Phantom Warriors: Riot Read online

She responded automatically. “Nina Whitetail.” She hesitated, then added, “Do you have a name?”

  “My name is Riot,” he said groaned, which came out more like a roar.

  “Riot?” It’s a bear Nina. What did you expect him to be called? Yogi? Perhaps Bob?

  “Can I ask you something?” The bear shuffled his massive feet on the forest floor.

  His gaping maul gave her the impression that he could swallow her whole if he desired.

  “Sure, why not? None of this is real anyway,” Nina said.

  “You’re not going crazy,” he growled, then snorted as if to clear his throat.

  “Sure, whatever you say.” She wasn’t about to take a bear’s word for it that her sanity was still intact. Nina scooted further down the log, although it wouldn’t do much good if he rushed her. A ‘normal’ bear could outrun a person. This one, given his massive size, could probably match a cheetah. “What do you want to know?”

  He took a step closer and she stiffened. The bear stopped instantly.

  “Why aren’t you frightened of me?” he asked.

  Nina frowned as she took inventory of her emotions. He was right. She hadn’t been frightened since he began to speak. She was nervous, sure. Anyone would be when confronted by a bear the size of a draft horse. But she wasn’t afraid. “How do you know that I’m not?”

  “I can smell you.” He sniffed. “You smell musky and sweet. You’re rich, ripe, and full-bodied like a woman should be.”

  She blinked. “You make it sound like I’m a bottle of wine.”

  “In a way, you are. At least your essence is,” he added.

  Was the bear flirting with her?

  Her face flushed. Nina didn’t know why she was blushing, but it seemed odd to have a bear talking to her in the way that a man would. “Thanks,” she murmured, then glanced away. She didn’t want him to notice the affect he was having on her.

  Flirting? What was she thinking? This was a bear, not a man. He wouldn’t know embarrassment if it hit him upside his fuzzy head. And he darn sure wasn’t flirting. Bears didn’t flirt. But that didn’t stop her from changing the subject.

  “You asked why I’m not afraid of you. One reason is that I’m a vet. I treat all kinds of animals at my practice.” It was a reason, but not the main one. Nina never fancied herself as a Dolittle. Her patients didn’t routinely come in and talk to her. Nothing in her work life could have prepared her for this moment, but the same couldn’t be said about her personal life. She thought about her grandfather. Nina couldn’t believe she was about to admit this. She knew it would sound crazy, but did that really matter when one was talking to a bear? Nope, she didn’t think so.

  “And the other reason?” he asked, patiently.

  “My grandfather, Harold Twofeathers,” she said.

  She was pretty sure that the bear’s face crinkled in confusion, though it was hard to tell with all the fur. Maybe he just had fleas. “What does he have to do with your fearlessness?”

  Good question. Without the bear meeting him, it was going to be hard to explain, but Nina did her best. “Ever since I was a little girl, he’s filled my head with stories of The People. One of his favorite stories is that of the Great Bear.”

  “The Great Bear?” he sounded puzzled.

  Nina laughed. For some reason, it struck her as funny that he wasn’t familiar with The People’s stories about him. “Sorry, I guess that concept would be weird to you. The Great Bear is a story that has been with the Cherokees for centuries.”

  The bear sat down. “What exactly does this bear do?”

  She smiled. He looked so content to sit there and listen to the story it was almost comical. “He leads a band of brothers on a merry chase. See, the brothers are hunting the Great Bear. They are so determined to catch and kill him that they follow him into the sky, where they remain to this day.” Nina glanced up, but could barely see the stars through the trees. When she looked back, she noticed the bear was staring at the sky too.

  He didn’t say anything for the longest time. He just continued to watch the stars. “Did they ever catch him?”

  “Yes, and they killed him, but the Great Bear has powerful magic. He was able to put himself back together. When he does, the brothers chase him across the sky again,” she said. “It happens every year.”

  His gaze lowered and he looked at her. “Hmm…Do you think I’m the Great Bear?”

  For a bear, he seemed awfully serious. “What else can you be?”

  “Good question,” he said, watching her closely. “Would you follow me to the stars?” The teasing lilt that had been in his voice all but disappeared.

  Nina’s brow furrowed. “Not to kill you. If that’s what you’re asking.”

  “It’s not,” he said.

  She thought about it for a moment, then sighed longingly. “The answer really doesn’t matter, since neither of us can run to the stars.”

  “But what if we could?” he asked.

  She looked at him. “We can’t, so it’s a moot question.”

  “Someday, I might ask you again,” he said softly, as if weighing each word.

  Nina stared at him, wishing she could somehow read the strange bear’s mind. She had a feeling that she was missing something vitally important in the conversation. Finally she said, “And when you do, I’ll give you the same answer.”

  ***

  Riot’s hearts raced. He couldn’t believe that he’d finally found a woman who didn’t fear him. He knew Nina would be the one, when he first spotted her splattered with mud. She was a woman who cared for beasts, and he was the biggest beast of them all. He may not be the Great Bear she was referring to, but he was a great bear.

  He would be her great bear…if she’d have him.

  Riot didn’t want to rush her, or frighten her away, before he had a chance to test their compatibility, so he let her non-answer slide. She didn’t understand the question. At least not yet. Or maybe she did, and didn’t want to answer. Always possible. Females were far more complicated than their male counterparts—or so he’d been told repeatedly. He tended to agree. “Do you know the way back to town?”

  She looked around warily, then slowly shook her head. “My compass is broken.”

  “Climb on.” He jerked his head to the side and stood.

  “Excuse me?” Nina’s eyes widened as she tilted her chin up. “Um, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  Riot growled, forcing his jaw to form words. “You are in no condition to walk. Besides, without that light, you can’t see a thing. I can. So climb on.” He gestured to his back.

  Nina stood, but didn’t move.

  Riot stared at her. “What? Is there a problem?”

  “You’re too tall and…” She paused. “I’ve never ridden a bear before.”

  He snorted. It was the closest sound he could make to a laugh. “Well climb on and then you’ll be able to say that you have.”

  Nina laughed, then slowly approached. “You’re going to have to lie down or there’s no way I’ll be able to get on you.”

  Riot dropped to the ground on his belly. Even lying as flat as possible, Nina still had trouble scrambling onto his back. “Grab my fur.”

  “Are you sure?” She kicked her legs until she was high enough to swing one over his shoulder. Finally she was seated.

  “It won’t hurt me,” he said.

  “Okay, if you’re sure.” Nina grabbed a handful of hair at the back of his neck.

  Riot slowly rose to his feet. She gasped and tightened her hold, pulling at his fur, but he hardly noticed. He was too busy enjoying the feel of her thighs clutching his sides. “Hang on. This might be a little bumpy.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Bright sunlight splashed across her face, waking Nina, even though all she wanted to do was sleep in. She stretched and winced, feeling the soreness in her stiff muscles. Scratches still covered her hands from where she’d taken a fall. Dried blood was caked beneath her nails. She reached up and
felt her head. It was tender, but there were no bumps. She wasn’t nauseous and didn’t have a headache, which probably ruled out a concussion.

  Nina had called Kim last night after she found her truck parked in the driveway and her keys tucked under the mat on her porch. Her best friend had been about to send the Sheriff’s Department to look for her. Fortunately, Nina was able to convince Kim not to, and claimed that she was fine.

  Nina looked around the familiar room. A faded white dresser sat against the far wall, matching a small bedside table that had been covered with a blue crocheted throw. A dusty lamp stood on top of the small throw, next to a pile of paperbacks. She was in her bed, safe and sound. No talking bears in sight.

  Had she imagined everything? Had it all been a bizarre dream brought on by stress? That made the most sense, but didn’t explain her bruises. Nina threw back the covers and climbed out of bed. She knew she’d feel better once she’d had a shower. She’d grab a quick bite, then head to the hospital to visit her grandfather. He’d know what to do and just what to say. He was also the only person on the planet who wouldn’t think she was crazy.

  The hospital was obscenely quiet when she arrived. Only the sounds of machines beeping broke the foreboding silence. A few people waited in the Emergency Room, but they too sensed the odd quiet and kept their voices down. Nina made her way to the elevators and rode it to the third floor. Harold was sitting up, reading a newspaper, when she walked in. He put the paper aside and took a long assessing look at her.

  “What happened, Little Deer?” His old eyes far too sharp for her peace of mind.

  Nina ran a hand over her hair. “Nothing.” She shook her head.

  His bushy white brows arched, but he didn’t contradict her. “Take a seat. The nurse said she would get me some coffee.”

  “You’re not supposed to have caffeine. It’s not good for you,” she said.

  “At my age, and in my condition, it doesn’t matter.” He patted her hand, staring at the fresh scratches. “You’ve been in the woods.”

  Nina thought about lying, but she’d never been able to get away with fibbing. Not when it came to her grandfather. He always knew when she’d told a lie. So she went with a partial truth. She didn’t want Harold to worry, so she left out the part about being shot at by the poachers. “I was in the woods.”

  “Alone?” he asked.

  “No, Kim was with me.” At least for a while, until we had to run for our lives. “Grandpa, tell me what you know about the Great Bear. I mean, I know the story about the brothers chasing him into the sky, but is there anything else?”

  He rubbed his chin. “Hmm…like what?”

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Does he talk?” The room suddenly felt too warm. Nina tugged at her collar.

  Harold sat up straighter. “What happened in the woods, Little Deer?”

  Nina looked around the room, noting that the door was open. She rose from her seat to shut it. She sat back down and looked down at her lap, unable to meet her grandfather’s questioning gaze. Nina twisted her fingers and searched for words that wouldn’t make her sound crazy.

  “The truth will free your worries, Little Deer.” Harold touched her hands, stopping her frantic wringing.

  She glanced up at his kind face and felt her shoulders relax. “I think I met the Great Bear in the woods last night.” Nina waited, holding her breath in anticipation of her grandfather’s response.

  He simply stared at her for what felt like an eternity, then slowly, with the utmost patience, Harold opened his mouth to speak. “Why would you think that?”

  Nina looked at him. “I know this is going to sound crazy. If I was hearing it, I’d think I was crazy, but last night in the woods, I ran into a giant talking bear.”

  Harold’s eyes lit up and he grinned. “What did he say?”

  “Oh, you know, the usual kind of things,” she joked.

  “Come now, Little Deer. It’s not every day that someone gets to speak with the Great Bear,” he said.

  Nina squirmed in her seat. “He apologized for scaring me, then asked if I was okay. I’d fallen down.”

  Harold’s brow furrowed in concern and he gave her another once over. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. “I’m fine, Grandpa.”

  “Did the bear say anything else?” He looked like a five-year-old engrossed in his first good story.

  Nina shook her head. “He asked me my name. He told me he thought I should see a doctor, then asked about the Great Bear story. He seemed fascinated by it. Like he’d never heard it before, but how is that possible? He’s the Great Bear.” She hadn’t forgotten how he’d also asked her if she’d follow him into the sky. For some reason, the innocuous question seemed too intimate to share just yet.

  “You told him the story,” Harold said. It wasn’t a question.

  “I saw no reason not to. It was so bizarre. The whole night was bizarre.” Nina sighed. “Anyway, I got a little turned around in the dark, so he gave me a ride back into town.”

  Harold’s eyebrows arched so high that they disappeared under his graying hairline. “How may I ask, did he give you a ride?”

  “He told me to climb on his back. I rode him like a horse all the way to town.” Nina looked at her grandfather’s mischievous expression. “What?” she asked.

  “It sounds like the Great Bear has chosen you.” Harold looked beyond pleased.

  “Chosen me for what? He’s a bear, Grandpa. I can’t exactly go live with a bear.” She shoved her hands under her thighs, so she’d stop fidgeting.

  Harold’s expression grew serious. “The Great Bear is not just a bear. He holds powerful magic.” He waited.

  Nina nodded to let him know that she understood.

  “If the Great Bear has chosen to reveal himself to you, then that means at some point he will want to take you into the sky,” Harold said. “It would be a great honor to be asked. And an even greater honor to accept.”

  “You told me the other day to stay out of the woods that there was dangerous magic gunning for me,” she said. Had he forgotten?

  Harold nodded. “That I did, but I knew you wouldn’t listen to me.”

  “So what’s changed?”

  He looked at her. “I wasn’t sure where the magic was coming from. Magic is tricky. It can be good or bad. I was worried that if it was bad that you’d be in danger, but the appearance of the Great Bear is a good omen.”

  Nina wasn’t convinced, but it was clear that her grandfather was. “Don’t get your hopes up, Grandpa. I’ll probably never see him again. It was a fluke that I ran into him in the first place.”

  “Chance doesn’t exist, Little Deer. Not when we’re talking about powerful magic,” he said.

  She sighed. “It doesn’t matter what kind of magic it is. I’m not about to leave you to run off to visit the stars.”

  Harold shook his head. “Not visit. Live. The Great Bear would want you to live among the stars with him. It was a ‘him, wasn’t it?”

  Nina blushed. “Yes, it was definitely a him. How many Great Bears are there?”

  The sparkle in Harold’s eyes returned. “There is only one.”

  “That doesn’t change my answer,” she said. “I’m not leaving you, so you can stop trying to get rid of me.”

  “I’d never do so.” His smile softened. “Fortunately, you won’t have to make that choice.”

  Nina frowned. What was he talking about? Of course, she’d have to make that choice. And she’d always choose her grandfather. No matter what. What was she saying? There was no such thing as a talking bear. She’d imagined it due to the stress of being shot at. She glanced at her watch. “I have an appointment this afternoon. I’ll be back early in the evening. Can I get you anything?”

  Harold shook his head. He was still smiling, but there was something in his eyes that worried her. “I’ll see you tonight,” he said.

  “Get some rest Grandpa.” Nina kissed his forehead and walked to the door.

>   He waved goodbye.

  ***

  Nina drove to the Sheriff’s Station after dropping by her office to check on her furry patients. They were all doing well, so at least one thing was going right in her life. Too bad people weren’t as accommodating as animals. Her mind flashed to the Great Bear. If only they made men like that. If they did, she’d be set. She hadn’t wanted to report the incident from last night, but the fact that she and Kim had been shot at changed the situation.

  She parked her truck and walked inside. Her plan was to leave Kim’s name out of it. Her fiancé, Danny Alberty would be upset enough when he found out his future wife’s best friend was out causing trouble again. He already didn’t like how close the two women were. Some days, Nina couldn’t exactly blame him. As soon as she walked inside, Nina spotted Rick Hensen, her unwanted suitor. Unfortunately, he saw her too. He waved and walked over.

  “Hi Rick,” Nina said.

  “You going to be at the wedding reception tomorrow?” he asked.

  She kind of had to be, since she was the maid-of-honor. “I’ll be there.”

  “Great. I’ll be there, too.” He smiled. His light brown face creased, showing off his beautiful white teeth.

  Rick was a handsome man, but no matter how hard she tried, Nina just couldn’t bring herself to be interested in him that way.

  He continued to smile at her.

  Nina’s discomfort grew. What did he want her to say? He was a nice guy but she didn’t want to lead him on. Over Rick’s broad shoulders, she saw Danny’s frowning face. He looked as if he’d been heading out on patrol, but changed directions when he saw her. His black cropped hair gave way to a square, uncompromising jawline. Like The People from old, his skin held a reddish tint beneath the brown. At five foot eight, he wasn’t tall, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t intimidating.

  “Excuse me,” Nina said to Rick. “I have to speak to Danny for a minute.”

  Rick looked over his shoulder and frowned. “Okay. I’ll see you later?” He made it a question.

  To avoid any awkwardness, Nina nodded her assent. “Sure.”