“You need a prize.” He flashed her a smile, mischief dancing in his eyes. “To blend in the crowd and look authentic.”
Raven snorted, charmed by his playfulness, and allowed herself to be hauled behind him. She couldn’t help but admire the way he filled out his jeans. He’d gained weight, all muscle by the look of it, and she gave a little hum of pleasure.
“How many?” The man at the booth was beyond lean, his body unwashed and smelly. Creepiness emanated from him as his eyes lingered on her body.
His smile was quick, all fake charm.
Human.
Taggert lifted a ball and studied it. Raven repressed her smile as he made the guy wait, retaliation for the way the he’d stripped her with his eyes.
“One ball.”
The smile was gone now. “Five bucks.”
He accepted the money, then flipped a switch. A faint hum of magnets rumbled in the air. Taggert heard and lifted a brow, silently goading the man, completely unconcerned. He focused on the bottles. Almost faster than she could see, he drew his arm back and launched the ball.
The bottles didn’t just fall over, they exploded, bits of metal embedding in the wall behind it. The man didn’t react beyond a sigh and tossed a small stuffed wolf that Taggert indicated onto the counter. “You’re entitled to one win per night. No more games tonight for either of you.”
The rehearsed speech was given in a bored, monotone voice, as if for the hundredth time. Taggert nodded and gingerly lifted the small animal.
He turned and walked toward her, the man already forgotten. He carried the animal in his palm, proudly lifting his prize out to her, then waited patiently for her to accept it.
He was offering her more than a stuffed wolf.
Raven hesitated, then realized that he was courting her. By accepting his gift, she was essentially accepting his suit. Hope shone from his chocolate brown eyes, only tiny shards of green remained from his wolf. The more time they spend together, the calmer he appeared, and the more his wolf retreated. The knot of worry that he’d never recover finally began to untangle.
They could get through this together.
She expected the shy wolf she first met, but when she gazed at him, he stared brazenly back, not an easy thing to do with an alpha. Hunger darkened his eyes, a proud and bold warrior staking a claim.
Giddiness swept over her at being courted. She’d never had anyone show such interest in her, not until she’d stumbled upon her pack. It wasn’t wise or smart or even remotely sensible, but she found herself reaching for the small stuffed animal. Her fingers sank into the fluffy fur, and she hugged the little wolf to her chest.
As if her acceptance was a signal, his stance widened, he crossed his arms and he lifted his chin, all possessive and arrogant. “My kiss.”
Chapter Four
Raven’s lips tingled at his growled demand for a kiss. Nervousness sent her heart tumbling, but Taggert made no move to take. A hint of vulnerability shadowed his eyes, luring her closer. Shifters were given free reign with human women, but shifter females were so rare, they were forbidden to have any relations without direct permission from their alphas.
That essentially made her off limits.
Most would consider openly flirting permission, but she wasn’t used to showing affection, and Taggert had been a slave too long to do anything without consent. So they had struck a deal. He would tell her what he wanted, and she would know she wasn’t taking advantage of him.
This was the first time that he’d asked, and her mind scattered into chaos. The crowd jostled her from all sides, and it snapped her out of her daze. “Not here.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw, her words like a blow, and he gave an abrupt nod before turning away.
But not before she saw the hurt.
He hid it so quickly that she would’ve missed it if she hadn’t been watching him closely, and she winced at the pain she’d inflicted by her clumsiness. Taking his arm, she began walking. “We both know one kiss won’t be enough. We need a place a little less … public.”
Part of her wondered if it wouldn’t be better to have an audience, a form of chaperone, but she didn’t want to share that intimate moment with anyone but him. A growl of hunger rumbled in her stomach. “Now, why don’t you show me this food?”
The shadows that haunted his eyes disappeared, heating with anticipation, and a hunger of another sort roared to life. Taggert saw, he saw everything damn him, and his seductive smile was a promise of what was to come.
When he learned that she’d never tasted fair food, he plied her with a sample of smoked turkey leg, gooey cheese curds, sticky cotton candy, cakes and sweets until they were both stuffed. Shifters needed extra calories or their beasts would rise to the surface. For her, it was worse. If she didn’t constantly eat, she syphoned energy from those around her.
They avoided the rides by silent agreement, neither wanting to be confined or trapped. The lights began to dim, signaling the close of the circus. Raven released a breath, relieved to be away from the constant stream of people. It had only been two hours, and the loss of her animal left her on edge. She expected her senses to have leveled off, turning her little better than human, but the longer she remained without the beast, the more her body rebelled. Her eyes felt scratchy, noises just a little too loud, leaving her jumping at shadows. She rubbed her arms as the hairs stood on end, the sensations so strong, her skin actually hurt to touch.
“You’re cold.” Taggert frowned, stepping so close she couldn’t see past his broad shoulders, damned touchy-feely shifters having no sense of boundaries.
“Not really.” But she didn’t have the heart to push him off. His nearness eased the seesaw of her senses. Raven hesitated, surreptitiously searching the crowd. “Something’s wrong. Shouldn’t the others have found us by now?”
Being away from the rest of the pack for so long only aggravated her unease.
“Durant’s still in his animal form. They probably stayed with the car to give us time to enjoy ourselves.” But he didn’t sound like he believed it.
Jackson had said they would meet up.
So where were they?
“We should head back.”
Taggert tightened his hold, forcing her to remain at his side as they walked through the thinning crowd. “If there’s trouble, the last thing we can do is go back.”
“But—”
“We would only be placing them in more danger. We’re safer here in the crowd. The instant we leave, we’ll be vulnerable.”
She hated it, but he was right. She wouldn’t risk bringing trouble back to her pack.
They needed answers first.
A chill slithered into her bones as they walked from tent to tent without stopping. She should demand to find the rest of her pack, tear apart anyone who would try to take what was hers, but her beast remained stubbornly silent. Magic hummed under her skin in agitation, rising with her volatile emotions. It grew in waves, so much stronger without her beast there as a shield that it threatened to suck her under.
The wild magic only made it so much worse.
It yearned to wreak havoc, escape into the crowd. Raven curled her fingers into fists, and the magic snarled at being denied. It sizzled under her skin, sinking painfully into her bones in retaliation until every joint ached.
Sanity returned as the magic faded. She glanced behind her in the direction of the exit, but made no move to leave. Every instinct warned her to remain, that the answers they needed were here. The overwhelming desire to find her pack remained, but the primal need eased back enough to allow her to think clearly. “They’re closing the circus. We’ll have to leave eventually.”
Taggert cast her a glance, and Raven stiffened. She knew that look. He wanted her to do something that she wasn’t going to like.
“You’re an alpha. You should be able to connect to them.”
Raven scowled. Easier said than done. The only way she could connect with the pack was by using her animal. W
ith her beast in full lockdown mode, she was left with squat.
That didn’t mean she couldn’t sense them. The connection was still there, she just wouldn’t be able to talk to them. “I’ll need to borrow your wolf if you’re willing.”
Taggert didn’t even hesitate. “I’m yours to command.”
Raven winced, hating the way it sounded like he was still a slave and didn’t have a choice. “If you would rather—”
“Don’t.” Taggert pulled her to a stop, hunching down until they were nose to nose. “I volunteered. We’re your pack, and we’ll do anything to protect you. You need me, and I’m happy to be of service. Now tell me what I have to do.”
“I need to touch you.”
His eyes darkened, and she swallowed hard as pure lust poured off him. He wasn’t hiding from her anymore, and the intensity of it made her yearn for everything he offered.
It reminded her that she was no longer alone.
If only she had enough courage to reach for it.
Her pack offered her everything she’d ever wanted. All she had to do was prove to herself that she was strong enough to contain her dragon before she could allow herself to really believe this was real.
She took a deep breath, his woodsy scent filled her lungs. Tension dribbled out of her, and she placed her palm against his chest. His heartbeat thundered under her palm, his desire and excitement reaching over to pull her under his spell.
It took all her restraint not to succumb.
In desperation, she grabbed for his wolf.
She expected a struggle to find his beast. Instead, his wolf slammed into her with the force of a sledgehammer, and she nearly landed on her ass. Only Taggert’s hold on her arms kept her upright.
His beast didn’t attack, didn’t try to consumer her. The animal’s shape wasn’t solid, or even vaguely wolf-like, more of an impression of something wild.
Something massive.
And it wanted only one thing … her.
She reached out tentatively, and pure warmth met her touch. A brush of fur rubbed against her, almost hesitant, as if afraid that she would run. Ignoring all the sensations bombarding her, she searched her mind, concentrating on the connection to the pack, and it easily snapped into place. The bindings could only be held by an alpha. The strand allowed her to trace every member of her pack, no matter the distance separating them.
A dozen or so strings streamed off into the distance, an intricate network joining her to her pack. Only there were a lot more connections than she’d expected. The wolf shifted impatiently, and Raven pushed aside her questions and focused on the threads nearest to her, not wanting the rest of her pack to become worried if they sensed her probe.
As she poured energy into the bindings, three bright lines flared to life. One for Taggert, the other two located at the back of the circus. Only, they weren’t moving. She could sense their heartbeat, but none of their impressions or thoughts. It worried her, but when she would’ve pushed for more, she saw Taggert’s wolf creep closer.
She didn’t sense any jealousy, more of a craving to touch her while she was distracted. A little unnerved under its attention, she hauled back on the current. She had to be content with the knowledge that the rest of her pack remained near. The second her hand lifted from Taggert’s chest, the intimate link between them broke. The noise of the circus swelled, filling the vacuum of silence like a switch had been flipped.
Almost afraid of what she would find, Raven glanced up.
Taggert’s eyes were pure green as his wolf gazed brazenly back at her, all wild and hungry, his sight firmly set on her. The air became thin, and she all but wheezed at the intensity. “They were able to move the car. They’re parked behind the circus. They must have decided to stay with the car instead of bothering to leash Durant.”
Just hearing her voice dialed the wildness in Taggert back to normal levels. He inhaled deeply, his eyes dilating and she knew he’d scented both her fear and her excitement, a dangerous combination to an animal. It was all she could do not to step away and run.
He would give chase.
He would catch her.
Her heart thundered against her ribs, and she was very much afraid that she wanted to get caught, consequences be damned.
Chapter Five
Lights to the rides were doused, throwing them in darkness, and Raven gave a startled glance around her, having completely lost track of time. The family circus had changed in the matter of minutes, taking with it the innocent laughter. The cheerful mood had turned sinister. It crept over her like shadows, something she couldn’t brush off or shed.
Only adults remained, the majority of them men. They were dressed in jeans and leather jackets, not the khakis and buttoned shirts the suburban parents had donned. Their curiosity was invasive. Malevolence oozed in the air. She wanted to grab Taggert and retreat, hide where they wouldn’t be spotted.
She half expected the people to be sporting weapons and give chase if she dared move.
Like the last ten years of fragile peace between the races never existed.
“What’s happening?” She edged closer to Taggert, unsure if she was seeking comfort or satisfying the need to protect him.
Taggert’s face didn’t reveal any emotions. “The freak show has started.”
Raven flinched as if she’d been slapped. She had expected the show to be entertainment for shifters, just as the daytime show was for humans. “Then why does it feel as if we’re about to be hunted down like animals to the slaughter?”
“Because humans enjoy killing things they don’t understand. They have to be seen as stronger and in charge. Out in the real world, they have to bottle up what they feel. Here, the shifters pretend to be prey so the humans feel safe.”
“It’s all an illusion.” When Taggert still didn’t react, a chill iced over her heart. “Right?”
“To a certain extent. If humans had won the war, all shifters would either be dead or behind bars. Most humans live in fear, and their hatred festers. They don’t have to hide that here.”
Raven glanced at the lit tents, the very same tents that were closed earlier. “Tell me what I should expect.”
“All shifters who join the circus are required to perform. They are called freak shows because shifters can reveal their true selves without fear. Sure, some humans born with deformities have joined over the years, but the majority of the people are shifters who can hold partial transformations.”
Raven shivered as the ice spread deeper in her chest, feeling like it penetrated her soul. “Isn’t that dangerous? If you leave your animals too close to the surface, you risk losing your human side, not to mention it’s extremely painful.”
Taggert shrugged it off as if it didn’t matter. “When it’s either that or die, many find there is no choice.”
“What else?” Raven braced herself, needing to know what to expect. She needed to be able to keep her reactions in check. The last thing she could afford was to reveal the truth. Females shifters were rare, an alpha even less so.
She would cause a stir.
She would also be a great prize.
“Shifters can take a lot of damage. Swallowing fire or swords isn’t a big deal when you can heal fast. Knife throwing is an art form, our aim’s better, our throws quicker. We’re stronger and faster and can do things that should be impossible.” He nudged her in the direction of one of the tents, and it was all she could do not to drag her feet.
She did not want to go in there.
“What would you pay to see a talking bear, or a man lift a car, or witness a man shift into a real live beast?”
Raven thought he was joking until he pointed to a sign posted outside a crimson tent. There was an actual bear balanced on top of a ball, underneath were the other acts, including something called a wolfman. “All shifters?”
She wasn’t sure she wanted to see, but morbid curiosity pulled her forward.
Whatever could scare her creature into hiding couldn’t
be a good thing.
She needed to find out what was happening before they left. She couldn’t risk it following her. The last thing she could afford was to bring more trouble down upon her pack.
The man at the entrance of the tent was human, standing guard by checking wristbands. When he saw her white band next to Taggert’s black, his attitude changed. A sneer curled his lips, revealing tobacco-stained teeth, and she wanted to gag at the harsh stench emanating from the greasy hair snarled like a rats nest around his head. Whipcord thin, he was comprised of layers of clothing piled one over another in an attempt to make him appear more imposing. He resembled nothing more than a scrawny hobo … with all the fleas and dirt that went with not showering regularly.
When he noted them together, she was judged and found guilty, treated like a criminal for just standing next to Taggert. His eyes stripped her of all clothes, as if she were no better than a whore for the taking.
She felt violated.
Taggert stepped between them and growled. The hairs on the back of her neck rose, and the man leapt back, practically stumbling over his own feet to get away.
Raven quickly shoved Taggert toward the tent. The last thing they needed was to draw attention to themselves. When she glanced back to make sure they weren’t being followed, hatred darken the man’s face seconds before the tent curtain dropped shut, cutting him off from view. She shivered at his deeply seated loathing for shifters.
Raven eyed Taggert’s broad shoulders, admiring the way his body arrowed down to a slim waist. He’d won a dominance showdown and did it without thought, willing to beat the crap out of the man, consequences for touching a human be damned.
Raven flicked her fingernails, growing more and more concerned by his rash actions. “We’re supposed to blend in with the crowd, not draw attention to ourselves.”
Ignoring her hiss, he tucked her up against his side. Muscles flexed wherever they touched, doing a damned good job of distracting her.
“He was disrespecting you.” He said it as if that was all that mattered. Like he had no choice.
Electric series- Raven Investigations BoxSet Page 4