Electric Storm (A Raven Investigations Novel)

by Brutger, Stacey

  She swung by a local take out place and ordered while waiting for Jackson to finish his call, doing her best not to eavesdrop—or being too obvious about listening anyway. The cadence in his voice when he spoke to a girl changed him into a charming rogue. It was uncomfortable sitting next to him, knowing that he openly flirted with others while he snapped clipped answers at her.

  He hung up just as she was being handed the bags. She sent the first bag to Taggert. He took it with a smile and dug in. She gave Jackson the second and claimed the third for herself. She pulled away and parked in the back of the lot, away from prying eyes. Shifters consumed double the calories, and she was no different. If she didn’t eat, her body looked elsewhere for energy, cannibalizing anyone or anything that got too close.

  She took her first bite of fries when Jackson spoke. “An EMT remembers bringing Sarah in as a result of a hit and run. She was DOA.” He opened his bag, his eyebrows rising at the quantity. He didn’t say anything as he took out his food. “She had a copy of the records and remembered the vampire boyfriend. He had insisted Sarah be assigned a room and hooked up to a respirator.”

  “She has a good memory.” She refused to admit she was curious about what type of woman would interest Jackson. It made sense that he’d go for the medical type, since Jackson had a passing interest in the field himself.

  “Being threatened by a powerful vampire has a way of sticking out in your memory.”

  “True.” Raven snorted. “What happened to Sarah?”

  “She doesn’t know. The next time she was on that floor, the room was empty.”

  When Jackson didn’t say anything more, Raven gritted her teeth, a bit miffed that he forced her to ask. “Anything in the files?”

  “Nothing useful. Only her own notes. When she went to fill out the hospital charts, they were gone.”

  She finished off half of her meal and noticed Taggert engulf the last bite of his third burger. “Here.” She pushed hers at him.

  He took it, but hesitated. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

  Raven shook her head and put the car into gear. “No. I don’t need any more grease, not where I’m going. I’ll drop you off at the house.” When Jackson opened his mouth, she raised her hand. “I’m going to the morgue to find out what I can learn. You won’t be any good to me there. Get your things put away and be ready for our meeting tonight.”

  “You mean your date?” Jackson kept his face and tone perfectly straight, but she detected something lurking beneath the surface.

  “No. If it was a date, I wouldn’t be bringing either of you. The way he phrased the request made me think something’s wrong and he needed me at the club.”

  Jackson’s jaw slowed, but he continued to eat. “He wouldn’t set a trap for you.”

  “You sound awful sure.” She could use some of that reassurance about now. She really wanted to know what Durant planned to throw at her so she could prepare herself. She didn’t do well under stress. Things always seemed to go badly for others.

  * * *

  “Hello?” Raven knocked on the door to the morgue, noticing the dim lighting. “Ross?”

  “Come on in.” Ross stood in the corner, a mask over his mouth and nose, his face hidden behind a spatter guard. He picked up a bone saw. “You best put on that mask.”

  Raven covered her face just in time to see Ross open up some poor guy’s skull. Her breathing became labored under the heavy chemical powder lining the paper material.

  “What can I do for you?”

  “A girl was brought in DOA a few weeks ago. A shifter. I can’t find any records and hoped you might have more information. She was at the hospital, so she had to come through here eventually.” The morgue was tied to the hospital. Even if the body didn’t need to be autopsied, the cooler space was often used for storing bodies waiting for burial or pick up.

  Ross chuckled. “Very few shifters actually pass through my gates. Most bodies are claimed by their pack long before they reach me.”

  “Are you sure?” The room felt absurdly warm, heat blasting along her skin like fire ants. Her lungs felt starved for air.

  “Quite sure.” The saw seemed louder. “I remember all the shifters that come through here. We have to take special precautions as shifter blood can react badly when it comes into contact with the wrong chemicals.”

  “That’s right.” Shifter blood turned toxic when it came into contact with formaldehyde. It’s why they’re claimed by their own instead of sent to a funeral home. Why didn’t she remember that?

  A wave of dizziness crept over her, and she widened her stance to keep upright. The image of the gurney wavered, the body undulating in a way that kicked her gag reflexes into overdrive. The room grew dark. She reached out and stumbled into a metal stand.

  It didn’t hold her weight and crashed to the floor with a resounding clang that sounded hollow to her ear. She felt herself falling and could do nothing but watch the ground rush up and greet her. The last thing she heard was Ross.

  “Oh, dear.”

  She woke up swinging, barely missing Ross’s face. He ducked faster than she would give him credit.

  “My head.” She settled her aching skull between her hands and tried to swallow down her nausea.

  “You passed out when I opened up the guy.” He shook his head. “By the time I stopped and looked up, you were sprawled out on the floor.”

  “I’ll never live it down.”

  “Don’t worry. If you don’t say anything, I won’t.” Ross patted her awkwardly on the shoulder, and she jerked away.

  Something in the way he said it, something in his touch sent a shaft of revulsion through her. She rubbed her arms, trying to wipe away the chill that engulfed her. She needed to get away, needed air. She stood hastily and swayed. “I have to go. I have a meeting tonight.”

  “Sure. Sure. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.” He studied her with his brown, near black eyes. She knew that look. She’d seen it in the labs often enough. Beneath his smile, beneath his benign exterior, was a sharp mind that missed very little. Though she’d always respected Ross, something about him creeped her out. She assumed it was the dead bodies. She wasn’t so sure anymore.

  Once the open air hit her face, her mind cleared a little. She was being paranoid. He was concerned. She would be too in his place. She wasn’t supposed to be there without prior approval. It could land them both into trouble.

  As soon as she reached the sidewalk, she uncrossed her arms and winced, feeling like someone had tried to snap them off. She rolled up her sleeve.

  Nothing.

  She did the same for her other arm.

  No bruises.

  She healed fast, but she’d only been out for minutes. There’d be evidence if anything was done to her.

  Being unconscious in the labs meant tests. With everything putting her on edge, it was no wonder she jumped at shadows. She tried to brush it off, but the image of him standing over her with a detached look stuck with her.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  SUNSET

  Raven walked upstairs then paused when a noise from the kitchen raised the hairs on the back of her neck.

  A whimper. Barely a breath of sound.

  She slowly retraced her steps and pushed open the door, dreading what she’d find.

  Trish had Taggert pushed up against the wall, her hands pinning him in place, her teeth at his throat. Terror swamped the room, drowning her senses. Without giving it thought, she crossed the room in a blink, gripped Trish by the back of her neck and tossed her away from Taggert. Glass shattered when she sailed out of the kitchen via the wall of windows. Rays of the dying sun spilled over the floor like fresh blood.

  Aggression surged through her at the thought of Taggert being mauled by one of their own. When she would’ve followed, Taggert snagged her arm, wrapping himself around her. Red claw marks scorched his torso, shallow nips marred his neck. She carefully touched the wounds, wishing she could erase everything. She promised
herself that she would later. “Are you all right?”

  London and Dominic rushed in at the commotion, halting at the sight of them and the gap in the wall. Dina followed a second later.

  “Get Trisha’s ass in here.” She growled the words, so infuriated she could barely hold back the tide of electricity eager to seek vengeance. At her aggression, Taggert hugged her harder, nearly squeezing the air from her with his strength.

  London and Dominic moved in unison to do as told when a dripping wet, gloriously naked Jackson burst into the room. He took in the situation at a glance and snarled.

  “Here.” She pushed Taggert at Jackson, quickly untangling her arms. She needed her hands free, and she needed him busy. If anyone got to rip apart Trish, it would be her.

  Trish roared, and her animal form sailed through the hole in the glass. The black panther skidded on the smooth floor, but quickly gained her footing and charged. Acting on instinct, Raven reached into her core. The vat of boiling power sizzled as she drew the current down her arms to pool in her hands. She tossed it at the angry cat.

  Energy exploded over the dark fur, stopping the panther short. The black hide rippled, and the animal whirled, nipping at her body, crazed with pain.

  As if it understood the cause of the agony, the panther turned toward Raven and snarled, her fangs glistening with saliva.

  “That was only a warning shot. Shift and accept the consequences of your actions.” Her words set off the animal. Muscles bunched, and the cat launched herself in the air. Raven caught a movement from Jackson at the corner of her eye.

  “Guard Taggert.”

  Right before impact, she located Trish’s center, the place where her animal dwelled, and pulled down with all her strength. Raven cracked into the wall under the weight of the body plowing into her. Air whooshed out of her in a rush.

  People shouted as they slid to the floor in a heap. Her vision dimmed. Unable to catch her breath, she shoved the weight off her chest, and greedily gulped air. Strong hands pulled her to her feet. She swayed and found herself wrapped in Jackson’s arms.

  “What the hell did you do?” The guttural growl came from Trish. She lay sprawled on the ground in her human form, naked and struggling to stand.

  “You sold the boys out, told Jackie where they would be. You deliberately put them in danger.” She didn’t know it for sure, but it made a sick sort of sense. “You were practically raping him when I walked in the room. What did you think would happen?” Her throat closed a little at the end, her question deadly quiet.

  “Not you killing me over a consensual kiss.” A snarl twitched Trisha’s lips. “He never once protested. Maybe that’s what really bothers you.”

  “You had him by the throat!” Raven shook her head, wishing she could let her anger reign and solve things like animals, instead of with reason. The thing that held her back was that Trish truly didn’t understand she’d done anything wrong.

  As a victim in the labs herself, she thought Trisha would be more sensitive to the subject, more careful of those around her.

  “Did you think Jackie would’ve killed me and leave Taggert for you?” A horrible suspicion trickled through her mind. She dismissed it at first, but dread gathered in her gut and wouldn’t let her shuffle it away.

  “You cut the banister.”

  Something hardened in Trish’s eyes, and she raised her chin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “What if someone else had fallen? You put everyone in danger for petty jealousy.”

  “Petty. Petty!” Trish jerked to her feet, unadulterated hatred giving her the strength. “Everyone bends over backwards to bow to your every wish. Everything comes to you so easy. You don’t have to fight for a damn thing. What gives you the right to boss us around?”

  “You’re blind.” London shook his head, the betrayal cracking his legendary stoicism, the smell of leaves she associated with him had turned musty and rotten. “I didn’t even suspect her.” Those big dark eyes of his met Raven’s in apology, the shattered expression in them rending a fissure in her heart for the indomitable man who risked so much for them only to be double-crossed by one of their own.

  “I’m leaving your little cult.” When a second passed and nothing happened, an enraged growl worked up Trish’s throat. “Why can’t I change?” She threw herself at Raven, screeching in impotent rage.

  “Not so fast.” Dominic snagged her arms and wrenched them behind her back. When she put up a fight, Dominic slammed her against the wall, uncaring of any pain he inflicted. “Did you think we were fools, and only you could see the truth? Did it never once cross your mind that there was a reason we stay with her of our own choosing?”

  He shoved her away from him as if unable to stand touching her. “Get her away from me.”

  “My pleasure,” London rumbled, taking her arm none to gently, dragging her from the room.

  “You’re all fools. She’s nothing but a pretender. She’ll get you killed.” Her frantic voice became unintelligible the further they drew away.

  Raven pinched the bridge of her nose, her whole body throbbing from the body slam and the snap of power that felt like it’d pulled her guts inside out. “What are you going to do about her?”

  Dominic remained quiet for a time. “You have to understand that we can’t allow her to be free.”

  She nodded, but couldn’t speak. With all the power she extended, she expected to feel weak or tired. Instead, she had too much. She shrugged out of Jackson’s hold and began to pace. Energy tingled along her fingertips, ready to come at her call. Too ready. The damn thing was changing on her again.

  “Raven?”

  “What?” She snapped then drew to a halt, realizing Dominic had been speaking to her. “Sorry.”

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yes, fine. It’s been a long day.”

  He paused before speaking. “Then we’ll discuss this later. Why don’t you go upstairs and rest.”

  Without replying, she nodded. She was through the door when she realized the guys hadn’t followed. She pivoted, ready to enter the room again when they spoke.

  “Has she always been able to prevent a person from shifting? To be able to yank them from a shift?” That was Jackson, always suspicious. She stifled a grunt of disgust, determined to listen.

  “No, but she very rarely shares anything personal. I don’t know if this is new or not.” Dominic’s voice faded as if he moved further from the door. She gave a second to consider if they could sense her then dismissed it. She wasn’t budging.

  “Has she been acting out of character recently?” He sounded hesitant.

  Taggert broke the silence first. “From what?”

  Dominic snorted. “She doesn’t allow anyone close to her.” She could hear the growl of impatience in his voice and could picture him snarling. “I swear each time I see her, she’s changed more, has less control.”

  “Or is growing stronger and having difficulty finding a balance.” Jackson posed the question as a statement, and she heard nothing for a long time.

  The words dropped her gut to her feet. Damn. She’d thought she’d been so careful to keep her growing powers and her inability to master them a secret. Obviously not. She’d been so desperate for contact, she’d stayed with the group longer than she knew was reasonable. A mistake. She refused to be a burden to them.

  She either needed to gain control or cut them out of her life completely. Once she finished this job, she’d assess the situation, and take whatever steps were necessary.

  She hurried upstairs, stripped down and stepped in the shower. The sharp sting of the cool water refreshed her somewhat. Her body healed sluggishly, begging for a few hours rest after the long day and the disturbing missing time at the morgue. Too bad it wasn’t going to happen. She had to meet Durant tonight, and needed to keep on her toes.

  A knock startled a little scream out of her. The door opened before she could comment, and Taggert peeked around the edge. She
went to reach for a towel and opened her mouth to blast him when she saw his downcast eyes and the slump to his shoulders.

  “Taggert?” She quickly turned off the water and wrapped the towel around her. “Are you okay?” She stepped carefully forward, noticing the flinch around his eyes at her approach.

  “Will you send me away?”

  His question threw her. “What do you mean?”

  “I’ll take your punishment, but I don’t want to leave.” He slipped to the floor, moving toward her on all fours.

  “What are you doing? Get up.” She went to him, determined to jerk him to his feet if she had to.

  “Please.” He rested his forehead against her foot. “Please.” He said it a second time, the plea in his voice making the back of her throat catch.

  Raven captured his chin and forced his head up. Her lips were tight when she spoke. “Let’s get one thing straight here. I don’t condone what she did to you. I don’t blame you for anything. I have no intention of sending you anywhere. Are we clear?” The look in his eyes made her uncomfortable, especially since she was barely clothed.

  “Why didn’t you fight back? Tell Trisha no?”

  “Have you ever seen large cats in the wild?” Jackson’s voice snapped her head up. She wanted to tell him to get the hell out of her bathroom, but she needed answers more.

  “No.”

  “They like to play with their prey. He can’t shift and defend himself.” He kept his face carefully blank. “It’s a game for them, the chase and struggle make it more enjoyable.”

  Raven closed her eyes, unwilling to see the message in his eyes. “Rape.”

  “It’s not rape if you’re willing.”

  “Bullshit.” Her eyes snapped opened, and she glared at Taggert. “The choice of death or sex is rape.”

  Taggert settled heavier against her. “Some of the women weren’t bad. It was the ones who liked pain that were the worst.”

  Raven glanced away briefly, horrified by what they accepted so casually. As if reading her thoughts, Jackson shook his head.