Phantom Warriors: Riot by Jordan Summers Read Free Book Online Page A

Oh god, the men had finally caught her. With trembling hands, Nina turned the flashlight toward the sound.
A giant bear stood twenty yards away. It’s shoulders reached the
bottom branches of the tree it stood beneath. Nina had never in all
of her life seen a bear this size. It looked like a grizzly had
mated with an elephant. Except, grizzlies weren’t indigenous to the
area.
    She shined the flashlight into the creature’s
eyes, but it didn’t flinch, didn’t run away. So much for
frightening it. Nina’s heart leapt into her throat as the monster
bear took a step forward. The irony that she was about to get eaten
by a bear, when she’d been out trying to save them, was not lost on
her.
    Nina kept the flashlight trained on the
animal. With her veterinary practice, she knew every species in the
area, along with many others. She should’ve been able to identify
this species of bear, but its markings were all wrong. It was brown
where it should’ve been black, its ears weren’t shaped like a
typical bear, and…
    “Are you all right?” It talked.
    The world spun again. This time Nina reached
out to steady herself. She had to have hit her head in the fall.
That was the only explanation. She was imaging its voice. She had
to be. Bears didn’t talk. That was animal kingdom rule number one.
She stared at the trees around her.
    The bear tilted its head. “What are you
looking at?” it asked.
    “The trees,” she said calmly, like talking to
a bear was an everyday affair for her.
    Its furry brow rose. “Why?”
    “I’m waiting to see if they’re going to join
in on our conversation,” she said.
    His mouth moved a few times without any words
coming out, then he finally said, “Trees don’t talk.”
    Her gaze met his squarely. “Neither do
bears.” She swayed as the gap in her reality widened.
    “You don’t look so well. Perhaps you should
sit down.” The voice was a deep rumble as the bear’s jaw twisted to
form their words.
    Nina stared at its incisors, as the bear’s
mouth opened and closed. The teeth were longer than two of her
middle fingers put together. “This can’t be happening.” She shook
her head again and pain sliced through her skull.
    “I think you need medical assistance , ”
the bear said.
    “I know I do,” Nina said. “The fact that I
can hear you is a dead giveaway.”
    “Good, I was worried for a minute that you
couldn’t understand me.”
    “I plan to schedule a psychological exam the
second I get back to town.” She’d finally lost it. Well and truly
lost it. Between the stress over her grandfather’s failing health
and trying to keep the business alive, she’d gone over the deep
end. How else to explain talking bears? Nina swayed on her
feet.
    The bear gave her a look that on a person
would’ve been interpreted as concern. “Please sit down. You need to
catch your breath after a fall like that.”
    For some strange reason, Nina found herself
following his suggestion. “I wouldn’t have fallen had you not been
chasing me,” she muttered under her breath.
    The bear pawed at the ground and ducked his
head. “Sorry about that. I just wanted to make sure that you were
okay. You were running like something was after you.”
    She blanched. “Men were following me.”
    His massive head rose and he scented the air.
“I smelled them earlier, but they’re gone now.”
    She exhaled. “Good!” Nina didn’t think she
could handle the poachers and a talking bear. Great Spirit, bless!
She was talking to a bear. An honest to goodness bear.
    “What’s your name?” he asked.
    She responded automatically. “Nina
Whitetail.” She hesitated, then added, “Do you have a name?”
    “My name is Riot,” he said groaned, which
came out more like a roar.
    “Riot?” It’s a bear Nina. What did you
expect him to be called? Yogi? Perhaps Bob?
    “Can I ask you something?” The bear shuffled
his massive feet on the forest floor.
    His gaping maul gave her the impression that
he