Bearly Escaped Read online

  Brendan's hand limber, hard and callused from years of boxing, struck Spencer across his jaw, and he staggered back like a punching bag hit by a sledgehammer.

  Spencer recovered his poise and nodded with a snarl.

  Brendan dressed in a pinstripe suit looked dapper, like one of those suave villains in Bond movies.

  With an unflappable voice, he replied, "It's all about money. Sorry about the captain. I'm sure he will be fine. I can't say the same about you, "Brendan crouched and dragged his fingers over Spencer's cheekbones.

  He continued.

  "A pity that such a face goes to waste. And of course, there's that fat whore of yours. I have a plan for both of you. A plan with a plane!" he laughed loud and clear.

  "How could you ... Don't you dare hurt her!" Spencer said.

  Hearing her name, Brendan turned away and barged through the door that separated the cockpit and the anterior area from the bedroom.

  I'm in big trouble! He knows what Ari means to me!

  Until now, it was between them and about money. Now the feud had taken a personal turn. Spencer didn't care about the money. He had the brains to make it again. Brendan had outed himself into a crook, but until now Spencer thought he wasn't the kind of guy to go around killing people. But misfortune has a nasty habit of coming all at once.

  Spencer raged but his bear was nowhere to be found. He heard faint growls from a deep distant valley inside him. It was too weak. He willed his arms to rise and saw them stay stiff, not one hint of movement, paralyzed apparently by whatever venom Brendan injected him with. That also seemed to be the reason for his inability to shift.

  Spencer locked his eyes on the door. It opened with Ari wailing as Brendan dragged her forward, holding her arms tight. His hands were strong and pitiless like an iron manacle.

  "See, that's your guy kneeling before me," he shook her like a ragdoll.

  "Spencer... dear, are you alright?"

  "Oh, by the way, did he tell you that he is a bear? He is a shifter and you are his mate and all that?"

  Ari looked at Brendan dumbfounded and struggled against his grip.

  "Wow! You sly sucker! You kept it hidden from her, your so-called mate! Looks like I'm not the only who betrayed someone here!" Brendan snickered.

  Aria looked towards Spencer. He was quiet and motionless. The soft overhead lighting was faint but she could him scowling and his deep blue eyes glaring at Brendan.

  She started screaming as if a banshee had suddenly possessed her.

  Brendan winced and pushed her down onto her knees and released her. Seeing an opening, Ari tried to get to make a run. He swung a foot directly at her rump; it connected with a thud. Ari fell forward by about three feet, with her nose scraping on the carpet.

  Spencer looked at the scene with eyes glowing like the devil himself.

  "Looks like the both of you have some heart-to-heart talking to do. Why don't you join Spencer while I ... fiddle with the plane," Brendan dragged Ari by her hair, half-standing, half-crawling to Spencer's side.

  He looked at them for a moment and smiled.

  "A pretty couple. Alas! There's not much time left!"

  He paused and stroked his chin.

  "And Ari, I'm sure Spencer will understand if you don't want to join him on his last journey. You say the word and I will get you to safety. I'm only interested if he is interested."

  He started to walk away but then turned around.

  "Oh! I wouldn't be surprised if you took a liking to me. I don't care if you are a gold-digger or not. You do look mighty fine!"

  He didn't wait for a response and barged into the cockpit.

  C H A P T E R 14

  "What happened here? Why is Brendan doing this? And what was that about shifters? And a bear?" Ari's questions pierced him.

  Sweat streamed from his forehead and he struggled to move. He grunted repeatedly as he willed his body to move but to no avail. Breathing deeply, he turned to Ari.

  "Meaning to tell you this... I'm a shifter... a bear shifter...can turn into bear... not right now...Brendan did something... can't shift," he replied in a low gruff voice. Every word was a struggle.

  Ari was quiet. She swallowed. What to make of this? The billionaire who loved her is also a bear? An animal? And he had kept this hidden? Jeez! As if all that had happened last night had not been crazy enough! So many questions whirled around in her head and the man next to her who had all the answers was struggling to speak. No! not a man. A shifter!

  "The bear I heard last night. W—Was it you?

  "I--I'm sorry... didn't tell you sooner."

  Ari reached for him and let him rest his head on her chest.

  "And what was that about a mate?" she asked as she stroked his slick raven-colored hair.

  "You're my mate," he whispered into her ears.

  Ari took a deep breath and continued.

  "A mate! Like in nature, you know to breed?"

  Spencer smiled slightly but the pain overtook him soon enough but he replied, "In a way...mate in shifter world is different."

  "But you lied to me. You put on disguise yesterday and then you lied to me today. I wonder how many more skeletons will tumble out of your closet? "

  Spencer was quiet but the volcano inside Ari was not about to stop erupting.

  "A relationship is built on trust. Jeez! How do you expect me to trust you after all this? Maybe you think I'm after your riches but you couldn't be more wrong. There was a truth in your eyes and that attracted me. Maybe I was wrong after all. I thought that maybe for once there was a guy who liked me for what I'm. And here it turns out that it's all because of such mumbo jumbo shifter mate bullshit. I don't know what to tell you anymore. Give me a reason to stay!"

  Spencer grimaced and spoke.

  "You've seen my enemies now. See how they've backstabbed me. This is my life. We, shifters are different. There's danger at every turn. Is it wrong to shield you from all that until I was sure it was ok? You are not vain like the others. There's a pain in you and I identify with that pain. That's the most important reason you are with me now. I love you Ari with all my heart! "

  Ari gripped him tight towards her chest and sobbed.

  He loved her. It was enough for her.

  "You said shifter mates are different? How?" Ari asked. It was like a whole new dimension had opened up. Humans were not alone. Shifters like she had read about in the novellas that seemed to all the rage with women. Bear-shifters! Werewolves! What else was there!

  The danger to their lives was all but forgotten.

  "Shifters are different in both the physical realm and the mental realm. We can change forms at will, well most of the time. Our mates have been chosen at birth for us. Only for us."

  Spencer looked at her waiting for it to sink in.

  "Only for you. I'm meant only for you and you for me? Like a lock that will accept only one key?"

  "Yup. Maybe you've noticed that before me. You, like me, would have had relationships but never something that we have now between us. Something was always missing. It was destiny that brought us together." Spencer reached for a tender kiss and Ari kissed back. A somber quick kiss to tell him everything was all right.

  The jet was descending fast. A bit too fast for comfort. The buffeting winds shook it wildly and it was difficult for anything to stay still.

  "Jeez, that's a lot to take in but that kind of makes sense. I felt something strange when we first touched. Like something zapped me to my core. And your mere presence makes my skin tingle."

  Spencer nodded.

  "You felt it too. That was my bear reaching out. That's when I knew it too!"

  "I wonder if this chosen mate thing was not pulling us together, would we ever have met and fallen in love?" she said with a crestfallen look.

  "Ari, my love. You are beautiful, smart, and have a good heart. That's more than enough for me. I'm a simple man with simple tastes. That said, I won't stop you if you want to leave. You have good reasons to ha
ve your doubts about me and what I am. We've only been together for a night. I'd recommend that you cut your losses and save your life."

  He continued even as Ari stared with raised eyebrows.

  "The fact is, the situation is hopeless. He's way too strong and with the thing that he injected in me, I'm not much better than a talking mannequin. You have a long life ahead of you. You are smart and talented. Even though I love you and maybe you do too, please take your chances and escape. Fake it if you want to but get away. All you'll get if you stay around with me is danger. I should've never called you up from the line. A life with a shifter is not for everyone. I will not make that choice for you. There's nothing left for you to do here. I know him well. In the state that we are in, there's no chance of taking on him."

  "You talk of love and fated mates and then talk about leaving. Does it sound fair?"

  Spencer didn't say a word.

  "I love you. And Jeez! no, I'm not leaving you! Maybe you are right, I should get away and save myself. But I can't and I won't. Not for anything. If I die today, I'd rather die with you rather than live another day like the days I've been living. I don't know exactly what I'm getting into but I think I can handle a bit of intrigue and danger. I have you by my side. Maybe it's time for Ari to step away from an ordinary life."

  "You ok with the shifter thing then?"

  "I guess! I mean its's not the craziest thing ever and besides, I always had a thing for shifters. At least in the books. Here I have one head over heels in love with me. Isn't that swell?"

  Ari hugged him tight. Tears rimmed her eyes and fell like rain on Spencer.

  C H A P T E R 15

  "Sorry to barge in! Looks like I've been doing that a lot today!"

  Brendan stood leaning on the partition wall and was tapping his feet.

  "Are you guys done? You look cute together, no doubt! A couple of idiots!"

  Ari glared at him.

  "What? I'm in the villain in your story. Isn't there a trope where I make a speech where I tell you everything, especially my evil plans for you?"

  Spencer stared at him, eyes glowering. A rage filling up inside him. A nuclear reactor about to go supercritical. Steam rising and superheating. All manner of pipes and equipment inside very close to breaching rated limits. A cataclysm in the waiting.

  Ari quivered and gripped Spencer's arms for comfort. Leaden as they were, they offered warmth. She looked around, searching for something that could be used as a weapon.

  "Yes, Spence, you are an idiot. Not for the fact that you trusted me. Not for the fact that you didn't catch me siphoning money. But for the fact that you went after her. We could have all had our lives go smoothly but you had to do that!"

  He continued, as he walked across them. Now his attention was on Ari.

  "You bitch! You showed up and threw a motherfucking earthmover onto my plans. Do you have any idea what you ruined for me?"

  "The gunmen yesterday!" Spencer perked up. His eyes following Brendan like a missile locked-in on its target.

  "Oh, they are still alive, alive by a string. All thanks to this bear of yours. I sent the biggest baddest motherfuckers in the country and this animal singlehandedly raged and almost killed them."

  Erratic speech patterns, loud angry voice, quick short strides. He appeared to be entranced by his success and power.

  "He's my hero. Not an animal!" Ari raged at him.

  "Oh, but he is! Do you see and feel his rage right now, even when his bear can't come out? But if it does, you should see what an animal your lover is!"

  He continued.

  "You didn't get to see him shift yet? It's a pity you won't be able to. This plane runs out of fuel in ten minutes and I've programmed a quick descent into the mountains and Boom!" Brendan laughed with glee.

  Spencer now spoke.

  "You will pay for this. You've put my mate in danger."

  Brendan was still walking. It seemed like an invisible string was holding him from above and swaying like a pendulum in those old grandfather clocks. Something else seemed to be vexing him.

  "Spence, did you forget about what your pilot said? A pair of wings. That was me. Surprise! I'm a shifter too. But not a lowly bear. Let me give Ari a show worth remembering for the pitiful ten minutes left in her life"

  A pair of white wings slowly emerged from his back as his maw morphed into an eagle's pointed beak. His hands thinned and pinched themselves in, razor-sharp talons emerged. Muscles rippled inside and his hindquarters turned into paws with sharp claws glistening in the dim light. A swishy tail sprouted from behind him.

  Jeez! What the hell! How did he turn himself into this!

  There wasn't enough space to spread his wings so he retracted them and walked on his hind lion feet.

  "A griffin! Meh! Haven't seen that in a while!" Spencer was slowly getting his voice back.

  Brendan glared at Spencer and punched him with his talons which made his fly back like a ragdoll, collide with the fuselage, and fall with a loud thump. Brendan's half-opened wings fluttered as he ran on his hind legs and reached Spencer.

  Ari watched in shock. What kind of strength did this griffin-whatever possess! He was sending Spencer, a well-built tall man flying with the flick of his fingers, err, talons!

  He dragged his sharp talons through Spencer's back. Spencer cried out in pain while Brendan laughed.

  Ari got up and rushed to his side. The gashes were long and were pooling with blood. She grabbed a towel to stanch but it seemed to be a little too late. Spencer gritted his teeth in pain.

  "I'll let you guys have some time together. Think of it as a parting present. As a brother. As a friend. Ciao".

  He began to open the emergency escape door. With all its complexities and with his talons, it was proving to be excruciatingly slow. With the air pressure inside, there was no way a puny human had enough strength to pry it open. He planned to use his talons to tear out an opening if the door failed to open.

  He broke the plastic case and began to turn it slowly. All that was left was to release the latches and throw the door open. And then fly back to the riches waiting for him.

  He double-checked the altitude and swung the door open. The furious cold winds whooshed through the opening. It would be all right with him. He was used to flying in the cold. He crouched and prepared for takeoff, that's when he felt an unwelcome prick in his neck. He turned back and saw Ari standing by him, bloody nose and all, her hand wrapped around something in his neck.

  It was the syringe. There was some of the liquid still inside. She hadn't managed to press the plunger yet.

  "Fool, you think you can use my tricks against me?" Brendan grabbed Ari with his talons and held her tight. His rage was so great that he brought her close and glared at her. His dark pupils ensconced in yellow was terrifying. Her hair flew back as he exhaled hot vengeance at her.

  "It is empty now!" Ari grinned as she reached for the plunger and thumped it hard.

  The barrel was empty. The liquid was inside him.

  Brendan looked at Ari with a hint of surprise and began to choke her with his talons as sheer rage overtook him. She winced and her eyes bulged out as his talons started cutting through her clothes, pressing into her flesh. He was taking his time, increasing his grip with every breath that she exhaled. Imagine being choked by a boa constrictor with talons. She saw the low tops of trees and the mountains stretched behind Brendan. Red lurid dots began to appear in front of her eyes and her brain began going fuzzy and distant.

  "Don't you dare touch her!"

  She turned her head back to see Spencer scowling and screaming in rage. Lying on his stomach, his face twisted in agony. She cried out to him. "Help me!"

  Brendan stopped momentarily and flashed a wry smile at Spencer. With a renewed rage, he began to crush Ari but something had changed. His talons capable of cutting through steel and picking up grown men and flinging them like flies, were stuck as if the tendons pulling them had frozen solid.

  He
shook his beak and turned it to begin pecking at Ari but the same thing happened. His beak wouldn't open, no matter how hard he tried. He felt his entire body go limp and lifeless. The talons relaxed and Ari fell out of his grip.

  The cold winds continued to buffet Brendan's outstretched wings pushing him inside as he slowly shifted back to being human.

  "Nooooo!" he screamed in pain.

  Ari looked back to Spencer and nodded. This was her only chance. Retribution for all that Brendan had done to her and Spencer. She ran back about ten paces, turned. and ran like the wind towards Brendan.

  Brendan's wings had disappeared almost entirely along with his talons. His hind-quarters had lost their claws. He was still transforming and with the effects of the concoction, he was stiff and lifeless. He could only stare as he saw Ari's approaching form and Bam!

  Ari had jumped and turned herself, landing her feet at Brendan's heaving chest. The impact sent Brendan staggering back a bit but not enough. The transformation was complete and he somehow managed to scrabble onto the edge of the door opening. He growled like a wounded animal. The cold winds threatened to freeze them all but Ari was not done yet. Vengeance had ignited a murderous rage inside her.

  Ari was able to land on her feet and she turned around again and got hold of the door. Using the door as leverage, she jumped and landed another kick straight to his sternum. This sent him reeling back further to the outside. Bam!

  Brendan fell outside but his flailing hands found purchase on the sharp rim of the door cutout and hung on.

  Ari was no sloth, she grabbed the door and slammed it shut.

  Brendan yelped like a pained dog as his fingers got crushed and then silence.

  Ari held the door closed for a minute or so and then she opened it again. The treetops looked too close for comfort but no sign of Brendan.

  Yep! he's gone!

  C H A P T E R 16

  Ari rushed back and turned Spencer over. His hair was streaked in blood and blood had splotched on his tender face. His eyes were socketed and faraway.

  "Looks like we are on our own!" she whispered into his ears.