Electric series- Raven Investigations BoxSet

by Stacey Brutger

  “I found the mangled body of one of the guards. From their reactions, it wasn’t the first one either.” Taggert looked disheveled, ragged around the edges, his shoulder-length hair falling loose about his shoulders.

  Raven stepped closer to him, her concern growing. “When’s the last time you ate?”

  He tipped his head, his wolf rising under his skin. Since he couldn’t change, it had to be painful, but he didn’t seem to notice as he watched her. She very carefully lifted her hand and set it on his chest. His heart thundered under her hand, heat radiating off him like a furnace. Shifters normally ran warm, but he practically burned as if he’d caught a fever.

  “Taggert—”

  His lifted his head and inhaled deeply as if trying to catch a sent. He grabbed her arm and dragged him behind her. “Come, someone is watching.”

  He threaded them between the tents. She cracked open her senses, able to feel them behind them, practically breathing down their necks, searching around her until she located the problem

  Shifters.

  Two of them.

  And gaining ground fast.

  Taggert halted abruptly in front of a large tent with a big picture of a clown on the outside. He didn’t hesitate and shoved her through the clown’s open mouth and inside the tent. Mirrors sparkled on every surface, the floor and ceiling covered with black cloth. “We’re in a fun house.”

  The place was set up as a maze … or a death trap.

  There was only one way to go.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Taggert grabbed her arm, his face grim as they ran. The two men behind them whooped as they caught their scent and entered the maze in hot pursuit.

  Tagger sniffed, tugging and pulling her through the warren of mirrors in a path that only he could see … or smell as it were.

  She heard whispers of feet behind the mirrors as they stalked them every step of the way. When they were halfway through the maze, the room began to shift, the mirrors reconfigured into a new setting.

  The distorted mirrors threw their images back at them, the pitch-black tent making it appear that there were more people present than there actually were.

  Claws raked against glass, the screech so loud it felt like icepicks slammed into her eardrums. Running footsteps pounded around them, echoing against the mirrors, making it impossible to pinpoint their location.

  A slash of pain racked down her arm and blood filled the air. “Son of a bitch.”

  Taggert whirled, crouched to spring, his eyes glowing a brilliant yellow in the darkness, but the men had already disappeared back into the maze. Laughter rang out, and the mirrors shifted again.

  She saw a flash of movement. “Behind you.”

  Taggert rolled, and the claws meant to eviscerate him gouged down his back instead. Neither wound would’ve killed him. “They’re playing with us.”

  The shifters were picking on them because they thought she and Taggert were the weakest.

  They were nothing more than bullies.

  The dragon gave a hum of awareness in the back of her mind, settling down to watch, but letting her handle things.

  Great.

  Just when she could’ve used the help.

  As if on command, her claws sliced through the tips of her fingers, the second of pain startling her.

  The dragon.

  She was giving her the means to defend herself by fighting fire with fire.

  Only it would mean giving away her secrets in the process.

  She immediately curled her fingers into fists to hide them, the claws sinking into her palms.

  She racked her brain to come up with a plan, but the reflections of dozens of mirrors distorted her senses. Her eyes told her one thing while her other senses told her another, leaving her disjointed and off balance.

  The experience could only be worse for Taggert.

  That was when she realized they’d been herded there for a reason. She rushed over to Taggert. “Close your eyes. Focus all your attention on your other senses. You’ll be able to find them before they can sneak up on us.” She grabbed his hand, ignoring the blood trickling down her arm, the skin tight and icy as the gash closed. “I’ll lead you through the maze. You keep them off of us.”

  He stared at her a second longer with an unreadable expression, then nodded and closed his eyes, trusting her completely. Raven took comfort from the grass smell uniquely his own.

  She could do this.

  For him.

  She exhaled and peeled back the shield she wore. Electricity and magic rose from deep within her bones and sped through her veins. When the power built enough, she released it through the air, watching it light up as it caught the invisible trail, the twisted blue and red strands leading the way out in a path that only she could see. She unerringly wound them through the maze before the gears began to grind again.

  Taggert lunged to the left, yanked out of her hold and lashed out into the darkness.

  A startled yelp rang in the confined space.

  When Taggert sprang to follow, she snagged his shirt and yanked him backward seconds before the mirrors snapped into place and separated them.

  She twisted to gauge their new surroundings, but they appeared to be in a room completely enclosed by mirrors. Only their reflections stared back at them. The men whooped and hollered as if they’d succeeded in trapping their prey. Danger prickled painfully along her back as the men closed in on their location.

  Then she noticed that her magic trail continued … through one of the mirrors. Raven narrowed her eyes. “They’ll be waiting for us when we exit. Whatever happens, don’t react. Your mission is to find that boy.”

  She was taking a gamble that those hunting the circus weren’t there to hurt Taggert.

  She was betting his life on it.

  No matter what happened, they had to locate the boy. The urgency kicked up a notch, scratching at her skin like a mosquito bite she couldn’t quite reach.

  Time was running out.

  If they didn’t find the boy in time, she feared they’d all be in trouble.

  Taggert opened his mouth to protest, and she lifted her hand. “Follow me.”

  Then Raven ran toward the mirror, lifted her arms, curled up her legs, and threw herself at the glass.

  It shattered on contact.

  Gravity took hold, and she landed crouched on her feet in a shower of sparkling glass. Taggert didn’t hesitate, dropping down lightly next to her just seconds later.

  Cursing sounded behind them, and they took off running, winding their way through the maze until the exit blazed before them, sunlight streaming through the doorway. Raven slowed, her steps stumbling. The light should’ve been warm and inviting, but all Raven wanted to do was head back the way they’d just come.

  The world around them fell silent, and she realized they were completely alone inside the maze.

  It had all been a game, corralling them exactly where they wanted them.

  A trap to teach them a lesson.

  She had no doubt the ringmaster knew exactly what was happening and had approved the hunt.

  Retaliation for her interference last night.

  Raven glanced at Taggert, his eagerness to fight chilling her down to her bone. The meek, eager-to-please man she’d first met had vanished, replaced by this volatile creature. She was more determined than ever to leave tonight and find out what the hell was happening to him before she lost him to the rage. If he turned feral, she feared she’d never find him again.

  Raven wrapped all the current back around her. It fought her, wanting to protect her, sensing the lingering danger. More than a dozen people stood waiting for them, their energy swarming the tent. It would be so easy to drop them where they stood. She was almost willing to take the risk when the dragon swallowed the current down, leaving her feeling impotent.

  “Remember what I said.” She waited for Taggert to nod. His muscles bunched, his eyes gleamed in protest, before he finally relented.

 
Then she took a deep breath and walked outside to confront the growing crowd waiting to lynch her.

  Chapter Twenty

  “You were warned what would happen if you didn’t obey.” Clancy shook his head as if saddened by her obstinacy.

  Like what was about to happen was all her fault.

  She wanted to demand proof, but she wasn’t sure which rules he knew she’d broken and which he didn’t. She didn’t want to give him more ammunition.

  He seemed disappointed that she didn’t confront him, and she was beginning to understand the helplessness of being a lowly member in a pack.

  Men surrounded her and Taggert, marching them toward the Big Top. Besides the small gathering, the circus was deserted.

  Then they entered the tent.

  Everyone had been gathered.

  No one spoke, no one moved as they watched her enter, not wanting to draw attention to themselves. At the edge of the ring stood a fully-clothed Jackson, and her heart plummeted to her knees. He stiffened when he saw her, but didn’t otherwise show any other reaction, his emotions once more locked down. They shoved Taggert next to him and guided her into the center of the ring.

  “We granted you leniency because you’re new, but you left camp, snuck around when you should’ve been working. You continue to flaunt the rules. We gave you the benefit of the doubt, but now you’ll both be punished for your crimes.”

  Raven gave a start of surprise and realized they were talking to Jackson and Taggert.

  “Pin them.”

  Raven stepped forward when Jackson shook his head.

  To her horror, she watched as two large chains were dragged into the ring. Collars were fitted around their throats. Even from the distance, she smelled silver burning their skin. Raven couldn’t catch her breath, the need to do something riding her hard. Then both chains were pulled through a loop on the floor and bolted down.

  The action forced both men onto their knees.

  Then, much to her surprise, Clancy turned toward her. “Tie her down.”

  Both Taggert and Jackson lunged forward, but they were effectively trapped. Greggory stepped toward her, ignoring Jackson’s snarl and Taggert trying to claw his way free.

  “Hands.”

  Raven saw the apology in Greggory’s eyes.

  There would be no help from him.

  If she caused trouble, Clancy would take it out on her men. She slowly lifted out her arms, and he quickly secured her wrists, careful not to touch her skin. The bindings bit into her skin, his eyes stark as he met her gaze. Then he spun her around, lifted her hands and looped the rope through a spike high on the pole similar to the one Jackson had split last night.

  It was thirty feet high, six inches around.

  A shifter could easily break it, not to mention the ropes binding her arms.

  Greggory yanked on the straps, pulled the restraints tighter, until she remained balanced on her toes. Her gaze flashed up to his in time to see him mouth two words. “Stay strong.”

  She read the silent message.

  Stay human.

  Then he disappeared from sight.

  Careful not to touch her, he ripped open the back of her shirt and spread the edges, exposing her skin to the cool air.

  Then she realized what was happening.

  They were going to whip her.

  Her breath stuttered out of her. She leaned her forehead against the rough wood and widened her stance. She grabbed the ropes and wound them in her hands. Her back tingled in anticipation of the pain, vividly recalling what the fall of the lash felt like.

  The sharp pinch as her skin split.

  The trickle of blood.

  The few seconds of blessed numbness before the burning pain set in.

  With her stomach churning, she made the only decision she could to protect the pack—she cut the connection. Half her senses died, the loneliness growing worse when she couldn’t feel them.

  A tiger roared in the distance and tears gathered at the back of her eyes.

  Durant.

  She jumped as the crack of the whip snapped in the air. She relaxed her muscles in anticipation of the blow, released the breath she’d been holding, not willing to give Clancy the satisfaction of screaming.

  Then there was no more thought. The air shifted as the whip began to whirl. The first blow made her jump, and she arched away from the pain. A low moan strangled in her throat, and she clenched her teeth and slowly straightened.

  After five lashes, her back was on fire. Her claws sliced through the tips of her fingers and thunked into the wood to keep from tearing at the ropes confining her.

  On the sixth lash, her skin sliced open and blood trickled down her back.

  Her beast rumbled in displeasure, flooding her system with adrenaline, dulling the pain enough for her to take a single deep breath before the next stroke landed.

  By the eighth stroke, sweat beaded on her skin, dripping into her wounds, but she barely felt the added sting. Her legs shook, and she used the pole to support her weight.

  Two more blows landed, and Raven could only manage short, quick breaths, anything else impossible as each movement sent agony screeching through her back.

  She gritted her teeth, determined to stick it out even when the beast threatened to rise. She thought it would try to take away the pain ravaging her body, but realized the dragon was waking because of the loss of connection to the pack.

  She just had to hold on for a few more minutes. Pain had been such a constant companion to her for so many years, she welcomed it like an old friend, swallowed it down and pushed past it.

  Allowing her to think.

  Her body felt too small to contain everything, and a tiny crack spidered up her shields.

  Raven concentrated on the energy that had been so much of her life, weaving it together to form a grid, moving quickly so the beast wouldn’t guess her intent. When she secured the mesh, she slowly fed it power. She almost lost her concentration when the next two lashes landed in quick succession.

  The dragon wouldn’t be calmed. It wanted her pack back. Her vision darkened for a second, and she used the last of her energy to power the cage.

  The beast roared in denial when it realized what she’d done and threw itself at the grid.

  It felt like someone had punched her in the ribs … from the inside.

  Breathing became impossible.

  More frightening, the cage bent like taffy.

  Two more blows, and the dragon would be free.

  Agony kept her focused, allowed her to function, and she concentrated on holding the cage steady. If her beast tore free, she feared the dragon wouldn’t judge right from wrong, but kill everyone for just being there.

  The beast snarled in agreement, and her skin heated. Her control slipped further. The ropes cut into her skin as she struggled against the binding. If she hadn’t been tied up, she would’ve been clawing at her flesh.

  Her beast wanted out.

  Unfortunately, she doubted she’d survive the transition. Only purebreds have the ability to change. If she’d been a normal shifter, she would’ve changed at puberty. Most who try to change later don’t survive, stuck between forms. People like her, those who carry multiple strands of DNA, would end up tearing themselves apart from the inside out if they tried.

  The ropes creaked ominously, the wooden pole groaned, and her back screamed in agony at the strain.

  “Enough.” Clancy sounded furious that she didn’t bend to his will, but Raven didn’t give a shit. All that mattered was the dragon stopped pounding against the inside of her skull like little fairies armed with sharp pickaxes. She sagged against the pole, fighting nausea.

  When someone touched her bindings, Raven flinched, struggling to lift her head and focus her eyes. “Easy, little queen.”

  Greggory.

  The ropes released, and she wobbled precariously before forcing her legs to hold her weight, determined to walk out on her own two feet.

  Greggory followe
d her, blocking the view of her back, giving her some privacy.

  The crowd had long since gone quiet, everyone shifting uneasily as she passed, even the human guards. What concerned her most was the absolute silence from Jackson and Taggert. They’d fallen quiet after the first lash, and she stole a glance at them as she passed.

  As easily as that, the connection between them snapped back into place. The dragon shuttered, settling down like a bird with ruffled feathers, carefully checking the bindings as if they were little chicks. A trickle of energy struck the men hard, and she finally saw their chests rise for the first time in minutes.

  Theirs eyes glowed with their wolf, power clouded the air around them both, and everyone stepped away, not daring to come too close. Taggert appeared shattered, Jackson grim, both of them nearly feral.

  Blood dripped down their necks from the collars. The bolts pinning the chains to the floor had bent, almost ripped free from the moorings. Their wildness thudded into her body, fed the violent need to be free and hunt. As she neared, the primal urge scaled back, and their humanity slowly returned to their eyes.

  A minute or two more and they would’ve broken free and torn into the crowd.

  It was why Clancy had called a halt.

  Despite the anger seething around him at being disobeyed, his confidence was shaken. Suspicions darkened his eyes as he stared after her, and she knew he’d guessed some of the truth.

  Both men were just too strong to be rogues.

  They were pack.

  To attack another pack was cause for war.

  The need to go to her men and touch them nearly overtook her, only Greggory’s presence prevented her from putting her thoughts into action. Greggory opened the flap of the tent and stepped closer, forcing her to move or risk current arcing into him. “If you stay, you’ll only make it worse.”

  “My men—”

  “Will be released when they’ve had time to calm down. Your blood will only incite them more.” When she hesitated, he pushed home his point. “Don’t give Clancy a reason to kill them.”