Cee Cee swallowed. “Shifter or animal?”
He ducked his head. Many shifters lived on the island, and most of his employees in the coal mine were actual bear shifters. But these? All animal, which was unfortunate. He moved his hands incredibly slowly around the woman’s stiff body. The switch inside him flipped, turning him from lover to killer in an instant. Protecting the woman in front of him became his entire focus. “I’m going to ignite the engine, and I need you to flip around me and hold on at the same second.”
“Okay,” she whispered, her thighs tightening around his waist.
“Now,” he muttered, twisting the key. The engine roared to life, and Cee Cee moved, gracefully swirling around him and planting her butt in place.
The lead bear charged, teeth sharp and bared.
Chapter 5
Oh God. There were at least eight large beasts running at them.
“Hold on, Cee Cee,” Daire said, twisting the throttle. The powerful vehicle jumped forward, and snow sprayed.
She clamped her hands together, her body flush with his, her legs vibrating. Piercing cold air rushed against her face, and she leaned her cheek into his back. “What about Vegar?” she yelled.
Daire swerved to avoid the head bear.
Two more leaped toward them, hitting their bodies square on and knocking them off the rapidly moving snowmobile. Daire turned in midair and tucked her close, wrapping his body around her as they landed hard on the ice and skidded several yards. Before she could catch her breath, he was up and in front of her, facing down a line of snarling beasts.
She scrambled to stand, her boots sliding on the slippery surface. Panic cut off her air, and the wind shoved at her from behind. The snowmobile continued on without them for a distance, slowed, and slid to a stop, its engine still running.
The nearest bear lifted its head and growled. Insanity glowed in its eyes, or maybe that was hunger. Definitely pure animal with no shifter inside. Judging by size, three of the animals were male, five female. All were a mangy white with thick coats and deadly claws, ranging from nine feet to seven feet tall, and about a thousand pounds. How in the hell could she and Daire take all eight of them?
A female to the leader’s left turned and ran over to Vegar on the ground. Cee Cee cried out and tried to move toward the downed witch, but Daire shoved her back behind him.
“Too late. Concentrate on the immediate threat,” he ordered, his stance set, his large body between her and the snarling beasts.
A sickening crunch echoed as one of the beasts sank its teeth into Vegar’s neck. Within seconds, the animal had beheaded the witch. Two more bears leaped over and started to feed.
Oh God, Oh God, Oh God. Cee Cee swallowed down bile.
Daire angled slightly toward the sea, facing the remaining five beasts. “I’m going to charge them, straight in the middle, and you run for the snowmobile,” he said under his breath.
“No.” She couldn’t leave him to five of the snarling monsters. “You’re tough, Enforcer, but one of those animals just ripped off a witch’s head with minimal effort.” She’d never fought a real bear before. “Go for the throat and incapacitate quickly,” she whispered.
He nodded. “Get to the damn snowmobile. The throttle is the right handlebar—just twist forward the second you jump on. I can’t charge them and cover you.”
She quickly calculated scenarios in her head. He was right. The five remaining bears began to spread out and circle them. “Okay.”
“When you get on, go north, past the buildings, and keep going until you reach the base of that peak over there. I have allies, polar bear shifters, and they’ll help you. Tell them you’re mine.” Daire shook out his hands and angled to keep himself in alignment with the leader as it moved. “Now. Go.” With a breathtaking roar, he jumped forward, arms outstretched, taking down three of the massive bears.
Cee Cee ducked to the side and ran full bore toward the snowmobile. Panting and the clacking of nails on ice sounded behind her. Claws raked down her arm, shredding the coat and digging into her skin.
Pain flared—hot and brutal.
Her heart rate increased, and her lungs panted out. She half turned and kicked out, nailing the animal in the snout. It went down, and Cee Cee turned to run again. Blood poured from her torn artery, but she didn’t have the time or resources to heal herself right now.
She reached the snowmobile, leaped onto the seat, her hand already twisting the handlebar. The machine lurched forward, and she jerked to the right, swinging the back skis around. No way was she leaving Daire to the animals. The machine wobbled, and she tightened her hold, opening the throttle wide. Ducking her head, she drove over the ice, straight at the melee.
Blood already flowed across the white tundra. Daire stood in the middle of the four remaining predators, kicking and striking, forming fire balls and throwing. The beasts used sharp claws and deadly teeth, alternating between striking and avoiding the burning plasma.
Cee Cee ran right into the biggest animal, hitting it in the back and sending it flying toward the sea. She whipped the vehicle around and reached out a hand for Daire. Blood covered him forehead to ankles, and most of his clothing was shredded. “Get on,” she yelled.
He shook blood from his eyes and threw a succession of deep green fireballs at the bears, swinging his arm and creating a graceful arc of flame. With his free hand, he grabbed hers and jumped behind her, still forming and throwing deadly fire through the swirling storm. The horrifying smells of burned fur and blood swirled with the barrage of snow. “Go,” he bellowed.
She leaned down and opened the throttle again, kicking out with one leg to nail a bear in the neck. It fell back, teeth mashing together.
Daire wrapped his body over her, his thighs outside her hips, bracketing her. With an unholy howl, the lead bear came at them from the left, while another male came from the right. “Strike to the right,” Daire ordered.
Her lungs compressed. She held on to the handlebars and cocked her leg to kick. Daire threw fire from both hands, nailing each bear before turning to deal with the lead Alpha bear.
The other male yelped as fire impacted his chest but didn’t halt his trajectory. He hit the front side of the snowmobile, thick paw sweeping out. His claws raked into her forehead and ripped down, opening up the side of her face to the bone. Raw agony set her on fire. She screamed and jerked her head away, trying to protect her eye.
The lead bear roared in fury and pain, but she didn’t turn to see. Daire leaned over her, a ball of fire in his palm, and smashed the flames into the other male bear’s face. It shrieked and fell back.
Daire grabbed her hands over the bars and pushed farther, driving fast into the storm and dodging around the orange building. Dizziness rippled through her, and she tried to focus, but too much pain pierced her nerves. The freezing cold clashed against the raw bones in her face, and nausea lurched across her stomach.
He steered the vehicle through a deserted town dotted with abandoned buildings, including a schoolhouse and small store. Daire continued on, fighting the storm, and finally reached a crumbling brick building with a haphazardly hanging sign that read: ISLAND SKOLE. Island School. He drove around back and cut the engine, grabbing her up in one smooth motion and running through a partially open back door.
The smell of must and snow filled her nose. He moved gracefully, but every slight jostle sent excruciating pain through her head. Her arm had gone numb, which was not a good sign.
He carried her through the small building containing overturned desks and tables into what appeared to have been a kitchen, where he gently sent her down on an red metal table. Old pots littered the ice-covered floor, while a wide frozen oven took up one whole wall opposite a crumbling brick fireplace. “How bad?” he asked, walking around and stopping short upon seeing her face. “Holy fucking shit.”
She wobbled, her vision graying.
With a gentleness surprising in such a large man, he unzipped the coat and removed it.
Even so, when he reached her injured arm, she bit back a scream.
“God.” He peered down. “Your artery is clawed, baby. Can you heal it? You’re bleeding like a geyser.”
Her teeth chattered, and she tried to concentrate and send healing cells to the wound, but she’d lost too much blood. She was too damn cold. “No.”
“Okay. Hold on. I’ve got you.” He jerked around and grabbed an overturned wooden chair, one of four. Quickly kicking them into small pieces, he shoved them into the brick fireplace. Fire danced down his arms, and he shot it toward the wood, which sputtered and died out. He looked around frantically and then yanked off his shirt, tore it into shreds, and placed the pieces under the wood.
“No, Daire,” she said weakly. He’d need his shirt.
“Shh.” He formed plasma balls again and set the material on fire. Claw marks marred his incredible back and arms, even his head. Through the temporary carnage, she spotted an intricate tattoo that began at his left shoulder blade and wound up his back and down his arm. A myriad of complex Celtic lines with a barely discernible C9E combined in the middle. His designation as an enforcer for the Coven Nine, the ruling body of witches. A sexy warning on his warrior’s body.
As she watched, the wounds began to close. Incredible. Witches could heal faster than any other species, probably because of the whole fire thing and their ability to alter matter through the use of quantum physics. She giggled.
He turned. “You’re going into shock.”
God, she hoped so. The pain was too much, and if she threw up, her head might really fall off.
The wood caught fire, and warmth began to permeate the small room. “Won’t the animals see the smoke?” she asked drowsily, swaying on the table.
“They’re animals, sweetheart. Not shifters.” He moved toward her and peered down at her arm. “Your head is bad, but nowhere as bad as your arm. You’re still bleeding too much.” Regret colored his tone, but she was so close to falling into the darkness, she didn’t wonder why. He smoothed the hair from her face. “You’re too weak to heal yourself, so I’ll have to. This might scar you. I’m sorry.”
She blinked.
He held her good arm, and a very pretty green fire danced on his free hand. Then he pressed it to her injuries along her bicep.
Agony! She screamed, her entire nervous system misfiring. All instinct, she kicked out, shoving against him and trying to get away from the flame. He held tight, giving no quarter. The scent of burned flesh banished the clean scent of wood on fire. Tears poured down her face, burning in her injuries.
He finally let go, and she leaned back, all fuzziness gone. Several gulping breaths brought her back to control.
“You okay?” he asked, smoothing bloody hair off her face.
She swallowed and tried to stem the tears. “Yes.” Her voice shook. “Thank you.”
He grimaced, and his warrior’s hand shook. “I know that hurt, and I’m not done.” He turned her arm over to reveal three thick, bloody lines down her forearm. “If we don’t stem the blood, you won’t be able to heal your face.”
If they didn’t stem the blood, she’d go into a coma and might not recover. “I know.” She tried to straighten her back, her gaze seeking his.
Sorrow and regret mingled with fury in his amazing green eyes. This was costing him more than her, if she had to guess. So she swallowed and tried to smile with the half of her face that still worked. “I’m fine, Enforcer. Let’s see your fire.”
Daire kept his hold gentle on her wrist and hid the turmoil slashing through his gut. There was a chance the burns he was inflicting on her would scar if she didn’t get the strength to heal them and soon. “I’m sorry,” he said.
“It’s all right.” She tried to smile again, her beautiful face something out of a horror flick. The right side of her face was in ribbons, down to her cheekbone, and to her skull. The roots of her teeth even showed. Waves of pain, excruciating in their intensity, rolled off her, and yet the woman was trying to smile for him. So he could do what had to be done. Her dark eyes held trust and reassurance. “Let’s get it over with, Daire,” she said, the words slurred through one side of her mouth.
He drew in air, altered the oxygen molecules around his hand, and formed a green plasma ball. Toning down the intensity took enough concentration that sweat slickened his forehead, but he hadn’t healed completely yet, and his power had ebbed. Finally, he reached the right mixture and wiped his palm across her forearm.
She jerked, and he clamped a hand on her good shoulder to hold her in place. But he didn’t need to. She stayed still, any color still remaining in her skin wiping away to leave pure white. Her gaze held his, even as her eyes filled with tears.
But she didn’t make a sound this time.
It was almost worse. To witness the struggle in her, to see the strength, humbled him. It was one of the bravest things he’d ever seen, and he wondered what kind of monsters she’d faced to learn to keep silent in pain. Smoke rose from her arm, and he lifted his palm. He’d cauterized the wounds, leaving raised burns, red and swollen.
A shudder racked her entire body. She swayed again, and he held her in place. “If we could get you warm, maybe you could heal your head without my having to cauterize it,” he murmured, taking the damaged coat and tossing it on the cold ground. She needed sustenance, and so did he. His remaining injuries weren’t life threatening, but he required fuel to create more healing cells.
She blinked, shock coming back into her eyes as she coughed. Yeah. He couldn’t leave her on the table. So he lifted her, as gently as possible, and placed her on the coat near the fire.
“I’ll be back in just a minute.”
She leaned against the wall. “You’re not wearing a shirt. Take the coat.” Half lifting her butt, she reached for the material, her gaze unfocused.
“No.” He loped toward the door. “I can create fire, and you need to stay warm. I’ll be right back.” Without waiting for an argument, he shoved his way outside and pushed the door closed to keep out the storm, even while reaching for the knife in his boot. The arctic air bit into his skin, and he dug deep to ignore it, unable to create much fire after the fight and loss of blood.
He kept to the sides of buildings, hoping the freezing wind and storm would mask his scent. Yet his mind remained on the woman he’d left behind. Smart and strong, the woman could fight. Who was she? It was time to get some answers, as soon as she was healed. Her interest in his mines made him uneasy. Why would the demons want planekite, which only harmed witches? And humans. Plus, if she was correct, and Bychkov wanted her betrayed and alone in the wilderness, she had a hell of an enemy. The woman was a mystery, and Daire was finished being in the dark.
More than that, he wanted her. All of her. Not just her body. Her spirit, even though she was lying to him, intrigued the hell out of him. When she’d had the opportunity to ride to safety during the fight, she’d turned and challenged danger to help him. Then she’d smiled at him, to reassure him, when he’d burned her flesh together.
Aye. It was the smile that did it.
Chapter 6
A small cove protected the luxury yacht from capsizing in the boisterous storm but failed to keep the sea from battering the hull. Ivan Bychkov sat at his desk in the office portion of the boat, a glass of aged Scotch sliding around on the top. His stomach lurched with the Norwegian sea.
Demons didn’t get seasick, damn it.
He took the glass and tipped back the warm brew, heating the nausea away.
The table was a burnished teak, as were the walls and floor. The boat pitched, and he sucked down some air. Maps covered one wall, antique and valuable, while windows showed the churning sea outside. Even the smell of Scotch failed to banish the salty scent of the sea. Man, he wanted to go home to warmth and solid ground.
Where the hell was Vegar with the woman?
He shoved the stack of papers to the side, having already signed contracts for the recent acquisitions. As the leader of
an elite and powerful group of Russian demons, he had to continue buying and selling to keep the money flowing well. Good thing he had a knack for the stock market and an IQ beyond high, even for a demon. Plus, he truly enjoyed the strategy of figuring out what would happen next. His money was on biofuels and vaccines right now.
A discrete knock announced his first in command, Vadim Deeks, who stepped inside and closed the door. “The storm is too intense to leave the cove and explore along the coastline.”
“Satellite?” Ivan asked.
“No. The cloud cover is too thick.” The six-and-a-half-foot blond took a wide stance as the boat tipped. Dressed in all black with knives and various guns tucked into his uniform, the soldier narrowed his dark eyes. “If you wish, I could walk the shoreline around to the southern side and look for Vegar.”
“No.” Ivan gestured to the chair on the other side of the desk and poured another glass of Scotch, appreciating the loyalty if not the wisdom in such an offer. “The storm will ground everyone, and I assume Vegar took her to shelter to wait it out.” They were both strong and well trained—surviving one arctic storm would be simple. Plus, Ivan had paid the witch twenty million dollars and promised to match it the second he delivered the woman. “Let’s wait for the storm to abate, and then you and I can go looking.” He had two other soldiers and a captain on the yacht, but he didn’t require their help at this point.
Vadim nodded and prowled across the rocking boat to settle his bulk into the seat. “I’ve investigated the money trail further, and so far, I don’t believe her people have any idea she’s looking for you here. In fact, my source in her organization thinks she’s on a luxury cruise right now in the Bahamas. She gave her name as Cee Cee Jones when she hired Vegar to show her your mines.” Vadim swirled the glass around in his massive hand, gaze intense on the spinning liquid.
Ivan smiled. “Her mother called her Cee Cee when she was a young child.”
“’Tis a sweet name for a demon.” Vadim took a healthy drink of the brew, humming in appreciation.