Healing the Bear (15 page)

“Good
morning,” he said.

“Morning
to you and you really look the part. I love those khaki shorts.”

They
had been an impulse buy, so had the top of the line fishing rod and tackle. He
wasn’t sure when he’d use them again because his way of fishing was so much
easier. Although now that he had a human girlfriend doing things her way wasn’t
so bad either. Maybe they’d take a picnic by the lake and stream. He’d fish and
after they’d make love and…

“A
huge smile has just appeared on your face,” she said.
“Were
you thinking of something pleasant?”

“Very, and sort of naughty too.”

“You
can tell me later because here are the men. Now behave yourself, no wild
partying tonight out in the wilderness.”

“
Damn,
and I’ve invited a bunch of strippers along.”

She
walked around from the desk and pinched his arm.

“Gentleman,
this is your guide, Dane Reynolds. Be gentle with him because it’s his first
time taking a group out for the night, but no one knows the outdoors quite like
Dane.”

He
tapped her playfully on the butt, hoping no one was looking.

“Hi,
Dane,” the men shouted at him.

Dane
waved. “Okay, let’s get all the gear together and load it into the bus. Then
we’ll be on our way.”

“Be
good and take lots of photos,” she said, kissing him.

“I
will and if I lose my job at the school I guess I can always be a fishing
guide.”

Dane
followed behind the men and went outside just as the bus pulled up. The driver
opened up the luggage area and they began loading it with bags and fishing
rods.

“You
think it’s a good day for fish to bite?” asked one of the men.

“Perfect
because I hear rain’s in the forecast.”

****

This
was the first night in what seemed forever that Dane wasn’t going to be with
her. She’d forgotten how lonely her evenings used to be. She’d wanted so desperately
to go out and do stuff and meet new people but had been petrified that she’d
give herself away and they’d think she was a liar or just plain weird.
Eventually, she’d just given up and expected she’d be sort of a recluse for the
rest of her life.

What
did she used to do? Read, watch TV, she’d even taken up knitting when the
weather got colder. Maybe she’d drag out her knitting needles again and make
something as a surprise for Dane. She realized she didn’t know the date of his
birthday. That was something else she’d have to change. For the last two years,
she’d sung happy birthday to herself on her real birthday not the one they’d
given to her, which for some reason was Halloween. She thought it appropriate
because her new life had been connected with all sorts of horrors.

****

Dane
eyed the woods as they settled down for the night. He’d wanted to go for a run
as a bear but wouldn’t risk being seen. The cooking part of the evening had
gone better than he’d expected. They’d caught a total of seven fish. Cleaning
them had been a task but finally he’d put them in the cast iron skillet over
the fire and everyone had loved the meal.

“Maybe
we should have a sing along before bed,” said one of the men, coming back from
relieving himself.

In your dreams.
He loved music
and singing, but the thought of sitting around the fire singing with a dozen
human men wasn’t his idea of a guys’ night out. Luckily two of the other guys
threw their shoes at him, which Dane had seriously considered doing should the
guy pursue the sing along thing further.

“Okay, night everyone.
I’m only a tent
away should you
need
anything,” said Dane.
Hopefully the fresh air has made you want to
sleep like babies.

He
unzipped his own tent and got inside. Being a human in the wilderness was
boring with a capital B. The woods were calling his name, but he could not give
into temptation. He lay down and pulled the blanket over him.
 
He’d tried calling Melanie but got no
reception on his cell phone which was probably the whole point of the retreat
and people getting away from their everyday lives, including calling and
texting every few minutes.

He
crossed one foot over the other and looked up at the top of the tent. He sure
missed Melanie and wondered what she was up to. He should have brought a book
with him and read by flashlight. He turned over and thought he’d count sheep. Maybe
that would put him to sleep and he too would sleep like a baby.

Dane
hadn’t realized he’d dozed off until the sound of twigs and brush snapping
close by woke him up. It probably hadn’t disturbed the other men, but his bear
hearing alerted him to the least little thing. He sat up, putting his nose in
the air.
Wasn’t an animal, but human.
He’d know that
scent anywhere.

He
listened carefully. He heard more twigs breaking. It sounded like the person
was moving away from their camp not toward it, which was probably a good thing,
but he’d still feel happier checking it out just in case he or she came back.

Dane
unzipped his tent and went outside, looking around but seeing nothing until he
caught a flash of something moving down the ways to the left. He took a quick
look around to see if anything was missing. Didn’t seem to be, but one of the
tents was wide open.

He
walked over to it and peeked inside. No one was in there. His bear curiosity
got the better of him and he went inside, not worrying too much if the guy came
back because he sensed something wasn’t right and he needed to know what.

Dane
sat down and began looking through the guy’s belongings. Change of shorts and a
t-shirt, water bottle, bug spray, and an orange folder. He reached over for it
and placed it on his lap, pulling out his flashlight from his belt. He opened
it and focused on its contents.

A
cold chill ran over him when he saw a photo of Melanie. He swallowed a few
times. One of the guys wasn’t here for a retreat. He’d found Melanie and was
going to kill her.

Perfect cover.
He hated to
think that maybe Trent’s fishing around into her background had led a bad
person to her.

Dane
rushed out of the tent. The guy was probably heading back to the lodge. He had
a ten minute start on Dane. He reached into the tent for the blanket and took
in its scent. Dane the human might not be able to catch up with him or track
him, but Dane the bear could.

He
began taking off his clothes as he raced toward the way he’d seen the guy
heading. For his own sake this guy better not harm one hair on Melanie’s head
or he’d kill him.

Chapter Nineteen

Melanie
hadn’t realized how sleepy she was until she found herself nodding off as she
was casting on what would be a scarf for Dane. Her head shot up and for a
minute she’d forgotten that she’d opted to take her knitting to bed to get a
head start on it while she watched the news.

She
flicked off the remote, set the knitting needles and wool on the night table,
and flicked off the light, wondering if Dane and the guys had turned in for the
night yet.
He’s probably fast asleep and
giving that cute bear snore of his.

She
smiled and drifted off to sleep only to be woken up thirty minutes later by
what sounded like footsteps out in the living room. Panic washed over her.
She’d armed the alarm. It was working because the voice had told her it was
activated, and she’d checked for the red blinking lights on it before she’d
gone to bed.

There
it was again, squeaking floorboards and now through the gap at the bottom of
the closed door she could see what was definitely someone walking by. She
reached for the phone, but when she picked it up the line was dead.

Her
heart beat faster.

If
they were going to kill her, she’d have rather them do it the way they’d taken
Mike’s life. They’d told her he probably hadn’t known anything about it and
hadn’t suffered.

She
closed her eyes, knowing hers would be a more drawn out way, painful even. She
gagged. Would she run and put up a fight? Was it worth it? Even if she got away
this time, they’d send someone else later on. She was tired of being scared.

Someone
turned the knob on the bedroom door. She’d thought about asking for a lock for
it but didn’t see the point. If they got into the apartment, they could get
into the bedroom.

Soon
a man stood in the doorway.
Noah August.

Was
she just going to let him kill her, or would she try to fight and run for help?

Dane,
she had him to live for now.

She
reached for the knitting needles. If she could stab him, maybe it would give
her time to run for help or even pick up her cell phone that was on the coffee
table.

A
light shone in her eyes and she saw him, dressed in black, rope pulled tight
between his hands.

“Hi, Chloe, time to join Mike.”

He
ran toward her. She jumped out of bed and lunged at him with the needles,
piercing his arm.

“Fuck
you, bitch, now you’ll die more slowly.”
 
She wasn’t quick enough and he hit her in the face with the back of his
hands. It stung, burned. She thought she’d pass out, but she couldn’t. She had
to fight so she’d live to see Dane again.

She
tried to run, but he grabbed her ankle and pulled her toward him, his weight
now on top of her, pressing her into the carpet. She saw blood from her face
and head splatter out in front of her. The next blow had cracked something
inside her body. She groaned as he slipped the rope around her neck.

Honey, get up
and fight. You have to live, because something special’s happening to you.

It
was Mike’s voice. He was here.

With
as much effort as she could muster, she pulled herself up and wedged her hand
under the rope, letting it cut into the side of her palm rather than her throat.
Her ribs were broken, she was pretty sure of it, but if she could find
someplace to hide maybe she’d get enough energy to fight him some more.

She
elbowed him, taking him off guard, and then she got to her feet and kicked him
in the crotch. While he was doubled over, she ran for her closet, crawled
inside, pulled the door, and latched the lock.

She
listened. Nothing, but then she jumped when he called out to her.

“You
can’t stay in there forever and no one’s coming to save you. Let’s get this
over and done with. I promise I’ll be quick and then it’ll be all over and you
can see Mike again.”

There
was a thud and then silence again.

He
was tricking her, making her believe he’d gone, but she wasn’t falling for it.
She was going to stay in this closet forever if she had to. They wouldn’t kill
her like they had her husband.

Chapter Twenty

Dane
ran to the side of the Lodge, knowing Melanie’s apartment was only minutes
away. He walked around the side of the main building. Changing back into his
human form was going to be tough with his mind and body in such a heightened
state, but he had to do it. Either that or break down the door as a bear. He
closed his eyes and thought how he needed to do this for one person and that
was Melanie. His claws retreated and his paws became his feet and hands again.

He
only hoped he’d run quickly enough and that she’d had the sense to know someone
was around and had taken precautions. As he turned the corner, he saw the door
was open. He ran inside and down the hallway, seeing a man sitting on the floor
of Melanie’s room. There was rope in his hands. He was staring at the wall, a
pool of blood beside him, blood splattered all over the carpet.

Dane
didn’t think, didn’t even give it a second thought. He ran in there and lunged
at him, sending the man falling backwards. He punched him, pounded on him, seeing
blood fly from his mouth in all different directions.

“You
fucking bastard, you deserve to die,” Dane shouted at him.

He
then heard what he knew was a door opening and guessed there was another
assailant. He’d take him on too. He turned around ready to fight when he saw
Melanie, standing in the t-shirt she wore to bed, shaking. Her throat was black
and blue, bruising already putting in an appearance. It also looked like her
arm was out of its socket.

“Dane,
I’m okay. Don’t kill him or they’ll send you away.”

She
stumbled over to him and fell into his arms. She’d passed out.

He
needed to call 9-1-1. He had to get help and get the police to arrest this
asshole before he didn’t do as she’d asked and he killed him just like the man
who’d killed Lucinda.

He
picked Melanie up and placed her on the bed. Then he used the rope to tie the
man’s hands behind his back before picking up the phone.