Page 20 of Big Top Bear Raid
From the thunderous expressions on the faces of each and every brown bear shifter, Wraith guessed that was Acadia.
Somehow, someway, Zion’s cousin was alive.
While the acrobat was still performing tricks, Congo turned and pinned his hard gaze on Eurik.“Meet yourfriend,” he ordered on a hiss.“Find out where they’re keeping him.”
A muscle ticked in Eurik’s jaw as he jerked a nod.“I will.”Then he rushed off, determination filling his dark eyes.
“I want to go,” Zion growled, beginning to rock to his feet.“I need to—”
“Not yet,” Congo stated.Twisting on the bench seat, he clamped a hand on Zion’s calf.“Wait until Eurik gets a lay of the land.”His attention strayed back to the show, where the acrobat was taking a bow.“We need to provide Declan with as much information as we can, and we can’t tip off the magick-wielder.”
Zion growled low in his throat, but he acquiesced, relaxing back onto the bench.“Fine,” he stated through gritted teeth.“And I bet that guy right there is the warlock.”
“But there could be more than one,” Madagascar pointed out.“We need to know.”
Recalling Congo’s orders, Wraith wrapped his arm around Zion’s shoulders.He tipped his head and pressed a kiss to his mate’s cheek.Wraith felt Zion begin to relax as he turned his head and took in his scent.
Out of the corner of Wraith’s eye, he noticed Congo give him an encouraging nod.Then he released Zion and straightened in his seat.
Wraith moved his hand to Zion’s nape and gently massaged the tense tendons of his neck.Holding his mate, he watched as the man instructed the bear to bow, which it did by bending one foreleg back and stretching its nose to the ground.It held itself there until the guy ordered it to rise.Then, with a wave, he pretended to guide the bear back out of the central ring.
The next up was a group of trapeze artists, and Wraith continued to soothe his agitated mate.
Chapter Eight
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IT TOOK EVERY BIT OFself-control Zion had to obey his alpha and remain in his seat.He wanted to tear through the place and find his cousin.His mind still reeled with the knowledge that Acadia hadn’t been dead all this time.
Instead, some asshole is forcing him to perform circus tricks.
Zion had heard Ringmaster Goldsteen claim that they would see Borus the Bear—really, what kind of dumb name was that—again later that night.He feared what other indignity his cousin would be forced to perform.Zion was also certain that, if it weren’t for Wraith keeping up his neck massage, he would’ve caused a hell of a scene...and maybe even outed shifters.
“When they bring him back out, would you prefer to go to the bikes?”Wraith asked quietly, worry filling his brown eyes.Evidently, his perceptive mate had picked up on his thoughts.“Would it be easier on you that way?”
Zion hesitated for a few seconds.On the one hand, he wanted the opportunity to see his cousin again.Except, on the other hand, he wasn’t certain even his mate could get him to keep still a second time around.Especially since, traditionally, when performers came out to do a second act, they upped their show.
That meant that asshole warlock will probably have Acadia do something even more ridiculous.
“Yeah,” Zion muttered, hanging his head.“Yeah, that’d probably be best.”
I’ll see him when he walks in, then split.
With that thought in mind, Zion sat and stared.He vacantly watched the trapeze artists while finishing his nachos.While Zion figured they still tasted fantastic, he barely noticed.Even the neat tricks and flips the trapeze artists performed didn’t actually hold his attention.
Instead, Zion thought about how Acadia had managed to survive over the last year and a half.Had he been with the circus the entire time?If he was, had the warlock forced him to perform the same tricks for all that time?
Then it occurred to Zion.At least performing tricks was better than being forced to kill innocents.He mentally winced at that thought, but he couldn’t deny the truth of it.Zion had so many memories of slaughtering people on demand.He would never know just how many deserved it and how many didn’t.
Gods, don’t think about it.
“Hey, you okay, Zion?”Wraith asked, drawing Zion’s attention.Then he rolled his eyes.“Of course, you’re not okay.I’m sorry.”Shaking his head, Wraith mumbled, “That was a stupid thing to ask.”
“It’s fine,” Zion whispered back, knocking his head gently against Wraith’s.“It’s one of those knee-jerk reaction questions.”
“We’ll get through this.”Wraith smiled tightly, his expression serious as he promised, “We’ll figure out how to save your cousin.”Then he frowned as he asked, “Didn’t I hear something about the spells having to be countered by a warlock?”After a quick glance around, Wraith whispered, “Something about Death?”
Zion grimaced even as he nodded.He knew his mate was referring to the counterspell discovered by Death, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.Undergoing the spell’s effects had been excruciating, but it had freed them.
