Ella and the Beast (More Than Human Book 1) (19 page)

“Emergency,” the voice on the other end said.

“I’d like to report a theft and assault at the Observatory,” Ty said, glancing at the guard when the operator asked if a medical unit was necessary. “Yes,” he replied in a clipped tone when he saw blood on the man’s hand after he pulled it away from his head.

“Please stay on the line until the officers arrive.”

*.*.*

Ella bit her lips and clicked back and forth between the two pictures. Did she want the green top or the blue one? There were so many choices that it made her head hurt! She flicked back and forth before she released a growl of frustration and added both of them to the cart.

A loud groan escaped her when the power flickered before going off, as did the computer in front of her too. If she lost everything in the basket that she had been working on for the past hour, she would scream! A grin curved her lips as her head fell forward to rest on her arm.

“Or, I’ll just have to shop for more things,” she whispered, lifting her head to stare at the dark screen. “You will not defeat me, magic box.”

“Ella!” Rhyanna’s voice called out from the hallway.

“I’m in Ty’s office,” Ella responded, pushing back from the desk and rising to her feet. “What has happened?”

“It must be the storm,” Rhyanna muttered, fumbling for her phone and turning on the light.

“At least the house will stay warm with the fireplaces,” Ella replied. “How do you make light with your box?”

“With my… Oh, you mean the flashlight on the cell phone,” Rhyanna laughed. “If you swipe your finger up, you’ll see a picture that looks like a flashlight.”

“I have this on my box as well?” Ella asked, picking up her phone.

“Yes, you have one as well. Here, I’ll show you. I have to warn you, though, it will drain your battery pretty fast,” Rhyanna said, holding out her hand.

“This is a very powerful tool,” Ella murmured, taking the cell phone again once Rhyanna had shown her how to turn on the light. She held it up to look around the room. “This is very bright!”

Rhyanna laughed and nodded. “Yes, it is,” she said with a grin. “My phone is almost dead, so I’m turning mine off. I swear something like this always happens when my phone needs to be charged.”

“Mine is almost full,” Ella commented, turning hers off as well and sliding it back into her pocket. “The fire puts out more than enough light for me.”

“I guess you are more used to seeing by the firelight than you are from the electric ones,” Rhyanna reflected with a sigh. “I know we shifters have our animal halves, but I have to admit I like having all the amenities that we do.”

Ella glanced at the fireplace before turning to walk over to it. She missed the smell of burning wood. Here, they used gas and logs that were not real. She sank down on the carpet in front of the fire and held her hands out as a chill swept into the room.

“They are nice, but it is also nice being outside. I miss the scent of the fire, the light of the stars, and even the coldness of the air. At night, we would sit around the fire and listen to our parents or the elders tell us stories. Sometimes, my mother or father would work with me on learning how to read and write your language,” Ella murmured in a soft voice, staring at the flames.

“How did they learn it?” Rhyanna asked in a curious voice.

Ella’s lips curved, but she didn’t look at Rhyanna. Instead, she shrugged as she tried to remember any point in time that her parents or the elders may have shared where the knowledge came from.

“I don’t know,” Ella finally admitted. “The knowledge has been passed down from parent to child for centuries. When we came across new words or symbols along your roads, we would study them until we figured out what they meant. In the old days, some of the older scouts would travel closer to your villages. In recent years, there have not been….”

“There are more of you!” Rhyanna breathed in excitement, sliding closer to Ella.

Ella bowed her head so that her hair fell forward to hide the dismay on her face. She vigorously shook her head. Once again, she was a danger to her people.

“No,” Ella whispered to herself as she closed her eyes.

“Oh, I thought from the way you were talking… What happened to them?” Rhyanna asked with disappointment.

Ella breathed a sigh that Rhyanna had misunderstood her denial. She opened her eyes and looked at the fire again. She needed to be very, very careful. Her father had once told her that a shifter could smell a lie. She needed to make sure that she told the truth, but not necessarily all of it.

“I lost my family five years ago,” Ella replied in a thick voice. “It is not something that I like to speak of.”

“I’m so sorry, Ella,” Rhyanna murmured in a sympathetic voice.

Ella shrugged. “It is life,” she replied.

“If there is anything I can do…,” Rhyanna started to say when the door opened behind them.

Ella started to turn, then she hissed as something sharp struck her shoulder. Her fingers automatically went to the sting. She blinked when her eyesight blurred. In the background she heard Rhyanna’s enraged hiss.

Ella gripped the small needle and pulled it out. She twisted and tried to rise, but fell back to her knees. Lifting her head, she tried to focus on the shadowy figure, but couldn’t. She shook her head, trying to focus. She released a low cry when she saw Rhyanna fall to the floor next to her.

“Rhyanna,” Ella whispered as she sank down next to the woman.

“Ella,” Rhyanna mumbled in a slurred voice. She blinked several times before her eyes closed and then she lay still.

Ella fought the feeling of lethargy threatening to overwhelm her. She rolled onto her knees again and tried to force herself up, but her arms trembled and she slid back to the floor. Her body felt like it was weighted down. She tried to blink again, but her eyelids refused to lift.

Ty’s fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly as he turned into the driveway. Through the darkness and trees lining the long driveway, he could see the bright, flashing lights. Dread clawed at him, and fear threatened to choke him.

He pulled his truck to a stop behind one of the police cars. There were four of them there. He was just getting out when he saw another set of headlights coming up the drive. This one was driving like a bat-out-of-hell. He turned when one of the police officers and his father came down the steps.

“What happened? Ella…,” Ty asked, starting for the house.

“She’s gone,” Art replied.

“Ty,” his mother started to say in sympathy before her voice died.

Ty could see the tears glittering in his mother’s eyes even in the dim light cast by the front porch lights. His father wrapped his arm around his mother when she shivered. He watched as his father murmured something to his mother, and she nodded before disappearing into the house.

He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, keeping his focus on trying to calm both himself and his bear as the magnitude of his father’s words sank in. Fury exploded through him, and his bear roared in rage and pain. He fought to control the powerful beast inside him. He knew that if his bear took control of him, he would end up ripping the house apart trying to find Ella.

“Tell me,” Ty demanded, opening his eyes to stare at his father.

The sound of car doors slamming behind him made him glance over his shoulder. Van and Peterson were striding toward them. Their hands shoved into their pockets and their shoulders hunched against the blistering cold. Another truck slid to a stop behind theirs, the lights blinding him for a moment until he turned away. The lights cut off at the same time that the truck’s door suddenly opened.

“Ty!” Tracy called to him.

“What the hell is going on?” Art demanded, seeing the bruise on Ty’s cheek.

“Perhaps we can take this inside where it is warmer,” the officer stated.

Ty nodded and charged up the steps to the house. Inside, he could hear several other men talking before he heard Rhyanna’s soft voice. He turned and stepped into the small den.

“Rhyanna,” Ty greeted, staring at her pale face.

“Ty! What happened to you?” Rhyanna asked in confusion.

“There was a break-in at the Observatory – more pieces were taken. What the hell happened here?” He demanded, running his hand down over his face. “How could anyone take her? Where was she?”

“She was in your office, shopping online,” Rhianna,” Rhyanna said, shivering when the front door opened and several detectives went outside. “The lights went out. We thought it was because of the storm. We were talking and suddenly the door opened. We thought it was either Martha or your parents.”

“What about the security system? It shouldn’t have been knocked out!” Ty growled.

“It wasn’t on,” Art said with a sigh. “Your mother and I had just gotten home and we were unloading the car. When the lights went out, I went to check on Martha, then Rhyanna and Ella. I found Rhyanna in your office, unconscious. She had been knocked out with a tranquilizer dart.”

“We’ll see what we can find,” Van said in a grim tone, glancing at Peterson. “Even with the power out, the video feed should still be going.”

“I’ll check the feed while you two see if you can get a lock on the intruder’s scent,” Tracy said.

“This is a matter for the police,” the detective, who had been silently listening, interjected.

“Not anymore,” Art replied. “This is a matter of national security. I’ve notified President Kodiak of the situation. This is a direct attack on our family. The Central Species Unit will take over. They should be here any minute.”

“I want Van and Peterson to see what they can find,” Ty said with a nod at the two men. “They are our security experts and I trust them.”

The detective’s face tightened and he nodded. “We will still do everything we can to help you. Do you know why they would target Ella…?” the detective frowned when he looked down at his notes. “What is her last name? Do you have a photo of her, as well?”

“Her last name is Bearclaw,” Ty replied in a clipped tone. “She is my mate.”

“What type of shifter is she?” The detective asked, making a note in the notebook he was holding.

Ty’s mind raced to find a way to keep Ella’s identity secret, but he knew the longer it took to find her, the greater the chance that he would never see her again.

“She isn’t a shifter,” Ty finally replied.

“What do you mean she isn’t a shifter?” The detective asked with a confused frown.

Ty glanced at his father before he turned his attention back to the detective. For a brief second, despair washed through him. He had promised to keep Ella safe, and he had failed her.

“My mate is human,” Ty said quietly. “For her safety, it is crucial that her identity be kept a secret as much as possible.”

The detective’s mouth dropped open before the look of astonishment turned to anger. His mouth snapped shut and he stared intently at Ty. The anger in his eyes didn’t dissipate until he saw the grim expressions on all of their faces.

“You… You’re serious, aren’t you?” The detective finally asked. “I thought they were all extinct.”

“So did we,” Rhyanna murmured. “If we don’t find her….”

“We will. I will,” Ty said, cutting off Rhyanna’s husky words. “I promised her I would keep her safe.”

“We’ll find her, son,” Art said, turning when the door opened and several men stepped inside. His eyes widened when he saw the slender figure in the middle of them. “Michaela!”

“Hello, little brother,” President Michaela Bearclaw-Kodiak greeted, pulling off her black gloves. “Would you mind telling me what in the hell is going on? I leave the country for a week and now I have a national emergency on my hands! Fortunately for you, I was already on my way here because of your earlier messages.”

Ty turned to see his aunt step into the room. Michaela had a charisma that surrounded her whenever she entered a room that caused people to stand a touch straighter and to pay attention. She was older than his dad by almost ten years. Even so, she was only just beginning to develop a line of gray near her temples.

“Hello Ty. Congratulations on finding your mate,” Michaela greeted, coming forward to kiss him on his cheek. His throat tightened when she laid her hand on his arm. “We’ll find her, Ty. I won’t leave a stone on this planet unturned. No one messes with my family and gets away with it – no one!”

“Thank you, Michaela,” Ty replied.

“Art, can you please ask Martha for some of her lovely tea? I’d like a moment alone with my nephew,” Michaela said with a pointed look at the detective and her men.

“Of course, Michaela,” Art said with a nod. “Rhianna, you should probably drink some as well. Lena is with Martha in the kitchen. Rhyanna, why don’t we join them? I’m thinking a nice touch of whiskey might not be a bad idea at the moment.”

“We’ll see what the detectives have found and check the tapes,” Tracy added, glancing at the detective who was staring at Michaela in awe.

“Yes, of course,” the detective replied, bowing his head in respect when Michaela gave him a brilliant smile.

*.*.*

Ty watched as two of Michaela’s security personnel closed the doors to the den. His aunt walked over to the settee. She dropped her gloves onto the table before removing her jacket. She tossed it over the back of the settee before turning to sit down.

“Tell me about her,” Michaela requested in a quiet voice.

A shudder ran through Ty and he walked over to the window to stare out at the variety of vehicles on the driveway. His gaze locked on a dark shadow that moved near the entrance to the garden. A moment later, he saw a second shadow appear. Van and Peterson were in their wolf form.

“Her name is Ella. Several months ago I received a call about a nuisance animal breaking into buildings near the Olympic National Forest boundary. When I went to investigate, I discovered that one of the ranchers had dug a pit on federal property,” his voice faded.

“I hope you beat the shit out of the bastard. He should have known better,” Michaela replied with a shake of her head. “Sometimes I just can’t believe that some shifters would even think about reproducing! I swear there should be a test or license to do so. Some of us are just better off with pets as kids. I, for one, found that much more enjoyable.”

Ty released a strained laugh and turned to look at his aunt. Her no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach was one of the things that people either liked, or hated, about her. She didn’t mince her words when she was in private, and often didn’t when in public; even if the situation called for it.

“I wanted to,” he admitted. “I was more concerned with making sure that no unsuspecting hiker had fallen into the trap. When I arrived, I found Ella.”

Michaela smiled at him. “What did she say?” She asked with a raised eyebrow. “I imagine she must have been as terrified of you as you were shocked by her.”

A dry chuckle escaped Ty and he ran his hand over his chest. It ached when he thought of Ella. His gaze turned back to the area where Van and Peterson had been.

“She asked me to kill her swiftly. Then she told me her name. She said she wanted me to know who was going to come back and haunt me after she was dead,” his voice trembled and his throat closed up on the last word. He bowed his head. “She said she hoped I choked when I ate her. She honestly thought that I was going to.”

Michaela rose from the settee and walked over to him. She slidHe felt her slide her arm around him and hugged him close. He turned and held onto her as a shudder ran through him.

“You can’t blame her,” Michaela whispered. “You know her discovery is going to cause a sensation.”

“I know,” Ty replied, pulling back when there was a knock on the door.

Michaela squeezed his arm, then turned to call out permission to enter. His father, mother, and Martha stepped into the room. He started when he felt a vibration in his front pocket. Reaching for his phone, he pulled it out and glanced at it. His eyes widened when he saw the text message. Hope exploded through him and he drew in a harsh breath.

“What is it?” Michaela asked, turning when she heard his hiss.

Ty looked up at his aunt, his eyes glittering with determination. His gaze swept behind the group to see his sister’s furious face. She held a small stack of photos in her hand.

“It’s Ella,” he said in a quiet voice. “She still has the cell phone I gave her with her. She said she is in the back of a transport.”

“I found out how they got in,” Tracy said, holding up the photos. “I’m running a search on a tattoo that one of them has on his arm. Van and Peterson said they followed their trail to a side street half a mile from here. That’s where they blew one of the transformers, which is what knocked out the power. They have the power company retrieving the pieces so they can trace the explosives and find out where they were purchased.”

“I can lock on Ella’s cell phone,” Ty said, walking toward the door. “Call Van and Peterson in. I’m going after her.”

“I’ll have my men go with you,” Michaela said, nodding to the two men standing by the door.

“We can handle this,” Ty stated.

“Yes, but you can’t kill them without causing an incident,” Michaela replied with a sharp-toothed grin. “My men have a license to shoot anyone who threatens me or my family.”

“They are ready,” one of Michaela’s guards stated, handing Ty a small communication device. “Just speak into this. The team will follow the directions you give them.”

Ty took the piece and nodded. “Thanks, let’s go,” he said, glancing at his sister.