Electric Storm (15 page)

DAY FIVE: JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT

R
aven felt Rylan’s arrival before she saw him. The air hummed with his arrival, power tickling along her skin. Unlike shifters, vampires gained power through what they consumed. Though Rylan wasn’t ancient, he had a hell of a lot of power to call on thanks to the labs. Now that he was here, nerves struck, doubts rose, along with a thrill at finally being able to see him again.

“Rylan.” The men ranged close to her side as she whirled to face him.

“At your service, beautiful.” The black haired vampire stepped out of the shadows, his lean body whipcord thin and immaculately dressed. But it was his haunted blue eyes that captured her attention and stole her breath.

“Thank you for coming.” When she went to touch his arm, he deftly stepped out of reach. She swallowed thickly and accepted his choice, ignoring the stab of hurt at his rejection. She knew better to touch anyone, especially him. “A person came, asking for help. I tried, but I fear my particular talent isn’t enough.”

Those sea blue eyes of his darkened in understanding. He knew her influence over the undead and how much danger it put her in if others found out she could raise them.

“Show me.”

A relieved breath stuttered out of her body. She opened the door to the office and nodded toward the chaise. Cassie hadn’t moved since she’d left. Her drying hair was clumped and snarled, the mahogany color limp. If anything, she appeared worse, her skin pasty and dull. Death hovered ever closer.

Rylan passed temptingly near, dancing with danger as Raven’s power ached to leap into his body. She resisted reaching out to trail her hands down his back. Although they would both relish the contact, it wasn’t healthy for either of them.

He knelt, and she found herself studying him and not the patient. There was something about him, the way he watched her that had Raven take notice and enjoy the attention. As if he could see below the surface and still liked her.

A corner of Rylan’s mouth kicked up briefly. That one second told her he understood his effect on her. The slight tightening of his fists let her know that he enjoyed it, too.

“Well?” Durant’s voice broke into the fantasy.

“The transition didn’t take. She’s dying. I can try to pull her over.” He stood and gazed at Durant, unfazed by the cat ready to leap and take a swipe at his throat. “I can’t guarantee it’ll work.”

“Why the hell not?” Durant took a threatening step forward, his fingers flexing as if claws were ready to burst from their tips. Raven grabbed the back of his shirt, surprised that he allowed her to stop him. The scent of leather rose from him.

“Because her body already rejected the vampire bite. If my blood is strong enough, it will clear out her system and re-start the change.”

“You don’t know?” Durant’s voice was sharp.

Rylan shook his head, his face impassive. “I’ve never turned anyone. I also don’t have a live blood source. If this works, she can use my blood for the transfusion, but she’ll also need to use someone else for the subsequent donations.”

“Why?” Jackson asked the question, but Raven knew the answer.

“He doesn’t want to tie her to him. The initial transfusion will give them a connection, but each subsequent exchange strengthens that bond.” She understood his reasoning. The less they tied themselves to others, the less it’d hurt later. People like them didn’t maintain ties. Friendships didn’t survive long.

It was safer for everyone.

“Do it.” Durant turned his back, his hard gaze landing on her face. There was no grief there now. It was all suspicion and retribution. If anything happened to Cassie, she knew who’d be blamed.

The men exchanged a silent look that she couldn’t interpret, one guaranteed to irritate a woman. She pretended she didn’t see anything.

“She’ll need to be fed a few times a night for the first couple of months if you want to keep her in check. If you miss a feeding, her control will falter. If she goes too long without food, her sanity will fade. The urge to search out prey will take control until only the animal instinct to feed will take over. You don’t want to see what a starved vampire can do.”

Raven refused to face Dominic. They knew. They’d seen it firsthand.

“Do you wish me to continue?” Rylan kept his tone bland, not revealing even a hint of emotion.

A curl of disgust twisted Durant’s lips, but he nodded. “Yes.”

Rylan removed his jacket, placed it neatly on a nearby chair. He rolled up his sleeves in his precise way, met her gaze and nodded to the door.

Raven took the hint and cleared her throat. “Everyone out.” Durant was the last to leave, and she had to prod him each step of the way.

She knew what to expect but the others didn’t. She planted herself in front of the door and waited. “Jackson, Dominic, would you stand by Mr. Durant? Taggert, please stand by me.”

“What’s going on?” Those tiger-eyes lifted to hers, suspicion heavy in his gaze, his power beating at her shields.

Before she could react, a scream of pain rent the air, riveting the men. The voice held such emotion, such devastation, they all flinched. When the second one came, louder, longer, they charged for the door.

“What the hell is he doing to her?”

“Hold him,” she commanded.

Taggert instantly understood the danger, placing himself in front of her, bristling with enough energy that her own abused talent reared its ugly head and licked its lips. With a firm step, she backed away from temptation, nearly weak with relief when the hunger eased.

“Mr. Durant.” It was as if he didn’t hear her. He slipped out of Dominic’s hold and swung at Jackson. She winced in sympathy when the blow landed, splitting open his cheek, but the stubborn man didn’t let go, didn’t loosen his hold. Dominic quickly captured the other arm again, muscles flexing.

Each step closer was a struggle, Durant pulling the men along like dead weight. Taggert tensed, ready to launch himself into the fray if Durant so much as twitched.

“Mr. Durant, how did you think this would turn out? For the transformation to work, she has to die.” She stepped closer, wishing there was another way, wishing she could offer him some sort of comfort that everything would work out all right. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t guarantee him anything.

Chest billowing under the strain, the big man finally halted. “She’s still alive.”

“Her body’s been shutting down for the last hour. He’s trying to turn her, but the process is painful. His blood will rejuvenate the cells. Since she’s so far along in the process, it’ll be agony as the change expels any drugs and toxins from her body.”

“And how is it that you know so much about their kind?” She felt the brush of his gift and nearly staggered when he slammed into her shields with the force of a jackhammer. Shards of pain shot through her skull. She pressed her palms against her temple in an effort to keep her mind from turning to mush.

“Stop.” When he did it again, the walls around her control threatened to crumble. Electricity flared to life, eager to lash back.

Desperate to keep him safe, she yanked back hard on the raw energy as it sought a target. She was only partially successful. A strand escaped, wrapped around his body. If any more of her power infected his system, they’d have one very angry, determined tiger on their hands. Reacting without thinking, she drew down hard.

He gasped, but she couldn’t open her eyes for the pain ricocheting through her skull. Despite her best intentions, he didn’t stop, continuing to ram against her shields. She could almost swear his animal snarled. The voltage built again, burning along her skin. It grew, her core searing the inside of her chest. Breathing became difficult.

Then blessedly, everything went quiet. Her knees shook as the flare slowly dwindled. She was afraid to open her eyes, afraid to find out what she’d done.

“Raven, can you hear me?” She blinked and found herself face to face with Taggert. Her gaze flickered toward the form spread out along the floor, and her throat ached at his absolute stillness.

“Did I kill him?”

Dominic snorted. “Nothing a little bump on the head won’t cure. What the hell was he doing to you?”

She winced at his tone, rubbing her temples at the recent assault. “He wanted the truth, no matter how he got it.”

“By ripping it from your mind? It could’ve killed you.” Dominic looked ready to wake Durant so he could hit the man again.

Taggert cupped her elbow, nearly lifting her off her feet in his effort to help her stand. She noticed the bruised and bloodied knuckles and felt ashamed. “I was supposed to protect you.”

“Things are a little more complicated than that. You take care of the pack, and they protect you from any threat.” Dominic opened his mouth to continue when everything went ominously silent in the other room.

She staggered closer, using the wall for support and gently knocked on the door. “Rylan, is everything okay?” The door swung opened in the middle of her question. She peered inside when she saw no one at the door.

Dominic brushed by her, entering first. Taggert hovered over her with Jackson bringing up the rear. She almost bumped into Dominic when he stopped abruptly.

From his ashen expression, she expected the worst. When she turned her head, the girl they once knew as Cassie greedily drew on Rylan’s arm.

“Sleep.” Cassie instantly closed her eyes and slumped. Rylan extracted his arm, then rolled down his sleeves. But not before she saw the chew marks that made his forearm nothing more than hamburger.

“Will you be alright?”

“I’ll be fine.” He avoided her gaze.

He didn’t look fine. His energy was dangerously low, and she pushed when she would normally remain silent. “You need to eat.”

He stilled completely at her comment, his back to her. “I’ll be fine.”

Raven shook her head. She stepped away from Taggert and stumbled. She would’ve fallen if Rylan hadn’t whirled and caught her arm. As she met his gaze, she saw his fangs extend, saw his eyes darken to that wonderful blue that revealed his troubled soul.

“Don’t touch her.” Dominic’s demand thundered through the room.

“I have no intention of hurting her. What happened?” As careful as a glass doll, he righted her, then pulled away, never removing his gaze from hers. His brows lowered. He raked his gaze over her, his hands curling into fists. “You’re in pain.”

She shrugged. “Like you, I’m fine. There was a little dispute. It’s settled.”

“That jackass tried to break her shields.” Jackson didn’t even finish, and Rylan was already moving. Faster than humans could track, he crossed the room and disappeared out the door.

She hurried past the others, hauling ass, but not quick enough. Rylan had Durant by the throat, dangling the unconscious man off the floor. With his fangs fully extended, the vampire hissed in fury.

As if he understood the threat, Durant slowly opened his eyes but otherwise, didn’t move.

“Rylan.” She shrugged off Dominic’s arm when he tried to restrain her. “It’s okay. He was worried about his friend.”

“He wouldn’t have a friend if it weren’t for you. Is that the way he repays a favor?” The grip of his hand tightened. Beads of blood trickled down Durant’s throat where Rylan’s nails dug deep. The big cat tensed, and his attention panned to her.

“My apologies. It won’t happen again.”

“You’re right.” Faster then she could blink, Rylan sliced his hand down Durant’s chest. Blood gushed from the wound. Durant raised his arm to retaliate, and Rylan caught it mid swing.

“Don’t.” She didn’t think he’d listen, but Durant stopped moving and allowed himself to be half dragged toward her.

“Take it.” Rylan kicked Durant’s legs out from beneath him. Grabbing his shoulders, Rylan righted Durant until he knelt at her feet.

Raven stared at Rylan in disbelief, shaking her head. “Don’t do this.”

He only stared at her, his eyes uncompromising. “Either you take his blood, or I kill him.”

“What the hell’s going on here?” Dominic stepped forward, and Rylan narrowed his gaze.

“He’s trying to protect her.” Taggert was the one who spoke. Then, surprisingly, he stepped in front of Dominic, blocking him.

What the hell was wrong with the men in her life?

“Get the hell off me.” Durant jerked away and shifted to stand.

Rylan stooped, bringing his face next to Durant. A deep snarl rumbled from Durant’s throat, but Rylan only bared his fangs. “I’d say we’re even in our strength. We can tear into one another, possibly kill each other. But know this. Raven will not let me die, but your little girl in the other room has no such guarantee.”

Durant’s gaze met hers, and she tried not to flinch at the judgment there. He lifted his chin. “Do it.”

“You don’t understand.”

Durant didn’t move. “I understand. You’re a vampire like him, just a different variety.”

“That’s not fair. I–”

“I don’t care. Take what you need so I can get the hell away from you.” The callused words robbed her of breath. Durant winced when Rylan gouged his fingers into the tissue of his shoulder.

Pain funneled into rage at being forced into this situation infuriated her. “I refuse to let you die. I refuse to fight my friend for you. Tell me, Durant, where does that leave me?”

When he didn’t answer, Jackson spoke. “What do you gain by taking his blood?”

Raven met his gaze, surprised not to see suspicion there. “I get an enemy.”

She could feel Rylan’s gaze on hers but refused his silent entreaty to understand his reasoning. Damn it, she didn’t need anyone protecting her. They would only get hurt. 

“A vampire’s answer is always slavery.” Durant shook off Rylan’s restraining arm and rose.

Rylan tisked. “Not this tired argument. Let’s not forget the benefits the breeds received. Things weren’t as one sided as they try to make you believe. Wolves were our daytime protection. Our blood strengthened them, creating faster, stronger, better shifters. They were virtually indestructible.” He walked around and came to a stop at her side.

“You hear about the horrors we supposedly perpetrated on them. But do you hear about the other side? The stories of vampires drained of blood, where a group of wolves hunted and tracked vampires for sport, slaughtering them for the blood. But when the vampire dies, the power of their blood fades as well, so they have to do it again and again. They don’t tell you how vampire blood can change a normal shifter into an alpha.”