Bear Unbound: A BBW Bear-Shifter Romance (Shift Your Fate Book 1) (9 page)

“And why’s that?”

“We can’t know for sure because the philosopher’s works didn’t survive time. Apparently, Protagoras glorified man above all things, including nature, animals, and even the gods. He didn’t believe in the supernatural, and he insisted that animals don’t have souls. His most famous statement was ‘Man is the measure of all things’. Today, those who study philosophy believe what he meant was that there is no absolute truth, but that which individuals deem to be the truth. It’s hard to argue with them without telling them about shape-shifters and Aspasia. In fact, their interpretation has nothing to do with his statement. Anyway, long story short: Aspasia didn’t agree with him, and after many attempts at convincing him that he was wrong, that man wasn’t above the gods, nature, and animals, she decided to teach him a lesson. First, she made sure his works and teachings about humanity didn’t survive over time. That’s why we know so little about Protagoras today, and the only writings which contain some of his ideas have been understood and interpreted completely wrong. Secondly, she wanted to show him that his refusal to believe in supernatural forces was stupid. Aspasia was a witch of great power. While she couldn’t invoke the gods, of whose existence she wasn’t sure herself, she could create a new species that would be stronger, faster, and lived longer than humans. And to hurt Protagoras even more, she chose the noblest animals in the world, and through a combination of alchemy and magic, took women and men and created pairs of shape-shifters who could turn into those specific animals. So, you’ll never see… say… rat-shifters or squirrel-shifters.”

“Only wolves, lions, tigers and… bears.” She threw him a quick glance, then averted her gaze.

Tyler smiled. “And many others. Eagles, horses, foxes…” He wondered if he should go on. She was already reluctant towards his story. If he told her about the others… But, then again, things couldn’t get any worse. “… mythical beings, such as dragons, sphinxes, phoenixes…”

Her eyes fixed on his again. “Now you’re really kidding.”

“I’m not.”

“You’re saying there are dragons out there…”

“Dragon-shifters, yes.”

She sighed. “Well, you did say there are vampires and fairies, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.” She studied his brown, almost black eyes for a long minute, bit the inside of her cheek, then smiled. “So, did Aspasia teach Protagoras his lesson?”

Tyler laughed. “Pretty much, yes. He was in a bit of a disgrace when the entire Athens became aware of the existence of men who could turn into beasts. But in the long run, Aspasia’s plan failed.”

“How so?”

“For one, the few teachings and ideas which survived from Protagoras did work as a basis for what later became Anthropocentrism, the belief that the human beings are the most significant species on the planet because they’re considered to have a moral status higher than that of all other organisms. This proves that not even witches can control what needs to happen. They can’t change the fate of humanity or how the universe works. Also, Aspasia completely disregarded the possibility that the humans might one day turn against her shifters. Of course, she didn’t live to see it happen, as humans started hunting down shifters, and supernatural people in general, in the Late Middle Ages. It was a good thing for her, too, because they also burned witches.”

“Wow! And none of this can be proved.”

“Unfortunately, no. There’s no evidence that the legend I’ve just told you is real. Shape-shifters have long given up trying to find the truth about their origin. I don’t know about the others… There is, however, one thing that is very real: the Assassins’ Guild which was born in the Middle Ages, in Florence. The Guild which hunts supernatural people all over the world even today. The Calimala.”

“The Calimala.” She thought for a second. “Never heard of them.”

“They started off as one of the wealthiest and most influential guilds of Florence. Mainly, they were cloth merchants, and then they branched out and became bankers and people of great political power. They got involved in the Witch Trials because they believed all people with supernatural powers were a danger to humans. Things got so serious that they created a guild of well-trained assassins who would track down supernaturals, learn about their skills, catch them, study them, see if they could use them to their own advantage, and then kill them. Their main purpose was to clean the world of what they thought were abominations. Which, you know… fair enough… I guess it’s understandable that humans would be terrified of the unknown, of creatures who are stronger and faster than them, but they took things too far.”

He looked at her and waited for a minute, just in case she wanted to say something. After all, she had been terrified of him just an hour ago. Amber stayed silent.

“There are bad apples among us, of course. Just as you humans have your serial killers and psychos, we have ours. And it’s true that a psycho vampire or shifter is ten times more dangerous than a human, but still… we’re not all like that. Most of us just want to live a normal life, out in the open, be free to have a decent job, build a family… The Calimala has made this impossible. We’ve been hiding for centuries. The Calimala has grown and grown, the assassins are in high positions in all important fields, and they never tire. They never give up. Before America was discovered, they almost succeeded in cleaning Europe of all supernaturals. They practically forced us to emigrate to the New World, and when they realized what happened, they came after us.”

He moved closer to Amber, and when she didn’t crawl away from him, he dared to take her hands into his and squeeze them gently.

“Now you know why I haven’t told you before. I’ve been hiding all my life. As a child, I had to learn how to control my bear and keep him buried so I could pass as human. It wasn’t easy. Being a shape-shifter is like having two entities inside your head and body. The animal is always trying to overpower you, to take control. If I were to listen to my bear, I would run far away from here, to a place where I could shift at will and live the rest of my life without having to put on clothes. But the Calimala would track me down in a matter of days. The only way for us supernaturals is to hide and pretend.”

Amber looked at their hands. She loved how her fingers disappeared into his big palms. Once again, she felt safe. And, to her surprise, she realized that she believed him. Yes, the whole thing was insane, but she knew he was telling the truth. She could feel it.

“Why?” she asked. “I don’t understand why you never fought back. Sure, they are trained assassins, but you’re shifters! And vampires, and witches! You’re stronger than them.”

Tyler sighed. “I think at first we refused to fight because we wanted to prove to them that we weren’t as dangerous as they believed and that we could all live in peace. Then, our numbers started to dwindle and everyone was too busy running and hiding. Because we’re very different, we were never quite able to work together. Vampires are very reclusive, fairies care more about their own species, angels have the perfect way to hide because they can turn… well… invisible… Anyway, the point is: we were never able to get organized. There might still be hope, though…” As he said the last words, he thought about the Order of the Severins.

Amber moved closer to him, and Tyler spread his arms to let her press her soft body against his chest.

“Tell me more about the Calimala,” she said. “They have to have their weakness.”

Tyler’s shoulders tensed again, and his bear growled louder than ever, making Amber jump a bit in his arms. She pressed a palm to his chest and felt the faint vibrations in her lover’s muscles. The sensation was weird and unique, but she tried to relax.

“There’s something else I need to tell you,” he said. He had gotten this far, he might as well get it over with. The sooner she knew everything, the better.

“What?”

“It’s about Stephan Castell.”

Amber pulled away and disentangled herself from his arms. She furrowed her brows.

“I don’t wanna talk about him.”

“This is important, Amber.”

“I don’t care. He’s got nothing to do with this, and I really hate the fact that you’re trying to change the subject.” She looked deep into his eyes. Her vision went blurry for a second, and then a terrible headache exploded between her temples. “Why are you changing the subject, Tyler?”

“That’s the thing: I’m not. Stephan Castell has more to do with this than you think. He’s not the man you think he is.”

“Oh, I know exactly who he is.” She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and pushed herself to her feet. “He’s a lying, cheating bastard…” She took a couple of steps towards the door, intent on going to the kitchen to get herself another glass of water.

Tyler sensed that something was wrong, and he followed her, one step behind.

“He’s a sorry excuse of a man who doesn’t know how to lose. He hired two freaks to…”

But she didn’t finish her sentence and didn’t reach the door, either. She lost consciousness and her body would have hit the floor if Tyler hadn’t been there to catch her.

“Oh my God! Amber? Amber, sweetie…”

He pinched her cheeks, trying to bring back some color into them, checked her pulse, which was very faint, then tried to rub her temples, shake her gently, but nothing helped. She wouldn’t wake up.

“Amber, what’s wrong?”

He took her into his arms and wanted to put her on the bed, but then changed his mind. She needed a doctor.

As he carried her to his car, then went back to get his phone and her bag, he thought back to all those times when she had felt dizzy, sick, or had complained about headaches. Right after he locked the door of his cabin, it struck him.

“Shit!”

Even though Stephan had told her she would go back to him eventually, no matter what, he hadn’t called her in days. Why? Because he was convinced she would go back to him. She wouldn’t have a choice.

“Shit. Shit. Shit.”

He jumped into his car, made sure Amber’s unconscious form was safe in the backseat, then drove back to New York. To Rebecca’s and Emil’s place, not to a hospital. If he was right, no doctor would be able to save her.

CHAPTER SIX

5 A.M.

Rebecca was watching over Amber’s still unconscious form, praying she would wake up. From time to time, she begged Tyler and Emil to take her to the hospital, but they refused every time. In theory, she understood why, but she still didn’t feel comfortable about it.

Tyler was pacing the living room frantically while telling Emil the whole story. Why had he taken Amber to their place? Because he knew those symptoms. It was the first time he witnessed them, but he knew them after years of studying the Calimala and how they worked. It would have been useless to take Amber to the hospital. If the doctor didn’t happen to also be a witch, then he or she couldn’t possibly help the woman he loved. Emil and Rebecca were the only people he could trust because he had seen how much they cared about Amber. Also… Emil. There was something about Emil. Tyler’s bear had sensed it that first time they met.

“Before I start, I have to tell you that yes, I know how insane it all sounds. But you have to believe me, okay?” Tyler had begun.

Emil had sat down on the sofa, arms folded over his bulky chest, and nodded for Tyler to continue. And that was how Tyler started telling him about the Calimala, that they hunted supernaturals, and that Amber’s husband was part of the guild. Emil had grunted, nodded again, but hadn’t asked any questions. Tyler went on. And on.

Meanwhile, they were all waiting for Kassandra. At least Ava was asleep.

6 A.M.

Kassandra touched Amber’s forehead, cheeks, and neck. She placed a hand over her heart, closed her eyes, and listened with all her senses.

“She’s in a coma,” she concluded.

Becca moaned in fear and pain.

“A coma? Oh my God, we have to do something! We can’t just leave her like that. Please help me convince them to take her to a hospital.”

Kassandra stepped away from the bed, grabbed Becca’s shoulders, and looked deep into her eyes.

“Our doctors can’t do anything for her. Her friend was wise to bring her here, and you were wise to call me.”

“I didn’t know what else to do.”

And that was the truth. When Tyler had knocked on their door, waking her and Emil up, then barged into the apartment with Amber’s limp body in his arms, she had nearly lost it. She had thought Amber was dead, then she saw she was breathing, albeit faintly. Then, Tyler had told them he knew what was wrong with her, but had no idea what to do. He babbled something about the Assassins’ Guild, their unorthodox methods, and how her husband had sent two guys to kidnap her. His story had gotten Emil’s attention, and Becca had left them alone and called Kassandra. After all, the woman was an empath.

“Come on,” Kassandra said. “Let’s go check on the boys.”

“I don’t want to leave her alone.”

“There’s nothing you can do for her now.”

“What if she wakes up?”

The old woman sighed. “I doubt that she will.”

Rebecca covered her mouth with her hands. It wasn’t a good idea to start screaming at 6 in the morning. She shook her head in denial, her chocolate eyes filled with dread.

“She will if we give her what she needs,” Kassandra reassured her. “It’s okay, we have some time to figure this out. Tyler and Emil might be able to help.”

“How?”

Kassandra started walking towards the living room, and Becca followed her.

“Has Tyler told you yet?”

“Tell us what? He told us about the Assassins’ Guild and that Stephan Castell is a member, but I still can’t understand what he did to her. And how.”

“No, not that. Has he told you about what he…” But she stopped when she entered the room and saw the two men talking in hushed voices.

Kassandra focused on their energies and tried to read them. Emil was acting as if he was calm, but he was boiling inside. His wolf was growling and howling wildly, and the man had to clench his jaw and dig his nails into his palms to keep himself from shifting. Tyler, on the other hand, was controlling his bear well. It was the first time she saw the man. She had felt him through Amber’s senses when Becca had sent her to Shift Your Fate, but she couldn’t have known then that he was a bear-shifter. Amber hadn’t known, so Kassandra couldn’t tell. However, the second she had stepped into Becca’s apartment, she had senses two shifters instead of one. She had known about Emil from Becca, and had even helped him with the Order of the Severins.
“He hasn’t told them,”
she thought. The man knew how to hide his bear well. Even under pressure, with the adrenaline going through the roof, Tyler was able to keep his beast contained. That was why Emil hadn’t been able to tell what he really was, although he could probably feel… smell… something in the air. Shape-shifters were incredible beings, Kassandra thought. Such raw power, such wild abandon in everything they did. Still, when threatened with extinction, they were able to adapt.

Tyler heard Rebecca and the empath, and raised his eyes to study the old woman more carefully. She had raven black hair, utterly unnatural for her age, and sky blue eyes. She was wearing a colorful dress, half a dozen thin bracelets around each wrist, and rings on all her fingers. He couldn’t tell anything about her. Her features, although unique, seemed elusive. It was as if he couldn’t quite point out what there was about this woman, but there was something. It had nothing to do with the fact that she was an empath. Rebecca had told him what she did at Shift Your Fate. There was something more. He felt the same thing every time he looked at Emil.

“Is she all right?” Tyler asked.

“For now,” said Kassandra. “Unfortunately, you were right. She is addicted to shifter blood.”

Tyler turned around and ran his hands through his dark hair, pulling mercilessly at the knots.

Rebecca went over to Emil.

“Okay. May I hear the whole story now? What’s happening? What have you two been talking about?”

Now she was angry at herself for having left them alone. She hated being out of the loop. Yes, she knew the Arte di Calimala was involved, and she knew how bad that was. But shifter blood?

Emil patted the spot beside him, and Rebecca sat down.

“Tyler was just telling me about the Assassins’ Guild.”

“Sure, okay,” said Rebecca impatiently.

Tyler turned around suddenly, throwing his hands in the air.

“You’re not surprised either,” he almost screamed. “I’ve been talking about assassins and supernaturals for half an hour, and neither you, nor Emil are surprised in the least. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. But I certainly didn’t expect you to believe me so easily. You have no idea how hard it was for me to convince Amber I wasn’t making fun of her in a cruel, twisted way.”

Rebecca blinked rapidly, in slight confusion, then turned to Emil, who sighed and relaxed against the backrest. Kassandra studied the three friends. She sensed Tyler was still not ready to reveal his identity. He still didn’t trust them. If Emil made the first step…

“We’re not surprised because we both know about the Calimala,” said Emil.

Tyler opened and closed his mouth, unable to come up with a decent reply. Now, that was something he hadn’t expected.

“I moved to the U.S. because of the guild,” continued Emil. “They killed my parents.”

“Your parents…” His tired brain started putting two and two together. The Calimala killed Emil’s parents. “This means…”

“Yes, I’m a shifter.” Emil stood up and took a couple of steps towards Tyler. He looked him straight in the eyes when he asked: “A wolf. Now, what about you? And don’t tell me again how you’re a designer by day and a hacker by night, and you just happened to come across the history of the supernaturals and the Assassins’ Guild and figured out it wasn’t just fantasy. I don’t buy that for one second.” He paused to give Tyler time to process the situation. He knew it wasn’t easy for a shape-shifter to come out of hiding, but he believed he had just earned Tyler’s trust by making the first step. “I’ll ask again, mate: what about you?”

Tyler cocked an eyebrow. All he saw in Emil’s green eyes was honesty and real concern for Amber. He had been right to bring her here.

“Bear-shifter.” The words seemed to lift a weight off his shoulders. It was the second time he spoke them that night, and it felt good. Oh, it certainly felt good to tell someone out loud: “I’m a bear-shifter.”

Emil smiled. “Good. Now we can talk.”

Kassandra chuckled, drawing the two men’s attention. She took her time to walk slowly towards the sofa and sit down beside Rebecca. Tyler and Emil were still slightly confused at her reaction.

“Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just happy the Order of the Severins is about to start growing.”

“Excuse me? Did you say the Order of the Severins?” Tyler was pretty sure he had taken enough surprises for one night.

“Why, yes. Emil and Rebecca created it just over a month ago. You’re going to be the third member. It’s exciting, really.”

Tyler turned to Emil. The wolf-shifter shrugged his shoulders, as if to say it wasn’t a big deal.

“Emil Severin, nice to meet you,” he said, extending a hand towards Tyler.

Tyler shook it reluctantly. “Severin? I thought you were Gilbert.”

“Becca is. In Romania, Severin doesn’t mean much, as it’s a pretty common name. But a Severin in the U.S. would have immediately attracted the Calimala, given that they wiped my parents’ pack when I was a kid. Now I only use the name when I have to take care of… you know… Order business.”

“I see…”

“All right, gentlemen,” Kassandra interrupted them. “Back to the present situation, please.” The two men nodded and turned towards the empath. “From what I’ve been able to tell at a first glance, Amber has been on shifter blood for a while. No more than half a year, I would say, which explains why it took so long for the withdrawal symptoms to appear. If we don’t give her a dose, she won’t wake up, and her body won’t be able to sustain her after a certain point. So, let’s think. We need solutions, and we need them rather fast.”

Rebecca jumped off the sofa and started pacing the room.

“What the hell even is shifter blood? It’s the first time I hear of it.” She threw Emil a glance, but she immediately understood he hadn’t known about it either.

“It’s not exactly shifter blood,” said Tyler. “It’s what’s left of it after a witch separates the venom.”

“Witches can do that?”

“Well, they created us. They can pretty much do whatever the hell they want.”

“Legend. That’s a legend,” intervened Emil. “I’ve tried to keep tabs on the Calimala as well, but it’s clear I don’t know as much as you do. I don’t have your… skills.”

Tyler smiled. Emil was, of course, referring to his hacking skills. A hobby at first, then an obsession.

“It’s one of the guild’s best kept secrets. It’s true the Calimala hunted and killed shifters at first, but then they got ideas… They started catching them alive so they could study them, learn their secrets, try to figure out what made them special. Eventually, they did. The secret is in our blood. The venom allows us to turn humans into shifters, but the pure blood is the one which gives us strength, incredible speed, heightened senses, and a ridiculously long life. Used together, a shifter’s venom and blood can turn a human into a shifter if the human is bitten, which makes the venom spread into their bloodstream, then forced to drink the shifter’s blood. An easier and less painful way is to simply inject the human with the blood and venom. Used separately, the effects are… different. The venom alone, will kill the human. The pure blood alone, will give the human all the physical strengths of a shifter, but won’t turn him, and the effects won’t last. Taken regularly, shifter blood will cause addiction. The human won’t be able to live without it because the organism would crash.”

Emil cursed under his breath.

“This gives the Calimala amazing advantages.”

“Yes, it does. It took years of trial and error to figure out how to separate the venom and obtain pure shifter blood, but when they did, they started using it to make their assassins stronger and faster. The two guys Stephan Castell sent after Amber were quite a challenge. Not for long, but still a challenge.”

“And how do they separate the venom?” asked Rebecca.

“Only a witch can do it. It’s a combination of magic and chemistry… ancient mumbo-jumbo, I have no idea. But witches can do it.”

“And the Calimala have witches,” she concluded.

“They do.”

Rebecca turned to Kassandra, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. The old woman shook her head.

“No, my dear. I’m not a witch. I’ve already told you that.”

Rebecca started pacing the room again. She hated this situation, this feeling of helplessness. Her friend was in a coma. Apparently, her jerk of a husband had actually drugged her, and the stupid guild he was part of seemed to be the only source of the drug.

“Why can’t you just give her some of your blood?” she asked Tyler.

Tyler shook his head. “It would save her life, but it would also turn her. I can’t do this to her, Rebecca. I can’t make this choice for her. To save her, we need pure shifter blood. We need the venom removed.”