“You saved me.”
Her throat clogged with emotions. “My blood ruined your life.”
“We all have choices.” He fell silent and studied the ceiling. “I’ve done terrible things. I didn’t want to live anymore. Then a child began to speak to me night after night when everyone else had gone. A little girl locked behind the biggest cage they could construct. You had such courage, such will to survive that you brought me back from the brink.”
“You stopped killing.” He’d given up. They both heard her unspoken words.
“I was ready to die.”
“Then they shoved you in my room, waiting for one of us to kill the other.”
A charmed smile lifted a corner of his lips. “The first time I saw you, I knew I had to protect you.”
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.” Raven leaned against the wall and slid down, no longer wanting to claw her way out.
“You did it for me once.” Then he fell silent.
He didn’t breathe, didn’t move, and even though she knew he was fine, seeing him still as death tore her up with the need to do something to rescue him.
She clenched her fists, then forced herself to lie down. Since Durant never joined them, she had to assume he’d escaped. It eased her mind and allowed her to close her eyes.
It was late when she woke. She jerked upright, not sure what had disturbed her.
No one had left them food or water, but she hadn’t expected any.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted movement by the door. Her head snapped up when Durant padded into the room on silent feet only a cat could duplicate. Raven pushed herself upright and smiled. “You should leave. They’ll release us tonight. We’ll be fine until then.”
“Their suspect killed himself.” Durant flipped through the keys he’d lifted from the guard.
“That makes no sense. The man loved himself too much to commit suicide.” Then she paused. “Did he have a tattoo on his wrist?”
Durant cocked his head as he recalled the images from the scene. “I was too far away to tell.”
When he lifted the key to the lock, she held up her hand. “The cage is spelled. The lock and spell need to be opened at the same time. Leave. We’re safer behind bars at the moment.”
A snarl curled his lips, but he nodded. “I’ll check on the tattoo for you.”
“No, don’t.” But it was too late, Durant had already disappeared.
After an hour passed, Raven knew something had gone terribly wrong. Durant should have returned. She wanted to tear down the buildings to find him, but it was hours before sunset. She couldn’t leave Rylan vulnerable.
Her rage bounced off the walls, amplifying her emotions and her animal rose. It would not be soothed. Raven remembered the connection the alpha had to his pack when they were at the conclave. She had been able to trace them, even connect to one of his wolves.
She should be able to do the same with her own people.
The only way she’d been able to connect to others had been through her animals, but they had all vanished when the creature woke. She didn’t know if it meant they were gone forever, or if her creature had somehow blocked them, but she needed another way to locate Durant.
She’d always tried to keep quiet, keep her beast locked away. All it had accomplished was people trying to kill her. Maybe it was time to let go. Part of her knew she wasn’t being rational, that the creature was influencing her, but she needed to find out what they were doing to Durant.
If they killed him, she wasn’t sure she would be able to hold back from slaughtering them all.
She closed her eyes, but letting go was a lot harder than expected. She concentrated on Durant’s scent, picturing him in her mind.
At first nothing happened.
Then the darkness gradually faded, and a room came into view. The bond between them was there but weak. A lash of pain spread across her back, so unexpected she arched under the blow. Her whole back was on fire, like strips of her skin were being stripped away. The smell of burned flesh filled her nose. Sweat dripped off her face, and she gritted her teeth to hold back the roar of pain that worked its way up her throat.
She was in Durant’s body.
And they were torturing him.
His cat was in full charge, enraged and in dreadful pain, holding onto his human form by sheer desperation. If he changed, he was dead. It would give the witches legal cause to kill him.
Raven should’ve tried harder to stop him. It was her fault for even allowing him to accompany her to the compound.
As if he sensed her presence, calmness flooded his system.
He would endure.
Not willing to leave him to struggle on his own, she gathered what power she could and sent it to his beast. The animal purred in thanks, then the connection was severed by a slash of claws.
Raven was on her knees, panting, and covered in sweat. Phantom pain made moving agony.
She needed to do something.
She refused to allow him to suffer.
She contemplated releasing her beast, but the daylight would kill Rylan. As if sensing her thoughts, his fingers twitched. It was hours before sunset. She was amazed he could even partially function. It must be sheer torture to be held immobile and left vulnerable.
No, she needed to use her affinity for electricity.
With a plan firmly in mind, she sat in the middle of the floor and folded her legs. She placed her hands on her knees, took a deep breath and dropped all her shields. Power crept toward her slowly, like drawn to like. She welcomed the slight sting of pain of her old friend, grabbed the cool heat and began to pull in more and more.
She relished touching the current, had missed its soothing comfort. Without the vault to hold the electricity, the energy built inside her body like a ticking bomb. It took close to twenty minutes for the buildings around her to start flickering. She moved from one building to the next, ignoring the searing pain of funneling so much electricity and systematically shut each one down.
By the time she was done, her insides felt raw.
A trickle of blood dribbled from her nose, and she dabbed it away. Just when her head felt ready to explode, the creature stretched under her skin as if luxuriating in the churning current. It rolled around, sucking it down like a starved animal. With each gulp, the searing pain eased. By the time it was done, she felt gutted. Overfed and drowsy, the creature gave a hum of pleasure, and drifted back to sleep.
All that remained was a slight burning sensation in her side. Dreading what she would find, Raven tugged up her shirt, hating the way her fingers shook. The small tattoo was about the size of her palm. The color had deepened until she could almost make out a silhouette, but the shape continued to elude her.
She brushed a finger over the spot, then sucked in a sharp breath when it felt like she’d touched a live wire. She yanked down her shirt and rubbed her fingertips, able to recall the faint ridges imprinted in her skin.
Then she leaned back and waited for them to come for her.
It was less than an hour before sunset when Rylan’s eyes snapped open. He sat up slowly, his gaze cemented on her, a hunger there that made her gulp. It was pitch black in the cell without the lights. Even with her enhanced vision, she could only make out a few shapes.
A glow spilled down the hall, brighter and bigger than a normal light as it headed toward them.
“A witch light.” Rylan gave a crooked smile. “You were being naughty while I was asleep.”
Raven shrugged. “Maybe just a little.”
A whole gaggle of witches filled the room, Heloise in the lead. Her eyes were pure black and full of magic as she glared down at her. “You’ve made your point.”
Raven stood, and cocked her head as she studied them, noting weaknesses. Even as she reached for the door, the power under her skin solidified to armor. When she pushed open the cell, the lock snapped with a ping, and the spell shattered like the sound of glass cracking.
>
“Where’s Durant?”
Chapter Thirteen
DAY THREE: EVENING
No one spoke as Raven waited for Durant to arrive. She didn’t pace, but watched the witches for signs of treason. They were planning something. Rylan stepped in front of her, and a growl of displeasure rumbled up her chest.
He dipped his head down to meet her gaze. “They’re not prey.”
She blinked to clear her mind, not even realizing she’d been waiting to pounce.
The smell of blood hit her first.
“Durant.” She turned to face the door. A minute later, two men dragged the sagging form of Durant between them. He smelled of blood and pain, his eyes golden with his tiger. They dropped him to his knees without a care for his injuries. His tiger rumbled in displeasure, and he lifted his head, searching the room until his gaze landed on her. She expected to find retribution dancing in his eyes, not concern for her.
Raven couldn’t bear to see him on his knees before the witches, but Rylan beat her to it, helping Durant stand. She went to lift his shirt and gauge the extent of his injuries when he caught her hands. “Not here.”
She gave a nod.
It was time to leave.
“Our agreement is over. You said it yourself.” She turned and faced Heloise. “But you had no intention of letting us go, did you?”
She shrugged, her smile sharp. “With our agreement met, you are no longer under my protection. Your power belongs to the coven. It is agreed that we alone are allowed to have magic. You’ve violated our law. You’re ours and no one will gainsay us.”
The creature rose under her skin, not liking the demand. The scent of rain filled the room, and a deep rumble of anger spilled into the small space. She didn’t have to see to know her eyes were glowing. Her skin itched, her gums were sensitive where fangs threatened to burst through. Claws pressed under her fingertips, and she ached to rip into those who would deny her.
The witches stepped back, and the primitive urge to give chase lured her to follow them step for step.
Durant slipped between her and her prey, and she almost swatted him out of the way. The impulse stopped when he bent and offered his throat. The smell of leather had her shuffling closer, and she found herself pressed up against him. The creature reluctantly gave way.
Only when she was sure she had herself under control did she step back. She smiled at Heloise and her little followers. It wasn’t a nice smile. A hint of fangs scraped against her lips. “I’m not yours and never will be. You bartered for my help. It’s my professional opinion that you’re being set up. It’s a trap. The murders are just the bait.”
Disbelief colored their faces.
“Who do you call when you’re in trouble?”
“The Prime.” Heloise’s eyes widened, then amusement curled her lips.
Raven’s temper soared, and she pushed home her point. “I’ve been told over and over again that they’re the strongest. The best of the best. The perfect target.”
“You gave your opinion. Now leave.” It was said with ill grace.
“My pleasure.” Raven walked past them, then stopped and pinned the witches under her glare. “Leave me and my pack alone. If you come after us, I will see it as an attack. I will fight back, and I will kill every single one of you.”
No one protested as she swept out of the room, Durant and Rylan at her back.
Only when they were outside did she slow, accommodating her pace to Durant. Rylan slung the tiger’s arm over his shoulder, taking the brunt of his weight.
Durant hissed in pain, but it was his lack of protest that told her the extent of his injuries.
“Raven.”
She didn’t turn, reluctant to face Durant, her guilt for not being able to protect him eating her alive.
“The man had the mark.”
Her stride hitched.
“He didn’t kill himself. The murderer is still out there.”
She shook her head, not wanting to deal with the witches’ mess. “I know.”
But they couldn’t stay. She wouldn’t put her pack at risk now that they were officially legal. “Let’s go home. We’ll do some digging and hand all the information over to the Council. There’s nothing more we can do for them.”
They were being watched as they made their way toward the entrance of the compound. Her shoulders tensed, and she was literally able to feel the target on her back. She hurried toward the gate, eager to be away from the threat that seemed to lurk in the very air itself.
When the gates opened, Raven stopped short. On the other side of the parking lot stood London. The big Kodiak bear shifter was leaning against an SUV as if he expected them to show at any moment. Nothing riled him, and she found it comforting to know he was watching their backs. The man was her security expert, big and badass and solid muscle. When he straightened and opened the door for her, he moved with a grace that belied his animal counterpart.
“Jackson sent you.”
He nodded, then walked around the front of the vehicle to sit in the driver’s seat, all without a word.
She peered through the open door at him. “How’d he know?”
His big paws gripped the steering wheel, making it look like a kid’s toy in his hands. “You attract trouble.”
“Trouble finds me. I don’t go looking for it.” Raven denied as she watched Rylan and Durant settle into the vehicle.
There was a loud yowling moan by the gate, and Raven whirled to see her jaguar shifter pacing anxiously. She didn’t have the heart to leave him behind. “Come on, then.”
He didn’t need any further prompting. He jumped in the back of the SUV, circled, then lay down on the floor and closed his eyes, content to be with the rest of the pack.
When she took her seat and shut the door, London turned toward her and shook his head. “Trouble.”
The vehicle turned over with a comforting rumble. London drove as if he owned the road, and the rest of the cars should get out of his way. His hair was short and rough, as if he hacked it off himself, his thick brows drawn down into a straight line as he concentrated on driving. Tires chirped as they took the mountain curves, but no one cautioned him to slow down.
She swiveled in her seat to face Durant. Because of his golden tattoo, the witches couldn’t use magic to get what they wanted from him, so they’d resorted to torture. “What did they want?”
Durant didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to when his bland expression said it all.
“Me.” Her throat closed, and she strangled on the word.
“What did you tell them?” Rylan’s eyes flashed to black, not bothering to hide his fangs as he demanded an answer.
“Nothing.” Durant’s word was barely more than a growl, clearly offended at the idea he would succumb to torture.
“Both of you stop.”
Neither spoke, but continued to glare at each other, and she suspected they would finish their discussion when she wasn’t around.
A single beam of light slid around the curve in front of them, and she tensed, cursing herself for a fool to believe the witches would keep their word. Everyone in the car fell silent, hostility polluting the air in the confined space, waiting to erupt.
A Harley, deadly-looking in silver and black chrome, chugged around the corner. The rider tilted the bike at a nearly impossible angle to make the curve, and sped closer. Even at a distance, the rider had a presence to him—not power exactly, more of a complete absence of power that was chilling, as if he consumed all the magic around him.
As the two vehicles passed, their gazes collided.
The Prime.
His eyes were deep and dark, and the pure power that pooled there was so potent it had to be a constant effort to hold it back.
There was something not quite human about him.
His sandy brown hair was a little too long to be a strict military cut. Stubble lined his square jaw, giving him a scruffy, worn appearance. He was big, his frame corded with muscle, b
ut so unemotional he could be mistaken for a mannequin.
She shivered as if she’d caught a glimpse into his soul…or where one should have been. A vast emptiness stared back, hungry and vicious, ready to devour her if she lingered too long. He would do as he was told. Be relentless. Ruthless. Nothing she could say or do would change his mind about his job.
Their exchange took place in a split second and felt like an eternity.
As his Harley sped past, Raven spotted a huge broadsword strapped to his back. It looked like it weighed more than she did. It was a long time before she could pull her mind away from what she had seen and ignore the deep foreboding that gathered in her gut.
When they pulled into the driveway that led to her home, Durant heaved a sigh of relief when he saw his car still in one piece.
It had only been two days, but it felt like forever since she’d been home. The grand old building hummed in welcome as she threw open the door. The place had a Victorian feel, grand open spaces, large, rambling hallways, and a staircase that curved along the wall to a second floor where it opened up to a long balcony.
Taggert stood in the center, peering down at her, not an inch of him moving as he pinned her under his gaze.
“It’s done.”
He vaulted over the rail and landed in a crouch a few feet away from where she stood. When he rose, he loomed a few inches over her. She could swear he’d grown, gained weight since she’d last seen him. His eyes were still a neon green, but the rest of him seemed calmer.
He stalked toward her, his movements liquid, all bold and primitive.
She didn’t realize she held out her hand, a feeble gesture to stop him, until his chest came to rest under her naked palm. He inhaled sharply at the touch, then bowed his head, but not before she saw the shattered emotions.
His doubts slashed deep. “You didn’t think I’d succeed.”
Taggert shook his head, his shaggy hair falling into his eyes. “I didn’t dare hope.”
Her throat ached at his confession. “You’re pack.”
His chest expanded, and a smile lit his face.
From her peripheral vision, she saw Durant climb the stairs. “Don’t think you’re going anywhere without me seeing those injuries.”
Electric Heat (A Raven Investigations Novel Book 3) Page 13