Chapter 22

I turned into the Nomo's building only to see that the front door was gone, not open but completely gone. The hinges had been torn off, too. What the fuck had happened here? I'd definitely locked up but it looked like someone had been unwilling to wait.

Fluffy growled and looked around nervously. The door was missing because it was six feet inside the building and the frame was bowed: something had hit it with a lot of force. Cool – rageful and strong, just how I liked my intruders.

Fluffy led the way inside, growling ominously. I followed him in because a) I didn't want my dog getting hurt, and b) confronting monsters was kind of my job now. I wished I had one of Thomas's machetes handy but I didn't even have my gun on me. Luckily fear had snapped my fangs down and that same fear had heat curling in my body. I was never without weapons, and that was kind of reassuring.

As I'd learned through my excursion into the mountains I wasn't the best at sneaking around so I embraced my failings and crunched through the wreckage. Fluffy got the message that we weren't trying to be subtle and started barking his equivalent of ‘Come out, come out, wherever you are!'

I looked around the remains of the office in disbelief: it was like a bulldozer had been through it. Everything – and I mean everything – had been destroyed: my desk, Sidnee's desk, our computers, everything. Even Fluffy and Shadow's beds hadn't survived.

I scented blood in the air, too. Whoever – whatever – had done this had been full of rage. I rolled my shoulders. People with too much rage made mistakes, right? I needed to keep a cool head and everything would be totally fine.

It wasn't until I'd gone behind the counter that I saw the beast of mass destruction. A polar bear was lying on the ground, panting. I only knew one polar bear shifter in town although there could have been more, but my money was on Stan.

The bear had blood smeared on his fur. A quick glance showed a few cuts on him; he'd obviously gotten injured during its demolition work, but it didn't look like there were any other victims. Apart from me, potentially.

The polar bear wobbled as he heaved itself up to a sitting position. He was not feeling good. ‘Stan?' I asked quietly.

He huffed and turned to look at me, eyes blazing red. In my limited experience, red eyes were never a good thing: the beast beyond the barrier had red eyes and so had the rogue werewolf that had attacked me in this very same room.

The problem was that I really, really didn't want to hurt Stan. He was cursed and his nightmares were coming to life around him. Somehow he must have broken through the stasis spell and he'd come straight here from the hospital because on some level he knew it was where he'd get help. That meant my flames and fangs were out of action. I needed to calm and disable my lumbering friend without hurting him.

I backed away until the counter was between us. The office phone rang – it was probably the sole piece of technology that had survived the rampage – but I couldn't take my eyes off of the messed-up polar bear shifter to answer it. Now really wasn't the time for a call.

Sorry chaps, there are no police officers currently available right now due to a murderous polar bear. Please leave a message after the beep and we'll help you if we survive. Beeeep.

Stan made a deep ‘uuuuugh, uuuuugh' barking roar at me followed by a couple of huffs. I wasn't up on polar bear language, but it didn't sound like he was feeling friendly.

‘Stan, it's Bunny. We're friends, remember?' I said in my most soothing tone.

I still had the counter in between us. Fluffy whirled around to stand in front of me and protect me. Instinct made me want to run out of the wrecked office, but that would leave a crazy polar bear on the loose.

I couldn't – wouldn't – hurt Stan: for one, we were friends, and for two, I'd literally risked my life trying to save his sorry arse. I wasn't going to undo all that hard work. I needed something to restrain or trap him with, or something to knock him out or bring him to his senses.

The first time I'd met April, she'd turned her hosepipe on her husband and Stan to stop them fighting and it had been surprisingly effective. There were no hosepipes lying around, so I looked for something else.

The phone kept ringing as Stan attempted to stand up and I wished it would shut the hell up so I could concentrate. The office ceiling was around eight feet tall but he was closer to twelve; he hit the acoustic tiles and predictably they broke and crumbled down on him. The metal frame that supported them bent and twisted around him, which pissed him off even more. His barking cough turned into a roar and he whipped around, ripping down more of the ceiling and tangling thin metal strips around his neck.

I backed out slowly and Fluffy followed me. I didn't have anything to use as a weapon or a restraint, so staying in the office was madness. I needed a plan. Why couldn't I think of a fucking plan?

Stan was in a blinding rage, so intent on battling the ceiling that he didn't give a shit that I was edging away. I went around the corner of the building and hurriedly pulled out my phone. It rang before I could look at it or dial.

It was Sidnee. ‘Bunny! Stan's escaped. You've got to help us find him!'

‘Well,' I said drily, ‘we're in luck. I've found him.'

‘Where is he?'

‘At the office. And he is pissed. He's tearing it to pieces.'

‘Oh shit!'

‘How do we contain him? He's a freaking polar bear! A rageful one.'

‘Hang on.' Silence: she'd muted me. I listened to the noises coming from the office; they were starting to fade so either Stan was lying on the floor again or he was heading out. I couldn't let that happen.

Sidnee clicked back in. ‘Anissa says she's coming. She has the potion and can start the ritual. The elders are working on Sigrid right now. Jeff is already uncursed. Keep Stan there.'

Contain the rageful polar bear: sure, no sweat. ‘Okay,' I said breezily. ‘See you soon.' Or not, if I'd become polar bear food.

I grabbed a metal rubbish bin lid: I could whack Stan over the head with it if I got close enough, though I really didn't want to get close enough.

There was a loud cracking noise from inside the office. I stuffed the phone into my pocket and ran around the corner, brandishing my smelly shield. ‘Stay back,' I murmured to Fluffy. He ignored me. Stupid dog.

I tiptoed in and Fluffy followed on silent paws. Maybe that was the approach we should have taken the first time. Live and learn. As we went inside, the cause of the noise became evident: the counter was broken in half and a groggy polar bear was draped over it. He lifted his head to look and me and let out another unfriendly noise but he didn't move. He must have worn himself out or the curse was finally taking him down.

‘Stan?' I said cautiously. He growled again. Okay. Still not my Stan. I crept closer. I couldn't let him get out of this office – I needed to keep him there for Anissa – so my next action was for his own good.

I raised the bin lid, hit him over the head and he slumped over the counter. Oh fuck, I'd forgotten my vampire strength! I crept forward tentatively and searched his fuzzy neck for a pulse, nearly collapsing with relief when I found one. I'd never have forgiven myself if I'd accidentally killed him.

I sat by him, bin lid at the ready, and waited for reinforcements. If Stan stirred in the meantime, he was getting another bonk on the head. I was a woman with a plan.