Captivating The Bear. Jane Godman

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СКАЧАТЬ to find her pillow damp with tears and her hand outstretched as though reaching for her mother’s skirts.

      Ged’s fingers smoothing the herbal-scented balm over her damaged flesh was the first positive touch she had encountered since her mother’s last embrace. It was almost too much to endure.

      He used gentle, circular strokes to apply the balm, the action stinging slightly while also warming and soothing. Everything faded away except Ged and the point where his fingers caressed her. With a sigh, she gave in to temptation and rested her forehead against the smooth, hard muscle of his shoulder. Just this once, she would let someone else take over. She would allow herself these few minutes of bliss, of surrendering to the feeling of every care and hurt being smoothed away. By the time he finished, she was almost asleep.

      Ged carefully placed adhesive dressings over the cuts. “They should stay in place without bandages.” He held out a couple of painkillers. “Now take these and get some sleep.”

      “I have to get home—”

      His fingers on her lips silenced her. “When you travel on a plane and the crew give you the safety information, they tell you to fit your own oxygen mask before helping others.”

      She frowned. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve never been on an airplane. This is the first time I’ve left the kingdom of Callistoya.” Her voice was muffled by his hand.

      Ged laughed. “I should have remembered we come from the land that time forgot. I was trying to find an analogy to explain how you should take care of yourself before trying to look out for your father. Sleep will refresh you.”

      The bed was tempting, and what Ged was saying did make sense. Exhaustion hit her all at once, leaving her feeling as though she’d run into a brick wall. “Okay. I suppose a few hours won’t make much difference.” If she was less tired she might actually be able to think of a way out of her predicament.

      Within minutes, she was nestled between crisp sheets and plump pillows. Although her troubles tried to intrude, her body relaxed and she began to drift into slumber. She was conscious of the tiny sounds Ged made as he moved around the room, but the knowledge that he was close by added to her sense of well-being.

      For now, she would let him take care of her. There would be enough time tomorrow to continue the fight.

      * * *

      “We have a problem.”

      Although it was tempting to tell his security manager to deal with whatever it was and leave him alone, Ged knew it must be important. Rick wouldn’t bother him unless it was serious.

      He glanced over at the bed where Lidi was still sleeping soundly. Ged had remained awake, checking his emails and fine-tuning arrangements for forthcoming appearances. He had also checked on flights to Siberia, planning the best way to get Lidi close enough to her own magical land without enduring another epic journey.

      There was a major problem to be overcome before he could send her on her way. International travel required a passport. As far as the mortal world was concerned, Lidi didn’t exist.

      The whole time, his mind had been preoccupied with more than the logistics. How could he let her go back, knowing the danger she faced? No one knew better than he did what Vasily was capable of. Yet, having glimpsed that determined gleam in her eye, he had a feeling stopping her would not be an easy task. If only it was as simple as she believed. If he could just take her hand and walk at her side across that invisible border. Even without the spell that had been cast to stop him, the barriers were insurmountable.

      “I need you to come and check something out.” For the first time ever, Ged could hear a note of fear as Rick spoke.

      Although his intuition was telling him that tremor in his security manager’s voice should have him heading for the door, his newfound responsibility to Lidi made him pause. “What is it?”

      “A group of men have stormed the foyer. Hotel security have managed to lock down the lower floor, but they don’t know how long they’ll be able to hold them.” Rick sounded slightly incredulous. “The manager thinks it could be a terrorist attack.”

      Ged muttered a curse. “Wake the others. Tell them to come to my room. See if you can get me real time pictures of what’s happening downstairs.”

      “I’m on it.” Now he had been given a focus, the hesitation was gone and Rick was all action.

      Ged ended the call and glanced in Lidi’s direction again. Although he didn’t like the chances that this was a coincidence, there was a possibility the attack could have nothing to do with her presence here. The hotel was full of celebrities. The terrorists—if that’s what they were—could be taking advantage of the shock factor of a strike against some of the world’s most famous names.

      Even as his mind went through that reasoned argument, his gut was telling him another story. His protective instincts were on high alert. Some additional sense had been triggered when he met Lidi. His mate was in danger. There was no need to wait for confirmation. He could feel it. And, for a man who didn’t do feelings, that was a powerful motivator.

      He headed through to the sitting room, closing the bedroom door behind him. Rick arrived a minute or two later. “The manager has sent some images to my cell phone.” He handed it over to Ged.

      The black-and-white footage showed four men entering the hotel lobby. Even though the pictures were grainy, Ged could tell these men were big. Tall and broad-shouldered, they moved with a steadfast confidence he would recognize anywhere. They were bear shifters. There was a good chance that when they shifted they would resemble Siberian brown bears. Just like him, Lidi and the entire population of Callistoya.

      “What makes the hotel staff think it’s a terrorist attack? I don’t see any weapons.”

      On the screen, the men began to smash up the reception area, systematically tearing apart the elegant decor with their bare hands. When the hotel security staff approached them, they were flung aside like rag dolls.

      “When the manager called me to warn me what was happening, a terrorist attack was his suggestion. That was because robbery didn’t seem to be the motive,” Rick explained. “The guy was a wreck. I don’t think he knew what was happening. The hotel security system allows the manager to isolate each floor. Right now, these guys are contained on the first floor. The elevators have been shut down and they can’t gain access to any of the other floors,” Rick said. “The problem is that the guests are going to start waking up about now. Once that happens, word will filter through to the outside world.”

      “The guests are trapped on their own floors.” Ged pointed out.

      “For now. These guys are still on the rampage in the foyer. It looks like they are trying to gain access to the elevators or the stairs, so that makes it appear that the guests are the target. The manager is locked in his office with those security staff who managed to get away.”

      “Have the police been called?”

      “They’re outside the hotel and the manager is communicating with them. They’re holding back from storming the building because some of the security staff who were injured when these guys stormed in are still trapped in the lobby with them. It’s a hostage situation that has the potential to go badly wrong.”

      They were interrupted by the arrival of the rest СКАЧАТЬ