“Just quieted down until she started screeching.” Mother slowly tilted her shotgun to the floor.
“And the wolves?” he asked, his gaze cutting to the window. It was dark as far as he could see, but that could change at any moment.
“They been howling all night, but none real close.” She shot Cecilia a hard look. “Unless they heard her. Then we’re going to have werewolves up our ass thanks to you. And right now, ain’t none of them being too reasonable.”
They watched as Cecilia’s expression shifted into a bleak realization that they were both crazy. Her eyes grew dull and her mouth pulled into a tight frown. Her gaze darted to the front door, obviously gauging the distance and wondering if she could make it out before he tackled her or Mother shot her. Her odds weren’t looking too good.
Meanwhile, Mother obviously read the expression right off Cecilia’s face.
“Ah hell. Why’d you bring a blind person into this fight? She can’t fix anything she won’t see.” “Blind” was Mother’s word for people who weren’t in on the shifter secret. People who were too set in their own way of thinking to even consider anything supernatural.
“We have to convince her. I figured Sam might as well help with that.”
Mother gaped at him. “Sam? Sam?” She waved the shotgun wildly at the barred basement door. “Sam is trying to tear out of here to get—”
“To the river. I know. We’ve got to stop that. It’s not safe yet.”
All shifters in their first change had an irrational need to get back to the place of their clan birth. For much of the Michigan grizzlies, that meant Gladwin state park. A whole grizzly pack protected the area just for that reason. But for the Detroit bears, wolves, and some of the cats, it was the River Rouge. Different spots, but all pretty close to one another. For the most part, this happened in the spring and every shifter helped watch for the young. There were even special cabins set up for kids who were expected to pop.
This was summer, though, and if it weren’t for the Detroit Flu, Sammy would likely have had another year before going grizzly.
“I told you not to drink the water,” Hank grumbled.
“Didn’t. But the stupid kid forgot coffee was made with water. Had one of those damned expensive coffees as a birthday treat and bam: fur, snout, and me blocking the basement door. Thought I could handle it but then the howling started.” She jerked her head outside. “Howling and roaring. Finally quieted down and then you brought—”
Another roar cut through the room, and the hair on Hank’s arms shot straight up. He was well versed in grizzly howls, and this youngling was on the verge of wild panic.
“I’ve got to go in there,” he said. He motioned with one hand for Mother to move the kitchen table aside.
“Are you crazy?” Cecilia gasped. He still had her pinned against the wall, but he would need to release her soon. He turned to look at her, wondering just how the hell he was supposed to deal with a panicked doctor on the run while safely taking down a young shifter.
There was only one way, and damn it, he just didn’t see how it could possibly turn out well. But he really had no choice. So with a quick glance at Mother silently telling her to keep her head, he hauled Cecilia over to the bannister. Good thing he had a full stock of zip ties. He lifted her bound wrists and used another zip tie to latch her to the bannister.
“Please don’t do this,” she begged.
He wanted to believe that she meantPlease don’t risk your life by facing down an angry grizzly, but he knew better. She was begging him not to restrain her.
“Please, I’ll listen. I’ll do whatever you say.” She looked over at Mother. “My name is Dr. Cecilia Lu. He’s abducted me from the CDC—”
“Save your breath,” Mother interrupted. “You’re stupid and blind. Sit there with your eyes open and learn.”
He sincerely doubted that anyone had ever called Dr. Cecilia Lu stupid. Certainly not an old black lady living near the projects, but he had to give Dr. Lu credit. She didn’t turn huffy or pompous. Instead, she buttoned her lip and waited for another opportunity to escape.
One problem down. Now he turned to Mother. “Please don’t shoot her. She’s blind right now, but—”
“Yeah, yeah. What you gonna do about Sammy?”
He grimaced. “The only thing I can do. Talk bear to bear to calm things down. But once things are quiet, you gotta do the rest. Talk like a person—”
“I know what to do. You just…” She gestured vaguely with the tip of her shotgun. “Just be careful. We got a brand-new TV down there.”
And right there was why he liked Mother. Angry wolves outside, kidnapped doc inside, and him about to face down a new grizzly. And what did she care about? Her new TV. He knew she was really saying,Don’t get killed, but sentiment had never been her way, and that’s what made him smile.
“Got the cable hooked up and everything?”
She grinned at him. “Looking forward to next year’s Super Bowl.” Then she set the shotgun down. “You can come to the party if you don’t break it.”
He nodded at her once, accepting the invitation. Then he leaned down and hauled the kitchen table out of the way. Next came the couch, but the noise set Sammy to growling. And the scratches on the door were getting louder. He doubted the thing would hold out much longer even though the door was solid oak. He knew because he had bought and installed it himself in anticipation of this moment.
Mother looked worriedly at the door, her expression tight. “I’ll open it. Better hurry.”
He nodded and pulled off his shirt. He’d learned how to strip out of his clothes in under three seconds and he didn’t take much longer this time. Shirt, shoes, pants, underwear. Everything off and set neatly on the couch. Then he turned full frontal to Dr. Cecilia Lu.
Her eyes were wide, her expression shocked. Then he said slowly and clearly for her benefit. “I’m a shifter. I turn into a black bear. I’m going to do it now.”
Mother cut in. “So pay attention, girl. Open your eyes.”
