Raven Investigation 04 - Electric Legend

by Stacey Brutger

  Little did he know that he tapped into one of her worst nightmares.

  She battled with the memories of her past.

  The dragon hovered under her skin, waiting for her signal.

  She couldn’t let herself fall apart.

  Not yet.

  The werebeasts staring at her might partially resemble humans, but there was nothing but pure beast behind their eyes. Raven saw none of the circus as memories of the cement walls of the labs rose in her mind. They’d locked her in a room with the werebeasts, waiting for her to change and defend herself from the half-formed monsters.

  It never happened.

  The animals tore into her flesh.

  By the time the scientists realized their mistake, Raven had bled out.

  It was the first time she’d ever died.

  Chapter Eleven

  Raven had been ten the first time she died. Her power had been in its infancy, growing slowly over time to protect her. She idly wondered if no one had ever threatened her, if she had grown up with a normal life, if her powers would’ve ever manifested at all.

  The labs discovered her gift in the middle of one of her daily tortured sessions. They thought she was a shifter and wanted her to crest. When they discovered she was something else, they wanted to trigger her powers again by repeating the torture over and over again.

  To study it.

  Nightmares of what they’d done to her had haunted her for years, where the smallest sight of blood would cause her chest to tighten, her pulse to pound. She thought she’d gotten over it, but seeing the werebeasts waiting to attack brought it all back.

  The dragon roared in her head, clawing up her insides with the demand for freedom. Blind panic allowed her to block the beast, which only infuriated the creature more. Her fear had transferred to the dragon, the creature frantic to be free to protect her.

  Rational thoughts returned slowly.

  If she changed, she would be taken again.

  Studied.

  Not going to happen.

  She was not prey.

  The dragon eased back as her panic dissipated, but it didn’t go back to her slumber. Raven uncurled, never removing her gaze from the werebeasts. She heard people talking, planning the hunt, but no one paid her any attention. Sweaty and shaken, she tucked the distinctive silver streaks away and faced the beasts. One by one, the werebeasts gave a low whine and dropped their gazes, cowing as the alpha in her rose to the surface.

  The hunter stepped between them, casting her a glance of pure displeasure when she didn’t melt into a ball of tears. “Throw her in the kennel. If she likes them so well, she can live with them. I’ll deal with her when I get back.”

  * * *

  They dragged her to the one cage she’d been avoiding.

  The ghost of some shifter lingered in that cage.

  Ghosts were just left over energy and usually faded in time. Shifters didn’t normally turn into ghosts as they consumed their energy much too fast to leave any of it behind when they died. Only very disturbed spirits lingered in the human world. Uncaring of her struggle, the two men tossed her inside and slammed the door shut behind her.

  Rage vibrated in the air, swarming around her as if seeking to infect her.

  If she had been anyone else, it might have succeeded. Instead, she grabbed the teeming energy and wrenched down on it, hard and fast.

  The ghost gave a howl of denial and vanished.

  Some type of wolf.

  People who lingered around the cage to taunt her shifted uneasily as their vitriol anger evaporated. Raven might have banished the ghost for now, but it wasn’t gone completely. It lingered in the cage, more cautious this time, waiting for the opportunity to cause trouble.

  It wouldn’t leave without getting vengeance on those who wronged him.

  After an hour when the wolf ghost didn’t return, Raven finally began to relax. The circus would open soon. So far, none of her pack except Durant had learned of her predicament, which she could only be grateful. They would rip apart the place if they saw her like this. Eve had passed by the kennels to check on her work and paled to see her locked away. She kept her distance, not wanting Raven’s stupidity to rub off on her.

  Raven sat in the middle of the cage, using the time to strengthen her shields, knowing she wasn’t going to enjoy what was to come. She needed to keep up pretenses, and fought her body’s natural inclination to heal, but the most she could do was slow the effects and hope no one looked too closely.

  The flashbacks of the labs left her deeply disturbed.

  She thought she’d put that life behind her when she’d destroyed the labs.

  Apparently not.

  With no rush to his steps, the same mystery man who had taken her from the cage when she first woke that morning walked toward the guy Durant had speared with his claws. Possibly a doctor of some sort. Greggory tore away the shirt with brisk movements, studied the injury, then heaved the man to his feet with no regard to the pain he inflicted.

  The injured man bellowed in agony, barely managing to stay upright. The doctor cast her an indiscernible look as she sat behind the bars of the cage, and she felt like she’d disappointed him in some way by getting caught.

  Time passed on pins and needles as she waited for something to happen. Two hours had gone by since a small army of ten men and six beasts had disappeared into the forest.

  None had returned.

  No shots had been fired.

  It worked. The shifter got away.

  Raven should be ecstatic, but a seed of doubt lingered. She just hoped that she hadn’t set a wild beast loose on the human population. When she broke the bonds, the lion had been more beast than man. Reverberations of breaking the bonds could be devastating. The pack might have been the only thing keeping him sane. It had been a gamble, and she prayed he listened and changed into his human form at the first opportunity. If he waited, his beast would take over completely.

  Another ten minutes passed before she saw movement at the tree line.

  The hunters had returned.

  No one spoke.

  The small victory sent a ripple of pleasure through her, and she allowed herself to stretch bonelessly, relaxing for the first time since they’d disappeared. Raven wasn’t sure how the lion did it, but he’d eluded capture and escaped.

  The mercenary paused outside her cage, repressed fury vibrating from him. He wasn’t a shifter, but there was something not quite stable about him, which made him almost more dangerous. Just your friendly neighborhood sociopath. “Gather everyone and get Clancy.”

  Raven grabbed the cage bars and pulled herself to her feet, ignoring the agony as her stiff muscles screamed for mercy.

  She would not show weakness to this man.

  No one moved as they stared each other down. A snarl curled his lips at the silent challenge. That she wasn’t broken only seemed to infuriate him all the more. A vein throbbed in his forehead, and he barked out a command. “Now!”

  Only when everyone scattered did he march off, his stride stiff.

  Raven feared she had made a mistake, nothing she could pinpoint, but the hunter knew something was off. He would keep digging until he found a way to destroy her. Her timetable just shrank if they wanted to get out of this alive.

  In minutes, the whole circus had gathered around the cage. Half the audience laughed and joked, taking pleasure in her predicament. A few rogues joined laughed nervously, afraid of retaliation if they didn’t join in the heckling, but they couldn’t stop staring at Leo’s empty cage, painful hope in their eyes. The shifters in the crowd avoided looking at her, knowing that in other circumstances it could’ve been them. They shuffled their feet, but none dared protest and that only deepened their shame.

  Their silence was worse.

  Oppressive.

  A movement in the crowd drew her attention, and Raven didn’t see anyone but Jackson and Taggert as they pushed their way toward the front. When they reached the cage, she gave a tin
y shake of her head.

  Both men halted on the spot.

  Jackson stood at rigid attention, his anger all contained, his mind working on solutions. Energy crackled around Taggert, waiting to erupt, the emotions so violent people nervously backing away from him.

  The crowd parted, falling silent as Clancy strode forward. A fierce scowl twisted his meaty lips. He studied her in the cage, then slowly shook his head, his face drooping in pity. “My rules are simple to follow. I don’t want to punish you, but you left me with no choice.”

  Funny enough, Raven believed him. Not that he felt anything toward her, but she suspected it had more to do with control. To keep it, he had to prove he was the alpha.

  All eyes landed on her, and she raised her chin.

  Whatever he did to her, she could handle it.

  It had been worth it.

  The malicious gleam in his eyes didn’t bode well, and she rubbed her fingers together, trying to ease the ache of claws pressing against her fingertips. “You must select one of your men to spend a week in the pit.”

  Raven stiffened, not expecting the guys to face the brunt of her defiance, but she should’ve guessed it from what Eve had said. “What is the pit?”

  A man nearly seven feet tall stepped forward, a giant who had to weigh over three hundred pounds, and all of it muscle. He carried little power, but it wasn’t needed with his massive form. He carried shifter blood, but it was so diluted that she suspected he couldn’t actually shift.

  He stood hunched over, his arms so long that they hung down close to his knees, giving him an extra-long reach. Those meaty fists of his could kill with a single blow. Stringy hair sprouted from his knuckles, hell from every surface of his body. His large forehead and pronounced brows only emphasized her impression.

  If she didn’t know better, she’d swear he carried gorilla blood.

  “Goliath here is our champion fighter. Every night after closing, we put on a show for those who are willing to pay. One of your men will be his new opponent for the next week.”

  If the giant didn’t kill them outright.

  Shifters could take a beating and survive, but there had to be enough of them left to heal. She clenched her hands on the bars to keep from doing something stupid … like reaching through them and killing Clancy.

  The only thing that stopped her was the bastard stood too close to both Taggert and Jackson, the threat clear. She wouldn’t be able to reach him in time before he could slaughter one, if not both.

  “You know your men best.” He circled the boys. “I’m being generous and allowing you to select the one who will face off with him. Choose.”

  “No.” Raven couldn’t condemn one of them to that fate.

  People gasped, and Clancy’s face darkened.

  Then in a move that weakened her knees, he pulled out a gun and pointed the gun directly at Taggert then Jackson. “You will choose one, or I will take the choice away from you.”

  She had no doubt he would kill one of them just out of spite for challenging him. Impotent rage slashed through her, spreading acid in its wake. Danger thickened the air, her fingers tightening on the bars until the metal began to bend.

  Her hand tingled painfully. As her anger grew, the prickling sensation increased. Red magic settled into her palms, as if her flesh were being held over a fire and slowly roasted.

  She’d felt it only once before.

  She flexed her hands and swore she could almost touch the cool metal of her sword just out of her reach.

  If she called for the blade, it would come.

  It wanted to taste blood, wanted vengeance for those who would take what was theirs.

  She probed the ancient magic and realized it wanted to show her it could help. It wasn’t completely sentient anymore, but it hadn’t died out as she’d hoped. There was an awareness to the magic, a need to do her bidding. Every time she called upon it, it would feed and grow stronger, and fully cement their bond.

  Despite the danger, the promise of freedom beckoned.

  A gentle wind swept through the cage, the ghost gathering in the corner as if drawn by her strong emotions. The wolf was more aware, watching instead of reacting, waiting for the perfect opening.

  Waiting to see if she would start a war.

  The dragon coiled around her, and Raven gritted her teeth, not willing to be swayed.

  Instead, the creature opened their connection and a smothering fear threatened to consume her.

  If they left, one of her pack would die.

  The knowledge hit her with the force of a two-by-four, and her legs threatened to give out.

  Raven wasn’t sure if it was a premonition, but the dragon was so certain that all thoughts of fighting vanished. She shook her fingers and banished the urge to call for the blade before she accidently summoned it.

  The wolf heaved a sigh, knowing the opportunity had passed, and winked out of existence.

  The mercenary watched her, knowledge gleaming in his eyes. He suspected she was more than human. If she wasn’t careful, he would learn the truth and come after her next.

  The loud click of the hammer being pulled back slammed into her like a hurricane, tearing her composure until she was left exposed like a raw nerve.

  She had to choose.

  Eagerness hovered around Taggert. Though he didn’t move, he practically bounced on his feet. He craved the fight, his temper on simmer as he noted every bruise, every one of her injuries. His emotions were too wild, his need for vengeance overshadowing everything else. His impotent anger wrapped around her like a delicious aroma that called to her beast.

  Jackson, on the other hand, stood without moving, repressed energy hovering under his skin, ever the enforcer. He had more than brute strength and speed, but years of battles and strategy to fall back on.

  He dipped his head, volunteering for the job.

  It didn’t make it easier to choose him, but he had the best chance for survival, and they both knew it.

  “Jackson.”

  With one word, it felt like she reached into her chest and gouged out her heart.

  A snarl twisted Taggert’s face at not being selected, his eyes glimmering brighter with no way to vent his rage. His lack of control trickled along her nerves, the hair on the back of her neck rising, and her heart trembled with the knowledge that he’d snap soon if something wasn’t done.

  “Take him and get him ready for tonight.” The ringmaster turned and gave her a smile. “I’m so glad you’ve seen things my way. I hope we can continue to work together.”

  He held no grudge, honestly believing that he did nothing wrong by threatening her men. Two weak shifters, rogues who had no other place to go, bracketed Jackson, but didn’t touch. They couldn’t take him in a fight, and they knew it. With one last silent look meant to reassure her, he allowed them to lead him away.

  He would win, she had to believe that.

  She probed the dragon, wanting some damned answers, but the blasted beast won’t budge.

  She was beginning to hate the silence.

  “You will remain in the cage until the gates open as a reminder that you are a part of a pack and your actions have consequences. You will be remanded to your quarters for the rest of the night.”

  Effectively cutting her off from connecting with her pack or anyone else. By separating her, he was keeping her weak and biddable.

  That might work for a normal shifter, but she’d been alone for most of her life. She’d be damned if she allowed anyone else to try and control her, much less an unorganized pack of monsters.

  But Raven knew when to play her part and nodded obediently.

  A satisfied smile crossed his face. “Then it’s settled. Let’s get ready to open the doors.”

  Chapter Twelve

  DAY TWO: FIRST CARNIVAL SHOW OF THE EVENING

  Raven sat in the overheated trailer behind the circus, the air suffocating, her wet clothes becoming constricting as they dried. As the sun began its descent and disa
ppeared over the horizon, the lights from the circus lit up the outside world, making the shadows in the trailer darker. Music sounded muted, voices just a murmur, easily tuned out. She’d devoured the small tray of food they left her in less than five minutes, hunger still gnawing at her stomach. They thought her human and only gave her enough to keep a bird alive.

  She might not be able to shift, but she needed the calories as much as a true shifter. If she waited too long, the energy she harbored took the decision from her and started consuming the life force of everyone around her.

  She could run, and her pack would follow. Even before she finished that thought, the dragon wrapped its tail around her feet in a demand that they stay. “Then tell me why?”

  Only silence greeted her. It grated on her nerves, and her frustration felt ready to boil over. If she didn’t do something soon, she would explode.

  Raven reluctantly backed down, deciding to trust the dragon a little longer. They wouldn’t leave yet, not unless she wasn’t given a choice. If what the dragon said was true, one of them was destined to die.

  The tiny confines of the trailer shrank as she paced. She scratched her arm, ready to crawl out of her skin. The creature stretched, giving a soft rumble of comfort to ease the feeling of being trapped.

  Ever since her dragon had awakened, her emotions had gone super nova, primal one moment, switching back to human the next. Shifters went through the same when they crested and came into their animal form for the first time.

  She struggled to balance the two halves of her soul.

  It had been working.

  She thought back to what triggered her backslide, and slumped against the wall in realization … it was the instant she became separated from her pack.

  Needing something to do with the excess energy before she began climbing the walls, she tied back her hair, shoved what little furniture she could out of the way, and launched into the work out London recommended. The large Kodiak bear was her security guy and determined to beat her into shape. He didn’t take it easy on her, demanding she do things that shouldn’t be possible for a human.