Electric Night (A Raven Investigations Novel Book 5)

by Stacey Brutger

  “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?”
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br />   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 couldn’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.”

  “Rylan.” The name was a whisper, full of resignation as he finally let go of his long-held dislike of the vampire. Durant tightened his arms around her, and he glanced at Felix, his eyes darkening at the severity of the wounds, as if seeing her image superimposed over his. “We’ll find him.”

  Resolve hardened his voice, and a small knot of worry unraveled at his vow. For the first time, she trusted him not to leave without Rylan. Raven traced her fingers over his skin, not daring to look up at him. “Why are you here?”

  His chest heaved as he gave an aggravated sigh, nearly tossing her off him, but she persisted. “I mean, you were forced against your will to be in my pack. You even refuse to bear my mark.” Raven hadn’t been aware that it bothered her until now. “Why risk your life for me when you know I can survive death?”

  “Surviving death isn’t the same as being unable to be hurt. I think your ability makes you take foolish risks. We don’t know how it works. I’m not willing to risk your life on the chance that you won’t come back. You are not invincible.”

  Claws danced delicately over her skin, and she shivered, fighting the urge to demand more.

  Then his hand stilled. “What does the mark do to Jackson and Taggert?”

  Her brows furrowed at the change in subject. No one had ever asked her that before. “Jackson sees it more of a badge of honor, while Taggert acts like it’s a talisman.”

  Durant’s shoulders jerked with silent laughter, and her stomach dipped, her body responding to his nearness by wanting to burrow even closer. “When a male alpha takes blood, it is a mark of ownership and shifters feel pride that they were selected. A conn
ection is forged between them. It’s different when a female leaves her mark.” He leaned down, nuzzling the top of her head. “What happens when you touch the mark?”

  Raven fought a blush as she remembered their reactions. “They like it.”

  Durant grunted, then countered bluntly. “They lust for you.”

  She ducked her head, wishing she’d never brought up the subject.

  “Do you really think I would have allowed myself to be caught if I didn’t want to be a part of your pack?” His claws retracted, leaving only his rough fingertips to trail down her spine. It was all she could do not to wiggle under his ministrations. “Look at me.”

  She lifted her head, resting her chin on his chest.

  “When you touch my mark, you have the same effect on me as you do on Jackson and Taggert.”

  Against her will, her gaze dropped to his mouth.

  Sneaky cat.

  Raven unconsciously licked her lips. “So every time we kissed, the effect is multiplied…”

  With a sly smile, he whispered, “No sense in leaving it to chance.”

  She snorted, charmed despite herself. When his arousal pressed against her stomach, she closed her eyes against the temptation to test his theory, then laid her head back down on his shoulder, cursing his rotten timing and their audience.

  Five minutes passed before his hand stilled against her back.

  She thought he’d fallen asleep until he spoke.

  “Were the labs like this when you were younger?” The question was toneless, but tension vibrated through him, like he couldn’t stop himself from asking.

  Raven rubbed her cheek against him, allowing his soothing heartbeat to calm her. “It was worse, although it’s always worse for the females.” She exhaled, allowing sleep to pull her under. “With you and the other guys nearby, the nightmares don’t bother me as much anymore.”

  He wrapped his arms protectively around her, cocooning her in warmth. To her surprise, she fell asleep instantly.