Bearly Escaped Read online

  She kissed him; he was unresponsive. Quick, shallow breaths. Heart hammering. A rictus of pain. She rubbed his hands and sides and kissed him again.

  "You said you are my mate! Don't leave me! I'm all alone!" Ari sobbed and her tears ran like turbulent waters of a rapid. They fell on his cheek. Hot and wet.

  Something stirred in him. Maybe it was his mate's sincere tears. Maybe it was the blood loss and the subsequent decrease in the poison's concentration. Maybe it was his shifter body fulfilling its prophecy and fighting back. Or maybe it was just love working in mysterious ways to bring him back to life. Like fated mates, maybe there was something primeval operating behind the scenes and making it right. The battle of good over evil was never-ending. But somehow good always had won.

  The wounds were sealing back with a lot of pain but that was a good kind of pain. He felt strength returning in his veins.

  She is brave!

  Spencer felt a wave of relief on hearing that old voice again.

  Spencer looked at Ari's crying face, cupped her hot wet cheeks, and kissed her. Ari opened her eyes and a wave of relief washed over her. "Y-You are ok? I thought I had lost you!" Spencer grabbed her by her waist and hugged her tight.

  My mate! She's back in my arms!

  "You are so brave!" he gasped in appreciation and immediately rushed towards the cockpit. The fuel gauge was empty. He fiddled with the controls but the jet wasn't responding. The windshield looked about half-full with dark green treetops and mountains looming ahead.

  The jet was now gliding on its own and would soon enter a death spiral the moment anything brushed past it. If they had been flying over plains or farms, he could try to land it. But here in the mountains, with tall conifers jutting out from every crag, there was a fat chance of landing anywhere but upside down and pierced.

  He rushed back and shook his head.

  "Grizzly incoming!" he growled. She nodded with tears in her eyes stepping back to give him space.

  His mouth morphed first, expanding into the giant maw, hungry for revenge. And then the massive paws emerged. Tan fur sprouted like a sped-up nature video. Spencer growled again and stood up on his massive legs.

  With her mouth agape, Ari stared at this metamorphosis, with bulging eyes and eyebrows arched in surprise. This had not been the craziest thing ever and it was Spencer after all but she groped for her pendant and found safety in its presence.

  "It's me. Spencer!"

  Ari knew it was him then for sure and ran for a hug. Well, she tried. Barely reaching his chest midway. After all, this was a full-grown grizzly. He was all soft fur and warmth. She felt his thick muscles rippling as he enveloped her fully in a hug. Imagine being smothered by a giant teddy bear! Well, that was how she felt like.

  He smiled and then dropped his head to stand on all fours with a loud thud. Bounding over to the door, he swung it open with a paw. The door offered no resistance at all.

  The fresh air bursting through invigorated him. The forests below him called out. This was home. He had grown in its lap after all.

  He looked out and Ari joined him, holding herself steady by gripping on his fur. The jet had slowed down a lot and it would start skimming the tallest treetops in about a minute or so.

  Parachutes won't work at this height. They will not even unfurl before we get pierced.

  There was one thing he trusted and that was himself.

  "I'm scared of heights" Ari screamed as she leaned to get a better view.

  "Do you trust me?" he asked.

  "Do you need to ask?" she replied demurely but she gripped her pendant nonetheless.

  "OK. Ready! Close your eyes! You don't want to get poked"

  He hugged her tight, smiled, and plunged out without a second thought.

  Ari screamed herself hoarse as the wind rushed by. Spencer had skillfully turned his back towards the ground and covered her entirely. To someone outside, it would look like she was falling but wrapped around a giant teddy bear. Her teddy bear. His giant chest and thick furs protected her from the cold wind but she peeped from the sides. The treetops loomed larger and larger and then the first branches came into focus.

  Thwack! Silence and then Thwack! Thwack!

  With the first crack of a branch, Spencer swung his hind legs in a perpetual bicycle kick to find something to hold on or claw on to slow them down only to slip. Then another and another. The crackling got getting louder and louder and some of the branches scraped against his fur and furrowed gashes. He groaned and looked down at Ari. He would do this and more for her. The pain was nothing compared to the pain he had felt earlier when Brendan had threatened to kill her. He smiled looking at her terrified face.

  You are a brave one!

  With a loud thud, Spencer cratered the soft underbrush and hollowed out the ground for about fifteen paces or so. Cool earth covered him and soothed his wounds. Squirrels ran helter-skelter at the sound of the commotion even as birds and animals rushed crackling out the canopy. The deafening sound echoed in the air. The air was crisp and it seemed like it might rain.

  Ari nimbly extracted herself out of his embrace with a smile and stood.

  With a sigh of relief, she looked back to the jet whooshing quickly, heading towards any number of crags in its way. A moment later. Boom!

  The golden streaks from the fire rushed down the slopes and the screams of animals and birds could be heard for miles.

  She turned and looked to see Spencer standing up on his hind feet now. Sniffing for something. Soiled and bruised, he wasn't in his best form, but that didn't matter as she rushed forward and embraced him in a hug.

  "Are you all right?" She asked looking up into his dark brown eyes. Spencer nodded and Ari let out a sigh of relief.

  Ari began walking to him when he suddenly looked up. She turned as well to see a dark looming figure approaching like a missile.

  Brendan!

  Before Spencer could raise his arms to shield himself, Brendan's griffin shot into him. Like 'rods from gods', the mythical titanium rods floating about in space and then launching into the target.

  Ari felt the heat and was thrown across by a good two feet by the shock wave. Who would've thought shifters could create shock waves!

  A blast of dust and broken trees lay in their wake as they plowed sideways into the soft earth. The dust settled uneasily but Spencer was on his feet in no time even as Brendan recovered slowly from the impact.

  Spencer glanced at Ari and did the hitchhikers' thumb to gesture her to run for her safety, and glared at Brendan as he slowly stood up.

  "Looks like your end is near!" Spencer growled as he slowly circled Brendan.

  "The girl fought well but looks like I'll have to shed blood by my own hands today. I was kind of hoping to avoid that," Brendan replied as he maintained his gaze on Spencer.

  "You've unwittingly made me fall deeper in love with her. Any last words?" Spencer said, his brow furrowed and nostrils flaring. He was biding for time, making sure that his one disadvantage in this battle, Ari, was as far away as possible. He knew griffins had a knack for flying out of danger and kidnapping people.

  Today, it would be just him and his rage. Brendan had not only betrayed his friendship and brotherhood but also attempted to hurt his mate. His one and only mate. There was no way back from that. On top of that, he had attacked again.

  "That's amusing!" Brendan smirked.

  Spencer lunged towards Brendan to plant a right hook but Brenda flicked it way with his wings. His talons caught the sunlight as he flapped his wings hard and took off.

  Brendan's full-throated laughter echoed in the valley ahead of them. Flapping his wings to stay steady, he honed his talons against each other. He then swooped down with his talons out for attack. Spencer stood on his hind legs; haunches prepared to jump. But wily Brendan at the last moment, let his talons go limp and swung his mighty tail to sweep him off his feet. Spencer too late to notice, could only wildly flail his paws with claws extended but alas, Brendan b
ounded off his chest into the air again. Spencer fell with a loud crash.

  Spencer grimaced from the pain and got up holding his side. A couple of broken ribs at best. But he was fine. This wasn't his first rodeo.

  He gritted his teeth and stretched his massive arms, raring Brendan to have a go again.

  "Looks like Ari's teddy bear forgot how to fight? I wonder if I could grab her now and then drop her off a ravine?" Brendan smirked as he flew around Spencer in circles, taunting him with his swishy tail. Spencer kept rolling and jumping to avoid the tail as it was too wily to catch hold of.

  Spencer's blood boiled at the mention of Ari and he glared. He moved farther away from Ari, towards a small clearing.

  He kept his eyes on Brendan as he kept circling and jabbing his tail. He only needed a moment to even the odds and waited patiently for an opening. If only Brendan kept following the same path to swoop down. He figured Brendan was tiring him out and would soon launch a frontal attack with talons.

  He was panting already and his body felt sore. Maybe it was the healing in the jet and the healing after crash landing on his feet. All that trauma was taking a toll on him. After all, shifter bodies do have a limit. Spencer struggled to remember ever reaching that. There was still a wellspring of power untapped inside him. And with Ari's life on the line, maybe it was time to move up a notch.

  Spencer growled with his maw opened wide, canines glistening in the sun. His horrendous growl did little to scare Brendan.

  "Not the first time with a grizzly!" Brendan snickered.

  Ari was observing all this from a distance. She managed to find a thick and long branch in case she needed to defend herself.

  "Hey LOSER! How does it feel to take a couple of kicks from a girl?" she screamed.

  Brendan was in the midst of swooping down when he turned his beak towards the noise. That was enough for Spencer.

  Spencer lunged at his wings with his claws and dragged them through the thin flesh. Like a hot knife through butter. He used his immense body to weigh him down Brendan tried to flap his wings. The jerking motions only made it easier for the claws to do their job. Brendan screeched in pain as scarlet gleamed from the clean long gashes in his wings.

  Brendan flapped them but it was like running with a slashed heel and he had to retract them painfully to the sides. He flicked his tail in anger and snarled like a wounded animal.

  "We are now even. Four limbs each," Spencer growled as he approached him.

  Brendan screamed in rage and bounded at Spencer but he weaved to his side and landed a massive blow directly at his small eagle skull sending him reeling to the side. His tail whipped out but Spencer caught it in his teeth and cut it off.

  "Fear my vengeance!" Spencer growled again.

  He pounded blows with his massive bear-arms on him. Each blow equal in force to ten men's sent Brendan staggering back but Spencer's fury was unspent yet. His limbs, which would have tired out from dishing out a barrage like this felt brand-new. His thirst for vengeance had unleashed some latent power and stamina inside him. His vengeance was bloody and lurid. He was enjoying it and looked to see Ari clapping with delight.

  Brendan struggled to stand even as Spencer clawed him in the chest painting his feathers scarlet. He fell to his knees and joined his talons together, beseeching for mercy. His bloody bruised body struggled to stay upright.

  Ari screamed and rushed by Spencer's side.

  "That's enough. He has learned his lesson!"

  Spencer stared at Ari and shook his head.

  "Not today Ari. Let me have my vengeance!" Spencer lunged forward with another hook but stopped on feeling Ari's touch on him.

  "Do you love me? Prove to me that you are not an animal!"

  With those lovey-dovey eyes asking him, Spencer felt his rage melting.

  She's right! I'm a shifter, best of both worlds.

  Even though he didn't want to, he realized there was no good out of ending Brendan's life.

  Spencer took a deep breath and walked away.

  Brendan was a shifter. He would heal, in time, but the wounds inflicted by his betrayal never would.

  C H A P T E R 17

  It had been a week since the Brendan incident.

  The goldenrod-colored disc of the sun had started dipping below the horizon, leaving a trail reflected in the quiet waves as they crashed on the azure beach. It was warm. It was tropical. It was heaven.

  Ari silently enjoyed the view relaxing on a gray tanning chair while Spencer was in the kitchen whipping up what he said was the evening meal. Her floral bikini had been subject to much ridicule that day.

  Being a billionaire came with its perks. A private island in the Caribbean with a mansion and a private beach to boot.

  Life was good. And they had earned a vacation after all.

  Ari was still pensive. Spencer had tried to answer all her questions about shifters, the various kinds, and the power dynamics and the stealth. She had tried her best to take it all in, but she realized soon that it was a fool's errand. She had Spencer. That was good enough for her. At least for now.

  She had called up Anna a couple of days back. To her surprise, Anna was happy for her and wished her luck but she caught a hint of disappointment in her voice. Somethings never change.

  Speaking to her brought a semblance of normality. Her life would never be the same again courtesy of Spencer the 'gentlebear'. Her hands flew to his chest where the pendant on her neck lay and remembered her mother.

  All alone with Spencer on this remote island, she felt safe and protected. The shifters and their cloak and dagger lives had made her extra cautious though. The trauma had still not worn off. She heard a bit of movement now to her side and gasped audibly.

  Boo!

  She jumped up in fright and laughed when she saw it was Spencer.

  "You, you Devil!" she hit him gently and turned her head to the side in a huff.

  Spencer grabbed her arms by the sides and turned her head by the chin so that he could see her. Looking up into his deep blue eyes, Ari couldn't stop a smile from blooming across her face. She simply couldn't be cross with him for more than a moment.

  The languorous shore winds ruffled his hair and made him more desirable. The evening chill had made its presence felt.

  Ari stood on tiptoes to plant a kiss when she looked at his chest. Globs of milky white whipped cream all over his chest.

  "Jeez! Looks like you need to be washed" she said.

  "Help me!" Spencer asked with hands clasped.

  "Will my tongue do?" she said coyly.

  Spencer stood thinking for a moment before replying. "On second thoughts, why should you have all the fun?"

  "What do y--", Spencer threw himself at her and enveloped her with his arms. He buried his face in her cleavage, lifting her off her feet and fully pressing into her gorgeous body.

  Ari looked up again and pressed her full pink lips to his warm lips and kissed. Spencer and his little games. She chuckled.

  They kissed again and again. The tide was coming in and waves were crashing higher and higher. Much like the desires in both of them.

  They ran to the porch giggling all the way. Spencer's tan chest shone in the fading sunlight. They stumbled and felled on the porch laughing like madmen.

  "Why don't we clean up here itself? There's nobody around anyways" Spencer was in a playful mood

  "What about those shifters who can fly?"

  "My island! My rules! Let me worry about them! OK?"

  Ari pursed her lip and nodded and, in a flash, pushed Spencer down on the softwood porch.

  Slurp! Slurp! Slurp!

  Her lips and tongue appeared to be possessed as she went from collarbone to collarbone, then his taut pecs and his nipples, sending him screaming and then his bellybutton. His sweat glistened in the evening sun. She didn't miss noticing his Bermuda shorts tenting.

  Now it was Spencer's turn, hot and insistent on her lips. Ari closed her eyes as he bit her lips in maddening paus
es.

  Ari shut her eyes and bit her lips and heat rose within her as Spencer took his time covering every inch of bare skin on her. He bit into her tiny neck as she oohed and aahed her pleasure into his ears. His day-old stubble bit into her soft tanned skin sending her skin tingling into heaven. Her moans and screams only seemed to make him bite harder. Skin brushed against skin sending them both in a tumultuous trance.

  This was not the first time she was seeing him close but it felt like it was the first time. Handsome. His deep blue eyes reflected the scarlet sky behind them. So full of love and care. His bewitching smile revealed itself again and Ari screamed.

  "I love you"

  "Take it off!" Spencer growled. His deep masculine voice sent a pleasurable shiver right through her. She acquiesced, more than happy to fulfill his wish.

  In a flash, shorts flew and bikinis were thrown asunder and they were ready to make love in their birthday suits.

  Spencer's demanding, insistent lips were on her again as he held her with his strong hands. She squirmed beneath him, crying out in pleasure. His hardness poked her in her thighs and it made her happy. His forehead furrowed as her hands reached him and stroked his manhood.

  Life had changed so much for the better in the last few days. There she was, with her indolent boyfriends, who seemed to only love her for the sleeping-with-her part. That part of life seemed like a bad dream now. Forgotten. Trashed.

  With Spencer, she felt free, to express herself and fully. She had been a bit timid and the billionaire tag intimidated her. She appeared brave but it had been a mask to hide the fear and unbelonging she felt underneath. She was past that. She had been incredibly brave in protecting Spencer. It made her proud and feel worthy in Spencer's eyes, and not like an impostor. Not that Spencer had made her feel anything less than a princess during his time with her. But now she felt they were on equal footing. After all, she could sing and fight. Double C-C-C-Combo Breaker!

  "Ari, my lovely Ari"

  Hearing her name on her lips brought her back along with a smile. No one had called her like that before. She still found it odd and unbecoming. Maybe after a few more times, she would grow to love it if she heard it like that.