Jackson sat up, taking her by surprise when he brushed his lips against hers. “I’ll be fine.”
A tremor shook her hands, and she reached for him. The feel of his arm beneath her fingers calmed some of the unease that insisted she not let him go. “Did I say thank you, yet?”
Jackson winked despite the fatigue that had to be dragging him down. The length of time shifters were in their animal form often left them asleep for hours, if not days as their system recovered from the trauma. The shorter the shift, the longer the recovery time. “You can thank me properly in the morning.”
She knew what he wanted. Pack status.
She gave a hesitant nod, and Jackson allowed himself to be cuffed and led away with a limp and one last self-satisfied glance at her. Darkness swallowed him, and she bit back the demand that he come back.
Scotts hesitated. “Go home. Rest. Take your friends with you.” He stared at the trees where Dominic had disappeared. “All of them.”
Raven complied without another word. They wouldn’t find anything incriminating here, Dominic would make sure of it. The hunters were gone. Everyone was safe. It was time to close the case.
Too bad she feared it was much too late to keep the others safe from her.
* * *
“Will the police find the others?”
Durant snorted, not bothering to lift his gaze from the windshield. “They won’t be searching for the right things, nor do they have the tracking skills that shifters do.”
The agitation eating Durant alive wasn’t revealed by any actions, but it grew beneath his surface, ready to tear through his skin if provoked. That was fine. His mood matched hers perfectly.
The pain of being moved to the car gradually faded as she concentrated on the feel of Durant’s and Taggert’s warm bodies pressed on either side of her. Her animals responded to their nearness, accelerating the healing process.
Raven agreed with Durant’s assessment of the police. “I’ll have London come back at dawn to track the few hunters that had managed to escape. They were planning to disappear after tonight. My guess is they’ve already moved onto the next hunting ground.” But not if she could help it. She’d track them and ensure this never happened to others.
Right after she talked to Lester. She had most of the pieces of the puzzle. The biggest gap in the case was what had happened to Jason’s body.
The road to the house loomed, and the occupants of the car fell silent. Part of her hadn’t believed she would be returning with everyone relatively safe.
They had won.
“What about Sarah?” Taggert voiced the question that had been nagging at her. They limped together to the house, Durant doing his best to keep them both standing. “She’s still out there.”
“They were controlling her.” To some extent.
“She might have killed at their command, but she’s still a killer,” Durant’s voice rumbled with violence. “You nearly died from her first attack.” Though his words were harsh, his touch remained gentle as he eased her up the stairs. They followed Taggert’s unsteady gait as he lead them to her room.
Raven didn’t have the strength to shrug. “She’s more animal than anything, squirreling away body parts for food stores. She wanted away from them.”
“And now that the police removed her food supply,” Taggert reminded her, “she’ll hunt for more.”
Raven shook her head. “They’ve been hunting in these woods for months. There were dozens missing, and we found only a fraction of them.”
Neither man was satisfied with that answer. Hell, she wasn’t either. “Taggert, shower first, then food.”
The glaze in his eyes told he was at the end of his rope. The wolf had been too close to the surface for too long, taking a toll on his body. Seconds later, the shower thrummed to life.
“Let me clean you up.” Durant guided her to the bathroom. He wasn’t asking.
He prowled around her, always remaining within touching distance, always watching. The large tiled bathroom felt cramped with him in the room. No place to hide from the strong leather scent that always clung to him. It softened her edge when she needed it most.
Before she knew what to expect, Durant slipped his large hands over her hips and lifted her onto the counter. Cold granite sucked a gasp from her. When she opened her mouth to object, the tightness around his mouth had her rethinking her protest.
“The first aid kit is under the sink.”
He bent, retrieved the cardboard box, inspected the healthy supply and grunted as if the abundance of products was barely adequate. He carefully unwound the makeshift bandages, his touch so light she barely felt it. The slice on her arm was a thin line, the wound already clotted and sealed thanks to her animals. The gunshot was the same but had more of a singed look. He wet a cloth and cleaned each area, edging closer until he was wedged between her thighs with her having no idea how he got there.
Under the light, with his head bowed, she could see faint stripes in his wild mane of hair. Something about it had a smile curling her lips, but she resisted the urge to pet him. She didn’t think he’d appreciate the fact that she thought it was cute.
She shifted to give him better access, and the scab on her leg broke open in protest. She didn’t say a word, but Durant stilled. He inhaled deeply, a line forming between his brows.
“You re-opened your wound.” It was an accusation. He glanced down, peering through the jagged gap in the material where Solider Boy’s knife struck her thigh. “I’ll have to cut off your jeans.”
“This is the second time that’s happened this week. I’ll be out of clothes soon if you guys keep it up.” She meant it as a joke, but the lines around his mouth deepened.
“I’ll replace them.” As he spoke, he pulled out a large double-edged knife from a sheath at his back. One she hadn’t even known existed. She jumped, expecting to feel cold steel, but he sliced the fabric with practiced ease. When she leaned back to give him room, he lifted the knife and sliced through the shredded fabric of her shirt.
“Hey!” The top gapped, revealing her chest down to her navel. Feeling very much exposed, she jerking up the corners to cover her bra. When he didn’t move, she finally lifted her gaze, knowing the bastard’s patience would outlast hers. “What?”
His focus zeroed on her injuries, a closed expression to his face made her feel lower than an insect. “You never called. You knew you were going into danger, and you never called.”
“I—” She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t even think to give him a call and knew he wouldn’t appreciate that fact if he ever found out. “Everything happened so fast. We had to move.”
This time he wouldn’t meet her eyes, busying himself by searching in the med box. She felt the need to explain further.
“I’ve been alone most of my life. I don’t know anything about pack. I’ve never been in one and don’t have the first clue of how one works.” He put a bandage on her leg, ripping the tape with his teeth. She grabbed his hand when he finished securing the last edge. “I don’t know how to rely on anyone else.”
The shower shut off. Durant pulled away and inspected her shoulder. He picked up the cloth and dabbed the area. Like a damn cat, he wouldn’t be appeased with an apology. He was going to make her work for it.
Taggert stepped out of the shower. The vicious cut slashed across his back from lower waist to mid back. The bullet wound still oozed blood. A patch of angry red marred his upper shoulder from where she had torn the tracker out of him. Skin stretched over each of his ribs as if he hadn’t eaten in weeks.
She jumped down, ignoring the jarring pain that shot up her thigh. Testing her core, she cursed the dormant energy, unable to call upon even the tiniest thread to heal him. The meager supply was all locked up mending her own body, and not allowing her to gainsay it.
The house stored a lot of energy, but it was raw power. She’d have to funnel it through her body to make it usable for healing. She reached out to touch Taggert
when Durant caught her wrist.
Taggert’s gaze lifted, flickered past hers and he gave a subtle nod. “I’ll grab something to eat while Durant patches you up.”
When she would’ve protested, Taggert trailed a finger down her hand, then left with only a towel around his waist. Her jaw snapped shut. Trust. He was asking her to trust the pack.
Turning to face Durant, she was startled to see the anger on his face. His fierce gaze fastened on the hand Taggert had touched. Then the look disappeared as if it’d never been there.
“You’re so angry.” Despite her own irritation, the need to understand and soothe him refused to go away.
“That boy has a higher standing in the pack than I do.” And he was obviously infuriated by it.
“You and Taggert are the only ones in the pack.” His statement baffled her. “What kind of standings could there be with only two of you?”
“Enforcer. Lover. Breeder. Healer. Soldier.” He rattled off the names as he finished inspecting her shoulder. “You obviously don’t think I fit in the first or last category. You placed yourself in danger with Randolph and again tonight when you didn’t call me for help.”
“You have a club to run, Cassie to protect. I assumed this whole pack thing was a way for you to get something from me. I just hadn’t figured out what yet.” She could’ve bitten her tongue when his hands flexed on her arm. She almost missed the pain that flickered behind his eyes.
“And lovers?” His tone became devoid of emotion as he continued his task.
“You don’t need my permission to take a lover.” That shifters had to ask permission for something so intimate repulsed her.
“If I do, you’ll never select me.”
“Huh?” His answer struck her dumb. She pointed back and forth between them. “As in you and me?” The last word ended on a squeak.
Some of her confusion must have finally pierced his anger. He crowded into her comfort space, not stopping until he had his body pressed up against hers.
His scent actually made her ache to touch him. Only sheer will prevented her from lifting up her hands to caress the hard lines of his chest. She detested being forced into a corner. She was almost grateful that her injuries stopped herself from doing something stupid.
“I don’t know how pack works, but if I take a lover, it’s my choice, not some pack business that needs to be handled.” She sidestepped him, instantly missing the heat of his body. “I agree that you’re pack. You’re welcome in my house.”
“Anytime?” He rummaged in the med box, retrieving ointment and a roll of gauze. He paused and gave her a too casual look as if the answer mattered more than it should.
Her reply was slower in coming, trying to gauge his motives as he busily cut strips then dabbed her shoulder. She couldn’t read him and that only made her more suspicious. “I can have a room prepared where you can leave your things if you’d like.” Those words were hard to get past her lips, half expecting a trap. “But I have one rule.”
The shifting moods that crossed his face froze. He nodded once, watching every nuance of her expression as if her next words were vitally important to him.
“My cases are business. They don’t involve pack. As long as you don’t interfere, we should be fine.” She’d make sure Jackson learned that, too.
“Only if it doesn’t endanger your life.” He quickly countered her offer, his concentration centered on bandaging her shoulder. Unless you looked closer and saw the tightly coiled muscles and the controlled way he held himself.
Raven paused, understanding that this negotiation could be pivotal. “Who gets to decide?”
“Pack votes.” The reply was automatic. He taped the last edge, head ducked to hide a smug smile.
But that meant she got a vote, too. She hesitated a second more, then reluctantly agreed. “But Rylan is included in my pack. And Cassie gets a vote, too.”
His brows lowered, clearly not happy, but he knew better than to push further. “The house is empty. I’ll stay until you hear something from the others.” There was no hesitation in his voice, nor was there a question, just a statement of fact. Bossy cat.
“I’m going to grab a shirt while you wash.” Though he remained uninjured, mud dotted his chest and arms, along with splotches of her blood. The sight halted her in her tracks, and anger roared back into her at the reminder.
He slipped his shirt over his head, washing from the sink, pausing under her perusal. Concern immediately darkened his face, and he turned toward her, dripping wet. “What’s wrong?”
“She’s afraid her blood has infected you.” Taggert entered the room, but she refused to turn and face him and the truth that she’d already infected him.
“I’m a shifter, I can’t get anything.” Still half naked, Durant stepped closer, and she skittered away from him. If he touched her now, she’d lose the last string on her temper. Anger burned along her skin, ready to ignite. As long has he kept his distance, there would be no spark.
“It’s not a disease.” Taggert wrapped his arms around her waist, fingers biting into her skin, holding her in place when she would’ve bolted. She didn’t want to have this painful conversation. Not tonight. Not ever.
“You didn’t harm him.” Taggert forced her chin up to face Durant. It pissed her off to be overpowered and weak.
“You can’t know that.” A tremor shook her, and she jerked away from them both. God, how she wanted to believe him, but there was no refuting the truth.
“Don’t we? Your blood hasn’t harmed me, and I’ve been exposed more than once.”
“You’re affected by my touch. Every time you’re near, you absorb something from me that—”
“Allows me to help you.” A very contented smile curled his lips.
Her throat felt thick at his confession. “You can’t know what damage it’ll do in the long run. A body is only capable of withstanding so much abuse.”
“I heal fast.”
She wanted to smack him for being so obstinate. “You have no idea what prolonged exposure could do.”
He reached out to pull her back to him then winced, curling his arm around his ribs. “And maybe it’s making me strong enough to be with you.”
Horror thickened the back of her throat. The labs had managed to alter her in ways to ensure her survival. Every time she came into contact with someone, she exposed them to her brand of poison.
“Why don’t we talk in the morning?” Taggert swayed. She and Durant rushed forward. Durant grabbed Taggert’s elbow, but she hesitated.
“Don’t pull away.” Taggert cupped her jaw, his gaze so direct and so unlike himself that she stiffened. “I like the changes. If you hadn’t picked me up at the club, I’d still be there, waiting for my death.”
A lopsided smile lit up his face, and her heart thumped hard against her ribs to see him so relaxed and happy despite everything they’d been through.
“I think it’s time for you to get some rest before you fall on your face.” With everything that’d changed in his life the last few days, not to mention her bringing his wolf to the surface for long periods of time, she was actually surprised he was still conscious.
Durant helped him settle in her bed, double-checking his wounds. She grabbed a change of clothes, stripped what remained of her clothing and cursed the time it took to dress with her injuries. When she would’ve snuck away, Taggert’s chocolate eyes follow her movements. Unable to resist, she drew near and brushed her fingers over his sun-streaked hair. With a smile, his eyes closed, his breathing deepened, and he dropped off to sleep.
“I think we should discuss this more.” Durant watched her from the bathroom doorway.
“Discuss what? The Pack? The fact you want us to be lovers? Or that if we touch, I could kill you?” Eager to get away from him and the conflicting feelings he invoked, she focused on finishing this case and put it to rest. “I need to review my case file and see if I can fill in some answers. I want to get this settled tonight in time to
pick up Jackson.” She waited for him to protest or go back on his promise not to interfere in her work. Muscles bunched in his jaw, but he remained quiet when she thought he’d explode.
“As you wish.” He unbuckled the first closure of his pants with a lazy smile that made her uncomfortable and nearly stopped her heart, the traitor. “I’ll be here if you need me.”
Raven swallowed thickly and quickly left before she did something stupid.
Like stayed.
Chapter Thirty-four
DAY 9: PRE-DAWN
Shadowy hallways greeted her, the cold air almost frosting along her skin as she went downstairs. Her mind worried the details of the case. Everything made sense except who killed Jason and what happened to his body.
A light in the study illuminated her desk, and she kept her gaze locked on it. Part of her was afraid to look at the chair where she’d last seen Ross, half-expecting to find his body waiting for her. When she’d gathered enough courage to turn, he was gone. Hell, the whole chair had vanished for that matter.
Finding his body didn’t frighten her; it was the fear of accidentally bringing him back to life that scared the dickens out of her. The unease plaguing her since she stepped in the house, strangely, didn’t lesson one iota.
Seating herself, she noticed the note on the desk. Dina and London were still with the shifters who’d been rescued from Ross’s lab. The house felt silent with everyone gone.
Determined to finish this, she pulled out Lester’s file and opened the folder. Jason’s photograph arrested her. She pulled out Sarah’s picture and recalled the girls abbreviated hospital stay.
Things were becoming heart-wrenchingly clear.
“You got your wolf back.” Rylan’s voice emerged from the darkness, his face unemotional as he tucked away everything that made him Rylan and her friend. She mentally reached out for him in the shadows, seeking reassurance. And met a cold wall.
Sorrow crept over her at the distance he was putting between them. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
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