But Royal Hill did, or so some drunk at the casino had told him. If you needed fast cash, go to Royal. Just be prepared to pay him back and with hefty interest.
He should have known he’d never be able to keep up. Considering his recent losing streak, it should have been a no-brainer, but he’d been convinced the next big win was just one game away.
The ground beneath their feet became jagged, and they approached a small series of hills. The mouth of a cave was visible by one of them.
Royal Hill stood at the cave’s mouth, a rifle in one hand. At his feet lay a female bear, bleeding from the chest. Its tongue lolled out of its mouth.
The man held out his arms in apparent welcome. Smiling, he almost looked friendly. The clean-shaven face and tidy brown hair might be marks of a respectable businessman, but John glimpsed the strange light in Royal’s eyes. They were a little too bright, all-seeing, and they made him nervous.
He wore pressed jeans and a bright red winter jacket. Not exactly the clothing of a hunter. Was it his first time shooting at wild animals, or was he so confident in his hunting skills that he just didn’t care about being seen?
Royal broke the silence. “Ah, John, my friend. You’re just in time to witness this magnificent kill.” He grabbed the bear by its head. “A real trophy, huh?”
John tried to keep his voice steady. “I didn’t think it was bear hunting season.”
“It’s always hunting season for me.” Royal dropped the beast’s head.
John’s stomach lurched. Although he felt no real affinity for the wild bear, as a bear shifter, his own spirit animal growled in disgust. He had no quarrel with hunting in general, but to slaughter a bear in the midst of winter as it rested?
Forget the bear. Keep an eye on that rifle.
“Now the real prize is just inside the cave.” Royal hunched over to look inside, one hand on the rock. “Can you hear that?”
The noise was faint, but there was no mistaking the heart-rending mewl of baby bears.
Royal leaned his rifle against the rock face and stepped over the mother’s carcass. He crept into the cave, emerging a moment later with two baby bears in his hands. “Cute, aren’t they?”
Cute and small and utterly helpless without their mother. John’s gut raged again.
“They’re premature,” said Royal. “Even still, they’re usable.”
“Usable?”
“Oh, yeah. Do you have any idea what cub organs go for on the black market? This is a great day for me.” He made a face. “Not so good for you, though. I believe you’re in arrears, John.”
“I can get you the money, Royal. I swear.”
“You said that last month. I’ve been more than generous.”
“You have. I realize that.”
“I don’t think you do realize it.” Royal nodded at Vadim.
Without preamble, Vadim grabbed John’s left hand and wrenched one of his fingers back.
As the bone snapped, John howled. Although John’s knees buckled, the men held him up. “P-please. Just a little more time.”
Royal paced in front of him, gesticulating and holding one bear cub in each hand. Their little mouths opened, rooting for a nipple they would never find. “You see, when you have a bit of money, people think they can play fast and loose with you. It’s a good lesson for you to learn, John. If you ever come into some cash, you need to invest it, not give it away like I do. My problem is I’m too much of a philanthropist. I can’t bear the suffering of my fellow man, so I do my part. I try to help out my friends and then they just kick me in the teeth. I don’t like how it makes me feel.”
“I’m sorry, Royal. I never meant to hurt your feelings.” John tried not to look at his bent finger.
The trafficker kissed the baby bears on their heads and handed them to Seb. His assistant took them to the pickup truck they’d parked close by and dumped them in a burlap sack.
“Don’t tie it too tightly,” ordered Royal. “I need them to be able to breathe for a while longer. It’s better if the organs are fresh when I extract them.”
“Yes, Mr. Hill.”
Bile flooded John’s mouth, but he swallowed it. It occurred to him he should be groveling some more but couldn’t think of anything else to say.
