Electric Night (A Raven Investigations Novel Book 5)

by Stacey Brutger

  As she surveyed the small group disappearing through the elevator shaft, she saw no signs of her pack, and anxiety rippled through her. They wouldn’t have left without her. No matter how hard she tried to reach the others through their connections, her senses were too overwhelmed.

  “I have to go back. I don’t see the others.” She struggled against Taggert’s unbreakable grip, using the last of her strength to dig in her feet and drag them to a stop. Taggert scowled, then manipulated his giant, furry hand and pointed upward.

  Raven grabbed his arm, dragging him down until they were eye-to-eye. “You promise?”

  Taggert nodded, nudging her toward the open elevator shaft. The rickety old elevator was ripped apart, shifters pushing and shoving at each other as they clawed their way up the shaft, anxiety sweeping through them like a crushing wave ready to drag them back down into the unknown depths of the tunnels.

  Taggert presented her with his back, then knelt, putting them nearly at the same height.

  Raven accepted his invitation, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He stood like she weighed nothing. In a single bound, he leapt ten feet in the air, then casually reached out and began to climb.

  Dust rained down on them. Tremors deep in the earth began to race toward them, and a gnawing pit opened in her stomach for all those they couldn’t save. “The first bomb detonated.”

  Taggert clawed his way over the top of the elevator shaft, pulling them both to safety. He collapsed on his side, his werewolf form shrinking down until he lay before her in his human form, barely conscious after the strain of shifting. The dimmed security lights flickered briefly, revealing the narrow basement packed with shifters. Bare pipes ticked overhead as steam and heat crowded the concrete space.

  There was no way they would be able to evacuate in time.

  Raven knelt, and scanned below the surface for the building energy. The blast blossomed through the earth, almost seemed like it would fade and reabsorbed back into the ground.

  Then the world fell silent, slowing to a crawl as the energy was sucked downward.

  A heartbeat later a second, third, and fourth bomb detonated, the full destructive force of that energy growing in strength with each explosion.

  The earth below them trembled in warning, a wave going through the solid rock as if it were a tsunami, and more dirt began to rain down on them. Everyone froze, and Raven slowly straightened.

  The bombs were too much energy for her to absorb.

  She would be incinerated.

  But if she did nothing, everyone in the tunnels behind her would die, including her pack.

  The best she could hope for was to contain the worst of the blast before it burned past her shields.

  Her gaze connected with Durant’s over the sea of people.

  Something in her expression caused his eyes to burn a deep gold, and he violently began to shove his way through the crowd to reach her side.

  Heat from the blast funneled up the tunnel like a furnace, snaking around her as if welcoming her to hell. The dragon surged toward the surface, using the last of its strength, determined to protect her, and tiny scales hardened all over her until she was encased in an impenetrable suit of armor. Raven had no reserves, nothing to call upon but the destructive force heading straight for them.

  Raw power surged up below her. Raven grabbed for the energy, feeling like she jumped into a vat of molten lava when the current slowly began to corrode her insides. The pain was relentless, her body screaming for mercy, and it was all she could do to expel the energy fast enough to create a shield.

  Just in time.

  What appeared to be a ball of molten fire burst from the elevator shaft, swirling in the air, seeking a way past her shields. The force of the explosion slid her backwards, the flames pounding against her, the heat incinerating the rock.

  Small projectiles swirled in the vengeful mass.

  Smoke began to leak and billow into the tunnels as tiny fissures cracked along the barrier.

  Her body couldn’t funnel enough energy to keep the shields strong enough, and the barrier began to weaken.

  Her lungs screamed for air, filling with smoke, the pressure like a car had been parked on top of her. Her arms shook under the strain, her legs quivering to remain upright, her world narrowing down to the mass of destruction determined to consume her.

  Voices shouted in the distance as small rocks began to punch through the shield and pelt her. A nasty blow to the head nearly knocked her off her feet, and her vision dimmed, blood trickling down her face.

  Chanting whispered at the back of her mind, and magic flared around her, strengthening her shields, just as she staggered and dropped to her knees under the pressure.

  Then everything went dark as she pitched forward.

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  DAY NINE: SURVIVAL

  Raven inhaled deeply when she woke, then clutched her ribs when a sharp, unrelenting pain shot through her from head to toe. When she pried open her eyes, she recognized the small cell that had been her room, and for a panicked moment, she wondered if she’d dreamed everything.

  Every ounce of her magic was spent, the dragon quiet, and Raven patted herself down, surprised to discover herself whole.

  A familiar arm was wrapped around her waist, and she glanced over her shoulder to find Taggert, in his human form, nestled against her back, his fresh woodsy scent a welcome change from the endless dirt that had clogged her senses over the past few days. It was all she could do to resist the urge to snuggle into his warm hold and go back to sleep…but the open door beckoned.

  When she pushed herself upright, the room spun, the sunlight dazzling to her eyes after so long in the darkness of the tunnels. When she could see again, she spotted Rylan stretched out on a cot on the floor.

  Raven blinked twice, then cursed, wrenching the blanket from around her, ready to throw it over him, when her brain caught up with her.

  No smoke.

  The strong midafternoon sunlight didn’t burn him to ash, and a deep foreboding twisted in her gut.

  Her blood was changing him again, and he was becoming a daywalker, something only an ancient could achieve for a few hours a day. When the rest of the clan discovered what he could do, they wouldn’t stop until they learned how he achieved the miracle, many craving the touch of the sun on their skin again after centuries of darkness.

  She pushed him to this in her attempt to heal him from the insanity of bloodlust, and she desperately hoped her meddling hadn’t cursed him worse.

  Afraid of what changes were taking place inside him, Raven reached for their connection, only to be confronted by a black void. She could tell he was alive, but his body had shut down in stasis that vampires fell into during the day. She curled her fingers into fists to stop the compulsion to check for a pulse, despite knowing that she wouldn’t find one.

  Anxious to find out what happened after the blast, Raven forced herself to her feet, then clutched at the wall when the room spun again, and her knees threatened to buckle. She automatically reached for any hint of current, shocked to find nothing.

  It was one thing to be off the grid, but she should have been able to pick up even a small trace of energy. She had burned out using so much power, and until she could heal, she would be as defenseless as a human.

  She didn’t appreciate the feeling, but refused to cower in her room.

  She needed to assure herself that the rest of the team had survived.

  Using the wall for support, she shuffled toward the door. By the time she stepped into the hall, she was already panting with effort, and she braced her legs to keep from sprawling across the floor. An arm snaked around her waist, delicious heat sinking into her skin, easing some of her body’s aches, the comforting leather scent inviting her to lean into him. “Durant.”

  She turned in his arms, unconsciously shuffling closer. She didn’t even pretend to be subtle as she ran his hands over him, searching for injuries, mourning the shirt covering
all those lovely muscles.

  “I’m fine.” Durant captured her wandering hands, pressing them flat against his chest, maneuvering her until she was sandwiched between him and the wall.

  Delight went through her when his near-silent purr vibrated beneath her palms.

  He captured her chin, forcing her head back, a scowl darkening his face when he caught sight of the gash on her forehead. “You took a foolish risk.”

  His golden eyes darkened, but something half-hidden shuddered in the back of his eyes when he gazed down at her.

  “Everyone would have died.” Raven refused to be cowed. “You would have died.”

  He pushed closer, his hard body pressed against hers, doing a fantastic job of distracting her. “You terrify me.”

  His hoarse voice broke, and Raven wrapped her arms around him. “I don’t mean to.”

  A bark of laugher escaped him, his hold tightening to the point of pain. “You never do. That’s what’s so frightening. Your courage amazes me nearly as much.”

  Raven stiffened, not caring for the turn of the conversation, but he refused to release her. “I knew you were raised in the labs, but I had no idea how horrible things were until now. That you would willingly return humbles me. I saw some of the tests they ran, the injections of acids in our veins to see how fast we could heal, the thousands of cuts to see how long before they drove us insane…” he shuddered, memories haunting his eyes. “I can’t imagine being subjected to those horrors for years on end. I’m strong, but I would never have survived years in such a place.”

  Raven ducked her head, and quickly changed the subject. “How many people did we manage to save?”

  Durant took a deep breath, then pushed away from her, shadows still haunting his eyes, and she mourned that her past had forever tainted the way he looked at her. When she made to move away, he planted his hand against the wall, his fingers balled into fists, a small tremor running through him. “Don’t.”

  Something dangerous in his tone rooted her to the spot. She felt him lean down, his nose touching nape of her neck, and he inhaled deeply. Her body tingled at the contact, making her want to turn and rub herself against him, her breasts aching for his touch. “Durant—”

  “You can run from me, but I will always find you.”

  What should’ve been a threat was more like a caress. “Promise?”

  A growl worked up his throat, his teeth lightly grazing her neck, sending a wicked shiver down her spine, seconds before he straightened. “I suggest you haul your ass if you want to see the others, or I will take you back to your room, and we won’t leave for days.”

  Heat suffused her face, the awkwardness between them melting away.

  While they walked, Durant was never a foot away, his arm brushing hers with every step, as if he couldn’t not touch her. Needing to keep her brain occupied with something other than the way her fingers itched to strip him, she studied their surroundings. “What happened after I passed out?”

  “You contained most of the blast. When you collapsed, the witches were able to reinforce the barrier and maintain it for a few minutes longer, until the inferno dissipated.”

  As they went down the stairs, the few people they passed scurried out of the way, pressing their backs against the wall, acting like she carried the plague or something.

  Some peered at her in awe, but the majority of them, while clearly grateful to be rescued, still remained leery. Every door they passed stood open, the beds occupied, some of the inhabitants so malnourished, they were nothing more than skeletons. Others were so injured, not even an inch of unblemished skin was visible.

  “We weren’t able to rescue everyone.” Her thoughts immediately flashed to Felix, and it felt like she’d been sucker-punched. The shock of pain surprised her, and she looked away, speech beyond her. It took her a second to notice that Durant was still talking. “Most decided not to stay, not willing to risk being recaptured. The few who remained had nowhere else to go, or are just too injured to travel.”

  His calm voice eased the constriction around her heart, allowing her brain to function again. “How on earth did Taggert get here?”

  Durant’s brows rose, humor lighting his expression, the worry that flashed in his eyes easing when she didn’t shut him out. “According to my best estimate, he left the moment you were captured, determined to find you.”

  Raven’s jaw dropped. “But we traveled hundreds of miles.”

  Durant nodded. “After the blast, he carried you upstairs. He practically fell out of his animal, ate the equivalent of a horse, then collapsed next to you in exhaustion. I don’t expect him to wake up for another day or two.”

  “And Rylan?”

  “Frankly, I’m surprised he came back. He spent the night outside hunting, only to return at dawn, crawling into your room before collapsing.”

  Raven didn’t like the ominous tone of his words. “He’s not okay, is he?”

  Durant ran his fingers through his hair, fidgeting a moment, but refused to lie to her. “No.”

  When they reached the main level, the carnage was more obvious. Furniture was destroyed, some of the railings from the banisters snapped off and missing. The paintings were shredded by claws, the frames smashed. Most of the windows were shattered.

  Just as she stepped off the last stair, Randolph walked into the entrance, stopping to peruse her from head to toe, not missing a detail. He was a little unkempt, covered in a colorful collection of bruises, but brimming with excitement. “You’re well.”

  It wasn’t a question, but she nodded anyway.

  “A few of us are heading out to hunt.” Through the open front door, she could see members of the Delta Team preparing to head out. “Some of the creatures who escaped should never have been released.”

  “The Charlie Team.” Their monstrous forms did little to disguise the evil within. Imagining them free to inflict their horrors on the world sent a shiver down her spine. They would never be accepted, their beasts so savage they would leave dead bodies in their wake wherever they went. “How many?”

  “We believe a dozen escaped. So far, we’ve found three.” That would explain his battered appearance. He survived; they did not. “We’ll be heading out shortly to hunt the rest.”

  “Good luck. If you have any leads or need backup, don’t hesitate to call.” Randolph nodded, looking disappointed when she didn’t offer to join them, then turned, and marched out the door.

  Durant gave a little growl, his hand curling around her hip. If he’d been in his tiger form, his hackles would be standing on end. “That man rubs me the wrong way. There’s something fundamentally wrong with him.”

  She nodded, and allowed Durant to escort her down to Frankenstein’s office. The room had been trashed, the books shredded, the stench of urine nearly overwhelming. Reed was sprawled on a makeshift bed on the floor, his battered body in a healing sleep, and her stomach dipped in pleasure to find him still alive. Nadia never strayed more than a few steps away, concern and happiness softening her features every time she glanced at her second-in-command.

  The rest of her pack were bent over the desk while they laid out their battle plans, Dominick effortlessly taking control of the room. Nadia lingered close to his side, the two exchanging small touches, not caring who noticed.

  “Well, I guess it’s better that you showed up late, rather than never.” Dominick’s head snapped up at her words, and a smile broke across his face, the tension dropping from his shoulders as he spotted her leaning heavily against the doorway.

  “You can’t stay out of trouble for even a second, can you?”

  “What can I say? I have a knack for it.” Raven shrugged, barely covering a wince as the movement jarred her ribs.

  Apparently, she didn’t do a good enough job. London grabbed a tipped-over chair and righted it. “Sit.”

  “I’m not an invalid.” Raven scowled, but when everyone continued to stare, she heaved a sigh and did as instructed. She must look like hell.
She self-consciously smoothed back her hair, startled to find the tips a bit singed.

  Durant took up a position behind her, and she was comforted when he gently swept his fingers against the nape of her neck.

  “We’ll give you a few minutes to get reacquainted with your people.” Josie gave her a nod of respect, then headed to the door, quickly followed by a second witch she didn’t recognize.

  Nadia leaned against the wall, then narrowed her eyes, clearly not going anywhere, while two of the Delta Team members had straightened like soldiers at her entrance. “We’ll leave.”

  Raven shook her head. “Don’t. Not on my account. You’re as much a part of this discussion as anyone else.”

  Raven turned toward Dominick. “You arrived fairly quickly after the excitement started. How did you find this place?”

  Dominick snorted. “We didn’t. We tore up the mountain searching for you until Taggert showed up a few days later. He went wolf the instant the connection between the two of you shut down. He was so determined to get to you, we could barely get him to slow down and eat before he took off again. We could hardly keep up with him.” While Dominick sounded impressed, there was a touch of alarm in his eyes at how uncontrollable he found the new Taggert.

  “After another day, it became apparent where they were keeping you by the fierce storms that had gathered over a single mountain peak.”

  Raven raised a brow at his amusement. “I said I would leave you a clue.”

  He ran his fingers through his hair and snorted. “Couldn’t come up with anything more subtle, huh?”

  She blinked innocently at him. “Well, I had to make sure you wouldn’t miss it.”

  His amusement faded as he stared at her. “I’m sorry. I was so focused on finding the labs that it clouded my judgment. I didn’t think things through. We weren’t supposed to get separated.”

  Raven waved away his apology. “It was always a possibility. We both knew the risks. Tell me what you’ve done since you arrived.”