Remy Read online

  Remy

  Big Easy Bears IV

  Becca Fanning

  Copyright © 2018 by Becca Fanning

  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.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Prologue

  1. Wednesday

  2. Thursday

  3. Friday

  4. The Banquet

  5. Saturday

  6. Sunday

  7. The Full Moon

  8. Monday

  9. Tuesday

  10. Wednesday

  11. The Duel

  12. Thursday

  13. Friday

  14. Six months later

  15. SNEAK PEAK Phillipe Chapter 1

  16. SNEAK PEAK Phillipe Chapter 2

  Also by Becca Fanning

  Prologue

  Remy drove to the warehouse on the Saturday closest to the new moon to meet up with Jane and Bryce. “I’m glad you’re doing this,” he said as they set up a few chairs. “I know things have been strained but I think this will go a long way towards building some trust between the two of you.”

  “Is this a good idea?” Bryce asked.

  Remy patted his arm. “I’ll just be over by the door. Don’t worry. She doesn’t turn into a raging monster when she shifts. In fact, she’s almost adorable.”

  “I heard that,” Jane muttered.

  “Just sit down,” Remy said. “Keep your movements slow at first. Wait for her to approach you. You’re important to Jane, so the bear will recognize you.”

  “Does the bear ever not recognize someone? Like, has anyone gotten hurt?”

  “Well, I did hear about this one girl, she was being abused by her boyfriend. They got engaged and according to our law a human spouse has to meet the bear before the wedding can take place. So they arranged something like this – controlled environment, Clan Chief nearby, careful instructions. But when the bear stood up, it attacked the young man. The bear did recognize him, but it recognized what the girl could not, or would not – that the man was a threat. You’re not abusing her, are you?”

  “Right. She swears at me on a regular basis. I think if I raised a hand to her she’d bloody my nose. No need to wait for a magical bear to do it.”

  “I’ll leave you now. Don’t worry, I’m not going far, but this is a private thing.” Remy wandered to the front of the warehouse. He could hear Bryce and Jane’s voices as they conversed softly. The voices paused and then Bryce said, “Jane? Okay, this is amazing.”

  Remy peeked over to see Jane in bear form nudging Bryce. He kept half an eye on them to make sure Jane wasn’t going to become violent but stayed back so that the two of them could get used to each other. He didn’t expect any trouble.

  The evening wore on. Remy’s phone buzzed softly and he pulled it out, expecting a text from Brock, asking for an update on Jane and Bryce. Instead he had an email from the Council – the eight chiefs who governed the other chiefs.

  He opened it, half curious, half concerned. The message was brief and to the point.

  “We have decided that since The Human Order constitutes a serious threat to all our people, it is time for all the Clan Chiefs to come together to discuss both the problem and possible solutions. The conference will be held in one week. Information on the location is attached. Your attendance is mandatory.”

  He frowned and hurried across the warehouse.

  “Jane, I’m sorry. I have to cut this short. I need you to shift back.”

  Bryce scrambled to his feet and backed away as the change swept over the bear. Once human, Jane reached for her shirt. “What’s wrong, Remy? Did I...?”

  “No, this isn’t about you. I just got an email. The Council has called an emergency meeting of the Clan Chiefs.”

  Wednesday

  “I guess the situation is bad, then,” Brock said.

  Remy glanced over at his friend and second. Brock was looking down at his phone, his face neutral, disinterested, but Remy could tell he wanted to have this conversation for a while now, probably since the email came in about the meeting a week earlier. The Council hadn’t given them much time to get their clans in order and make travel arrangements. He wondered how many chiefs had cancelled or changed important personal plans, like weddings or funerals, to clear their schedules on such short notice. The Council had never been big on considering the convenience of others. “I guess so.”

  “When was the last time the Clan Chiefs called a meeting like this?”

  “I was thirteen. It was in New York. My dad took me along with him. And they gave him a three weeks’ notice.”

  “I remember that. I was jealous. We’d just started shifting, Jules didn’t shift the first time until you both got back, thank God.”

  Remy nodded. “It was boring. You didn’t miss much.”

  “But I missed going to New York.”

  “You’ve been to New York a hundred times. You hate it.”

  Brock chuckled softly. “Yes I do. But at thirteen it was just about the coolest place in the country.”

  “All I saw was the inside of the hotel, and it wasn’t even a nice hotel. And we were stuck in this big room, all the kids together with nothing to do.”

  “This sounds a lot better. A relaxing, scenic, resort in Montana, mountains, trees...”

  “Snow.”

  “It’s April, Remy? I don’t think they have snow in Montana in April.”

  “They can. They usually do. And if it’s not snowing it’s raining. It’ll be awful.”

  “And you’ll come home complaining that all you saw was the inside of the resort.”

  “Except for the full moon. That’s why we’re going to a resort on the woods. They want to have some official ceremony, something about the high number of new Clan Chiefs in the last two or three years. So, we’ll be shifting. Outside. In the snow.”

  “Your bear won’t mind. Was that the airport exit?” They were riding in the back of Brock’s car while the driver , James, navigated the traffic.

  “Yeah, it was.” Which meant that the car ride was almost over. “All right, as my second it’s up to you to make sure that …”

  “Remy, we’ve been over all this.”

  “We’re going over it again.”

  Brock put his phone away and said, “Yes, sir.”

  “You’re in charge of the clan for the full moon. Jane will do set up as part of her punishment but you have to control them. The clan is in a good place now. If Jules was still fighting the anxiety I’d take him with me, and we’d have taken the train, but he’s good now. You shouldn’t have any problems. Try to keep moderate tabs on everyone. I don’t want to come home to any emergencies. You have all the phone numbers?”

  “Yes. And the address, and the names of everyone on the Council. You’ve covered everything, Remy. We will be fine for the week. I promise. And if anything comes up I will call.”

  “Thank you.”

  The car stopped and James opened Remy’s door. “We’re here.”

  Remy stepped out, then bent over so he could peer in the open door. “Thanks for the lift. I’ll see you in a week.”

  “Try to have a little fun while you’re out there.”

  “Not likely. Try not to burn the city to the ground while I’m gone.”

  “As the Mayor, that’s already one of my top priorities. But I can’t promise I won’t let Gia redecorate your apartment.” He winked as he said it.

  They shook hands, said their good-byes, and Remy accepted his bag from James. “See if you and Connie can keep him out of trouble,” he said,
shaking James’ hand.

  “To be honest, being mayor keeps him out of trouble fairly well. His wife on the other hand ...”

  Remy laughed. “Your opinion is safe with me. See you in a week.”

  He waited through security and then waited at his gate, and then got on the plane and waited some more. The flight itself wasn’t too long, and he’d gotten a very early start, and he was travelling northeast so he was gaining time as he travelled. When the plane landed, he waited for the all clear to depart and then found his way out of the secure area. He checked over the cab rates but the resort was rural and it would be a long, expensive ride by cab. Instead he rented a two-door sedan that wasn’t much fancier than the one he drove back home, which meant a lot of paperwork, had the car company print him a map to the resort, and hit the road on his own.

  He’d been right, there was still snow on the ground. In the city it was mostly just grubby piles in shady corners and a lot of wet on the roads that made the car look like it had never been washed when in fact it had been clean half an hour ago.

  Out on the open road, the snow lingered in ditches and under the sheltering arms of the trees. The weather was mild, but for someone used to warm and humid it was downright chilly. He fought with the radio, trying to find a station that was clear and had decent music but finally gave up and picked up a cheap blues CD at the next gas station.

  It started to rain, a steady grey drizzle of cold, misty droplets, just as he pulled up to the resort. Cursing, he found a parking spot and jogged inside, his bag banging against his leg. Still, his hair was soaked, his coat was wet, his shoes were a soggy mess from a puddle he hadn’t seen, and he was feeling miserable.

  He wiped his shoes off as best he could, happy now that he’d thought to pack a second pair, and looked around for the check-in desk. Before he could even step off the door mat, a cultured voice said, “Why, I didn’t know you’d be coming.”

  Remy bristled at the tone, though he didn’t recognize the voice. When he turned, he recognized the man’s face.

  “I’d heard your father had retired but I honestly thought Mr. Tandell would take control of the clan.”

  Remy knew full well what Charles thought since he’d made his opinion quite clear to Brock when Remy’s father retired. Brock had freely shared that information with his Chief, and closest friend. Since there was no safe path through that conversation, Remy opted for a casual greeting instead. “Charles, it’s been a long time. How’s Boston treating you?”

  “Quite well. I don’t plan to retire anytime soon.” A jab at Remy’s father who had been quite young by werebear standards when he’d retired to Florida.

  “Too each their own,” Remy said, trying to be polite. Charles was one of the reasons he’d been dreading this meeting and he’d hoped to avoid the man altogether. Luck was obviously not with him today.

  “You’re here early, the conference doesn’t start until Friday. Are you on the volunteer committee? I don’t recall seeing your name on any of the sheets.”

  “No, I’m not volunteering.”

  “Then why leave your clan so soon? Trouble at home?”

  “No, nothing that hasn’t already been taken care of.”

  Remy knew that Charles already knew why he’d chosen to fly on a Wednesday. Anyone who did any amount of travelling would know why. But of course, Charles wanted him to say it out loud and wouldn’t drop the subject until he did.

  Remy sighed. “You know me, always looking to save a little money. If you’ll excuse me, I need to check in.”

  “Of course.” His tone was polite but he was openly sneering. “I must be going anyway. I’m working on getting this conference set up. I will see you again, though.”

  “Of course. I look forward to it.” Remy smiled until Charles turned his back and then his expression turned to a glare.

  Like the Tandells, Charles came from old money, one of those old New England families with the big houses. Unlike the Tandells, Charles was an arrogant prick who thought his money made him better than people who worked to earn a living – people like Remy and his father. Charles equated money with both political power, which in the human world was usually true, and clan dominance, which wasn’t necessarily the case.

  Remy gave his head a shake and crossed the lobby. Checking in was easy, especially since they were taking up ninety-five percent of the resort for the week. He was given a key card, a wi-fi password, and directions to his room.

  The room was spacious, a double bed and a love seat taking up one wall while a desk and television took up the other. The carpet was dark and richly patterned while the walls were light and neutral with a print of a black and white photograph hung above the bed. The image was probably a local landmark but taken at an artistic angle with sharp contrast. It was modern and classic, adding depth to the room without drawing too much attention to itself. The room had a mini fridge, a kettle, a little instant coffee bar, and a closet – the only part of the room besides the bed he was likely to make much use of.

  He shot off a text to Brock that said, “Arrived in Montana safely. Rented a car and found the resort. No problems. Ran into Charles Brown already. It’s raining and yes there’s snow. See you in a week,” and then went to have a hot shower. He hated travelling, hated the close quarters and stuffiness of the airplane, hated navigating in strange cities, hated the stress of it all, but at least the accommodations here were good, better than average. Still, there was nothing to do in the hotel room aside from staring at his phone or watching TV. He didn’t fancy going out in the rain, and he wasn’t in the mood to chance running into Charles again, which left him with very few options. Even though it would mean a second shower later, he decided to head down to the pool.

  Charles will be too busy to go for a swim. Pompous ass. He wouldn’t be caught dead in a swimming pool unless it was ‘private’. I wish this rain would let up. I need to get out, need space. The grounds look nice but I’m not going to explore in this weather.

  When he arrived at the pool, there was a family of five just bundling into towels and heading for the door, leaving Remy to swim laps in peace. In subsequent emails with the Council, he’d found out that they had rented up the entire resort, for privacy’s sake, so this family must have been getting one last swim in before checking out. Or they were part of the local clan.

  He left his towel, t-shirt, and shoes at one of the chairs near the wall and jumped in. The water was kept at a pleasant temperature, maybe not as warm as he liked his shower, but not heart-stopping cold either. Remy grinned as he pushed away from the wall to begin his laps.

  He was coming back the other way when a body hurtled out of the end of the water slide and crashed into him. They both went to the bottom and Remy came up coughing and spluttering.

  “I’m sorry.”

  A hand touched his shoulder and he spun around, as quickly as the drag from the water would allow. There was a young woman there, her brown hair plastered to her neck and the sides of her face, hurriedly pushed back so she could see.

  “Are you okay?” Her eyes were wide with worry.

  “I think I inhaled half the pool but yeah, I’m okay.”

  “Why were you swimming so close to the slide?”

  “I thought I was alone. I wasn’t expecting anyone to come down.”

  “Oh.” She smiled. And then she giggled. “I am sorry.”

  “Me too. Serves me right, I guess.”

  “Can I make it up to you?”

  “Make what up?”

  “I did just try to drown you. Can I buy you a coffee at the café?”

  “I was going to swim a little longer.”

  She smiled. “Well, I’m going to lounge in the hot tub. Why don’t you come find me when you’re done and we’ll grab a coffee? Okay? My treat.”

  “You don’t have to do that. I’m really okay and it was just an accident.”

  “That’s okay. I want to. I’m Tara by the way.”

  “Remy.” Shaking hands se
emed awkward given that they were both chest deep in the water.

  “Pleased to meet you. Come find me when you’re done with your laps.”

  “Uh, okay, I will.”

  She smiled and nodded once, pleased with herself and his answer, and then swam towards the shallow end. He stayed there watching her. She climbed out up the ladder, water dripping off an athletic body, the bottoms of her blue two-piece clinging suggestively to her ass.

  He looked away, gave his head a shake, and went back to his laps.

  When he started to feel the muscle drag in his shoulders and legs, he stopped. He’d done fifty-seven round trips; each way was roughly twenty strokes. He’d counted diligently to keep his mind from wandering back to Tara’s backside.

  Is she even still here? He swam to the nearest ladder and pulled himself out of the water. He glanced around and spotted the hot tub so he wandered in that direction, leaving a trail of wet footprints and water drops as he went. He spotted the top of her head, low to the water. She was slouched down with as much of her body below the surface as possible and her eyes closed. The jets were on high, turning the surface white with bubbles and filling this corner of the pool area with a steady whirring noise.

  Remy padded up the steps and slid into the water opposite her. She smiled.

  “Sneaking up on me?”

  “Evidently not. This is hot.”

  “Mmm. It’s wonderfully relaxing.” She hadn’t opened her eyes yet. “I could nap here, but then I’d probably drown. It’s so much nicer than the rain outside, and the rain back home.”

  “It was warm when I left home,” he said, “But not this warm, thank God. Though it’ll probably get there in a few months.”

  She opened her eyes and sat up a little. Her skin had been pale before but now her cheeks were rosy, almost flushed, from the heat. He noticed that her eyes were lighter than he first thought. When he realized he was staring, he quickly glanced away. He hadn’t come to the conference looking for love, or even a fling – he didn’t need the complication.