The Hunter and the Hunted (Bear Naked 3)

Chapter 67

Amanda was half helped, half dragged, off the donkey. The blindfold was stripped from her eyes. She gasped.

They were in a narrow side canyon. The walls were steep and wooded. The base was an open clearing. A sizeable camp had been sat. A large cook fire and a dozen tents or so were at the far edge. There, in the middle of the camp, was Darren. He was still in bear form. They had him chained down, all four limbs forced out spread eagle. All over his legs were wet red patches. At first glance she wasn't sure if he was alive or dead, then she noticed his chest rose and fell in ragged breaths.

Nearer at hand, Erik was struggling to his feet. He rubbed his jaw and shot Loki an indignant look.

"Don't worry, he's not dead. Not yet," Loki said to Amanda as he stomped past. He was in nothing but a pair of shorts. He glared at her malevolently. He gestured across the camp, where a long metal spear stood upright in the ground. "We just injure him enough to keep him from regaining his full strength.

Amanda made a couple of painful, halting steps forward, her injured leg wanting to give out with each one. Darren's massive head turned and he saw her. He struggled to rise, a glimmer of recognition in his eyes.

Erik went around Darren. He yanked the spear out of the ground and buried it in Darren's shoulder. Darren roared and tried to snap at him. Then he sank back, panting again. How long had this been going on? Amanda shuddered.

"I was going to have such fun today," Loki raged. He grabbed her by the harness and forced her down not far from Darren. Brianna was thrown down next to her. "Did you know that? Answer me!"

She looked up into his face, angry and defiant. He pulled the gag from her mouth. She spat at his face. "Fuck you," she snarled.

Loki slapped her. She fell backwards, the barb wire harness cutting painfully into her back. She fought back to sitting. "You're just like your uncle, or your father for that matter. Foul mouthed bastards with no respect. And to think the other shifters actually look up to you."

Amanda felt cold water rush through her veins as the implications of what he said swept over her. "My father," she stammered. "You killed him." She could see her mother's face, backlit by the orange glow. The sense of fear as she hid in the bushes with her baby brother wrapped in her arms. It hadn't been an accidental fire. They'd kill her parents.

Loki laughed. Then his brow wrinkled. "God fucking damn it," he raged. He crouched beside her. "I've been waiting a long time for this. I was going to drag the whole thing out. It would have been such fun. And knowing you never realised we killed your parents... We could have really tortured you with that, couldn't we? Then these god damned idiots let that fucking little otter go! Now I've got to get this over with and get out of here. God damn."

Amanda didn't know how to respond. She took some comfort from the fact that Loki assumed Jay survived. But it seemed to make her own death all the more immanent.

"The only question is, which one first? I thought about that a lot. Make him watch me kill you, or make you watch me kill him?" He paused, staring at her. "Well, you are the one who fully realizes what's going on." He rose and walked over to where Darren lay, panting. Darren's eyes drooped, as though he were on the edge of passing out.

Loki transformed. The enormous black wolf let out a low growl and approached Darren's exposed neck.

Darren exploded forward, the chains straining almost to the point of snapping. His jaws clamped down on Loki's head and pulled him down. There was a deep unearthly growl from Darren's mouth.

"What the hell!" one of Fleischers yelled.

Diana, Loki's alpha mate rushed forward. "Let go of him you beast," she howled. Still in human form, she began to kick out at the bear. When that had no effect she pulled a pistol and fired several shots into him. "He won't let go."

"I've got it," Erik growled. He hoisted the spear and plunged it deep into Darren's side. Loki was struggling, trying to extract himself from Darren's massive jaws. Erik's eyes widen and he plunged the spear in again and again.

Amanda screamed. She screamed, wordless, until she lost her breath and couldn't do anything except pant. Loki's struggles continued to weaken. Darren went still but his grip never slackened. Finally, Erik plunged the spear into the dead center of Darren's chest and left it there. He, too was panting heavily. Both wolf and bear were still.

A new growl came from above them. Amanda's gaze went up. Up on the hill above them was a white wolf, growling fiercely, a small tan form on it's back.

"It's them!" a voice shouted.

"I've got it," Erik roared, pulling a forty five from his belt. He aimed up the ridge. Another sound caught his attention and he turned just as three wolves, Connor, Tanner and Jonathan, plowed into him. Connor in the middle grabbed him by the neck while Tanner and Jonathan each sunk their jaws into an arm. The force of their lunge tore Erik limb from limb.

None of the three paused. They hit the ground, dropped the piece of Erik they were holding and rushed into the crowd of Fleischers and Sons of Garm with the same ferocity.

Other wolves were appearing, Tyee's pack. Erica's dark form shot behind them, chasing one of the Fleischers.

Chaos reigned as the Fleischers, Skinwalkers and Sons of Garms alike screamed and ran for the woods. Wolves pelted amongst them, howling and barking. Amanda's gaze was stuck, watching Erik's headless, limbless torso spout blood and slump slowly towards the ground.

A brown furry form squirmed between Amanda and Brianna. Corey dashed across the camp, leaping over Darren's body, now in human form. Heedless of the blood she fished a pair of wire cutters from Erik's belt and came back. She transformed and cut them free.

Amanda stood shakily and looked down at her uncle. Darren and Loki lay spread eagle and naked, their heads nearly touching, as though they were lovers, not sworn enemies. She knelt down beside them.

The battle was gone, off in the woods somewhere. Amanda heard the occasional growl or bark but the campsite was peaceful and still. She felt Jay as he sat beside her. She gathered him in her arms and began to cry.