Page 50 of Grizzly Sleuth
To say people were surprised would be an understatement. Olga’s jaw hit the floor, and the soldiers froze in shock.
Not Svetlana. This was her one and only chance to survive. She scrambled onto the bed to get out of the way as Yuri began swiping with his big paws. The startled soldiers quickly recovered, most likely because they didn’t want to scream in agony like the guy who found his limbs ribboned. Her brother knew better than to try and rip through the body armor.
As Yuri turned to take out the next soldier, darts flew, most missing, but one did strike Yuri, the bright tuft of it jarring against his dark fur. The sleeping agent couldn’t penetrate Yuri’s adrenaline, though, and he killed a second man.
Two left, and Svetlana began to think they might just be able to escape. Wrong. Apparently, instead of watching her brother fight, she should have been keeping an eye on Olga. The petite woman yelled, “Stop right now or your sister dies.”
The weapon Olga pointed at close range wouldn’t miss; Yuri knew it.
He ceased mauling the third soldier and transformed, fists clenched and jaw rigid. “Don’t you dare.”
His miffed lover snarled, “I will shoot her if you don’t surrender to our custody.”
“Let her go and I’ll do whatever you want,” Yuri counteroffered.
“This is not a negotiation. You’re coming with us, no matter what. Whether your sister does so alive or dead is up to you.”
“I’m the one the doctor wants,” Yuri snarled. “Leave my sister out of this.”
“Yes, he wants you, and it’s now obvious why. However, my orders are to bring her in as well, but in the heat of the moment, accidents do happen,” Olga stated with a smug smirk.
In that moment, Yuri’s expression went through a few emotions. Anger. Defeat. Desperation. He lunged for Olga, but before he could reach her, darts flew and hit their target. The one remaining soldier had been joined by two more.
This time, still in his human shape, Yuri couldn’t fight the triple dose of the drug. He fell to the floor.
Unconscious.
Vulnerable.
Svetlana could do nothing to help him or herself. And what of Idris? He’d be returning soon, not knowing he walked into a trap.
Frustration built, along with rage. They’d only ever wanted to live peacefully. Sure, they’d done some harm, but only to those who’d threatened. They didn’t deserve what the doctor planned. A life caged, lab rats for the government and a doctor playing god.
It was unfair. Wrong.
Emotions overwhelmed Svetlana, and her vision blurred. A shock since she never cried. And still the pressure inside her built, pushing to the point she closed her eyes and fell to the floor.
Through the ringing in her ears, she heard fabric ripping, and a man shouted. “Bear!”
Where? A quick glance showed no Idris, nor bear, just Yuri asleep on the floor.
A floor where she crouched on her… paws?
Svetlana blinked as she noted the fur not just on what should have been her hands but her arms, too.
“Put her to sleep!” Olga’s shrill scream had her swiveling her head, and a snarl emerged.
Shewas a bear.
Thank you, god. Veles had given her a way to fight.
Svetlana lunged for Olga, who sprang onto the bed and traversed it in an attempt to make it to the door. A swipe of claws across the back of her legs took the bitch down.
There was satisfaction in silencing the woman who’d threatened Svetlana with a gun, thus neutering Yuri. However, she should have gone after the more pressing threats.
Pft.Pft. Darts peppered her body from the soldiers crowding the door. She wavered on her paws as fatigue invaded her muscles.
So sleepy. So?—
