Claimed by the Bear Read online

  Claimed by the Bear

  Banford & Beauty Bears

  Mina Carter

  NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY Bestselling Author

  Copyright © 2018 by Mina Carter

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  You might also like…

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  The scent of blood filled the air, each fresh wave coinciding with the buzz of the tattoo iron as Creed moved it over his client’s skin. Lifting up, he wiped the surface free of ink and blood and started again on the next section of the design.

  For most tattoo artists, the smell of blood would barely be noticeable, but Creed wasn’t most tattoo artists. For one thing, he wasn’t entirely human, but half bear, and for another, he was the only one, that he knew of anyway, who would tattoo werebears.

  Like his current client. Jeb Watson was an old friend, a few years older than Creed himself, and a member of the same clan—the Beauty bear clan. Yeah, sure, they got plenty of shit over that name, but none of them would change it for the world.

  “Jesus Christ, son,” Jeb hissed through his teeth. “You trying to dig for fucking Australia with that thing?”

  Creed chuckled and started to work on the second set of petals surrounding the roses he had tattooed on Jeb’s back. There were four—one for his wife and the other three for each of his daughters. Creed was still putting the finishing touches on the final one, for his youngest, born just a few weeks ago. All were happy, healthy little werebear girls. And, since Jeb and his wife were fated mates, all the girls should be able to shift.

  Which meant in ten years’ time, Jeb was going to be fighting the boys off with a stick, claws and anything else that came to hand. Creed grinned at the thought. It would drive his friend insane, but no one in the clan was under any illusion that the Watson girls would do anything other than exactly what they wanted. No matter what their poppa said. Werebear women were like that—intelligent, sassy and bold as brass.

  Creed leaned in to concentrate on the fine detail. Jeb was his last booking of the day. When he was done here, he’d shower up and head on over to the Beast, the bear bar on the other side of town. He could do with a couple of beers to round off the day, and if he wore his tightest t-shirt, he might even get some interest from one of the local bear ladies for the evening.

  He shaded a petal. And it would be just for the evening. His standing with the clan was an unusual one. At just under six foot and over two hundred twenty pounds, he was built like the bear equivalent of a tank and had the speed and strength of a shifter…but his bear was shy. In his adult life, he’d only managed to shift three times, and each of those had been so painful he’d have preferred to cover himself in honey and go roll in a pile of fire ants. At least he could crush those fuckers to death.

  The ladies loved him for his size and strength, for what he could do for them and to them in the sack, but not a one of them would stand by his side and claim any association with him in the daylight. He was their dirty little secret when they had an itch to scratch.

  But…it suited him. He didn’t want a bear woman, not to settle down with anyway.

  He wanted one woman in particular—Kaitlyn Turner.

  The trouble was, she wasn’t a bear, she was human. Worse, she was the sister of his dead best friend. The best friend who’d died in the accident he, Creed, had walked away from unscathed.

  She was the last woman he could have, but she was the only woman he wanted.

  He was a fucking idiot, mooning after a woman he couldn’t have. It was a good thing she’d moved away a couple of years ago, got herself some fancy job in the city and, last he’d heard, gotten a diamond ring on her finger courtesy of some high flying executive type.

  He was happy for her. Really he was. After all, what could a half-skin backcountry bear give her other than a clapped out old town house and free ink whenever she wanted it?

  “You’re fucking enjoyin’ this,” Jeb groused as Creed wiped his skin with a little extra vigor. “Fucking sadist.”

  “Yeah, yeah… you done with the sweet nothings? Or should I get Elisa in here for the pillow talk?” Creed threw back, flicking a glance up at the clock before he put needle to skin again.

  “Ugh, no. I’m out of that madhouse for a while,” Jeb groused good-naturedly, but Creed could hear the affection in his words. “Just shut up and get on with it.”

  Creed grunted in reply, working the details of the rose. Time passed to the steady hum of the tattoo machine and the occasional grunt from Jeb. The steady rhythm was as familiar to Creed as it was comforting. He loved tattooing, loved to see the way skin responded to ink. A beautiful design, executed flawlessly, was as much a work of art to him as any hung on the walls of those fancy inner-city art galleries. Better, in fact, because it was a living part of the person who wore it.

  The bell over the door jangled, making him look up. Because Jeb’s piece was across his back and not in a sensitive area, he hadn’t pulled across the middle door, giving him a good view of the shop. He bit back a sigh as a group of girls stumbled through the door, all giggling and laughing together. They were Beauty girls, that was for sure. The town was so off the beaten track visitors were few and far between.

  “Almost done here,” he called out, his deep voice making them look around. That’s when he saw her, his gaze colliding with warm brown eyes and his breath punching out of his lungs.

  Kaitlyn Turner. Here. In his shop.

  “No worries. We can wait,” the girl at her side said, and Creed had to tear his gaze away from Kaitlyn to look at her. Kacie Leroy, one the town’s human population, was already browsing through the sketchbooks on the coffee table. No stock flash for Beauty Iron and Ink, thank you very much. He drew all his own designs, both for the shop and for the clan, and refused to ink anything he hadn’t created.

  “Cool.” He settled back down to finish up with Jeb but was constantly aware of the three girls talking quietly in the shop.

  How long had she been back in town? How long was she staying? Was she here to get ink? At the very thought, his hands shook and he immediately lifted the needle from Jeb’s back.

  Putting the iron down, he cleaned his friend’s back and taped a gauze over the newly done area. “We’ll leave it for today, mate. Let it heal for a day or two…” A shift should heal the skin up. “And then I can add the finishing touches. ‘Kay?”

  Jeb hauled his shirt back on over wide shoulders, his gaze flicking to the trio sitting in front of the large window. A slow grin crawled over his face as he zeroed in on Kaitlyn and then looked back at Creed. Then the fucker waggled his eyebrows.

  “Go on, get the f—hell out of here,” Creed growled, all but shoving his friend toward the door.

  “Howdedoodee, ladies.” Jeb took his sweet time, pausing to smile at the trio. “If you’re lookin’ for some ink, my man Creed here is the guy to see. Ain’t nobody better with a needle.”

  “I’m sure he is. He has a good reputation.” Kaitlyn smiled up at him, making Creed clench his fists with jealousy. He wanted her to smile at him like that. Then her words registered. She knew about his reputation? She’d asked about him?

  “That he does. Have a good evening, ladies. Creed.” Jeb doffed an imaginary hat and ambled out of the shop, closing the door behi
nd him.

  “So what can I do for you lovely ladies today?”

  Creed’s thicker than molasses, deep voice sent a shiver down Kaitlyn’s spine. She couldn’t look at him, looking down into the book of designs balanced precariously in her lap. It had been four years since she’d seen him, since the day of her brother’s funeral, and he hadn’t changed a bit.

  He was still built big, with solid muscles and satin skin covered in tattoos. She ached to trace them with her fingertips and tongue. With bright blue eyes that contrasted with his tanned skin, he was the stuff wet dreams were made of.

  An unrepentant bad boy she shouldn’t want, couldn’t have… but that didn’t mean she couldn’t look, now did it?

  “I’m looking for something like this… perhaps here?” Kacie pointed at a delicate little swirl design and then vaguely in the direction of her ribcage. She was the most forward of the three of them, and had been since they were kids, always leading them into one scrape or another.

  “Hmmm.” Creed leaned forward and looked at the design but didn’t make any indication whether he was agreeing or arguing with her choice. “And you?”

  He looked directly at her and Kaitlyn almost forgot to breathe. She’d always loved his eyes, but the direct look was piercing like he could see right down to her soul and view all the little secrets there. Like the fact she’d always had the hots for him despite the fact he’d been her brother’s bestie and way off limits.

  But Mark is gone, the little voice in the back of her head whispered. And she was single now.

  That brought it all crashing back and she wriggled the fingers on her left hand to ensure the weight of her diamond engagement ring was gone. It was and she breathed a sigh of relief. She was free, finally.

  “I don’t see anything I like, sorry.” She winced a little as she realized she’d just basically said she didn’t like his work. “It’s my first. I want to be sure. You know?”

  He nodded, watching her for a long moment and then turned on his heel.

  “Shit, you’ve pissed him off now, Kait. We’ll never get him to agree to tattoo us,” Lilly hissed, nudging her. But almost before she’d finished speaking, he was back. Striding across the floor, he held out a single piece of paper.

  Surprise filled her and she took it. As soon as she looked at the design, wonder filled her. It was a moon and a bear claw wrapped around each other in a delicate filigree with purple highlights.

  Lilly and Kacie leaned in.

  “Ohhh, that’s gorgeous.”

  “Beautiful.”

  “Purple is my favorite color,” she blurted out, looking up at him in surprise.

  “I know.” He smiled, the corners of his full lips quirking up in a way that made everything female in her sit up and take notice. “I remember.”

  He remembered. She blinked, not sure what to say to that.

  “Do you like it?” He nodded down at the sheet.

  “Of course, she likes it. How much?” Kacie demanded.

  His gaze flicked to Kacie, and Kait had to bite back a small growl of disappointment. Then she wondered where the hell it had come from. She hadn’t even thought about Creed for years—no, she corrected herself. The day she’d left Aiden, she’d promised herself she wouldn’t hide behind half-truths anymore. She had thought of Creed. A lot. Especially at night when her fiancé had been away… waking up in the morning worn out from her dreams.

  “Nothing. I’d do her for free.”

  Kacie chuckled, “Oh, I just bet you would. Okay, girlie, you’re up. Drop your jeans. This bad boy’s gotta go on your hip. No other place for it.”

  “Wait, what?” Kait spluttered as she found herself herded toward the back area with its couch and plethora of equipment. “Why do I need to take my jeans off…would you leave my belt alone!”

  “Well, he can’t tattoo through the freaking denim, now can he?” Lilly arched a delicate eyebrow, arms folded as she watched Kait trying to stop Kacie from removing her jeans right there in the middle of the shop. In front of the window.

  Oh god. In front of Creed.

  The first time he got his hands on Kaitlyn Turner, and she had two of her friends in the room. Creed shook his head and prepped his equipment for the new tattoo. Good thing he’d been doing the job for years because his hands moved on autopilot, setting up the iron with fresh needles and sorting ink into small pots. A new roll on the therapist’s couch in the center of the room and he was ready.

  Turning around, he almost choked. Kaitlyn stood in front of him in just her t-shirt and a pair of boyshorts. They weren’t frilly or fancy and they covered everything, but they knocked him for six, seven…fuck, every number up to a billion. His gaze slowly swept up from her bare feet with the most delicate toes he’d ever seen, the nails painted coral, all the way up the length of her legs to the…quickly he snapped his gaze away. Yeah, not going there. He couldn’t go there and not bend her back over the damn couch and… Fuck, he was screwed.

  “On the couch,” he growled, not looking at her as he reached out to readjust the sketch on the trolley next to his chair. He knew the design by heart, so there was no need for him to sketch it on her skin beforehand. He preferred not to do that anyway. It inhibited his flow, blocked the creativity. He needed to feel the skin reacting beneath the needle and often made minute adjustments to his designs as he went so they fit better.

  The couch creaked as she clambered onto it with more grace than most of his clients.

  “How do you want me?” she asked, her voice soft and hesitant.

  All night long, every way I can, baby.

  He looked up to find her resting on one hip and hand, her legs folded to the side elegantly. For a moment, he wanted to just look and memorize every detail. He knew exactly how he’d draw her… as a medieval princess, a handsome warrior poised in the shadows behind possessively. No, it wasn’t only possession that marked the man’s face. It was protectiveness and honor as well. A champion who desperately wanted the woman he protected, who yearned for her, but would keep his distance until invited otherwise.

  “Creed?”

  Snapping himself back to the present, he looked up at her quickly.

  “Where do you want it?” he asked, snapping gloves on. As he was bear, she couldn’t give him anything, but since Beauty was just outside the clan’s territory and humans could wander in, he had to keep up appearances.

  “I was thinking just here.” She leaned back and pointed to a spot on the side of her hip, edging down onto her thigh just below the border of the boy shorts. “Do you think it’ll look okay there?”

  “It’ll look perfect wherever you want it, darlin’. It’s your tattoo. You tell me where you want it,” he drawled, tapping the pedal under the couch with his foot. The iron in his hand gave a quick buzz and he nodded, satisfied with the sound. He always knew instantly if there was something wrong with his equipment, and while he always wanted to ensure clients got only his very best work, this was Kaitlyn. His Kaitlyn.

  And he was about to tattoo her for the first time.

  She took a nervous little breath and smiled. “Yeah, just there then please. Thank you, Creed.”

  The sound of his name on her lips was enough to fuel a whole host of new fantasies, but he kept them in check and started to work. Within a minute or so, he was almost able to forget that the soft, creamy skin under his hands was Kaitlyn’s. She didn’t murmur or flinch at the kiss of the needle. She merely lay back, one hand pillowing her head as he worked.

  He didn’t need to look at the pattern for reference. This particular image was from his personal collection and he knew every line and shadow, every nuance and shade, even how it would lie over the skin where she’d told him she wanted it. Drawn for her, he’d inked this design in his dreams so many times that he could do it with his eyes closed.

  But he didn’t. Body tight, he drew on his reticent bear to ensure his hands didn’t shake as he worked the ink.

  “So, you just back for a visit?” h
e asked, his voice low as the two other girls chattered away in the front of the shop. “Last I heard you’d gotten a fancy job in the city…and were getting married?”

  He tried not to be obvious about checking out her ring finger as he spoke, but then he realized she had her head pillowed on her left hand. Bloody idiot, he should’ve checked before.

  She flinched as he moved the needle, but the subtle scent of distress told him it wasn’t physical pain but rather emotional that had caused it. “Just a visit for the moment. The job is great, but the guy fell through.”

  She gave a nervous laugh as Creed looked up, and he read the pain in her eyes. Anger surged to the fore, his bear snarling deep within. The asshole had hurt her, obviously, and that would never stand.

  “Who was he? I’ll go break his legs for you if you like.”

  She blinked and then barked out a laugh, reaching out to pat him on the arm when he lifted the iron from her skin. “No, no need for that. He really isn’t worth it. I promise. I’m well rid of him.”

  “Hmmm,” he grumbled, concentrating on one of the more difficult areas of the design. “If you’re sure. The offer’s open.”

  She lay back, a smile on her face when he risked a glance up.

  “Thank you, I’ll bear that in mind.”

  Chapter 2

  Beauty never changed. Kait smiled and took a long swallow from the bottle in her hand. It went down smooth and silky, and she let a happy sigh escape her lungs as she looked around the interior of the imaginatively named Beast Bar. A sign over the door touted it as the best pool bar in Beauty. Since it was the only pool bar in town, that claim was accurate by default.

  Sure, it wasn’t as swanky and upmarket as the wine bars her ex had taken her to in the city. The décor was less interior design and more whatever paint was on special at the time and would cover the tobacco stains. There were no fancy chandeliers or specially commissioned artwork on the walls. The carpet underfoot wasn’t designer anything, but a muted, faded pattern that was slightly sticky underfoot. Just the same as it always had been.