as he glances at me. “So it seems.” What he doesn’t say is that nothing is ever easy with Helga, and it’s too soon to tell.

  “Okay, let’s go spring her.”

  My brother doesn’t smile at my attempt at humor. I hate that we’ve grown so far apart. He hasn’t brought up our plan for clan domination since our mother arrived, and I wonder if he thinks I’ve dropped the idea too. While I know it’s supposed to be a slow-burn kind of thing that can’t even begin to transpire until all the De Roziers arrive, we spent so much time talking about it before we arrived, I’m a little surprised that it’s not a frequent topic.

  The leather of the seat is soft under my hand as I stroke it. “Nice car. Your cover mustn’t be too hard to take.”

  Tristan’s brow lowers a bit. “Yours either. Seems Luke satisfies you in all the right ways too.”

  I’m sure he’s referring to the sex Luke and I had behind his shed while the work party was going on yesterday after the the framing on the dorm for the arriving De Rozier clan. “He does. But our bond is temporary. Still think you’ll be able to betray Annie?”

  “If that’s what needs to be done.”

  His knuckles are white on the steering wheel. I knew it. He’s having second thoughts. The radio power button sinks under my finger as I press it on. Heavy metal music blares. Not that it matters, because Luke and I suspected as much and have a plan of our own. I smile at the latest development. We have a few Veilleux in our pocket and ju
st discovered Brady’s best friend’s true mate is the daughter of their deceased alpha. Apparently the Veilleux medicine man can work the bloodline to our advantage.

  When a singer begins to wail, Tristan turns the radio off. “We’re in another clan’s territory,” he says. His seat creaks as he lifts his hip to get his phone.

  I glance around, and a flash to the left of me confirms we’re being followed. “What do we know about them?”

  Tristan shrugs as he speaks into his phone. “What clan is in New Brunswick?”

  I hear Brady’s voice. “Ouellette. Need us?”

  A muscle in my brother’s jaw works, and I guess he’s struggling with the desire to do everything by himself. But he’s also smart. We don’t need roadblocks if we plan to get Helga out smoothly. He says, “Yes. Isabelle and I will take care of getting Helga if you can deal with the Ouellettes.”

  “Done,” says Brady.

  Tristan’s phone clicks off, and I ask, “No meet and greet? Darn it. I so love scaring the crap out of other bear.”

  He cracks a small smile. “Save that thought. This is going down too easily, and I don’t trust it.”

  I nod. A shiver runs down my spine, because something about this feels wrong to me too. I gaze out at the expanse of highway before us, and a vision of it splattered with blood flashes in my mind. I don’t think we’re leaving Canada without paying a price. I hope it’s one we can afford.

  Chapter 4

  Tori

  Squishy moss is between my toes and damp on my feet as I stand across from Keith. We’re both naked, and I’m nervous. I’m about to shift into a bear. Lucy was going to be here for this, but for some reason it’s special to Keith, so I asked her if she minded being the second person I shift with.

  I take a deep breath. Somehow my body is going to grow hair, sizable teeth, and huge paws. Keith says, “You need to find something that makes you angry and focus on it.”