Bite Me
Page 115
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A little business. I cant stay long.
Thats fine. Probably for the best. I heard youve been making some enemies lately. Ben-Zeev shook her head. Badgers? Youre pissing off badgers now?
I didnt know the BPC involved itself in a bears personal business.
We dont . . . unless it threatens what we have. When you told me I could use my people for more important work because you had a handle on the Whitlan situationshe shruggedI took you at your word. A bears word is very important to me, Rostislav.
And I do have a handle on it. My men will track him down any day now.
She dramatically winced. You may be too late on that.
I do not understand.
Its my understanding they may have found him. Whitlan, that is. In fact, I think things are already on the move. She pushed away from the limo, pressed her hand against Rostislavs expensive suit. If I were you, Id let things play out . . . and just let it go.
What?
Let it go, Rostislav. For your own good and the good of your family. Let it go. Bayla stepped away. Safe trip back, old friend. Safe trip back.
They watched the She-bear walk to the corner, get in her own limo, and drive away.
I wouldnt worry, Papa, his eldest sneered after Bayla. Im sure everything at home is
Rostislav focused on his son. If you say the word fine, I will beat you to death in this street. His boy said nothing else, which was good. Now get me home, he ordered. Even though Rostislav already knew he was too late.
CHAPTER 37
Boris Krupin was bored. But his boss was a powerful bear who paid his people well. So if Rostislav Chumakov wanted them to protect a full-human, that was what they would do.
Still, Boris was happy when he heard the first wolf howl. Normally, a wolf howl this close to Chumakov territory just pissed Boris off. But tonight it did nothing but excite him. He relished the thought of slapping around some wolves.
Boris looked at his fellow bears and they all nodded, shifted, and went after those infiltrating wolves, leaving behind three bears to keep an eye on the useless full-human.
Frankie Whitlan heard the howling ring out and pulled his .357 Magnum. He went to the window and stared down at the front of the house. He watched several of the guards shift to bear and run off into the night. They were chasing wolves? Really?
These fools were here to protect him, not chase after local wolves like the filthy animals they were. These idiots were supposed to be smarter than their non-shifter counterparts. And yet they seemed just as stupid and worthless.
He decided to get them back so they could dotheir goddamn jobs. Frankie spun away from the window toward the study door but stopped short when cold yellow eyes, like a dogs, stared at him.
Hi, Frankie, a voice growled from behind a massive beard and thick black hair.
Frankie immediately raised his weapon, but a big hand caught his and held the gun off. Then he saw a flash, and a blade rammed into Frankies neck, instantly cutting off his ability to scream and breathe.
But that wasnt enough for the man killing him. He twisted the knife, forcing Frankie to the floor.
That, the beard and black hair growled out as everything went dark for Frankie, is for making me bring my hillbilly ass all the way to goddamn Russia just to kill you.
Eggie Smith of the Tennessee Smith Pack watched Frankie The Rat Whitlan die. The full-human tried not to, but the one real skill Eggie had was knowing how to kill a man. When the breathing and the heart stopped, Eggie knew he could leave.
Hed only do a job like this for his little girl. But shed only ask him if it was real important. She knew that Eggie didnt like leaving his Darla unless he really had to.
Eggie walked out of a surprisingly tasteful studyconsidering the tackiness of the rest of the homeand into the hallway. That was where he found three bears waiting for him. They were armed but hadnt pulled their weapons yet. Probably figured they didnt have to for just one wolf.
One of the younger bears said something in Russian and started toward Eggie. But the older bear, a grizzly with lots of silver in his hair, pulled the boy back.
He said something to Eggie but, again, it was in Russian.
What?
The older bears head tipped to the side. Very slowly, in thickly accented English, the older bear asked, Who are you, doggie?
Names Eggie Smith. Nice to meetcha.
Color drained from the older bears face and he pulled the younger bear back by his T-shirt.
The younger bear didnt like that, arguing the point. But it was all in Russian, and Eggie didnt understand a dang word. So he patiently waited.
Got a little heated after a time, but then the older bear must have said something real pointed because the boy stopped and pointed at Eggie. Smith? he asked.
Da. Smith, the older bear said.
All three bears looked over at Eggieand Eggie smiled.
The bears jerked away like hed thrown fire at them and stepped back so Eggie could walk by.
He did, but as Eggie passed he stopped because he felt the need to say, And yall should be ashamed of protecting that man. Ashamed, he repeated. When they only stared at him, appearing confused, he added, Look it up.
Thats fine. Probably for the best. I heard youve been making some enemies lately. Ben-Zeev shook her head. Badgers? Youre pissing off badgers now?
I didnt know the BPC involved itself in a bears personal business.
We dont . . . unless it threatens what we have. When you told me I could use my people for more important work because you had a handle on the Whitlan situationshe shruggedI took you at your word. A bears word is very important to me, Rostislav.
And I do have a handle on it. My men will track him down any day now.
She dramatically winced. You may be too late on that.
I do not understand.
Its my understanding they may have found him. Whitlan, that is. In fact, I think things are already on the move. She pushed away from the limo, pressed her hand against Rostislavs expensive suit. If I were you, Id let things play out . . . and just let it go.
What?
Let it go, Rostislav. For your own good and the good of your family. Let it go. Bayla stepped away. Safe trip back, old friend. Safe trip back.
They watched the She-bear walk to the corner, get in her own limo, and drive away.
I wouldnt worry, Papa, his eldest sneered after Bayla. Im sure everything at home is
Rostislav focused on his son. If you say the word fine, I will beat you to death in this street. His boy said nothing else, which was good. Now get me home, he ordered. Even though Rostislav already knew he was too late.
CHAPTER 37
Boris Krupin was bored. But his boss was a powerful bear who paid his people well. So if Rostislav Chumakov wanted them to protect a full-human, that was what they would do.
Still, Boris was happy when he heard the first wolf howl. Normally, a wolf howl this close to Chumakov territory just pissed Boris off. But tonight it did nothing but excite him. He relished the thought of slapping around some wolves.
Boris looked at his fellow bears and they all nodded, shifted, and went after those infiltrating wolves, leaving behind three bears to keep an eye on the useless full-human.
Frankie Whitlan heard the howling ring out and pulled his .357 Magnum. He went to the window and stared down at the front of the house. He watched several of the guards shift to bear and run off into the night. They were chasing wolves? Really?
These fools were here to protect him, not chase after local wolves like the filthy animals they were. These idiots were supposed to be smarter than their non-shifter counterparts. And yet they seemed just as stupid and worthless.
He decided to get them back so they could dotheir goddamn jobs. Frankie spun away from the window toward the study door but stopped short when cold yellow eyes, like a dogs, stared at him.
Hi, Frankie, a voice growled from behind a massive beard and thick black hair.
Frankie immediately raised his weapon, but a big hand caught his and held the gun off. Then he saw a flash, and a blade rammed into Frankies neck, instantly cutting off his ability to scream and breathe.
But that wasnt enough for the man killing him. He twisted the knife, forcing Frankie to the floor.
That, the beard and black hair growled out as everything went dark for Frankie, is for making me bring my hillbilly ass all the way to goddamn Russia just to kill you.
Eggie Smith of the Tennessee Smith Pack watched Frankie The Rat Whitlan die. The full-human tried not to, but the one real skill Eggie had was knowing how to kill a man. When the breathing and the heart stopped, Eggie knew he could leave.
Hed only do a job like this for his little girl. But shed only ask him if it was real important. She knew that Eggie didnt like leaving his Darla unless he really had to.
Eggie walked out of a surprisingly tasteful studyconsidering the tackiness of the rest of the homeand into the hallway. That was where he found three bears waiting for him. They were armed but hadnt pulled their weapons yet. Probably figured they didnt have to for just one wolf.
One of the younger bears said something in Russian and started toward Eggie. But the older bear, a grizzly with lots of silver in his hair, pulled the boy back.
He said something to Eggie but, again, it was in Russian.
What?
The older bears head tipped to the side. Very slowly, in thickly accented English, the older bear asked, Who are you, doggie?
Names Eggie Smith. Nice to meetcha.
Color drained from the older bears face and he pulled the younger bear back by his T-shirt.
The younger bear didnt like that, arguing the point. But it was all in Russian, and Eggie didnt understand a dang word. So he patiently waited.
Got a little heated after a time, but then the older bear must have said something real pointed because the boy stopped and pointed at Eggie. Smith? he asked.
Da. Smith, the older bear said.
All three bears looked over at Eggieand Eggie smiled.
The bears jerked away like hed thrown fire at them and stepped back so Eggie could walk by.
He did, but as Eggie passed he stopped because he felt the need to say, And yall should be ashamed of protecting that man. Ashamed, he repeated. When they only stared at him, appearing confused, he added, Look it up.
