Loved by the Bear - Part 2 Read online

  Loved by the Bear - Part 2

  V. Vaughn

  Sugarloaf Press

  Copyright © 2018 by V. Vaughn

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover by Ravven

  Editing by Jodi Henley and Angie Ramey

  Contents

  About This Book

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  More from V. Vaughn

  About the Author

  About This Book

  When Audrey discovers she has magic, her powers prove to be greater than anyone imagined. They allow her to discover a new truth about where Connell might be. But they come with new responsibilities too.

  Max has arrived in Maine to claim his true mate. A chance encounter with Josie changes his course of action, while Madison finds the man of her dreams, but is he a nightmare instead?

  1

  Audrey

  I know I've only been gone for a year, but I swear Kimi has aged by a couple decades. Either that or I don't remember her being this small and frail. I squeeze the medicine woman's hands gently as she greets me in the doorway of her home. "My goodness, Audrey," she says. "You look more like your mother every day."

  I smile at her. My mother, Carly Le Roux, is not only the powerful heir to the Robichaux alpha throne, she is also a beautiful woman. "I’ll take that as a compliment. Thank you."

  Mom leans down and kisses Kimi's cheek. "Thank you for seeing us this late. I hope we're not keeping you up."

  "Naw, I'll sleep when I'm dead." Kimi cackles. She's been making jokes about her death for a few years. I used to think it was years away, but I have a sinking feeling in my stomach that's no longer true.

  Kimi leads us to a table in a breakfast area that is surrounded by three walls of windows which allow us to see the gardens and the edge of the forest. We sit at a long table big enough to seat at least this family of eleven. This is Elise and Ian's house, and it is much less cluttered than the home Kimi had before moving here. Although Kimi does have a suite with a sitting room as well as her own bathroom and bedroom, where she keeps her favorite things.

  Ian is a werebear, while Elise is our clan witch, a more modern term she prefers to use over medicine woman. Their eight children are some of our clans most prized members, because they have the powerful combination of werebear and witch blood in their veins.

  I glance around and notice the place looks quite organized considering all the kids who live here. And that it's unusually quiet. "Where is everyone?" I ask.

  "Movies," Elise says as she enters the kitchen. "Ian took my brood so they'd be out of our hair." She walks over to the stove. "Good to see you again, Audrey. Can I get anyone tea?"

  "Not for me, thank you," Mom says. She sits and reaches for the salt and pepper shakers on the table.

  I want to get to the point too and say, "Me neither."

  "Kimi?" asks Elise.

  "No. I think we should get to work."

  Mom smiles at Kimi. "I remember these." She fondles the plain, clear-glass shakers you see in restaurants and says to me, "The first time I met Kimi, she taught me how to use my magic with these."

  "Lucky for us she didn't break them," Kimi says. "Because it's your turn now, Audrey."

  I shake my head as I wonder if Kimi is losing her memory. We tested me for magic as a child and again when I went through puberty and began to shift. And then one more time when it was discovered I was an alpha. It’s kind of a sore spot for me, considering Everett has some magic and Connell has a lot. "I'm a dud, remember?"

  Kimi's eyes narrow to tiny slits which makes me want to roll my eyes because I know she's thinking I need to be receptive to the possibility. "Fine," I say. "I'll open my mind." I take a deep breath and sit taller as I set my hands palms up on the table as if I'm about to do yoga. "What would you like me to do?"

  Kimi looks at Mom. "I thought she'd lost the attitude."

  "She's got some Brady in her too, you know."

  Kimi chuckles. "Then she'll need a true mate to change that."

  My handsome stranger comes to mind, and oddly I picture him driving my car and singing to a rock song. "Speaking of true mates," I say. "Any visions about mine?"

  Kimi's expression turns to a smirk, and she shrugs her shoulders. Her comment about my attitude stung, and I feel like I'm sixteen again, because I'm tempted to pout for not getting my way. This is the second time today I've realized people think of me as a spoiled brat. I resist the urge to let out a heavy sigh of frustration and prove Kimi right. I know that if I make an effort to do as she asks she'll tell me about her visions as a reward.

  "That's fair," I say. "Why don't you explain what we're going to do?"

  Elise reaches over and places her hand on Kimi's. "It’s possible now that you've got a true mate on the horizon we can activate your dormant magic."

  "That sounds like you're sure I have some."

  "We think you're the key to something much bigger than Connell's disappearance."

  "Wait. Disappearance?" I look at Mom. "He wasn't kidnapped?"

  "I'm not so sure. While your father, Everett, and the warriors are operating on that theory, Kimi's convinced otherwise."

  "And I believe her," says Elise.

  "Me too," says Mom.

  My brother Connell has been missing for three days. His truck was found at a local bar where his girlfriend works, and his phone tracker pinpointed his cell at the bottom of a nearby river. It made us believe he didn't just wander off, and it was pinned on our greatest enemy, the Eradicators, an underground group of humans dedicated to wiping werebear out completely. I ask, "What do you think happened?"

  Elise says, "We don't have a clear picture of that."

  Connell didn't get the alpha traits my brother Everett and I have, but he did get magic as well as incredible artistic ability. He also got a free-spirited, wandering gene that has gotten him into a lot of trouble over the years. "But you don't think he left on his own, do you?"

  "No," says Elise. "But there are ways for someone to manipulate his magic."

  "She means black magic," Mom says with a scowl. "And if that's true, it changes everything."

  She's right, because while we can still lay blame with the Eradicators, who have been known to work with witches, this theory also opens up the possibility it's another clan. "It might not be the Eradicators after all?" I ask.

  Elise stares at me intently. "That's a possibility and why it's important to see if we can get you to tap into your magic. The triplet bond you and Everett have with Connell could be useful."

  "Why isn't Everett here? He's already in touch with his magic," I say as jealousy burns in me. He and Connell used to love taunting me with their magic tricks when we were kids. But anger is also bubbling in me as I think not enough is being done to find my brother. I pound my fist on the table. "We're wasting time!"

  "Calm down, Audrey," says my mother. "We've already explored this with him, which is why he's convinced Connell was kidnapped."

  I frown, embarrassed by my outburst. "Sorry. Sometimes my bear..."

  "It's okay, honey, your alpha is struggling with the need to rush out and fight. What you're feeling is natural."

  My mother's condescending tone makes the meaning crystal clear. "Yeah. I get
it all right. If I weren't so immature, I'd be able to handle this better."

  "That is not what I said." Mom touches my arm gently. "This is the first time you've had to deal with the powerful urges of an alpha feeling threatened. And I think you're handling it well."

  Okay, so maybe I overreacted to what she said, but I can't help being snide. "I bet Everett's handling it better."

  "He's not," says Kimi. Her dark eyes shimmer and the air is suddenly cold with the power of her magic. She slams the salt shaker down in front of me. "Use your anger and make that move."

  Great. Now I've managed to annoy Kimi too. Why the hell did I come back here? What I really want to do with my anger is shift and break things, but then I'd just prove what everyone thinks about me. I stare at the salt and imagine knocking it over with my mind. And the weirdest thing happens. It’s as if I can feel a stream of light come from deep within my spine and out through my arms. I gasp when the shaker rattles.

  "That's it," coaxes Elise. "Tap into that thread of power."

  That's what it feels like. I focus on the thread and the shaker rattles again.

  Elise continues to encourage me. "Pour your rage into the connection."

  I try, but it doesn't get stronger. And I scowl, ready to give up, when Kimi says, "She's worse than Everett."

  Everett's voice as a teenager rings in my head. You'll always be number two, Audrey, because as a male I'm stronger, and I have magic.

  My anger spikes as I recall going after him with my fists and losing because he is bigger and stronger and always will be. I pour that pure rage into my intentions. My small stream of light builds until it becomes a bolt of lightning burning its way through my body as the intense heat fills me. A roar I can't control escapes from me, and fire explodes from the ends of my fingers in a flash of light. The shaker flies across the room and slams into the wall before falling to the floor in shards.

  I blink in shock. "Holy shit." I glance around at the surprised faces of my Mom, Kimi, and Elise. Kimi cackles as Elise gets up, and I ask, "That was funny?"

  Kimi looks at Mom. "Guess she's better than Everett after all."

  "Oh." Pride fills me, and I smile at Kimi. Finally, there's something I can do better than my brother. I cannot wait to taunt him with this. But more importantly, I might have what it takes to find Connell. I ask, "What now?"

  Kimi's smile fades and she stares at me with a gaze so intense I feel like I’m falling. She says, “We get to work."

  2

  Max

  My stomach is full, and I'm jittery from the amount of caffeine I just pumped into my body when I step out of the small restaurant I found off I-95 in Connecticut. I had trouble sleeping last night. The sense of urgency to get to Audrey is strong, so I decided to hit the road instead of tossing and turning. I've been driving for sixteen hours now and should get a room to sleep, but I'm less than seven hours from my destination and don't want to stop. The moment I spot the Hummer in the parking space where I left it, I know something is wrong. It's sitting lower than it should. As I get closer, I discover all four tires including the rims are gone. "Shit." I glance around but I know it's a futile attempt to find the thieves. They're long gone.

  I clench my fists as my bear bristles with revenge, and I wish I could shift and sniff out the bastards, although I'm sure they weren't on foot and it wouldn't work. I could try to use a locator spell, but there are too many unknowns, and I can't risk delaying my journey to Audrey. Frustration and anger are making my skin burn with the urge to let my bear out, and I'm about to let out a roar of frustration when two guys walk over toward me.

  "Whoa," says the younger one. "Did that just happen?"

  "Sure did." I breathe in through my nose to calm myself so I can act rationally. "Know a Hummer dealer nearby?"

  The older man, who I assume is the other guy's father, says, "Jeez. You might have to go all the way to Hartford."

  The younger man is looking at his phone when he says, "Yup. West Hartford. Need the number?"

  "No," I reach for my cell in my back pocket. "I’ll figure it out. Thanks."

  "You sure?" asks the older guy. "I can give you a ride somewhere."

  I hit the link to call the Hummer dealership and lift the phone to my ear. The ring of my phone echoes like it’s a bad connection. “I'm sure. Thanks, though. I appreciate it."

  "Good luck." The man waves his hand before he and his son go to their truck.

  After I explain what happened to the service desk agent at the Hummer dealership, they tell me to call a tow truck to get it to the shop, but they make no promises on being able to get me some wheels today. I'm tempted to get a rental, but I know Audrey's vehicle is an important part of my journey. I call Al's towing and am told someone will be out to me in under an hour.

  There's not much I can do now but wait, and I figure I'll take the opportunity to nap. I lower the seat back as far as it'll go and close my eyes. The rush of traffic helps lull me to sleep.

  I'm dead to the world when a voice wakes me. I open my eyes to a pair of vivid green eyes set in a pale white face with a smattering of freckles over the nose. A single strand of red hair spirals down the edge of the woman's face as she says, "I'm Taylor. I'm here for you."

  I blink to clear my head, because except for Taylor, the rest of the world seems muted like a faded photograph. "Thanks." I grab the handle of the truck door to let myself out, and the hinges don't groan as loudly as I recall when I push it open. When I look at the tow truck Taylor is driving, it’s like a blast from the past because the vehicle is clearly an older model that looks to be in nearly new condition. I also see Taylor doesn't have a flatbed, and I wonder how this woman expects to get my wheel-less vehicle to the shop.

  Taylor is talking but it sounds garbled, and I shake my head. She touches my arm and suddenly everything comes into focus. "You okay?" Taylor asks.

  "Yeah. I must have been deep in sleep because it's taking me a while to shake the cobwebs loose."

  "That can happen." Taylor begins to walk around the Hummer. "California plates. Been driving a long time?"

  "Yeah. I'm trying to get to Maine as quickly as possible. Ah, how do you plan to tow this without a flatbed?"

  "Maine, huh?" she asks as if I didn't just ask her a question. "What's up there?"

  I chuckle, curious as to why she doesn't seem to think we have a problem. "A girl."

  She grins at me. "One of the best reasons. I'll have you ready to go in a jiffy." Taylor walks over to her truck and opens the back to reveal tires. She hoists one out with superhuman strength, because it's on a rim and must weigh well over one hundred pounds. I notice the rim is new from the shine. I ask, "You just happened to have those on hand?"

  "I said I was here for you." She wavers, as if she's a hologram with a bad connection, before coming into focus and smiling at me.

  I put my hands on my head and hold it in disbelief. She's not real. I have got to be dreaming. I'm probably going to wake up to a man with stubble not meant to be fashionable. In a scratchy smoker's voice, he'll tell me he's here for the tow.

  "You really don't look good," Taylor says. "Why don't you go wash your face and get something to eat? By the time you come back I should be done."

  My stomach growls as if I didn't just fill it less than an hour ago, and I nod before turning around to go back into the restaurant, convinced that's exactly what I should do. When I get inside I go to the counter, and the waitress smiles at me. "Back for that pie after all?" She flips the mug set before me.

  I didn't talk to the waitress about dessert before, but heck, I've got a bad case of indigestion replacing my tires so... Coffee gurgles into my cup, and I look at the bakery items in a glass cabinet behind her. I see a pie I didn't even know existed until a few days ago, and I never would have guessed I'd like it.

  The waitress asks, "Chocolate cream, right?"

  A sudden truth comes to me. "Yes. It's my tru—girlfriend's favorite and now I'm hooked."

  "Which
one?"

  I frown. "Which girlfriend? I only have one." Technically I don't have any, but Audrey is the only woman I'm ever going to want.

  The server places my pie in front of me, and for a second her image flickers the way Taylor's did. Her eyes flash with silver as she stares at me. "Make sure you choose the right one."

  Icy fingers clench my heart, and I stare down at swirls of snow-white whipped cream. I've lost my appetite and push the pie away.

  The plate scrapes across the counter when the waitress pushes it back. "Wrong choice. Eat up."

  For some reason I don't balk at her order and do as she says. I also don't regret it once the first bite hits my mouth. I have no idea why this pie tastes so good, and I gobble it down. When I've scraped up the last bit with my fork, the waitress reappears to take the plate. "You may continue your journey now. Go."

  Again, I'm surprised when I automatically follow her order, and I push my way out of the restaurant into bright sunlight that hurts my eyes. I squint to ease the pain as I begin to walk toward the truck. A loud horn blares, making me jump, and tires squeal. When I look toward the sound I realize I was almost hit by a car. I hold up my hand at the woman behind the wheel who has an angry scowl on her face. "Sorry. So sorry."

  She shakes her head as she drives slowly past me, and I notice color has returned to the world. Noises are crisp and loud again too. When I get to the Hummer, I check out the wheels, wondering if I just woke up from a sleepwalking dream. The rims nearly sparkle in the sunlight without an ounce of road dirt or oil. Because they're brand new.

  I walk around the truck and find every single tire and rim have been replaced with a new version. When I climb behind the wheel, I try to determine what just happened. It was like I was in a dream, but the tires are proof I wasn't. So what was that? I'm familiar with common magic, but this was something beyond what I've experienced. Perplexed, I turn the key of the truck to be on my way and determine whatever it was that just happened, I'm sure it was important. I recall the waitress telling me to choose the right one, and it makes me think of Cat in the diner in Colorado. She told me to use my brain and heart instead of my dick. Hot sex with Audrey comes to mind. Is she not who I'm supposed to be with? My heart for sure says otherwise, and my brain knows you can't deny a true-mate attraction. So why on earth would I be tempted sexually by someone else?