Called by the Bear 1-3 (4 page)

S
ierra

G
ravel crunches
under the tires of the car when we pull into the motel parking lot. A long one-story building painted white, the doors are dark green, and each one has a paddle with a painted number nailed above it.

Yellow light glows in the office window as nighttime falls. The slam of our car doors is almost in unison, and Carly and I pick our way across the flat stone walkway. A faint odor of cinnamon greets us when we open the door. I'm surprised to see a girl about our age behind the counter. Her bleached blond hair is in a high ponytail that flips when she turns toward us.

"Looking for a room?" Her voice is almost musical and makes me smile.

I answer, "Yes, please, just one night."

She slides a form across the counter to us, and a pen clatters on the wood surface beside it. Carly takes charge, and I wander around the small space. Snacks are on shelves, and I decide we need some. I clunk two bottles of soda down on the counter as Carly finishes the paperwork.

When Carly hands the form back, the girl’s brown eyes widen a bit, and she glances up quickly from Carly's wrist. She blinks a couple times, and I wait for her to ask about the tattoo because I think she can see it.

She looks back down at Carly's arm and says, "Two sodas? Should I put them on the bill?"

I lean forward, placing my forearms on the counter. "You see it, don't you?"

The girl steps back and shakes her head. "No, I was just admiring the work. It's well done."

I snort. She's one of us. "Right. We'll be in our room if you want to talk about it." I place money down on the counter to pay for the colas.

"Number five. You can call me on the phone if you need anything. Dial zero." The girl chews on her thumbnail.

Carly says, “Thanks. Should I put the key in the box I saw outside when we leave in the morning?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Enjoy your stay. We're happy to have you."

I doubt that. She's spooked about seeing what she's probably been dreaming about, and I don't blame her. When we get to the door, Carly turns back and says in a stern voice, "There's nothing to be afraid of. You have my cell number and can call me when you're ready."

She nods quickly and turns away before we do.

I open the hatch of the car, the metal cold in my hand like the chill running through me. Carly’s intensity back there was weird. I ask, "I wonder how many of us there are?"

"I don't know, but why is that girl so scared?"

"Maybe she isn't up for burly man sex?" The woven nylon of my duffle bag is rough in my hand as I hoist it up on my shoulder. We chuckle, and the beep of the car remote signals the doors are locked.

We enter a simple room with one bed, and springs squawk when I throw myself down on it. Carly is doing her adjust-to-the-germs thing and sits down more slowly. She says, "So we keep going. But do you have an idea where we stop?"

I lie on my belly with bent knees and twist my feet in the air as I inspect my fingernails. "I say New England where I grew up. The forest in my dreams makes me think of Vermont." I look down inside my shirt at my nicely healed tattoo and add, "Besides, if this sign is calling us we'll know if we've gone too far."

"I guess." Carly shudders. "That old woman at the restaurant freaked me out. What do you think she meant when she said our bravery would be tested?"

"Your bravery will be tested, not mine. She told me something else when you were in the bathroom."

"What? You're just telling me now?" She yanks off her sneakers, and they fall to the floor with a thud.

I wave my hand at her. "It doesn't make any sense. She said something about my nurturing nature and how it will serve me well." I grin at her. "I think I'm supposed to take care of you."

Carly snorts and falls back on the bed to look at the ceiling. "Great, you can start by mapping out our driving route. Vermont, huh?"

"You are courageous, you know." I reach over and tweak her knee. "The way you deal with the douche canoes that come into Tattoo Junkies is awesome. Some of those guys scare me, and you treat them like little kids."

"I'm not sure that's brave. I've just never been afraid since I've been around guys like that all my life."

"Well, whatever it is, I'm glad you have my back." I sit up and twist around to look down at her. "Carly, I know this is beyond strange, but in my heart I know we're meant to do it."

“I'm just worried. What if we get all the way to New England and there's nothing to find? Nobody knows I'm Al Cutler's daughter. Who will give me a job? Tattoos are my life, and I can't imagine giving that up. What if leaving Ray was a big mistake?"

"First off, I'm a walking testament to your mad skills." I raise my arms and twist them around to show off my full sleeves she tattooed. They're amazing, and I get compliments on them all the time. She should be thanking me for the number of clients I've sent her way.

"And secondly, we'll be just fine. We're young and able to work at all sorts of jobs. This is going to be a good thing for us. You'll see." I get off the bed and walk over to my bag.

"You're right. We're on an adventure to find our bear lovers."

She makes me chuckle when she adds a growl. "Maybe, but don't be cuddling me tonight. I don't swing that way." I grin at her and grab my pajamas.

Her eyes dance with laughter as she says, "Ha! You're the one that cuddles."

"I think you secretly like it." I slam the door to the bathroom before she can reply.

I strip down and glance at my reflection in the mirror. The black ink of my paw print is stark against my white breast, and it's sexy as shit. I rub my hand over it, and desire pools between my legs.
Fuck.
I could get off right now, but I'm not doing that with Carly in the next room.

I pull on my cat-print pajama pants and plain cotton tee instead. When I emerge from the bathroom Carly says, "Wrong animal."

I smirk. "I know. We'll have to look for bear ones."

A knock on the door makes us both stop talking. I go to answer it and find the blond girl standing on the stoop.

"Hi." She's swaying from foot to foot and throws me a furtive glace before returning her gaze to the ground. "I'm Lily. Can I ask you some questions?"

"Sure, come on in."

Carly is on the bed. She smiles and gives her a nod. Lily forces a smile back. I walk over and pull out the desk chair and motion with my hand for her to sit.

She shuts the door with a small click and takes the seat. She looks at Carly. "Where did you get your tattoo?"

Carly takes a deep breath before she speaks. “I drew it. From a dream.”

I pipe up as I sit next to Carly. "The thing is nobody can see it, but the two of us and now you. We're pretty sure it's a sign and calling us."

"When you got the tattoo, did the weird dreams stop?"

A flame-like flicker glows in Carly’s eyes.
Whoa.
That’s so not right. She says, "No. They get more intense."

Lily's eyes widen. "I dreamt about you two, and in the dream you give me that tattoo. Is that what you do?"

Carly says, "Yes, I'm a tattoo artist from California."

I interject. "She's famous. Look at these." I hold out her arms for Lily to look. Lily glances at the sleeves of bright color but returns her gaze to Carly. I guess tattoos make her uncomfortable.

Lily bites her lip and gets up to walk to the window. Her back is to us when she speaks. "I'm not really into tattoos." She turns back to look at us. "Can you give it to me somewhere nobody would see?"

"Sure, we could do it on your hip, your butt, or even your breast."

"Does it hurt?"

I smile at her because the fear of pain is probably her biggest hurdle. "Yeah, but you can do it. I'll be right here to hold your hand." I get up and go to Carly’s luggage.

Lily leans against the windowsill and bites her lower lip. She says, "This is going to sound strange, but a few months ago this old Indian woman I know told me I was destined to save a clan. I think she might mean a clan of bears."

"Catori at the diner?" I ask. Cotton from clothes is soft against my skin as I rummage through Carly's bag for the car keys to get the tattoo equipment. Cold metal indicates I've found them, and I squeeze them tight in my hand.

“Yes, did you meet her?"

Carly nods and says, "She told us to go east, and that's where we're headed."

Lily's face gets hard. "She's a creepy woman, but everyone around here listens to her when she speaks."

Carly says, "She couldn't see our tattoos, but she said she felt them. I think she's gifted." She gets up and takes the keys from me.

Lily snorts. "That's a nice way to put it."

"I'll go get my stuff." Carly smiles at Lily. "And you decide where the sign is going to go."

The door shuts with a solid clunk, and Lily says to me, "I'm too soft for a bikini. Should I do it on my hip?" She touches where a hipbone would jut out.

"You could definitely rock a bikini. I do." Her face flushes, and I think about how she doesn't embrace her curves either. I’m not letting her get too close to Carly and start that self-depreciating camaraderie shit. "You need to know once you get the tattoo I think you'll be called to leave. Are you okay with that?"

Lily nods her head. "It's already happening. I have a few things to take care of, but I'm out of here." Her face breaks into a big grin. "It'll be good to get out of this town. Nothing's keeping me here, and if I stay I'll turn into a scary woman like Catori."

I chuckle, but uneasiness spreads though me because I'm afraid we're already scary.

C
arly

"
I
'm
glad you didn't invite Lily to come with us," says Sierra. Her foot is on the dash, and she's painting her toenails. The distinct odor of nail polish fills the car.

"Well, we don't exactly have room. But yeah, you and I get along so well, I'd hate to ruin that." Lily handled getting a tattoo like a champ. At first quiet tears fell, but she got used to the pain and held perfectly still.

The sun is just peeking up over the horizon, and I flip my visor down. "Hey, hand me my sunglasses."

I slide them onto my face, and my eyes relax from their squint. I had another dream last night, and it was so disturbing I couldn't get back to sleep. Sierra woke up when I showered and we decided to hit the road.

She asks, "Want to talk about your dream?"

I sigh. "You might not want to hear it."

"Sure I do. Then I'll tell you about mine."

"I wasn't in the woods this time, it was a house. I was on a really big bed and felt like I was being shredded to pieces." The sky is a vibrant orange red, and I recall the saying that says “Red sun in the morning, sailor's warning.” I hope we don't have to drive in rain later.

"Blood was everywhere, and I could hear someone crying. I was scared and wanted to leave, but voices were telling me no, and hands were holding me back. When I looked at my arms they were furry like a bear and ended with claws. That's when I woke up."

"Wow, mine wasn't scary. I dreamt about rocking a baby and singing a song. It was a happy dream."

The eerie feeling of being watched makes me check my rearview mirror, but nobody is behind us on the interstate. "Lucky you. I get the feeling you're getting the better end of this deal." I joke, "I'm going to have to be brave and deal with pain while you get to babysit."

"Don't forget about the hulking-man sex. At least we both get that."

I steal a glance at Sierra and grin. "It better be worth it, but you don't think we're dreaming about sex with bears, do you?"

She says, "God, no! Those crazy shifter books are just fiction. Besides, aren’t you screwing a hot guy? With a little extra hair? And a sexy growl…" Sierra lets out a long sigh.

"Yes, it’s a guy. The animal stuff seems to be an extra thing, you know?" I snicker. "Although he is big enough to be a bear."

"Mine too, he's got a killer body that's huge." She lets out a low sound from the back of her throat. "And I mean everywhere."

I shake my head. "Yeah, there's that. I'd like those dreams back, because if our forest has big mountain men, I'll be really glad we're doing this."

We ride in silence for a while. Each mile seems to ease the gnawing of something I can’t put my finger on. My stomach rumbles, and I pay attention to road signs, looking for a rest stop. I think about another pastry meal or some greasy fast-food egg sandwich. I wish we had thought to have a decent breakfast at the diner before we left this morning. But what I really want is to make my own simple omelet and sit quietly in my pajamas.

I ask, "Any clues in your dream as to where you were?"

"Hmm. Well, I was in a rocking chair, and the room had natural walls like a log cabin. I think I smelled a woodstove too." Sierra flips up her visor because the sky has clouded over. "How about you?"

"Nope, I was in too much pain to see anything."

I glimpse Sierra looking down her shirt. "I wish this thing was a compass. Relying on my instinct to tell me we're going the right way is too iffy." She chuckles. "Especially if you look at my track record with men."

I grin. "Or mine."

"Let's promise each other we'll hook up with good guys this time around, okay?"

"Yup, big strong men that love who we are, fluff and all."

"Amen." Sierra flips on the radio. "Can we stop soon? I'm hungry."

"On it." I yawn and look forward to filling my belly and then taking a nap when Sierra drives. The miles are ticking off quickly, and everything about it seems right. My bad dream is already fading from my memory, and a smile creeps onto my face as I sing along to the song Sierra cranked up.

W
e manage
to get a twenty-one-hour drive in before stopping in Columbus, Ohio, for the night. We could keep going, but my hands feel as if they‘re vibrating even when they aren't on the wheel. And Sierra is getting cranky. I can tell she needs sleep as badly as I do. When she finally snaps at me, I know it’s time to stop.

Unfortunately, a solid night of shut-eye isn’t in the cards for me. After a few hours I wake. Creeped out by a feeling that someone is in the room with us, I glance frantically around and realize I’m being paranoid. I shudder, but I’m not sure whether it’s from that thought or my intensely sexual dream. My mountain man took me to high places I'd never seen or felt before. Boy oh boy, if that's what awaits me, I'm ready to get on the road again.

Sierra is moaning, and when I look over at her I'm afraid she's having the same kind of dream. I really don't want to watch that, so I get up to sneak out of the room. I slide the soft cotton of a warm sweatshirt over my tank top and my feet into sneakers. Slowly I let myself out with the slippery plastic of a room keychain in my hand.

The roar of traffic on the highway is periodically interrupted by the sound of trucks shifting gears. Bugs fly around the light over our door as I step into the darkness to stay hidden. The feeling of being watched hasn’t really left me.

I'm struck by the craziness of our plan. Wrapping my arms around myself to ward off the cold, I can't believe I just packed everything up and took off on a cross-country jaunt. And that we don't even know where to go beyond east.

I inhale a deep, cool breath of air and flash to my wild sex dream. A kitchen counter. Broad shoulders with my nails dug into sweat-slicked skin. Vibrant green eyes… and the TV was on in the background. I recall a news station teaser and try to focus on the words instead of the orgasm that was building in me.
This is Karen Scott of WABI TV five, your news first, serving the greater Bangor area.

That’s it! My dream was telling me to go to Bangor. Where the hell is Bangor? Relief washes over me as I turn my key in the lock of the door with a
clunk
. I grab the smooth knob and push the door open. "Sierra, wake up."

She lets out an annoyed sound. "This better be good because I was having the best dream."

I drop onto the bed and bounce a bit. "I know where we need to go. A town called Bangor. Do you know where that is?"

She sits up, rubbing her eyes. Her voice is thick with sleepiness. "Yeah, it's up in northern Maine. How do you know?"

"My dream. There was a TV playing, and the news station was from Bangor."

"That covers a big area, but at least we've narrowed it down to a part of a state. Nice." She falls back to the pillow. "Now that we've worked that out, can I go back to sleep?"

"Sure. I should try to sleep too. Sorry I woke you."

Sierra waves a hand and pulls the covers up to her chin. I strip off the sweatshirt and pull off my sneakers as quietly as I can. Crawling slowly under the covers, I close my eyes. I try to relax, but my head is swimming with excitement.

I'm wiggling my toes in happiness and can't seem to calm down because now that I know our destination, I want to get back on the road.

Sierra lets out an exasperated sigh. "You want to go now, don't you?"

I bolt up and whip the covers off of us. "Yup. I'm so glad you do too." I don't give her time to disagree as I get up, flip on the light, and gather my things for a shower.

She pulls the covers over her head with a groan, but I see her body shaking with quiet laughter. She's excited too.