Vivian Arend - Black Gold

Fudge .

Bruce examined the bush again, his lantern held high in the air. “You want to make this easy, Gem? Come on in, and we’ll go ahead with the next step of the game plan.”

“She’s not stupid. You confessed you planned to kidnap her. Why the fuck should she be willing to come out?” Shaun rearranged himself awkwardly.

“You’re right. Fine. Lower him, boys.”

Vince’s idea of letting him down consisted of whipping out a fixed blade knife and slashing the supporting rope in two. Shaun smacked the ground with a crash, a few choice swear words escaping.

Gem didn’t move. Not when they pulled the ropes from Shaun and yanked him to his feet. Not when Norm and Vince grabbed him by the arms, forcing him forward to stand naked and defenseless before their boss. Not when Bruce placed the lantern at his feet.

Bruce called out louder. “Right. Of course she’s not stupid. Gem, it’s you we want. If you come with us now, your lover doesn’t get the shit beat out of him. Simple.”

He spun and planted a right hook into Shaun’s belly. Fist meeting flesh was stomach-retching sickening. So was the expression on Shaun’s face. He’d turned cold, cruel. As if her Shaun wasn’t there anymore.

Bruce bashed him again, across the jaw. Shaun’s head snapped back with a crack, blood dripping from the side of his mouth. Another blow landed, and another. Shaun struggled against the bears restraining him. He lifted his legs and slammed them at Bruce. The bear shifter laughed as he ducked aside and struck repetitively.

He spoke between blows. “And, Shaun? If you decide…to change to your wolf in the hopes you can escape us that way? Just remember a human body is a lot harder to hide. I have no trouble killing a wolf in an instant.”

Gem hesitated. Maybe she wasn’t supposed to cave. Maybe Shaun had some master plan up his sleeve, but witnessing his torture? She couldn’t do it. There had to be a better solution.

She shifted back to human, crouched low. If they made a run for her, she would change again and escape. “Stop.”

Shaun spoke, the first sound from him other than grunts of pain since the beating began. “Insane.”

She wasn’t going to fall for it—he’d said that on purpose, just to piss her off. Bruce pivoted, the lamplight at his feet smearing the smile on his face into a hideous caricature. “There’s the lovely girl. Come on, dear. So nice of you to join us.”

“You have to promise not to hurt Shaun anymore. He’s my mate. He’s worth money as well.”

The sudden silence in the clearing was deafening.

“Your mate. Damn, that makes a huge difference.” Bruce slapped Shaun on the shoulder. “You hound dog. Well done. I was joking before about moving up in the world, but you really did it.”

“Shut your fucking face.” Shaun’s comment was greeted by a punch to the back of his head from Vince, and her mate fell to his knees as the goons on either side of him released his arms.

“Shaun.” Gem ran forward. The bad guys had all the reason they needed to not kill Shaun and leave his body behind. Either they took her word about the money or they would simply kill them both at some point. She figured she and Shaun had a better chance of surviving this adventure if they were together.

Bruce stepped aside and let her wrap an arm around Shaun.

“You weren’t supposed to do this.” Shaun held her hand as she helped him stagger to his feet.

“I thought you’d figured out by now I don’t always do what I’m supposed to.”

The bears tugged them down the airstrip to where a second helicopter sat waiting next to Shaun’s.

“I suppose I’ll just have to take your word for it about you two being mates. While you stink like each other, that deep metaphysical wolf shit doesn’t register on us bears.” Bruce handed a robe to Gem, and she took it, dressing herself quickly.

“Shaun needs clothes as well.” She crossed her arms and stared at their captor.

Bruce grinned, displaying broken teeth. “I’ll have to charge extra for that.”

Shaun spat out blood before growling, “You can take your clothes and shove them up your—”

“Give him some clothes, or let him get some from his supply. I don’t care which, but you will clothe him properly,” Gem demanded. Then she turned to Shaun and slapped him on the arm. “And you, watch your tongue. I don’t need to listen to that kind of talk.”

Vince snickered. Norm chortled.

Bruce raised a brow. “Henpecked already, I see. You wolves need to learn how to deal with your women better. Vince, grab our guest a shirt and pants.”

Shaun was hauled to the side of the chopper and offered a handful of crumpled garments. Both Vince and Norm watched closely as he pulled on the oversized clothes. Gem wrapped her robe a little tighter, stood a little straighter as she pointedly ignored the bear looming at her side. She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing exactly how scared she was.

She was pressed into the back of the helicopter, a sloppily dressed Shaun at her side, his hands tied behind him. This time when they took off there was no protective headset offered, and the noise from the propellers pounded like a hammer on an anvil in her ears. She twisted toward Shaun, pressing one ear against his chest and covering her other with her right hand.

The left hand snuck around his back, and she clung to him, fighting the tears that threatened to fall.

“I’m so sorry. So sorry this happened.” He couldn’t hear her, but she needed to say it anyway. With the whining of the props overhead and Vince staring at them, it was the least likely of places for confessions, but she had to let the words out, in case she didn’t get another chance. “I love you. I mean, I know our wolves like each other. Mine is very put out with me for not marking you and letting her spend time with your wolf. But it’s more than that. I think you’re a very special man, Shaun Stevens, and I’m glad that we’re mates. And if I die in the north, that’s fine, because I’ll be beside you, and somehow that makes even dying okay.”

She hugged him tighter and his chest moved. She wished she knew if it was because he’d heard her confession, or if she’d squeezed one of his sore spots from the beating.

With his hands tied behind him, Shaun was helpless to cradle Gem the way he wanted. The roar from the props increased the pain throbbing through his head. A shift would help him heal faster, but damn if he’d even consider that with the threat of death hanging over him. Instead he ignored his aches and nuzzled his chin against the top of her head, the only thing he could do to let her know he was there. The tear streaks on her cheeks were enough to make his wolf feral, and he wanted to do all kinds of terrible things to Curly, Larry and Mo.

The bastards flew them north and east as far as he could tell. He watched over the pilot’s shoulder when he could, looking for information, hoping that wherever they did land, he could help her escape and he’d be able to steal the chopper or…

Yeah. He was hoping the crew would literally be as stupid as the Three Stooges and fall asleep or some such thing, and together he and Gem would stroll out of this without a worry.

Reality sucked.

When they landed outside one of the deserted DEW Line buildings, his whole perspective changed. This wasn’t simply an impulse nab, although the fact the baddies had a chopper had kinda given that away. Unless someone knew specifically where to look, Gem could have been trapped in there forever. This was a well-executed maneuver to get cash.

The words of the big bear shifter in Chicken came back to him. Money to buy votes in the upcoming bear whoop-de-do. He and Gem had fallen victim to a money grab.