Wild About You

should read it.”

With a moan, Elsa moved into the chair. A young high school girl, Carly Evans, had been discovered at the base of a mountain cliff overlooking the town of Port Mishenka. The last person to see her alive was her boyfriend, Howard Barr.

Elsa’s breath caught. Howard had lost his high school girlfriend? She read more, her skin chilling with goose bumps. Howard had been arrested for suspicion of murder.

The next two paragraphs contained quotes from Carly’s parents. They both believed Howard had killed their daughter. “You’ve seen how violent he is on the football field,” Mr. Evans declared. “He’s a dangerous psychopath. He went crazy and murdered our daughter!”

Elsa sat back, her heart racing. This couldn’t be true. The parents were just desperate for someone to blame. She finished the article. Howard had been released for lack of evidence, but the people of Port Mishenka were convinced of his guilt.

“He’s a berserker,” Greta said, shaking her head. “It’s like a sickness. He’ll seem okay, but then he’ll go berserk.”

“You must never see him again,” Ula said.

Elsa exited the newspaper article. “There has to be a mistake.”

“I know it’s hard to believe.” Greta regarded her sadly. “I bookmarked the report if you need to look at it again.”

Elsa shook her head. “I don’t want to see it.” She collapsed on the bed and covered her face. I don’t want to think about it.

“You’re tired.” Greta pulled the curtains shut. “Get some rest. Ula will watch over you.”

“Ja.” Ula turned off all the lights. “You’ll feel better after some sleep.”

Elsa slipped under the bedspread. She wouldn’t believe it. There had to be an explanation. Howard would never harm a woman. He would never betray her. He loved her. And she had so many sweet memories of him making love to her.

A beautiful man came to her in the night. Large and powerful, he covered her body with his. His big hands roamed over her skin, setting her on fire. She wanted him. She cried out for him. She burned for him.

His hands were magic. Skimming the length of her legs. Fondling her breasts. Stroking her neck. Tightening their grip.

Choking her.

She thrashed against him, but he was too strong. Too powerful.

His face, half hidden in shadow, twisted in rage. Transformed. He roared like an animal.

She gazed up at him in horror. In the flicker of firelight, she caught a glimpse of his head.

A bear.

She slapped at him. Clawed at his face. No, not her lover!

Words slipped from her mouth, then echoed in her mind.

“I curse you and your kind for all time!”

Elsa sat up with a gasp.

“Are you all right?” Ula opened the curtains to let in the afternoon light. “Did you have the bad dream again?”

Elsa whispered the words that were repeating in her head. She didn’t know the language, but somehow she knew what it meant. I curse you and your kind for all time!

“What?” Ula stepped closer. “What did you say?”

She repeated the line. “I said it in my dream.”

“Oh my.” Ula perched on the second bed. “That is an ancient Norse language.”

Elsa leaned back against the headboard. “How do I know ancient Norse?”

Ula’s eyes narrowed. “It must be an ancient dream. A memory passed down through the generations.”

Elsa gasped. All this time, she’d assumed the dream was a warning predicting her future. But it was the opposite. A warning from her past. She was remembering the murder of her ancestor, the first Guardian of the Forest.

And she was remembering the murderer. Howard’s ancestor, one of the first were-bears to roam the earth. The guardian’s lover.

She closed her eyes. Howard’s not a murderer. He’s a sweet, gentle man.

Then what had happened to his first girlfriend in Alaska?

Howard went straight to the security office at Dragon Nest to check his messages. He’d barely started on his e-mail when his cousins cracked open the door and peeked in.

“He’s back,” Jimmy whispered loudly to his brother.

“Without his girlfriend?” Jesse asked.

Jimmy snickered. “I guess she wore him out.”

“Can I help you?” Howard asked drily.

“Just checking on you.” Jimmy sauntered inside.

“Yeah. We wanted to make sure you were still alive.” Jesse exchanged a glance with his twin. “We heard that Viagra stuff can kill you.”

Jimmy snorted and slapped his thigh.

Howard groaned inwardly. “I’m not taking Viagra.”

“Maybe you should.” Jimmy grinned. “You are kinda old.”

“Yeah,” Jesse agreed. “I mean, you only lasted two days, dude.”

“Don’t you guys need to go to work?” Howard asked.

“Oh, yeah.” Jimmy sprawled in the chair. “We’re going.”

“Some time today?” Howard muttered.

“Guess what?” Jesse perched on the corner of his desk. “After you ran off to your love nest, I got interviewed for the TV show.”

“Me, too!” Jimmy added. “Madge said we were cute.”

“Congratulations.” Howard figured the interview wouldn’t air for another six months. If everything went according to plan, Rhett would already be destroyed and no longer a threat to his young cousins.

“Our friends back home are so jealous,” Jesse said.

Howard sat up. “You told your friends? Did you forget why you’re here? You’re in hiding. You can’t tell anyone where you are.”

“Chillax, dude,” Jimmy told him. “We don’t know where we are. We were teleported here, remember?”

“It’s no big deal,” Jesse said. “We just talk to our friends on Facebook.”

“And Twitter,” Jimmy added. “We posted some photos yesterday.”

Howard winced. “Did you mention the name of the show?”

“Well, sure,” Jesse said. “They have to know which show to watch.”

Howard groaned. “Anyone with minimal investigative skills could find out where the show is currently being filmed.”

Jimmy scratched his head. “You mean we goofed?”

“Delete those posts immediately,” Howard ordered. “How long have they been up?”

Jesse shrugged. “We started posting and tweeting the first day on the job.”

Damn. Howard dragged a hand through his hair. “I should make you quit. It might not be safe for you at the gatehouse.”

“Dude!” Jimmy jumped to his feet. “Nothing’s going to happen to us.”

“Yeah,” Jesse agreed. “The place is full of guys with saws and nail guns. Nobody’s going to mess with us.”

Howard took a deep breath. “Fine. But be careful. If any strangers come around looking for you or asking questions, call me immediately.”