Page 15 of Grizzly Sleuth
“Veles being the god who made you a bear?”
Yuri nodded. “Instead of expiring in a hospital bed, I transformed and, in the process, was healed.”
Which sounded very much like what happened with Idris and the others, minus the god part. “And you’ve never met anyone else like you? Us?”
“No, but then again, it’s not as if I can announce I am a bear. I imagine, if others exist, they hide too.”
A fair point. Idris didn’t exactly go around telling folks.
Yuri halted abruptly and glanced at a house set a few paces back from the street. He checked left and right before stalking for it, returning quickly to announce, “Boris is inside.”
“You’re sure?”
“Assuming he didn’t skip out a back door, yes. His strongest scent enters, but doesn’t exit.”
Idris pursed his lips and eyed the home. A single-floor bungalow with painted wooden siding, the white of it faded and peeling in spots. Despite the drawn curtains, a window glowed, indicating someone might still be awake.
“Think he’ll answer if we knock?”
“Only a bear is brave enough to greet strangers at this hour,” snorted Yuri. “And do we really want to announce ourselves and give him time to call for help or flee?”
A good point. “We can’t exactly kick in his front door. We’re too exposed.” While the street appeared quiet this time of night, who knew what kind of ruckus would occur if they broke in?
“Perhaps there’s another way in. Let’s check out the back.” Yuri headed around the side of the house, and Idris hastened to follow.
“We need a plan,” Idris whispered as they entered a postage-stamp-sized yard filled with scrubby weeds and a dilapidated garage at the rear.
“The plan is we go inside and make him talk.” Yuri began to strip.
“Why are you getting naked?”
“So I have clothes to wear when we’re done.” Yuri rolled his eyes. “Surely you know by now that there is no fabric that survives the shift.”
Yeah, Idris was aware and more than once heard someone scream“Pervert!”when he morphed from bear to man before he’d made it to a safe spot. “I thought we said no killing Boris until we had answers?”
“We’ll get those faster if he’s scared.” Yuri grinned. “My bear is quite fearsome.”
“Jeezus.” Idris rubbed his jaw. “Better hope he doesn’t have a gun.”
“Bah. Bullet wounds heal.”
“Head shots don’t,” Idris muttered.
“Ready?” Before Idris could reply, Yuri changed. No gimmick, no injury, justpoof, instant bear. The jealousy was real.
Instead of letting Yuri charge the back door and make too much noise, Idris quickly moved to grab and twist the knob. To his surprise, it wasn’t locked and opened without a creak.
The bear, driven by concern for his sister, barreled through the doorway without pause, and Idris followed. No time to takein the details of the kitchen, although, judging by the smell, someone didn’t like cleaning or taking out the trash.
Yuri’s furry butt disappeared through an archway, and snarls erupted, along with a male voice huffing in panicked Russian.
Sounded like Boris was home. Idris entered the living room to see the guy who’d been serving booze behind the bar with his back pressed to the wall, eyes wide and sweat beading on his skin.
With reason.
Yuri stood on his hind legs and growled menacingly.
“No eating the man, Yuri,” Idris reminded, a remark that drew Boris’ attention.
