“Why?” The word was rough, more of a growl than anything. “Is this because of your visitor?”
Raven winced at the mention of the ghost. “You heard.”
Durant nodded, studying her face, no doubt looking for clues that she was going insane. The intensity of his gaze always had the uncanny effect of making her feel like nothing else mattered. That only she existed. When she couldn’t stand his silence anymore, she blurted out her worst fear.
“You think I’m unraveling.” Unable to meet his eyes, she fiddled with the buttons of his shirt to avoid seeing the truth.
“No.” His answer was immediate and without an ounce of doubt. “Did it ever occur to you that you might be evolving instead? You’re adapting to your beast remarkably well. You’ve always been able to do things that no one else thinks possible. Why should now be any different?”
Her throat tightened at his complete confidence.
“Is the ghost the one who told you to go back to the lab? I thought it was destroyed. What do you hope to find?”
Raven began to turn away, only to stop when he cupped her chin and lifted her face up to his, refusing to let her hide. “Clues. Something I might have missed.”
He cuddled her closer, as if sensing her unease. “You’ve never been back?”
“No.” The denial was barely a whisper of sound, and she shivered for a different reason. Memories of the destroyed labs rose in her mind, the tacky feel of blood on her hands while she systematically destroy everything and everyone who had caused so much pain.
“Who are you taking?”
Raven hesitated for a second, and his arms banded around her. “Tell me you weren’t thinking about sneaking away by yourself.”
She pulled away, pushing her hair away from her face. “The labs see purebred shifters as a valuable commodity, while rogues are disposable. Taking either would only put them in more danger.”
A scowl darkened his face as he stalked her across the foyer. “If you leave without them, they will only follow. They’ll bumble around without you, and probably land in even more trouble. The real danger will come when the labs are exposed. If we can’t shut them down, war will erupt.”
Raven narrowed her eyes, knowing his threat to follow wasn’t an idle one. “Fine, but I don’t want to take a large force, just however many we can fit in one car. I want to be mobile, and try to sneak in under the radar.”
Now that he had gotten his way, his stance relaxed marginally. If he’d been in his cat form, his tail would be swishing in pleasure. “Since Griffin is with the police force now, he would be my first pick. Dominick is my second choice. He’s been there. He knows what to expect.”
Unable to be near him and not touch, she shuffled closer, letting her arm brush lightly against his. “The third seat in the car would be mine. As much as I don’t want to leave this place vulnerable, I think London needs to go. He’s strong, able to protect himself. If something goes wrong, he’ll be able to handle it.”
Durant’s brows furrowed, but he nodded. “All good choices, each able to take care of themselves if you ran into trouble, but why did you say need?”
Raven shook her head. “My gut is telling me leaving him behind would be a mistake.”
“So, the four of you, plus me, will make five.”
She stiffened and pulled away, shaking her head. “Your beast has had a rough few weeks. You need time to recoup.”
He snorted, his eyes shading orange as his tiger rose to the surface. “You’re thinking human again. We heal fast. I’m fine.”
She narrowed her eyes, not sure she believed him. “You’re asking me to risk your life.”
Durant pressed forward, crowding into her space. Damned touchy-feely shifters. His nearness ruined her concentration, weakening her resolve. “I’m asking you to trust me. I need to go.”
A growl rumbled in her throat when he threw her words back at her. “What about Talons?”
He gave a negligent shrug. “Cassie can hold the fort while I’m gone.”
Raven wanted to protest the way he so casually dismissed what he’d given up so much to own. “She’s a newly-turned vampire. She needs to be monitored.”
A charming smile crossed his face, and she found herself lured closer again. “I have connections. You let me worry about that. It would be good for her to become acquainted with other vampires. Anyway, I owe Rylan for saving her life.” He scowled, still clearly not happy with the incident.
Raven wasn’t giving up so easily. “No one is pleased about being left behind. I could really use you to watch over the house while we’re gone. I don’t want to leave the place defenseless.”
“Jackson and Jamie can handle whatever arises.” He brushed away her excuses like swatting away a pesky gnat. “You need me.”
Despite her best effort, she felt herself wavering.
Sensing weakness, he crowded closer, his eyes practically hypnotic as he gazed down at her, pleasure gleaming in their golden depths. “I’m the logical choice. The spell imbedded in my tattoo is still active. It will keep me safe, while others might fall prey to an attack from a witch. I’m also older than the rest. More experienced.” Reaching out, he gently gathered her close. “You need me.”
Raven found herself nodding.
“Then I better get ready.” Before she could come to her senses, he kissed her forehead and bounded up the steps.
Raven cursed, knowing she’d just been played by the best.
“He’s a good choice.”
She yelped, practically leaping out of her skin. When she whirled, she found Taggert standing in the doorway of the kitchen, arms crossed, as if holding himself back, to keep from reaching for her. Pure wolf gleamed out from his eyes.
“You’ve always been able to sneak up on me.” She suspected he had been waiting for her, like the first night she brought him home. He treasured being part of a pack, loved the connection, the ability to touch others without fear of retribution. He would never retire for the night until he knew she was near and safe. “You’re no longer mad at being left behind?”
“I can’t protect you the way you need it. You need trained fighters, experienced in battle. I’m not that. Not yet.” Determination shone on his face, and she couldn’t help but worry about how much he was pushing himself.
Things began to click into place.
The roof.
“You asked Jackson to help train you.” Not for himself, but for her.
He gave a small dip of his head in acknowledgment. “He’s an enforcer, and a good teacher. And he can hold his own against me if my beast slips free.”
A hint of fangs peeked out from his lips when he spoke. Claws tipped his fingers. The calm he was trying to display was false. He was furious at not being chosen, but he was in control. She couldn’t help but be proud of him.
“I’m sorry I can’t take you. If the labs had any idea who and what you are, they would stop at nothing to capture you. They would take you apart to study, keeping you alive while they cut into you again, and again, and again. You would heal, but very few can remain sane after going through something like that.” She strode closer, the delicious heat of him pouring over her. “I need to know you are here to keep the pack safe. We’re a team. You have been telling me to act more like an alpha and use the members of the pack like chess pieces. I’m trying.”
Each word eased the brittle tension between them. A small smile quirked one corner of his mouth, and her heart skipped a beat. When he closed the distance between them, she wasn’t aware she was backing away until she smacked hard against the wall.
He pressed against her, his hard form all raw muscles, his lips nearly touching hers. “Stay safe. Come back to me.”
Her stomach fluttered with nerves at his earnest expression. She reached up, running her fingers along his jaw, and he leaned into her touch, seeking more. “You need to keep working while I’m gone. I’m about to stir a hornet’s nest, and trouble could follow us back here. You need to b
e ready.”
Raven hoped her words weren’t an omen of things to come.
Taggert looked satisfied to be included. He trusted her implicitly, and that scared her shitless. She was clueless about this paranormal world. One wrong step could tear her pack apart. The dragon huffed in exasperation and stretched painfully under her skin. The sensation used to strike terror in her soul, but now she took comfort from the beast.
It reminded her that she was no longer alone.
She had the power to keep her pack safe if push came to shove.
The dragon would never let anything happen to her horde.
Taggert gently brushed his lips against hers, then pulled back. A blush colored his cheeks at his boldness, but he seemed pleased with himself as he turned and walked away.
He’d come a long way from being the slave she met so many months ago, so damned submissive that her teeth ached even with the memory. Ever since he crested and turned into the only living example of the werewolves spoken of in legends, he’d gained confidence.
She wanted to protect him, keep him safe, but he wasn’t a helpless kid anymore.
She shoved her emotions aside, having more urgent worries at the moment—namely, to retrieve Rylan and destroy the labs. She trudged up the stairs. She only had a few hours to sleep before they needed to leave.
Like a sore tooth she couldn’t stop probing, Raven refocused on the cord connecting her and Rylan. For two panicked heartbeats, there was nothing. She pushed harder, refusing to give up, ignoring the way it felt like her flesh was being torn from bone as she grabbed for more and more energy.
The connection between them began to glow faintly, and she nearly slumped against the wall in relief.
He was still alive.
She wanted to send him what little energy she could scrape together, but the stubborn ass would just refuse, so she gave him the only thing she could—something terrible and dangerous—hope.
“Hold on. We’re coming.”
Chapter Seven
DAY FOUR: 5 PM – HALFWAY INTO THE MOUNTAINS
After hours stuck in the vehicle with four large and very male shifters, every breath she took was saturated with testosterone. The road winding through the mountain was gravel and rutted, the single lane turning the trip into an endless torture of bumping, jolting, bone-jarring thuds.
Dominick shut down the instant he entered the vehicle, retreating more and more with each passing hour, every ounce of his attention focused on the maps in his lap and the mission. The fresh autumn scent she associated with him had turned to musty leaves. He had spent most of his life reliving the past, what he could have done to change things, and what he could do to stop the horror from happening to anyone else.
Durant, on the other hand, lay sprawled like a cat sunning himself—his eyes closed, his body relaxed. But his eyes would crack open slightly to look at her every few minutes, as if she was some sort of prey, confirming that she hadn’t managed to escape. Only after he finished his very thorough study of her did he close his eyes again. The sun gleamed off the barely-there stripes of his hair, reminding her of his slumbering tiger.
His passivity concerned her.
Though he was tall and broad-shouldered, his body packed with muscles, he was still healing.
He shouldn’t be anywhere near this mission.
With his scruffy, outlaw appearance, she expected Griffin to be the most relaxed, but he sat absolutely still. After being shut in a cage most of her life, she had grown accustomed to cramped places. But each additional hour in this tin can had to be like torture for him.
Animals loathed being contained. Since his beast always rode him hard, the last few hours had to have been sheer agony. He appeared lost in his thoughts or maybe concentrating on keeping his beast contained. She couldn’t help wondering if the council had given him any orders, and if she needed to watch her back around him.
London drove as if he owned the road. When a brave squirrel would scamper across the surface, London would growl slightly, grab the steering wheel and tromp on the gas. If the little critter didn’t run for its life, London would swerve at the last minute, uncaring if the vehicle veered off the road. He took as much pleasure driving through the forest and dodging the trees, going sixty miles an hour, as he did driving a city highway. His hair was short and rough, as if he hacked it off himself, his thick brows drawn down into a straight line while he concentrated on the obstacle course before him.
Durant shifted in his seat, his brows lowering, and spoke without even opening his eyes. “We’re being followed.”
Raven marveled at his acute hearing. She swiveled to look out the back window, but couldn’t detect another vehicle. She trusted Durant, though. If he said someone was out there, someone was out there.
Five minutes later, she saw a glint of sunlight against metal some three miles back.
No one traveled on this road, since it was a service road reserved mainly for forest rangers.
She didn’t believe in coincidences.
No one had reason to monitor the mountaintop…except the labs.
She went hot, then cold, and the dragon bristled, surging toward the surface. She scanned the trees frantically, half expecting people to emerge from the shadows like spiders waiting to drag her away to their dungeon.
Warm hands wrapped around hers, startling her so much her claws burst from her fingertips, slicing into flesh. She whirled to see Durant smile at her, completely unconcerned about the holes she just gouged in his hand. Her claws retracted, and she winced. “Sorry.”
“I’ve done worse shaving.” Humor quirked his mouth. When she tried to pull away, he tightened his grip, turning deadly serious. “We’re going to be okay.”
Raven glanced back out the window. “You don’t know that.”
Durant placed a finger on her chin and forced her to look at him. “Maybe not, but you have the ability to find out.”
His words cut through the terror, and her brain began to function again.
He was right.
The dragon stopped clawing up her insides, and sat back on its haunches, willing to follow her lead now it had her attention. They were out in the middle of nowhere, meaning the power she’d come to rely on was gone. The only energy available was what lay within her bones.
Needing to know who was following them, she gathered the raw strands of current in her core, ignoring the way it burned like a hot coal in her chest.
“Try to center your focus. It will help you conserve energy and direct your blast.” Dominick spoke for the first time, his piercing green eyes locked on hers.
“Some witches can direct their spells with just a thought, but others need to use gestures.” Durant’s eyes had gone molten, reacting to the electricity caged inside the vehicle.
Feeling foolish, Raven did as directed, and flung out her arm.
Energy poured out of her like a blast, the blue waves a concentrated beam of pure current…almost like lightning, and maybe as dangerous. With her eyes closed, she caught glimpses of the area around the stream, seeing the particles drop away as the energy was consumed.
Branches were sheared off, vegetation wilted.
Then the current slammed into the car following them.
“One person.”
Before she could grab more than a glimpse, her beam evaporated, and not naturally.
Only one person had the power to do such a thing without suffering the consequences.
“Randolph.” Her eyes snapped open, and she was both relieved and frustrated.
London met her gaze in the rearview mirror. “What do you want to do?”
As much as she wanted to stop and confront Randolph, now was not the time. “Nothing we say or do will prevent him from following us.”
Griffin grinned with relish. “We can stop him.”
Not likely. “Randolph might not be a shifter, but he has his own case to settle with the labs.”
“Shit.” Tension poured off Dominick. “He was a s
oldier.”
Raven didn’t like sharing secrets that weren’t her own, but her people had a right to know. “The labs asked for volunteers, soldiers to fight the battle against the evil shifters. What they didn’t know was that no human could physically fight a shifter and win…not without special enhancements.”
“I’ll be damned…” Durant rubbed a hand down his face, suddenly looking haggard. “I knew Randolph wasn’t human, but I would never have guessed he wasn’t born into our world.”
“While the labs might like experimenting on shifters, they started with humans first. They wanted to create an army they could control. Only, very few humans could survive the conditioning. Randolph might be curious to see the labs where I was raised, but he has his own reasons for coming along. He might be suspicious of me and my past, but he hates the labs more. He won’t interfere. He wants to find these bastards as much as we do.”
The next hour of the trip was made in silence. When the car began to slow, Raven glanced up to see the road had vanished altogether, and apparently had been gone for some time.
London turned off the vehicle and sat back in his seat, his wrist resting over the top of the steering wheel. “It looks like we walk from here.”
The words hit her like a blow, and she struggled to catch her breath.
There was no turning back.
Doors opened, the men wasting no time piling out, groaning and stretching their arms, backs and legs as soon as they emerged. Before she knew it, her door was wrenched open. Durant placed an arm on the roof and leaned toward her. “You don’t have to do this.”
Raven looked up at him. “Yes, I do.”
His nearness helped ground her, the leather scent she associated with him seeped through her, restoring her calm, bit by bit, allowing her to think. As much as Raven appreciated his offer of a reprieve, she couldn’t hide behind him.
Inhaling deeply, she climbed out of the car. “Thank you.”
Electric series- Raven Investigations BoxSet Page 35
