Bear with Me (Bear Mountain Patrol Series Book 1) (21 page)

Chapter 31

“Are you sure this is how I should hold it?” Camilla asked holding the pistol with both hands, her thumbs lying on the left side. She looked up at Jackson, dressed in creased black pants, button down shirt and shiny loafers. The sandy-haired man reminded her of Thor from the movies but with a mustache.

Jackson released another sigh. “Can you hold the gun steady otherwise?”

She tried and couldn’t. “Point taken, now what?”

“See the target?” He pointed to a large paper with an outline of a bear and several centrifugal circles, each larger than the last.

“Yes.”

He touched her headset then said. “Pull the trigger as I told you. Try to hit the paper. Anywhere will be fine.” The doubtful tone of his voice set her teeth on edge. Sure, she’d jumped the first time but the gun had a kick she hadn’t expected. And the loud noise surprised her. No reason for him to act as if she couldn’t hit the target. Closing one eye, she held the pistol steady and fired repeatedly.

“Holy shit!” he said while pushing the button. The target came closer and he touched the paper reverently. “You hit it. Not only hit it but in the head and heart. Excellent!”

Camilla smiled and swallowed hard at his praise.
If my eyes hadn’t been so bad, I could’ve practiced with daddy. He’s somewhere smiling at me now.

“You’ve been holding out on me, all this time missing those targets when you could shoot like this.” He clapped her on the shoulder sending her forward a few steps. “Again. Do the same thing again.” After installing a fresh target, he sent it into position and stepped away.

“If our babies were in danger would you use a gun?
Damn right she would. Camilla closed one eye, focused and fired.

An hour later, Jackson praised her skills with pistols and some rifles. “You, my dear, are a natural. I’ve never seen anyone take to weapons as fast as you have. Pity your degree is in chemistry, I could certainly use you in the field.”

Camilla’s heart beat with excitement. “Really? You think I could work undercover? Help solve crimes? Bring in criminals?”

“With proper training, yes. Especially once your grizzle develops.”

Being reminded of another being evolving inside dampened her spirits. As much as she dreamed of the adventure and excitement of being a spy, she didn’t think she could see it through.

She shook her head. “This was fun but shooting people who didn’t hurt me or my loved ones? I couldn’t do it. Unless you want me getting sick in the field, I’ll stay in the labs,” she said enjoying the feel of the gun in her hand.

“True, true but knowing you can defend yourself and others with a weapon is something most of my inner staff cannot do. So it puts you in a different category, unique,” he said as they walked down the corridor from the practice area.

“I’m human, in this place that makes me unique.”

He lifted his finger and waved it in front of her face. His mustache twitched giving him a comical air. “Mated to a bear, you took on some of his qualities and he took on some of yours. So technically you’re part bear, otherwise you couldn’t be in here.”

Tightening the band on her ponytail, Camilla bit her lip in concentration trying to remember if she and Tag went over that bit of information and couldn’t recall.

“Here’s what I wanted to show you.” Jackson typed in a code in the panel and the doors opened. “This is our lab. We’re on the cutting-edge of several genetic breakthroughs.” The wide smile and twinkle in his dark blue eyes spoke of his pride at their achievements. He took her around and introduced her to everyone working, many explained what they were working on, piquing her interest.

Excitement thrummed through her at the complexity of a particular project dealing with chemicals she’d studied in class. She cleared her throat and looked at Jackson. “I’m working on my master’s –”

“Chemistry?” His brow rose.

“Yes, maybe I could work here part-time? Get some hands-on training?”

Jackson frowned. “Won’t you be working on your dissertation?”

“Thesis,” she corrected.

“Right, thesis for master’s, won’t that be your focus?”

She bit her lip and stared into the lab with a longing she couldn’t explain. “Yes… but I can do both without mixing the two.”

Jackson ushered her out of the area into the wing where Ryan had a room without commenting. When they stopped, he looked down at her. “Here’s a suggestion, transfer to our university and you won’t have that problem.”

“What university?” Smokey or Yogi Tech or something similar?

“When Tag returns, ask him about his alma mater and discuss your desire to work for BMP; he may not agree. I’ve wanted him to work for us for years but he isn’t interested. The two of you as a team in the field would be quite a bonus.”

“What?” The movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith rolled across her mind and her heart beat with excitement. To work with Tag and Grizzle? Solve crimes? Was it Christmas?

“Never mind, just an old man wanting to see some modicum of justice. Discuss transferring with him first then we can talk. If he agrees, you have a job here anytime you want. Now go sit with your cousin, he can’t speak much but he can hear. His recovery will be long but he’s showing great signs of improvement.” He patted her on the shoulder and walked in the opposite direction.

Fighting down the excitement of working as a super spy or something similar, Camilla inhaled, shook her head to rid of the intense odors and headed toward Ryan’s room. Tag went to Bear College? She thought he went to a military academy. Were they in the same place? What kind of college did bear shifters need anyway? Since Jackson left before these questions popped into her mind, she’d ask Tag as the boss man suggested.

Hands stuffed in her pant pockets, she headed down the hall, nodding at people she passed. Entering Ryan’s room, she stopped and stared. He looked peaceful, like he was asleep then his eyes opened slightly. She saw a flash of color before recognition set in.

His fingers waved her closer.

Encouraged, she took the chair near his bed. “Thirsty?”

His blank gaze met hers. She poured water into the cup, placed the straw into it and placed the tip in his mouth. He took a few sips and stopped. She waited to see if he wanted more and when he didn’t sip, she put it on the table and returned to her seat.

“You know I haven’t shot a gun in years, after what happened in the movie theatre I never thought I’d pick one up again. But I used the practice range a little while ago. Jackson says I’m a natural, even offered me a job.” His brows furrowed or maybe she imagined it, either way she went on to tell him about her adventures since Tag brought her to the place yesterday. Jackson gave her a private room where she’d slept for 14 hours. After eating in the cafeteria, he took her on a tour and explained she couldn’t visit Ryan until later today after his treatment. She expanded on the weapons training and the offer of a job with BMP.

“So if I go to Bear College and make friends, there won’t be any awkward questions about my Grizzle at home, right? Not that it would be an issue at the school I attend now but I don’t know how I’ll evolve now that I’m part bear. So maybe working for BMP won’t be a bad deal, might even get some scholarship or grant money, right?”

He blinked.

She took that as a yes. “Tyra starts law school at another college near Denver and Jewel hasn’t decided what she’s going to do yet. This summer was our last one as roomies anyway. Turned out to be epic.” She clapped her hand over her mouth. “Mom is coming to visit, we timed her arrival to match Tag’s family. His mom decided to come along to meet me instead of going on her cruise.” She wiggled her brows. “Aren’t I special?”

“Yes,” Ryan said his voice hoarse.

Camilla’s head shot up at the pitiful sound. She ran to the side of the bed and touched his hand. He grabbed hers and held tight. “He loves you, I’m happy,” he whispered.

She touched his face gently, his lids lowered. White bandages lined his forehead and arm, her heart wept at his discomfort. Knowing she couldn’t help or make it better pierced her heart. She hid her tears and spoke in a soft voice. “I know. This is all so new, so many things to learn and remember.”

“Get better soon,” he whispered.

Wiping the moisture from her face with the back of her hand, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “You get better. Tag and I will play nice, meet each other’s families. And whatever mates do.”

“Good,” he said on a shaky breath.

Camilla returned to her seat and watched him breathe. Both of their lives were forever altered. Ryan’s entire molecular structure was changing; eventually he’d shift into a bear. And she was part bear. Her heart picked up speed at his scent, standing she turned toward the door as Tag walked in and opened his arms.

Heart full, she ran and jumped; he caught her around the waist and spun. Camilla laughed and met his gaze as he stopped.

“Hello beautiful,” he whispered.

“Hey big guy, I missed you.”

A grin cracked his face. “I was always with you, inside. You have a part of me, we never leave you.” He bent forward and captured her lips, teasing at first then deepening the kiss. Breathless, she poured her soul into the kiss, committing to him all over again. They broke apart on a gasp, his hard boner rubbed against her belly. Time to go home and get reacquainted.

“How’s he doing?” Tag asked looking over her shoulder.

“Rough going but Jackson thinks he’s doing good.” Every time she recalled the frank conversation she and Tag had over what really happened to Ryan and not her guilt-ridden version, she plummeted into despair. Granted, Ryan didn’t get along with his family but now, the gap would be wide as the Grand Canyon. Tag promised Ryan would always have a place with them.

Tag released everything but her hand and they walked to the bed. “Hey man,” Tag said.

Ryan’s lip moved and his lids opened. He stared at Tag for a few seconds then Camilla before returning to Tag. “You’re a grizzly?”

“Yeah.”

“Fuck that.” Ryan’s eyes closed.

She didn’t know what to make of that but Tag smiled, so it must be all good.

Jackson strode into the room and stopped. “Come see this.”

Tag tore his eyes from Ryan then looked at Jackson who walked away. Holding hands, they followed Jackson down the hall into an office. Several monitors were mounted on the wall with clocks beneath them, all showed different information. Jackson pointed to one with firefighters in the background. And a newscaster interviewing different people.

“Talk about leaving a mark,” Jackson muttered as he closed the door and ushered them closer.

“Do we know who was in the building?” the newscaster asked.

“No and we won’t know until we can enter and retrieve the remains.” They went on talking but Camilla’s attention was riveted to the women in the background.

“As you can see, several women, most of whom were reported missing, have been rescued from what federal, state and local officials are calling a huge human slavery operation. The way these women were held and treated is criminal.”

“Stop it right there,” Tag said pointing at the screen.

“You see her too?” Jackson said, sounding pleased.

“What is she doing there?” Tag demanded.

“Who?” Camilla asked confused.

“Amber,” Tag said, looking at Jackson. “I thought you had an APB out on her.”

“Yes, among bears. Do you see any bears other than Amber? No, because she wasn’t working for us, not on this. Seems she outsourced and was working for the human agency on this case.”

“She stole the senator’s daughter from Sanchez,” Tag said, his brow furrowed. “Then warned me to stay away when I was searching for Camilla.”

“Sounds like one of those agencies is her client and human trafficking is the type of job she would definitely accept,” Jackson said watching the screen. “Of course you do realize she allowed us to know that she’d been working for them. Maybe she doesn’t want us to think badly of her.”

“Maybe but why use Justin? They were together when she warned me,” Tag asked.

Jackson shrugged. “Who knows, maybe she didn’t want him to get hurt and cut him off in a way to make sure he didn’t come after her again.” They resumed watching the program.

“That’s where he held us?” Camilla asked staring at the buildings.

“Yes, one of them.”

“He’s dead?” she asked.

“Rex Green, the leader is dead. Couldn’t find Jensen but as the owner of the buildings with kidnapped women and their testimony that several others shipped out as slaves, he’s fucked as well. When he resurfaces, I’ll pay him a nice visit,” Tag promised.

Impressed by the confident woman she watched on the screen, Camilla wanted to know more of about field work. “Has she worked for you? In the field?” she asked Jackson.

He cleared his throat but didn’t look at Tag. “Yes, a few odd jobs.”

“She looks good,” Camilla said. Maybe she could give working in the field some thought especially if the end result helped save lives like this. She breathed easier seeing the business shut down, setting her free. Later, when they were alone, she’d thank Tag and get his opinion about her working in the field.