Wicked Burn (Realm Enforcers #3)(6)

She leaned back, her energy draining. “You okay?” Not that she cared about him, but he had to be able to fight if they got the chance.

“Yes.” He extended his right hand, revealing three broken fingers. His chest moved as he inhaled and exhaled evenly, and one by one, the fingers snapped back into place. Pain blazed from him, but his expression didn’t alter.

Man, he was tough.

A ruckus started up outside, and the door flew open to bang against the wall.

Nick leaped in front of Simone, covering her.

“What the holy f*ck is the Irish Guard doing in my rec room?” Bear stepped into the room, irritation sizzling from his honey-brown eyes, and his square jaw set hard. His shaggy brown hair appeared as if he’d been pulling on it, and his clothes looked well worn to the point of being older than the shifter. He paused. “Simone?”

She stood and angled to Nick’s side. “B-Bear. Hi.” Shit. She’d almost used his real name.

Nick stiffened. “I take it you know each other.”

“You could say that.” Size-sixteen motorcycle boots clomped as the leader of the entire bear shifter nation entered the room. “Lucas?” he bellowed.

Nick glanced down at Simone, and she shrugged. “Long story.” One she had no intention of sharing. Nobody knew about her connection to Bear. Sometimes the truth needed to remain buried.

A door off the bar opened, and Lucas stalked into the room. “You’re back.”

Bear growled and sounded like the grizzly he truly was. “All I wanted was a few days to catch fish and relax, and instead, I get a frantic call that I have an injured demon leader and a witch from the Council of the Coven Nine held captive in my headquarters.”

“I’m not the demon leader,” Nick said evenly. “Zane Kyllwood is.”

“You’re close enough, which makes this a f*cking problem. What’s going on?” Bear asked Lucas, his hands on his hips.

Lucas crossed around the bar. “The Coven Nine called and asked for assistance in detaining a rogue witch. We didn’t know it was Simone until we, ah, captured her in the forest.” He frowned, puzzlement stamping his rugged features. “We’re allies with the Coven Nine, right?”

Bear slowly nodded. “I thought we were.” He glanced at the Guard soldiers standing at obvious attention. “Simone? What’s going on? You are still a member of the Nine, right?”

She nodded. “Aye, but somebody has manufactured a lot of evidence against me, trying to prove that I’ve committed treason in a few different ways.”

Bear snorted.

“I know, but apparently the evidence is good enough that the Guard has been sent to fetch me for trial.” Her mind spun, but the only way out of the current disaster was for her to go peacefully. “I’m ready and willing to face the charges, Bear.” So long as she could finish up a couple of Coven Nine projects first. She kept her gaze direct and her voice level. If she asked him to intervene, he might, and she couldn’t have that. Not right now. And if he said no, she’d understand, but it’d still hurt. So it was better not to ask.

“And the demon?” he asked softly.

“Misguided attempt to save her ass.” Nick crossed broad arms. “I take it you two, ah . . .”

Simone nodded. Better for him to think that.

Bear’s eyes widened. “Me and Simone? No. Ewwww.”

Simone shook her head. God. He was such an ass sometimes. “Shut up, both of you.”

Nick wiped more blood off his forehead. “I don’t understand.”

Bear looked at him, then at her, and then back at Nick. “We go way back, have worked together, and that’s it. We’re friends.” He grimaced on the last word. “As much as I have friends. I mean, if I have to have them. It’s not like—”

“Bear,” Simone snapped. “Shut up.” The Guard soldiers were watching him, curiosity and suspicion obvious in their expressions. No mission on record had Simone working with a bear shifter. Or any shifter, for that matter.

“Zaychik moy?” Nick eyed the guards. “You have some explaining to do.”

Bear barked out a laugh. “Little bunny?” His eyebrows arched. “Um, that’s an interesting nickname. You’re not exactly bunny-like, now, are you? What the heck?”

She rolled her eyes. Why did Bear give two craps about a silly nickname? “I like rabbits.” There was a time, a century or so ago, when she’d raised them. They liked her, too. Although she definitely regretted sharing that information with Nick during a vulnerable, postcoital, forever-together moment. Those sure as hell didn’t last.

“Bunny. You like rabbits.” Bear rubbed his chin, his gaze inscrutable. “Did you tell him that during sex?”

Now wasn’t the time. “Shut. Up. Bear.” Simone allowed morphing blue plasma to dance down her arms.

The soldiers stiffened around them.

Bear held both hands up, not even remotely appearing harmless. Even wearing faded jeans so old they were more white than blue and a T-shirt with Harry Potter on the front, the animal in bear was more than evident. “Okay. Back to business. What does a trial entail?”

“Just a normal trial,” she said, not liking the calculating gaze Nick was shooting her way. “The prosecution will present evidence, and I’ll defend myself. It’ll be fine.”