Bears & Beauties - Complete by Terra Wolf, Mercy May Page B

and Amber’s instincts screamed for her to run as fast and far from him as she could.
    “I asked if you needed a ride, honey. How about you get in the car?” the man offered again, this time without a trace of politeness in his tone.
    Amber took a step backward and waved the man off, “I’m fine. But thanks.”
    The sound of the car’s gear being thrown into park sent shivers down Amber’s spine and she took another step away from the car. “I wasn’t asking, honey,” the man snarled before opening his door and stepping out into the rain.
    A good fifteen feet separated Amber from the man now, but she could make out his large muscular physique. The man’s body language screamed violence, and it was all Amber could do to keep her feet under her. Fear surged through her body, her mind suddenly numbed by adrenaline, and she turned away from the man ran as fast as she could down the nearest alleyway.
    “Bitch!” the man snarled after her. Amber could hear the man following from behind her, his heavy footsteps echoing down the alleyway as he sprinted after her.
    Tears streamed down Amber’s face, the knowledge of what was almost certain to happen filling her mind as she forced herself to keep running. Some sliver of hope in her consciousness told that she could find help or escape the man, but the realist in her knew that it was inevitable. There was no way could match or outpace her assailant’s athleticism. Not when her body was already screaming for surrender and her lungs were afire from breathlessness.
    They neared the end of the alleyway, and Amber’s heart jumped at the thought that maybe someone would be at the other end. She’d find help there, someone would see her, someone would come to her rescue. That, or she’d give the guy the slip. She’d get away from him. She had to, or else…
    Amber didn’t want to think of what would happen. She’d heard the stories. She’d read the news. “Or else” wasn’t an option. It couldn’t be.
    That’s when he caught up to her, grabbed her by the back of her shirt’s collar and threw her to the ground.
    It all happened in a blur. One minute, her hopes were up and she was facing the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, the next she was seeing stars as her skull crashed against the pavement. Amber’s vision swam and she felt herself being hoisted up and thrown over the man’s shoulder, her ass stuck up in the air and her head bobbing just above the ground. Everything seemed hopeless then, and with her world still spinning all Amber could manage to do was cry.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    4
     
    The rain pounded against the windshield of Grayson’s black Mercedes as he navigated the streets of Manhattan, his GPS blaring out directions to the address on the napkin sitting in his passenger seat. His head swam with all of the possibilities. Would Amber welcome him into her home with open arms? Would she slam the door in his face? Would she even bother to open the door at all? And if she did, who’s to say that she would hear him out? How could he explain to her the concept of fated mates, and of his bear’s need to have her in his life? More often than not, he himself had thought of the concept as absurd. How then could he even hope to relay it to someone he assumed had no knowledge of the shifter community? Still, despite any misgivings he might have had, Grayson pressed onward, directing his vehicle toward Amber’s home.
    After several minutes, the GPS chimed that Grayson had reached his destination, and he pulled to a stop on the side of the street. Killing the ignition and clambering out of the car, Grayson stared up at the run-down apartment building before him. He double-checked the apartment number on the napkin, then made his way toward the building’s entrance. Much to his delight, Grayson found the door unlocked and slipped inside.
    Quickly making his way toward the staircase, Grayson took the steps two at a time until he reached