Cindy Spencer Pape - [Guardian Investigations 01] by Heart of the Bear (html) Read Free Book Online Page A

were the grizzly.”
    He nodded, his mouth set in a grim line.
“Now you know why Guardian attracts such an unusual clientele. Your brother is
actually the most normal of all of us.”
    “Hereditary?” Not that I’d been thinking of
having babies with Evan—not much, at least—but that added a whole lot to the
equation. Kids or cubs? I forced back a burst of hysterical laughter.
    “Sort of.” He grimaced. “How about we find
Ericka first and talk later? Full disclosure—I promise.”
    “Of course.” I couldn’t believe I’d let
myself get so sidetracked by a personal issue, even one of such astounding
proportions. “Do you have an ETA on your cousins?”
    “Not soon enough,” he muttered. “Fifteen to
twenty minutes, and I don’t want to wait that long.”
    “No. The winds said to hurry.” I picked up
the printed copy of the satellite photo and stuffed it into the pocket of my
hooded sweatshirt. “I know this is going to sound bad, but does anyone here
have a set of lock picks I can borrow? I didn’t bring any equipment with me.”
    Evan laughed. “In the Jeep. Told you I was
on a job before I went to the cabin.”
    Two minutes later, we were in his Jeep. I
pulled Ericka’s toy out of the paper bag Evan had handed me and closed my eyes.
    “Ericka?”
    “Yes?” There
was a person with her now, and I could see her clearly. This must be Faith, the
former secretary. So much for being bribed or blackmailed. There was gleeful
menace in the woman’s blue eyes.
    “I said take it off!” She fisted her
hand in Ericka’s pyjama top and pulled her to a seated position. I could feel
the tingle in her unbound hands as the blood began to flow downward. Ericka bit
her lip to avoid crying out.
    “I can’t. My hands hurt.” The little girl
rubbed her abused wrists.
    “You’re going to hurt a lot more if you don’t
do as you’re told. Take off the pyjamas and put on the gown.”
    “I don’t like nightgowns.”
    Slap! I felt
the impact as if it were on my own cheek.
    “Ericka, ” I
urged. “ Don’t fight her. Just do what she says. But do it as slowly as
possible. Can you do that for me?”
    “I’ll try.” She
blinked back the tears welling in her eyes and lifted her hands. Slowly, she
pulled the thin knit cotton top over her head and glared at the woman. “There. Happy?”
She picked up the white silken gown and slowly, awkwardly pulled it over her
head. She took her sweet time finding the sleeve holes and getting tangled in
the billowing folds.
    “Good girl. We’re almost there. If you
hear anything, try to get under the bed. Don’t come out until I tell you, okay?
Be brave.”
    “Okay.”
    I set the toy down and turned to Evan. “It
looks like they’re getting her ready for some sort of ritual.”
    “Shit.”
    “Exactly.”
    Just a minute or two later, he pulled the
Jeep off the side of the road and turned the key, though he left it in the
ignition.
    “I wish you’d wear the Kevlar,” he grumbled,
restarting an argument we’d had earlier as we climbed out.
    “We’ve been through this. Your vest is way
too big for me. I need to be able to move, Evan. I promise, I’ll be careful.” I
did have his shoulder holster and sidearm, since he couldn’t shoot in his bear
shape. I also had a slender wire lock pick tucked into the back pocket of my
jeans. Evan, at least, had come well-prepared.
    He nodded and began methodically stripping
off his clothes. I couldn’t help but watch. His body was just as magnificent as
I’d remembered. Even quiescent, his cock was thick and long. It stirred under
my gaze, and Evan cleared his throat. “Later, Hannah.”
    I felt my cheeks flush. “Damned straight,”
I muttered. “So no getting killed, understand?”
    His brown gaze was tender and fierce at the
same time. “You’re going in a hell of a lot more vulnerable than I am. You be careful.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek, then took two long steps away
from me. The air shimmered like the waves reflecting from a sidewalk on a hot
summer day, and then, in his place, stood the