Raven Investigation 04 - Electric Legend (21 page)

That didn’t mean she had to like it.

The wind kicked up around them, the storm clouds rolling in
faster as if drawn to her turmoil.

Durant reluctantly released her and backed away, ready to
catch her if she so much as twitched. She immediately missed his warmth, wanted
to run just so he’d catch her.

Foolishness … and she couldn’t blame it all on her beast
either.

The emotions were pure her.

But work came first. Jackson needed them.

“Are you back?”

Raven lifted her head to find Durant gazing at her,
knowledge gleaming in his eyes. She expected amusement and lust, not concern … and
some other emotion she didn’t want to admit.

Then her throat tightened in recognition.

 Fear.

Her heart shredded until she didn’t know if she could ever
put back all the pieces. She rubbed her chest, wounded on a deeper level than
she thought possible.

As if realizing what he’d done, remorse rippled through him,
his expression stricken. “Raven—”

“No, you’re right.” When he moved to touch her, she
swallowed the pain and brushed past him. They had a job to do. Touching him now
would be unbearable, not if she wanted to stay sane. “Let’s get Jackson and
Taggert.”

Two guards monitored the entrance, partially hidden in the
shadows, paying more attention to what was happening inside than around them.

A costly mistake.

The pack should’ve been better trained than that. They were almost
as bad as a couple of untrained humans.

“Let me handle this.” Durant streaked forward with his
shifter speed, taking the first one by surprise. Two blows and the man collapsed.

The second guard turned in time to meet Durant head-on.
She’d underestimated the scrawny guy, watching him plant his fists into Durant
one after another, before dancing out of the way.

A dog of some sort.

A scavenger used to fighting in packs.

A hyena.

Durant growled, easily taking the blows, more pissed than
hurt.

Without an ounce of fear, he pursued the dancing mutt, and
the real fight began. They exchanged blows, neither man registering the hits,
too busy beating the crap out of each other. The squeamish, girly part of her
wanted to look away, the other part wanted to slice the bastard open.

They were evenly matched until the guard landed a lucky blow
to Durant’s injured shoulder. Durant’s steps faltered, and he twisted to protect
the wound.

The other man smiled at the tell and darted forward,
smelling weakness.

The dragon crept forward, a slow swell of power as she
stretched under her skin, and Raven welcomed the beast. Electricity crackled
around her in a comforting hum. The cool blue soothed her nerves, while the
deadly red magic twisted around her, searching for a threat, hungry for prey.
With current riding her hard, Raven stepped out of her hiding place.

The guard glanced in her direction, then faltered. His beast
shimmered in his eyes, recognizing her for what she really was … a female
alpha.

The distraction was all Durant needed.

One blow to the jaw, and the little hyena dropped like a
stone.

Raven stepped over his body, more than ready to leave this
place.

“We’ll stay to the back, remain in the shadows.” He gave her
a pointed look. “Don’t draw attention to yourself.”

Instead of lying outright, Raven just nodded.

It was the best she could promise.

Durant narrowed his eyes, noticing the lapse, but didn’t say
more as he tossed back the canvas flap.

The noise doubled as soon as they entered the tent, people
yelling and cheering. Curiosity drew her forward. Durant snatched at her arm,
but she slipped away from him until she could see what captured everyone’s
attention, but she feared she already knew.

Jackson.

“Remember folks, you’ll get one night to do whatever you
want, just short of death.” Clancy gave a smarmy smile, winking at the women
and nodding to the men, working the crowd.

A growl came from her side, the ghost wolf shimmering into
view as his attention latched onto Clancy. The wolf hunkered down and wound his
way through the audience, the ghostly form vanishing as soon as he left her
side.

“Sold to the beautiful woman in red.”

Raven’s head snapped up and swung to the left where a group
of five women smiled and whooped. The girl in red fanned her face, eyeing
Jackson like a lollypop she wanted to lick. She boldly sashayed forward with a
sexy swagger, her eyes greedily eating up Jackson.

The same woman who’d marked him the previous night.

Raven studied Jackson to find him staring blindly into the
crowd, his face grim, but nothing would appease her beast as she sank her claws
in her chest … just like she wanted to do to that bitch in red.

Durant cursed but didn’t try to stop her as she strode
through the crowd, her control held by threads.

Clancy gave a smug, self-confident smile to the woman and
guided her toward Jackson, placing her hand on his naked skin.

Something inside Raven snapped.

Electricity surged toward her, and she welcomed the voltage even
as it soaked into her skin like acid. Pain twisted into pleasure, euphoria
speeding through her veins to be using her power again. Red tainted magic merged
with the blue cooling electrical current, coating the glass bulbs strung at the
peak of the tent.

The lights dimmed, flickered then went supernova, lighting
up every inch of the tent like it had fallen into the sun. The overload lasted
for seconds before the lights began to pop. One after another, seconds apart,
they shattered, raining glass down onto the confused crowd.

Over a thousand bulbs popped in under a minute.

Guided by magic, the glass seemed to target the people,
slicing them, almost as if they craved the taste of blood.

The world turned into chaos as people screamed and panicked,
stampeding toward the exits to get away from the deadly rain. Not content to
wait, the humans tore at the bottom of the canvas, dropping to their stomachs
to wiggle out. 

The faint glow of the ghost wolf shimmered into view as he
romped in the crowd like a little puppy, nipping at those who didn’t move fast
enough.

Pleasure shimmered through her at the mayhem, and Raven knew
the tainted magic was influencing her. The knowledge cooled her enjoyment. She
pulled back, drawing the current back into her.

Much to her surprise, it obeyed without protest like an
obedient child, curling back into her body with a contented hum.

Clancy appeared confused but not fearful, solid as a rock in
the middle of all the discord as he scanned the crowd for the source.

Then his gaze locked on her.

His eyes widened, then narrowed before allowing himself to
be swept away. It took less than five minutes to empty the tent.

Jackson calmly closed the distance between them, heat
kindling in his eyes until they glowed a vivid green. “You came.”

Surprise flashed across his face before he could cover it, as
if he expected her to leave him to his fate as punishment for their argument.
She wanted to smack him for his stupidity … and craved to touch him and wipe
off the other woman’s stench. Instead, she curled her fingers into fists,
knowing he wouldn’t welcome her caress.

Hurt crackled in her chest so strong she thought her heart
was breaking. Even the beast retreated to get away from the pain. Loss hollowed
out her chest, where it once carried a warm glow of attraction, and some
emotion she couldn’t put a name to.

It was too new. Too fragile to describe.

And now it was gone.

Jackson reached to touch her face, and she flinched.
“Don’t.”

C
lancy’s voice boomed into the hollow tent until
it felt like the vile man spoke from inside her head. She should be more freaked
out, but Raven could only be relieved by the reprieve. She whirled away from
both men and hurried toward the entrance, anything to get away from the tension
creeping up her spine.

She needed to finish this before her pack was completely
ripped apart from the inside out.

A few of the men and women looked furious enough to strangle
the ringmaster, deadly and dangerous enough to do it, too. If he had been human,
no doubt they would’ve tried.

“Please, return tomorrow and enjoy the night on me.”
Clancy’s eyes flashed black as if it hurt him to give away money. In less than
five minutes, the circus had emptied of people, leaving behind confused
shifters and circus workers.

Clancy roared, “Find me that bitch!”

The dragon gave a little rumble of satisfaction at the
coming confrontation, and Raven stepped out of the shadows before the others
could stop her.

Enough was enough.

“Were you looking for me?” she asked sweetly.

“You just killed your boy.” Clancy gave a nod to one of his
soldiers. “Kill the useless whelp.”

Then he waved at two more men. “Get
the wolf and tiger back into their cages. We’ll decide their punishment in the
morning.”

When first soldier lifted a walkie-talkie to his mouth, panic
reached through her chest and seized her heart. Without thinking, she grabbed
the tiny spark of power from the battery and sucked down the juice in one gulp.
The charge snapped along her nerve endings like static shock, leaving her body craving
more.

The device gave a chirp of distress, then wound down in a
slow death song. The man quickly dropped it as if stung. The other two men
stopped short as energy whipped through the air at the small use of her gift.
“One more step, and I’ll do the same to you.”

A lie.

The second she dared to use a large amount of her power, the
fury of the storm would rain down and kill them all in its search for her. Thunder
cracked, the very air vibrating with the sound. Wind tugged her hair free, the
storm urging her to take and use the building charge. Like an addict, her
fingers shook with temptation.

As a conduit, she could call down the lightning, but it
wouldn’t be long before she became overpowered. If the energy leaked, it would
infect the others.

If shifters absorbed too much electricity, they would go
furry … maybe even feral. The humans wouldn’t survive so well either. If the
shock didn’t outright stop their hearts, the shifters would slaughter them for
sport.

To her relief, the guards didn’t move. She turned to the
root of the evil—Clancy.

The faster she could get rid of him, the sooner she could
escape the storm. “You’re nothing more than a bully, and that’s the last time
you threaten what’s mine.”

Clancy let loose a booming laugh. “You might have some
magical talent, I’ll give you that, little girl, but you’re not nearly strong
enough to stop me.” All amusement vanished and he glanced over her shoulder.
Her soul shriveled when his gaze landed on her men. “Get on your knees.”

The strength of his alpha power slammed into them all at
once, the effect like a car had fallen on top of her head. Both men grunted at
the impact, Jackson growled and Durant swore.

The pack connection thinned, smothered under the assault.

The men staggered under the command.

A stronger alpha can break the connection and claim her pack
as his own.

Not happening.

Not without a fight.

Raven shoved back, and Clancy grunted at the impact. Then
the bastard pulled power from his pack. She could see the links between his
shifters flare to life as he sucked it all toward him, uncaring that if he keep
stealing the power, he would kill his own people.

She never expected Clancy to be able to wield so much power,
the air all but being pulled from her lungs as it tightened around her. Desperate
to breathe, her hands twitched against the urge to claw at her throat.

Raven gathered all the electricity stored in her bones. When
a fine mist of red tainted magic twined around her cool, blue current, she
hesitated, and the power stuttered.

The dragon nudged her forward with a swipe of her paw, the
strength nearly knocking her on her ass … asking for her trust.

Trust that she wouldn’t accidently sentence her pack to
death.

It could be a trap.

Without her pack there to balance her, she would not be able
to keep the dragon in check.

She would become the deadly threat the witches had warned
about.

“Do it.” Durant held out his hand, Jackson quickly mimicking
him.

She marveled at their complete faith … how could she do any
less.

Instead of throwing the current she’d gathered at Clancy,
she reached back and clamped her hands down on their wrists. The tainted magic
didn’t seem interested in the men and relief nearly cut the strength out of her
legs. Electricity arced through the pack connection, shredding the strings Clancy
tried to tighten around her men faster than he could form more.

The excess energy crackled with power, so strong it vibrated
in the air around them. The ghost wolf shimmered at her side, absorbing some of
the extra current.

She could feel its need for vengeance obliterate all
thoughts, and she turned toward Clancy. “I warned you. You’ve touched my men
for the last time.”

The demand for blood slammed into her like a compulsion. The
tainted magic swelled in her veins, and she struggled to hold it back. She
couldn’t risk it infecting Clancy and spreading to his whole pack. The three of
them weren’t equipped to fight walking, killing, unstoppable zombie shifters.

The tainted magic sputtered, then centered into her palm as
if her flesh was being filleted from bone. Her fingers twitched and curled, the
pressure increasing until a blaze of light spiraled through the air.

The red mist thickened, shimmered then slowly faded … leaving
her holding her sword.

Clancy took a step back in surprise, the first hint of alarm
etched on his face. “What the hell kind of witch are you?”

Everyone leapt away as if sensing the coming battle. The hope
for freedom tinged the faces of some, and they lingered to watch the outcome.

“No witch, not really.” Raven locked him in her sight and
began circling him like prey. “I’m an alpha.”

Clancy blanched, sweat pouring down his face and drenching his
shirt. His panic urged her beast to attack. Until he could banish his fear, he
couldn’t grab enough power to order his pack, but it was only a matter of time.
His nervous gaze jumped from one person to the next as he searched for aid, but
no one dared meet his stare lest they become ensnared by his beast and fall
under his sway again. The humans sensed the danger and wisely kept to
themselves.

She’d basically bitch-slapped his beast when she severed his
attempt to take over her pack. The bull was so massive and strong, she doubted
anyone had been able to do that in a long time.

 “There is no escape.” She edged closer, her fingers clenched
around the sword, pleased at the feel of comforting metal against her palm.

It made her feel invincible, able to conquer the world.

Her brows furrowed and a sense of unease prickled along her
nerves as if she’d rolled around in a cactus plant. The tainted magic was
influencing her. She gave a single thought of pulling back, and her hand
reflexively tightened on the sword in denial.

It refused to be parted again, especially not with her pack
in danger.

In a fair fight, she had a chance to beat him, but she very
much doubted he had enough honor to play fair. Without using the electricity
from the storm, the sheer number of Clancy’s men would eventually overwhelm
her. If he managed to kill her, his stranglehold on his pack would increase.
She could see the knowledge in his eyes.

It all came down to one question.

Could he run far and fast enough to survive the death
sentence for killing a valuable and rare female alpha?

She’d give him a week.

Two at most.

He came to the same realization.

The best he could hope for would be to wound her and escape.

Like a rat caught in a cage, he searched for a way out, and his
attention stopped at something beyond her. Malicious glee crossed his face as
all his good cheer returned. “Greggory! Kill her.”

Raven whirled, not giving either man her back. The tip of
her sword dropped toward the ground as the slim bear strode out of the crowd. “Greggory?”

“I hoped it wouldn’t come to this.” Face grim, he tugged his
shirt over his head. “I told you to run.”

“What are you doing?” Raven was too stunned to move. Clancy
had found the perfect way to kill her and not take the blame. Clever that and
it galled her to be outsmarted by the likes of him.

The air shimmered around him as he prepared to shift.

If he turned into a beast, it wouldn’t even be a battle.

“You don’t have to obey him.” She dropped into her second
sight, but couldn’t find any strings connecting them to enforce the order.
Nothing she could cut to free him. “I can help you.”

She didn’t want to fight him. He might not be innocent, but
he was a good man. He stood by a moral code, doing what needed to be done to
save those around him.

A bitter smile twisted his lips. “I am bound to obey.”

“Bound?” Her brows furrowed, then things clicked into place.
It wasn’t the Clancy he wanted to protect. “The kid.”

He nodded, determination tightening his jaw. “The kid.”

Raven had known that the kid was the key.

A wave of helplessness clawed at her.

They were so close, they just needed a few more minutes.

“Taggert’s been searching for him all day. We’ll find him. If
we work together, we can take down Clancy and eliminate the threat once and for
all.”

“I
can’t
take that risk.”

She listened to the nuances of his voice, something niggling
at the back of her mind. “Can’t?”

His muscles tensed at the soft murmur, his whole body
strumming with emotion.

She dropped into her second sight, searching for something
she missed. Urgency dug its claws into her when things finally began to make
sense.

Why his lines were attached to different packs.

Why they tasted different.

Why they were so different from a normal pack bindings.

“You’re not bound to a pack, not in the normal sense. You’re
bound to the boy, like some type of specialized bodyguard. With each job, you
take an oath, and bind yourself to your clients. You actually
need
to
protect them, don’t you?”

He closed his eyes in surrender. “I am truly sorry.”

And she could tell that he really was … even as his skin
rippled, preparing to rip her apart.