Both eyebrows went up, and he studied her a moment longer. Then his deep brown eyes softened as he did as instructed. His back was smooth, muscles bulging from his shoulders and down his spine. If possible, he looked even more intimidating from behind.
When her eyes, without her permission, tracked down to his ass, she felt her face warming again. His hips were wide, his back corded with muscles, while dimples rested at the base of his spine. The urge to bite the strong curves of his ass made her mouth water, and she backed away, only to collide with the counter, the impact knocking the air out of her.
London glanced at her over his shoulder, eyes alight with anticipation and his breathing quickened. “Do it.”
The low, rumbled words triggered a wave of heat over her. Her skin tingled at the thought of his touch. She’d never seen him as anything more than a friend, convinced he thought of her as a nuisance. She worried that the mating heat might be fucking with her head, but she knew it was only an excuse.
He fit into her world from the very beginning. He’d kept his distance because she needed it. Now she needed his strength more, and he didn’t hesitate to offer himself to her. He’d wormed his way into her life when she wasn’t looking, and she knew his declaration yesterday was partially right.
She might not be in love with him yet, but she already didn’t know how to live without having him in her life.
Leaning forward, drawn to the delicious expanse of skin before her, she traced her lips over his shoulder blade. A shudder went through him, emboldening her to take more. The scent of fall leaves wrapped around her, but the hint of musk underneath was addicting. She nipped at his spine, gratified to see his hands curl into fists and feel a tremor go through him.
But it wasn’t enough.
She needed to finish this before she did something that they would both regret and bite him.
She tore herself away from temptation, reached blindly for the counter behind her, and settled her ass onto the cold surface. She grabbed the loop of his pants and pulled him back until he settled between her splayed thighs. His breathing was rough, and she knew he was barely holding back his beast.
She hesitated for a moment, conscious of the power just waiting below her skin. The guys were right…she needed to make a choice.
And her choice would always be her pack.
If she needed to accept her power to be able to protect them, so be it. She would deal with the consequences later.
Her pack was worth the risk, any price she might have to pay.
But that didn’t mean she had to bite him, she just needed to take his blood to make his position in the pack formal. Without the bite, he would be able to leave if he wanted. If she marked him, she wasn’t sure she would ever be able to let him go.
He would be forever trapped.
She leaned forward, her fingernail making a clean line against his back and blood beaded up from the wound. Prepared to remain clinical and simply take his blood, she gingerly placed her hands on his waist for balance and was amazed by the amount of heat he radiated. Her body brushed against his, and she lost focus. Her eyes slid shut, and she inhaled the slight musk hidden under his scent. Unable to help herself, she licked the back of his neck, stifling a groan at the sweet taste of him, immediately hungry for more.
Blood only!
The reminder was so faint she almost ignored it when a vicious rumble began from somewhere inside his depths, and he reached down to grab her knees, as if needing the contact. Raven hooked her legs across his thighs, pulling him tighter against her. Giving into temptation, she trailed her lips down his shoulder.
But by the time she stretched up to take his blood, the wound had already sealed shut. She needed fresh blood, taken directly from his body, for her claim to work. It took all her control to pull back and grab the knife from the sink. She laid the cold blade against his flesh, pleased when he stilled in anticipation, and she forced the edge into his skin until blood ran freely down his back.
When he trembled, she leaned forward and pressed her mouth over the wound. Blood spilled into her mouth, flavored with the pure power of his beast, and hit her like whisky, burning down her throat, and spreading warmth throughout her system.
London roared, his hands tightening on her knees, and she clung to him when the room spun around them. He quickly grabbed her hand and placed it low on his stomach, and she dug her fingers into him, sensing that he needed the contact just as much.
Very reluctantly, she pulled back, then gently licked the wound. He shuddered, then staggered away as if drunk, his footfalls surprisingly silent for such a large man. She wasn’t sure what she expected from him, but walking out the door without a backward glance wasn’t it.
Some of her euphoria faded, and Raven was surprised at how disappointed she was about not marking him, but she ruthlessly shoved it down. He deserved a life outside of the pack, a chance to choose his own mate.
Yet the very thought had bile rising in her throat, and she quickly banished the idea before she became sick. When no one came running into the kitchen to investigate, she realized the household must have known what London planned.
She should be furious at being set up, but she was simply grateful the rest of the pack gave them some privacy, and stayed out long enough for her to get her emotions under control. Raven wasn’t sure if she should be upset because London walked out on her, but she wasn’t ready to deal with anything more at the moment, so she decided to be thankful for the reprieve.
The mating heat had settled down to a low simmer at the taste of him. Raven closed her eyes, then concentrated on the connections among her pack. Power glowed at the center, strands flowing outward, each representing a member of her pack. A new golden strand thickened before her eyes. When she traced her hands over it, the sharp scent of fall leaves filled her senses…London.
“Rest.”
London’s gentle scold echoed in her mind seconds before he retreated. His interruption should’ve been intrusive, but his warm touch simply felt natural.
Curious despite herself, Raven allowed her mind to wander beyond her pack until she could sense hundreds of other strands, other little packs around her, and then slowly withdrew before they could sense her.
Voices reached her from the other room, and she knew her time was limited. She jumped off the counter, staggering a few steps before the strength in her legs returned, then pushed open the swinging door of the kitchen, halting when she saw Taggert waiting for her—and nearly got smacked in the face when the door swung shut once again.
Gathering her courage, she pushed the door open again, and stepped into the foyer. “So, you’ve been approved to be near me now?”
Taggert was standing in the middle of the room, calmly waiting for her, not flinching at her foul mood. “We’re trying to protect you the best way we know how.”
Raven sighed, knowing he spoke the truth, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. “Why you?”
Taggert relaxed infinitesimally, a smile flirting over his face. “You have a soft spot for me. They know you wouldn’t be mad at me for long.”
She rolled her eyes, but they weren’t wrong. Her anger was already unbending. He used to be a slave, his life literally hell, until she stumbled upon him. Though he remained slim, he’d almost doubled in muscle mass in the past few weeks, thanks to his new form. He went from being a wolf who couldn’t shift to being one of the only living werewolves, a berserker who was considered a knight in the old days, sworn to protect the queen…her.
His smile faded. “I’m also the only one who’s strong enough to take down a rampaging bear if it came to that.”
Flabbergasted by his reply, she didn’t protest when he gently cupped her elbow and led her toward her office. “The others are waiting for us.”
Chapter Eleven
As soon as the door to her office opened, the group inside fell silent. Ignoring them, Raven walked toward her desk, conscious of their eyes following her every move. When she sat,
Taggert took up his normal position at her side. As she scanned the room, she stopped on Durant. “Shouldn’t you be at work?”
He raised a brow at her but didn’t shift from where he lounged in his chair. “I took leave from Talons until this matter is settled.”
Anger at his unilateral decision seared across her mind. He worked damn hard to keep his club, gave up everything to own it, even the chance to be the alpha of his own pack. He had no right to give it up now, not for her. “Go to work.”
“No.” He met her stare evenly, and she could practically feel his tail twitching.
“Durant—”
“Do you think anything is more important to me than my pack?” His green eyes flashed gold, his voice dipping dangerously low, raising the hairs on the back of her neck.
His rebuff crushed her.
“I can’t ask you to choose.” She wouldn’t be the one who forced him to give up his dreams.
“Ask me?” A snarl twisted his face, his anger beating at her. He rose from his chair in a single fluid motion, then stalked toward her, leaning over her desk until he was right in her face. “You never ask me for anything! This is my decision, and you don’t get a say.”
The beast lurking just below the surface of Durant’s usual urbane calm shattered as his beast peered out at her. Very gently, she rested her hands on his face, brushing her fingers against his cheeks. He closed his eyes briefly, then leaned into her touch, his words spoken for her alone. “Don’t send me away.”
When she opened her mouth to speak, he straightened abruptly, his eyes still touched with gold, and an arrogant smirk back on his face. “You won’t like the consequences.”
Raven narrowed her eyes at his bold challenge but conceded the point to him.
“I’d like to hear about what you’ve learned so far.” Raven scanned the rest of the room, surprised to find more people had arrived. “Griffin?”
The man was a rogue, despite having been born into one of the most vicious and powerful packs in the world. Thanks to living on his own for years, his wolf was now so dominant it never quite left him. She could see his beast peer out of his brilliant, splintered green eyes. Though he dressed respectably in jeans and a buttoned-down shirt, he still retained his scruffy outlaw appearance.
And he lived up to it, too. He was the only shifter she’d ever met with visible scars…a harsh reminder of when someone tried to skin him alive. He gave her a warm smile, the smell of fresh cut cedar intensifying as he strode farther into the room. “I heard you’ve landed in a spot of trouble.”
Griffin worked as a police consultant, having long since proven himself more than capable of taking over her old position. They met in the cave where both of them were caged, waiting to be hunted down by a psycho killer intent on destroying everything even remotely paranormal. They’d forged a bond by walking through hell together and surviving.
“Are you here on official business?” Or maybe a better question was who called him. She scanned the room, stopping when her attention snagged on London, and he gave her a small nod of acknowledgment. She fought the blush warming her cheeks, remembering the totally inappropriate way she touched him when she’d taken his blood in the most un-clinical way possible, and she quickly glanced away.
“I’m here in whatever capacity you need.” Griffin took a seat on the couch next to Jackson, making himself at home, clearly not planning to leave until he learned the whole story.
Luca snuck into the back of the room, along with the almost-twins Kyle and Brant, followed quickly by Jase. Jamie gave them a nod, then leaned back against the wall next to Rylan, neither man troubled about the fact that werewolves and vampires were mortal enemies. Dina cheerfully passed around food—thankfully sandwiches, which were hard to ruin.
Raven was a little overwhelmed with all the support. “Someone grab Gavin and Digger.”
Jackson stood and scowled at the mention of the other man’s name, cracking his neck as he headed out the door. Dina bolted upright, her brown eyes widening as she watched the wolf stalk out of the room, so Raven took pity on her. “Dina, why don’t you go help?”
The little fox bounded out after him so fast she was gone before Raven even finished the sentence.
“Why do we need Gavin?” Taggert frowned as he stared at the empty doorway.
Raven studied him, not sure what had disturbed him from his normal easygoing self. He rarely questioned her choices, no matter how crazy. “He has information we need.”
Instead of being appeased, his frown deepened, and his troubled brown eyes turned toward her. “You trust him.”
“Not in the least, but he’s in danger as well. His survival is tied to mine, so it’s in his best interest to help.”
Gavin walked through the doorway a second later, his gaze clashing with hers, clearly having heard her conversation. Surprisingly, he didn’t look any worse for wear after spending an uncomfortable night in the basement. Digger flashed her a small smile in greeting, then pushed up his glasses as he scurried around the others and disappeared into the back of the room, trying to spare her the anxiety of being near him. He well knew that doctors gave her the heebie-jeebies.
“Come sit here.” Dina grabbed Gavin’s arm, guiding him to the chair by the window that she’d been occupying earlier. Gavin followed docilely, clearly bemused by the little fox, his sharp eyes not missing a thing as he scanned the room.
Jackson entered after them, watching Gavin suspiciously, the glint in his eyes hinting that he wanted the guy to fuck up so that he could beat the crap out of him.
When Gavin sat, he ignored everyone in the room, his focus center on her. Dina hovered near him, and Raven suppressed her smile. Her humor dimmed when she met Gavin’s gaze. “You’re a member of the Cadre.”
The rest of the room fell silent, Griffin and her men stiffening, everyone turning to glare at Gavin. Instead of being nervous, he ignored the rest of them, and gave her a small salute. “I play the lists. My clientele is very…selective.”
Dina recoiled, horror darkening her expressive eyes.
The tension in the rest of the room rose, and Raven tore her attention away to focus on the matter at hand. “For those of you who don’t know, Gavin would contact others on the list, people like me, and offer his services to protect them. He takes them off the grid, keeping them alive. After the month has passed, a new list is published. Any who survived are free, the bounty rescinded.”
“I’m sure he does it out of the goodness of his heart.” Durant didn’t seem impressed with Gavin’s altruism.
Gavin shrugged, his eyes remaining on hers. “It’s a game to most of the people who join the hunt. They’re mostly shifters who find hunting boring, or humans who are eager to destroy anything paranormal.”
“And where do you fall?” Jackson watched the guy, clearly not believing his bullshit for a minute.
“I’m very selective about who I chose to save.” He studied his nails as if he found them fascinating. “Some people don’t deserve to be hunted like animals.”
“And you help them out of boredom?” Rylan’s eyes bled black with his suspicions.
Gavin gave her a very toothy smile. “Well, I might charge a fee for my services, but they’re free to decline.”
“And die? Not much of a choice.” Fury darkened Griffin’s face.
Gavin only shrugged, as if the weak deserved what they got.
“And how much are you charging Raven?” Taggert spoke at her side, once again his concern for her alone.
Gavin didn’t speak, leaving it up to Raven to decide how much or little she wanted to share. “He’s not. The Cadre must have discovered his double cross, and added his name onto the list. In exchange for telling me about them, he asked for protection until the end of the month.”
Dina gasped, clutching the back of Gavin’s chair, concern clouding her brown eyes.
“Now that everyone is caught up with the current situation, can you tell me if there were any specifics as to the
nature of how I was supposed to die?”
He appeared confused. “No one cared if it was an accident.”
“Did they request a certain type of death?” Raven persisted, feeling morbid for asking, but she needed to know.
Gavin paused, as if sensing the importance of the question. “Why does it matter?”
Raven hesitated, not sure how much she wanted to share. Only a few people knew about her ability to escape death.
“You were to be taken dead or alive. They insisted on a clean kill. No disfiguration. No head shots. They wanted you to be easily recognizable.” He shrugged as if it was unimportant, but his eyes were troubled.
Everyone fell silent, going still as only shifters can.
Gavin tensed and surveyed the rest of the room.
She cleared her throat, but couldn’t make herself smile and ease his fear.
Someone knew about her abilities.
Someone close to her.
Only one question mattered now. “Who put my name on the list?”
Griffin didn’t even try to evade her question. “I have no idea. The requests are anonymous, the money paid via Bitcoin. It’s untraceable.”
The silence lasted for a second as everyone turned toward her. Durant spoke softly, his voice deadly. “Who knows about your ability?”
“Any number of people.” She quickly dismissed her pack as suspects. They would rather die than betray her. “Members of the ParaConsulate are suspicious. A couple of humans might suspect. The witches, and they weren’t happy about the news. Maybe a few paranormals who’ve tried to kill me and failed. Nothing confirmed. And of course anyone who escaped the labs or managed to read my files before they were destroyed.”
“What are you talking about?” Suspicion hardened Gavin’s face.
No one spoke, none willing to break her confidence. Raven hesitated for a moment, then sighed. It wouldn’t be long before everyone knew the truth. “My magic is unique.”
“Raven, don’t.” Rylan protested, looking ready to storm toward her and slap a hand over her mouth if it meant keeping her quiet.
Electric series- Raven Investigations BoxSet Page 68
