Bear Bait (Hero Mine Book 1) Read online

  The journey was fast and bumpy. Kurt, knowing they were up against time, sped through the lanes, expertly steering the Land Rover around bends and over cattle guards.

  “This is the place,” Kurt finally said, as he slowed and then stopped.

  “Right. I have the Druid Box. If the degetty comes for the Dragon’s Tear, we capture it and then unbind it. If Matthew comes for the Dragon’s Tear, you just cut his head off with your sword, Eva.”

  Octavia shuffled uncomfortably as she listened; she had not given much thought to killing the degetty, or sending it back to the Underworld, but she did not like the idea of killing a man in cold blood. Neither, it seemed, did Eva.

  “I can’t chop his head off,” Eva said.

  “Yes, you can. If it’s him or you, you act. Remember, we don’t trust him. He still may want revenge for his father, even though you hand over the Dragon’s Tear.”

  “Fake Dragon’s Tear,” Eva reminded him.

  “Let’s hope he doesn’t realize that.”

  “Deja vu,” Eva said. “I tried to hand over a fake one once, remember. I chickened out, because I knew they would find out. This could all end badly, with Taro still being set on Octavia.”

  “If Taro comes anywhere near us, he is mine,” Lucas said. “It’s time. Don’t think, swing your sword if you have to. Cut the head off the snake.”

  “Last resort,” Eva said, and opened the door and got out. “What about you?”

  “I am going to make myself invisible and then let the bunnies loose. We can follow you. And when the time comes, if the time comes, I’ll turn them back to their human forms. Although I do like the idea of ninja fighting bunnies.”

  “This is not a time for jokes,” Kurt said. “You must be ready.”

  “I will,” Lucas said. “I have missed coming out on these little trips with you.”

  “Good, you can do more fieldwork with us, see the conditions we have to work under, and then give us a pay raise.”

  “That would have to go before the whole Council, and I can’t tell you how tight they are with money.”

  “They? You are one of them,” Kurt said.

  Lucas shook his head. “No. I just pretend to be one of them. Really, I’m one of you.”

  “Now you’ve bared your soul to us, Lucas,” Eva patted him on the shoulder, “just make sure you are ready.”

  “I will. Trust me, Eva.”

  Octavia heard Eva’s footsteps disappearing into the distance and then Lucas was speaking again. If he was making himself invisible, the spell didn’t work on his footsteps, which Octavia could hear, crunching on the loose stones, as he walked around the Land Rover.

  “Out you come, bunnies,” Lucas said, and opened the back door. One by one, the rabbits hopped out, standing in a small group. “Come on, and keep together.”

  The rabbits hopped after Lucas, only able to see where he was by the slight indents his shoes left in the grass. If they had been taller, they wouldn’t have seen them, but from down here, so close to the ground, it was an easy trail to follow.

  “Can you sense anything?” Lucas asked to no bunny in particular.

  None of the rabbits gave any sign that they could, and so the druid continued on, the rabbits fanning out, trying to look natural, rather than a like a bunny regiment. Octavia sniffed the ground and nibbled at a blade of grass or two, as she hopped slowly after the others. Then, one by one, they lifted their heads, sitting upright on their haunches, sniffing the air.

  “Brimstone,” Lucas said. He rushed forward, Druid Box in hand, and rabbits running at his heels, dodging this way and that, in a bid to not get trampled by his invisible feet.

  Octavia felt the warmth of another body pressing against her and knew it was Cade, giving her strength and confidence. She wanted to tell him how much she appreciated it, but all she could do was wiggle her nose and squeak.

  They slid to a halt. Octavia quickly assessed the sight in front of her: the degetty, Taro, was here, towering above Eva, with his hand held out.

  As the bunnies arrived, Taro turned, sniffing the air, his eyes fixing on Octavia. He could tell who they were, even through the glamor.

  Lucas acted fast, his hand waving over them all, like a magician, and one by one they popped up, like jack-in-a-boxes, returned to their human forms. But they didn’t stay as humans: everyone, except Tally, shifted immediately, something Octavia had not had time to practice.

  Before he shifted, Cade pushed her back behind him. “Stay back.”

  “I want to shift. I can feel my bear waiting to break out.”

  “Then let her come,” he said, before shifting into his bear and circling the degetty.

  Octavia did as he said, and it was the most natural thing in the world to allow her bear to come forth. Claws dug into the dirt and teeth were bared as she let out a roar. Then she joined the others, circling the degetty, while Lucas began to say words she didn’t understand.

  Then Tally’s voice rose up above the noise. “Lucas, what are you doing?”

  “I’m doing what needs to be done.”

  The degetty in front of them fell down to his knees, and then rose, growling into the night air. He ran at the bears, knocking one to the ground, before another launched itself at him. Through all of this, Lucas’s voice soared, resonating with the very air, saying words she had heard before.

  In that moment, she understood why Tally had questioned the druid. He wasn’t trying to contain the degetty in the Druid Box, he was binding it, just as Tally had bound Zinan.

  And then the fighting stopped. The degetty dropped to his knees in front of Lucas and said, “Command me” in a voice that sent chills through Octavia’s bear.

  Chapter Twenty-One – Cade

  “What are you doing?” Cade yelled at Lucas. He had shifted back to his human form as soon as it became clear what Lucas had done.

  “Giving us a fighting chance,” Lucas said.

  “You were supposed to put Taro in the Druid Box.”

  “That was your plan,” Lucas said. “But I know we will need him.”

  “For what?” Cade asked.

  “To take us to its former master,” Lucas said. “This ends now. Tonight, we hunt down this Matthew and take him out.”

  “Lucas is right,” Tally said.

  “You are siding with him?” Cade asked. “Do you know what will happen if Taro breaks your binding spell, Lucas?”

  “He will likely kill me. But he won’t touch any of you, that bind is broken.”

  Cade opened his mouth to protest, but found he had nothing more to say.

  “You are a damn fool, Lucas,” Eva said.

  “I know. I always was where you Lovesons were concerned.”

  Eva went to him and hugged him. “If it goes wrong, we will stand with you.”

  “No.” Lucas shook his head. “If this goes wrong, you go home and forget about me.”

  “I could do that,” Isaac said, as the others gathered around.

  “You are hurt,” Eva said. “Tally, can you help Isaac?”

  “Sure.” Tally worked her way around the squad, which consisted of all its members; they were out in force, with only Helena and Locke absent. For Helena’s sake Locke had told her they were house-sitting. The true purpose was so they could be close to Zinan, who had been ordered to stay in the shed in Helena’s backyard.

  “We should move. It won’t take long for Matthew to realize what’s happened and we will lose the upper hand.”

  “What is your plan?” Cade asked Lucas.

  “To question this degetty.” Lucas turned to the green-eyed demon. “Taro, you were sent here to get the Dragon’s Tear. Where were you supposed to take it to?”

  “The human named Matthew Shore.”

  “And where is Matthew Shore?”

  “At the place the witch calls home.” Taro turned his green eyes on Tally.

  “What?” Tally asked. “He’s at the house?”

  “He must have set this up to g
et us out of there. Damn it,” Cade said. “Back to the Land Rover.”

  The squad moved as one toward the vehicle, the sense of urgency filling the air. Cade pulled out his cell phone, pressing dial as he ran, his eyes seeking out Tally. “Your mom and Locke need to leave the house. If they can get into the forest, it buys us time,” Cade called to her.

  It took a moment for his voice to cut through to her brain, and she looked at him with panicked eyes. “Just get them out of there,” Tally said. “And let me talk to Zinan.”

  Then Helena answered the phone. “Hi, Helena, it’s Cade. Can I speak to Locke please?” He tried to keep his voice neutral.

  “He’s in the backyard, I’ll go get him for you.” There was the sound of a door opening, and then Helena’s voice calling, “Locke!”

  “Come on, Locke,” Cade said, as he waited for Locke to come to the phone. He watched Lucas turn the others into rabbits once more, so they would all fit into the Land Rover. “What are you going to do with him?”

  Lucas looked Taro up and down. “We need him. He’ll have to sit in there with you.”

  “Let’s hope he doesn’t eat rabbits for supper,” Cade said. “Locke?”

  “Cade, what’s wrong?” Locke asked down the phone line.

  “We’ve been set up. Matthew is on his way to Helena’s cottage. He may already be there.”

  “What?” Locke asked. “Why?”

  “I don’t know, but you need to get out of there.”

  “I can take Helena into the woods,” Locke said.

  “Do it,” Cade said. “We will be there in twenty minutes. And Tally wants to talk to Zinan.”

  “Zinan?” Locke asked.

  “Yes. I’ll pass the phone over. Here, Tally,” Cade said, and handed his cell to Tally. He stood with Tally on one side of him, and Octavia on the other. There was so much he wanted to say to his mate, so many questions about her first shift, but they could wait. All he could do was put a reassuring arm around her shoulders and hold her close, while Tally spoke into the phone.

  “Locke. I need to speak to Zinan. I’m going to ask him to protect you.”

  “Protect us…?” Locke’s voice sounded unsure. “I don’t want you asking him to do anything that will come back and bite you.”

  “I can’t lose you and Mom,” Tally said.

  “He can shield you,” Cade interrupted. “But don’t ask him to kill for you, Tally. Don’t go down that path. You asked him to harm none.”

  Tally was torn between her belief in what she had done, in binding Zinan to be peaceful, and the need to protect the people she loved. It was a conundrum Cade knew only too well.

  “Let me speak to him.”

  “Promise me,” Locke said.

  “I promise,” Tally agreed with reluctance.

  “The phone is going to his ear now.”

  “Zinan. Bad men are coming. The men who brought Taro from the Underworld. I want you to protect Locke and my mom. Will you do that? Please.”

  “You ask Zinan. Or command Zinan?” Zinan said.

  “I’m asking you,” Tally said.

  “And Taro? Will he be in the attack?” Zinan asked.

  “No, he is here with us. He is no longer under their control.”

  “Then Zinan will do as you ask, Tally. If you do as Zinan asks, and send Taro back to where he belongs.”

  “I promise. When this is over. I promise. But right now, we need him to fight for us.”

  “Tally,” Cade shook his head. She had showed Zinan their hand, and he might refuse her request.

  “Command him, Tally,” Lucas’s voice cut in.

  “No,” Tally said fiercely. “Zinan, please.”

  “Zinan will protect them.”

  The line went dead. Cade put his phone away, and waited his turn to become a rabbit. A fluffy freakin’ rabbit, when all he wanted to be was his bear and tear someone’s head off his shoulders. Eva might have had a problem killing Matthew, but right now, it would end all of their problems.

  He tried not to think about what might be happening back at Tally’s house, as Kurt sped through the lanes. There was nothing they could do until they arrived, and he needed a clear head. What the hell was Matthew after, if not the Dragon’s Tear?

  Helena. Her strange behavior had been getting worse and they all thought she was bound, that she knew something she wasn’t supposed to know. Was Matthew after her? Was this the reason Octavia had been sent to see Tally originally? To make contact with the family and set plans in motion?

  The Land Rover turned a corner too fast, and they were all sent spilling into one another.

  “Help them.” Lucas barked an order from the front of the Land Rover and Taro began to lift the bunnies back onto the seats.

  Cade scrambled out of his reach, and managed to sit back down before the degetty put his hands on him. He looked around for Octavia, but saw she was already back in her seat. Damn, he wanted out of the Land Rover. He wanted to know Helena and Locke were safe, and he wanted to put his hands around Matthew’s neck and squeeze hard.

  Cade heard the familiar rocking of the Land Rover as they made their way down the pitted trail to Tally’s house. They had driven along it so often, Helena, Locke, and Tally were like a second family, this house like a second home. He sat, trying to be patient, as Kurt slowed the Land Rover and then drew to a halt. Lucas got out and rushed around to open the back door and released the bunnies.

  One by one they got out, and Lucas said his magic words, making them all human again. Only then did Cade see, Kurt had stopped some distance from the house. “What do we know?” Cade asked.

  Tally pulled out her cell. “Locke texted me. They are in the woods, down by the river. He said he thought he heard voices, but they didn’t come along the road in vehicles, they came through the woods on foot.”

  “OK, we spread out, and head down to the river. Seth, Isaac, and Wes, you go bear. Tobias and I will stay with Lucas and Octavia.”

  “And Taro,” Lucas reminded him.

  “And Taro,” Cade said, not completely sold on the idea of the degetty accompanying them.

  “And me?” Kurt asked.

  “I want you to go back to the house with Tally and Mom. Check for any signs of entry.” Cade looked at Tally. “We’ll find them.”

  “I’m scared, Cade. What do they want my mom for?” Tally asked, looking so young and vulnerable, it broke his heart.

  “I don’t know, Tally. But we’ll find out. We have the numbers, and the strength to take them.”

  “We’ll do this, Tally,” Octavia said, hugging the young witch. “I don’t want you to lose her.”

  Tally nodded, and wiped away her tears. “Thank you, all of you.”

  “It’s nothing, we’re family,” Seth said, hugging her too. “Even if we do fight like brother and sister.”

  “Are you just trying to make me a blubbering mess?” Tally asked, accepting a hug from Seth.

  “We need to move,” Eva said, putting a protective arm around Tally. “Let’s go, honey.”

  “Mom. Look after her,” Cade said, and tapped the blade on her belt, leaving her in no doubt what she had to do if they were threatened. “I have my phone on vibrate, text me or call if you need backup.”

  “I will.” Eva, Kurt, and Tally ran toward the house, keeping to the side of the dirt road so that they made no sound.

  “Let’s move out. You know your jobs. We work this like any other job. Don’t let personal feelings get in the way.” Cade watched the three bears fan out, and they headed in the direction of the river, on high alert.

  “The problem we have, is they will smell Taro coming before they see him,” Lucas said as Cade led his small party forward.

  “Not if we can locate them and then move downwind,” Cade said. “Come on, don’t say you’ve forgotten how to track?”

  “I’ve been shut away too long,” Lucas said.

  “This is what life is about, Lucas, getting out and getting your hands dirty wi
th the people you love,” Cade said, casting a glance at Octavia, who was walking behind Tobias through the undergrowth.

  “I never knew family. Not like you have, Cade. Treasure them,” Lucas said.

  “I will. I do.”

  “There,” Tobias said quietly.

  Cade ducked down, and through the trees, he could see movement and lights. “They have flashlights. It looks as if they are closing in on the house. Which means Locke and Helena are safe. But Mom and the others are in danger.”

  “If we move around to the south, we can cut them off. The bears can go east, and make sure anyone who runs doesn’t head toward the river,” Tobias said. “We work it like a pincer movement.”

  “Good plan,” Cade said. “Tobias, circle around and spread the word.”

  Tobias nodded, and shifted into his bear, keeping low as he moved off through the forest. As far as Cade could tell, they had the upper hand and the element of surprise. If they moved downwind, they would keep that element of surprise, if not, the smell of sulfur would reach Matthew and tip them off.

  “This way.” Cade checked the wind direction and adjusted their course to suit, closing in on the men threading their way through the forest.

  “I count ten,” Octavia said quietly.

  “Me too,” Cade said. “Their numbers aren’t great, but they have weapons.”

  “You mean guns?” Lucas asked.

  “Yes. We are going to have casualties,” Cade said, hating to think of any of the squad being shot.

  “Not necessarily,” Lucas said.

  “What do you have in mind, Lucas? A bit of druid magic would be welcome right now.”

  “Watch the master work,” Lucas said. He touched Cade, placing his hand over his heart, then he began to chant. He repeated the same words, over and over in a mantra, which grew louder and more powerful, with each reputation. Unfortunately, it attracted the attention of Matthew and his men.

  A shout rang out, and lights began to move their way. “Keep still,” Lucas barked, sweat beading on his forehead as his voice rose, and then he fell back, a look of madness in his eyes before he recovered himself.