Captivating The Bear

Chapter 2

Ged couldn’t sleep. The gamble he’d taken on the documentary had paid off. If the initial reviews were anything to go by, it looked set to be a huge success. He’d made the most of the party, renewing old contacts and developing new acquaintances.

His hotel suite was comfortable, with every luxury at his fingertips, but it was 3:30 a.m. and slumber still eluded him. Even his online contacts had fallen silent. It was that strange, predawn time when it would be easy to believe he was the only person in the world left awake.

The familiar restlessness surged through him, the need to do something stronger than ever. He glared at his electronic tablet, searching through his contacts. When he drew a blank, he tossed it aside in annoyance. Nothing? He wanted action and his usual sources weren’t helping.

Stretching full-length on the bed, he willed his body into something that resembled a relaxed pose. Even if there had been a task for him, he was in no frame of mind to undertake it. Coiled tight as a spring, he needed to get his head straight before he went charging off on a rescue mission.

Ever since he had been driven out of his homeland by his enemies, the urge to help others had been Ged’s driving force. There were many ways he could have done that. Working with children, donating a percentage of his earnings, volunteering in a deprived country...the list went on.

He didn’t have to risk his life rescuing other shifters who were in danger, but that was what he had chosen to do. He knew what an analyst would say about his motives. Danger, excitement, risk...all of those were factors. But there was more to it. Ged had grown up knowing from an early age he was the heir to the throne of Callistoya.

Monarchy and immortality were strange partners. The werebears of Callistoya had eternal life, but they were not invincible. Like other shifters, they could be killed by silver, fire beheading and some illnesses. Since their magical kingdom had always been peaceful, Ged had expected his father’s reign to last forever. Then everything had changed. Ged had barely reached shifter maturity when his father had been murdered and he and his brother, Andrei, had been forced out of their homeland.

Driven into exile, his rightful place on the throne snatched from him, his reputation ruined, he had attempted to return and fight back. That was when he had discovered that his enemies had used magic, as well as villainy, against him. Though prepared to fight evil, he had been unable to combat the sorcery that barred him from entering Callistoya.

Although his old life had been snatched away, Ged had been raised to serve and protect. His duty to others came first. Even though he no longer had a country over which to reign, those feelings of service and honor hadn’t gone away. They had simply found a new direction.

Raised voices distracted him from his thoughts. Standards must be slipping if the tiniest sound was allowed to penetrate the luxurious corridors of the fifth floor of the Palais Hôtel. When the commotion continued, he paid closer attention, his finely tuned hearing distinguishing individual sounds. A woman’s cry of protest was followed by a scuffle and a grunt of pain.

Frowning, Ged got to his feet. Pulling sweatpants over his boxer briefs, he went through to the sitting room and opened the door to the corridor. The sight that met his eyes was unexpected.

One of Beast’s security guards was lying on the elegant rug, clutching his groin and groaning. At his side, a uniformed member of the hotel’s staff was slumped against the wall with both hands clasped over his nose. Blood was seeping through his fingers.

In the center of the corridor, Rick, Ged’s friend and trusted security manager, was grappling with a tall, slender woman. From where Ged was standing, it looked a lot like the woman was winning.

As if to confirm that judgment, Rick’s opponent chose that moment to break free of his grasp. Instead of escaping while she had the chance, she neatly spun around and delivered a back kick direct into Rick’s chest. Across a distance of several feet, Ged heard the air leave his friend’s lungs in a rush as he dropped to his knees.

Torn between admiration for the neatness of the move and concern for his friend, he stepped forward. “What the hell is going on here, Rick?”

Rick managed to gesture toward the woman and wheeze out a few words. “Climbed...the damn balconies.”

Over the years, there had been some daring attempts to get close to the band. Fans had hidden inside delivery trucks, tried to stow away on board the tour bus, even disguised themselves as journalists or caterers. But risking life and limb to scale a building followed by an assault on security staff? It was a unique approach.

Ged’s intention, as he stepped forward, was to take over where Rick had left off. Whoever this woman was, she was a formidable fighter. Even so, she wouldn’t stand a chance against him. As she swung around, it hit him. It was the same rush of arousal he had felt earlier, concentrated now because she was so close. The overload of pure sensation made him feel slightly dizzy.

Twin realizations, both equally potent. She was a bear shifter. And she was his mate.

Dark brown eyes, flecked with gold, regarded him for a moment or two; then she smiled. The expression had the same effect on him as the kick to the chest had on Rick. It drove the breath from his lungs. Unlike Rick, Ged managed to remain on his feet.

“I needed to see you.”

He gazed down at her, unable to speak. This couldn’t be happening. The fates couldn’t be this unfair. It was bad enough that his mate appeared to have come storming into his life in search of him—and he would have to turn her down—but why did she have to be so damn gorgeous?

He became aware that Rick, who was getting to his feet with difficulty, was talking.

“Shall I call the police?”

The woman took a step closer to Ged, placing one hand flat on his naked chest. “Please. I have to speak with you.”

He half expected to look down and see her palm print burning its way into his flesh. That was how her touch felt against his skin. She branded him in that instant, and it was the most perfect thrill he had ever felt. Oddly, it brought his senses back into clarity.

Yes, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen...but she was in trouble. Although that was apparent from the plea in those incredible eyes, there were other, more tangible clues. She wore flat, leather ankle boots that had taken such a beating they were almost useless. Her jeans were faded and stained and the long-sleeved T-shirt she wore over them had a tear that left one sleeve hanging half-off. The exposed flesh of her arm was a mass of scratches and cuts, some of them deep enough to appear serious. Her long, dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, but the sheen was long gone, as though it hadn’t been properly washed for some time.

In their human form, both male and female bear shifters were generally above average size. This woman was tall, her head reaching almost to Ged’s shoulder, and her build was similar to that of an Olympic swimmer, long and lean with endless legs, broad shoulders and slim hips. But she was too skinny for her frame. It was the false thinness that follows illness or extreme dieting. The pallor of her skin and dark shadows under her eyes seemed to confirm Ged’s assumption that she hadn’t been eating properly just lately.

Yet she kicked the hell out of three guys? All because she wanted to see me? Even a bear shifter had limits, and she looked like she had been pushed to the end of hers, yet she had found that inner strength. This had to be a story worth hearing.

“No police.” There was a good chance he would regret that decision later, but she was a shifter and she was in trouble. Helping in these situations was what he did. Ignoring the look of reproach in Rick’s eyes, he held the door of his suite open for the woman to step inside. “Do whatever it takes to cover this up...” They were familiar words to Beast’s security manager. “I’ll speak to you later.”

When he entered his suite, his unexpected guest had discovered the hospitality tray. Having already devoured half a pack of cookies, she was gulping mineral water so fast it was running down her chin.

Ged closed the door, leaning against it as he watched her. “I think you’d better tell me what this is about.”

She nodded, leaving a grimy mark as she wiped the back of her hand across her mouth. “I am Lady Lidiya Rihanoff. My father is the Count of Aras...and I have come to take you back to Callistoya.”

* * *

Lidi sat on the floor as she ate. Ged had ordered several items from the room service menu and was slouched in a chair watching as she worked her way through them. Ordinarily, the sight of his naked upper body might have proved a distraction, but she was too hungry to care. Or perhaps she was growing accustomed to being in a near-permanent state of arousal.

“When did you last eat?”

She gave it some thought. “Two days ago. I think.”

“You think?” Until now, she had been under the impression that all bear shifters had the same brown eyes. But Ged’s were different. Darker and more intense, set under heavy lids, with a gleam that made her want to check how her hair looked. Since she already knew the answer, she didn’t bother. Her hair, like the rest of her, looked awful.

She paused with a donut halfway to her mouth. “I didn’t have time to think about food.”

“Clearly.” He nodded at the remains of her repast. “What happened to your arm?”

Lidi glanced at her torn T-shirt, wincing slightly as the memory of breaking a window and scrabbling through it came back to her. “This?” She managed a shrug. “It’s nothing.”

It wasn’t true. It actually hurt like hell, but he didn’t need to know that.

Ged leaned forward, his clasped hands between his knees. “Let’s get one thing straight, shall we? You broke in here and beat up two of my employees and a hotel security guard. I could have handed you over to the police, but I didn’t. Start lying, or keeping information from me, and I may change my mind.” He kept his gaze on hers, letting the message sink in. “Let’s start again. What happened to your arm?”

“I hurt it when I escaped from the dungeons beneath the grand palace.” Lidi tried out a defiant head toss. It didn’t quite have the flourish she intended. Up close, Ged was too imposing, too attractive...too everything. She attempted to regain her composure, not an easy thing to do when she was sitting at his feet, tired, dirty, and aching all over. “You must remember that place. It used to be your home.”

If there was a flicker in the depths of his eyes, it was momentary. “Why were you in the dungeons?”

“Can’t we talk while we travel?” When Ged shook his head, she huffed out a sigh. “Your stepbrother, Vasily the Usurper, imprisoned me and my father when I refused to marry him.”

A frown pulled his brows together. “It may be a long time since I’ve been in Callistoya, but last thing I heard, Vasily had claimed the throne. Shouldn’t you be calling him King Vasily?”

Lidi tilted her chin stubbornly. “I will never swear allegiance to that man.”

He studied her thoughtfully. “Since your words imply loyalty to my side of the family, perhaps you can give me news of my uncle?”

Could he really have cut himself off so completely from his homeland? Callistoya was a magical place situated in the heart of the vast expanse known to humans as Siberia. Visible and accessible only to shifters, it did not exist on any mortal map. Even so, Lidi had heard how close Ged had once been to the uncle who had remained in Callistoya as leader of the resistance.

“Eduard Tavisha is working hard to rally those loyal to you.” She watched his face. “It’s a difficult job in your absence.”

He was silent for long moments, his expression closed. She got the feeling he was gazing back into the past before he roused himself. “What about Vasily? How is the new king’s reign going?”

“Badly. Vasily is struggling to maintain power. There is opposition from factions loyal to you. Vasily thought he could reinforce his position if he married me. Aras is a territory in the northern part of the kingdom.”

Ged nodded. “I know of it.”

“My father has great influence over the northern nobles, most of whom are loyal to you. Vasily reasoned that a Petrov-Rihanoff marriage would strengthen his claim to the throne.” Her lips twisted into a bitter smile. “And I am a wealthy woman in my own right.”

“There seems to have been a lot going on since I left Callistoya. Maybe I should have done more to keep up with the news from home.”

“Yes.” When he started to laugh, she looked up at him in confusion. “I don’t understand why that’s funny.”

“It isn’t. It’s tragic.” He stared down at her, his gaze taking in her disheveled appearance. “How long have you been traveling?”

The swift change of subject threw her off balance and she had to think about it. “Two, maybe three, weeks.”

There was a brief silence as he registered that information. “I’ve never heard of anyone escaping from the palace dungeons before.”

“No, nor have I.” She shuddered at the memory of it. “Once I passed through the Callistoya border, I walked for miles within the mortal realm. The first town I reached was in the human land known as Russia.” She bit her lip, uncomfortable with the next part of her story. “When I was there, I stole food and I managed to hot-wire a car. A few times, I was able to fill the vehicle up with gas and drive off without paying. Once I reached Austria, security was much tighter and I had to abandon the car.”

All Callistoya bear shifters were good at hiding their feelings—mainly because they learned from an early age that emotions were a disruption to their lifestyle—but Ged took enigmatic to a whole new level. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking. “What did you do then?”

She laughed. “I did a lot of walking. Sneaked onto trains without paying when I could. Hitched a few rides.”

“What?” His exclamation startled her and she took a moment to process what had prompted it. The realization that he was being protective caused a flare of warmth to start deep inside and spread through her body.

“I’m a bear shifter, remember? I was never in any danger from humans.”

The way he sank back in his seat was an acknowledgment of the truth of her statement.

“How did you know where to find me?” he asked. “I don’t advertise that I’m the former king of Callistoya.”

“I overheard Vasily talking about you. He has spies in this world who discovered your whereabouts.” She had intended to deliver the bad news in stages, but, under Ged’s direct gaze there didn’t seem to be any hiding place from the truth. “He still sees you as a danger, and if he suspected you were going to return to Callistoya, he would have you assassinated.”

Ged had a very expressive mouth, she noticed. It was particularly evident now, as his lips curled in contempt. “Would he now? Vasily must have grown himself a spine since the last time we met.”

“All I know is he has my father locked up.” She got to her feet. “Can we go now?”

“Lidiya—”

“It’s Lidi. No one ever calls me Lidiya.” Why was she worrying about what name he was using when her father was depending on her?

“Lidi.” He ran a hand through his thick brown hair. “If you know why I left Callistoya, you must also know why I can’t go back.”

“No.” The word was almost a sob. “We can work with the resistance, get the people we need. Together with your uncle and my father’s friends, we can fight Vasily.”

He got to his feet and she felt the impact of his nearness all over again. He was too potent. His height, his presence, his masculinity...they all had the effect of driving everything out of her mind except the need to be in his arms. Determinedly, she clung to the image of her father languishing in a prison cell.

“There is more to it—”

“I know that thirteen years ago, Vasily told everyone you left Alyona Ivanov to die at the hands of the same men who murdered your father.” The words burst from her lips before she could stop them, and Ged flinched as she said the name of his murdered fiancée. “I don’t believe the story that you abandoned her...or that you killed her, then murdered the others to cover it up.”

“I can’t go back.” If Ged cared that his stepbrother had spread a rumor that he was a spineless coward, or worse, it didn’t show. There was no inflection in the words, only finality.

Lidi had come prepared to beg, to plead, to offer her family’s wealth, her own fortune and allegiance. Anything. Nowhere in her schemes had she allowed for this scenario. One in which she faced a man who differed so completely from her expectations. She had believed the romantic folk stories about Gerald Tavisha. There were rumors about an exiled king who devoted his life to the rescue of endangered shifters. When she looked into Ged’s eyes and saw the blank look in their dark depths, she was forced to question the truth behind those legends.

Her whole body slumped in defeat. She had pinned every hope on finding Ged and persuading him to help. Now she faced a return to Callistoya and the prospect of discovering another way. Giving in to Vasily’s plans wasn’t an option, but her choices were limited to her own ingenuity.

Squaring her shoulders and stiffening her spine was hard, but she managed it. Turning away from Ged? That proved more difficult. How had she reached this point so fast? Dependence on another person wasn’t on her agenda. It never would be.

To her annoyance, she felt tears sting the back of her eyelids and burn her throat. Back home, she was known for her stubborn chin tilts. This one didn’t quite work.

“I’m sorry to have wasted your time.”

* * *

Ged muttered a curse as he crossed the room. Lidi already had her fingertips on the door handle when he reached her. Placing his hands on the wooden panels either side of her shoulders, he leaned in close.

“Don’t go.” What was happening to him? He didn’t do empathy or tenderness. He certainly didn’t change his mind. Yet, the second he had turned Lidi down, he was regretting the harshness of his response.

She turned around, the action placing her in the circle of his arms. Not quite touching, but temptingly close.

“I have no reason to stay.”

“We both know that’s not true.” Getting up close to her had been a mistake. The attraction between them couldn’t be forgotten, no matter how much they might wish to fight it. Lifting a hand, he cupped her chin, rubbing his thumb along her jawline.

“Don’t.” Lidi turned her head away. “For the last three weeks, I’ve only been able to wash in rivers and streams. I can’t imagine what I must smell like.”

“You smell incredible.” That was part of the problem. Lidi’s scent was driving him crazy. She smelled of the forest. Of fresh air, new rainfall and pine needles with a hint of the wild honeysuckle that reminded him of home. He rested his forehead against hers briefly, fighting the temptation to do more. “God knows, I don’t want to change anything about you, but why don’t you take a bath? Then I’ll deal with those injuries to your arm and you can get some sleep. Even if I can’t come back to Callistoya with you, I can help in other ways.” He smiled. “I can book you on a flight to Siberia faster than you can steal a car.”

She regarded him thoughtfully and he could see she was weighing her options. After a moment or two, she relaxed and nodded. “A bath would be heaven.”

Ged showed her to the bathroom. Once he could hear water running, he took out his cell phone and called Rick.

“Any problems?”

“Other than the fact that you’ve got a crazy woman in your room?” Even though they were friends, Rick rarely crossed the employer-employee boundary when he was working. Now Ged could sense the anger and frustration in his voice. “Yeah, everything is très bien, as they say around here.”

“The two guys who were with you, are they okay?”

Rick snorted. “Well, Marty’s gonna be talking like an overexcited schoolgirl for a day or two, but the hotel guy’s nose isn’t broken. I managed to persuade him it was all a misunderstanding. When I say persuade, I mean I gave him a barrel full of cash to forget it.”

“Thanks.” Rick always came through for him and for the rest of the band. Although Ged had never shared the truth with the other man, Rick must know there was something unusual about Beast. Even if he hadn’t guessed they were all shifters, he had seen enough over the years to figure they were different. He had covered up werewolf attacks and dragon flights, as well as a few less dramatic supernatural events. “Can you get me a first aid kit?”

“Are you hurt?” He could hear the concern in Rick’s voice.

“It’s not for me. And bring some women’s clothes to my room.”

“What sort of women’s clothes?”

“How the hell do I know? The sort women wear.” Ged drew a breath, reminding himself it wasn’t Rick’s fault his whole world had been turned upside down a few hours ago. “Go to the boutique in the lobby. Make up some story about your niece losing her suitcase. Tell them she’s tall and slim. They’ll do the rest.”

He ended the call and went to stand at the window, looking out at the view of the Mediterranean. When he’d arrived in Cannes, his head had been full of business deals and upcoming concerts. His usual distractions. Now he was barely seeing the beautiful promenade, the dark waters and the first light of dawn streaking the sky. Instead, his mind was focused on a grander view, one that encompassed dramatic mountains and sweeping forests.

From the moment he’d been forced to leave Callistoya, he’d made a conscious effort to put it from his mind. But he would never be able to erase it from his heart.

That old expression bear with a sore paw? That had described Ged for a long time. He had been angry about everything. Furious that the places he visited weren’t the same as his home. Judgmental of the people he met because they were different to the Callistoya nationals, annoyed that he had to explain his wants and needs, when in the past everyone around him understood them. Gradually, he understood what his rage was about. He didn’t hate new people and places. He just missed his old life.