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“A black bear? Who would—”
“You can’t shove monsters back under the bed, Marcy. I’ve tried.”
“Not forever,” I murmured. “Fine. Use my shower. I’ll distract them.”
He licked blood off his lip with a wolfish grin. “Thank you, Miss Davins.”
“While you’re in there, I have two carrying crates by the kitchen table.”
The grin disappeared. His hands rose in protest. “Oh no. Cats hate me.”
“You remember where Samson and Igor are?”
Reluctant, he nodded. “Easy prey.”
At that I reconsidered, but he’d already closed the slider. Clutching the injury I should have been paying more attention to, I stumbled into view of Lisa’s car.
chapter 7
FANGS OF LUNACY
Lisa sprinted to my side, wrapping her arms around my sweat-drenched shoulders.
“Holy shit! Marcy, are you alright? What the fuck happened?”
“Take me to your car,” I said. “We may not be safe.”
“Safe from what?”
Clinging to Lisa through a shaky grip, I glanced over my shoulder. Frog song, the rustling hop of a rabbit underneath the arborvitaes separating my yard from Tammy’s, a whiff of spring’s night blossoms …
“Mama bear. She got in a good swipe.”
“I called 9-1-1 twenty minutes ago.” Lisa frowned at the sheriff’s truck. “Can’t believe he’s all they sent.”
“Animal control and an ambulance are on the way,” I lied. “The guy at the door claimed he was a sheriff’s deputy. I called Harlowe to confirm. We were on the phone together when I opened the door. I didn’t even realize it was a bear at first, just this huge black mass…” I trailed off, reliving darker shadows than tonight’s, and wiped a tear. “Her cubs were in the bushes. They bolted after the sheriff arrived.”
“The deputy?” Lisa scanned the porch. “Where’s he?”
“Dead.” Not what I intended to say, but with Lisa and Wyatt waiting, the words came tumbling. “Poor guy was returning your keys at the end of a long shift.”
Wyatt unzipped his hoodie and slipped it over my shoulders. Grateful, I leaned against the side of the car where I could both monitor the house and keep an eye on my friends.
Lisa gestured at the demolished front door. “Samson and Igor?”
“While she mauled the deputy, I’m ashamed to admit I fled upstairs and hid with the cats in the bathroom until the sheriff found us.”
“I didn’t think black bears were vicious,” Wyatt said. “Aren’t they supposed to be skittish?”
“I guess we surprised her and the cubs.” I ran a bloody hand through my hair. “The sheriff believes she’s diseased.”
Lisa's attention drifted from the darkened yard to the house. “Where’s your knight in shining armor?”
“Retrieving the cats.”
Her eyebrows rose. “You entrusted your beloved angels to a stranger?”
“Had no choice.” I loosened the smock. “Fainted after the deputy bled out. Sheriff had me stay seated. When we saw your headlights he went inside and I limped over.”
