Looking down at the kid, she warned, “This is going to hurt.”
Then, without another word, she called to the current running in her blood and poured it into the kid. He jolted as the electrical charge flashed into his body, his yelp of pain echoing in the cave. Her stomach lurched. She hated knowing she was causing him pain, but it didn’t stop her from doing what she could to help. With careful precision, she went about re-breaking bones and re-knitting the worst of the injuries. By the fifteen minute mark, the kid finally surrendered to unconsciousness.
“Raven. Enough.” Durant carefully pulled the kid away, then set him on the floor.
“But I wasn’t done. He’s still in pain.” Raven swayed with exhaustion, only now aware of how much energy she’d expended in such a short time. When she went to kneel at the kid’s side, Durant gathered her in his arms and pulled her back.
“You’ve done enough. By morning, he’ll be fine. Let his wolf take care of the rest.” He pressed her head against his shoulder, and Raven went willingly, soothed by the beating of his heart. “Remember your powers are limited down here. Reserve your strength. I have a feeling you’re going to need it tomorrow.”
When she cracked open her eyes again, it was to see the whole den gathered around them, the entire group eerily silent.
They didn’t say anything.
Loudly.
“That was amazing.” Reed stared at her in fascination. “How did you do that?”
“This is what pack is supposed to be like,” Durant murmured into her hair, running his hands down her back until all she wanted to do was snuggle deeper into his inviting warmth.
Unfortunately, she had work to do. Before Durant could stop her, she slipped out of his hold and touched Reed’s face.
His wolf was a timid creature, one he kept locked away and nearly starved, and she clucked her tongue. “You can’t kill your wolf. I’ve tried with my own creature, and it just doesn’t work. The only thing it gains you is a feral beast. If you don’t nurture him, sooner or later he will fight you for control, and he will win. You have to search for a balance or you will end up destroying yourself.”
He stiffened, obviously doubting her, so Raven let it drop.
It was something that he would have to learn for himself. She just hoped he didn’t wait too long. She poured energy into his wolf, giving him strength, and the creature crawled forward, eager for the attention.
“Stop!” Reed jerked away, his eyes shimmering a vivid green as he scrambled backwards.
Raven watched him pant, struggling for control—his fangs lengthening, sharp nails tipped his fingers, and he curled them into fists as if to hide them. He glared at her accusingly, and Raven shrugged. “I’m not sorry. You’re already starting to heal. This world is different from the one you lived in outside. If you show a weakness here, you die.”
“I remember.” His voice was nothing more than a rasp. He gave her an abrupt nod, but his resentment showed in the stiff way he held himself.
She looked at the others, and Durant stepped directly into her path. “No more. You can’t help them without leaving yourself vulnerable. Most of them will heal on their own. Just being near you will help more than you know. As for the others—” he nodded toward the wolves in human form “—you know there is nothing you can do to help them. They’re too far gone, and they know it.”
When she opened her mouth to protest, he grabbed her chin and lifted her face up to his. “You shouldn’t have come for me.”
Raven sighed at the abrupt change of subject, and leaned into his touch. “I had no choice. You know that.”
Durant looked ready to argue when one of the wolves spoke—the grizzled, cantankerous loner. “No one gets out of here…at least not alive. Anyone who manages to escape the labs will still have to get over the wall, and then survive miles of countryside without being caught by the wild pack that patrols the grounds. Even if you manage to walk out that front door, you’d be dead or returned by nightfall.”
“What is this place?”
His bitter smile cracked the dirt on his face, and mud flaked off his beard. “It’s a training center…of sorts.” He turned away with a snort, glaring up at the walls.
Even through the rags of his shirt, she could see hideous scars on his back, the gleam of bone where the wounds hadn’t yet healed over. He had so little flesh on him, the ridges of his spine stood out in stark relief. “It’s how they get rid of the unwanted. They kill us off one by one, until only the strongest survive. If you want to live, you do as they say.”
“We’re the rejects.” One of the other wolves shrugged, accepting his fate. “They only want the ones who obey without question. You don’t, you become prey.”
A chill snaked down her spine. It almost sounded like they were searching for an alpha to lead their army. Raven shook off the disturbing thought and glanced up at Durant in confusion. “What do the scientists hope to gain?”
Durant ran a hand down her back, as if he couldn’t stop touching her, but Raven couldn’t fault his possessive hold when she felt the same. “Humans will never understand that the shifters aren’t being defiant. They think we’re nothing more than animals, so their tests to control them are doomed to fail every time. No matter how many times they try, they will never be able to create a viable pack without an alpha.
“It’s why there are no old rogues…their more dominant animal side will eventually take over and kill their other half without the connection to the pack to keep them sane.” Durant gave her a steady look. “It’s the reason for the kill first and ask questions later rule…rogues would eventually turn into weapons that could destroy the peace between races if they weren’t strictly controlled.”
“No alpha would allow themselves to become a pawn. They are too ruthless. They would never submit to a weaker human.” As soon as she located Rylan and escaped, she relished the prospect of hunting down everyone who worked at the mansion and show them what a real alpha was capable of.
Durant squeezed her hand, as if to remind her not to do anything stupid.
She flashed him a reassuring smile. “I’m good.”
Which was a lie.
She rubbed her skin as the dragon stretched underneath, the prospect of destroying the labs luring it to the surface. The drugs had worn off completely, and without the constant influx of energy, she wouldn’t be able to keep her beast at bay for long. The creature was content to watch for now, but Raven was worried that any little thing might set the dragon off.
The lone shifter rose to his feet, his body gaunt, but not without power. “Come, I will show you the rest of the den.”
The place was a warren of strategically placed boulders, the rocks offering the only concealment from the cameras. There was no light or vegetation of any kind, just an unrelenting stretch of rock and dust. It coated her skin, lined her throat, and she’d swear it was filling up her lungs.
“There are only two exits. The one you came through.” He stopped next to a large pit that resembled a gladiator arena, the wooden guard rail broken and jagged. “The only other exit is through there.”
At the bottom of the pit rested a solid metal door. Even at a distance, she saw claw marks gouged into the surface. It resembled an elevator door, so there were no hinges or locks to pick, no knob to twist off or yank open.
“How does it open?”
He pointed up. “The observation deck.”
Raven craned her neck, and saw a two-level platform built entirely of metal.
“The doctors want to study us, gauge how fast we can move, how quickly we can heal. Every day, we are called down into the pits one by one and ordered to fight.”
Raven’s brows scrunched. “One by one?”
The lone wolf scratched his beard. “After we stopped fighting each other, they began to pit us against the Charlie Team. If we want to eat, we fight whoever enters that door.
“Only the strongest, most cunning survive.” He pushed away from the pit. “They
’re slowly whittling us down. Although killing in the pits is forbidden, accidents happen. If we become too damaged, we are sent to the labs, but most never return…at least not in the same condition as when they left.”
The experiments.
The whole thing sickened her. “It’s such a waste of life. What’s the point of the training? What’s their end game?”
“They want us to infiltrate the outside world, pretend to belong, then instigate a war.”
“That would never work. An alpha would know instantly if people in his pack weren’t loyal to him.”
The lone wolf angled his head, not denying the truth. “Possible. Other paranormals might eventually be able to tell the difference if they bother to pay attention, but the humans think we’re all the same. They have no concept of pack. We’re too different and dangerous for them to ever forget we can literally turn into the animals that haunt their nightmares. Humans will be too afraid to even walk down the street.”
Raven blanched at the thought of how easily their entire world could come tumbling down around them.
No one would be able to tell friend from foe until it was too late.
Alliances that had been years, even decades, in the making would be destroyed.
The paranormal people would be hunted to extinction, but not without taking their pound of flesh with them.
She couldn’t allow that to happen.
A single-mindedness, and a healthy dose of determination to stop the labs—all of them—no matter the cost, hardened her resolve.
One of the young pups yipped, jolting Raven out of her morbid thoughts, and she turned to see that the shifters had drawn closer while she and the lone wolf were talking. A few of the old wolves curbed the two exuberant youngsters with a well-placed smack. The cubs scrambled to their feet at being discovered, and disappeared in the back of the group. When her gaze landed on them, some stilled under the attention, while others offered her their throat in submission.
Durant took up a protective stance at her side, and Raven touched his shoulder. “They’re fine.”
Her presence seemed to calm them.
The shifters were physically and mentally exhausted from battling to simply stay alive. As out in the wilderness, the rogues knew from experience that the longer they could stay together, the safer they would be.
“We’re a subpar lab, commissioned to crank out weapons. Their soldier project has officially been revoked.”
Raven forced her jaw unclench. “But they didn’t stop.”
The lone wolf shook his head. “The doctors want to keep their testing secret. They believe they can crack the code of what makes us tick and earn back the prestige they lost. Of course, they’re getting more and more frustrated, since they’re trying to accomplish the impossible. In response, their testing is becoming more extreme. They’ll eventually kill us all, then start over with a new batch, convinced that they failed because we were defective.”
He turned and limped away, and Raven reached out to touch his arm…only to have him deftly leap back.
Raven held up her hands. “Sorry, I just wanted to help.”
“Female shifters are rare, and closely guarded by their packs.” His eyes sparked a little green as his wolf peered out at her, reading everything that she tried to keep hidden. “Your pack is a parcel of weak fools for not protecting you better.” He shot a dismissive glare at Durant.
Raven flinched. “You know.”
Durant stepped in front of her, as if expecting the wolf to attack. The grizzled lone rogue didn’t even spare him a glance. “I don’t know how it’s possible to have a female alpha, but the scientists can never learn the truth. You should never have come here.”
“I had no choice. They took one of mine.” The dragon surged forward, stretching until her skin grew felt two sizes too small.
“Then you should’ve left him to die.” His harsh voice grated on her ears. “Do you know what they’ll do to you when they find out the truth?”
Raven threw up her hands in frustration. “I grew up in a lab when the humans were just beginning their studies. When my parents learned I was different, they sold me. I wasn’t even five years old, so I know exactly what they’ll do.”
The man looked stunned, and Raven stepped closer, not caring about his personal space. “I managed to destroy the last lab, and after I find my man, I intend to do the same here.”
A gleam of interest sparked in his green eyes for the first time. “The others might know you’re different, but I don’t think they’re aware of how. I don’t think any of them ever encountered an alpha before, so you should be safe…for a while. If you have a plan, you’ll want to put it into action soon. Some of the shifters are so desperate, they won’t hesitate to sell you out if they learn the truth.”
“Just be ready to move when I give the signal.” Suddenly uncomfortable at his nearness, she retreated, smacking into Durant as she did so. Delicious warmth immediately sank into her skin, tempting her to curl herself around him, the rigid tension draining out of her. “Where do they house the vampires?”
Any good cheer evaporated from the wolf. “They stopped training vampires months ago. They’re too strong-willed to tame or train. None of the blood transfusions worked on the humans, so they’re now considered worthless, their only value as a weapon.”
A deep foreboding curdled her gut. “What do you mean?”
He ran a shaky hand over his beard. It was only when Durant gently pulled her back that she noticed she’d corned the wolf against the pit.
“They starve them until bloodlust takes over. Once that happens, they’re like bombs ready to explode. All they have to do is release them into a densely populated area, and they’ll go on a killing rampage.”
Raven wanted to protest that Rylan wouldn’t do such a thing, but she never voiced the thought. Rylan’s deepest fear was of being consumed by bloodlust. It preyed on his mind, and she wasn’t sure how much longer he would be able to fight it if she didn’t reach him soon.
“The last place they were housed was in the old section on the far side of the labs.”
Before she could ask anything else, the lights flickered then went out. The wolves reacted instantly, heading toward the far side of the cave, sweeping Raven and Durant along with them as they began to settle down for the night, placing her protectively in the middle of the pack.
A place of honor.
Felix woke from his healing slumber long enough to follow the others, then curled up as close to her and Durant as he dared, his eyes barely cracked open while he tracked her every move. When she didn’t disappear, he appeared content, and closed his eyes.
For half a second, she wondered if their instinctive need to protect a female was embedded in their DNA or if their animals sensed her alpha nature on an unconscious level.
The only other answer was…they trusted her.
Their reaction left her reeling, and Raven was more determined than ever to get everyone out alive.
Within moments, the group was bedded down for the night, and a pang struck her at their easy acceptance of their situation.
Like perfectly trained beasts.
Her gums tingled with outrage, her fangs aching to be released, wanting someone to fight.
The lone wolf was the last to stretch out on the cold stone floor, keeping his distance from the others, his back to them, muttering in her direction. “You might want to do the same. Training starts early, and it can get brutal. You’ll need your rest.”
Then he closed his eyes.
Durant gathered her in his arms and pulled her down next to him. “Let it go. There’s nothing you can do about it tonight.”
It frightened her at times how well he could read her. Raven snuggled next to him, her hand resting on his chest, unable to be near and not touch him.
As she relaxed, she noticed everyone was sound asleep. Shifters had the most amazing control, ultimate mastery over the ferocious beasts that shared their bodies. She coul
dn’t help feel envious at the way they could be wide awake one instant and deeply asleep the next.
She waited ten more minutes. When she was sure everyone was out cold, she carefully withdrew from Durant, and stood. She had a half dozen bodies to scale over, without waking anyone, if she was going to find a way through that door and hunt down Rylan.
Chapter Nineteen
DAY EIGHT: AN HOUR AFTER MIDNIGHT
Raven didn’t manage a single step before Durant’s arm lashed out, grabbing her ankle. She winced, then cursed herself for being careless. His hold was light, so she could easily break away if she wanted, but his hand might as well have been chains. When his thumb began to lazily sweep the sensitive inside of her ankle, she shuddered. “Stop that.”
She couldn’t think straight when he touched her.
She reluctantly turned to face him.
Instead of releasing her, he tightened his hold, once more brushing his fingers against her skin, and she shivered at the deceptively simple gesture.
“You need to wait. It’s too dangerous to go without a plan.”
“I know, but we’re so close.” She hated knowing Rylan was so near, suffering untold horrors, when she was unable to reach him. Heaving a sigh of defeat, she moved to lie down, but before she even touched the ground, Durant caught her close, and draped her over his very naked chest.
Raven stiffened. “Durant, I—”
“Hush.” He ran a large palm down her spine, his hand coming to rest possessively on the small of her back. The touch felt so wonderful, she nearly arched into it like a blasted cat. “Rest.”
The soft, sleepy rumble of his voice lulled her, his warmth soaking into her, any resistance vanishing. She found herself melting over him, almost asleep, when he spoke.
“As much as you want to help them, you can’t spread yourself so thin.” His hands wandered into her hair, his fingers skimming down the nape of her neck, as if trying to take out the sting of his words.
“You mean Felix.” Raven tensed as the painful memories rammed the battered wall in her mind where she buried her dark past, and she couldn’t stop herself from confessing why it was so important for her to help. “He reminds me of myself at that age. He is struggling to survive the endless torture they justify as scientific testing, the never-ending pain. One person’s kindness saved my life.”
Electric series- Raven Investigations BoxSet Page 47
