BEARedtoYouBBWShifterEroticRomanceARe by Tawny Taylor Read Free Book Online

backed himself into the wall next to the door and knocked again.
    Tarik wanted to jump on him and tear the man to pieces for what he’d done. It was wrong to play with people’s lives like this! To think his life’s research might be twisted and abused. Used to manipulate men, women, children. Ruin lives. For what purpose? It couldn’t be good.
    The pungent scent of fear billowed off Torborg’s skin now, like great plumes of wretched smoke. Tarik backed away from the man as far as the room would allow. Still, he knew what was about to happen. He couldn’t stop it.
    The pain swelled until it blinded him. Muscles stretching and pulling. Bones reshaping. Tarik screamed, but the sound that came from his mouth took the form of a loud, angry roar.
    Torborg spun around and started pounding on the door. “Open this door, dammit!”
    It nearly killed him, but Tarik forced himself to resist lunging forward and ripping Torborg’s throat out. He knew he could kill the man. It would be so easy. In a sense, it would be so satisfying.
    His mind was still working, somewhat. The drives of the beast muddied his thinking. The door flew open and he saw his chance.
    Escape first. Find Abby. Protect Abby.
    He literally trampled Torborg as he charged for the door. The man crumpled on the floor beneath his feet, mid-scream. Tarik barreled past the guards, who he suspected were taking aim at his back. His drive to find Abby pushed him forward. He ran to the elevator. Couldn’t work it. His fingers had shortened. Found the door to a stairwell was propped open. He ripped the door off the wall and threw it at the guards shooting at him. That stopped them.
    Minutes later, he charged out of the building and ran for his life, only one thought remaining in his mind.
    Find Abby.
    * * * * *
    Some moron was banging on her hotel room door. Dammit, she hated hotels! She never could sleep in one. People were so rude, stomping down hallways, screaming kids, knocking on the wrong doors. Argh!
    Sleep. All she wanted was some sleep. It shouldn’t be too much to ask.
    Abby covered her head with the pillow and made an attempt at ignoring the idiot out there trying to kick in her door. It couldn’t be Katie. She was still out in L.A. She’d checked. Several times. The strike hadn’t ended yet.
    “Go away, you’ve got the wrong room!” she shouted when he didn’t let up. Had to be a guy. No woman would be so stupid. Yeah, yeah, that was a sexist comment. She was in no mood to be politically correct. The friggin’ jerk didn’t stop.
    “Dammit!” She threw the pillow against the wall, ripped the covers off herself and stomped to the door. Leaving the security chain in place, she pulled open the door a couple of inches and giving the big, stupid lug standing in front of the door her meanest glare she said, “You’ve got the wrong room, asshole. Get. Lost.”
    “Abigail Clumm?” the man asked.
    Not answering, she gave him a once-over.
    He wasn’t anyone she recognized. Didn’t have on a uniform. She doubted he was a policeman. And even if he was, what would he want with her?
    Still, despite her anger and resentment at having been dragged out of her bed, her curiosity got the better of her. “Who’s asking?”
    “My name’s Joe. I work for Omega Corporation here in Anchorage.”
    His name did nothing for her but the company rang a bell. No, it rang a huge gong!
    Omega. That had been the company Tarik said he worked for. Had something happened to Tarik? What did they want with her? And why were the hairs on her nape sticking up on end? “I’m sorry. I don’t know anyone named Joe. And I know nothing about a company called Omega.” She shut the door, locked it and sat on her bed, ringing her hands. Not exactly the most productive thing to do, but what choice did she have?
    She hoped the guy would just leave. Leave her alone and go back to Omega. It was probably a silly thing to hope for, but oh well.
    The knocking resumed.
    Yeah, it had been