Tension swamped the tent, the humans shifting uncomfortably. Clancy noticed the subtle change in attitude, his eyes narrowing in calculation. He couldn’t risk being seen as a liar or a cheat or he would lose the local clientele. It would cost him less to forfeit a night than lose customers. He smiled congenially, then stepped out of the way. “You are correct. Enjoy your evening.”
His smile was more gritted teeth than anything pleasant. There would be no forgive or forget with him. Come morning, they could expect retaliation.
Then Jackson stood before her, his delicious heat soaking into her skin. One irrational, totally stupid thought popped into her head—any punishment was worth not seeing Jackson leave with someone else.
Jackson bent and tossed her over his shoulder.
Raven squeaked at the unexpected move, squirmed in automatic protest, but his hold only tightened. The crowd cheered at the caveman tactic, then they were outside, her added weight not even slowing him down.
Then she became distracted by all the lovely flesh within touching distance.
Raven trailed a finger down his spine, enjoying the warm contact … until she encountered a large bruise covering his lower back. The sight snapped her back, and she could’ve kicked herself for getting distracted.
“You’re hurt.” Raven jerked her hand back, afraid to touch him and hurt him worse. She wiggled to be set free, wanting to gauge the damage he’d suffered. “Put me down.”
“No.” The grumble rumbled in his chest, and his arms clamped down around her legs. “You’re not hurting me.”
Raven shivered at his husky tone, then her breath caught as his hand slid up the back of her thighs, and she squirmed for an entirely different reason, uncertain if she was trying to get away or get closer. She almost whimpered when his hand stopped moving. Giving into the impulse to touch him back, Raven took advantage of her position, and the legitimate excuse to touch him, and carefully traced his ribs.
She would keep it professional and ignore the need to kiss him to see if he tasted as good as he looked.
Jackson gave a snuffling snort, the sound caught between human and beast. “My ribs aren’t broken. Your extra boost of energy healed them already.”
She jumped, guilty at being caught. She should’ve pulled back, kept things clinical, but she fell under his spell, her palms tingling at the contact of warm skin, miscalculating the effect he had on her.
One touch just wasn’t enough.
His scent of fresh grass invaded her lungs until she wanted to bury her face against him and inhale. His stride hitched, then his pace increased. Before too long, he halted in front of a trailer. Jackson thrust open the door, and she promptly found herself placed on her feet. She wobbled at the abrupt loss of his support as he practically scrambled to get away from her.
His chest heaved, but more than exertion caused his reaction. Fighting brought out their animal’s primitive side. He might be in human form, but inside, he was full beast. She wanted to examine his wounds and heal him, but didn’t dare get close.
Unless she wanted to be flat on her back, she needed to show him who was in charge.
She needed to show dominance.
The trailer was gutted, the room sparsely furnished with a table, a set of chairs and a very large bed that took up a quarter of the space. She twisted to keep Jackson in view, her skin tingling with awareness, very conscious of the bed looming behind her. She licked her lips, nerves dancing in the pit of her stomach, and she cursed her body’s fickle reaction. “Sit on the chair.”
Energy vibrated around him, a seductive warmth she ached to rub against until she was surrounded by nothing but his delicious scent. She waited for him to disobey and lunge at her, but to her surprise and—if she was honest with herself—disappointment, he listened. He brought the chair to the middle of the room, less than a foot from her, then sat, never once taking his gaze from her.
She felt his eyes on her body, studying every inch of her, almost as if deciding which part he wanted to devour first.
She’d gotten him to listen, but that didn’t mean she was in charge.
She needed to take control.
When she stepped forward, he reached for her, and she quickly slapped his hands. “No. Hands on your knees.”
Again, he obeyed, his knuckles whitening as he gripped his legs to keep from reaching for her. Though the wolf in him retreated a little bit more, he still remained more beast than man. The barely there shorts hugged his form to perfection, leaving his powerful legs on full display. Roped muscles twitched as he struggled to stay still, an all-powerful machine tuned to perfection—and all of that attention was focused on her.
A tiny thrill twisted through her at seeing him submit to her, and the way he couldn’t control his obvious desire.
“You took too many chances out there. You let him land too many blows.” She stepped closer, but quickly halted when his muscles rippled, whether in anticipation of her touch or to lunge at her, she didn’t know. His chest heaved, his whiskey-brown eyes splintered and gleamed a bright green as he studied his prey.
When he tipped his head a certain way, she realized he was trying to catch her scent.
Her own breath hiccupped in her chest as the tension ratcheted up another notch. If he even suspected that she wanted his touch—craved it—there would be no way to prevent him from taking what he wanted.
Not when she desired him just as much.
One touch from him and all her control would vanish.
“It was the only way to get close to him. I couldn’t keep dancing around him forever. He’s so used to landing blows he’s never learned how to take them.”
His gruff words broke the spell, and Raven narrowed her eyes, fury balling into her gut. “You based your whole strategy on a guess?” Her voice took a sharper edge, rising slightly at the end.
“I’m an enforcer. I’m trained to study my opponent and devise the best way to bring him down.” More and more of the man returned with the conversation.
His calm only infuriated her more, but his complete confidence in his answer deflated her anger a fraction. She might not like his decisions, but it was backed up by years of experience. Irritation flickered in her for a few more seconds before she dismissed it and walked around him. She tried to study his body for injury, but kept getting distracted by what he wore … or more precisely, what little he wore.
Those blasted tiny shorts.
They revealed everything.
Especially his blatant erection.
She swallowed hard, waiting for familiar anxiety to swamp her at being trapped with him, would have almost preferred it to the mixed emotions ripping through her gut—possessiveness, along with the overwhelming need to touch and taste.
It took all her willpower to tear her gaze away.
Looking at the rest of his body wasn’t much better. He was covered in blood and sweat, bruises littering his torso. A gash over his eye still bled sluggishly, while a nasty bruise darkened his jaw. His lip was split. A shiner colored one eye. Bruised ribs. All of his injuries were painful but not life-threatening.
He would be all right.
Her throat tightened in relief.
But what about next time?
Life taught him how to fight, and he had a tolerance for pain, but the constant shifting into his wolf would eventually exhaust him.
He couldn’t go into that ring again. She couldn’t bear to see him beaten into unconsciousness. Something inside her would snap.
Even as she watched, his cuts pulled closed, bruises lightened.
But there was one spot on his shoulder, right under his collarbone, that drew her attention. There was no injury or bruise, but something that nearly dropped her to her knees.
Her mark.
She shuffled forward, her arm lifting to touch him, a compulsion she couldn’t refuse even if she wanted to.
Jackson moved as a blur, launching out of the chair and catching her wrist so quickly she could barely track it.
&
nbsp; Her breath caught in her throat, and she found her back pressed against the cupboards, her ass perched precariously on the edge of the counter. Both of them froze, afraid to move lest one of them break. She enjoyed the feelings he invoked and didn’t want to ruin it by letting reality intrude.
“You play a dangerous game. If you touch that mark, I won’t be able to stop from claiming every inch of you.”
What was meant as a threat had the opposite effect. Her body turned molten with need, and she unconsciously swayed forward at his not-quite invitation, the hunger that licked through her impossible to ignore any longer.
Her lips were just a breath short of touching paradise when her balance slipped.
Reality came crashing back in a mortifying wave.
She wobbled and clutched Jackson’s arms to steady herself, embarrassment heating her face. She ducked her head and reluctantly loosened her hold, her fingers lingering for a second, unable to stop from stealing one last touch, before she finally released him. She tensed to jump down when he cupped the underside of her knees, slowly sliding his hand up the back of her legs, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. He pushed forward until he settled between her thighs, the thin barrier of clothing making the contract electric.
Her heart thumped heavily against her ribs, leaving her giddy at the thought of his kiss. Desperate to know that he wanted her just as badly, she lifted her gaze, then stopped short when it snagged on the collar he wore. Wrath wrapped her up in its crushing grip to see him treated like some damned house pet to be tamed and domesticated.
She reached up, her claws tearing through the leather and cords until the straps fell away in her hands. She stared at the delicate, tiny claws in surprise, watching as they disappeared as quickly as they came. A sharp pinch of pain came from her fingertips as the claws came and went, but not to the degree that she expected. It was over in an instant, her blood instantly healing the injuries. She should be terrified by the ease with which they appeared, but elation quickly replaced any other emotions.
It meant she could protect her pack.
Her attention dropped to the collar. Inside rested threads of silver, ready to burn or even be used as a garrote to decapitate a shifter if he tried to remove it. She expected to feel the burn of silver now that the dragon thrived in her blood, but she still felt nothing and dropped the vile collar to the floor.
For so many years she hadn’t been able to touch anyone without the fear of killing them. Even the smallest brush of skin on skin was a marvel she couldn’t take for granted. She waited for the familiar crippling fear to infect her, the desperate need to scramble away and get to safety before she harmed Jackson.
Instead, she wanted to get closer.
But he’d stopped moving, having come to his senses, the bastard. Disappointment ricocheted through her with the realization that he wasn’t going to act on his feelings.
Raven took advantage of her position and reached out, placing her hand over her mark. It was a dirty trick, but the obstinate angle of his chin said he wouldn’t relent, not even to steal one kiss.
A growl rumbled up his chest at her touch, pure lust heating his eyes to a brilliant green. Without giving herself time to think, Raven arched upward and kissed him.
Time froze for a second as she waited for his reaction, then he exploded into motion. His grip flexed on her hips, pulling her snug against him while his mouth devoured her. Breathing became unimportant as the kiss took on a life of its own. When she nipped his bottom lip, she could feel the tips of his nails rip into her jeans, his ferocious hunger unleashed.
Raven loved every moment, taking what she could before reason returned and reality intruded. The thought of him stopping had her reaching out to wrap herself around him.
A possessive growl rumbled up his chest, and her body melted. His hands glided upward, slipping under her shirt until bare skin met skin and his fingers brushed lightly over her back. Her breath caught as her whole body tingled at such a simple gesture. Unable to help herself, she wiggled her hips, wanting more, then halted when she felt his arousal pressed so intimately against her.
As if sensing her hesitation, Jackson eased back, the kiss slowing as if he were savoring every last second. The effect was just as devastating, and her body hummed with the knowledge that she had such an effect on him when he so prided himself on his control.
After the labs and her deadly touch, she’d never been overly attracted to men, never had a certain type that drew her, but something about all his power, the care he took with her, drew her on an elemental level.
She craved more of his touch, his taste, adoring the possessive way he clutched her to him. In an instant, she knew she could do whatever she wanted to him and he would allow it—welcome anything she had to offer. She raked her nails down his back, demanding more, and Jackson growled in pleasure, his hips jerking against her
Her beast rose, eager to come out to play, and a frisson of unease doused the desire to take everything he offered.
Chapter Seventeen
The instant Raven stopped responding, Jackson eased back. To her regret, sanity slowly returned to his eyes. She panted to catch her breath, growing uncomfortable under his regard, his once loving embrace becoming restricting as the seductive mood that had so captured them vanished.
The dragon howled in denial as the distance between them grew. Claws thunked in her chest, as if trying to reach through her to keep him close. Her eyes widened, startled by the realization, battling to rein in the beast before anyone else could sense its presence.
Jackson pressed his face into her neck, trembling as he fought for control. He licked her neck, more to soothe them both than anything sexual.
The dragon calmed and hunkered down, appeased for the time being.
“Not here.” He grabbed her shoulders, gently pushing her away. “Not like this.”
Raven shivered, tightening her hold, not ready to let him go. Before she could protest, he tore himself from her arms and stood on the opposite side of the trailer, the farthest he could get from her without actually leaving. Raven felt a fool when he couldn’t even bring himself look at her.
“Jackson—”
“Pack craves touch. When our beasts rise to the surface, so does our need. I should’ve never touched you.”
His words were like a slap to the face, and she blanched at the truth. “Of course.”
Mortified by her reaction, Raven jumped from the counter, giving him her back as she quickly shoved her shirt back into her pants. Her heart rested heavy in her chest, crushed to pulp as he reduced what they had just shared to nothing more than a quick romp. Any woman would do. Before she could escape, Jackson stepped in her path and cupped her chin, lifting her face up to his.
“You misunderstand.”
Jackson gave her that baffled, frustrated look she was becoming familiar with, and she tried to smile … and failed. “I’m thinking too human, aren’t I?”
His lips quirked for a second. “Women born to the pack are raised away from the men. They’re trained from birth for seduction by older females to get what they want. Men will always be stronger, but women have a different power and they aren’t afraid to use it. They deal with infatuation and lust, nothing deeper.”
He inched closer, heat warming his eyes. “Your touch is not calculated, you give without taking. It’s more than what the pack would offer.” He tipped her head back until he could stare into her eyes. “Don’t ever think that you’re not enough.”
Nothing he said made sense. “Then why did you stop?”
“Durant and I are old enough to know what we want. You think you are denying us something, but it’s the opposite.” Those wonderful whiskey-brown eyes of his splintered green as his wolf rose. “Taggert grew up rogue. Pack considers him tainted. No female inside the pack would want him for anything more than to toy with him, turn him into a slave to do their bidding. We all left that life behind and chose something else.” He pressed closer, invaded her space.
“You.”
Raven shifted uncomfortably under his penetrating stare and found herself pinned against the wall by his body. His eyes dilated at the contract, and she shivered with desire for more. When his hands trailed down her sides, her breath left her in a rush, and she groaned in protest when he stopped exploring her.
He rested his forehead against hers. “Touching you leaves us both too vulnerable. I can’t let down my guard and take the time I need to show you the pleasure you deserve.”
Raven nearly swallowed her tongue at the scorching heat in his eyes. Much more pleasure and she’d burst into flames. “Don’t you think that should be up to me?”
“You deserve more romance than to be taken like an animal in a dirty trailer.” He pulled away, pacing the small confines of the room. He stole glances at her, regret tightening his face, revealing that if he kept touching her he would never stop.
He was right, of course, but the distance between them devastated her control.
She crossed her arms, leaned against the wall to keep from trailing after him like a lost puppy begging for scraps.
They needed to leave.
The dragon hissed and crouched, landing like a thousand pounds had just sat on her. No matter how she probed the beast, the stubborn creature refused to relent. That meant the danger still has not passed. One of them was still destined to die. Unfortunately, Raven was very much afraid that if they stayed, the very same thing would happen. She needed to find a way to remove herself from the equation. “Remaining at the circus is becoming too dangerous. I’m too much of a liability. Sooner or later Clancy’s going to use me against the pack. If we tell them I’m a witch, I think it would give us more leverage.”
Jackson halted on the spot, his shoulders straightening, every inch of his body ready to fight. “We can’t risk Clancy become more interested in you.”
Raven knew he was right, but she didn’t know how much more abuse she could watch her pack endure before she broke. She debated leaving the circus to their fate when Jackson stopped in front of her and tipped up her chin.
Electric series- Raven Investigations BoxSet Page 16