ANCIENT MAGIC HAS BEEN UNLEASHED INTO THE WORLD. IT’S WILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO SURVIVE, EVEN IF IT MEANS WAR. ONLY ONE WOMAN CAN KILL IT…OR SET IT FREE.

The local witches’ coven offers Raven a trade: Surrender herself to them for one week or give up a member of her pack. She thought they wanted to study her, but Raven discovers something far worse—murder. To save her pack, Raven must make the ultimate sacrifice…her freedom.

WHEN DARKNESS IS UNLEASHED…NO ONE IS SAFE.

Witches are being drained of power and killed using a wild magic that’s been dormant for centuries. Tasked with locating the one responsible for releasing it, Raven soon finds herself the prey rather than the hunter. The more lives the magic claims, the stronger the killer becomes. As she and her pack scramble to unravel the secrets of the coven, her own beast starts to wake, and she begins to wonder which is more dangerous…the killer or her beast. But one thing is sure, if the coven and pack don’t learn to work together, none of them will survive the coming storm.

This is a work of fiction. Names, character, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations for articles or reviews. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials.

Copyright © 2015 Stacey Brutger

Cover artist: Amanda Kelsey of Razzle Dazzle Design (www.razzdazzdesign.com)

Editor: Faith Freewoman (www.demonfordetails.com)

All rights reserved.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A special thank you to all my reader and fans for their support.

I wouldn’t be here without you.

For all those who believed in me along the way:

My fabulous editor, my parents and family,

As well as my loving husband.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

 Chapter One

DAY ONE: LAST NIGHT OF THE FULL MOON – TWO HOURS BEFORE SUNRISE

Raven stood outside of the warehouse called Talons, the club where the fanged, furry, and spell slingers normally gathered to blow off steam. Tonight they were waiting for her to surrender herself. If she didn’t, she’d lose her pack, and everything they’d gone through would have been for nothing.

She was a rare conduit, able to absorb and wield electricity. If the witches thought they were going to study her, then the joke was on them. In a desperate move to save a member of her pack, she’d set free the seething darkness inside her, and ended up breaking her only means of protecting others from her lethal touch.

The beast she’d spent a lifetime repressing now raged below the surface. Whatever power she managed to gather just wasn’t strong enough to rebuild the core needed to contain it.

Though her wounds had healed from the recent fight, it felt like she’d been dropped in a vat of acid, then rubbed with sandpaper for good measure. She felt so brittle even the slightest brush of air made her skin burn.

The moon began its descent. As its rays hit her, she tensed and waited for the moon’s call to trickle through her. Waited for her creature to rise and take over, stealing the last bit of humanity she’d managed to preserve.

Instead, the cool rays felt soothing.

She should be relieved. No rampant desire. No lust demanding to be appeased. Which proved one of two things. Either her power had grown too strong, or, what she feared more, the creature who’d awakened within her was much too strong to be roused by the moon like a common shifter.    

She ignored her silent shadow—as much as one could ignore the ParaConsulate’s trained assassin—waiting for Randolph to make his move, but he seemed content to observe. Being watched grated on her nerves, and the beast beneath her skin bared its fangs, stretching as if testing the limits of her body.

Her fingers curled into fists as she struggled to resist doing something stupid, like going over there and demanding he back off. She recognized her creature’s thoughts and impulses, but refused to cede control, not until she’d ensured her pack’s safety. She grabbed the power teeming under her skin and shoved the creature back. After a minute of struggle, the beast snarled but relented.

For now.

Soon one of them would snap, and Raven feared it would be her.

Raven scanned her core…or where her core had once been. Nothing remained but a barren, desolate spot in her chest. She’d unleashed the creature to save Taggert when he nearly died while rescuing her. Now the creature fed off her power, stealing her last hope of eventually wrestling control back. Raven pushed deeper, hoping to find even a hint that her other animals had survived.

A dark crater had swallowed everything, leaving behind a vast emptiness that left her reeling. When the aching loneliness threatened to smother her, she swallowed the lump in her throat and retreated from her core, firmly locking away the pain.

She would survive one more week without imploding.

She took strength in knowing Rylan awaited her beyond the club doors. When the vampire had been on the brink of starving to death, she’d refused to let him take the coward’s way out, refused to let the people in the labs win, and convinced him to take her blood. After one taste, he’d suspected the truth.

That she wasn’t quite human.

He’d seen her creature break from her hold once.

Once had been enough.

Raven remembered only vague snippets, but waking up covered with blood was not an experience she cared to repeat. Everything in their path had lain in ruins. It mattered little that it was the labs she’d decimated, the prison where human scientists had experimented on those with even the smallest hint of anything supernatural. Thank the gods enough of her had remained inside the creature to allow her fellow inmates to escape unharmed.

After the destruction, Rylan had come back for her. Pulled her from the rubble. He should’ve let her die. Instead, he promised if she ever became a problem, he would eliminate the threat.

The reason he was there tonight.

To judge if she was worth saving.

But first she was determined to do this one last job. She needed to secure her pack. The men had barged their way into her life, bound themselves to her and forced her to care, and she was very much afraid she couldn’t live without them. They’d sacrificed everything for her, now it was her turn to do the same for them…by surrendering to the witches.

Any hope she’d harbored that the witches might be able to help her contain the creature lay crushed beneath the brutal truth.

It was much too late for a cure.

She took a shaky step toward the door.

The magnetic locks created to keep out humans opened easily under her touch, revealing just how much things had changed in the past weeks.

A babble of tense voices greeted her when she opened the door. All her rage and pain harden into resolve, and Raven pushed forward.

“You’re late.” The witch rose as she spoke, her voice vibrating with outrage. Whatever else she was going to say evaporated when Raven stepped into the lights. The witch’s latte-colored skin paled, and her mouth snapped shut.

Durant prowled forward from the back of the club, his complete attention riveted on her. The creature quieted a little under his regard, seeming almost pleased by his attention.

“I’d recommend not touching her.” Randolph’s voice came from behind her.

Durant didn’t react to the suggestion in any way. He halted inches from her, scanning her from head to toe, leaving every inch of her tingling under his scorching regard. He didn’t seem shocked at her condition.

Jackson, her overprotective enforcer, must have called to tell him what had happened. She wasn’t surprised.

They’d warned her shifters were sly.

Sneaky.

Willing to do whatever it took to protect the pack.

And since she was one of the rare female alphas, they took those rules to the extreme when she was involved.

Durant lifted his hand to touch her, and Raven flinched. Her cheeks burned at the telling action, but more than anything she didn’t want him to touch the creature.

He was hers.

A little rumble vibrated in her chest, the creature protesting her declaration.

“You have something in your hair.” Durant slowed his movement, refusing to retreat, his eyes shading to a brilliant gold with his emotions.

She felt a tug, then he held up his hand.

It was a chunk of meat.

The piece was all that remained of the Professor who’d sought to destroy the pack and the peace the paranormal world had sacrificed and fought so hard to maintain.

Only then was she aware of how she must appear. Even dressed in black, there was no concealing the fact that every inch of her was covered with bits of human remains. Congealed clumps of rotting blood splattered her face, the stench growing worse the longer it was exposed to air. Her stomach churned, and she feared she might vomit.

“I’m sorry to be late. If you would grant me another hour to prepare, we can leave.”

The witch gave a regal nod. The shock had worn off. What remained was more dangerous.

Curiosity.

* * *

Raven followed Durant toward his office, noting his normally pristine clothes were rumpled. Memories of the last time she had entered his lair swamped her, the way he’d kissed her, demanded that she touch him. Her heart felt bruised at the thought of never touching him or the others in her pack again. Whatever future they might have together could never amount to anything if she didn’t find a way to survive the changes threatening to consume her. If the creature gained control, she would be nothing more than a rampaging beast.

Her eyes locked on the office chair that stood so proudly displayed next to the desk, the one where he’d allowed himself to be cuffed, willing gave up all his precious control to her, just to gain a simple kiss. The sight of it nearly ripped out her heart, and she blindly turned away when her tangled emotions threatened to trip her up. But no matter how much distance she put between them, she couldn’t outrun the haunting leather scent that was uniquely his. She shivered, knowing even if she lived to be a hundred, she would recognize his delicious scent anywhere.

The creature scratched beneath her skin, trying to chisel away the shell Raven was building between it and her pack. She couldn’t allow it freedom, couldn’t risk that it might harm those under her care.

“You can clean up in here.” Durant’s impassive facade cracked, his gruff voice little more than a rumble.

Heat blazed off him when she passed within inches from his tense body, but he held onto his control and maintained his distance. Water trickled behind the closed door. When she followed the sound into the bathroom, she stopped short. She should have expected something a little out of the ordinary, especially since he’d deemed her own bathroom inadequate and demolished it.

The room was twice as large as his office. One entire wall was a waterfall, splashing into a huge pool at least twelve feet across.

Large enough for a full-grown tiger.

The mental image gave her pause.

She tore her gaze away to find Durant opening a set of glass doors to a shower stall that was larger than her king sized bed and turned on the spray. Steam immediately filled the enclosed space. As he stepped out, his eyes met hers, and he marched straight toward her.

Raven leaned to step back, then carefully placed her foot back down. She was not prey. She would not be chased. A stab of anxiety jabbed her, and she was unsure which thoughts were hers and which were the creature’s.

“I can manage from here.”

He halted, his hands clenching and unclenching. “I’ll abide by your wishes and not touch you, but your injuries need to be inspected, then dressed.”

There was an awkward silence, more than space and steam separating them, and she bit her lip against the frantic need to bridge the growing distance. It was better this way. Raven knew if she asked, he’d leave her alone.

So why couldn’t she force the words out?

His indomitable pride would take a hit. He was already balanced on a razor’s edge about not being included in the forest raid. She was afraid if she pushed him any further, he’d never give her another chance, and the fragile feelings building between them would vanish forever.

She gave a tiny nod and turned her back, catching the slight relaxation in his shoulders from the corner of her eye. He drew close enough for his breath to brush the back of her neck. She tensed, uncertain whether she would be able to reject him a second time if he touched her, but he only unlatched the necklace and carefully placed it on the stone countertop. The heat in the room gradually notched up, sinking below her skin, but nothing penetrated the bone-deep chill that had taken root.

She tugged the shirt over her head, wincing when her ribs protested. Very conscious of Durant watching, she quickly shucked her boots. Her jeans were a little more resistant, dried blood gluing the denim to her thigh.

A sharp tug released the pant leg, and the barely-healed wound throbbed in protest. She could still feel the bone sticking out of her thigh, but when she looked, she saw only smooth skin. That was if she discounted the throng of bruises that checkered her body. Ignoring the little growl from behind her, Raven did her best to cover her limp as she entered the shower. Every muscle protested the abuse she’d suffered a few hours earlier, and her legs quivered with the effort to remain upright. She couldn’t afford to show weakness, or her pack would never allow her to leave.

Blood and gore plopped down on the shower floor as she stood under the pounding spray of six showerheads. After a few minutes, the water finally ran clean.

A slight click of the door behind her made all her muscles tense into knots. She looked over her shoulder to see Durant join her in the shower. He had stripped down to just his jeans, leaving the broad expanse of chest on display. Completely oblivious to his impact on her, he lifted the soap.

“Let me.” His voice was gruff, as if the words were hard to get out. “Please.”

She could’ve argued with him, and he might have even listened, but she didn’t have the energy to lift her arms and do it herself. He slowly gathered her hair and soaped the tangled mess, careful not to tug on the snarled strands.

Her head dropped forward while he massaged her scalp, and the last of the tension slowly fizzled away. She was pathetically grateful not to be alone with her thoughts. Nothing existed but his hands on her. Much sooner than she was ready, he withdrew and pushed her under the spray.

Water and suds slid down her body. He nudged her, directing her to turn.

When his fingers brushed the mark on her side, she went rigid. Her eyes cracked open and she glared, a snarl curling her lips at the stolen touch. She wasn’t used to anyone touching her and never in kindness.

Normally, she wouldn’t give a damn, but the last thing she wanted was for him to ask questions about the mark. It was somehow tied to the creature, and until she discovered the connection, she wanted to keep it secret.

He held up his hands in surrender and stilled. It took everything in her to resist shuffling closer and laying hands on him. She wasn’t sure whether she would rip him apart or rub up against him, and she wouldn’t risk his life to find out.

They remained at a stalemate until he finally spoke. “You need to finish rinsing the soap from your hair. Come out when you’re ready.”

Then he was gone.

By the time she emerged, he was in dry clothes, waiting with a ginormous towel held open between his hands. She expected to see his face politely averted the way Taggert would do to preserve her privacy. But no, his eyes swept over her, noticing every detail. He expertly examined her injuries, appearing detached, that was if you didn’t notice the heat lurking in those green-gold eyes of his. His perusal left her feeling exposed, and she couldn’t decide if she wanted to stretch under his attention or cover herself with her hands.

Her creature enjoyed the attention, though, slowing her steps, drawing out the process. Recognition flashed in Durant’s eyes, and his control wavered, revealing an explosive hunger that wouldn’t be appeased with just a kiss. Her insides fluttered with pure desire, then went squishy with panic when she realized the creature was manipulating them both.

Raven reached for her power, ready to shock some sense into both her and her creature, but the energy hardened like armor under her skin. She could only scratch at it, unable to scrounge together even the smallest spark.

Fine. She couldn’t draw on the power, but she could still influence it. She focused on the crackling energy in the links of the armor and clamped down. The power increased its voltage to a hum, and the armor turned into an electric cage around the creature. The beast hissed in rage at being held captive again, then released its hold over her, settling down to sulk. Raven sucked in a sharp breath when every painful volt sank into her bones.

The jolt was a brutal wakeup call.

For the first time, Raven understood the creature was truly a part of her.

The longer it remained free, every second they spent together, only strengthened their bond.

Unless she did something soon, destroying the creature would mean destroying herself.

The sobering thought scared the creature into behaving, and Raven found herself back in charge. But the threat would only hold the creature at bay for so long. Once they were fully merged, she would be at the creature’s mercy.

With a huff of frustration at the impossible tangle her life had become, Raven tried to yank the towel from Durant. Only he refused to relinquish his hold, wrapping it around her until she was trapped in a cocoon of warm, fuzzy cotton that smelled like him. It was all she could do not to bury her nose in it and steal another whiff.

“Durant—”

“Hush. If you don’t let me take care of you, I won’t be responsible for my actions. I’ll snatch you up, take you from here, where I guarantee no one would find us.”

So why did his rumbled threat sound like heaven?

Two things stopped her. The safety of her pack, and the knowledge she might end up killing them all if she stayed.

 Chapter Two

“I’ll leave you to dress.” Durant opened the door, still staring at her as if fearing if he lost sight of her she’d disappear.

Unable to withstand his intense gaze, she picked up the clothes waiting for her and raised a brow. “My clothes?”

He shrugged. “Jase ran here and dropped them off.”

Durant meant the kid had literally ran more than ten miles to deliver them. Like most shifters, Jase wasn’t allowed to drive. He was a stray, an unregistered rogue she’d offered a spot in her pack, and loyal down to his bones.

“Thank you.”

At the dismissal, Durant failed to mask his disappointment and vanished into his office, the snick of the door echoing through the pool of silence he’d left behind. She didn’t want to be alone and dwell on her thoughts, not when her pack waited out there, silent and expectant.

And fearful.

Their dread left a bitter aftertaste.

She ached to comfort them, but refused to lie and say everything would be all right. The bonds of the pack had been forged by fire. They would kill and die to protect her. She could do no less. Because of the bindings, they were now a part of her, and she would destroy anyone who thought to take them away.

She dropped the towel and reached for her clothes when the mark on her side caught her attention. The shape had grown, the ridges more pronounced. The dark blob of coloring in the center was still too indistinct to decipher.

She brushed a finger over the tattoo, and sucked in a startled breath at its sensitivity. The mark was bitterly cold to the touch, but quickly heated at her attention…almost in welcome. She jerked back, then rubbed her tingling fingertips together, still able to feel the fading warmth. Not wanting to dwell on what she couldn’t understand, or change, she finished dressing and focused on what she could do.

Find a way to thwart any attempts by the witches to steal Taggert.

Though mostly healed, the phantom pains from her injuries throbbed with every move. She toweled her hair dry, deliberately keeping her back to the mirror. She wasn’t sure she was ready to face what she was becoming. She dropped the damp towel by the sink, and hesitated over the gift from Jackson, lightly tracing the silver links of the necklace, then reluctantly left it on the counter. She no longer needed its protection. Nothing could protect her any longer. 

She picked up the pair of gauntlet gloves Durant had set out for her. The leather kept other people safe from her power in case she accidently touched them. Although that problem didn’t seem to be an issue anymore with her powers gone. More out of habit, she slid her hand into the leather, then took a deep breath to face the new world awaiting her.

She braced herself and opened the door. The first person she saw was Rylan. Her breath stopped as she waited for his reaction.

His verdict.

He appeared relaxed, his look taking in everything, gauging how close she was to losing it.

“I’m fine. I need to do this first.”

He nodded, almost too agreeable. It made her suspicious.

“Spill it.” She walked over to the desk, needing the distance and a comforting solid structure between them. Foolishness anyway, since a three-hundred pound piece of wood would not stop a vampire if he wanted something.

“I will go along with your plan on one condition.”

Raven halted on the spot, her heart pounding in her throat. Every muscle tightened as she waited for his ultimatum, knowing she wouldn’t be able to budge him. He couldn’t change his mind. Too much depended on him. “You promised.” It was an accusation.

The creature chose that moment to perk up and listen as well. In that split second, Raven knew if Rylan made a move on her, the creature would fight with everything in her to stay alive. What scared Raven the most was she wasn’t sure who would remain standing in the end.

“I’m the one who gets to decide, not you. If I believe you can…manage your new affliction, our deal is off.”

Raven gave a weak nod. Despite the fear they were making a mistake that might cost them everything, a single ray of hope burst through her. Everything she’d ever wanted was within her grasp. Rylan believed she could win the battle with her creature. Raven wasn’t so sure, but she was willing to try, desperate to do whatever it took to remain with her pack.

She had one week to outsmart the creature who’d lain dormant within her since she was born.

No pressure.

As she came around the desk and headed toward the door, Jase stepped out of the shadows. He dropped his gaze and shuffled his feet when he notice her staring at him.

“Jase.”

He snapped to attention. Shoulders back, hands behind him in a military pose.

The perfect soldier.

“Thank you for bringing my things. Keep an eye on the boys for me, will you?” The boys were brothers, a pair of wolves just shy of cresting. The teenage rogues were staying at her house until they decided what they wanted to do with their lives.

“Of course.”

When she walked past, she brushed against him, and a snap of electricity crackled between them. She desperately wanted to retreat, but held her ground for a few seconds longer. The pack lived and thrived by touch. It was seen as a reward…or a punishment if it was denied.

He inhaled deeply, a flush of pride coloring his face, and she quickly left the office.

“Come. It’s time to leave.” Rylan guided her forward, walking a step behind, the position marking her as his superior. She didn’t like all the pack rules, what they revealed, when it was so much safer for everyone if she remained hidden. Raven peered behind her, but saw no sign of Durant. A piece of her heart withered. She’d wanted to say goodbye, see him one last time, but maybe it was better this way.

She and Rylan approached the three impatient witches, stopping a healthy distance away. Magic brushed against her like a nest of cobwebs. She swept it away, along with the magic, and gave a smile that was more a baring of teeth than a pleasantry.

“We’re ready.”

The witch raised a brow. “We?”

Rylan stepped forward and bowed. “I volunteer to be her sentinel.”

The witch pursed her lips, clearly not pleased, but she couldn’t refuse to honor the age-old custom.

“I’m going as well.” Durant emerged from his office, a duffle bag dangling from his hand.

“No.”

“Absolutely not.”

Raven and the witch spoke at the same time, both in agreement for once.

“Unless you have someone willing to feed the vampire, and who can also protect her during the day, then you’re stuck with me.”

The witch’s face twisted in distaste, and she planted her hands on her hips. Her voodoo-style peasant shirt and multicolored skirt should’ve made her look plain, but instead enhanced her striking coloring and bone structure.

Raven spoke before the witch could say anything. “You detest Rylan. Why offer to feed him?”

Her heart fluttered in panic, and a nasty suspicion that he knew she wasn’t going to be returning twisted through Raven. He couldn’t be allowed to go with them. He would try to stop them. The creature was already too interested in him for Raven’s peace of mind. Not to mention what would happen when he discovered the truth, that she really was a monster. She couldn’t bear to have his affection turn cold. The cut would go too deep, a mortal wound that would forever fester. “No, he can feed off of me.”

But Rylan was already shaking his head. “No, not you.”

The creature at her core gave a huff of agreement, sinking her claws into Raven’s chest for carelessly offering what was theirs. Though Raven wanted to protest, she knew Rylan was right. It was too dangerous for both of them. Her blood would only bind them tighter together…like a noose.

The vampire already craved her blood. She couldn’t risk deepening his addiction, or he might not go through with the plan to eliminate her, not if he would lose his supply as a result.

 Raven scrambled to come up with an excuse, and latched on the first thing that popped into her mind. “No shifter is safe in a coven. Not too long ago, they used shifters as familiars. Not only could they harm you, they could use you against me.”

She was desperate, grasping at straws, but didn’t care. It would destroy her to lose him to the witches.

Durant shook his head, a cocky smile curling his lips in a way that didn’t bode well. “I’m too strong an alpha. They’d never gain access to me, not while you still stand.”

Raven snorted at his overblown ego. “You can’t—”

“I’m immune to their magic.”

That stopped her tirade short. Even the witch stood straighter. It was a ploy. It had to be. Raven narrowed her eyes and called his bluff. “What do you mean?”

Durant dropped the bag, then slowly pulled his shirt over his head. The awesome sight of his chest distracted her. Smooth muscles beckoned her closer. A light dusting of hair low on his stomach beckoned her to investigate lower.

Touch.

The word whispered in her mind, a craving so deep she even took a step forward to do as bidden. She fiddled with the gloves, wanting to rip off the leather so nothing separated them.

Then Durant turned.

Shimmering gold symbols dotted along his spine in a script she couldn’t decipher. “What are those?”

“A spell.” The witch spoke almost absently. “A very painful ward that must first be carved into flesh, then molten gold is poured into the bleeding wounds. The pain is excruciating. Most people don’t survive the magic, let alone the agony inflicted as the heated metal solidifies.”

Raven didn’t like the admiration in the witch’s tone or the appreciative way she eyed Durant. Her creature liked it even less. She struggled to think of another excuse, but Durant turned and stepped into her space.

Distracting her on purpose.

And damned if he wasn’t getting a little too good at ferreting out her weaknesses and using them against her.

“Take him with you or not, but I will remind you if you’re not able to fulfill your side of the agreement, my approval is rescinded, and your little dog, Taggert, is mine.” The witch turned her spooky eyes on Durant. “If you go beastly without a leash around your throat, you will be put down.”

Raven straightened, her muscles strung tight as she spun to face the witch. Durant adroitly stepped between them, his back to the main witch, effectively cutting off what would no doubt have been rash words. It didn’t matter. The creature uncurled in her body, its wrath gathering, determined to eliminate the threat to the pack.

Durant caught her hand and placed it over his chest, grunting when the kick of power slid into him. His eyes immediately went gold. Instead of retreating, she could have sworn his tiger purred under her palm.

She brushed her fingers over the warm muscles, the touch calming both of them.

You need me to ensure the pack remains safe.

Raven jerked at hearing his voice in her head, then answered in kind. Such arrogance.

You need me.

They’ll treat you as less than an animal.

It was Durant’s turn to shrug. You need me.

For him, it was that simple. There was a hard glint in his eyes that warned her if she refused him, she wouldn’t like the alternative. And he was right, she needed someone to feed Rylan, and she needed Rylan in case something went horribly wrong.

“We’ll follow you in our own car.” She tugged her hand back, immediately missing his warmth, and turned to face the witch. “Do you have any files on the case?”

“Case?” The witch narrowed her eyes, their color bleeding to black as her magic rose.

Shadows began to dance in those eyes, and Raven took care not to look too deeply lest she be sucked under their sway. Tortured souls haunted those dark orbs, just waiting for the unwary to peer too closely so they could ensnare them. “I assume there’s a reason you demanded my services.”

She and the witch both eyed each other, looking for weaknesses.

Power and grim resolve stared back at Raven. The witch’s black hair was scraped back, her light coffee-colored skin pale, the wrinkles daring to crowd the corners of her eyes were more pronounced. None of it detracted from her exotic appeal.

At the slight tilt of her head, one of the witch’s followers presented Raven with a slim folder. A quick glance showed less than a handful of pages.

“If you’re finished making demands, we must get back.” The witch turned in a swirl of multicolored skirts, the rippling fabric betraying her agitation for a few seconds. She and the two others headed toward the door without another word.

When Raven moved to follow, Rylan stepped into her path. He was whipcord thin and elegantly dressed, never a hair out of place, but she’d lay odds on him in a fight every time. There was a ruthlessness in him, a determination to survive at any cost that most people dismissed because of his easy manners.

A mistake.

He had an ungodly amount of power, enough to conceal his otherworldliness so others often mistook him for newly turned or just plain human. Though he stared at her, his words were directed toward Durant. “I will be there at sundown. Please see if you can keep her out of trouble until then.”

Raven would have protested, but in truth, she had run into more than her share of complications in recent weeks.

Durant gave a stiff nod, his eyes narrowing in displeasure at being told how to do his job.

Rylan kissed her forehead, turned abruptly and followed the witches out the door. She would have been flustered by the show of affection if she hadn’t felt a hum of power encircle her.

Testing how very little control she had left.

She could tell the instant he vanished. The warm static he carried around with him flattened out into nothing.

Only then did she relax.

She’d passed.

This time.

She smoothed out the slightly crumpled folder. She needed to solve this case quickly…before that changed.

 Chapter Three

DAY ONE: SUNRISE

Durant effortlessly guided his Aston Martin through the winding mountain roads. The machine leapt forward with a smooth rumble, reminding her of his tiger counterpart. He was one of the few shifters allowed to drive, a privilege granted to only the elite…alphas and their enforcers.

High emotions could trigger a change.

Road rage took on a whole new meaning when someone could literally grow fangs and claws.

As the sun crested over the horizon, Raven read the file one more time, unable to glean anything useful from the rubbish. “There’s nothing in here.”

Durant didn’t even bother to take his eyes off the road. “Did you really think she’d just hand over information about her coven?”

Actually, Raven had. She was tired, achy and now, very cranky as well. “How the devil am I supposed to solve anything if I don’t know what the hell’s going on?”

“We’ll have to wait. They’ll only tell us what they think we need to know.”

Raven snorted. “You mean nothing?”

“Exactly.” Durant didn’t smile. “What do you know about witches?”

“The older the witch, the more powerful, and the higher the rank. Casting magic has a cost. The bigger the magic, the more you pay.” Her lips curled in disgust. “And they used to own familiars to carry the brunt of the cost.”

“They still do.”

Raven’s mouth dropped open. “Say again?”

“They no longer resort to capturing and imprisoning them, but some shifters do sell themselves into service.” His hands clenched on the steering wheel, so she could tell it bothered him, too. “You must not react or interfere between a familiar and their witch. Neither side will take kindly to it.”

“Why would a shifter consent to such a barbaric arrangement?”

Durant’s expression said she was thinking too human again. “You forget, not all shifters have a pack. Without a pack, they’d be labelled rogue and can be killed without fear of reprisal. Not to mention that not all shifters born into a pack are allowed to remain.”

“Those who can’t shift.” Raven didn’t understand how they could cut ties with family so easily. “You treat them as if they’re born with a defect and therefore inferior.”

“You have such low opinion of our culture, but there are reasons for those rules. After a young shifter crests or fails, they must choose what kind of future they want, just like any human. They’re no longer protected like children, but treated as adults. Those who are more human than shifter wouldn’t survive in the pack. We’re violent. Vicious. Pack members need to be stronger and better. Wars for territory still break out. The pack is only as strong as its weakest link. Those who can’t shift end up being cannon fodder. Their best chance for survival is outside the pack. The ultimate choice of whether they want to risk staying with the pack or leave is theirs.”

“So they’re sold to the witches.” Revulsion twisted through her at the thought.

“They volunteer.”

His answer floored her. “Why on earth would they agree to slavery?”

His brows lowered in annoyance. “They’re not slaves. They occupy a unique position in the pack. Their family is honored for their services.”

“Be a slave or leave the pack. How is that a choice? The witches can do anything they want to their familiars and no one will object.”

Durant laughed, his eyes crinkling with amusement. “You think so little of us. They’re actually highly protected, and, better yet, they’re still considered part of the pack. Each shifter signs a contract. For every maiming or death, the witches must pay a severe fine. They can’t afford to damage or kill a shifter. It costs too much.”

Raven was flabbergasted, the papers crumpling in her hands. “And paying a fine makes it all better?”

Durant gave her a cynical look. “Your military is run the same way. Soldiers are paid for their services. The family receives benefits if they die in battle. It’s considered an honor to serve one’s country.”

“That’s different,” Raven muttered.

“Is it?”

She had no answer and didn’t like the comparison. “Have you ever thought of becoming one?”

He cast her a peculiar look, then shook his head. “No.”

It floored her when he hesitated. Jealousy curled through her until she thought she was going to be sick. “But the spell on your back. You got it to prevent becoming a familiar.”

“The spell protects my beast. I can activate it or grant the witch my permission.”

She bit her lip, desperately wanting to know who had so captured his affections, picking at the unanswered question like a raw wound. “Who?”

A half-smile curled his lips, and he raised a brow. “You don’t know?”

She racked her brain for a name and came up blank. She curled her fingers into fists. Maybe it was better not to know, so she wouldn’t be tempted to kill the bitch.

“You.”

Heat burned her cheeks at the husky tone and warm spilled into her chest. “But I’m not a witch.”

He shrugged away her protest. “You can take what you want from me with my blessing.”

Raven had no idea how to reply. They fell silent as he maneuvered the car along the hairpin curves. The warm sun beat down on her, and his leather scent lulled her until her eyelids grew heavy.

* * *

Raven jolted awake when the car pulled to a stop. Her head was nestled on Durant’s leg, her hand curled over his thigh. A comforting heat radiated from him, and she wanted to snuggle closer. If she concentrated, she’d almost swear she could hear his tiger purring. The sound soothed her. He turned off the car, and neither moved, both enjoying the novelty of touching.

Then she became conscious of where exactly her head was resting…just inches away from his erection. Heat climbed in her cheeks at the intimate position, and she straightened, avoiding his gaze. She expected a comment, but he remained silent. When she stole a glance at him, it was to find his golden eyes watching her with a single-minded focus hot enough to scorch her insides.

“You look better.” Good enough to eat went unsaid, but it was there in his eyes.

Raven held perfectly still, so as not to squirm under his scrutiny, and realized with a start that he was correct. She felt almost normal. She eyed him suspiciously, but his bland expression gave away nothing.

She checked the vault where she used to store her power, but it remained barren and cold. And she was beginning to fear nothing would be the way it used to be. She reached over to brush a hand against her side to gauge if the spot had grown, but stopped when she noticed he was still watching her.

She fiddled with her gloves, coming to resent them. They kept her from touching her pack. The loss of connection left behind an ache that wouldn’t be appeased any other way.

She hastily glanced out the window. “Are we there?”

“We’ve been on their land for the last twenty minutes.” He tipped his head, gesturing over her shoulder.

When she turned, she saw a large wrought iron gate blocking the way. There was no guard box, no security cameras. No electricity at all. Opposite was a sheer cliff dropping off into nothingness. Beyond, all the eye could see were miles and miles of wilderness. Much to her surprise, the absolute silence was actually calming. “How far are we from civilization?”

Durant unhooked her seatbelt. “Not far. Only about eighty miles as the crow flies.”

Raven glanced at the clock. Four hours had passed. Then she understood. With all the twists and turns, no one could sneak up on the coven. “Clever.”

Durant straightened from the car and leaned in to grab his bag. By the time she’d untangled herself from her seatbelt, he was already around the vehicle and opening her door. “Where did the witches go?”

He nodded toward the gate. “The doors had opened when the witches pulled up.”

She studied the entrance more closely. “Let me guess. They closed when we approached.”

“You got it.” He shouldered his bag and headed toward the doors. The gate stood fifteen feet high at the tallest point. Shrubs lined both sides of the entrance, trailing off into a knot of towering trees.

The closer she got, the denser the magic became, until she could barely push her way forward. Cobwebs clung to her, thickening to an invisible spider web that threatened to trap her.

A binding spell.

But instead of allowing the spell to seep into her like an infection, the energy resting under her skin hardened to an impenetrable armor, blocking the enchantment.

Magic flowed over her, then splashed off like water before soaking into the ground.

Each step became easier than the last.

Durant strolled through the spell like he didn’t have a care in the world.

Damned if she wasn’t a little envious of his wards.

He pushed on the gates, muscles bulging, but nothing happened. His brows lowered in annoyance, and he strode toward the shrubs. They stood just five feet tall, something a shifter could easily scale—hell, jump with a single bound. So why did she feel so uneasy? “Durant, wait.”

He halted and turned to look at her. As she neared, she couldn’t put her finger on what bothered her. Then it clicked. She didn’t sense any magic at all, when she had been all but drowning in it not two seconds ago.

Playing a hunch, she stooped, picked up a rock and heaved it over the side. Branches and vines shot up, twisting through the air, catching the small missile. There was a slight pause when nothing happened, then the rock imploded in a shower of dust.

Durant pursed his lips.

Raven gritted her teeth. “Another damned test.”

She walked up to the gate and set her hand on the front plate as Durant had done. Power from the metal hummed at her touch, and licked at her as if hungry for a taste. The sharp, overly sweet stench of magic enveloped her like she’d fallen in a vat of pixy stick powder.

Then the magic invaded her chest. She coughed, trying to expel it from her lungs, when her creature cracked open its eyes.

Raven froze, not certain she could fight both it and the spell at the same time, but the creature seemed more interested in the magic. The beast fed on energy, and she waited for it to slurp it down. Instead, it struck fast, grabbed hold of the hex before it could escape, and shredded it with razor-sharp teeth and claws.

Ribbons of the destroyed spell fluttered to the ground to pile up like burnt shadows. The sweet smell turned sour. After what felt like eons, a tiny opening appeared in the magic surrounding the property. Raven thrust her hand through and shoved against the gate until the latch click open. As soon as the lock disengaged, what remained of the magic faded.

The creature puffed up with pride at the victory, pleased to show Raven what they could achieve if they worked as a team. Raven wasn’t so easily convinced. She focused on the creature, wanting to identify what type of breed she harbored, but couldn’t seem to get a lock on the beast. Every time she got close, it wiggled away, dissipating into nothing.

No matter how hard she searched, the creature was gone.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself facing the now benign gate.

Putting her shoulder against the metal, she used her weight to force it open. The doors creaked, and she stumbled through, and would have landed on her face if Durant hadn’t caught her close. She looked up, half-expecting to find a gaggle of witches waiting to take them into custody. Instead, only the coven leader stood waiting on the path.

Raven was furious at the witches’ casual disregard for their safety. They would have killed Durant over a lousy test. She shrugged off Durant’s restraining arm, and marched forward, not stopping until she was up close and personal with the voodoo priestess. Magic billowed in the air around the woman, ready to strike, but Raven had had enough. “Try anything like that again, and I’ll consider our bargain null and void.”

The witch raised a brow, all surprised and innocent. “I have no idea what you mean. I came to let you into the compound.”

Raven didn’t believe it for a second.

“If you’ve finished with your threats, I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.” The witch turned and…there was no other word for it…sashayed down the main trail as if nothing had happened.

Raven glared, only sheer will holding her back from throttling the woman. As they came around a bend in the road, the small coven she had expected spread out before them like a college campus. Large buildings were strewn about the grounds, a dozen cabins scattered throughout. The trees were groomed, the lawn manicured. “It’s a school.”

“You seem surprised.” Her amused tone said she enjoyed exposing Raven’s ignorance.

What really surprised her was the size of the place. “I thought I was supposed to help your coven.”

“My coven runs this center.” Pride gave her eyes a certain gleam, and she led them to the middle of the campus, where a group of small cabins huddled. She pushed open the door to one and stepped back. “You’ll stay here while we conduct our business. Your tiger can stay in the barracks with the other shifters.”

Durant stiffened, his hands curling into fists at the prospect of being separated. Raven halted, not even bothering to inspect the one-room cabin. She scanned the school grounds, then nodded to a row of cabins almost a mile away and off the beaten path. “One of those will work better.”

The smile on the witch’s face became hard. “That will not be possible.”

The thought of being surrounded, constantly watched and studied like a specimen raised the hairs on the back of her neck. She would not be used as a petri dish. Even now, their invasive stares frayed her composure and left her feeling exposed. Magic dusted the air, and she resisted the urge to sneeze and clear her head. 

Then she narrowed her eyes when she located the source.

The cabin was wrapped in a tangle of spells, so subtle they were almost undetectable, no doubt set there to spy on them.

Raven grinned and was rewarded when the pleased expression dropped off the woman’s face. “I have no intention of being parted from my guards. I’m sure you can see why having a vampire in the middle of your campus might not be the best choice.”

Calculation danced in the witch’s eyes until the offer was grudgingly accepted. “Fine.”

They were almost across the grounds when a bell tolled in the distance. In under a minute, smiling teenagers flooded the quad. A babble of voices filled the air, punctuated by shrieks of laughter. A few kids glanced at them. They quickly dismissed her, but Durant earned a number of admiring stares. That alone didn’t surprise her, he was a handsome man, but the calculation behind some of the looks did take her aback.

Those kids saw him as a commodity, not a person.

She resisted the urge to step in front of him.

“I’m fine.” Humor lurked in Durant’s voice, and he nudged her forward, urging her to catch up with the witch.

Raven flushed, then did as bided, practically running to escape his too-pleased expression, but the bastard easily kept pace. She felt him staring at her and shivered under his heated gaze. “Stop it.”

His cat gave a pleased hum. “Stop what?”

His damned hypnotic voice rubbed up against her skin, urging her to linger and flirt with him. Raven sighed in relief when the witch pulled open a door. Not waiting for an invitation, she launched herself inside the cabin, determined to keep her distance from the cat before he drove her insane. She couldn’t afford to bind him tighter to her, not until she could control her creature and make it abundantly clear that the pack was hers alone, not something she was willing to share.

Durant followed relentlessly, as if sensing her pulling away, determined not to let her escape.

“I assume this will suit your needs?” The witch trailed after them, her ire forgotten, seemingly fascinated by the interplay between Raven and Durant.

Thankfully, Durant wandered away to inspect the small cabin, giving her room to breathe. The cabin had two rooms in addition to the main living area. To the right was a single room where a large bed stood front and center, taking up most of the cramped space…or maybe it was all she saw. The other room was a tiny bathroom. With the three of them, the place would be quite cozy.

Though small, the space was adequate. She didn’t plan to spend any more time there than absolutely necessary. More importantly, the cabin was the farthest from the kids, and partially concealed by the tree line. The campus appeared as if it had been carved out of the wilderness, the woodland encroaching, determined to take it back. “It will do. But why do you have cabins in the first place when you have so many other buildings?”

“Teachers bring a few of the more advanced students here for lessons. These buildings are used to study the more dangerous magic, the distance providing added protection for the other students in case the spells go awry.”

“A way to prevent inflicting damage on others.” Which explained why the kitchen was be the largest room…a place where they could create their spells or be torn apart if they failed.

The witch nodded, not volunteering anything further on the subject. “After those lessons, the wizards use this place to charge their charms. They usually stay until all the magic has either been used or faded beyond their grasp.”

The witch was chatting in a friendly matter, but revealing nothing important. “Why don’t you tell me the real reason you wanted me here?”

The witch hesitated, her head tipped as if listening to something only she could hear. “Dinner will take place in an hour in the main hall. We can discuss it afterwards. I want your take on what you see before I go into any details.”

Raven stared off into space long after the witch had left, only becoming aware of her surroundings again when Durant silently came up behind her, and the delicious heat of him seeped into her chilled body. “Something about Heloise bothers you.”

“So that’s her name.” Raven avoided his question, refusing to say more, not until she pinned down what troubled her. “We should go.”

She didn’t care that they’d be early; she wanted to avoid being alone with Durant as much as possible. He was breaking down the barriers between them faster than she could erect new ones, and she couldn’t afford anyone getting too close. If she lost control and had to do the unthinkable, she couldn’t risk that they might guess the truth and try to stop her. If it was just her, she could lock herself away, but she refused to risk harming the pack she’d come to love.

Durant didn’t protest. He dropped his bag on the bed and followed her out the door. Only a few students were about, less than a handful, all heading in the same direction.

She could pick out a few shifters lingering at the outskirts of the campus, something in their stillness standing out. Despite not being full shifters, there was a lick of wildness in the air around them, signaling they were not quite human. The two she saw didn’t appeared injured in any way, but then again, it took a lot to damage shifters beyond their ability to heal. She inhaled to see if she could catch their scent, then jerked back in surprise when a whiff of their curiosity reached her. “They aren’t allowed on campus, are they? Kept away like wild animals who might attack at any moment.”

“They might not be wrong.” Durant stepped closer as if to offer her comfort. “It’s for both the witches’ and shifters’ protection. The witches need to guard their children and their secrets. The shifters are stronger together, the pack offering its own protection.” He fell silent for a heartbeat. “Do you want to talk about it?”

She quickened her pace, hating him a little for being so perceptive. “Talk about what?”

He didn’t back down, easily keeping pace, and she cursed the never ending shifter endurance. He wasn’t going to let her escape.

“Oh, I don’t know. How about what you sacrificed to rescue the pack? That you killed a man and saw Taggert nearly die trying to save your life?”

She shuddered, the memories of the near miss still too recent. She felt Durant study her and avoided looking at him lest he realize the devastating toll keeping Taggert alive had exacted. Raven didn’t regret her choice, she’d do it again; she just wished she had a way to counter her creature’s determination to wake.

Durant was too silent.

He wasn’t done with her yet. She could feel him crouching, getting ready to pounce.

“Or we could discuss the fact that you’re changing and running scared.”

She cringed, her shoulders tightening with each damning word. “Why don’t we concentrate on the case instead?” She glanced around the campus. “Why are we here? You’d think having us even in the vicinity of their children would be the last thing they’d want.”

 Long seconds passed when she thought he would refuse the change of subject. “Something has her rattled.”

As the cluster of buildings thinned, a large manicured lawn spread out before them. At the end of the walkways stood an ancient mansion. Age thickened the air around the grounds, until she could almost feel the presence of something hovering over it.

It wasn’t magic or spells.

More like ghosts of those long dead.

“Raven?” Durant came to stand in front of her, and she realized she must have stopped walking.

“This place doesn’t belong here.” It felt like it had been pulled through time, a tear in existence where human world and the afterlife occupied the same spot.

“It was Heloise’s childhood home. She brought the house with her when she took over management of the coven.” He reached for her hand, and Raven flinched away from his touch. Not taking no for an answer, Durant entwined their fingers and tugged until she was forced to walk at his side or be dragged behind him. “They say she took apart the house and had it reassembled here.”

“Childhood home?” Her face scrunched in confusion. “The place is hundreds of years old.”

Durant shook his head. “I sometimes forget you didn’t grow up around all of this. As witches grow older, they gain power. The more power they accumulate, the less they age.”

“I know some of the lore, but knowing and seeing it are two different things.” She studied the ancient mansion as they approached. “Is there a limit to how much power they can accumulate?”

“That’s a more complicated answer.” He absently rubbed his thumb along her fingers, and she stiffened when the innocent touch threatened to scramble her brain.

But she couldn’t make herself pull away.

Despite knowing it could only lead to trouble, she craved more.

Desperate for a distraction, she grabbed onto the threads of the conversation. “Complicated?”

“They don’t have unlimited power. Their body can only process so much magic at once.”

“Which is where familiars come into play.” He only nodded. She gave him a look from the corner of her eyes. “Do I hear a but?”

“Most witches can only use as much power as they can harness. There are a few who can reach beyond themselves. It’s dangerous, a skill that develops over time, but only for a special few.”

“And your Heloise is one of them.”

“She’s not mine.” Durant showed a little fang when he replied, revealing how much he disliked the claim, then he shrugged. “She’s the leader of a coven. You don’t become the leader of one this size without being able to wield a lot of power.”

As they approached the door, unease sent chills down her spine. The place felt wrong. As soon as she crossed the threshold, all warmth bled away and her breath billowed out in a cloud of frost. Sounds became muffled, the room fading to black and white. Ghosts from all eras wandered aimlessly through the house, and Raven was afraid to move and attract their attention.

The creature uncurled through Raven, using her eyes to see what had caught her attention. The past came alive as the world sharpened into focus. Two women were in a fierce argument, one she easily recognized as Heloise. She was the exact image of the woman she had just met, except for the elaborate dress she wore was more than a hundred years old. The other woman was older, possibly a sister if the similarities in their appearances were any indication. The elaborate outfit she wore was the kind you’d find in an old voodoo shop.

Authentic.

They gestured toward her…or more precisely, toward where she was standing. When Raven glanced down, it was to see her feet were firmly planted in the middle of a dead body. The man’s neck was twisted at an impossible angle. Like a cat, Raven jumped straight up in the air and scuttled to the side in a weird dance until she was sure she was clear of the man. Her heart continued to slam in her chest for a bit longer.

The body was so lifelike it took her seconds to realize he was a ghost. She rubbed her arms to get rid of the heebie-jeebies she got at finding herself standing in the middle of a corpse.

The man had come to a stop some distance from the stairs. To land so far away, someone had to have done more than push him, they had to have sent him flying.

“Raven?”

“Huh?” She turned to see Durant’s alarmed face inches from her own. The real world returned in a rush of sound and color, and she staggered to keep her balance as she was dumped out of the vision. Now that she was no longer touching the ghost, the past lost its grip on her. Humidity and a hint of Magnolias hung in the air, as if she’d pulled it with her through time, but the haunting scent disappeared as quickly as the vision.

Without the excitement, her creature rolled over and returned to its slumber.

“Where did you go?” Durant’s hands were knotted into fists, no doubt to keep from shaking the answer out of her.

She blinked to clear the last of the vision. Her mouth had gone bone dry, and she licked her parched lips, struggling to answer him in a way that wouldn’t freak him out. “The past, I think.”

Durant’s brows lowered ominously, and he looked ready to scoop her up into the safety of his arms.

“I’m fine.” She smiled to cover her unease. “I accidently stepped in a ghost and saw a snippet of his murder.”

 Chapter Four

“Oh, well, if that’s all.” Though Durant’s voice revealed no inflection, a muscle flexed in his jaw.

“The murder happened a long time ago.” She tried to brush it off, but immediately noticed he was having none of it. Taking another tack, Raven prodded his back to get him moving forward, placing her own feet with more care this time. “We’d better hurry, or we’ll be late for dinner.”

They entered the large ballroom, now converted into a cafeteria of sorts. The decor was clearly original to the house, the wallpaper unchanged. It was as if she had stepped through time.

Most of the students were already eating, all of them older than she would have expected. Although a few appeared curious about their arrival, the majority of the students dismissed them out of hand, while the rest didn’t seem to even notice. The unpleasant smell of cafeteria food thickened the air, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.

“This way.”

She followed Durant’s example and filled her plate. As they walked toward an empty table, she noticed there wasn’t any available space on his dish, the food piled so high it spilled over onto the tray. They barely sat down when a small group of girls walked into the room and grabbed their food.

They giggled, rudely staring at Durant as they neared, then one of the girls stopped, forcing the rest to halt as well.

Raven stilled, instantly on alert.

“He doesn’t belong at the table.” The girl smirked as she removed a bowl from her tray and set it on the floor. “Here, kitty-kitty.”

Raven went taut, ready to lunge across the table. Durant gave a tiny warning shake of his head. He bent, scooped up the bowl and smiled, flashing his fangs. “Thanks.”

A couple of the girls squealed and leapt back, but the one in charge narrowed her eyes at the challenge before she led her small band of stuck-up princesses away.

Raven’s blood boiled at the insult, and she barely resisted following to teach them a lesson. They headed toward a table at the front of the room. As they neared, the occupants scrambled to vacate, but one boy wasn’t fast enough. The leader of the group leaned over and shoved the poor guy’s tray of food to the floor while her friends laughed.

“Don’t do it.”

Raven blinked innocently. “Do what?”

The girls were fools if they thought she was helpless. Raven reached for her core before she remembered there was nothing left. The reminder was an annoyance. She might not be able to use her own power, but that didn’t mean she was defenseless. She noted the plug-ins behind the main table, and drew down hard and fast.

Electricity forked through the room, and she directed it toward the lead table.

Sparks arched up the metal legs.

Within seconds, the girls launched to their feet with a collective squeal, rubbing their asses while they scurried away, dumping trays of food over themselves in their haste.

Raven smothered her smile and dropped her gaze to her food. Durant snorted and continued to eat. The room grew eerily quiet. Some of the kids smiled, a few others snickered.

Much to her surprise, the creature gave a snort as well, seemingly to approve of her petty revenge.

The girls marched past them, heads held high, humiliation burning in their cheeks as they headed out the door…all but one.

The lead girl stopped at their table, hatred fizzing around her like the buzz of an annoying insect. “You did this.”

The whole room fell silent, all eyes on them.

“Prove it.” Magic swelled around Raven, the air turning overly sweet until her teeth ached.

“They’re guests of the coven.” A young male, probably just short of graduating, strolled boldly up to their table, tossing an apple in the air before catching it. He was thin, his blond hair short in the back and styled longer in the front. There was something gregarious about the boy that made Raven want to smile and invite him to sit with them. “You’re already pushing the boundaries, Paige.”

The girl spun to face him, wrath darkening her eyes, her long blonde hair whipping out in her agitation. “Mind your own business, wizard.”

“Of course.” He bowed, then his eyes lit with mischief. “You have something on your dress.” Then with a perfectly straight face, he pulled a noodle off her skirt.

A scream of rage escaped behind the girl’s clenched teeth. Magic rippled in the air, knocking the boy on his ass.

Raven shot to her feet, but the girl had already turned, storming across the room toward the door. By the time Raven reached the kid’s side, he was already on his feet, a little wisp of smoke curling up from his chest where the stuck-up princess had struck him with a hex. “Are you all right?”

The boy shrugged and pulled out a necklace. The small metal charm was now charred beyond recognition. “She does it about once a week. If she hadn’t done it now, she’d have found a different excuse to do it later.”

The reply baffled Raven. “Why?”

The kid appeared startled, his eyebrows inching up his face. “Because she’s a witch, and I’m only a wizard.”

The answer meant absolutely nothing to her. “Explain.”

Dawning understanding crossed his face. “A witch can harness and cast magic. A wizard can only manipulate existing magic. We’re considered second-class citizens. Only the best of us are allowed to train here. They resent having us in their classes.”

Curiosity got the better of her. “Train for what?”

“The witches are being trained in how to cast. The rest of us are shown how to make potions and amulets to sell. We work in the specialty shops for humans.”

He appeared resigned to his fate.

“Like wizards are the working class compared to their royalty?”

A smile quirked his lips at the analogy. “Exactly.” Another bell gonged in the distance. “I’d better go. Good luck.”

He straightened abruptly, flashed a smile that would seduce many a women in a year or two, and walked backwards. “I’m Luca, by the way.”

Raven watched him leave, his blond head blending in with the rest of the students. Despite her determination not to like the witches, Luca had charmed her. He reminded her that not all witches were the same. Just like any other species, people here were both good and bad.

Her presence on campus suddenly became clear. She’d been selected to find a killer. Someone on campus was murdering witches. It was the only thing that could possibly explain why they’d invite someone like her into their coven and school.

When the cafeteria was empty, Raven noticed Heloise waiting by the door.

She stiffened and wondered if the whole show had been a setup.

“If you’ve finished, please follow me.”

Durant rose, coming on silent feet to stand by her side. As they followed the witch, Raven realized the entire house was a warren of secret passageways and rooms. But after a few minutes with no rhyme or reason to its architecture, it became more like a carnival funhouse. “It’s magic.”

The woman turned her head slightly. “Only part of it.”

“Why are we here?” She’d had enough games. She wanted this case over and done with while she still had time.

“The coven is in trouble.”

Raven didn’t say anything for a moment. The witches here were the best of the best. What kind of murderer stalked the grounds that would force them to seek outside help? To say they were a select and secretive organization was putting it mildly. People with even a lick of magic were inducted into a coven, whether they wanted it or not.

Those who protested, those who wanted out, were never seen again…if they were lucky. The few who had been found after a coven was through with them had been stripped of everything—their powers, their money, and often their minds.

Being invited to the coven couldn’t be good for her health.

“Why me?”

They continued down the hall, until they came to a set of double doors. Heloise didn’t pause as she pushed them open and strode into the room.

Raven took a step to follow, and stopped short when she detected a slight hum of magic in the air.

Wards.

Raven hesitated, but no amount of standing there would tell her whether the magic was malevolent or not. And queen bitch wasn’t sharing.

Durant nudged her aside. “Let me go first.”

Raven scowled, liking his suggestion even less. When he lifted his foot to cross over the threshold, she placed her hand on his shoulder and stepped into the room at his side. Magic washed over her, the sticky cobwebs clinging to her until they were five feet into the room before sloughing off.

“Are we going to have to go through this every time I want answers?”

Heloise glanced up from her papers. “The wards were created decades ago. They inform me when I have visitors, and if they have malicious intent. It also soundproofs the office and makes it impossible for anyone to eavesdrop by other means. They’re not easily dismantled, so I am disinclined to take them down just to cater to your delicate sensibilities.”

Raven grudgingly accepted the explanation. She scanned the office, and her eyes were drawn to an old portrait of a woman who looked vaguely familiar. The second woman from her vision. Written on a plaque beneath was the name Marie Laveau. Despite herself, Raven was impressed. “You’re related to the voodoo queen.”

Heloise snorted as if finding the whole thing ridiculous. “Everyone from Louisiana claims they’re a long lost relative.”

Raven flushed at the remark, feeling a little foolish, then focused on the mission. “Why are we here?”

“We need help, and the coven has voted to seek outside assistance. The decision was not unanimous.” Those dark eyes of hers were direct and unflinching.

Something about her stiffness made Raven distinctively uneasy.

“You wanted us here.” Despite all her snootiness, Heloise had voted to bring them on the case. That was the last thing Raven had expected.

The woman gave a regal nod. “Someone is hunting us and stealing our magic. Our resources are limited. We need someone who can sense magic and remain unaffected.”

There was more to it, though.

“Why me?” Raven couldn’t keep her suspicions from coloring her voice. There was more happening than what she was being told. The sense of a cage door closing behind her left Raven with the feeling she was never going to be permitted to leave.

“You have a reputation. You’re efficient. Discreet.” There was a smidge of respect in the witch’s voice, also a certain pleasure in being able to answer without revealing anything of value.

The tight twist of Heloise’s lips spoke volumes. Raven wasn’t going to get any more out of her. So instead, she focused on what wasn’t being said. “And if I can’t find your suspect—”

“Killer.” The witch’s voice was flat. “If you take a witch’s magic, you kill them.”

Although she desperately wanted to learn more about her own situation, Raven bit her lip to keep from asking questions. The last thing she needed was for them to be even more suspicious about her.

She suspected she already knew the answer anyway.

The creature had stolen her energy.

There was no going back for her that didn’t involve death.

“What happens if I haven’t captured your killer when my week is up?”

“We have our own checks and balances. We’ve requested other assistance, but it’s unavailable at the moment. They said they would send someone as soon as possible.” Her mouth tightened in annoyance at being denied. “We can’t wait that long.”

A heavy fist pounded on the door, and a young man charged into the room. “You have to come quick.”

Heloise inhaled deeply as she rose to her feet, the sound infinitely weary. “What is it this time?”

“One of the familiars has gone feral and is on a rampage.”

 Chapter Five

Raven sprinted for the door when Durant grabbed her arm. “This isn’t your fight.”

“I’m an alpha. I can help.” She didn’t understand why he’d stopped her

Durant didn’t disagree, but his hold didn’t loosen. “You’re also human and female.”

She tightened her lips against an automatic protest. “They’ll kill him.”

He only shrugged. “He agreed to this when he threw in his lot with the witches.”

His compete lack of compassion stupefied her. She couldn’t live that way. Life mattered. She went up on tiptoes and got right up into his face. “Do you really expect me to stand aside while they kill him?”

He gave a wry smile. “I was kind of hoping…but expecting? No.” He narrowed the space between them down to nothing. His warmth washed over her, and she stared up at him, part of her ire melting. “Just be careful. Remember the witches own him. They won’t thank you for your interference. In fact, they might demand reparations.”

Raven nodded, and the sense of urgency swept over her, as if the Reaper had run his hand down her spine. “It’s a chance I have to take.”

They bounded down the stairs in two leaps. By the time they exited the house, a crowd had gathered. Primitive, animalistic snarls echoed in the distance. The scent of pain and blood smashed into her, and every inch of her prickled as her body roared to life. When they neared the crowd, Durant took lead and pushed his way forward.

Raven quickly followed in his wake. As soon as he reached the center, Durant stepped aside, allowing her to see the small shifter male. Small being relative. The man was slim, just under six feet, his body practically vibrating with pent-up rage. A handful of older witches and wizards had cornered him where two buildings adjoined.

At least they had the good sense to keep their distance.

That’s when she saw the bloody knife he brandished at anyone who ventured near. The shifter was in human form, hunched over, his side covered in blood where it appeared he had sliced off a six-inch section of his flesh from his ribs to hip.

“He cut himself.” She hadn’t realize she whispered out loud until the shifter turned toward the sound of her voice and quieted a little.

“He cut out his tag.” Heloise’s answer was grim.

Raven blinked, sure she couldn’t have heard right. “Excuse me?”

The witch looked at the end of her patience. “You should leave while we handle this.”

She meant put him down like some stray animal.

Raven snapped straight at the condescending attitude, and the casual intent to do murder. “And if he’s part of your case? We need to keep him alive and question him. Tell me why he nearly gutted himself. No shifter would voluntarily maim himself without reason.”

The witch clearly didn’t care for being told what to do, and those spooky eyes of hers darkened as magic gusted in the air. In response to the rising tension, the young shifter snarled.

His longish hair was tangled, the black strands matted with blood. His blue eyes were so vivid they appeared lit from behind, making the bruised circles under his eyes even more pronounced. The angles of his face were sharp, his cheekbones prominent. His body was a bit too lean, his ribs clearly delineated.

It was as if he’d been starved, pushed to his limits and then left lying around like a loaded gun. There was a subtle tremor in his body, indicating some sort of trauma…if he had been able to shift, she had no doubt she’d be facing his beast right now.

Before Durant could block her, Raven scrambled forward, halting a few feet away from the shifter…just out of striking distance. The shifter hunched down, looking ready to spring.

“Tell me about the tag.” She directed the softly spoken question to Heloise, not removing her focus from the injured beast.

The shifter stopped snarling, lifted his face and scented the air.

“There are two types of service. Those who pledge themselves as familiars in return for protection and upkeep, and those who sell themselves for a specific time frame. Those who commit are marked. The tag connects the witch to her familiar.”

“So, tell me why would a familiar be willing to practically kill himself to remove the mark?”

That gave Heloise pause…for all of two seconds. She turned her head and gave a regal nod to someone behind her, a queen giving the kill order. “Do it.”

Two men crept forward, the small charms on their persons their only protection. It wouldn’t hold against tooth and claw.

The bait.

A third man hung back with a gun big enough to take down an elephant.

One shot would blast a hole through a shifter’s chest, ensuring he would never get up again.

“I need him alive.” Raven darted in front of the gun, ruining the shot, praying that if they pulled the trigger, there would be enough of her left to regenerate.

The gunman and Heloise both cursed.

Magic built in the air, and Raven planted her feet, concentrating on thickening the armor under her skin to take a hit. Much to her surprise, the power obeyed. Molten heat funneled along her veins. When it cooled, it hardened to a thin armor.

She’d expected the process to be painful, feel weighted down and cumbersome. She flexed her fingers, rolled her shoulders, surprisingly comfortable with the change.

She’d expected to feel different.

Expected her beast to take over.

The creature didn’t even stir.

“You asked me here to solve your problem. You interfere now, and I will assume I’m relieved of my job.” She pointed to the shifter behind her, noticing the two men continued to advance. The fools. “He’s a clue. I need him alive.”

The man with the gun hesitated and lifted his finger from the trigger. Raven stepped forward, grabbed the barrel and twisted. She wasn’t sure which of them was more shocked when the thick metal bent like taffy.

She didn’t have a shifter’s strength.

No way should she have been able to physically manage that.

As quick as the power came, it vanished.

A vicious snarl came from behind her, and she froze.

Idiot.

She made a rookie mistake by turning her back on a threat.

“Look out!” Durant launched at her, but much too late.

When she whirled, it was in time to see a body flying at her.

Raven ducked and received a knee in the face for her trouble. Her lip split and blood spilled into her mouth while Durant hauled the body off her. Free of the weight, Raven pushed herself up on her hands and knees then froze at the life or death struggle just feet from her. The jaguar shifter had the second human on his back, his fangs bared, snapping at the man’s vulnerable throat. The charm around the man flared, barely keeping the bleeding cat shifter at bay.

But even as she watched, the amulet’s small glow began to fade.

It wouldn’t be long before the man’s throat was ripped out. As if he understood, the man desperately tried to scramble away, but the shifter had him firmly pinned.

He wasn’t going anywhere.

In the background, she heard chanting. Magic rose from the ground, creating a shield.

And she was firmly on the wrong side.

With her heart in her throat, Raven crawled forward one inch at a time until a warm hand wrapped around her ankle.

Durant.

She would recognize his touch anywhere.

She expected to be yanked to safety. When she glanced over her shoulder, it was to see him shrug. “If he even thinks of hurting you, I’ll pull you free and personally rip off his head myself.”

He trusted her.

She swallowed hard and gave him a nod of thanks.

“Do something.” The man held beneath the shifter stared at her with stark terror etched on his face. He had only seconds of magic left.

The wounded shifter was so focused on getting to the man, the rest of the world didn’t exist. Raven picked up a rock and chucked it at him.

The stone struck true.

The shifter lifted his head and snarled at her, the beginnings of large fangs flashing as he pinned her with neon blue eyes. Raven lifted her hands and slowly came up into a crouch. “You have to stop.”

He twisted his head as if listening intently.

“You have to let the man go.”

A grumble came from low in his throat, but he never once removed his attention from her, the man all but forgotten except for the way the shifter’s piercingly sharp nails kept him pinned to the ground.

Giving in to the gamble, she reached out to jaguar. “Come.”

The shifter tentatively leaned toward her, his mouth open, tasting her scent. As if satisfied, he crawled off the beaten, nearly unconscious man. Not wanting to end up pinned under the jaguar, Raven slowly stood. Durant’s hold tightened, giving her one last caress before he withdrew.

 The man crouched lower and lower like he was actually in jaguar form until he reached her side, and then sat, docile as a trained house pet.

The chanting had stopped, and she was surprised at how loud silence could actually be.

“What’s his name?” No one spoke. Raven took a risk and lifted her focus from the cat. The crowd had grown to thirty-some people. And not one of them had lifted a finger to help. As her gaze moved from face to face, she had a startling realization. “You don’t know.”

No one had troubled themselves to learn it.

Why bother?

He was just a familiar.

The entire sordid affair disturbed her. No one deserved be treated like a piece of furniture.

“You wanted me here, so let me do my job. Leave him with us. You have more important things to do if you want to find your witch alive.” When Heloise turned and started issuing orders, Raven stopped worrying about them and focused on the wild beast staring out at her through human eyes. He was too weak to shift. He had no pack, nothing to keep him grounded.

Wildness clung to him, the scent of his jaguar slightly off, almost spoiled.

And there was absolutely nothing human left in him at all.

“Why would anyone commit themselves to this? To be marked and treated as a possession?”

 “It’s been a way of life for many shifters. He would have been dead long since if he had remained on his own. Weak shifters have very few options.” Durant didn’t remove his gaze from the jaguar, his face grim as he studied the stark condition of the man. “It shouldn’t be like this.”

“So he was a rogue.”

“No, he was sold. A coven this rich would deal with only the best packs, not risk bringing in a wild animal who might lose command of himself. Packs can’t afford to keep the weak. He had to prove he was useful some way.”

“Treating him like a commodity instead of a pack member.”

“You’re doing it again, thinking like a human.” Durant’s patronizing tone grated on her. “Pack members are a commodity to be used to better the group. They’re sacrificed all the time. His service here bettered the pack.”

“It’s barbaric.” Nothing he could say would ever make her understand how this could be a perfectly acceptable way to live.

“It’s a system that has worked for centuries.”

Which didn’t make it right. Frustrated by his attitude, she glared at him.

The instant her focus moved from the shifter, the young man grew agitated and began pacing.

Durant stepped closer, and the shifter snarled, the sound eerily animalistic, which ought to have been impossible from a human throat. Durant immediately stopped.

“It would be a mercy to kill him, so he won’t have to suffer this way.” Pity shaded Durant’s eyes to green. “He had to be insane to even attempt to cut out the tag.”

The logic just didn’t sound right to her. “Or maybe he cut the mark out to stop the madness.”

Durant didn’t seem to have anything to say to that. “You might be an alpha, but there is nothing human left in him to call back.”

 She wasn’t willing to admit defeat. “Then why hasn’t he attacked?”

“Females are precious, and even in his state, he recognizes it.” Durant answered reluctantly. “Don’t do this.”

“They’ll kill him.”

He seemed resigned. “He’s dead either way.”

She couldn’t accept that. With reluctance, she tugged off her gloves and shoved them in her back pocket, but couldn’t force herself to move forward. The cat was in pain, she could help him, but what if her touch caused him more misery? She swiped the back of her hand across her split lip, wincing when it came away bloody.

She brushed her tongue across the small cut, surprised to find it had almost sealed shut. The shifter hovered near her, she represented safety—of sorts, anyway—but like a wild animal, he didn’t want to get too close.

She might not be able to heal him, but she could find out what was ailing him. She pulled on the energy around him, ignoring the faint rumble of unease from the cat. His aura lit up, so fragile she was surprised he was still alive. There appeared to be strings attached to his side, directly over his injury, draining his life force away.

He’d tried to cut the connection, but it hadn’t worked. The only thing keeping him alive was his beast. He’d have to be a powerful one, too, in order to survive for so long. If he had been human, a drain that size would’ve killed him instantly.

If the connection wasn’t severed immediately, he would be dead in truth.

And there was nothing she could do. Thanks to her blasted beast for stealing her power, she had no energy to give the shifter, and his cat had nothing left she could manipulate. She couldn’t cut the connection without touching it, and couldn’t risk that it would start to drain her, too. When she was bled dry, she would end up siphoning energy from those around her to stay alive, and kill everyone in the process.

She dropped the sight. Though there was nothing she could do using her power, the guys kept reminding her that she was an alpha now.

Her touch alone should help ease his pain.

She held out her hand. He came to her on all fours, low to the ground, every step hesitant. His body moved in a way no human could emulate, as if he lacked bones. His fangs were pronounced in his human form, and looked wicked sharp. As he sniffed the air around her hand, she resisted the urge to jerk away, feeling kind of partial to her fingers. His tongue darted out, bathing the back of her hand with a feather-light touch.

A sound of someone taking a claw to a piece of glass screeched in her ears before it snapped with a loud crack.

The shifter dropped to his knees, his head hung so low it brushed against the grass.

The few witches who’d lingered leapt back in horror. When a light sprinkling of ash fell through the air, the women looked to each other and began to mutter in outrage. “She severed the mark. It’s forbidden.”

“It’s impossible.”

Remembering that Durant had warned her that breaking an active spell was dangerous, Raven crouched to focus on the cat shifter, worried she might have damaged him even more.

Guilt dug its prickly nails into her spine, leaving behind stinging welts. Only when she saw his chest moving, a gusty sigh escaped.

She’d been afraid she killed him.

Durant circled until he came into view. She expected him to be watching her, examining her for injury. Instead, he surveyed the people around them as if they were the bigger threat, those sleek muscles of his tense and ready to strike at the least sign of danger. “What did you do?”

Raven shook her head. “Nothing intentional, I assure you. He licked me. That’s all.”

She lifted her hand, then could have smacked herself when she saw the smear of blood.

She touched her bruised lip, now almost completely healed, and wanted to curse.

“My blood.” He’d tasted less than a drop, but apparently her claim must have been stronger than the spell used to shackle a witch and familiar together. He was now firmly bound to her pack. It wasn’t supposed to work like that. She was supposed to receive the offering of blood and accept or deny them as she saw fit. “How?”

“It’s an ancient ritual. By formally accepting the drop of alpha’s blood you offered, he’s pledged himself to the pack.” Durant scowled at the cowering shifter, his displeasure obvious. “It’s a first step to becoming pack. He has to prove himself worthy before he’s eligible to become a full member.”

Raven’s mouth dropped open in shock. “But I didn’t do anything.”

Durant snorted. “You wanted to save him. It was enough to initiate the bond.”

Stupid shifter secrets.

Raven expected to feel panicked, she couldn’t afford to be responsible for even more people when she wasn’t sure she’d be around to protect them, but as the fragile connection snapped into place, pleasure rang through her.

Then the truth hit her…her creature had done this.

Raven hadn’t even been aware that it had awakened. Her creature wanted to live, and it was using anything to bind Raven to this world, even manipulating the sacred pack bonds. It knew her perhaps better than she did herself. If enough people counted on her, she’d have no choice but stay and protect them.

The sneaky, manipulative little bi—

Raven cut off that train of thought when needle-like claws prickled between her shoulder blades. She flexed her shoulders to dislodge the claws and decided to concentrate on the mission. She’d worry about herself later.

“We need to find his witch. She’s under attack and fading fast.”

 Chapter Six

It didn’t take them long to find the witch in trouble. Heloise must have known who it was all along and left the shifter to die while she worked to protect her witch. As they neared the cabin, a seething mass of magic swirled around the small structure. Raven picked up her pace, Durant and the jaguar close on her heels.

The side window had been shattered, the glass twinkling in the grass.

Someone had wanted out, not in.

The jaguar.

Shifters were a primitive and violent lot, with a hefty fight or flight mechanism. Only something much bigger and badder would have caused him to jump through glass to escape. What could scare a shifter so badly that he’d run in terror and retreat into his animal form?

She was about to find out.

She pushed through the crowd. When she tried to enter the cabin, a man moved to intercept her, blocking her entry. “Let me through.”

“This is not your place.” The man was puffed up with outrage, his voice ringing with condemnation that she would dare sully the place with her mere presence. He was a few inches shorter than Raven, sporting a messy hairstyle that failed to cover his bald spot, and wearing clothes so fine he looked out of place, although no amount of money could cover his pudgy belly.

Raven would not be denied and stepped right up in his space. “Your coven invited me here. I suggest you step aside, or I will go through you.”

A malicious sneer twisted his lips, and his chest swelled further with self-importance. “I’d like to see you try.”

Raven wanted to roll her eyes. Okay, so maybe she’d taken the wrong tack with him. Shifters had a simpler system. They loved all that dominance shit, duking it out to see who would win…if they lived through it. Since she was on top in the shifter world, she had to prove herself.

Often.

And they always accepted the outcome.

Something told her this man would not take the humiliation lying down. The shifter at her feet growled, and the man paled. When he fell back a step, Raven took advantage of the opportunity and shoved forward.

The shifter whined and pressed closer. When she stepped toward the door, he snapped at her pant leg and tried to tug her back, as if trying to steer her away from danger.

“Durant, stay out here with him and keep him calm if you can.” He narrowed his eyes on her, then gave a grunt she interpreted as agreement. His beast rose to the surface in seconds, all ferocious and ready for trouble. The smell of leather soothed her unease at leaving them unprotected. The jaguar released her at the show of dominance and hunkered down with another whine. Those blue eyes of his followed her, but he let her walk away without another protest.

The cabin was a little larger than the one they occupied. Everyone had gathered outside the bedroom, and the smell of magic and dust suffused the room. It emanated from the body sprawled in the middle of the floor. She resembled a shriveled old lady, so emaciated her form was barely discernable under her clothes. She couldn’t weigh more than seventy pounds. Her skin was dry, cracked like mud baked too long under the pounding sun.

A laughing picture of her lay smashed on the floor, possibly shattered in a scuffle. The woman looked no more than thirty in the image and in the prime of her life. Now she was nothing more than a desiccated corpse.

Or so Raven believed until she saw the withered fingers twitch. Revulsion twisted through her to see the poor woman was still alive—trapped inside a living corpse—struggling to fight the rampaging magic consuming her.

“She’s alive.” Raven expected them to rush into the room, but no one moved.

Then she understood why. Whatever was killing the witch had stolen the jaguar’s life force through their connection. It was entirely possible it would be able to pull even more energy through a link between coven members.

Wilted fingers moved again, clawing toward the door, and Raven would swear she was trying to crawl toward the other witches. She didn’t seem to care that her touch would kill.  

The witches couldn’t do anything because of the connection between them, but Raven had no such bindings.

“Raven.” Durant caught her arm before she could step into the room. “Don’t.”

“She’ll die.”

“She’s already dead.” Raven heard no pity, a mere statement of fact.

“Not yet.” She shrugged off his hold and shoved her way into the room.

And was stopped by an invisible wall.

“It’s a ward. Nothing can pass in or out.” Heloise answered Raven’s unspoken question, and raised her hand to reveal a severe burn that bubbled up the flesh and covered her whole palm. “We’re trying to take it down, but it will take time.”

Time they didn’t have.

They were left to do nothing but watch while one of their own was murdered.

Then another thing struck her. “You let me try to enter the room without a warning.”

Heloise shrugged. “You are unharmed.”

“I told you no more tests.” She twisted her arm where she smacked into the ward, only to see…nothing. No burn. “So, did I pass or fail?”

The witch tightened her lips and turned away.

Passed, then. But was that good or bad?

Raven ignored everyone else and studied the problem. The ward was clever, created to bar anyone from entering or exiting. But if the magic’s purpose was to consume power, why not allow others to cross over and devour them as well?

She was missing something.

“I didn’t burn.” She stepped closer to the ward. “It was created to keep out witches.”

Raven tugged at her power, urging it to rise.

Nothing.

Durant had warned her to never try altering an active spell, it could have very nasty side effects, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t play with it a bit.

Spells were just another form of electricity. This was her milieu. She should be able to manipulate it easily enough.

No one stopped her when she lifted her hands and stepped forward. The invisible wall was strung across the doorjamb and encased the room, making it impossible for anyone to punch through the wall to get inside. Static rose under her touch as she pushed closer. If she concentrated hard enough, she could see the individual threads of energy crisscross each other like they had been knitted together. She just needed to pull a few strings and create a large enough opening for her to sneak through.

She had to be fast. She had only one shot to get it right. She might be able to alter the magic, but once she released her hold, the ward would instinctively snap back to its natural form and become stronger than ever, if not downright impenetrable.

Energy crackled while she pulled and shoved.

She was sweating by the time she stepped over the threshold. What remained of the ward clung to her like a caress, purring in welcome. Its reaction, as if it were a living thing, creeped her out.

The closer she got to the woman, the thicker the magic became.

Only there was something wrong with it.

It was wild and dangerous and nearly uncontrollable. Kind of like the boogeyman in its relentless pursuit of prey. It wasn’t something she could touch, there was nothing she could see, but the threat was all too real. And like the boogeyman, she couldn’t catch it, not until it was too late, and she was left facing a killer with no way to protect herself.

She had felt something similar once before…in her house when someone tried and almost succeeded in killing a young man under her protection.

She knelt by the witch, but the woman ignored her, continuing to scratch the floor. Her nails were broken to the quick, her fingertips bloody, torn stubs as she tried to drag herself toward safety. The blood had dried, the flesh beneath so shriveled it resembled jerky.

It made no sense. Help had arrived. Why ignore it?

Raven turned and studied the door.

Everything appeared normal.

Unless she wasn’t trying to reach the door.

Raven lunged forward and tore away the rug. Etched underneath was a series of symbols and lines, organized in three rows like a language of sorts.

The constant click and scrape of fingers against the floor had finally stopped. The witch tried to speak, but the sound was more of a gurgle than anything intelligible.

Raven studied the mummified corpse, a little unnerved by the yellowed-jaundice eyes staring back at her. The bloodied fingered creaked as the witch pointed, the act of straightening her clawed finger snapping the bones.

Raven followed the bony finger to the door and finally understood.

The symbols were the wards.

Raven reached over to swipe away the words, then hesitated. If she ripped down the wards, the magic would no longer be contained. It would spill into the other room and kill everyone with even a hint of magic.

She slowly withdrew her hand.

No, she had to stop the magic first. A rattle came from the witch’s chest, and Raven realized she was laughing.

“I’m going to have to touch you.” Ignoring the nausea churning in her gut, Raven hesitantly placed her hand on the woman’s arm. The dying witch’s skin was paper-thin and tore at even the lightest brush of her fingertips. The witch shuddered. At first, nothing happened. Then like a shark in water, the wild magic surged forward and launched itself at her.

It slithered up her hand, tiny sparks biting at her like an army of ants.

Tasting her.

The creature she harbored roared in challenge, slashing at the magic that threatened to infect her. Before she could withdraw, the witch latched onto her arm, madness gleaming in her eyes. The hold was surprisingly strong for a bag of bones, her fingers biting into Raven’s arms with the grip of a boa constrictor, and she was its next meal.

“Raven, get out of there.” Durant stood at the door like a sentinel, furious that he couldn’t cross the threshold and physically remove her from danger.

“She won’t release me. She’s trying to siphon my energy.”

“I don’t give a shit. She’s brittle. Break her fingers. Rip off her damned arm if you must.” His voice rose, his muscles bulging as he tried to force his way through the wards.

Raven ignored the command, trusting her creature to protect her. She needed answers, and she might not get another chance. She’d traced the magic back to its owner once, and she could do it again. She allowed her mind to flow along the stream of magic, her stomach twisting and turning in the weightlessness for a few mind-numbing seconds. Then she caught her balance and followed the magic back to the source. She couldn’t tell the distance she travelled, but the magic grew stronger as she neared the origin. The darkness began to recede, and shapes came into focus.

As if the caster had read her intent to ferret him out, the spell cut off abruptly, and she found herself dropped back into her body with a nasty thump. Her creature gave a vicious snarl, snapping and ripping into the tentacles reaching for her. The lingering magic coated her like motor oil, leaving behind a slimy residue that made each breath a chore. Though her shields had held, Raven felt invaded.

The magic dissipated slowly, leaving her queasy and overly warm, like she’d eaten something rancid.

“Raven.”

Her eyes snapped open. The first thing she saw was Durant, almost able to feel his fur bristle with hostility. When her gaze met his pure gold eyes, he froze. He didn’t say more, didn’t even drop his gaze, as if he was staring down a wild animal, too afraid to move lest it attacked.

Afraid of her.

The truth was like a kick in the face.

Her creature gave a hum of comfort.

Alpha.

The word came from her creature and explained so much. Her pack swore she was an alpha, strong enough to control such indomitable men, but she never believed them until now.

Durant adjusted his expression, but it was too late. She glanced away, ashamed of her lack of control, and saw her eyes gleam blue in the broken glass from the picture frame. She struggled to tuck away the power seething under her skin, but it was like playing with live voltage.

Now that the magic was gone, the smell of decay overwhelmed the room. Each breath layered her mouth and throat with a film of death that no amount of scraping would remove.

When she was sure she wouldn’t lose her cookies, she looked up again to see she had the witches’ complete attention. They eyed her suspiciously. They were able to feel the aftereffects of power in the air, the sheer volume of magic should have been enough to fry anyone who dared try to wield it.

And Raven remained relatively unaffected.

She crawled forward and swiped her hand over the symbols on the floor, the remnants of the hex so thorny her skin felt like it was being filleted off her hand one layer at a time. She staggered out of the way as the wards fell.

Durant was the first one through the door, a growl of displeasure vibrating up his chest as he pinned her to the wall when her legs threatened to give out and drop her on her ass. She ducked her head, using his broad shoulders to protect her from prying eyes.

“She’s alive.” When the witches continued to gape at her, she barely resisted the urge to growl. “If you want to save her life, you’d better get your ass in gear.”

 Chapter Seven

The witches scurried into the room, forgetting about Raven in their rush to rescue their fallen comrade. In less than five minutes, the cabin was emptied until only she and Durant remained. Raven reluctantly pushed him away. She couldn’t hide behind him forever.

When she left the room, the rotten stench followed. With every step, it grew progressively worse, and she practically stumbled across the remnants of a foot. When she peered around the corner, she realized there were actually two remains, the bodies tossed away like discarded trash.

“Her familiars.”

All that remained of them were dried corpses that looked hundreds of years old. Their skin was worn and brown, their bones turning to powder even as she watched. “She stole all their power, even their lives, just to prolong her own. The jaguar was to be the next victim, but he ran. The distance must have granted him the time he needed to survive. She couldn’t drain him as fast as the others and still fight off the attack at the same time.”

“You’re doing it again.” Durant was watching her in the assessing way she was coming to hate.

“Doing what?” Raven crossed her arms, unsure whether she wanted to know what he was going to say.

“Acting human. Showing outrage.”

She shoved him hard, but the big bastard didn’t give her the pleasure of budging even an inch, leaving her frustration nowhere to go. “Dammit, they deserve better than to be slaughtered like animals.”

“We are animals.” His roar reverberated in the room.

Raven shook her head, her anger evaporating. She reached up and cupped his cheek, her palm tingling from the prickle of his scruffy jaw. “No, you’re pack.”

Durant softened, leaning into her touch. “They died in service to the pack. It doesn’t make it better, but the witches will have to pay a penalty.” He raised his hand when she opened her mouth to protest. “A steep price that will strongly discourage them from allowing something like this to happen again. They can’t afford another incident, or the war with the pack that would inevitably follow.”

Despite knowing she shouldn’t touch him, she rested her forehead against his chest. She was just so tired.

“Come.” Durant wrapped a protective arm around her shoulder and ushered her toward the door. “Let’s get you out of here.”

Raven allowed herself to be led outside, more than a little surprised when she saw the sun had set. “What time is it?”

“You were in the room for hours.”

She didn’t reply as she took in their surroundings. Dry leaves skittered across campus on a light wind, the night crackling with the lonely sound. The light poles were few and far between, giving the place a deserted feeling…the perfect setting for a killer to strike. All that was missing was a black cat to cross her path.

The sense of being watch increased until the back of her neck itched. “We’re being followed.”

Durant nodded. “Ever since we left the cabin. They were standing guard the whole time you were in the room.”

Like she and Durant were prisoners.

By unspoken agreement, both remained quiet, not wanting to be overheard.

Raven felt like she was being hunted by both the witches and the killer, and she didn’t like being squeezed between the destructive forces one bit. This case was different from the other jobs she’d worked, the scene providing no physical evidence or a killer she could pursue. With each paranormal case, she was being led deeper into the supernatural world, and she wasn’t sure she’d be able to find her way back.

“Do you think they set up this elaborate job as a trap to get me here and study me?” She bit her lip, becoming more alarmed when he didn’t answer right away.

“I’m not sure.”

His simple answer wasn’t reassuring. “Would they really kill their own for it?”

“You saw their reaction today. They’d sacrifice their own children for more power.”

That gave Raven pause. “Do you think that’s why there are fewer than a hundred students?”

He snorted in response, his voice gruff when he spoke. “Even less, if they had a choice.”

Raven brushed at her clothes, wishing it was as easy to dispel the remnants of the spell. “What do you mean?”

“Witches have rules in place that require them to give birth to a certain number of children. A lottery of sorts.”

Raven nearly tripped at the disclosure. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Durant scratched the stubble along his jaw, not bothering to look at her as he scanned the area for possible threats. “Spell casters are rare, one or two born every few years. Only the most powerful witches are able to conceive them. Something happens to their magic during pregnancy. Some say the child absorbs it, others say the magic is used to create a gifted child, but no one really knows. To prevent the loss of power, witches use spells to ensure they don’t conceive. There are a small few who don’t care, but the majority had worked too hard to willingly lose status. Even if the child isn’t born…gifted, it can take the witch years to recover the loss of status. Most children are then farmed out to be raised.”

“That’s horrible.” She couldn’t imagine having a child ripped from her arms. She’d fight tooth and nail against anyone who would dare.

Durant touched her arm as if to hold her back. “It’s the mother’s choice. Most of the time, it’s safer for the child.”

“They resent the loss of power.” She couldn’t believe a mother would ever resent her child for something like that, but the proof was the existence of the school itself. Something Luca said came back to her. “The campus is more of a boarding house for the best and the brightest who have earned the right to be trained.”

He gave an absent nod. As they drew near their cabin, Durant’s posture stiffened infinitesimally, his expression giving nothing away. Raven wanted to be anywhere but alone in the cabin with him, not fooled in the least by his calm demeanor. He was ready to explode.

She was right. As soon as the door shut behind them, Durant whirled on her. “What the hell happened back there?”

He stalked her across the room with determined steps, spoiling for a fight, his single-minded focus fixed mercilessly on her. He wouldn’t be put off with half answers.

Sudden anger at her situation took over, and she crossed her arms. She would not be pushed around any longer. “I don’t have a clue. You’re the one who seems to know everything. Why don’t you tell me?”

A barely-there scratch at the door stopped her tirade short.

Durant immediately became all business, straightening, growing bigger, until he seemed to suck up all the air in the room. He tucked himself behind the door and gestured for her to open it.

As she turned the knob, the door banged open. The jaguar shifter sat crouched in the doorway, uncertainty clinging to him like the autumn air. He faltered when he saw her, ducking his head to avoid her eyes, as if worried he would be found lacking. Durant huffed. Before he could slam the door in the cat’s face, the shifter scampered inside on all fours.

He skirted the room, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. His chest billowed, his eyes locked on her as he huddled in a corner, terrified she would force him to leave. Pain hovered around him, so intense she feared one touch might shatter him.

His blood on the floor appeared slightly congealed, almost putrid. Even if he wasn’t a full shifter, he should’ve begun the healing process. The damage must have been more extensive than she first guessed.

She’d only taken two steps to investigate when Durant marched across the room and grabbed her arm. “Leave him.”

“He’s injured.”

Durant scowled back at her. “He isn’t yours.”

“Actually, I believe he became mine as soon as he gave his pledge.” She shrugged off Durant’s hold, pissed that he would deny a fellow shifter assistance.

“The witch is still alive. Their contract is still valid.”

She pursed her lips mutinously. “That deal was made with his old pack. We’re his new pack now, which makes any previous contract invalid.”

Durant didn’t say anything, which meant she was right.

The last thing she needed was a new shifter in her life. She had more than enough trouble of her own, she didn’t need to borrow more. But when she turned to look at his cowering form, she couldn’t leave him to suffer if it was within her power to save him.

Not to be defeated, Durant narrowed his eyes at her. “We’re not finished with our conversation.”

“Oh? What conversation? The one where you were going to tell me what the hell is happening to me?”

The smile he gave her wasn’t pleasant. “How about the conversation where we discuss the risks of running into danger without a plan?”

She froze for a second, avoiding his probing gaze. “I had a plan…of sorts.” It had been to rescue the witch, but she was smart enough to keep that to herself. She didn’t want to find out if that throbbing vein in his forehead would actually explode if she pushed him.

“That magic was consuming those witches, and you rushed into danger without hesitation.”

“I—”

“No,” he slashed his arm through the air, “you don’t get a say. You will listen. You have a pack to take care of now. You have to stop taking chances.”

“We’ve been through this already.” Raven barely resisted the urge to smack him, her fingers aching where she balled them into fists. “You promised not to interfere in my cases.”

Durant stiffened. “I didn’t stop you from doing anything.”

No, he hadn’t, which only made this dressing-down worse, because he was right. “What do you expect me to do? I’m fighting for my pack.” She stalked toward him, her creature rising closer to the surface with each step. “You can’t expect me not to take risks if it means saving us.”

He heaved a sigh of defeat and began pacing. “The magic reacted differently to you.”

She wanted to soothe the agitated tiger she sensed hovering just under Durant’s skin. “Everything tends to react differently around me. I’m different. I can’t promise to follow some nebulous plan to stay safe. Any hesitation on my part would most likely put me in more danger.”

“I know.” Raven could see the muscles rippling along his jaw as he gritted his teeth, pacing and fighting his instinct to protect. “It doesn’t mean I have to like it.

She stepped in front of him, wishing she could ease him. “You kept me within sight the whole time.”

The shifter had sneaked closer to her during the discussion, reaching out to touch her when Durant bared his teeth at him. The cat scurried back to his corner.

“Feel better?”

Durant shrugged and shoved his fingers through his wild mop of hair, the lights shimmering across the streaks that so resembled his animal’s stripes. “I couldn’t get to you.”

His anguish squeezed her heart. She rested her hand on his chest, unable to resist touching him. Without the barrier of her gloves, the simple gesture was far more intimate than otherwise. The heat of him soaked into her skin, urging her closer. “I don’t need you to rescue me. Just be there, and catch me when I stumble.”

He heaved a heavy sigh, and his aggression toned down a few degrees. “I’ll try.”

It was all she could ask, and more than she had expected. “Good.” Raven smiled and gave him a shove. Then she rubbed her fingers together, still able to feel him. “Now go see if you can find some medical supplies.”

It took some coaxing to get the jaguar shifter to sit on a stool by the counter island. Every time Durant came close, the cat would tense up. “And while you’re at it, why don’t you check the cabin for weaknesses?”

Or escape routes. With her luck, they might need them.

Durant narrowed his eyes but did as she suggested, always making sure she was in his line of sight.

The medical supplies he produced were meager. She peeled up the jaguar’s bloodied shirt, wincing when it stuck to the wound. The cat flinched, but seemed too fascinated with watching her to be bothered much.

Small swirls decorated his back. Curious about the marks, she brushed her fingers over them. Much to her surprise, it felt like she was running her hand over fur. The cat arched into her touch and purred, watching her through eyes narrowed in pleasure.

Unnerved by his reaction, Raven jerked back then flushed when she realized the small touch had been such an intimate gesture. Pushing away her embarrassment, she focused on the injury. If anything, it looked worse than when he’d first hacked away a piece of himself.

Blood and pus oozed from the wound, along with a rotten stench that discouraged breathing. When she probed the skin around the injury, she found it hot to the touch. More than just shifter hot. “He has a fever.”

Durant nodded without bothering to look away from his search. “We run hotter when we’re fighting infection and healing.”

She accepted his answer but wasn’t satisfied. She smeared a whole tube of antiseptic on the wound, and covered the injury with gauze before wrapping his torso with the meager bandages. Not once did he react to her touch or flinch away from her, despite the pain she must have caused.

She went to the sink, soaped up a rag and walked back to the shifter. “Why don’t you clean up?”

He cocked his head as if trying to understand her, automatically accepting the rag. The tips of his fingers brushed along the back of her hand, but before she could react, the touch was gone. He avoided her eyes and sniffed the rag.

All at once the air hummed with power and pleasure tickled along her skin. Raven straightened, a smile tugging at her lips. Only one person could make such an entrance. “Rylan.”

She walked toward the door, placed her hand on the knob, but couldn’t make herself turn it. At the prospect of seeing him again, her every muscle locked tight. In the next few days, he would literally decide her fate. She trusted him with her life and those of her pack, so why couldn’t she open the blasted door?

A knock sounded a few seconds later. It broke her paralysis. Raven took a deep breath, turned the knob and stepped aside. “You made it.”

Rylan entered without a word. As usual, his whipcord frame was immaculately dressed, his black hair in perfect order. He walked by her, then halted and dipped his face next to her neck and inhaled. “I see you’ve been busy.”

Raven lifted her wrist and took a whiff.

Decay from the witch and sweat from the shifter covered her like she’d sprits herself with the foul scent, like it had been perfume. Mortification heated her cheeks. How did she always end up feeling like a gutter rat around him? “Sorry. Why don’t I grab a quick shower while you get settled? Durant, please see to it the jaguar gets clean.”

She didn’t wait for an answer, darting toward the bathroom before either of them could stop her. It wasn’t running away, she justified, not when she knew damned well that they would both simply wait until she’d finished her shower. So shoot her if she took a little extra time washing away the smell.

Once she toweled her hair, she knew she couldn’t put off the inevitable any longer. When she left the bathroom, she pulled up short at the sight of Durant stretched across the bed. Rylan leaned casually against the windowsill, watching the posted guards, while the jaguar peered through the doorway into the bedroom. When he saw her, he sneaked into the room, found a corner, and circled twice before curling up. He was still mostly naked, but he appeared relatively clean…or just very wet. She wasn’t sure which.

“Did you spray him down?” She narrowed her eyes on Durant.

He raised an imperious brow, seemingly surprised that she asked. “You wanted him clean.”

Raven sighed and yanked the folded blanket off the end of the bed. She should just be grateful he’d listened.

The jaguar—even in his human form, she couldn’t think of him any other way—watched her through narrow slits. When she stooped and tucked the blanket around him, he sniffed her hand, closed his eyes, and snuggled deeper under the blanket. He appeared so content she couldn’t resist brushing a strand of hair off his forehead.

When she glanced up, it was to find both men staring at her.

“You know he might never be more than a beast in human form. The damage done to him is extensive.” Rylan nodded to the wounded shifter.

“They were going to kill him.”

Rylan raised a brow, his opinion obvious—she should’ve let them—but he let it go. “What did you learn about the case?”

“Something isn’t right here, and it’s more than the murders. Someone is stealing their powers. I think the murders are just collateral damage.”

 The men exchanged a telling look, and Rylan spoke. “It could be a trap.”

They meant for her. “We were discussing that very thing. It makes no sense. Why go through the pretense and effort…not to mention the loss of life…just to lure me here? No, something else is happening. The magic being used isn’t normal.”

Durant crossed his arms behind his head, all relaxed as she imagined his big cat would look lying on a rock, sunning himself. “The witches could’ve waited for their Council to send reinforcements. The killer is very real, but they’re using this case to study you as well. You’re a big enough prize to warrant the trouble.”

He wasn’t being smug, only stating what he saw as the truth.

“Durant said you’re more reckless than usual.” Those keen eyes of Rylan’s studied hers, rooting out the truth. “What happened last night?”

Raven stiffened, her stomach churning at his question. It was too soon for him to cast judgment. She hadn’t had time to secure Taggert’s freedom yet. She fought the nearly overwhelming urge to bolt. “Not now. I need more time.”

Rylan straightened from the wall and strode toward her, intent on getting answers. “Right now is the perfect time if you’re having trouble.”

She recognized that look. He wouldn’t relent unless she gave him something. “I no longer have any control over my power.”

Rylan cocked his head, staring at her with those eerie blue eyes of his. “You’ve never had control. Why is now any different?”

“Because it’s gone.”

Durant sat up abruptly, all laziness vanished as he pinned her under his gaze like a mouse under his paw. “What do you mean it’s gone? I saw you use it today.”

Raven grimaced, his pointed question leaving her no option but confess. “Not exactly.”

They were going to keep picking away at her until she admitted the truth. “Something awoke last night. My power is connected to this creature somehow.”

Durant stood, leaned in closer, and inhaled. She locked her knees to keep from putting distance between them, the instinctual need to keep her secrets safe nearly overriding her good sense. He turned toward Rylan, his brows furrowed. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear she’s cresting.”

Raven snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not a true blood. I can’t shift.”

Their silence spoke volumes.

Durant was the first to speak. “I think you’re wrong. You smell like a shifter to me.”

“You mentioned your power vanished the moment your creature awakened. I think you’re right to believe they’re connected.” Rylan rubbed his chin. “You could be something new.”

He didn’t sound very confident. “But you don’t think so.”

“I would lay odds you’re something really, really old. There were a few mythical beasts, not seen for thousands of years, who are said to have been able to wield unimaginable power.”

Raven laughed then nearly choked when neither Durant nor Rylan joined her. “You can’t be serious.”

“You expelled a lot of power last night, plus strong emotions tend to trigger our beasts. It could have roused the creature from its hibernation.” Durant’s eyes were soft, his voice gentle as if to lighten the blow.

The answer was terrifying. Each time the creature surfaced, it became more aware.

Stronger.

And each time its possession of her became easier.

When it was awake, it dragged a slight electrical charge from her bones, like a boost of pure excitement. She felt more alive. Sharper and faster. The creature didn’t try to take over, and maybe that was more frightening.

They were blending together.

“What kind of shifter?” Her voice was hoarse.

“Your powers might actually be accelerating the process.” Rylan appeared to be completely serious. “You mustn’t let the witches see you as any more of a threat, or they might take action.”

Something inside her trembled when he didn’t answer. “What kind of shifter?”

Rylan tightened his lips and evaded again. “I’ll need to do some more research.”

“Bullshit.” The urge to lunge for his throat and demand answers was almost irresistible. The creature curled tighter around her, squeezing the air from her lungs, and Raven froze. He was her only failsafe. She wondered if the impulse to tear into him was to get answers or the creature’s desire to keep him quiet and eliminate the threat.

As if sensing the danger, Rylan didn’t move, studying her with a detachment that sent a chill down her spine. Since she was already tempted to do him harm, she wasn’t sure it would be safe to wait and find out what she was becoming. It would kill her to hurt those she’d come to care about most.

The creature grumbled in protest at her accusation, but Raven ignored it.

Durant stepped between them, drawing her attention. “You’re going through puberty.”

She blinked in response. “Say again?”

“Most kids are born with their beasts. Only a rare few awaken later in life. The transition is so brutal most don’t survive the change.”

Raven didn’t care for the sound of that at all. “If what you say is true, what can I expect?”

“Your beast will be stronger and harder to get along with since you missed the chance to grow and learn together. It could take years before the battle for dominance is settled.”

She gulped at the prospect of battling herself for so long. “You’re kidding, right?”

“If you both survive and mature, you will shift.”

At his announcement, everything stilled and she nearly fell on her ass.

She glanced at Rylan to gauge his response.

He eased back and leaned against the wall, crossing one foot over the other. “It makes sense. You were born with the power. The labs might have suppressed the beast, but she’s starting to wake up now.”

And it wanted its power back.

She was losing everything. The beast had emerged once when they broke out of the labs, and she’d nearly killed everyone in the process. Raven was terrified that if it happened again no one within her reach would survive.

While she and Rylan continued to stare at each other, Durant strolled to the bathroom. “Why don’t I give you a little privacy and get ready for bed?”

Raven appreciated the gesture, but knew he’d be able to hear every word thanks to his annoyingly acute shifter hearing.

The door clicked shut behind him. “You knew.”

Rylan shrugged, not denying the accusation. “Not really, but you’re at least part shifter, so it makes sense.”

“How do I stop it?” The creature flinched and hunkered down as if she’d smacked it, but Raven didn’t care. It was hard not to march over there and shake answers out of him.

His face softened, and it was like a blow to her gut. “I don’t think you can.”

“There has to be something.” Panic threatened to strangle her, and she glared at him to take back the words. “You saw what happened last time I lost myself in the creature.”

Hatred glowed in his eyes, and he lunged forward. The elusive scent of spice filled her lungs when he stopped, his face just inches from hers. “You killed people who deserved killing. You have to trust yourself more. I know what you’re capable of doing, and I trust you with my life.” His blue eyes warmed, and he tugged on a strand of her hair. “Shifting won’t change who you are.”

Uncomfortable under his regard, she turned away and nearly tumbled on the bed.

Damned small room.

As if to underscore her point, Durant entered the room—without a shirt—and reduced it to the size of a shoebox. She scurried away from the bed…all two feet she could manage, and Durant’s eyes narrowed.

“If you’re through running and hiding, maybe you can explain what the hell you were doing today?”

This again. Raven huffed. “I almost caught the killer.”

“Or he almost caught you.” He stalked closer, planting his hands on either side of her head, caging her against the wall. “You spooked the killer. He knows you’re here now. Promise me you’ll be more careful.”

His husky voice skated down her spine like a caress, the cadence lulling her to do whatever he wanted. His eyes warmed to a molten gold, swirling with emotions so strong she almost burned.

He was doing that damned hypnotizing thing again.

The manipulative ass.

“You’re cheating.”

He only raised a brow. “I’m not even touching you.”

Yet remained unspoken, and she gulped. She was susceptible to his charms, and the smug ass knew it, willing to use everything at his disposal to get his way.

She’d almost succumbed, wanted to so badly she could taste it, but there was no way she would let him get away with leading her around whenever he felt like it. She reached out and pinched him…or tried to. Damned if she could find any fat.

“Back off.” In spite of her command, and much to her mortification, her fingers lingered against the hot muscles that packed his abdomen. When he continued to hover temptingly close, desperation tumbled through her gut. If she didn’t escape now, she wouldn’t have the will left to walk away. She pulled up a string of energy and let a tiny spark dance over his skin. He grunted at the impact, and whatever spell he wove around them snapped. He took his own sweet time before turning away, clearly stating that he was allowing her to win.

Bastard.

When Rylan headed toward the door, she leapt the distance between them. No way could she remain alone in a room with Durant. “Where are you going?”

Her voice might have squeaked.

Amusement darkened his eyes.

“The bed is yours. Durant will sleep across the floor in front of the door to dissuade any intruders seeking to cause mischief.”

It wasn’t a suggestion. Durant narrowed his eyes at the command from a vampire, before finally relenting with a nod.

“What about you?” Concern overrode her nervousness at being alone with Durant.

“I’m going to roam the campus until sunrise, then go to ground.”

“To ground?” He couldn’t mean what she thought it meant.

Bury himself alive.

“It’s the safest place.”

She shuddered at the thought of being imprisoned by thousands of pounds of dirt. “You can stay here. We can’t take the risk of someone tracking you.”

Rylan’s amusement fell away, and he seemed genuinely baffled by her concern. “We’ve managed this way for thousands of years. Only you will know where I rest. The ground won’t even be disturbed.”

Before she could protest more, he vanished into the night, melting into the darkness from one breath to the next.

Durant reached over her shoulder and firmly shut the door, his body much too close for her sanity. His heat and leather scent enveloped her, inviting her to lean back against him. “Ready for bed?”

 Chapter Eight

DAY TWO: TWO HOURS BEFORE SUNRISE

Raven bolted upright from a sound sleep, suddenly wide awake. She absently rubbed a spot against her chest, uncertain what had disturbed her. The room was silent, nothing to cause alarm. She ran her hands over the cold sheets. Much to her surprise, she missed sharing the bed with the pack. The twin mattress felt lonely and vast, and she was beginning to understand why the pack slept in piles.

She curbed the impulse to ask Durant to join her. With just the two of them, it felt too intimate, and she wasn’t ready to go down that path yet.

She’d expected to spend hours tossing, but Durant’s comforting presence allowed her to drop right off into a deep sleep.

So what had awakened her?

Durant rose from where he slept on the floor, naked except for his pants. His golden eyes glowed in the dark as he searched for a threat. His muscles gleamed in the faint light, his body tense and ready to leap into action. She clutched the covers to her chest, not because she was worried he would take advantage of her, more the other way around. The gold in his tattoo shimmered in the moonlight, but wasn’t aglow. Which meant no magical threat.

“What is it?”

Raven didn’t have a clue. Sleep was almost gone from his voice, and her body tingled in response to his raspy question. She smoothed a hand over her hair, managing to resist looking at him directly lest she became distracted all over again. “It’s nothing. Just a feeling. Go back to bed.”

Instead of obeying, he grabbed a shirt and pulled it over his head.

“Where are you going?” Not wanting to be left behind, Raven quickly followed suit. Her hands hesitated over the gloves. Nothing good could come from being called out into the middle of the night. She needed to be ready. She gave the gloves one last look, then left them behind.

“Your eyes are glowing.” Without another word, he was out the door before she could escape the bedroom. By the time she hurried out into the night air, Durant was using his voice to suggest the guards take a nap. Something about his eyes and the tone had the power to seduce people into doing whatever he wanted.

At least this time he didn’t try it on her.

He reached back and grabbed her arm, pulling her in the opposite direction of the main buildings. In minutes, they were surrounded by trees.

The darkness was almost absolute.

Or should have been.

The pitch black eased to shades of gray, and shapes became more defined as her vision automatically adjusted. Another new adaptation thanks to her creature. Durant dropped her arm and stepped back.

“What are we doing here?”

“Remember the feeling that woke you?”

Raven nodded.

“Follow it.”

Easy for him to say. “How the hell am I supposed to follow a feeling?”

“Get out of your head.”

“What?” She began to turn to face him when he caught her shoulders.

“Empty your mind. Allow your animal forward.”

She swallowed an immediate protest. If her condition was only going to intensify, she needed to listen and learn how to handle it. She closed her eyes and waited for the creature to rise.

Nothing.

Not even a peep.

“Why isn’t it working?”

Leaves crunched, and she opened her eyes to see Durant crowd closer. “You need to stop thinking of your creature as a separate being. You are one and the same. That side of yourself is more wild and instinctual. You have to cede control.”

That was the last thing she expected him to say…and the last thing she could allow to happen. “But I thought shifters had to contain their emotions so as not to go furry and lose themselves in their beasts?”

“What happens when you lock an animal in a cage and ignore him? Never feed him?”

Raven didn’t answer.

Durant circled, almost stalking her. Something about his lithe movements, the absolute silence, put her on edge. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear he was hunting her.

Trying to provoke a response.

When it didn’t work, he halted in front her. “We go feral. Yes, we practice restraint, but not the way you think. The human and our beasts are not separate. If you try to keep them apart, you’ll risk losing one or the other.”

He paused as if trying to find a way to explain it in human terms she’d understand. “Think of your animal as a sixth sense. The animal is there to help you. Its purpose, its function is to protect you and further your survival. Ignore it, and you’ll die.”

“But I’ve seen shifters turn violent and revel in the cruelty of their beasts.”

“That’s just the point. They’re not balanced. They’ve embraced their beast, love to stir the animal up and whip it into a frenzy. Just like humans, there are violent shifters who love the torture. They train and break their animal to be the same way.” He cupped her face and tipped her head back. “Trust your animal. It will save your life.”

She didn’t know if it could be so easy. “What happens when you don’t agree with your animal?”

He appeared genuinely confused.

“My animal claimed the jaguar without thinking twice. I believe it actually blocked me from knowing what it had planned.”

“There might be two reasons she chose to act. You wanted to rescue the jaguar. The simplest, most direct method was to offer him a pledge.”

She didn’t like his answer. “So doing my bidding without care of the consequences.”

“You’ve blocked your animal. She’s probably trying to please you. Once you have a balance, you’ll have the control you seek.”

Raven wasn’t sure she believed him. “What’s the second option?”

His face shut down, his mouth hard, his eyes grim, until he was the imposing man she’d first met. “She’s trying to gather a pack around you to keep you safe.”

“Putting others in danger for my sake.”

Durant shook his head in frustration. “You don’t get a choice. You’re an alpha. You’ll naturally want to gather a pack. You’ll want to protect them. You can survive on your own. Lesser shifters cannot. They need to have the pack around them or they go feral. They will kill and die to preserve their pack. You need to stop trying to protect them from you. They don’t want it.”

He glared down at her, anger vibrating off of him in waves of frustration. “You’re talking about yourself.”

“Hell, yes. It’s our duty to protect you. It drives our animals into a rage to see you in danger when we’re unable to do anything. You have to stop hobbling us.”

“But you don’t know how my power will react—”

Durant tugged on a piece of hair the wind blew toward him and tucked it behind her ear. “It doesn’t matter. We don’t think your powers would purposely hurt us. We’re trying to be patient while you figure it out. Why not give us a break and do it our way for a while, just to see how it works?”

Raven wanted to deny his plea. They were asking her to risk their lives on a guess, which wasn’t good enough for her.

He must have seen the refusal on her face, because he heaved a long-suffering sigh. “Let’s get back to the reason why we’re out here.”

“Why are we?” She rubbed her arms to keep warm, a little miffed to note the drop in temperature didn’t bother him in the slightest.

“You were being summoned.”

Raven stopped moving. Being summoned could never be a good thing. “By whom?”

“You must follow the call and find out.”

He was asking her to trust him. Her whole life had been focused on hiding her gift, never revealing herself to others. Now her pack was urging her to do the opposite.

She didn’t need to be told that if she didn’t learn to adapt soon, she’d lose everything…including her pack.

The thought was terrifying enough that she gave a shaky nod, willing to risk anything for them.

In the past, she would have simply dropped into her core, the vat of power she kept locked away. The core was now glaringly empty, but she wondered if the process was the same for shifters. If what Rylan believed was true, the power and the creature were one and the same. If she wanted her power back, she needed to accept the connection between her and the creature and work as one.

The thought petrified her to her bones.

She’d never forgive herself if she hurt those closest to her. The creature gave a huff, offended at the implication that it was a mindless beast, and breathing became difficult as they tussled for dominance. If felt like the beast was sitting on her chest in retaliation, trying to smother her into taking her words back. It left her with the impression she was arguing with herself.

Amusement got the better of her.

The pressure in her lungs eased. Feeling foolish, she closed her eyes and tried to recall what woke her. Much to her surprise, she experienced a definite tug, urging her deeper into the trees.

They were getting closer, practically on top of the source, when Raven opened her eyes. And saw nothing but trees. Disappointment pinged through her. She’d thought she was finally learning something. “I must have messed up—”

A noise in the distance caught her attention, and Raven cocked her head, trying to zero in on the source. A snarl echoed through the treetops, a predator catching scent of its prey, and she had the sinking feeling it was her. Durant tensed, hissed back and moved to stand in front of her.

Dread gathered in her gut, and she wondered if the summons had been a trap to lure her out in the open. Going on instinct, Raven turned and saw them emerge from the darkness, more of a stir of air than any noise. Two shadowy shapes sped through the woods, the figures barely touching the ground as they flowed over the forest floor.

Thirty feet and closing.

“Run.” Durant shoved her from behind to get her moving as he braced himself to fend off the intruders.

Something was hauntingly familiar about the figure in front, and she hesitated, grabbing his arm. “Wait.”

Twenty feet.

“Taggert?”

The man in the lead altered course slightly, not changing speed, still barreling toward them. Within seconds dirt pelted her as he skidded to a stop. The kid was lean, his chest billowing with each breath, the thin shirt he wore plastered to him. His shaggy sun-streaked hair was sweaty, darkening it to a sandy brown.

He looked remarkably well for someone who’d nearly died just a day ago. The damage inflicted when he’d used his body to protect her should have killed him, but she’d used her alpha ability and every scrape of power to bring him back from the brink of death. The torturous process had saved him, but not without a lot of pain.

What surprised her was he appeared perfectly healthy.

No side effects.

But Raven didn’t get her hopes up yet. She was never that lucky.

“What are you doing here?” She glanced behind him, expecting to find trouble on his heels, and spotted nothing but a tawny gold and black wolf picking his way toward them. The animal was tightly packed with muscles and easily twice the size of a normal wolf.

“Jackson.”

The two hundred pound wolf melted down into the form of a man. She heard no muscles popping, no bones snapping. No ripping fur or blood as his body reformed. His gift allowed him to pack on extra weight and transform faster than the normal ten minutes. The man slowly stood, his brown hair in disarray, his chest heaving. There was something too masculine, too purposeful about him to make him classically handsome, but she was drawn to him just the same.

She scanned him for possible injuries, blushing at his nakedness and the fact he made no effort to cover himself. A smattering of hair arrowed down his chest, and her naked fingers tingled with the urge to touch what was so blatantly displayed. She had to force her eyes up to meet his gaze before they wandered any lower. “What’s wrong?”

Of course, he noticed her predicament. He didn’t smile, but his neon eyes faded to an enticing whisky brown that invited her closer to investigate.

“He’s been unconscious. The instant he woke, he insisted we track you down.” Jackson scowled at the younger wolf. “I wasn’t able to talk sense into him. The only way to stop him would have been to lock him down. As soon as my back was turned, he took off.”

“How did you get here?”

Jackson grimaced. “We ran.”

Ran.

They must have traveled all day. They didn’t have to use the roads, so the miles were cut in half, but it meant they had charged straight up the mountain. Their stamina was remarkable. Her eyes sharpened as she took in their appearance. Both men appeared a little ragged, Jackson’s ribs more pronounced, the angles of Taggert’s face sharper. Their beasts hunger pounded at her. Then the reality of them being there struck her.

If the witches caught them, they would be treated like intruders.

“You can’t be here. It’s too dangerous.” She glanced over her shoulder, expecting to be caught any second. She refused to lose these men, not when the pack was almost safe. All she had to do was find the killer and Taggert would no longer be a slave. He would officially belong to her. “You have to leave now before they find you.”

Jackson scowled at Taggert. “Good luck convincing him of that. He won’t budge.”

Taggert had yet to speak, didn’t react to anything, but continued to stare at her in an unnerving way. Something off about him had the hairs on the back of her neck rising. She found herself wandering closer. “Taggert?”

Fear tightened its grip on her throat. She closed the distance between them and ripped off the tinted glasses he wore. A gasp of devastating pain tore from her throat. There was nothing of her gentle Taggert remaining. His beautiful chocolate eyes had gone feral, splintering with the green of his wolf.

“I did this to you.” To save his life, she had unleashed every ounce of her power. It had changed him on a cellular level. She stumbled away from him, horrified by her actions, and the irrefutable proof that she damaged whatever she touched.

He reached out lightning fast to touch her, and she grabbed his wrist, terrified the contact would only cause more damage. He shuddered at the contact, his eyes softened, and she realized she was touching the bite mark on his wrist that claimed him as hers. Even the slightest touch from her would give him pleasure.

Not the least bit afraid, he moved until his fingers grazed her cheek in a caress. “Raven.”

The rasp of her name sent a shiver down her spine, and she found herself brushing her fingers against his wrist. The scent of woods curled around her, luring her closer.

“Let me stay.”

The fantasy that everything was fine shattered, and she backed away, shaking her head, almost whimpering at the loss of contact. “I’m not strong enough to protect you without access to my power.”

Taggert leaned forward and inhaled. “It’s still there. Once you come to terms with your beast, you’ll be fine.”

Raven blinked at his matter-of-fact comment, so close to what Durant had just said, it gave her pause. She wasn’t sure is she was relieved or not. That they could sense her beast sent a shiver of dread through her, but no one else seemed at all concerned about the changes happening.

They should be.

They just didn’t know better yet.

Taggert sniffed again, a growl vibrating up his chest. “You were in danger.”

“We’re hunting down a killer. Both Durant and Rylan are here to protect me. I need you and Jackson to go back and keep the pack safe while we’re gone.”

Denial burned his eyes a harsh green. Aggression poured off him, so potent that her heart gave an instinctive leap of fear. “What the hell have I done to you?”

Taggert straightened to his full height, standing a few inches taller than her, all proud warrior. “You saved me.”

Raven shook her head, mourning the harsh changes one unthinkable act had wrought. “But at what cost?”

“I’m stronger and faster. Strong enough to stand and fight at your side.” A muscle ticked in his jaw, and his eyes narrowed. “I’m better this way.”

As if sensing her panic, Durant stepped into view. “Alphas have the ability to pull out latent traits in others.”

Raven rubbed her fingers together, distracted by the feel of skin instead of leather she’d grown accustomed to wearing. “Maybe, but I shouldn’t have been able to build on power he didn’t already have to start.”

The men exchanged looks proven to drive women insane with frustration. “Spit it out.”

Jackson walked right into her private space—damned touchy-feely shifters. He sucked up all the oxygen until she couldn’t focus on anything but him. It was all she could do to keep her attention above his chin and ignore the glorious chest and manly parts on full display.

He angled his body to block the wind, and the smell of freshly cut grass wrapped around her. The simple gesture softened her anger. He’d lied to her by omission, forced her to claim him, and risked his life in the process, when he’d known there was an alternative. He’d had his reasons, though, and she was beginning to suspect he might have been right.

And if she were truthful with herself, she was glad to have him as part of her pack. By claiming him directly, she had made him irrevocably hers.

The creature gave a little hum of pleasure that she’d finally admitting it.

“You have never been normal. Why would it change now?”

She pursed her lips. He had a point. “Neither of you can stay.”

Jackson nodded, studying her face as if memorizing her features. “I know.”

She cocked her head at his easy acquiescence. “Then why did you come?”

“Because Taggert needed to assure himself that you were all right. He was coming with or without me.” Jackson didn’t move or even twitch, and she narrowed her eyes.

“You’re lying.” It was a gift she shared with him thanks to their blood connection.

The skin around his eyes tightened a little. “No, I’m just not telling you the complete truth.”

When he said nothing more, she raised a brow.

Something inside him snapped, and he stepped closer. He inhaled, savoring her scent. “When you left, you weren’t going to come back.”

Raven didn’t deny it. “And you thought if I saw you again that I would change my mind?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw, letting her know how close she had come to the mark. Raven hesitantly placed her hand on his chest, her fingers coming to rest on the faint scar below his collarbone. His eyes dilated, and he sucked in a startled breath, his body going rigid.

“Fight for us. We’ve gone through too much for you to give up on us now.” He pressed her hand over the mark that claimed him as hers. “We will never give up on you.”

Raven tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. If only it was that easy. She refused to become a monster. If she wasn’t able to find a compromise with the creature, she might not have a choice. She’d do whatever was necessary to keep them from harm…even if it meant never seeing them again. “I’ll do whatever’s in my power to preserve the pack.”

Jackson’s brows furrowed at her choice of words, immediately noting her omission. “Just remember, you are the core of the pack. Come back to us.”

She couldn’t give him a promise she might have to break. She pulled away, ducking from his too-perceptive gaze. He always sensed too much, much more than she was willing to share. “Taggert, go on back with Jackson—”

“No.” The kid’s expression shut down and he crossed his arms, suddenly an immovable object.

There was no way he could stay. He was too vulnerable. He wouldn’t survive another attack. She had to find a way to make him obey, but no matter how hard she wracked her brain, she couldn’t come up with anything that might tempt him.

All Taggert had ever wanted was to be part of a pack.

Then that’s what she would give him.

“If you go back with Jackson, when this case is complete, I promise to give you and the pack my undivided attention.”

Taggert narrowed his eyes, the calculation there a little disconcerting. “One week. No work.”

Raven studied the demand from all angles. If she could hold everything together and survive this job, a week with the pack should be simple.

But when was anything in her life simple?

Taggert ventured closer. “We’ll go on vacation. You’ll be alone with just the pack.”

His offer sound like both heaven and a threat. “You’ll leave and stay away from this case?”

He gave one short nod. “I’ll use the time to plan the trip.”

“Durant, give them your keys.”

Durant snapped to attention, glowering at her. “Excuse me?”

“They need to leave, and they can’t go back the way they came. The fastest, surest way is by car.”

When he saw she wasn’t going to back down, he cursed and closed his eyes in resignation. “And I have the only vehicle.”

She watched him hesitate again before digging the keys out of his pocket. His body remained tense, as if he was ready to run off at the slightest provocation. He figured the keys, then tossed them. “Damage her, and I’ll take it out of your hide, mutt.”

Jackson caught them with ease, then gave Raven a measured look. “One week. If you don’t show, we’re coming after you.”

Jackson walked by her, and she didn’t resist the urge to turn and watch him stride away. She followed the muscular lines of his back, watched the flex of his ass, and envied his ease with himself. Taggert brushed against her as he passed, his eyes alive as he watched her.

There was an unspoken promise in them…there was nowhere she could hide that he wouldn’t find her.

Then the darkness swallowed him, too.

 Chapter Nine

DAY TWO: MORNING

Raven woke to sunlight streaming into the room, and she frowned, uncertain why her mind was racing a mile a minute. Then it hit her. The sun.

“Rylan!” For a panicked second, she searched the room, her heart fluttering. He’d never reported back last night. She must have drifted off while waiting up for him.

Durant’s big frame filled the doorway. He leaned his shoulder against the jamb and crossed his arms. “If you’re looking for the vampire, he went to ground earlier this morning.”

Relief flooded her until the silence of the cabin grabbed her by the throat. “Where’s the jaguar?”

Durant scowled at the mention of the other cat, as if the jaguar was an unwanted stray who had invaded his space. “He let himself out just after sunrise.”

Raven relaxed back on the bed and stretched. “What time is it?”

There was a lengthy pause, and she lifted her head to find him staring at her, looking ready to crawl into bed at the slightest bit of encouragement. She blushed, but her self-consciousness faded at the naked hunger in his eyes. She tucked her hands under her to keep from reaching for him, her nails sinking in her flesh, until her sanity finally returned.

“Time.” It came out a croak.

The fire in his eyes banked at her rejection. When he glanced at the clock without a word of protest, she blew out a heavy breath, deflated that he hadn’t pushed for more. She knew it was her own fault for sending mixed messages, even if they weren’t intentional.

“A little after ten.”

“What?” Raven scrambled from bed, nearly tripping when her legs tangled in the sheets. “Why didn’t you wake me sooner?”

She gave him her back and quickly pulled on her pants. When he didn’t speak, she glanced over at him to find his attention cemented on her scantily clad ass. The near-scorching look in his eyes made her breath catch, and she couldn’t decide whether to be flustered or flattered. She pulled a shirt over her tank top, tucked it into her pants then turned and faced him. “Well?”

He finally looked up, met her eyes, then shrugged. “You needed the rest.”

It was as simple as that for him. She was still uncomfortable with how focused her pack was on her well-being.

“No, what I need to do is finish this case.” The urgency to find the killer and hurry home had only increased after she’d seen Taggert again. There was brittleness about him that warned he would snap if she failed and never returned. He’d go rogue and risk being hunted before going back to being a slave.

Durant narrowed his eyes at her irritation. “You’ll solve it. A few hours won’t make a difference.”

His confidence in her was nice. She just hoped she could live up to their expectations. First, she needed to get away from his simmering eyes before she completely forgot why being in the same room with him and a bed was such a bad idea. “I’ll meet you out front in five minutes.”

The instant his broad back disappeared out the door, Raven closed her eyes and searched her core in a desperate hope that everything was back to normal, but the spot remained barren. The damage she’d inflicted on herself was healing, but there was still no hint of her power.

Without her power, she and her pack were vulnerable. To keep everyone safe, she needed to assert her dominance over her animal…but how was she to do that when she couldn’t catch and hold the elusive beast?

The creature emerged on a whim, wreaked havoc on anyone near, and then disappeared, leaving Raven with a mess to clean up. She needed to find a way to communicate with it, because without her power, they were all lost.

Heat spread through her veins, flooding her system with raw energy at the thought of losing her pack. She waited for the creature to emerge, but Raven suspected the animal was pacifying her, biding its time.

She clutched a single ray of hope to her chest. She and her creature had the same goal—the survival of the pack. It could give her an edge when dealing with the creature.

She splashed water on her face, twisted her hair up, but there was no more hiding the silver that streaked the black strands. The tips were almost solid silver. Since she was no longer able to use the power directly, she wondered if the electrical current would stop eating away the color.

She slipped out the door to find Durant standing perfectly still, waiting for her to emerge. The two guards from last night had been replaced, judiciously maintaining a healthy distance. She eyed them curiously, but felt no malice.

“What did Rylan learn?” She led the way toward the main building and breakfast, wanting to avoid any more personal talk.

Durant didn’t take her arm, but lingered close enough that his leather scent distracted her. “The coven is secure. He couldn’t detect anything out of place.”

Curiosity made her ask. “Would he be able to tell if the person responsible had been here for a while?”

Durant scanned the courtyard for possible danger, ever alert for trouble. Not even the students escaped his perusal. “By smell, no, but he might be able to sense if something was off.”

“Everything feels off,” Raven mumbled, knowing he would hear her anyway. She watched as a group of students detoured around them before they scampered off toward class, and she snorted in amusement at their antics.

“Everyone’s on edge.” He corrected, dismissing the kids as any kind of threat, seemingly unaware he was being treated like a leper.

“Keep an eye out for the jaguar.” She raised a hand when he opened his mouth to protest. “Whether you like it or not, he knows more about what’s happening here than anyone else. We need him.”

Durant grumbled but didn’t say anything more as he scanned a small knot of people scurrying from one building to the next. They received a few curious looks, an annoyed glare or two, but nothing overtly menacing. “Something is killing people.”

“Yes,” Durant glanced over at her.

“Then why didn’t they send the children back to their parents for protection?”

Durant raised a brow, looking surprised that she didn’t already know the answer. “It would mean admitting the witches aren’t able to protect their own.”

Raven rolled her eyes. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it? These witches are the best in the coven, put in charge of teaching the next generation. If they admit they can’t handle the danger—”

“They would lose status.” Raven still didn’t understand it. “That doesn’t excuse them for putting children in danger.”

Durant continued to look at her, and she resisted the urge to fidget. “What?”

“They might be children, but they’re witches first. Going home would mean failure. People would know and remember.”

She waved her hand, dismissing his ludicrous comment. “No one thinks that way.”

“Shifters are the same way.” Tension mounted in the air around Durant, his reluctance to say more was obvious, and she bit her lip to keep from asking what happened in his life to make him think he was a coward. She didn’t believe it for a second. “If there is even a hint of weakness in a shifter, they immediately lose status. No one wants to claim a shifter who has shown cowardice.”

“Fear is a healthy response to danger. It keeps you alive.” Fear was her daily companion, it swarmed around her, trying to drag her down the moment she relaxed her vigilance. She would not be swayed in her belief that fear was a healthy response. To do so would be to admit that she didn’t deserve her pack.

Those mesmerizing green and gold eyes of his bore into hers. “Fear doesn’t mean you’re a coward. Think of it more like a test. The best and the brightest don’t run from danger, they run toward it. People like you.”

She couldn’t help be flattered at his roundabout complement. “Then why have they brought me here? Isn’t that admitting they couldn’t handle it on their own?”

“When you can’t solve a problem, you bring in someone who can.”

She narrowed her eyes, wishing she could read him as easily as he read her. “But you still believe they requested me for more than my ability to solve cases.”

He stared at her with golden eyes, his tiger close to the surface at the possibility of her being in danger. “Don’t you?”

She took her time answering. “I don’t think it matters at this point. I’m trapped. If I leave without finding the killer, they’ll make sure I lose Taggert just for spite.”

“They’re watching you, taking notes on everything you can do.” He practically bristled at the idea.

As they neared the building, her stomach rumbled, and she quickened her pace. She needed to consume a lot of calories or her body would steal energy from those around her. The last thing she needed was to accidently kill a witch.

The building was cool when they entered. People, both past and present, walked through the halls. She dodged around the ghosts for fear of repeating yesterday’s performance. Durant didn’t comment on her odd dance, and she ignored the few witches who eyed her as if she was a lunatic. The cafeteria was empty but for a few stragglers scattered throughout.

And no shifters.

Again.

“Shifters aren’t even allowed to eat in the same building, are they?”

Durant nudged her toward the food. “If you were a familiar, would you want to eat with the one who had purchased your contract?”

Her lips curled with revulsion at the thought of being forced to interact with anyone twenty-four hours a day. “Point taken.”

She loaded her plate, her mouth watering despite the fact the food was a congealed lump that had been sitting out a little too long. They ate in silence. It was only after she swallowed the last mouthful that she noticed Durant watching her with a peculiar smile.

“What?” She snatched up a napkin and wiped her mouth, feeling her face heat. “Did I get it?”

His smile widened, and her paranoia escalated. “Why are you smiling?”

“Do you realize this is one of the few times I’ve had you all to myself without one of us being injured or someone trying to kill us?”

Raven dropped the napkin on her plate. Her eyes dipped to his lips, her mind immediately going to the time when she had him all to herself, cuffed to a chair, urging her to do anything she wanted to him. A blush heated her face as she imagined stripping off his shirt, and Durant chuckled, smugly confident where her thoughts had gone.

Raven shot to her feet, sure that at any moment she would be able to see his tiger peek out and lick his lips while he watched her. “Stop it.”

Durant slowly straightened, giving her time to admire all those sleek muscles at work. “Stop what?”

Mischief danced in his eyes, and she huffed out a breath. But he had succeeded in distracting her from her worries. She turned toward the door as he rounded the table.

“You’re still you. The beast you fear won’t change that.”

He had to go and ruin it all by mentioning her creature. She hurried toward the exit, not wanting to encourage him. “We need to find out if the witch lived. She could know something.”

Instead of wasting time searching the campus, Raven headed straight for Heloise’s office. The door was open, thankfully, but the wards clung like sticky taffy as she passed through them. “Did the witch survive?”

Heloise finished signing a document, not even bothering to look up. “Her name is Crystal. We did all we could for her.”

Raven cocked her head, noting something off about the answer. Then it clicked. She didn’t say she had died. “I’d like to question her.”

Heloise sighed in annoyance and finally glanced up. “I’m afraid that will be impossible. We’ve made her comfortable, but there was nothing we could do to reverse the process. She’s dying.”

Raven understood the rejection, but cooperating wouldn’t get her answers. “Your first impulse is to protect, but you have more than one person under your care.”

The witch’s reluctance was obvious when she grimaced. “She’s on the second floor, room 212.”

Without giving the witch time to regret her decision, Raven turned and headed down the stairs, Durant close on her heels. She slowed as she neared the room. The door was closed, an air of menace seeping through the wood as if unable to contain it.

That wasn’t wild magic, but something else entirely.

“Durant—”

“Not a chance. If you’re going in there, so am I.”

She grabbed the knob, the metal so cold she hissed. Only when the door unlatched and creaked open did she allow herself to pull back and look. Frost coated her palms.

“You might as well come in.”

The voice was old, its wicked cackle sending a shiver down her spine. An immediate image of a green wicked witch holding a broom came to mind.

Whoever the woman might have been, she’d never been a nice lady. The last thing Raven wanted to do was enter that room. She pictured Taggert as she last seen him, more beast than man, and her resolve firmed. She needed to finish this case and do whatever she could to fix what she’d broken.

Raven finally managed to peel her feet off the floor. She saw Durant struggle to force his beast into the room, and couldn’t help but be relieved that she wasn’t the only one who felt like running in the opposite direction.

The room was surprisingly bright, the curtains thrown wide, but cheer was the last thing she felt upon entering. The shadows appeared longer, the darkness in them a little too black, and Raven avoided looking too deeply, not wanting to see what horror hid in them. The flowers should have brightened the room, but the drooping petals looked like the life had been sucked out of them. As she watched, one fell from the stem and drifted to the floor. The pink color bled away in seconds, the small petal reduced to a curled black husk. When it landed, it shattered in a puff of dust.

“So you’re the fool who tried to save me.”

Raven hadn’t realized she had avoided looking at the bed until then. When she faced the woman, she bit back her gasp, wanting to scurry out the door and never look back.

The woman on the bed barely resembled a human. After Heloise said they had done all they could for her, Raven hadn’t expected to find a talking mummy. Oh, her skin was more hydrated, but now it slouched off her body. The dirt brown she associated with a desiccated corpse was lighter, revealing massive liver spots covering almost every inch of her body. The skin was transparent and likely to tear on contact. Liquid was being pumped into her, but far too late to do any good.

Her eyes were what riveted Raven.

They were alive with such hatred, one look curdled her soul.

“You’re—”

“Old. Weak. Powerless.” The witch wheezed as she spoke, her voice sardonic. Anger writhed around her like a hissing snake, ready to strike at anyone who came near. “I’m dying.”

“I was going to say the only one to survive an attack.”

The witch cackled. “I could almost like you. They say you were the only one who had the guts to try and save me. You have balls, I’ll give you that. Ask your questions.”

If she hesitated, Raven had no doubt the woman would clam up and take all her secrets to the grave. “Where is everyone?”

The witch wheezed, and Raven realized she was laughing. “Have you ever watched a witch die?”

She shook her head.

“They left because they don’t want to face their own mortality.” She must have seen the confusion on Raven’s face. “Like anyone, we want to go down fighting. When we’re stripped of power, we grow old and deteriorate rapidly until our bodies reach our natural age. I’m over 120 years old. Thankfully, my body will give out long before I reach that stage. The older I get, the more senile I become.” She snorted and gave a short nod. “So I suggest if you have any questions, you ask them fast…before the answers disappear from my memory.”

“What do you recall of the attack?”

“Very little. It came on suddenly. I didn’t have time to guard against it. Whoever it was ripped through my wards like paper. I don’t remember much else. I was too busy fighting for my life.”

“Do you remember stealing the life from your familiars?” The question slipped out before she could stop it.

The old woman lifted a brow. “I hear censure in your words, but when your life is as stake, you’ll do whatever it takes to survive.”

Raven slowly straightened, and some of the pity she felt for the old bat melted away. She had expected her to deny it. Wanted to hear her say she didn’t do it. “Not everyone.”

“My, aren’t you just perfect.” She scratched her wrist in agitation, her querulous voice shaking with age. “Or you’re just fooling yourself.”

Raven recoiled at the vehemence, then cursed herself for asking because the witch began to shut down. If she wanted answers, she needed to ask fast, before the old hag lost her patience. “When you were attacked, did you sense what the person wanted?”

Annoyance crossed the old crone’s features, her expression practically shouting that Raven was a dolt. “My magic.”

Raven was losing her. “But did it want your magic and you were just in the way or did it want you dead?”

Intelligence sharpened behind those black orbs she called eyes, and she hesitated before answering. “It was hungry. It wanted my magic. The fact that it would kill me was unimportant.”

The woman rubbed her wrist again, over and over, and Raven pointed toward the spot. “May I?”

“Whatever.” Despite her gruff answer, she turned her arm over.

At first Raven saw nothing until she bent closer. A symbol of some sort marred the skin. Not a tattoo, but something resting under the skin. “Where did you get this?”

“I…” frowns crinkled her face, “…don’t remember.”

Raven memorized the swirls and sharp corners of the symbol. They looked similar to the designs etched on the floor during the attack. “What kind of wards were on the door? I didn’t recognize them.”

The witch shook her head. “All I can tell you is it was potent magic, more powerful than one person can do by themselves.”

“Why were you in that cabin? Do you think the trap was set specifically for you?”

“No, I think the spell would have triggered if anyone with a certain power level entered the room.”

“So you didn’t go there to meet anyone? You didn’t normally frequent that particular cabin?”

She shook her head, shrinking further into the bed with each question as exhaustion took its toll. “No one was scheduled to be there yesterday.”

Raven stepped back, pathetically relieved to put distance between them. The air was less polluted by the door, and the headache gnawing at her skull eased a fraction. If the witch was doing something, it wasn’t intentional. “I should let you rest.”

The woman wheezed again, amusement and resentment wrinkling her face. “You don’t get it, do you? There is no rest. I’m broken. I can’t absorb or wield magic. Without magic, I age and die.”

“But they—”

“There is no reversing the process. Once you lose your ability to cast, it’s gone.” The woman turned and faced the wall. “You should have just let me die with my dignity intact.”

Death hovered in the room like a cold chill, seeping into Raven’s lungs with every breath, ready to lay claim to her, too, if she lingered much longer. She left the woman, her words ringing in her ears…once you lose your ability to cast, it’s gone. Did that apply to her as well?

“Raven?”

She hadn’t realized she’d stopped in the hall until Durant spoke. Not wanting to answer any of his questions, she headed back toward the stairs. “I want to talk to the familiars next.”

“Why?” His brows lowered, and he seemed genuinely baffled at her request. “They’re not responsible. They can’t cast.”

“Maybe not, but I bet they know more about what’s happening than anyone else. They’re practically invisible to the witches. If anyone has any idea of who would want to harness magic, it would be them.”

 Chapter Ten

It was afternoon before Raven was granted permission to visit the familiars. “This is absurd. How do they expect me to work if I have to ask permission every step of the way?”

Durant’s long legs quickly ate the distance to the familiar camp. The farther they traveled away from the coven, the lighter she felt. Usually, being around active magic was more of a brush of cobwebs…annoying but bearable. The absence of so much magic was as if a smothering weight had been lifted.

She glanced back, but the sprawling campus had disappeared from view some fifteen minutes ago. After the first mile, the witch following them had to struggle to keep pace. The supervision was to thwart any attempt on Raven’s part to steal any more familiars…or so they said. She was beginning to suspect Durant was correct. They were more interested in her than what was warranted. To be watched every second of the day gave her a creepy-crawly feeling she couldn’t seem to shake.

“If you could come this way, please. The familiars are gathered at the lodge.” The witch was rumpled and sweaty after the three-mile hike, out of breath and very, very annoyed. She marched to a long, single log structure.

“Why are the shifters tucked out of the way like a dirty secret?”

She aimed the snide comment at the witch, but Durant was the one who spoke. “Would you want to live any closer to the witches?”

“No.” She didn’t even hesitate. She studied their surroundings more closely. The cabins were similar to the one they’d been assigned, but the atmosphere was completely different. The air was fresher, sharper and tinged with a lick of wildness that caused her creature to stir with curiosity. The sickly sweet smell of magic was almost non-existent.

The closer they came to the lodge, the more her steps slowed. Shifters might not have magic, but she sensed them just the same. Power seethed in the air like a bubbling mess. Since these were the weakest of the pack, there had to be a sizable number waiting behind that door.

Things usually didn’t go well when she was around so many. Trepidation put its meaty fist around her throat and squeezed. The urge to turn tail and run curled around her, nearly sending her sprawling as her feet struggled with the mixed signals. 

“You all right?”

The concern on Durant’s face strengthened her resolve…never show weakness to a shifter. They would exploit it. If she wanted answers, she couldn’t hesitate. “I’ll be fine.”

As she reached for the door, she expected menace to thicken the air. Instead, something worse happened.

The creature shifted restlessly.

It didn’t wake, didn’t wrestle for control, instead leaving her scrambling to figure out if her overactive imagination had disturbed it or if there was an actual threat waiting for her on the other side of the door.

As soon as she entered, the room fell silent, not gradually trailing off, but noisy one moment and absolute quiet the next. The shifters turned toward her and stood at attention. No one even fidgeted.

The smells of so many crested over her, threatening to drown her in the first wave. Breathing through her mouth only helped a little. Her creature filtered the different breeds, categorizing them, allowing her to suck in a tiny snippet of fresh air without choking.

There was so much expectation and curiosity crowding the room, her first instinct was to bolt. The missing jaguar perked up when she entered, and wound his way toward her through the crowd. He stood taller, not the hunched-over creature she’d first seen. His black hair was wavy and clean, if a bit shaggy. But when she looked into his vivid blue eyes, pure animal stared back with a hunger that made her swallow hard. 

She’d hoped a night of rest would have helped him regain some of his humanity, but feared something inside him was broken beyond her ability to fix. He stopped a foot short of touching her, and Raven shifted uncomfortably under his regard. He leaned forward and inhaled, his eyes darkening with such yearning that her stomach flip-flopped.

Unable to refuse his plea, she held out her hand.

He smiled, more fangs than anything else, and grabbed her fingers. He licked the backs before she could jerk away, then scurried to hunch at her side, almost but not quite touching.

When she faced the room, she found the attitude had changed, sharpened, until she wanted to duck aside and look behind her to see what held them in such awe.

She glanced sideways at Durant. “What’re they doing?”

“You’re an alpha and a female. They’ve probably never been this close to one before.”

But he was tense, watching them closely as if he expected some retaliation. “Tell me.”

Then he sighed in defeat. “A shifter who loses his humanity is nothing more than a beast, a threat to the pack. It’s a death sentence. By giving him your hand, you publicly accepted him into your pack.”

She scrunched up her face, wishing she understood if that was good or bad. “He’s in control. He hasn’t killed anyone. I won’t condemn him to die for something that wasn’t his fault.”

 “Most alphas wouldn’t take the chance.” Durant shook his head, but his eyes were warm, belying the censure in his words. “My guess is they’re trying to decide if you are a fool or the strongest alpha they’ve ever seen.”

She didn’t care to be the focus of so much attention. All were devastatingly male, their beasts hovering just under the surface. They beat at her shield, seeking to rile her beast. Testing her strength. In a room packed with more than fifty shifters, she had to proceed carefully and get out before anyone decided to challenge her for a spot in her pack. “Someone is killing witches.”

That got her no response. “If the witch is tied to a familiar, her familiar will die as well.”

Still, no one spoke.

Durant cleared his throat.

She faced him and raised a brow. “What?”

Durant rubbed a hand over his mouth as if deciding what to tell her. “They’re not like humans. You have to ask a question to get answers.”

She flushed, feeling her face heat as she surveyed the room again. She expected them to vent their anger against being virtually enslaved. But no one appeared malnourished. No one was bleeding or maimed.

They appeared content.

Which surprised her until she remembered Durant’s comment. This was normal for them.

The door opened in the back, and a lean man with trimmed dark hair entered. The other shifters stepped out of his way as he approached, identifying him as their leader.

There was nothing special about him that should have caught her attention. He was handsome, but not stunning. Powerfully built, but not a full shifter. No, what caught her eye was the way he stared at her…like he recognized her.

Something about him was familiar, and she found herself drawn forward, weaving between the tables and chairs, barely aware of Durant following hard on her heels. Danger simmered in her blood. Beneath her skin, power was dragged from her bones, the heat gathering, before hardening to armor.

“I know you.”

The man tensed, and Durant stiffened at her side.

A barely healed scar marred his face.

One she recognized.

She should, since she put it there when he used wild magic to try to kill a man under her protection. She stalked him, paying little attention to the people scattering out of her way. It was all she could do not to strike first before he attacked one of hers again. What stayed her hand was the need to understand why. Determined to protect her, the jaguar prowled at her side, growing more feral with each step, feeding off her agitation.

Everyone fell silent when she stopped before the dark-haired shifter. She inhaled slowly, waiting for the wild magic to reach for her again. Instead, all she smelled was wolf. Oh, there was a hint of wild magic on him, but only the smallest of traces, not the amount she would have expected if he had any involvement.

Secrets lurked in his eyes, memories of things he wanted to forget.

He carried himself proudly, but the fragile way he moved indicated pain.

Shifters could take a lot of abuse. That he was still showing injuries, meant the spell caster who’d purchased his contract enjoyed inflicting pain, passing the brunt of the cost to use magic over to his familiar.

The cruelty he suffered didn’t make up for his invasion of her home. “You tried to kill me and mine with the same magic being used now to kill the witches.”

If everything was silent before, you could hear the air move now.

No one even dared breathe.

“I have no control over what a witch does with their magic, be it good or bad. We’re just objects to be used.” Bitterness sharpened his voice, his brown eyes hard, as if she was no better than his master.

“When was this?” The witch spoke sharply, taking notes of everything discussed with a shrewdness that didn’t bode well for the one on the receiving end of her ire.

Raven ignored the demand. Something about this shifter put her back up. It was more than his trying to kill her pack. Her skin tingled as the creature shifted restlessly, the animal eager to emerge and rip the man apart.

Instead, it showed restraint and left the decision up to her.

It made her suspicious.

“You’re saying your witch cast the spell?” Raven persisted with her questions. He wasn’t lying, but he wasn’t telling her the truth either.

The shifter shrugged. “Who else?”

“Give me a name.” No more games. She crowded into his personal space until only inches separated them and allowed her creature to peer out from her eyes. He would tell her, or she would make him.

“Evans.” The witch with them spoke first, her face twisting in disgust. “He should just be finishing with class.”

The woman disappeared out the door. Raven hated leaving this shifter behind, but the need to find the killer and finish the case was paramount…at least for now.

With a growl of frustration, she charged outside.

Raven twisted to catch a glimpse of the witch, spotting her a few yards away. When she took a step forward, cobwebs tickled against her skin, and she sneezed at the overly sweet stench of someone using a shitload of magic.

Then the witch just vanished.

“Son of a bitch.”

Durant sniffed the air, his face hardening. “A transportation spell. They don’t waste that amount magic for nothing.”

“We need to catch Evans before the witches, or they’ll squirrel him away and we’ll learn nothing.” The wind tugged at her hair and clothes as she ran all out. She didn’t stumble, didn’t hesitate at the breakneck pace. A few of the familiars followed, their beasts unable to resist the exhilaration of running as a pack. By the time Raven reached the campus, she was puffing for breath. Durant gave her an odd look when he stopped by her side, and she was pleased to note he was slightly out of breath as well.

That’s when she realized she’d beaten him.

She’d just run three miles in less than ten minutes. She hadn’t even been aware of her animal helping her. It was becoming second nature, and though she appreciated the assistance, she wasn’t sure she cared for the subtle shift in power.

The campus was swarming with activity. Power flooded her system at the threat of so many people in such close proximity. Every inch of her felt charged, the hair on her arms standing at attention until it became painful.

Relief at the return of her power was instantaneous, the raw current a comfort after it had been gone for so long.

The creature hadn’t stolen everything.

But it presented another problem.

She glanced down at her naked hands and cursed.

She couldn’t enter the crowd. She’d been in such a rush to get Durant out of the bedroom that morning, she’d carelessly left her gloves behind. Without her power, it hadn’t been a big deal. Now that she knew the creature could flip the switch at any time, she couldn’t risk infecting anyone with her touch.

“Let me.” Durant took lead. With his own brand of magic, he moved through the crowd and people parted without him saying a word. She followed in his wake, thankful for his presence.

When he stopped suddenly, she nearly plowed into his back. “What’s happened?”

“I believe they found your culprit.” He stepped aside and allowed her to see the chaos.

In the middle of a group of witches, dropped on his knees and swathed in magic, was the dickhead who had refused to allow her to enter the cabin yesterday. “That can’t be right.”

“What do you mean?”

“He didn’t even have a hint of wild magic on him yesterday.”

“But there was a lot of magic at the cabin. Can you be sure it wasn’t him?”

Raven hesitated, then shook her head. “I need to talk to him.”

Not waiting for his permission, she pushed her way forward.

And immediately found herself blocked by a witch with fiery red hair.

“I need to speak with him.” But even as she voiced her demand, they forced Evans to his feet and hauled him away. “Wait.”

When she tried to shove forward, the witches muttered something under her breath and waved her hand. Raven tumbled through air. As the ground rushed up to smack her, she twisted, tucked herself tight to lessen the brunt of the impact, then rolled to her feet.

Durant roared, his eyes a molten gold as he charged after her. Everyone scrambled out of his way. He watched the crowd for another attack, claws tipping his fingers as he came to stand before her.

There had been no warning, no build-up of magic to counter the spell. The woman must have been a wizard and activated an amulet.

Stupid.

Raven had let down her guard and trusted the witches.

In the second she’d been down, she lost sight of her prey. “Where’d they go?”

Durant bared his teeth, clearly not caring. “We’re done.” 

“But—”

He whirled, and her mouth snapped shut. She should be terrified as the predator in him boldly stared back at her, but she shuffled toward him, drawn to the sheer power of him on full display. In the sunlight, she saw the stripes in his hair, tempting her to run her fingers through the luscious strands. “Durant—”

“No.” He slashed his hand through the air, indicating the conversation was over.

“I need to make sure he’s the one. The contract needs to be completed to their satisfaction.” She hesitated a second, but it was too important for her to just give up. “Please.”

“One day,” he muttered. His eyes flashed down toward hers, the gold swirling as he stared at her, then his eyes narrowed, as if he suspected he was being manipulated. He leaned down, his nose almost touching hers, a light rumble in his chest as he spoke. “One. Day. Then I’m hauling your ass out of here.”

 Chapter Eleven

DAY TWO: EVENING

The excitement on campus didn’t die down for hours. Raven tried to make an appointment with Heloise and continue her investigation, but to no avail. She needed to interview the suspect and inspect the bodies. How everything led to Evans didn’t sit right. It had been too easy, tied up into a neat bow. A mastermind stealing power would have covered his tracks better. He wouldn’t be taken down so easily by a couple of witches.

She was missing something important.

It was right before nightfall when Heloise emerged from her office. She gave a tight smile at seeing them, clearly not pleased. “We thank you for your assistance. We consider your contract complete.”

Raven was stunned, unable to react as Heloise walked down the hall.

They were free to go.

So why couldn’t she just dismiss her misgivings and leave?

“The job isn’t done. I need to question Evans and see the bodies.” She wanted to know what the hell he had to do with attacking her pack, and his connection to the wild magic.

Heloise glanced over her shoulder. “That will not be necessary. The grand coven has responded to our request for assistance earlier than expected. Our Prime is on the way. Your services are no longer required.”

As if the discussion was over, she continued down the hall.

“But—”

Heloise didn’t turn this time. “The shifter is yours. Leave before I change my mind.”

She disappeared around the corner before Raven could say more.

“Come.” Durant nudged her, and she walked down the stairs in a daze.

“This isn’t right.”

Durant nodded to the dining room as they passed. “We’re being watched.”

Raven took the hint. She pursed her lips, but refrained from protesting further.

When they entered the cabin, Rylan walked out of the bathroom. Since he’d spent a night buried beneath the earth, she didn’t know what to expect. At least a smudge of dirt. Instead, he was as immaculate as ever, not even a hair out of place. He took one look at her and smiled. “It appears you’ve had all the fun without me.”

“Case is solved. We’re leaving.” Durant strode into the bedroom and began packing. It took all of a few seconds to gather their meager belongings.

Raven crossed her arms and sat at the table.

Rylan looked between the two of them. “Why do I have the feeling we’re not going anywhere?”

“They believe they caught the killer.”

He raised a brow at her glum tone. “You think they’re wrong?”

Durant came out of the room and dropped the bag by the door. “You were the one who pointed a finger at him.”

“Not exactly.” Raven shrugged when he continued to stare at her. “I said I needed to talk to him. The witches took him into custody before we could learn anything.”

“Which is exactly the point. They don’t want us to know. Our services are no longer needed.” Durant paced the room, his aggression hiking up the tension as if he, too, suspected they weren’t going anywhere. “They won’t thank us for our interference.”

Rylan continued to study her, his gaze so penetrating she would swear he could read her soul. “Why do you think they have the wrong man?”

“Because the magic isn’t contained. I can still feel it wandering out there, just out of my reach, taunting me. If Evans had been in charge, he would’ve squashed me like a bug.”

Rylan crouched before her. “Raven, magic doesn’t do that. It’s not a sentient being with a will of its own. Magic can only do as it’s instructed.”

They thought she was cracking. “I know what I felt, and it wasn’t human. It’s better to find out what’s really happening and confront it now before it grows any stronger.”

Durant paused in his pacing, his senses sharpening. “You think it will try for you again?”

Raven didn’t doubt it for a minute. “I don’t know if it’s the person or the magic itself, but yes, it will come for me.”

Durant cursed, and Rylan looked grim.

“They’ve dismissed us. Told us to leave. They specifically lured me here. So why does it feel like we’ve become inconvenient, and they want us out of the way?”

“What exactly bothers you?” Rylan inched closer, then froze when he realized he’d been about to touch her.

His emotions shut down as he stepped back, and Raven tightened her grip on her arms to keep from reaching for him. Her blood had saved his life, but it also bound them to each other. She’d become his obsession, one he was determined to control.

Durant stepped between them, concern tightening his face. He wasn’t oblivious to the exchange. He only tolerated the vampire for her sake, and if he thought Rylan posed a threat, he would deal with it. “Raven?”

Right.

The case.

“We’ve been so focused on finding the killer, we’ve missed the bigger issue. The magic. Why does this killer need the witches’ power when it can control wild magic?” Something about leaving made her uneasy. Once they left, everything would change, and they would missed the chance to stop something bad from happening. “Tell me about this Prime.”

Rylan leaned against the wall by the door, the furthest he could get from her without actually leaving. “A Prime is a super soldier. They’re hard-core, and the best at what they do.”

Relief tumbled through her. He believed her. “So they’re witches?”

She could deal with witches.

“More than that. They’re first-class spell casters. Their training is so intensive that less than one percent actually survive.”

“Survive?” Her brows shot up in surprise. “I don’t understand. If the mortality rate is so high, why would anyone want to become a Prime?”

“To be the best of the best.” Durant spoke this time. “They’re undefeatable.”

Rylan’s eyes swirled with emotion as he watched her. “Magic can become an addiction, the more you use it the more powerful you feel.”

Two different answers, but she had a feeling neither was wrong.

Raven forced herself to meet Rylan’s gaze. He certainly knew about addiction. Her blood was a drug to vampires, giving them the illusion of life. He was managing, stubborn down to the bone, but it cost him every time they were in close proximity. “You said few survive. How do the candidates die?”

It was Durant who answered this time, his face grim when he spoke. “The training isn’t just pass or fail. The stakes are survival. If you fail, you die. Magical sickness causes them to burn through too much magic, too fast and it fries the brain. The human body is just too fragile to hold that much.”

It came as a shock to realize this information wasn’t widely known. The fact that he knew, coupled with his tattoo, meant he must have been very close to a witch. Another spurt of jealousy pierced her chest and robbed her of breath. She tensed against the urge to leap out of her chair, pin him to the floor and forcibly remind him that he was theirs. She didn’t even bother denying her creature’s claim.

As if sensing the threat, Durant stopped talking. He walked toward her with a determined stride, not the least bit afraid. He pulled his shirt out of his pants, quickly tugging it over his head, before letting it drop to the floor.

Her fingers flexed with the desire to trace all those beautiful muscle. She leaned back in her chair as he continued to prowl closer, grabbing the seat to keep from touching. Her heart thumped painfully against her ribs, ready to beat right out of her chest when he stopped just inches away. “What’re you doing?”

She turned her head away to deny temptation. His leather scent invaded her lungs, and she cursed the shifters’ lack of personal boundaries. Heat radiated from him, an irresistible lure, and she caught herself trying to lean in toward him.

Where the hell was her control? “You need to stop.”

Her voice sounded desperate even to her.

The big lug didn’t have the decency to pause. His large hands slipped beneath her thighs, and he lifted her clear out of her chair. She whipped her head around to glare, even as she clutched his shoulders for balance.

It was either that or topple backwards.

The instant her bare hands came into contact with his skin, all thought of protest evaporated, and she snuggled closer. She ran her hand up his chest, amused when it expanded as if seeking more. Then he stopped breathing.

It took her seconds to come to her senses. “Put me down.”

Durant shook his head. “You need to stay calm.”

Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen while she was plastered up against him. When she tried to wiggle away, his grip clamped down on her hips. “I am calm, damn it.”

 “Tell that to the chair.”

Confused, she glanced down to see deep grooves gouged out of the seat. As she stared, a chill slithered through her. She’d done that. The creature had taken advantage of her inattention and took control…and she’d been oblivious.

But that would be a lie. The instant she realized Durant must have cared for someone else, she didn’t give a damn who had control. Possessiveness was like a disease, eating away at her resolve to keep her distance and do the right thing.

“Look at me.” Durant’s deep voice made it impossible for her to do anything but obey. His eyes were gold and warm as he stared down at her. “Your animal surfaced.”

She shook her head in denial, a kernel of fear blossoming in her stomach. It was too soon. She wasn’t ready to give up her pack, not when she just found them. “How do I stop it from happening again?”

“Strong emotions tend to bring out our beasts. What were you feeling?”

Heat flooded her face, and she looked anywhere but at him, then cursed when she realized he wasn’t going to let her down until she confessed. “Witches are secretive. There’s only one way they would have shared the information about the Prime with you. The protection spell on your back was put there by someone who cared.”

Durant’s smile was slow to form. “It was a man.”

Raven blinked, not able to make sense of it. Durant was clearly into women if his reaction to her was any indication.

“I saved his life. Not wishing to be in debt to me, he offered a trade.”

Only then did her jealousy finally fade enough for her brain to function properly again. Disgruntled at his smug attitude, Raven sighed in disgust. “That doesn’t explain why my animal took over.”

“Pretending she doesn’t exist isn’t going to make her go away. It leaves you vulnerable and allows her to emerge without you being aware of it. You have to give yourselves both a chance before it’s too late.” He didn’t say anything else, but she could feel his censure.

Her heart plummeted, knowing she’d disappointed him.

Hell, she’d disappointed herself. She didn’t know how to do what he said and just let go. He didn’t understand what had happened the one and only time she relinquished control to the beast.

It had rampaged, destroyed the labs, and killed dozens of people without remorse.

And it would do so again if threatened, unless she could stop it.

“Raven.” Rylan was at their side. She had no idea how many times he said her name before she finally noticed. “Why did you want to see the bodies?”

“The case isn’t solved. I won’t have them decide later that I failed and give them an opportunity to take Taggert.”

 “Release Durant, and we’ll go find your bodies. He can stay back and cover for us.” Durant was clearly disgruntled at being left behind, but he didn’t protest the couched order.

It required a physical effort to let Durant go. Being separated from him felt like her skin was being peeled off. Raven had assumed being around other shifters brought out her own, but now she wondered if it wasn’t something much worse.

The first time the creature had emerged was when Rylan was threatened…her only friend. After years of keeping her distance, she’d allowed herself to become close to others, allowed herself to care. She suspected that was the real reason why the creature was waking. It was determined to protect what was hers…whatever the cost.

 Chapter Twelve

DAY THREE: 3 AM

“You’re awfully quiet.”

Raven raised a brow, careful not to meet Rylan’s too-observant gaze. “We are on our way to break into a secured building. Silence is kind of a requirement.”

“You know what I mean.” They slipped under the cover of darkness, his lean frame all but vanishing until he was only a smudge against the inky horizon.

Vampire tricks.

Following suit, she manipulated the energy saturating the air, pulled the darkness around her, and merged with the shadows like greeting an old lover. The night was chilly, but she feared the cold came more from within. She was trapped. To cut the people out of her life would mean abandoning her pack and leaving them vulnerable for takeover.

Not an option.

“I need more time before you decide my fate.”

“Don’t cut yourself off from your friends.” Rylan’s voice floated out in the night, barely a whisper of breath. “Take it from someone who knows. Facing it by yourself will only make it worse.”

He was giving her a reprieve.

The relief was instant, and she took a shaky breath.

A comfortably silence settled between them as they approached their destination. The building was short and squat, three stories high at most, and wrapped in layers of magic. There was nothing special to set it apart from any other building on campus. “You’re sure the bodies are in there?”

“I had all last night to search the campus. Even in the middle of the night, people came and went from this building.” He stepped out from the protection of the tree line, and it was all she could do not to yank him back. “They delivered another body a few hours ago.”

The witch she’d interviewed, Crystal, must have died late last night. Raven couldn’t say she felt sorry for the woman. “How do we get inside?”

“All the openings are covered with magic.” He glanced at her over his shoulder, having no trouble picking her out of her place of concealment. “I believe that’s your department.”

The key to breaking and entering was making it look like you belonged. Everyone knew she was there to solve a crime. Hopefully they weren’t also aware she’d been asked to leave. She marched up to the front door, grinning when she heard Rylan curse behind her.

She held out her hands, and the wards flared to life. Static itched against her skin, the magic so thick it was as if she’d slammed into a wall. She sank her fingers into the spell, allowing it to wrap around her. When it didn’t recognize her magical signature, the ward thickened and trapped her hands more effective than any handcuffs. “It’s a lock, not an alarm system.”

“Can you break it?”

“Yes.” She lied through her teeth. Honestly, she didn’t know, but it was imperative they get inside the building. They’d come too far to leave without answers.

Instead of trying to get away, she shoved against the wards. Magic spilled down her arms in scalding waves, far too much to absorb. She suspected if she tried to tear it apart as she had the gate, an alarm would sound. No, she needed more finesse. She needed her power. She closed her eyes and waited for electricity to rise at her call.

Nothing.

It had disappeared again.

Frustration grabbed her by the throat, and she spoke to the creature. You want me to trust you, then give me a reason. Help me. Give me my powers back.

Mine.

Raven shivered at the raspy, possessive voice, but learned something important with that one word. You’re lying. You’re using the power to make yourself stronger. If you don’t learn to share, we’re both going to die.

There were a few seconds of silence, and she began to worry the creature wouldn’t answer her plea. Then fire ignited from deep in her bones, nearly dropping her to her knees as raw, untainted power flooded her system. Acid splashed through her veins, and her breathing grew labored as she struggled to keep the pain from eating her alive.

She needed to ground the power, or she would burn out.

Just when she was ready to thrust the brunt of it into the ground, she hesitated. They needed to start working together.

Praying she knew what she was doing, she looped the current back through her body and gave it back to the creature. She waited for it to bounce around inside her like feedback and braced for the crippling pain to strike. Much to her surprise, the electricity steadied. Part of her suspected the creature had unleased it all at one time to teach her a lesson. She grabbed a couple of strands of energy and wrapped them around her fingers.

She stepped closer, pushing her entire body into the spell until she was fully immersed. The wards shoved back at the intrusion—not to release her, no, she was fully trapped in its webbing. It was determined to keep her right there until she was to be retrieved by the guards in the morning.

Not going to happen.

Raven unloaded her power into one section like a blowtorch, creating a hole in the ward as the tiny filaments of the web began to bend. She wasn’t sure how much time passed before the opening was large enough for both her and Rylan to pass through.

She dropped the teeming power, and it settled heavily into her bones, taking all the lovely warmth with it. She shivered at the sudden nip in the air. They needed to keep moving. When she reached for the doorknob, a small tremor shook her fingers, an aftereffect of using so much power, and she quickly jerked open the door before Rylan could notice. “I’m not sure how long it will last, so we’d better hurry.”

She slipped through the opening she’d created, taking care not to touch the edges to avoid getting scorched. Rylan wasn’t so lucky. Without the constant stream of power, the entrance had begun to shrink. He brushed a little too close, and the smell of singed clothing was acrid in the air.

All the building lights were off, but her vision adjusted within seconds. Raven wanted to believe it was her beast, but there was no more denying that her body had begun to change.

“Follow me.” Rylan took the first left and headed toward the back of the building.

Even with her enhanced eyes, Raven had a hard time picking him out the shadows when he used his vampire skills, and she scrambled to catch up. “How do you know which direction to take?”

“I can smell the decay. The scent is strongest this way.”

She winced, wishing she hadn’t asked, because now that he’d mentioned it, the insidious smell of rot was everywhere. Rylan moved without making a sound, but there was nothing she could do to avoid the way her shoes slapped against the linoleum, no matter how she placed her feet.

“Raven.”

She jumped, barely holding back a squeal at the sound of her name. “What?”

“That’s the third time we’ve passed this door.” Rylan glared at it as if it was the door’s fault.

Raven glanced around. The place was so full of magic, she’d stopped tracking it.

Stupid rookie mistake.

She focused on the energy around her, and the place lit up like a Christmas tree. She ignored the natural energy from the walls and floors that came from cables, but it only eliminated half the sources. One particular line was brighter than the others. When she plucked the string, magic dusted in the air.

One whiff told its own tale, and she was nearly overwhelmed by the stench of overly sweet caramel. She dropped her second sight and faced Rylan. “It’s a confusion spell, the longer you’re immersed in it, the stronger it gets. We must’ve triggered it when we entered.”

Rylan downright scowled at being tricked. “The perfect trap to ensure an intruder doesn’t escape. Is there a way out?”

Raven hesitated while she studied the hex. “The spell is woven through the outer sections of the hallways. I can try to cut through it, but I’m not sure what kind of backlash would result. If we’re lucky, it might alert others that we’re here.”

He raised a brow at her definition of luck. “And if we’re not lucky?”

“The magic could rip us apart.”

He didn’t pace, didn’t move—hell, she doubted he even breathed as he faced her. “What do you suggest?”

He trusted her to find a way out, and Raven wracked her brain for a solution. She turned and trailed back down the hallway. The spell clung to her, insidiously trying to work its way back into her system. “We need to head back to the last corridor. I think if we leave the main hallway, the effect of the spell will fade.”

Rylan didn’t hesitate. He bent, tossed her over his shoulder and streaked down the corridor using his vampire speed. She grunted in surprise, then quickly closed her eyes as the world blurred. As soon as they turned the corner, the pressure building in her chest dissipated.

She tapped him in the middle of the back. “It’s gone.”

He gently lowered her to her feet as if she was fragile and precious. Rylan studied her face for a moment, then nodded, as if reassured by what he’d found. “I’m sorry. I should’ve suspected something—”

“Don’t.” She held up a hand and peered down the deserted hall. “We both knew it wasn’t going to be easy. It’s my fault for not paying attention. I got careless. Let’s find those bodies and leave before someone decides to investigate.”

Rylan nodded and wove his way through the maze of halls. Before long, she was hopelessly lost.

“Here.” Rylan stopped before a door. “They’re in here.”

Raven approached cautiously. Nothing out of the ordinary jumped out at her. There were no overt spells waiting to snare her. She tentatively reached out, but didn’t encounter anything other than cool steel doors. She placed her hand over the keypad and drained the electricity with just a brush of her fingertips. It gave a warning bleep that screeched before winding down to nothing.

The door clicked as the locks disengaged. Raven grabbed the handle and shoved it open. “Quick. As soon as I enter the room, the energy will pour back into the number pad. It should register like they just lost power for a few seconds.”

Rylan slipped through the door like a wraith, and she marveled at his preternatural speed and silence. She felt as clumsy as an ox when she followed. When the door latched shut behind her, she breathed a sigh of relief.

But when she glanced up, she lost all the air in her lungs.

There were eight bodies encased in the tomblike room. Each was spread out on a gurney, their poses anything but restful. Their deaths had not been easy. When Rylan reached to touch one, she shot forward and grabbed his sleeve. “Don’t. There appears to be a spell wrapped around the corpses.”

Rylan looked down at the hand on his arm and deftly slipped out of her hold, leaving her grasping at air. “They’re in stasis.”

Raven couldn’t take her eyes off the mummified corpses. “Explain.”

“Stasis is a spell that keeps the body from breaking down too fast. Decomposition is almost completely halted.”

“So they’re marinating in their own decay.” She turned to look at him. “Why preserve the bodies?”

“For you? For the Prime?” Rylan shrugged it away as unimportant. “The sun will be up soon. You need to hurry.”

Right.

Raven clutched her hands behind her back so she wouldn’t accidently touch anything, then forced herself to move closer. There wasn’t a wisp of magic remaining in any of the corpses. They’d been drained dry. She leaned forward, then lurched back in in alarm when she caught a whiff of decay and wild magic sealed inside the bodies.

She called up her second sight and peered at the corpses. The symbol on their wrists blazed to life. The same mark she’d seen on Crystal. Determined to follow the clue, she pushed her sight into the bodies.

Dark spores infested every cell in the corpse. At first, she assumed it was decay eating away the tissue, but the way it multiplied seemed off. Instead of destroying the tissue, the spores seemed to preserve it.

The stasis not only delayed decomposition, but gave the disease time to spread throughout the whole body. Curiosity got the better of her. She unlocked her hand and grabbed a single strand of electricity with a twist of her fingers and sent it into the body.

The corpse jumped, not like it had been shocked by current, but actually moved of its own volition.

Rylan swore, grabbed her by the shoulders and jerked her away. “What did you do?”

“It’s a trap.” Her heart launched into her throat, and she stumbled away from the now still bodies, revulsion coursing through her.

“For us?” Rylan’s voice was sharp, and he hauled her toward the door.

She shook her head in denial. “I don’t think so. There’s a spell, a marking on their wrists. When magic touches the body, the spell is triggered.”

“What kind of spell?” Rylan grabbed the door, ready to yank it open when she spoke.

“There’s something trapped in their bloodstream. Once magic hits them, the stasis will fail and they will rise.”

He continued to stare at as if he didn’t understand what she said. His grip tightened painfully on her arm until her fingers tingled, and he opened the door. “We need to leave.”

Primal fear coated her like black tar; there was no way to scrape it off without spreading it more. She wanted to escape in the worst way, but dug in her feet. “We can’t. We have to burn the bodies. They can’t be allowed to reanimate.”

Rylan stopped tugging, and she breathed a sigh of relief that he was finally listening. Vampires were highly flammable, so she needed to be careful when she lit the fire. Without leaving to gather supplies, her only alternative was an electrical fire.

She searched the walls for the biggest source of energy, rubbing her fingers together as she readied to direct a large chunk of it toward the bodies. The last thing they needed was to set the whole building on fire. Which meant she had to funnel the majority of it through her. She grimaced, knowing it wasn’t going to be a pleasant experience. “You need to stand back—”

“Raven.”

Her back stiffened at his flat tone, the affection normally reserved for when he spoke to her was decidedly lacking.

The current in the air changed slightly, enough to alert her that they were no longer alone.

She slowly turned, knowing she wasn’t going to like what she saw. Five armed guards filled the hall, all pointing really big guns at her head. “Shit.”

* * *

“You have to listen. It’s a trap.” Raven gripped the bars, wishing she could reach through and shake some sense into the idiot guards. “I need to speak to Heloise.”

The men snorted at her demand. “She’s busy at the moment. You’ll be judged for your offense and escorted out after you pay the penalty.”

Raven paced the cell, trying to work off her fury at being treated as a criminal when she was working to save their lives. Sure, she broke into a secure site and planned to burn the only evidence of a crime, but they hired her for a job, and she was damned well going to do it. It didn’t matter that they’d fired her from said job yesterday.

Then she stopped short at something the guard said. “Who will judge?”

“The Prime.” They shot to attention, as if speaking his name was a privilege.

“Son of a bitch!” Raven wanted to smack herself and whirled to face Rylan. “That was their plan all along. The victims were selected at random. Whoever is behind this doesn’t care who dies, they just needed bodies.”

“So all those deaths—”

“—were to lure the Prime to investigate.” Raven wheeled around, clutching the bars with shaky fingers. “You have to tell Heloise it’s too dangerous to bring in the Prime.”

The guard laughed as if the whole idea of anything harming a Prime was a joke.

“They won’t listen.” Rylan was stretched out on the cot, fighting the effects of the sun as it began its ascent. “Why go after the Prime?”

She wanted to rip the cell door off the hinges. As if sensing her intent, the magic imbued into the metal bars flared to life, singeing her palms, and she backed away with a hiss.

The guards chuckled to each other as they left, and she wanted to bash their heads together to knock some sense into them. “When the wild magic killed, it stole magic. It could have killed them much easier any other way. Crystal said it was hungry. If it wanted magic, the Prime is the perfect source. He can access an unlimited supply.”

“You have to warn them.” Rylan struggled to sit up. It must have been close to ten in the morning. He should be out cold.

Raven shook her head. “I won’t leave you behind.”

“They—”

“The instant I walk out of here, they’ll drag you outside in retaliation.” When Rylan opened his mouth to protest, she held up her hand for silence, ignoring the way her nerves crawled over her like spiders. “Isn’t not like they would believe me. I did all I could. What happens next is their own fault.”

“You don’t believe that.” Rylan lay back down, slow as an old, stooped man. Most vampires stopped functioning as soon as the sun rose and stayed that way until the sun set. Only the most powerful had the ability to remain awake a few hours before sunset or after sunrise.

“If it comes down to a choice between you and the witches, I choose you.”

A bitter smile curled his lips, and his control slipped. Hunger glowed from his eyes, gleaming black like a living thing. The last time they were in prison together, she’d felt the same thing. Then she didn’t know whether he would kill her or not…or if she would let him.

But he had refused to hurt her then, and she knew he wouldn’t lay a finger on her now even with his addiction riding him hard.

She’d give him her blood if he asked, but the last time had changed him. Made him stronger. Made him unique even among vampires.

If others ever found out what her blood could do, she was dead and they both knew it. To keep her safe, he never allowed himself to get close, never stayed in one place too long for fear others would discover the truth.

When he left the compound without her so many years ago, she’d been devastated, but she understood. It was selfish of her, but now that he was back in her life, she couldn’t bear for him to leave again.

Being locked away with him brought back memories of those horrible times, and the creature swelled under her skin, ready to rend the place apart. The current fluctuated wildly, and her body practically crackled with the demand to be set free.

“You’re thinking so hard I can hear you from over here.”

“You’re reading my thoughts.” She should be furious, but she had nothing to hide from him. He knew her deepest, darkest secrets and liked her anyway. She didn’t understand him at all.

He sighed, quite a feat since vampires didn’t need air. “You were broadcasting.”

“Sorry.” But as she stared at the prison walls, her memories wouldn’t remain in the past. “I still don’t know who they were trying to kill when they shoved you in my room so many years ago.”

“Me.” Rylan smiled, but it held no humor. “I was all used up. They had no more need of me.”

Raven wasn’t so sure. “You were starved. You could’ve killed me easily.”

“I was done with killing.”

They’d fed him rotten blood until he was half-insane. Then they fed him mutilated shifters, the ones too weak to heal anymore. It was their favorite way of getting rid of nasty problems like dead bodies. “They forced us to do terrible things. You—”

“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, but 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.”

A little snarl curled the side of his lip. “I’m fine.”

He wasn’t getting rid of her that easily. She followed, quickly overtaking him and pointed to his blood-soaked shirt. “That doesn’t look like fine to me.”

She didn’t bother arguing further, but continued down the hall to the room he’d appropriated as his own. When she opened the door, she stopped short.

She’d forgotten all about the remodeling.

The crew had done miracles. What had once been an average sized room with four walls was now an oasis that spilled into an outdoor balcony. The space was three times its original size. Exotic vegetation lined the room, leaving only paths for them to roam. She made her way toward the bathroom, trailing her fingers over a fern that stood almost as tall as her shoulders.

The bathroom wall was made of frosted glass cubes, allowing light to shine through. When she opened the door, she gasped to see the ceiling was completely gone, revealing a skylight full of stars. The shower used more of those frosted cubes to form a privacy wall. There was no door. Two majestic showerheads stood waiting to be used. The tub was more like a small pool, different from the one at Durant’s office, but still large enough for a full-sized tiger to laze about. Water fell from the ceiling like a waterfall and landed into the pool. She could all but see him rising from the water, inviting her to join him.

“I thought you might enjoy it.”

She whirled to see Durant leaning against the doorjamb, a peculiar smile on his face. He pressed a button on the wall, and the ceiling grew misty. “Just in case you wanted privacy.”

“It’s gorgeous.” She smiled, but lost it when she smelled fresh blood on him. She bent and peered beneath the twin sinks. Instead of her large box of supplies, the whole bottom counter was stocked with bandages and medicines of every sort.

She grabbed what she needed and raised a brow. “Expecting a war?”

He straightened and strolled toward her. “Pack is pretty indestructible, but we fight and play hard, and often need to be patched up.”

It was a warning.

Raven just snorted. “Pack isn’t alone in their belief that they can do anything.” She advanced toward him. “Now take off your shirt.”

Durant sighed, giving her a mournful look. “Why is it that I need to be wounded to hear those words from you?”

Raven rolled her eyes, ready with a snappy comeback…until he lifted the shirt over his head. Then all thoughts of teasing evaporated. “Good God.”

Not an inch of him was unscathed. It looked like they’d set hot pokers against him, held them there until his skin burned, then ripped the metal away, taking layers of flesh with it. Some spots appeared to be scabbed over, while others still oozed blood and pus. She didn’t know where to touch without hurting him.

She stared blindly at her supplies, then shook her head at how useless they were. “What can I do?”

“There are healing salts under the sink.”

Needing to keep busy, she grabbed the bottle and sprinkled it into the water.

When he reached for the waistband of his pants, she blanched at the thought of them touching him so intimately, but she couldn’t look away from his hands.

She had to know the extent of what they’d done.

But he didn’t move.

When she lifted her eyes, he grabbed her chin so she couldn’t turn away. “It’s not your fault.” There was a twinkle in his eyes all of the sudden. “But if you want to kiss and make it better…”

All humor vanished when he shucked off his jeans and stepped into the pool. If possible, his butt and upper thighs were worse than his back. She didn’t know how he had been able to sit during the long ride home, let alone walk.

Tears clouded her eyes, and she quickly blinked them away, ducking her head so he wouldn’t see.

“Raven.”

It took all her courage to meet his gaze.

“You asked what you could do?”

She nodded. “Anything.”

“An alpha’s touch would help.”

It was a statement, but she heard the slight plea underneath. She scanned his body, not able to spot a place on him that remained untouched. “Where?”

A smarmy smile quirked his lips. “I can think of a few places.”

Raven snorted, his comment breaking her paralysis. “Yeah, I’ll bet.” She wandered closer. The tub was more of a whirlpool, the water moving gently.

Durant rested his head against the back of the tub, then closed his eyes.

He didn’t fool her for a second. He watched her through narrow slits, ever the predator. She stood off to the side, uncertain what to do next. His hair was slightly damp, and she tentatively reached out, allowing her fingers to rake through the golden strands, fascinated by the stripes.

She was fiercely glad to have her hands free of gloves, relishing being able to touch him without the barriers. When her nails grazed his scalp, he groaned and leaned into her touch. Allowing the power in her to rise, she gently pushed the energy into him, ready to retreat at the first signs of distress. Much to her surprise, he fell asleep within minutes.

Only then did she realize she didn’t have to wait for the creature to dole out the energy, it had been there and waiting for her. Raven was both relieved and leery of the turnabout, but she had more to worry about than herself at the moment.

Without Durant there watching, knowing what she was doing, she allowed her hands to wander. She brushed a finger along the side of his neck, tracing small bits of unblemished skin so as not to hurt him. She caressed the only spot on his chest without a wound, marveling at the heat of him. Her attention dropped to the water, and she was relieved she couldn’t see much. Feeling like a voyeur, she pulled back.

Only to be pulled to a stop when his fingers ensnared her wrist. He brought her palm to his lips and kissed it. “Thank you.”

Feeling awkward, she blurted out her request. “If you want…if it would help you heal…you’re welcome to sleep in my room.”

Heat scalded her cheeks when he nodded. “I would like that.”

Raven scurried from the room, wanting to smack herself. It was one thing to flirt with danger, a whole ‘nother thing to invite it into bed with you.

 Chapter Fourteen

DAY FOUR: MID-MORNING

Raven woke between one second and the next. The last thing she remembered was Jackson striding into the room to take his spot on the couch. Two minutes later, Taggert slipped into bed, careful not to jostle the mattress.

Durant hadn’t been silent or easy to ignore. He boldly strode into the room, a lone towel wrapped around his waist.

Her face heated as she recalled how the towel had dropped to the floor before he eased into bed, and took up more than half the king size mattress. When he snuggled closer, Raven had been mortified all over again by his chuckle.

“You have the sheets wrapped around you so many times, you could pass for a mummy.” Not that he seemed to mind. He tucked his head onto her pillow, inhaled her scent and immediately dropped off to sleep.

Taggert’s hand brushed against her arm. She flinched, afraid how much more damage she could inflict. He tensed at the rejection, but didn’t retreat. When she didn’t brush them away, he relaxed, and then he, too, fell asleep. It took her a full twenty minutes to concede defeat, allow herself to relax and drift off.

And she woke up completely alone.

She closed her eyes, inhaled the smells of her pack and smiled. She scanned her body, pleased to note her power wasn’t completely gone. It hovered just under her skin, dormant, waiting for her to call upon it. She was beginning to suspect when she locked all her power into the vault, she’d done more than steal the creature’s food supply. Now the roles were reversed, the creature had all the power, and it was determined not to end up back in a cage.

Raven wasn’t sure it was even physically possible to lock away her beast without destroying herself in the process. When the creature stretched, Raven’s good mood fell away. Instead of a small spot in her chest, the creature had slowly spread through her body.

It left her to wonder how much of her would remain once it was done. She contemplated seeking out the creature, but she wasn’t ready for an introduction yet. They guys had told her it was better for her and her creature to come to terms with each other first, and she was cowardly enough to welcome any delay.

She didn’t remember much about the last time the creature had emerged. All she recalled of the aftermath was a path of destruction and blood-soaked snow. She’d blocked the traumatic event, but now she wondered if the beast kept it from her on purpose to spare her.

Not wanting to dwell on things she couldn’t change, she re-examined the events of yesterday. Something still felt off about leaving, just abandoning the witches and innocent familiars to their fate.

Jackson peered into the room, then sauntered in when he saw she was awake. He stopped a few feet away, and his lips compressed, the imposing pack enforcer fully in charge. “I know that look.”

Raven blinked innocently. “What look?”

Jackson sighed, accepting defeat without a word. “I’ll tell the guys we’re going back.”

“Wait!” Raven hastily threw back the covers and rose. “We need to go prepared this time. Have everyone meet in the library in twenty minutes.”

Raven grabbed the first things in her closet, jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. She hesitated over the pile of gloves, then pulled her hand back. She rubbed her fingers together, getting used to the feel of her own skin, the brush of air on her flesh, and the touch of another person. She wasn’t ready to go back to her sterile and lonely life.

She hurried downstairs, but hesitated at the bottom of the steps. The study was only a few feet away, but she found herself drawn to the door under the stairs. The basement used to be her retreat, until it had been taken over by one of her strays…Diggers.

She still wasn’t sure what to make of him. He was a doctor. Because of the labs, she had a natural aversion to anyone who wanted to study her. But he had helped Taggert and saved the lives of two others. If he could help her keep her pack alive and well, he was welcome to stay…as long as he kept his distance from her.

And yet she found herself staring down the dark stairs to the basement.

“You can come down, you know.”

Raven jumped at the voice, her feet dragging with every step down the basement staircase. She was amazed to see the empty space now occupied by a makeshift laboratory, new equipment gleaming under the florescent lights. When he stared at her, Raven shifted uncomfortably. “I hope you found everything you needed.”

He shoved his glasses up on his nose, which made his eyes look bigger, giving him the appearance of a startled mole. He was part Hispanic, if she had a guess, and frighteningly intelligent. He was the first shifter she’d met who wasn’t physically perfect. “Taggert and Dina have made sure I have everything I need. Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity.”

But instead of going back to work, he continued to stare at her, waiting patiently for her to reveal what was on her mind.

“About Taggert…” She didn’t know how to ask if she was killing him.

“You’re worried about the changes.”

Raven shuffled her weight from one foot to the other and could only nod.

“He’s come down here every morning for me to check over, because he knew you’d worry. Shifters are a tough lot to crack. He’s in the best physical shape of his life.”

“But he’s changing.”

Diggers pushed his glasses up again. “Shifters are always changing, adapting to their environment. It’s evolution. Because of our heritage, we change rapidly instead of taking generations for a mutation to show. For us, it could take months or just weeks.”

“But not days or hours.”

He gave it a thought, then shook his head. “Not normally, but that’s not to say it’s impossible.”

“What’s wrong with him?” She braced herself for the answer, not sure she was strong enough to deal with the consequences of her actions.

“He needs to finish adjusting before I can make an accurate analysis.”

She slowly blew out the breath she’d been holding. It wasn’t what she wanted to hear. He scarcely resembled the sweet boy she’d claimed at the slave auction. He was bolder now, more aggressive as his beast grew stronger. He didn’t appear concerned, but she was concerned enough for both of them. “What’s your best guess?”

Diggers stared at her with his dark eyes, the compassion in them making her wince. “His beast is rising.”

“But he can’t shift. It will kill him.”

He wiggled his hand. “Maybe. He’s adjusting. He has a strong will and incentive to live now. Being around you will remind him of that. Soon, his body will come to agreement.”

Or die.

Digger didn’t say it, but his meaning was clear.

She gave the doctor a nod of thanks and turned to leave when he spoke again. “Ask him how he feels about the changes before you castigate yourself.”

She peered at him over her shoulder. “What do you mean?”

“He considers it a blessing. He feels chosen. Like he’s special to you. Most shifters would. You have a unique ability with shifters. You might think you don’t know what you’re doing, but maybe your beast does. You claimed him. You wouldn’t go to all this trouble just to turn around and kill him.”

It was a backhanded compliment, but she accepted it at face value and headed for the study. She halted on the threshold and glanced at her assembled pack for the first time. It was official.

They were now hers.

By choice.

And none of them were the least bit afraid of her.

She couldn’t get over it.

Taggert noticed her first and flashed her a quick smile. She wanted to go over there and brush against him. She wished she could blame it on her creature’s influence, but part of that need was hers.

He sauntered toward her, but she sidestepped his touch, not willing to take the chance. “Didn’t the doctor tell you to stop worrying about me?”

She scowled at him and entered the room. “It’s my job to worry.”

She knew what he wanted…craved…a touch. Pack touched and took comfort from it. To refuse was a punishment. He was no longer the wounded boy. His eyes held secrets and desires and urges, and she wanted to get closer to discover them all.

Taggert stopped pursuing, leaving the choice up to her. She walked past him, nearly made it, when her will crumbled. She couldn’t resist brushing her fingers against the back of his hand as she headed toward the desk. Dominic rose, ready to vacate the seat behind the desk, and she waved him back down. “That chair is as much yours as it is mine.”

Dominic was the unofficial leader of the group of misfits who’d escaped the labs. He kept them together, decided what jobs they should take, and kept them from killing each other. She didn’t know how he’d ended up in the labs, since he had been born into a pack, but there were some wounds that never healed and were better left alone.

He studied her as he resumed his seat, his mop of dark hair at odds with his flinty look. His body was compact, ready to burst into action. “What do you want to know?”

“In the files you managed to salvage from the underground facility, did you ever come across anything that mentioned wild magic?”

She fidgeted, wanting to ask about her own case files. Dominic swore all the files pertaining to her had been destroyed…but not until after he’d read them. He was possibly the only one who knew what she was, what they had been trying to turn her into, and she’d always been too afraid to ask.

Whatever he found must have frightened him, because he’d never mentioned what he learned. She suspected he’d been the one who’d destroyed them to protect her…or possibly make sure no one would be able to create another like her.

There had been whispers about her in the labs, rumors saying she was the perfect weapon, but too dangerous to wield, since she had a tendency to kill anyone who tried to control her.

“Do you mean ancient magic?” Dominic slowly lifted his head and pinned her under his sharp gaze. “Very little magic was used in the labs, they couldn’t trust the casters not to wield it against them.” He didn’t offer more.

She swallowed hard and forced herself to ask the question. “Were the tests connected to me in any way?”

Instead of answering, he posed a question of his own. “Why do you want to know?”

She took that as a yes. “I need those files.”

She needed to know if she’d freed the wild magic when she broke out of the compound. Had it been roaming and killing ever since, searching for her this whole time?

Dina, a perky little fox, darted in the room with a tray full of food. Her mouse-brown hair bobbed with her movements, and everyone fell silent when she set the tray down in the middle of the room. No one moved. Though shifters loved their food, Dina didn’t have the knack for cooking, and no one had to heart to tell her the food she so enthusiastically prepared was inedible. “Dig in!”

Everyone looked at Raven to save them. Since she was alpha, she decided to take the hit for the pack. Besides, she was starved. She picked up the first sandwich and sniffed it cautiously. It didn’t smell charred, spoiled or raw.

As Dina watched her with wide, expectant eyes, Raven struggled to put the food into her mouth, and nibbled at the corner. And could’ve cheered when she found the food edible. Quickly snatching two more from the tray, she backed away while the rest dove forward. “Thank you!”

Dina blushed, then smiled shyly. “Taggert has been giving me a few pointers.”

She bounded out of the room, her cherry smell lingering behind. It took less than a minute for the five of them to eat thirty sandwiches. Shifters needed to consume calories to fuel their animal. If Raven didn’t eat enough, she started to consume those around her by stealing their very life force.

“Tell me about the magic.”

Dominic leaned back in his chair and linked his fingers together. “This was during the height of the paranormal wars. The humans were desperate to find a way to defend themselves. They found an ancient spell that was supposed to protect them, but they needed three powerful witches to cast it. They also needed a host and chose a human to be their ultimate soldier. Each caster was given a section of the spell. They formed a triangle, while the human stood in the center.

“When they finished chanting the spell, they were ordered to burn the pages. That should’ve been the end of it. When they lit the pages, though, something went wrong. Something was unleashed. It consumed the witches. The soldier they selected as host was violently rejected.”

“They all died.”

Dominic nodded. “The humans weren’t prepared. They didn’t have any safeguards in place. The witches were drained of all their power, no big deal, but the human was basically boiled alive.”

“And that’s it?”

“Pretty much. Rumors spread through the covens pretty fast, and they couldn’t get anyone else to cast for them. It wasn’t long before the spell just vanished.” His eyes were grave when he met her gaze. “Ancient magic is a primitive, brutal force that can’t be controlled. It takes an amazing skill to be able to wield it and extracts a bigger punishment when cast. One spell can kill.”

“What do you know about Primes?”

“They’re loners, not a part of any coven. Primes are rare, their training rigorous. If there’s trouble the witches can’t resolve, they request a Prime’s assistance. They are then placed on a list, the most critical added at the top. Primes are usually issued a magical weapon, it can be a shield or armor or even a blade.”

Raven’s interest sharpened, remembering the broadsword strapped to the biker’s back. “What is the purpose of the weapons?”

“For the Primes who have the honor of being chosen, it will strengthen their magic. The weapons also block magic from another caster.”

Things were beginning to click into place. “Whoever is killing these people has access to this wild magic. The witches were targeted because of their access to the Primes.”

Jackson crossed his arms. “You believe your wild magic is the ancient magic, and it’s searching for a host.”

She began pacing. “They need someone strong enough to contain the wild magic.”

“And who better than one of the Primes, some of the most powerful magic users ever born.” Durant stretched out his legs, a picture of complete contentment. “But you forgot one important fact.”

Raven waited for him to finish.

“You’re no longer on the case.”

Jackson pushed away from the door, his buttoned-up shirt hugging him tight enough to distract her, and he fixed his gaze on her. “You think they’ll come after you next.”

Both Dominic and Durant came to attention, but Durant spoke first. “Explain.”

“The wild magic showed an interest in me on three separate occasions, but never attacked. I think it’s waiting.”

“But for what?” Taggert didn’t sound pleased at all.

“That’s what we need to find out.”

But after three hours of scouring every book in the library, they only had more questions. The phone rang. Raven dropped the book she was reading, grateful for the reprieve. When she touched the receiver, a wave of foreboding nearly drowned her. When the phone rang again, everyone stopped to watch.

Taggert wandered closer. “What is it?”

“Bad news.” Taking a deep breath, Raven picked up the receiver.

“We need your help.” Heloise’s voice was strained to breaking.

Raven didn’t trust the woman one bit. “What happened?”

“You were right. There’s something wrong with the Prime.”

Being right gave her no pleasure. There was something in Heloise’s tone that sent a frisson of unease twisting through Raven, a primitive instinct that urged her to run. “Where are the bodies now?”

The silence on the phone was deafening. “You knew this would happen.”

It was an accusation. “Not exactly. I tried to warn you.”

“But I didn’t listen.” There it was again, almost like there were two voices speaking. “Two of the bodies were hacked apart. The rest are just gone.”

“Have any other people gotten sick suddenly?”

“About half a dozen have fallen ill.”

Urgency had Raven tightening her grip on the phone. “Check to see if they have been bitten.”

“Bitten by what?”

“The corpses. There was a spell tied to them. Once released, I think their purpose was to infect anyone who has magic.”

Heloise’s voice grew grim. “Infected with what?”

“I’m not sure. I won’t know until I can see those who were bitten. Where is the Prime now?”

“He disappeared right after seeing the bodies.”

“We’ll have to assume he’s been infected as well. You can’t trust him. Evacuate as many people as you can.”

“If we leave, we risk spreading the infection. That’s unacceptable. You need to come here and settle this mess before more people are killed.”

Funny how what should have been a plea came out more like a demand. “Fine.”

As soon as she agreed, she heard the dial tone.

Taggert took the phone from her grip and put it back in the cradle. “You heard?”

They all nodded. Jackson scowled at the phone. “You don’t have to go back. We can figure something else out.”

Durant and Dominic didn’t bother to say a word, they already knew she wouldn’t be swayed. Dominic closed the book he’d been reading. “It’s most likely a trap.”

“I agree.” Durant rose and stretched. “I’ll head up stairs and get ready.”

She narrowed her eyes on Durant, watched him leave the room, searching for any remaining stiffness from his injuries. Jackson stepped in her line of sight. “Take me with you.”

She shook her head.

He didn’t budge an inch at her rejection. “You need me. I’m an enforcer, your strongest fighter.”

“You’re also a shifter. If a witch steals control of your animal, I’m not sure I’d be able to harm you…even if it meant saving my own life.”

That shut him up.

“I need you here if things go wrong. You need to lock the place down in case there’s trouble.”

“But he’s right.” Taggert straightened the desk, avoiding her scrutiny. “You’ll need backup.”

“Yes.” She’d be damned if she put more of her people in danger. “This has gone way beyond something the witches can handle.”

She reached for the phone and dialed a number she’d hoped never to call again.

Donaldson answered on the first ring. He was the leader of the ParaConsulate, a group of the strongest branches of the paranormal community. They ruled with a heavy hand to keep the paranormals in line.

“You have news of my son.” There was no greeting, just a demand for an update.

His son was a marked rogue. They were considered dangerous, ruthless, and most of all vicious, the reason for their kill-first rule. Donaldson’s son, Griffin, was like no one else she’d ever met. There was no separation between his wolf and his human side. Normally, such complete immersion would drive a shifter insane, but Griffin was too strong of an alpha. He’d helped her on a case and in return, she’d saved his life. Twice.

“Nothing new. The last I heard, he was settling into his new position as a paranormal liaison.”

“I imagine I have you to thank for that.” There was no emotion in Donaldson’s voice, but she could tell he was pleased. It meant his son was safe from being killed outright. Humans considered him law enforcement and wouldn’t take kindly to having one of their protectors killed. “Now, tell me why you called.”

“It’s business.”

“Of course. What can I do for you?”

After explaining the situation, she waited for his questions, but he didn’t ask anything. “What do you need?”

“Some backup.”

“If you asked for help, it will be seen as a favor.” It meant she would be indebted to the Council, the last place she ever wanted to be again. Thankful for his warning, something she was sure he didn’t offer to just anyone, she quickly re-phrased her request.

“I’m not asking. I’m apprising you of the situation. The problem could spill into the human world if something isn’t done.”

“Then I’ll see what I can do.” Once again she found herself left with the dial tone.

“You need to be wary.” Dominic stood behind the desk, the air vibrating with his agitation. “If they send people, they may take orders from you, but they’re not part of your pack. Anything you do, anything you say, will be reported back, both to the Council and the individual packs.”

“Understood.” Raven wiped her hands on her pants. Now the deed was done, she was nervous.

“I’ll go with you.” Dominic shoved the chair in behind the desk.

 Raven was flabbergasted. “Are you sure that’s wise? I’m not connected to you in any way. If you get into trouble, I won’t be able to help you.”

Dominic raised a brow at her, impervious to her dire warning. “I’m more than capable of taking care of myself. I know the dangers and how to protect myself.”

So why didn’t she feel any better? She opened her mouth to argue when he raised a hand.

“You can’t stop me, so why not think of a way to use me to your best advantage.” Neatly cornered.

“I don’t like this.”

“Duly noted.”

She could argue all she wanted, but the stubborn cuss wouldn’t relent. “We leave in an hour.”

She exited.

On the way up the stairs, she felt Rylan stir.

You must wait until nightfall. I won’t be any good to you until then.

Raven would never get used to hearing his voice in her head. There’s no time. You’ll have to catch up when you wake.

It’s a trap. His fury came through loud and clear, but there was nothing she could do but be prepared. With the connection still open between them, she felt him try to move. It was as if his body was cast in cement. Trapped. Imprisoned. She’d have gone insane in his place. And for all his effort, only his finger twitched.

She wanted to wait, Rylan would be the perfect weapon against the witches, but she didn’t have a choice. Trap or not, the place was a school. Kids were in danger. The longer she waited, the more they were at risk.

I will follow as soon as I’m able.

It sounded more like a threat. The instant darkness fell, she knew he’d come for her.

When she entered her bedroom, Durant was standing in the middle of the room.

Waiting for her.

“I’m going.”

“You’re injured. They tortured you.” She still couldn’t get over that. “You can’t want to go back and help them.”

“I’m better, and I don’t give a damn about the witches. I’m going for you.”

He was asking her to trust him, not treat him as less than pack. “On one condition.”

He braced himself.

“Take off your shirt.”

Durant instantly complied. She slowly walked around him, amazed to find all signs of the burns gone. His skin was completely smooth, stretched tightly over the sleek muscles of his chest, abs and back, and she couldn’t resist brushing her fingertips along his shoulders, before dragging them down his chest. He leaned into her touch as if craving more.

Raven reluctantly pulled back, curling her fingers to keep from exploring the rest of him. “The wounds might be healed on the surface, but they’re still present underneath.

“I’m good enough. If you don’t believe me, then look.”

He was inviting her to use her gift to judge the extent of his injuries. She weighed her options, but his unrelenting expression warned her that she didn’t really have any choice. She shuffled closer. All she could smell was his enticing leather scent. It threatened to distract her into doing something naughty…like touch him more than was necessary to read him.

She placed her hands over his chest, hovering just out of reach. Tempting heat reached toward her, begging her to close the distance. She slammed her eyes closed, hoping that if she couldn’t see the temptation, it wouldn’t exist.

A lie.

His body was imprinted on her mind. She could explore him to her heart’s content, he wouldn’t stop her, but once she took that final step, he would be relentless in his pursuit of her. It stopped her from closing the last inch separating them.

Raven focused her attention on his injuries, and pushed her sight into him. After a second, she met resistance. His aura. She focused on the shield around him, studying it for any signs of damage. He looked bruised, sore definitely, but nothing like she’d expected. “How?”

“Touch of the alpha. While you slept, your touch accelerated my healing.” Durant gave a low rumble and stepped closer until she was smashed up against his chest. His aura bowed under her touch, then wrapped around her.

His emotions tumbled through her.

Warmth and love.

A lick of wildness and such hunger that she lost her breath.

She wanted what he offered so badly that she trembled with the effort it took not to surrender to what they both craved.

Durant released her and stepped away when she didn’t have the strength to do it herself. His smile was both tender and rakish, and she gulped. “If we didn’t have a case, I would ask where you put those handcuffs.”

 Chapter Fifteen

DAY FOUR: SUNSET – WITCH’S COMPOUND

On the drive to the witch’s compound, all Raven could think about was the last time she’d handcuffed Durant, damn his sneaky hide. He’d let her take charge, an illusion, but she didn’t care. It allowed her to do anything she wanted without fearing that she would lose control.

As if reading her thoughts, Durant winked at her.

The bastard.

When they rounded the last curve, Raven tensed and straightened in her seat. The gates were open and canted, as if something had ripped through them. Two men loitered around the entrance, undoubtedly the Council’s men. Even though Durant had been speeding, the others had arrived first. Raven bit back her disappointment, having hoped for more support, but she understood. Entering the compound with a strong force would have been tantamount to declaring war.

The logic of it didn’t help her feel any better.

Something was in the air, a foreboding that pressed against her chest, urging her to turn back. Her creature flexed, ready to take on anyone who thought to harm what was theirs.

Even from the distance, she recognized the heavy, muscular man as a wolf. He gave a nod of his blond head as she exited the vehicle, and she returned the gesture. The other man still had his back toward her.

Vampire.

The rest of her people piled out behind her. The jaguar took one look at the gate and bounded into the woods in the direction of the familiar camp.

“Damn it.” Dominic tensed to follow when she waved him off.

“Leave him. They already know we’re coming.” Anyway, she didn’t want the jaguar near the battle. While she’d wanted to leave him in the protection of the pack, the cat had sneaked into the vehicle and refused to leave. There hadn’t been time to waste coaxing him out.

She turned to face the two strangers. “Did the Council inform you of what to expect?”

The second man whirled, and Raven blinked in surprise.

The vampire from the Red Door club. “What are you doing here?”

“I said you would see me again.” He gave her a cocky grin. “Call me Nicholas.”

The man wasn’t conventionally handsome, but he had a magnetic quality that drew humans. Curly brown hair tumbled around his head, softening his appearance, a trick that made him appear more human and less threatening. She was beginning to associate those who looked more human as being more dangerous. In point of fact, it was just before sunset and this vampire was already fully awake. Even so, she felt it necessary to warn him. “This mission will be dangerous.”

Something dark and monstrous glimmered in his eyes, and his good cheer melted away. “I know how to handle myself.”

“And so do I.” Randolph, the Council’s assassin, emerged from the woods. Half her pack took a reflexive step back. Only the need to appear strong restrained her from doing the same.

She would not be prey.

He would use it against her.

Of medium stature, brown hair and nondescript features, Randolph was usually overlooked. A mistake, but it was also what made him the perfect killer. His powers were like hers, but something in him had turned dark and twisted.

Much to her regret, he found her fascinating. He believed the two of them were the next step in evolution, built to adapt by the experiments forced on them in the labs. She suspected he wanted to pit himself against her to see which one would win, but so far, he’d kept his distance and just observed.

It was unnerving not to know when he would turn on her.

“What are you doing here?” Her creature was enraged at his nearness, clawing up Raven’s insides to get out.

Wait.

Surprisingly, the creature went silent, cooperating for once.

Randolph appeared confused by her question. “You requested help.”

Again, she had the impression he imagined they were friends. She wanted to refuse, but didn’t for two reasons. She didn’t want to offend him and make an enemy. Plus, what he’d said was true…they did need help.

He took her silence as consent and stepped forward.

The creature snapped its teeth and snarled, using Raven’s eyes so they both could see what kind of threat he presented. Gold lines of energy seethed from him, a volatile power crackling with heat and hunger. He kept it so well concealed that no one ever expected the deadly, ruthless trap underneath the placid exterior until it was too late.

He held his hands out from his sides, a sign of goodwill.

By the time she wrestled control back from her creature, Randolph was staring at her with dead, icy green eyes, as if he knew what was happening and waited to see how she’d handle it. As if impressed with her mastery, he smiled. “Shall we go?”

Swallowing her protests, she nodded.

“Raven.” Dominic barked her name out like a reprimand.

“The Council sent him for a reason. We’d be foolish not to use him.” And as much as she wanted to send him packing, she couldn’t refuse. She’d do anything to protect her pack, even team up with Randolph.

They passed through the gates in an uneasy alliance. Whatever she had expected, what she saw when they came to the campus hadn’t been it. In just one day, it had been destroyed, many of its inhabitants massacred, so it now resembled a war zone. Buildings lay in ruins, while deep craters were scattered about like giant wounds in the earth. Bits of gore dotted the grass, body parts mangled beyond recognition.

So much magic had been thrown around that the overly-sweet smell had turned sickly, mixing caustically with the stench of blood and rot. It permeated the air, but did little to cover the sour odor of fear that seemed to taint everything.

Randolph stopped at her side. “Whatever happened here, the witches put up a helluva fight.”

A quiver of doubt shook her. She surveyed her little army. None of them were armed, they were weapons in their own right, but few of them were equipped to handle magic.

When they emerged at the center of the campus, a welcome party waited for them. Heloise stood next to the Prime. “I didn’t want to involve you. I had no choice.”

Raven understood. Heloise had a whole school full of children to protect. That didn’t mean she couldn’t still blame her, though. This fight could’ve been prevented if the witch had just listened. That knowledge, along with regret, darkened Heloise’s eyes.  

Raven noted the position of the people who remained standing. Small groups were scattered throughout the campus, all of them looking like they’d been to hell and back. They were filthy, their clothes ripped, their wounds untended and bleeding. A few looked ready to keel over at any moments, but the hatred in their eyes still burned.

Then she noticed a difference in a few of the survivors. With each group, there was a person who still had power.

Traitors.

Most likely bitten and under the control of the one who wielded the wild magic.

“Welcome!” A young wolf, the one in charge of the familiars, strode forward with a bright smile. “I see you received my invitation to join the party.”

Things began to click into place. “You’re in charge.”

His smile turned bitter. “It took me years of planning, but I finally found a way to destroy those who’ve enslaved my people for centuries.”

He seemed so proud of his accomplishments that Raven could only shake her head. “I agree—”

“I knew you’d see things my way.” He practically bounced in his eagerness. “That’s why I wanted you here. With you by my side, we’ll be unstoppable.”

“You’re insane.” His smile dropped away, and his wolf peered out through his eyes. “I agree that no one should be forced into doing what they don’t want, but you willingly entered into this agreement and signed a contract. You’re being paid.”

A snarl twisted his face, his rage a physical presence. “They’ve poisoned you against us.”

“If you want your freedom, war is not the way to go about it.”

“You know nothing about our plight. I thought you were different, but I should’ve known better. You’re an alpha.” He said it like it was a curse. “What would you know of hardship and pain? You’re part of the problem, selling out your own kind for a few dollars.”

Her creature growled in affront, the sound echoing around the campus, loud enough that the few remaining shifters took a step back. “No one forced you sign over your life. You had a choice. Don’t blame the pack if your life didn’t turn out the way you wanted it.”

The shifter stared at her for a few more seconds then waved his arm. “Kill her.”

The Prime took a step forward, and Raven braced herself for an attack. He looked different from the first quick glimpse she’d stolen when he’d screamed past on his bike. He’d aged, his broad frame thinner and banged-up around the edges, like he’d put up a fight before being taken.

A thin line of red encircled his pupils, revealing something inhuman had taken over.

Then he smiled at her, his face losing the dead expression as something sparked to life in him. A chill sliced through her soul. But instead of attacking, he turned toward the shifter. “No.”

“What are you doing? I gave you an order.”

“I don’t take orders from you.”

The shifter blinked, then sputtered. “I’m the one who summoned you. You have to obey.”

While they were distracted, Raven tipped her head toward Heloise, then flicked a glance at a group of children huddled by one of the few remaining buildings. The woman gave a grim nod and inched away from the confrontation. A few of the others understood the gesture and followed suit.

Wild magic thickened the air, and Raven whirled to see the Prime’s smile was sharper now, his teeth more prominent. His patience had grown thin. “No one commands me. I came because it suited my purpose. We no longer need your assistance.”

As if understanding the danger, terror darkened the young wolf’s eyes. “But we are going to free ourselves from the witches.”

The Prime laughed, an unsettling sound that turned her stomach liquid. He spread his arms wide. “I have no need to massacre the witches. They pose no threat.”

“But you killed them—”

“I needed this body, someone strong enough to hold my magic.” He shrugged, as if the deaths were inconsequential. “This was the fastest way to get what I want.”

With those last words, he turned and their gazes clashed. Raven had the sinking feeling that what he wanted had now changed.

The young wolf gained confidence and strode forward, waving a hand at the destroyed campus. “Then why allow all of this to happen?”

“Because I want her.”

The wolf snorted, then nearly choked when he realized the Prime was serious.

Magic gathered around the Prime, and Raven knew it was time to strike or it would be too late. “Now.”

Time slowed.

Heloise sent a blast at the man guarding the children, and Raven watched as he exploded into a bright red mist. Then she had no more time to worry about the witches as the area erupted into chaos.

Sensing danger, the young wolf whirled and tried to shift. The process was brutal and slow and much too late. The Prime released a wave of magic, and she watched it hit the young animal in mid-transformation. Instead of shifting into a beast, the process was reversed. The body was ripped apart, and skin and fur pelted everyone in the blast radius.

Some of the familiars bolted, others helped the witches escape or gave chase, she wasn’t sure which, but the majority roared and charged into battle. Her group scattered, meeting the threat head-on. She heard fighting behind her, but trusted them to have her back.

Randolph strode into the chaos, his magic boiling out of him, blasting any of the witches who’d turned traitor, doing what none of her people could.

The Prime turned toward her as if the fighting around them didn’t matter, and she forced herself to step forward. She wasn’t sure she could take him, but she was their best bet.

“I’ve been waiting to meet you for a very long time.”

Raven’s brows furrowed at the stalker-like pronouncement. “What do you want?”

“You.”

“Sorry, but I’m already part of a pack.” She could’ve bitten her tongue when his gaze flew past her to land on her men.  

He wasn’t smiling now. “Then I’ll have to remedy that.”

The magic gathered again like a wild storm. She ran toward the Prime, but knew she’d never make it there in time.

Now!

The creature flooded her with power, and she crossed the distance in a flash. Just as she plowed into him, magic burst free and spilled into the air. They rolled, the impact slamming them into the ground, knocking the breath out of her.

Panic shredded her insides when she realized she hadn’t been in time. She had two choices, protect her pack or herself. Not caring about the consequences, Raven used all her power to gather the wild energy to her. The black swarm slowed, then reversed directions and streamed toward her, but much too late.

A fraction hit Durant’s unprotected back.

He dropped to his knees with a snarl. A black cloud of magic swelled around him, crackling with red lightening. It darted back and forth, trying to gain entrance, but the tattoo on his back prevented it.

It worked for all of a minute.

She watched in horror as he breathed in the black smog. “No!”

She grabbed the connection between them and poured every bit of her power into him. As soon as he felt her, Durant stopped fighting, allowing her to take control. His faith that she would protect him in all things staggered her.

His back bowed as her power flooded him, and she concentrated on strengthening the ward along his back. The tattoo blazed a bright gold, turning molten, reminding her of his beast. It not only repelled the dark magic, but the light banished it. The tiger’s roar ripped through the compound, and the fighting around her stopped while people watched.

Raven rose to her feet, the creature so close to the surface they moved as one. “My pack.”

“Not to worry, there are other ways to kill him besides magic.” The Prime turned to a group of witches standing at the perimeter of the grove. “Take control of the animals. Kill him.”

Rage thickened her blood, and she knew then that the Prime would never stop.

She watched as Durant and the vampire stood back to back, prepared to fight off the attack, but they were severely outnumbered. They had only one course of action. “Run!”

Raven gathered all the electricity in the vicinity, roping the strands around the Prime to form a net, the lines glowing blue with power. With each loop, she gradually tightened the cage around him.

The few shifters still fighting on their side took off running, their speeds incredible. As she watched, magic spilled over the ground and surged in their direction. It nipped at their heels, just seconds away from ensnaring them. The man from the Council was the first to fall to the magic, targeted because he was one of the few shifters present who could actually morph into his animal.

He dropped to his knees and fought it. Fur sprouted along his arms, nails sliced through his fingertips. A roar, part human scream, part beast tore from him, revealing a mouth full of inch long razor-sharp teeth.

“Take out the witches,” Raven shouted to anyone who was close enough to hear.

Dominic turned and trudged toward the witches, each step slower and heavier as he neared the greater concentration of magic. Meaning he was taking the brunt of the spell as well. How long could he last before he, too, was taken?

“Stop wasting time. Stop the Prime.” Randolph sprinted toward the witches, unimpeded by magic. A few of the witches noted the threat and began casting.

She needed to buy them more time to ensure the others got away.

She was no match to the Prime physically or magically.

That meant she had to be smarter.

The Prime touched the cage around him as if amused…until the tips of his fingers came away singed. With a frown, he braced himself, put his hands out before him, and blasted wild magic at his prison.

The walls flexed and bowed, the blue cords turning black as the energy burned out.

She fed the cage more power, but the net wouldn’t last much longer.

Vicious snarls erupted behind her, and a glance showed the vampire engaged in fighting two shifters…and losing. Durant was facing off with a full-grown wolf. He picked up the beast and slammed him into the ground hard enough that dirt kicked up from the impact. Instead of staying down, the wolf rolled to his feet and snarled in challenge. It would be a fair fight if Durant shifted, but he couldn’t risk being in his animal form. As a human against a wolf, he was vastly outmatched.

Blood flowed freely from numerous gashes. When the wolf charged, Durant held still, hands loose at his sides, not bothering to defend himself.

She almost stopped what she was doing to help, but she couldn’t risk the Prime going free, or they would all be dead.

She had to trust Durant knew what he was doing.

The wolf launched himself in the air with an impressive bunch of muscles. Durant slid sideways, grabbed the wolf by the neck, keeping his snapping teeth away from his throat. Unfortunately, the wolf still had four legs tipped with lethal claws.

She watched in horror as Durant’s skin was torn to ribbons.

He shook the wolf hard. There was a sharp crack, then the animal fell still.

All of it only took seconds, but she’d aged years.

Determined to stop this before they all died, she poured more power into the strands caging the Prime, funneling raw electricity through her system. She gritted her teeth as it burned through her, feeling like someone had reached under her skin to strip out her veins an inch at a time. It took a physical effort to shrink the cage another few inches, trapping him within a three-foot circle. Even with the influx of new energy, more than half the netting was charred black where the current had been expended.

She went lightheaded and knew she was near the point of no return. She would burn out soon, but refused to relent.

If you have anything, now would be a good time.

The creature snapped its teeth, giving her a sharp nip to her ass for daring to question it, and answered her request. The boost allowed her to shrink the cage another foot.

The Prime hissed in shock as the caged tightened around him. Singed flesh scorched the air. She fought against the impulse to stop the torture.

It was kill or be killed.

“Stop.”

At first Raven thought the Prime was talking to her.

“Stop her.” He renewed his attack on the wall. The structure wavered but held.

But for how much longer? The strain was taking its toll.

Dominic staggered toward her, and she sagged with relief.

He was alive.

“Run.” His order emerged as a croak, forced out from behind gritted teeth.

Dread sank its claws in her gut.

Dominic was being taken over, his wolf was fighting, but there were too many witches. Her heart broke at his struggle, knowing that if he lost this fight, his sanity would snap. She’d gladly give everything she had to save him, but he wasn’t part of her pack.

Any interference on her part might end up destroying him.

With great reluctance, Raven gave the order. “Retreat!”

Durant roared, a beastly sound that shouldn’t have been possible from a human throat. The familiars stumbled back in the presence of the larger predator. He turned, practically dragging the injured Nicholas behind him as they sprinted to the tree line.

Randolph didn’t need to be told twice, disappearing into the trees without looking behind him.

Every muscle in her body trembled under the strain of holding the net strong for so long. The taste of blood filled her mouth. “Dominic—”

“Go!” He roared, then dropped to his knees, the last act of defiance draining him. He peered up at her, his brilliant green eyes glowing with his beast. His smell soured, his natural scent turning to rotten leaves.

She gave the cage one last boost of magic, swallowing against the urge to throw up, then dropped the current. She felt gutted by the loss of power, her insides hollow. She teetered on wobbly legs, and it took three steps before she regained her balance enough to race for the woods.

Dominic followed her with his eyes, panting with the urge to give chase. She prayed that by running, the witches would stop their attack and give Dominic time to gain control, but she didn’t hold out much hope.

 Chapter Sixteen

They hurtled through the forest, dodging the trees and branches. Raven followed the others, trusting Durant’s nose to lead them away from danger. It didn’t take more than five minutes for her endurance to begin to flag. It was embarrassing, but she was at the end of her rope.

They burst into a clearing to the sound of startled screams. A cluster of witches whirled toward them, their terrified faces pale in the darkness.

All of them were no older than in their teens.

“If you want to live, you better move it.” The rest of her people plowed through the clearing. After a second’s pause, the young group scrambled to catch up.

Durant dropped back to her side. “They’ll slow us down.”

Meaning they would be caught.

“What choice do we have? They’re kids.” He didn’t say anything as he picked up speed, but it did give her an idea. She dropped back, running next to the kids as they struggled to keep up in the dark. “We’re being tracked. Are any of you able to cast and throw them off our trail?”

Raven would do it herself, but she feared the Prime would be able to track her magic. They couldn’t risk it.

The kids were already exhausted and terrified, but one of the younger girls raised her hand. “I can fool the witches but not the animals.”

Raven smiled in encouragement. “Good. The longer we can keep them from catching up, the better. When they reach us, don’t stop, keep running. Let me and mine take care of them.”

When—not if.

The kids’ relief was palpable. The longer they could evade their pursuers, the better their chances of escape. The familiars weren’t the best shifters, but they could win by sheer numbers.

No, the one they had to worry about was Dominic. She dreaded the confrontation. How was she supposed to choose between one of her only friends and her pack?

But if he was determined to kill what was hers, she would have no choice.

Her heart cracked a little, and the creature hummed, offering her a small comfort.

The kids spoke in hushed whispers, then fell silent for a few seconds. “Miss.”

At the tentative inquiry, Raven dropped back and ran beside the oldest girl in the group. She couldn’t have been more than seventeen, skinny, and would have seemed almost fragile if it weren’t for the determined spark in her eyes. “Do we need to slow down more?”

She appeared startled to realize they weren’t running full out, then shook her head. “I know a place where we’ll be safe.”

Raven was skeptical that any place would be safe from the Prime, but they’d already taken heavy losses. If they wanted to survive, they needed reinforcements and a place where they could recover and come up with a plan of attack. “Where?”

“You can’t tell. It’s supposed to be a secret.” The youngest of the group had a bulldog expression on her face, clearly unwilling to give up the tiniest bit of information to an outsider.

“Be quiet, stupid. We won’t make it there on our own. We’ll be dead long before then.” The oldest girl ignored the arguing, having made her decision. “The witches have a stronghold. A fallback shelter. If you can get us there safely, I can get you inside.”

If the other witches had retreated there, Raven doubted they would be allowed entrance, but she didn’t say so. “Deal. My team will drop back and provide protection. You’ll have to take the lead.”

Sweat glistened on her face, but Raven had no doubt the girl would find the refuge.

“Durant. Nicholas. Fall back.” She didn’t need to speak above a whisper thanks to their genetics. Both men instantly dropped back to her side. “You heard.”

They both nodded.

“Durant and I will cover our retreat.” She glanced at Nicholas, noting his injuries were more severe than theirs. “If anyone gets past us, you’re the last line of defense. Protect the kids.”

“I’ll do my best.” Lines of pain bracketed his mouth, his eyes dark and grim. He didn’t expect to survive the night. Blood stained his clothes. His limp had grown progressively worse. He was healing too slowly. Despite his crippling wounds, she’d give him points for not giving up.

She refused to lose more of her people, and he was one of hers, if just for the night. “Just get them to safety, and we’ll do the rest.”

A snap of a branch echoed loudly in the silence. Raven stopped and whirled to face the threat. Durant duplicated her move, standing guard to her right, keeping enough distance between them to maneuver.

The others kept running, Nicholas urging them forward.

Silence fell around them, but Raven didn’t move.

Something was out there.

A form took shape out of the darkness, running full tilt toward them, then another and another until there were more than a dozen familiars charging toward them. Durant growled and crouched.

“Wait.” Raven held out a hand. She took a step forward, squinting at the male in the lead. There was something familiar about his shape. “It’s the jaguar.”

Durant’s eyes were golden as he stared down at his prey. “We don’t know if they’re friend or foe. We can’t take the chance.”

Raven bit her lip but couldn’t make herself give the order to kill.

Durant cursed, throwing his body in front of hers, so they would have to go through him to get to her. “If you’re wrong, they’ll kill the kids.”

The jaguar sprinted toward her and smiled, as if proud to have been able to find them. The tension in her shoulders eased, and she placed a hand on Durant’s back. His muscles flexed at the contact, and he reluctantly stood down.

They were soon encircled by a group of terrified familiars in human form. “You can protect us.”

The plea came from a kid who could be no more than twenty. Sweat soaked his shirt, the sour stench of fear emanating from him. Hope and desperation burned his eyes…he knew they would die without help.

She released a breath.

Her troubles had just tripled, and a relentless pounding started at her temples. “There is a group of witches about a mile ahead. Catch up to them. You’ll be safe at the stronghold.”

After only a slight hesitation, they scampered away, all but the jaguar. He looked off in the distance, a scowl marring his face.

“Are there more?”

He grabbed her sleeve and tugged, but she refused to budge. Something spilled through the forest, calling to her. She took a step, squinting to pierce the darkness. The jaguar whined and pulled, practically dragging her behind him. Raven stumbled a few steps, then dug in her feet. “Wait.”

A black wolf loped toward them, effortlessly dodging the trees, almost invisible in the dark. Familiar green eyes blazed back at her.

Raven smiled in relief. “Dominic.”

She took a step forward when Durant blocked her. “Don’t.”

That’s when she noticed the scent of rotten leaves.

He’d lost the fight with his beast.

The giant wolf launched himself at them. He landed lightly, skidding to a stop only feet away. He bared his fangs, the sharp white teeth glistening with saliva as he growled.

“Dominic, don’t do this.”

 The wolf whined and backed away a step, and hope swelled in her throat. “He recognizes us. He’s still fighting the spell.”

Raven took a gamble and shuffled closer. She couldn’t bear to lose her friend. If she didn’t do something, the spell would consume him. She owed it to him to at least try. When everyone else had given up on her, he’d stayed by her side without showing a lick of fear.

He deserved the same from her.

“If we can bring him back with us, the witches should be able to reverse the spell.”

But Durant was already shaking his head. “He’s bound to his master. No witch is powerful enough to break the connection without killing him in the process. Only the one who cast the spell can remove it without causing irreparable damage.”

Raven refused to give up so easily. “I can claim him. That will break the familiar bond.”

Durant’s eyes were sad when he looked at her, and she wanted to scream in denial. “But the jaguar—”

“You managed with him because the witch and animal were both half dead. The witch will be able to draw on the bonds with the coven, an unlimited supply of power. You’d never win.”

“Sonofabitch!” She growled in frustration. “There has to be something we can do.”

Durant was grim. “The only way he can be free is if we can hunt down the witch that captured him and kill her.”

They both fell silent. He didn’t need to tell her they would never get close enough to the witch without being captured.

The temptation to try and break the spell anyway surged through her, but she was afraid to do more harm than good. “I might not be able to break the spell, but I can counter it by removing the more important element…his wolf.”

If he didn’t have his wolf, the witches wouldn’t be able to control him.

She expected an immediate denial, but Durant surprised her. “It could work.”

Now that he’d agreed, doubts twisted through her.

Dominic began pacing, growing more and more agitated. If she wanted to do this, she needed to do it now. Wiping her hands on her jeans, she approached Dominic.

The wolf shook under the strain of remaining still, a growl rumbling in his chest, but he didn’t attack.

Raven knelt at his side and sank her fingers into his thick fur. Energy crackled around him when she called upon her power. She used her sight and peered beneath the blood and bones, and found his true beast was locked behind needle-thin bars that looked ready to snap. Even in wolf form, Dominic was keeping the most primitive part of himself shackled. She had to work fast, or they’d lose their slight edge.

She wanted to strip away his wolf—she’d done it before with a panther who had attacked her—but she hesitated. His wolf was terribly strong, near alpha status, and she wasn’t sure if she would be fast enough to do it before he ripped out her throat.

And if by some miracle she managed to finish the job, it wouldn’t be permanent. Anywhere they went, he’d have to be imprisoned, never knowing when his master might steal back control of his wolf.

It would be sheer torture to live always doubting himself, but she had to at least try.

Not allowing herself time to think, Raven shoved her hand through the bars of the gate, ready to grab the wolf, but the beast was too fast. The animal lunged and bit down.

It was as if she held her hand in a garbage disposal.

Pain blasted up her arm, shredding her flesh, and she realized the wolf was trying to devour her. It saw her as a threat to be eliminated. She tried to yank the wolf free, but the spell prevented it.

Raven refused to give up.

Magic had ensnared the wolf. To free him, she needed to overload the spell. The only problem was the wolf and the spell were intertwined. If she took out the spell, it would take out the beast as well. She only had seconds to decide. If she moved forward with her plan, his wolf might never return.

It was a risk she had to take.

Her only alternative would be to let him die.

Instead of pulling away from the ravenous wolf, Raven rammed her arm further through the bars and sent a burst of current directly down the beast’s throat.

The animal was forced to swallow, gorging himself on her power.

With the extra strength running through his veins, the beast swelled in size, his bulk pressing against the weak prison bars. Then he ran out of space. Panic darkened his green eyes as he realized her intent. He tried to rip off her arm to get away, but he had no room to maneuver.

It was too much power for one person to hold.

The spell went supernova, and the sound of glass cracking filled the area.

In a blinding flash, Raven was hurled back. She smacked the ground hard enough to bounce, and lay slumped as if her strings have been cut. Her whole body felt trampled, her arm throbbing in agony.

What little energy she had in reserve was now gone, leaving her as helpless as any human.

The creature swelled under her skin, reminding her she wasn’t alone. Turning her head, she was amazed to discover her hand was still attached. She wiggled her fingers, then clutched her arm to her chest as agony ricocheted around inside her. Her arm from the elbow down felt like it had gone through a meat grinder. By the time she could lift her head, the first thing she saw was a very naked Dominic. “It worked.”

She was too exhausted to be cheered.

Then she noticed he wasn’t moving. Swallowing hard, she rolled over and crawled to him, wishing she could force her body to move faster. “Please don’t be dead.”

She reached out with shaking fingers and searched his neck for a pulse, but couldn’t feel anything over the thundering of her own heart. She’d finally resorted to resting her head on his chest when she heard the steady thump.

“We have to go.” Durant hauled her to her feet. It took her a few wobbling steps before she was sure she could stay upright and move at the same time.

Durant was already crouched, hauling Dominic over his shoulder as he stood. The ease in which he did it astonished her. “I still—”

The jaguar launched himself at her, knocking her down and plowing her into the earth. The impact stole the breath clear out of her. The world spun as she struggled to remember how her lungs were supposed to work. Vicious snarling rang in her ears. She pulled herself up in time to see the jaguar facing off with three people, fighting with claws and fangs.

He had just saved her life.

And if she didn’t do something soon, they would kill him. With each blow, they were shredding him to ribbons.

Durant still had Dominic over his shoulder, ready to put him down, but he hesitated. If they dropped him, Dominic would be dead within minutes. “Get him out of here.”

Raven staggered to her feet and charged the closest shifter. She caught him low in the back. Taken by surprise, he stumbled forward, and smashed into a tree. There was a sickening crunch of bones as his face took the brunt of the impact.

She rebounded off him, then fell on her ass.

Unfortunately, the collision wasn’t enough to take him out. He turned and staggered toward her, his crushed face already reshaping. She kicked, using her feet to keep those claws and teeth from getting too close. When he charged her, she used his momentum to flip him over her head, then rolled to her feet, the creature enabling her to keep her butt moving.

The shifter snarled, displaying an impressive number of teeth. Without an ounce of power left, Raven gave herself over to her creature. It rose from beneath, until the pressure threatened to split her skin.

It scorched the underside of her skin, and she clenched her teeth to keep from screaming. The inferno cooled, hardening her whole body like armor. It took seconds, but it was enough time for the shifter to launch himself at her. The foreignness of the change slowed her down, and she hadn’t had time to adjust when he hit her square in the gut.

They tumbled to the ground.

When he swung his meaty fist, she lifted her arm and braced for the pain.

Only it didn’t come.

Claws met her forearm, raked down to her elbow. Instead of shredding her flesh, his nails snapped off. His howl of pain echoed in the small clearing. Taking advantage of his distraction, she thrust her hand at his throat, her aim to crush his larynx, and was horrified to see her entire hand disappear into his body.

He gurgled as blood poured down his chest. The warm liquid felt hot as it splashed over her. She yanked back, and stared in shock at the gaping hole in his throat. He reached to staunch the flow, but there was nothing for him to grab.

He would bleed out before he healed.

A yip of pain came from her left. She turned to see the jaguar pinned by the other two shifters. One drew back his arm, his claws glistening with blood, and swung down with the full weight of his shoulder behind him.

“No!”

Raven shoved the dead man off her and charged the ten feet between them, but she could already feel the jaguar slipping away. The fragile strings that bound them together by blood were unraveling faster than she could grab them, ripping strips of flesh from her soul as they did.

Pain riddled her until there was nothing left but the agony of loss.

With no plan in mind but reaching the jaguar, she kicked the first shifter in the face. The skull caved beneath her foot. The meaty impact should’ve repulsed her, but all she felt was the need to reach her jaguar.

The attacking shifter wasn’t dead. She could hear his heart still beat. He might even be able to heal. She walked to where he lay, lifted her foot and brought it down on his throat with a satisfying crunch.

He stopped moving.

When she turned, it was to see Rylan emerge from the darkness like an avenging angel. He swooped down on the remaining shifter. When he tried to run, Rylan grabbed him by the throat and ripped it clear out. His perfect hair was ruffled, his clothes rumpled. There was something wild and furious about him.

Then her eyes landed on the jaguar. He reached a hand out to her, and she dropped to her knees at his side. He was covered in blood, most of it his own. Bits of white showed through the mutilated flesh of his chest.

Bone.

Blood bubbled up through dozens of wounds, each beat of his heart pumping out more. Claws had raked down the side of his face, leaving him in ribbons. She didn’t know where to touch without hurting him more.

The armor melted away, and she clutched his hand. Tears burned her eyes at the sight of his devastating injuries, but she refused to let them fall. She could fix him. She desperately grabbed for his beast, but it was like trying to hold smoke.

No matter how hard she tried to bind him to her, he only drifted farther away. “No.”

He touched her face, a delicate brush of fingers. When she looked up, she saw acceptance in his eyes. “Don’t leave.”

But it was already too late.

A last breath left his body.

She dropped her gaze, frantically seeking his aura, only to be confronted by nothing but blackness.

A ghostly shape in the form of a beautiful black cat rose from the body. He swished his tail, brushing it against her face in a caress. His blue eyes bored into hers, showing his fierce pride at having protected her.

Then he faded into nothingness, well beyond her reach.

The last connection between them was severed, and a mournful howl echoed into the treetops, the sound so lonely and so heartfelt it broke her heart. Then she realized it had come from her.

“Raven, we have to go. There are more out there, and they’re coming fast.” Rylan had to pry her away from the jaguar, using all his strength to drag her to her feet, and she fought him every step of the way.

She couldn’t leave the jaguar there all alone.

Her creature agreed, rising to the surface, digging in her claws to prevent the separation.

Rylan shoved his face into hers and growled. “You did what you could for him. He didn’t die alone. That’s all we can ask. He gave his life for yours. It’s an honorable death. If we don’t leave now, it will have been for nothing, and you’ll lose more than just him.”

Raven pushed away from Rylan, hating him a little for speaking the truth. “He died because of me.”

Rylan grabbed her shoulders and shook her until her teeth clicked together. “He would have died days ago if not for you. You gave him a pack. You gave him freedom. He died by his choice…saving his alpha. You didn’t order him to do it. Honor his choice by living.”

He shoved her. After an initial stumble, she ran after the others. Guilt pounded through her with every step, her throat aching with unshed tears.

“Stop it.” Rylan glared at her, the shoved her again, pushing her to run faster.

“It was my job to protect him, and I failed. I should have ordered him to stay home.” The creature pressed needle-like claws into her chest, the only thing holding back the avalanche of devastating emotions. The pain was too deep, too raw for tears. She rubbed her chest as the ache continued to grow. Panic built as she struggled to find enough air to breathe. It felt like her lungs were already full. “I can’t catch my breath.”

She panted, growing more and more lightheaded, and the world around her slowly turned fuzzy.

Rylan snagged her arm and pulled her to a stop. He grabbed her face and lifted it up to his, then swore. He yanked her close, his arms like unbreakable bands as he tucked her against his chest. “Breathe, damn you.”

A trickle of air squeezed through her throat. The scent of him eased the tightness in her chest a fraction. The next breath was easier. She wheezed, her chest rattled, and finally succeeded in taking a full breath.

“It hurts.”

“I know.” He loosened his hold slightly, and she burrowed closer when the pain threatened to return. He ran a hand down her hair. “I know, but being around the pack will help. We need to get to the others.”

She gave a shaky nod. When he released her, the pain wasn’t as crippling. The creature tightened its hold, flooding her with warmth, but it barely filled the chasm of cold that had invaded. Then she got her first real look at Rylan. “You didn’t eat.”

His eyes were solid black. Holding her had to have been pure torture. He narrowed his eyes and bent closer. “Someone didn’t give me time, running off while I was down.”

“Idiot.”

He straightened and tugged at his jacket, the action smoothing his ruffled feathers. “I could say the same about you.”

Without another word, they took off again, quickly gaining ground on the others. “We can’t go home. We need to call them and have them clear out of the house.”

Rylan gave her an odd look. “They know.”

A frown crinkled her brows. “What do you mean?”

“They all felt the loss. They know trouble will be heading their way soon.”

Raven swallowed hard, burying the pain before it sucked her under and drown her. “We’re on our own. We can’t go to the Council for help and risk having more shifters fall under the Prime’s spell.”

“Agreed.”

“We need to give them a call to explain and prepare them for the fallout. They need to be aware of the danger in case we don’t succeed in stopping him.”

A slight sound caught her attention, and Raven picked up her pace. Someone was fighting nearby. Rage flooded her system, and the need for vengeance took over.

Rylan gave her a shove that sent her careening through the trees. She dodge, barely managing to avoid going splat against a large trunk. Her shoulder scraped the edges of the bark, shaving off a few layers of skin, and she snarled at Rylan. “What the hell?”

“They’re our people.”

Raven recoiled in horror, but Rylan grabbed her arm before she could escape. “You would never hurt your pack.”

A bitter laugh escaped. “You don’t know what I did to Dominic.”

Rylan didn’t back down. “What choice did you have?”

“I stripped his wolf from him.” Her voice cracked at the awfulness of it.

Rylan flinched, but stepped closer and hovered over her. “He wouldn’t have allowed you to do it unless there was no other choice. He trusted you. So I will ask again. What would have happened if you’d left him whole?”

She glanced away, unable to say anything.

“Those shifters we took out were completely consumed by magic. It was kill or be killed. Dominic wouldn’t have been able to live like that.”

Raven stared up at him in defeat. “No shifter wants to survive the loss of their beast.”

Rylan stepped closer, no fear in his face, the fool. “You’ll keep him alive long enough to fix it.”

“What if I can’t?” Raven voiced the fear that threatened to cripple her.

Rylan smiled. He lifted a hand as if to touch her, but ended up tugging at a strand of her hair instead. “You’ll do anything for your friends. If there’s any possible way to return his wolf, you’ll be the one to find it.”

He jerked his head in the direction of the others. “We need to keep moving.”

There were about forty people waiting for them, a mixture of witches and shifters. Durant and the shifters were faced off with a few of the witches, each side looking furious enough to come to blows. Dominic lay slumped on the ground, vulnerable without his wolf there to protect him.

Human.

Nicholas had removed his shirt, what was left of it, and covered Dominic. She could have kissed him for his thoughtfulness.

Raven flexed her fingers and tore her attention away from Dominic’s still form, vowing to do whatever it took to fix what she’d done. Pushing aside her doubts, she marched between the two opposing groups. “What’s going on here?”

Durant eased back a fraction, glaring at the small huddle of kids. “They wanted to leave you behind.”

“The longer we’re out in the open, the more dangerous it is for us. We can’t risk it for the life of one person.” The oldest girl turned to her, a certain pleading in her eyes for understanding.

“She saved your life!”

Raven raised her hand to halt Durant’s outburst. “They’re just responding according to the training they received in class. While that’s commendable, we had an agreement. We were covering your escape. There was no present danger to you. Had we been witches, would you have given up so easily?” The girl flushed, whether in anger or shame, Raven didn’t care. “Had we been any other paranormal group, your desertion would likely have started a very unpleasant feud. There comes a point where you have to make sure your decisions are choices you can live with in the end.”

“Where’s Thomas?” One of the shifters kept watching the tree line for him to emerge. “I won’t leave without him. He came back for us and saved our lives.”

Thomas…the jaguar. An immediate lump filled her throat, the ache threatening to suffocate her. She hadn’t even known the name of the man who gave his life for hers. She gripped her hands together to keep them from trembling, and her heart hurt all over again. “He didn’t make it.”

Durant gathered her in his arms. “I’m sorry.”

She shuddered, but his touch helped ease the gaping wound in her soul. She pulled away with a shaky breath. “We need to leave.”

“If you tell the shifters to step aside, I can open up the wards enough for us to enter.” It was a peace offering.

At Raven’s nod, the shifters parted. The girl walked toward the sheer rock face and put her hands on the stone. As if infused, magic rose from the pile of rocks, the strength of it making the hair on her arms stand on end.

A section of the wall shimmered. One moment the girl was there, the next she had walked clear through the mountainside. The rest of the witches quickly followed.

Durant stood in front of her, glaring at the wall suspiciously. “It could be a trap.”

Rylan shook his head, but made no move to enter either. “The witches can’t risk an all-out war.”

“What other options do we have?” Raven stepped between them and entered the void. The dark air felt heavy, and she could feel rock particles slide over her skin, drag against her body as she walked through the soupy mess, and she wondered if it would solidify before she reached open air. By the time she emerged through the twenty-foot side of the mountain, she was covered in dust.

The others quickly followed, all of them resembling a group of miners by the time they emerged. A few of the shifters touched themselves, clearly surprised they’d survived.

“This fortress hasn’t been used for decades. It’s a fallback shelter in case the compound was ever overrun.” The girl turned toward her, exhaustion drooping her shoulders, stealing the color from her face. “I consider our temporary alliance complete.”

“Then you best take us to your command post and alert them to our presence.”

The girl gave a relieved smile that she wouldn’t have to deal with trying to force them to the elders. The fortress was a warren of mazes. They traveled up and down so many slopes Raven lost track of how deep they were underground or how far into the mountain.

The main portion of the tunnel appeared to be a natural cave system, connected by tunnels hewn out of rock. The tunnel had to have been blasted out, but there was a smoothness to the floors that made her suspect magic had been used instead of explosives. A layer of scum was cemented over everything. The air was cooler, a bit moist. Instead of lights, there appeared to be gems placed every twenty feet or so, providing enough of a glow for them to navigate the narrow tunnels.

A few of the shifters appeared uneasy in the confined space. The farther they went underground, the more the surroundings began to feel like bunkers. The rock floor changed to cement. The lights switched to electric.

The more military it became, the more uneasy she felt, it was too much like the labs where she’d been imprisoned throughout her childhood.

When they rounded the last corner, a set of great doors stood before them, but instead of wood, they were solid stone. More curious, they had no knobs. The girl pressed her hand to the surface. Magic swelled, lighting up the symbols engraved on the stone. Rock ground against rock as the door rumbled open.

They entered an auditorium. Half the seats were filled. In the center of the room, stood a small group of witches…including Heloise.

A commotion erupted when they entered, and a number of people leapt up to hug the young witches. The shifters glanced at her, showing some loyalty, but she waved them off. “We’ll be fine.”

They scattered, quickly greeting the other shifters who’d managed to survive.

The last person she expected to see stood and strolled toward them.

Randolph.

Her creature hunkered down, so well hidden Raven barely sensed her. She remained alert, her claws pressed lightly against Raven’s gut, as if staking claim. Raven was glad for the support.

“I’m pleased to see you made it, though I expected you sooner.” He spoke as if she was the only one who existed.

Durant crossed his arms, angling himself in front of her to block Randolph’s advance. “How convenient that you managed to disappear so early in the fight.”

Randolph frowned, and turned his attention to Durant. Raven’s breath stuttered in her lungs. She had to get Randolph away from her men. She wouldn’t survive another loss. “We have more important things to discuss at the moment…like how we get out of here and defeat the Prime.”

Taking a gamble, she pushed past both men. When neither moved to follow, her heart plummeted. She glanced over her shoulder and pinned Randolph with her gaze. “Coming?”

With a smug smile, he strolled to her side.

She, on the other hand, wanted to run.

 Chapter Seventeen

DAY FIVE: 1 AM – UNDERGROUND FORTRESS

Raven was conscious of every step she took away from her pack, the pain like a railroad spike being hammered into chest. A quick glance revealed that when Durant had tried to follow, Rylan grabbed his arm. She gave him a grateful nod, then focused all her attention at the biggest threat at the moment—Randolph.

“I don’t understand. Why did the Council send you?”

“They didn’t.” He flashed a secretive smile, pleased that she’d figured out his little joke. “I came on my own.”

She nearly stumbled over her own feet. She was trapped inside an impenetrable fortress with the Council’s finest assassin while the Prime waited outside to decimate her pack and claim her for his own.

What had she done to end up wedged between two such destructive forces?

“I didn’t request your service. I won’t be indebted to you.” She picked up her pace, eager to put distance between them, and the trouble that always accompanied him.

He easily kept pace. “I came because it amused me. You owe me nothing.”

He was too agreeable. She didn’t trust it. A chill snaked down her spine at the thought of him being free to roam around where she couldn’t keep an eye on him, using that time to learn about her strengths and weaknesses.

It couldn’t have come at a worse time, when her creature was so volatile and the uneasy truce between them so fragile.

As Raven approached the small knot of witches, they fell silent. Heloise turned, her face set in a fierce frown. “You shouldn’t have come.”

Raven circled until she had her back to the wall. “If I hadn’t, you and your kids would be dead.”

“This is a witch’s safe house. No outsiders have ever been invited.” The woman who spoke was older, her outrage and dislike clear.

“Don’t blame your problems on me. You might want to remember I didn’t start this war.” The woman looked mad enough to spit. “But I might be able to help you. Tell me about this wild magic.”

No one spoke, and Raven sighed at their tightlipped silence, angry that they’d let their secretiveness put everyone in even more danger. “He took on your whole coven, destroyed your school, and none of you were able to do anything to stop him. If you don’t want my help, say so now.”

Heloise gave a short nod, acknowledging that they wouldn’t get out of there alive without help. “The primitive magic he used is a forerunner to our own magic. It’s more powerful, but the costs are higher. It searches for the best and the strongest and will jump from host to host until it gets what it wants.”

“The wolf.” Raven whispered more to herself than anyone else. “He wanted a way to save the shifters from being used as familiars. He turned to magic for a way out.”

“More likely the ancient magic had found him, using the wolf to gain a foothold into our world.” Heloise waved her hand as if it was unimportant. “It fed him the illusion that he could solve the problem by destroying the witches.”

“He was being controlled.” A trickle of pity swept through Raven. “It tries to gauge what you want most then lures you into helping it, almost as if it is sentient. But what does it want?”

“Sentient only up to a point.” Heloise pursed her lips. “It wants to live, but it needs a host in order to survive. Not everyone is suitable, and it’s seeking the perfect candidate, craves to find someone who can endure the burn of a lot of magic.”

“The Prime.” Something about Heloise’s grim tone put Raven’s hackles up. “What happens now it found one? What does it want next?”

The coven members, all of them, stared at her as if she was daft. “You.”

“That makes no sense at all. I’m not a witch. I’m nothing to him.”

Heloise advanced, moving with an angry swish of her skirts. “And yet his first order of business had been to set a trap for you. By coming here, you just endangered everyone. Tell me why you’re so important.”

Raven shook her head, completely baffled. “He shouldn’t even know I exist.” Then she hesitated.

Heloise eyes sharpened like a hawk with a mouse in its sight. “Tell me.”

“I’m nothing to the Prime, but the wild magic has touched me and my men more than once. It seemed…” she searched for the right word, but nothing fit, “…curious.”

Heloise waved her hand. “He didn’t want your men. You’re part of a pack. By taking your men, he weakens you.”

The thought of him going after her pack set Raven’s teeth on edge. She wasn’t going to let it happen. “And once I’m vulnerable?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it? He has been waging an all-out war on us, and he didn’t get so much as a hangnail until you came along.” If she could, Raven had no doubt Heloise would cut her open to see what made her tick. “You injured him today.”

“If I’m a threat, then why not kill me outright?”

Heloise studied her in a way that made her skin crawl. Ownership. “That’s the crux of the matter, isn’t it?”

“How many exits does the fortress have?”

Heloise took the change in conversation easily. “Two.”

Lie.

“If what you say is true, your Prime will be heading this way soon. We’ll need to post guards.”

Heloise crossed her arms, clearly not pleased at being told what to do. “They’ve been sealed with wards.”

Raven refused to back down. “He will shred them.”

“Normally, you’d be right, but magic has been used in this place for generations. The very stones are infused with it. Even the Prime doesn’t have enough power to take it all…at least not easily. He’ll have to work for it.”

“Give me and my men time to recoup, a few hours, and we’ll be gone.” Raven had no idea where she could go to keep her people safe, but she knew they needed to strike a deal before the witches decided to hand them over to the Prime in order to ensure their own survival.

“I’d like nothing better than for you to leave, but we cannot afford for him to get his hands on you.” Heloise nodded to a few of the guards in the room. “For the moment, you will be our guest. I’ll have you shown to where you will be staying.”

Raven didn’t put up a fuss. It was better than what she could have bargained for on her own. She suspected Heloise was paying her back for coming to their rescue, but she couldn’t be sure how long her generosity would last. She needed to come up with a plan and fast.

When she joined her men, she surveyed the room, and saw Randolph had slipped away. Escaped the joy of having an armed escort.

They were shown to two rooms. Rylan and Nicholas entered the first room, more of a cubbyhole than a hotel suite. Raven followed Durant to the second room, where he set Dominic down in the middle of the bed.

Dominic had lost weight already, wasting away without his wolf. Lines bracketed his mouth while he slept, struggling with the loss even while he was unconscious. A tiny part of her trembled at knowing he might never wake, too heartsore over the magnitude of the blow she’d dealt him. Since there was nothing she could do to help, she tore herself away and headed down the hall to wash away the gore and stench of battle. The others had already left to do the same. She had one hour before they regrouped.

The bathroom was nothing more than a stall and sink. If she moved, she bumped into one or the other. When her hip collided with the sink for the second time, Raven yearned for Durant’s monstrous shower.

She scrubbed the blood from her hands, but the stains went much deeper. She avoided the ancient, warped mirror above the sink, unable to face herself after today’s epic failure. She’d been cocky, confident she’d be able to rescue everyone. Instead, they were all prisoners now. She delayed meeting the others as long as possible, struggling to pull herself together so they wouldn’t see how close she was to shattering.

They had already knocked once.

She grabbed the edges of the sink and blew out a breath.

She couldn’t put it off any longer.

She trudged along the short passage down the hall and pushed open the door to the cramped dorm room they had been assigned. Durant and Rylan stood waiting, not that they had much choice. The bed and chair nearly scraped all four walls. The men took up what little space remained. Dominic hadn’t moved since they deposited him on the bed. While she was gone, they had cleaned and bandaged the worst of his injuries and dressed him in sweats. She kept staring, hoping to find some sign that he was healing, but nothing had changed.

She wondered if that was how the others felt when they saw her, helpless and protective and unable to do a damned thing to change any of it.

“Nicholas is resting. He’s suffered some severe injuries. When he wakes, he’ll need blood.”

Raven tore her gaze away from Dominic. “I’ll ask a few of the shifters who helped us yesterday and see if any will volunteer.”

Rylan nodded and turned away, but not before she saw the ravenous hunger behind his blue eyes.

“When’s the last time you fed?”

He stiffened as if she’d asked him the last time he had sex.

His silence spoke volumes.

“You’re injured, balanced on a sword’s edge. Can you go another night without feeding?” The last thing they could afford was for him to lose control. “I can—”

“No!” Both men spoke at once.

Rylan’s eyes changed from one blink to the next, the lovely blue gone, revealing the pure predator beneath.

“He can take mine.” Durant spoke the words behind clenched teeth.

Both men grimaced.

“You’re injured as well.” Raven headed toward the door. “I’ll talk to the shifters—”

“It’ll be better if it come from me.” Durant rolled up his sleeve, and her eyes automatically dropped to gawk at the lovely muscles that corded his arm. They were so distracting that it took her a full minute to notice the claw marks that twisted up his forearm.

He was healing but slowly.

She found herself drawn closer. “You need time to heal.”

He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest, his tiger giving a faint rumble of pleasure at the simple touch. “Even injured, I’m the strongest shifter here. My blood is more potent than the others’. Your vampire will heal faster and won’t need to take as much.”

She glanced over her shoulder to see Rylan shrug, his face betraying none of his emotions. “He’s correct.”

Raven tightened her lips against arguing. The decision was difficult enough for them without her saying anything more. Because of their distrust of each other, Durant wouldn’t have offered, nor would Rylan have accepted, if they had any other choice. “Very well. How do you want to do this?”

She pulled away, nervous energy skating up her spine, and she couldn’t stop fidgeting. Before she could take another step, Durant grabbed her arm and dragged her closer. “This will go better if you stay in sight.”

Apparently in sight meant plastered against his chest.

“We’re both predators. Neither of us was built to tolerate the other in our territory. We can use you as a buffer.” He ran a hand up her back in a way that made her shiver and melt against him. “It will keep both of us in check.”

It sounded logical, but the closer Rylan came, the more she felt ready to jump out of her skin. Durant growled low in his throat, narrowing his eyes over her head, his hold leaving bruises.

“Distract him.”

Raven jolted at Rylan’s soft demand.

Easy for him to say.

How do you distract an animal from its prey?

Feeling foolish, Raven stood on her tiptoes, placed her hands on either side of Durant’s face and pulled his head down to hers. The growling stopped. She leaned in closer, her lips only inches apart from his, and held him still. “Hold out your arm.”

His brows furrowed, and Raven leaned back infinitesimally. Not an inch passed before he thrust out an arm. “My kiss.”

It was a gruff demand.

She studied his mouth, remembering the wild taste of him, and shivered with the need for more. She brushed her lips against his once, a feather-light touch, savoring the forbidden.

Rylan used the distraction and sank his fangs into the curve of Durant’s elbow.

Durant grunted as if struck, and the big tiger tensed at the invasion. Fearful he’d pull away, Raven deepened the kiss, nibbling at his lips until he growled and took control. His mouth ravaged hers as if he’d been starved for the taste of her. Her knees weakened, and he ruthlessly took advantage by dragging her up his body and demanding more.

She ran her hands up his chest and grabbed his shoulders, loving the way he hummed with pleasure at her touch. By the time he lifted his head, she was breathless and wanting more. Rylan was pressed against her back, Durant against her front, and she felt cherished.

For the first time in years, Rylan had willingly touched her with more than a brush of his fingers. She reached back, and placed her hand on his thigh. He sighed at the touch, kissed the back of her neck, and then retreated. When she tried to follow him, Durant tightened his grip, refusing to release his hold. “Wait.”

Rylan stiffened at her plea.

But now that he’d stopped, Raven scrabbled to come up with a reason for him to stay. She looked over her shoulder at him. “Did you get enough?”

She could’ve smacked herself for bringing up what was always a sore subject.

He gave a short nod, not bothering to turn around to face her. “I’ll go and inform the Council of what’s happening.”

“Look at me.”

He slowly lifted his head, pinning her with his gaze. The hunger in his eyes was for more than food, the yearning to belong was so strong it was like a punch to the gut. “I tasted you on him. It was enough.”

That’s when she remembered he could feel his donor’s emotions when he fed, a final parting gift for taking her blood all those years ago. The image of the three of them was there in his eyes, and he disappeared before she gathered her scattered wits enough to protest. She only managed one step when Durant lifted her clear off the floor. “Don’t. He needs time to settle himself.”

Raven struggled to get free, trying not to aggravate his wounds. “You don’t understand.”

“Don’t I?” Durant pressed his arousal against her, and Raven froze. “The best way to help him is to give him time.”

Raven slumped in his arms, knowing he was right. When he was sure she wouldn’t run off, Durant slowly lowered her down the length of his body. She shivered at the delicious feel of him against her, and it was a physical struggle to make her brain work on anything other than estimating how fast they could both get naked.

“How long?” She strangled on the question, hating the vulnerability it revealed. Rylan was her first crush, her best friend, and she ached to put things right between them.

“If you want your friend back, you’ll give him as long as he needs.”

Raven accepted defeat, rubbing at the pain in her chest. Rylan’s disappearance intensified the ache of the jaguar’s loss. She shuffled closer to Durant, drawn to his strength. Her pain eased a fraction at his nearness, the wound scabbing over, so every breath no longer felt as if someone was stabbing her in the heart.

“It hurts.” She buried her face against his shoulder, the guilt eating at her soul. “I didn’t even know the jaguar’s name until after he died.”

“I know.” Durant’s arms wrapped around her, smashing her against him. Her ribs creaked, but she wanted to get even closer. “It’s your creature. Humans have the ability to ignore and shuffle away their pain, but animals don’t have that option. They don’t process loss, they only feel.”

“How do other alphas survive this torture?”

“They don’t allow themselves to get so attached to the pack the way you do.” He tipped her chin up. “They share the pain with the pack through their connection. You’ve taken the pain for all of us. You have to let it go before you drive your beast insane with grief.”

Raven was at a complete loss about he expected of her. “Explain.”

“Touch helps, yes?”

She tightened her hold, afraid he’d leave, before finally nodding.

“You’re the alpha. You have the ability to touch us at any time, even when we’re not in the same room.”

“Isn’t that an invasion of privacy?”

Durant’s lips quirked. “We grew up in the pack, our beasts have been with us since our earliest memories. We’ve never been alone. We find it a comfort. If we want to be by ourselves, all we have to do is seal ourselves off. After only a few hours, we miss the connection.”

The thought of someone poking around in her head set her stomach churning. “Like you tried to do at the club when we first met?”

“That was different,” Durant muttered then grimaced when she raised a brow. “An alpha’s touch can soothe our beasts, they can share their calm, and give us strength when we weaken. They give us balance, keep us grounded, and stop us from going rogue.”

Her disquiet eased a fraction. “How does it work?”

“You’re connected to each member of your pack by more than just blood. Every time you think of us, we feel your touch. You hold none of yourself back, committing yourself completely to those you’ve claimed. Most packs are generations in the making. An alpha usually inherits their pack. They don’t get the chance to build or select their family.”

Raven stood straighter, proud of her pack.

“It means you trust us. Trust us a little more.” He took her hand and spread her fingers over his chest. “Reach for my animal, allow me to help you.”

His beast rose under her touch, and she nearly pulled back. As if sensing her hesitancy, the cat slowed, flicking his tail out until fur brushed against her mind. She reached forward and sank her fingers into his hide. The warmth eased the ache a smidge more.

“Come, you’re exhausted. Sleep while you can.”

Raven reluctantly pulled back at the grim reminder of what was waiting for them, and allowed herself to be led away.

* * *

Raven shifted in the chair, unable to sleep. The silence of being underground was unnerving. It was the soundlessness that happened while waiting for the other shoe to drop. She stared at the soft light from the hallway as it spilled into their room, struggling to think of a way to get them all out of this alive.

There was a slight change in Dominic’s breathing. She was so distracted, it took her a second to realize the pattern had altered.

Shoving out of her chair, she leaned forward to see him staring at her. Neither of them spoke, and her throat tightened with the real fear that she’d broken him.

“Hey.” His voice was raspy and dry, barely a sound.

It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever heard. She closed her eyes to cover her tears and sat at the very edge of the bed, not certain he would allow her to get even that close. “I wasn’t sure if you’d make it.”

“By rights I should be dead.” The flat tone told her he wished it were true.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“If there’s ever a choice between you and me, you can never hesitate.” His expression turned fierce. “Kill me.”

She reached for his hand, only to have him jerk away.

The small gesture cut deeper and more painfully than any claws.

Dominic turned to face the wall. “I foolishly believed my wolf was too strong to be taken by a witch. Hell, I struggle to contain him so many times that I was sure no one else could manage it either. I should have listened to you.”

“I took your wolf.” She could barely force the words out of her mouth. “I should’ve found a different way. How can I ask for your forgiveness when I can’t forgive myself?”

“He’ll be back.” He spoke as if the strength of his words would make it true, but his voice lacked conviction. “I forced you into this situation. It was my fault. My choice.”

A knot of fear hardened in her gut at his resignation, and then sank like a pile of stones. Most shifters would prefer to be dead than lose their animal. She couldn’t lose him, too. “I can fix it.”

It was a desperate plea.

But he was already shaking his head. “My wolf was infected. Even if you had managed to bring him back, we can’t risk him turning dark again.”

He was keeping something from her, and she couldn’t blame him. “If we wait, it might be too late.”

“I won’t put you in danger again.”

Raven narrowed her eyes, debating whether to ignore his decision when he grabbed her wrist, his unbreakable grip just short of snapping her arm.

“I won’t have my choices taken from me again. If you try anything, I will get up and walk out of here, and you will never see me again.”

The hard glint in his eyes said he meant it. He was a leader. A protector. It would destroy him to lose control of his wolf and hurt the people under his care.

Raven understood. She would have made the same choice. With great reluctance, she relented. “Fine.”

He released a shaky breath and loosened his hold, but didn’t let go of her completely. “You can try later when this is all over.”

If it wasn’t too late. The words were an unspoken whisper in the air between them.

When he dropped her arm and patted her hand, the slight tremble there told another story. He was petrified.

If she failed—

A huge yawn caught him unawares, and his jaw cracked. He turned on his side, then grunted, gingerly cupping his ribs. He was asleep in less than a minute.

Raven moved shakily back to her seat in the chair. Dominic was alive. But how long would he be able to survive without his wolf?

She had to know.

Calling up the energy wrapped around him, she studied his aura. It was battered and fluctuated wildly, but there weren’t any dead spots. She pushed deeper, but halted when Dominic rolled restlessly onto his back. When she was sure he wouldn’t wake, she refocused her sight and saw his body was studded with pinpricks of starlight.

His wolf.

Her chest felt crushed at seeing his majestic beast so shattered.

She nearly gave up, pulled back, when she saw the tiny starbursts being pulled together.

His wolf was healing. It would take time, but he would survive.

The relief threatened to drop her to her knees. Now all she had to do was find the witch responsible and kill her before his wolf fell under her sway again. Neither man nor beast would survive being taken over a second time.

 Chapter Eighteen

DAY FIVE: EARLY MORNING – UNDERGROUND FORTRESS

Raven fell out of the chair, her hands and knees smacking stone while the world around her quaked. The whole mountain rumbled, like an angry god of old had come to life. A trail of dirt sifted down from the ceiling, and she waited for the mountain to come crashing down around them.

The Prime had found them.

She pushed herself upright and glanced over to the floor where Durant had slept.

He wasn’t there.

She shot to her feet, her creature pressing heavily on her chest, wanting to charge down the hall and hunt down the ones who’d stolen him.

“Durant went to eat.” Raven whirled to see Dominic struggling to prop himself up on the bed, a grimace pulling at his face. “This being human shit is going to take a while to get used to again.”

A smile blossomed on her face. “Don’t get too accustomed to it.”

Dominic froze and searched her face for a lie, his eyes alive with such painful hope that her heart clenched. “Explain.”

“Your wolf is healing.”

His brows lowered ominously. “I told you not—”

“I didn’t do anything.” Raven lifted her hands and backed safely out of swatting distance.

His intensity ratcheted up another level, all domineering man in full charge. “You’re sure?”

Some of her good cheer dimmed. “Yes, but I’m not sure what shape he’ll be in when he returns.”

“Let me worry about that.” He sagged against the bed’s only pillow, the lines on his face dropping away. She could almost see his mind working again while he settle back into his old self.

His stomach growled loud enough to be mistaken for a small roar, and she laughed. “Why don’t I get some food?”

But his eyes had already shut, a peaceful rest stealing over him for the first time since the battle.

Despite the constant barrage to the mountainside, there was a lightness to her steps as she wandered down the halls in search of food. In between blasts, the tunnels were so quiet all she could hear was the swish of her shoes against stone. No wind. No insects. The total lack of other noise was like walking in a cemetery at midnight. Her good cheer faded a fraction, her nerves pulling tight, part of her bracing for an attack.

A heated discussion caught her ear. Glad to find she wasn’t alone in this giant crypt, she veered off course to investigate. The corridor led to a narrow passageway behind the auditorium. The door stood open, and she spied a knot of witches cluster near center stage. The rest of the room appeared empty, as if the others had left for a break, while a few die-hards lingered behind to argue their point. They looked like they’d been up all night. Heloise’s calm had cracks around the edges, and her normally blank face revealed emotions, mainly frustration.

As soon as they saw her, they fell silent and scowled.

“How long can the wards hold against the attack?” Raven sauntered into the room, not willing to leave until she knew when she needed to have her people ready to fight.

Heloise sighed and rubbed her fingers between her brows. “He’s unraveling the wards faster than expected.”

The last of her giddiness over Dominic’s good news shriveled and gusted away like dried leaves. “How long?”

“The fortress is old, but the residual magic stored in the stone is draining at a rapid rate. Even with the circle of twelve witches to help fuel the wards, we don’t have long.” She dropped her arm back to her side. “Most of the other witches are students, not strong enough to help. They don’t have the power that comes with age. The wards won’t last another day.”

“And by the time the wards finally fail, you’ll be completely drained and helpless.” Raven’s heart sank. She’d been hoping for more time to allow her people to recover before the next battle. “What are our options?”

“That’s what we’ll be discussing today.” 

“I would like to attend.”

“No.” A young, dark haired witch shook her head, a pretty little thing if you could get over the arrogance marring her face. “It’s a closed session. You’re not welcome.”

Raven suspected she’d interrupted that discussion when she barged into the room. “Very well. I’ll get my people ready to move out fast.”

The woman’s face twisted with hatred. “It’s too late for that. People will die today because of you. If you think you can just walk away, you’re sadly mistaken.”

The creature roused, pressing under her skin with razor-sharp claws, studying the witch who issued the threat. “I lost people today as well while trying to help you. Tell me, when did you arrive at the fortress?”

Raven stalked forward, taking a whiff of air around the woman. “From what I can smell, you vanished long before the fight broke out. You left your own people out there to be slaughtered while you cowered in your little hole. So don’t you dare judge me and mine for something I didn’t start.”

With each word she spoke, the witch’s hatred darkened, and Raven stretched her fingers out and shook her hands lightly against the urge to cold cock the woman.

“How dare you! The shifters started this whole thing by messing with something they knew nothing about. The ancient magic should never have been disturbed. Of course we left them behind. How are we to know how many more are in cahoots?”

“Your wild magic infected him, someone you had sworn to protect, and it’s his fault?” Raven was flabbergasted that they’d dare cast all the blame elsewhere. “And the children we found wandering the woods? I’d love to hear your reasons for leaving them behind.”

After a second, the witch’s combative glare dropped away, but Raven could practically feel her hatred simmering beneath the surface.

“Enough.” A wealth of exhaustion coated the word, and Heloise took a seat on the stone bench in the first row. “Mistakes have been made. We need to find a way to move forward without getting killed.”

“Of course. I’ll leave you to it.” Raven did her best not to sprint from the room. It took all her concentration to wrestle control back from her creature. As the beast calmed, the consuming rage scaled back to a manageable level. Every day the creature became more aware, scratching to get out. Raven’s power seemed to increase the animal’s strength, too.

The added danger of being trapped underground with an army waiting outside just made the situation worse.

The time available to form a bond with her creature shrank down to hours instead of months, and a spurt of panic chiseled away at her calm. A particularly nasty blast shook the ground, reverberating up her feet, and she smacked her hand against the chilly stone wall for balance.

They were well and truly trapped.

Memories of the cinder walls in the labs she’d grown up in flashed through her mind.

She couldn’t get enough air.

Shoving away from the wall, she hurried down the tunnels, struggling to control her breathing. A babble of voices echoed against stone, and the door to her past cracked open further. She nearly ran in the opposite direction, convinced the guards were coming to drag her back to her cell.

Durant was ahead.

Just knowing he would be there, waiting for her, dissolved her paranoia. She burst into the kitchen, out of breath, her legs trembling with the need to keep running.

People stopped talking and stared.

When she realized Durant wasn’t there, it took all her strength to straighten and finish her mission. She walked to the food, conscious of being observed.

Whispers started up as she passed, a few people snickered, but Raven didn’t care, the normal sounds of conversation going a long way toward soothing her unease. She wasn’t in the labs. They weren’t doing testing. No one was being tortured.

She was safe.

For now.

Without paying attention, she heaped food on the old metal military lunch tray. When she turned, no one offered her a seat, not that she was surprised. No shifters were present either.

Clear lines were being drawn.

Not good.

If they wanted to survive, they needed to work together. Hefting up the tray, she left, glad to be away from prying eyes. She paused in the hall, peered right, then left, completely lost in the underground warren. She’d been so panicked, she’d run blindly, and now she wasn’t sure how to get back to Dominic.

Taking a gamble, she veered left, hoping to pick up her own trail.

She wove through the tunnels, marveling at the distance she’d managed to travel while blinded by panic. It wasn’t a comforting thought.

Whispers bounded around the corner, and Raven slowed. Not wanting company, she debated turning around, but decided against it. She’d only become more entangled in the maze.

When she rounded the corner, it was to see a group of five kids huddled outside the auditorium door.

Eavesdropping.

She couldn’t blame them, since she was tempted to do the same.

Two boys and three girls argued heatedly, stubbornly split in two groups, just like the adults. Two of them voted for Raven’s pack to stay, while three others wanted to kick them out.

As she came closer, she recognized the snooty girl and the wizard boy…Paige and Luca. Not surprising, they were on opposite sides of the argument.

“If we had listened to her in the first place, none of this would’ve happened.”

“We can’t trust outsiders. She probably planted the virus herself. It makes more sense than one of our own doing this. If we just hand her over, they’ll leave us alone.”

The second boy shook his head as if the others were idiots. “They risked their lives coming back to save us. If she wanted us dead, she could have killed us outright or just left us to die.”

The girl snorted in disdain, dismissing his claim, and Luca raised his voice. “If we hand them over, we could lose our only advantage.”

Paige scoffed and rolled her eyes. “The witch’s Council will send help.”

Luca threw his arms wide. “Yeah, look how well that turned out. He unleased the wild magic on us, and now we have no way to fight.”

There was a scuffling noise, and Luca whirled. “Who’s there?”

Paige jerked around, all her brass melting away at the prospect of getting caught…until she saw Raven. Her face twisted in a sneer of teenaged superiority. “You. Figures we’d catch you spying on us.”

“I believe you were doing the snooping.” Raven gave her a pointed look then lifted her tray. “I’m just on my way back to my room with food.”

The sound came again, and Raven turned to stare into the black tunnels. With a nod of her head, she gestured for the kids to move. “You both need to step back.”

Luca immediately retreated, concern wrinkling his brow.

Paige put her hands on her hips, all sass and attitude. “You have no right to tell us what to do.”

Shuffling footsteps came nearer, the smell of wild magic and rot filling the tunnel.

“Give me your light.”

“You can’t just—”

“Shut up, Paige.” Luca handed over his flashlight.

Raven tossed it down the tunnel. The beam flickered and spun, shooting a thin stream of light down the tunnel at random intervals. It was enough. Rotting faces peered out of the darkness. Their clothes were ragged, their faces spongy and expressionless, as if they were in stasis. Their skin had turned a pasty gray with decay, their eyes milky and vacant.

It was like their souls had been removed. All that remained were these husks, machines waiting to be called to battle. 

Raven shivered in revulsion, her feet rooted to the floor as her brain slowed down to process the sight. There was something fundamentally wrong at seeing a corpse move.

Two of the girls screamed. Their flashlights dropped and smacked the granite floor hard enough to crack.

The lights flickered, then went out.

Raven dropped her tray with a clatter, then grabbed the nearest girl and shook her. “Run. Get help.”

She didn’t need to be told twice.

“Fools.” Paige watched three of her friends run and scoffed. “Only the weak run.”

She turned and called up her magic.

“Don’t!” Raven and Luca shouted at the same time, but Paige didn’t pay any attention.

The walking corpses picked up speed, their greedy eyes focused on Paige with a single-mindedness that indicated the rest of them didn’t exist. Their dulled expressions sharpened into a ravenous hunger as they charged out of the darkness.

Instead of retreating, the girl amped up her voltage and cast a spell at the two lumbering corpses. At the scent of magic, their movements became more frantic, their disjointed walk picking up speed, eager to reach their target. They snapped their teeth at the magic as if gobbling down the spells. A dark, putrefied liquid leaked from their mouth. Rotting blood. It stained their chins and oozed down their throats. 

“They should be dead.” The girl backed up a step, her face showing the first signs of panic. “Why aren’t they stopping?”

“Because they’re already dead. They’re feeding off your magic.” Luca tugged at the girl’s arm, dragging her away when she stumbled. “They’re zombies.”

Paige turned with a wild look and shoved Luca into the path of the walking dead before fleeing into the shadowy tunnels after her friends. Luca landed hard on his hands and knees with a nasty thwack. He scrambled backwards, his eyes wide as he saw the creatures advance on him.

“Get rid of anything magical.” Raven reached for his arm and hauled him to his feet, jerking him out of the way of the first creature with only seconds to spare. As the corpses continued to advance, Raven and Luca danced out of range.

Flesh sagged off the bodies. Instead of the dry husks she’d seen in the morgue, these people were moist. A sheen of fluid seeped from the skin, as if the corpses had lost any ability to hold it inside. Their lips were torn almost completely off from the way they snapped their teeth, while their eyeballs were shrunken, covered by a foggy-white film.

“They’re blind, drawn by the magic.”

Their movements were disjointed, the bones creaking, and she realized rigor mortis had taken hold of their bodies. Their muscles slowly began to snap as they broke death’s hold, the sound like cracking ice.

They weren’t created to last long.

They had one mission…infect as many people as possible.

Luca jammed his hands in his jeans, tossing the contents on the floor until his pockets were inside out, backing up as he did so. Three small stones fell to the floor with a clink.

“And the amulet.”

The kid ripped off his necklace and stared at the large gem clutched in his hand. Before she could yank it from him, he brought it to his mouth, whispered some incantation, and then threw it at the corpses.

It hit the first man in the chest, bounced off, and landed with a clank. A bright flash of magic burst in the tunnel. Raven lifted her arm to protect her eyes and saw the zombies moaning in hunger, clawing at the walls to grab the fading magic.

Raven grabbed Luca’s arm, spun him around to face the other way, and shoved him. “Run. Tell the others.”

He looked over his shoulder at her and hesitated. “What about you?”

“They can’t be allowed to roam free.” She gave him another shove. “Go!”

Luca scowled, then jogged a few feet away. “I’ll get help, but you better stay alive until I get back.” With that threat, he turned and pelted down the tunnel at full speed, the darkness swallowing him in seconds.

As the source of the magic faded, the zombies wheeled around and focused on Raven. She backed up a step, and they mimicked the movement, advancing toward her the same distance. They were animated by something. If she could drain the power source, she could put them out of commission.

Raven reached for the energy that powered them, and immediately found herself surrounded by a surge of wild magic. It bit and snapped at her intrusion, seeking to protect its hosts. The threat of losing their power must have changed the zombie’s programming. They transformed from seekers of magic to destroyers and charged. Their slow gait morphed to freaky fast, all their awkwardness gone.

Raven snatched up the food tray and wacked the first one across the skull. Instead of knocking him out cold, she ended up ripping off half his face. White bones of his skull gleamed in the dim light. Without any flesh to cover him, the left side of his face was locked in a permanent, ghastly grin. His eye dangled from his socket, and liquid dribbled down his face. Raven shuddered when she realized part of his brain had gone all squishy and begun to leak.

The meaty part of his face oozed off the tray and hit the ground with a juicy splat.

Shouting erupted from the auditorium. She scooted closer to the door, only to have the zombie do the same.

Because he was following her magic.

She cut off her power, locked every ounce of it down until it felt like half her senses had died.

They sniffed the tunnel then walked right past her as if she didn’t exist.

They couldn’t be allowed into the main area.

She waited until they passed her before exchanging the tray for the precious stones Luca had dropped. She pulled the magic from the rocks, and it blossomed in the air. Before she could even blink, they whirled at the scent, their jaws snapping in a frenzy.

She stepped back, and they followed the trail of Luca’s magic.

Each stone only lasted seconds.

The damaged one moved faster than she’d expected, as if it had already gotten a taste of magic and wanted more. Raven was scrambling backward when her foot landed on the tray, and it skidded right out from under her. She flailed and watched in horror as her hand latched onto the zombie’s sleeve when she tried to catch her balance.

They tumbled together. Her back smacked the stone floor with a jarring thud that knocked the air out of her…which might have been a blessing. The zombie snapped his teeth at her with a sharp click, and she shoved her forearm against his throat to hold him at bay. His rotten breath hit her square in the face, the putrid air making her gag.

Without magic to lure him, the other zombie shuffled past and continued down the hall.

Then there was no more time to worry about the one that got away. With the magic gone, the one on top of her lifted his head to sniff the air for the lost scent.

Slime dripped off his damaged skull to splat against her face and neck. It slid down her collar, the liquid bitter cold and the consistency of gelatin. All sorts of goo soaked through her clothes from the full body contact, cementing her to the stone floor so she couldn’t even wiggle. She pushed harder to increase the distance between them, but his skin was like a water balloon, his muscles sloughing off his bones, until they squished in her grip.

Her fingers poked through skin, and the flesh slid off in her hands like fish slime. Without her to brace him, he fell toward her in slow motion.

 Chapter Nineteen

Instead of finding herself trapped beneath a crushing weight and buried under a pile of slime, the body jerked, and Raven watched the head land with a thud and roll off into the darkness. Black blood oozed from the neck to plop down on her chest and stomach.

Rylan stood over her with the metal lunch tray in both his hands.

“You can’t stay out of trouble for even twenty-four hours, can you?”

Raven let her head thump to the ground, then rolled her hips, using her legs until the now-decapitated body slid off her to land with a juicy splat. “Give me a hand.”

When she lifted her arm, everything from the elbow up remained stuck to the stone floor. Rylan grabbed her wrist and yanked. There was a loud sucking noise, a painful tug on her clothes when the slime refused to release its hold, then she was on her feet.

Her clothes felt cold and clammy, stank to high heavens, and she grimaced. She held her arms out from her side, shook her hands and sludge flew off in large chunks. “Thanks. I think.”

The barrage against the mountain was so constant it had faded to white noise. She could almost forget, until a particularly nasty hit shook the walls.

“I see you’re making friends.” He nudged the corpse with his foot. “Where’d they come from?”

Raven kept herself busy by removing a pile of gunk as it slowly slid down her back like a slug wiggling over her body. “They’re the reanimated corpses of the bodies I wanted to burn.”

“Zombies.” His voice was flat. Rylan crossed his arms, a silent guard, watching her with those eyes of his that saw everything yet kept so many secrets. He scanned her from head to foot. “You don’t look injured.”

She shook her head. “I wasn’t bitten. I guess I’m not human enough for their taste.”

He cocked his head, easily sensing her disquiet. “More like not magical enough to satisfy their appetite.”

She gave him a small smile, appreciating the lie even if he didn’t mean it. “How did you know I was in trouble?”

“I was waiting for you to return before I went to sleep. I heard a commotion and figured I’d find you in the middle of it.”

Raven rolled her eyes and headed down the tunnel, tracking the other zombie.

Rylan’s hunger might be gone, but there was an edginess to him that didn’t bode well for the survival of those around him. “You need to rest.”

Rylan shook his head, his steps carefully measured as he kept pace. “I’ll be fine. The shifter blood helped.”

It was well past morning. He should be sleeping. He was slower, weaker, more vulnerable and trying to hide it. “It’s this place.”

He stiffened but didn’t look at her. “What?”

“It’s too much like the labs.”

He sucked in a startled breath, a telling sign, since his body didn’t need air.

“You noticed it, too.”

He gave a nearly imperceptible nod. “I’m afraid if I fall asleep, it will be like the last few years never happened, and I’ll wake back up in that cursed cell.”

They were both barely clinging to their sanity. She couldn’t tell Rylan to leave, not when his presence eased the memories for both of them. If she was a vampire, she’d go insane trapped inside her body when it shut down for the day. “Come, let’s find us a zombie.”

Rylan sniffed the air and pointed down a narrow alley she hadn’t even noticed. There was a spot of blood on the stone.

Bright.

Just spilled.

“Dammit! He found someone.” Little drops of blood dotted the path where the person had staggered off. “The amount of blood could indicate they’re still alive.”

Rylan touched the blood, then brought his fingers to his lips when she caught his arm. 

“Don’t.”

“I can track him better this way. A taste won’t hurt me.”

Meaning he wouldn’t be affected by memories with such a small dose. Raven didn’t care. “We can’t risk you being infected as well. We don’t know how it will affect you. We can track him without putting you in danger.”

“Like how you never throw yourself in danger?” He stood and raised his brow at her.

“That’s different.” She muttered it under her breath, but she knew he heard her anyway. “I don’t go looking for it.”

“Oh, wait, I’d forgotten, it finds you.”

Raven narrowed her eyes at his sarcasm and stalked down the hall to search for the missing zombie. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You love taking risks.”

Raven snorted at the absurdity. “No, I like helping people. I can’t help that it usually leads to danger.”

“Can’t you?” He easily kept pace, not allowing her to run away from the conversation. “I think you throw yourself at the most hazardous cases, so you don’t have to think or feel. You’re terrified of what might happen if you allow yourself to claim your pack completely and rule the way you should.”

“Leave it be.” She didn’t want to talk about this.

Not now.

Not ever.

He paused a beat. “Isn’t that why you called me? Because you’re afraid of what you’re capable of becoming once your animal crests?”

“You know what happened last time. I killed people. Lots of them.” Her heart gave a painful lurch.

Rylan grabbed her arm and shook her. “Bad people. People who kept you prisoner for eighteen years. They tortured you day after day.” His voice hardened, his eyes flashing black. “They deserved what they got.”

“And I don’t remember doing any of it. I had no control. What if next time I hurt someone innocent?”

“You did what you had to do to survive.” He released her, looked at his hands, and grimaced at the black goo that had transferred to him. He removed a handkerchief from his pocket, shook it out and dabbed at the stains. “You underestimate yourself and your animal. I have complete faith in you. I’d be more worried if you had no fear.”

“And what if you’re wrong?” He gave her hope, and that was dangerous. If she allowed herself to believe she could have her pack, it would destroy her to lose them.

“Then we’ll face it together.”

His offer blindsided her. “You’d do that for me?”

He began walking down the tunnel, following the blood trail. “Maybe it’s time we both face our fears.”

His answer poleaxed her, and she had to scramble to catch up to him, so grateful she wanted to hug him. “Thank you.”

He grunted and concentrated on the trail.

When they rounded the corner, they came face to face with a group of five witches. Both parties froze and eyed the others. Paige was in the group and avoided meeting her eyes. After the way she’d behaved, Raven didn’t blame her.

“One down. The other got away.” Raven pointed to the bloody trail. “It looks like the second one found a victim.”

Heloise’s lips tightened at the evidence. “Which way did it go?”

Raven shrugged. “We lost him and decided to follow the blood trail instead.”

“How the hell could this happen?” Heloise sounded more defeated than angry.

“I suspect the Prime knew you would retreat to this fortress and set a trap for you. Once they sensed magic, they woke.”

“Which is why no one was able to find the missing bodies back on campus.”

“You were fighting the Prime and keeping your people alive. A few missing corpses was not a priority.”

“They’re not zombies.” Paige scoffed, having found her tongue again, the little snot.

Raven wanted to drag her down the tunnel and shove her face into the corpse they left behind. “Not in the conventional sense, but they are dead, and they are hunting those who have magic. They’ve already bitten one person. Probably infected them.”

“Why weren’t you bitten?” Paige elbowed her way forward. “How do we know she isn’t working with them?”

Raven was taken aback by her accusation, but maybe she shouldn’t have been. “You mean after you left Luca and me to face down two zombies when you riled them up and then ran?” Raven prowled forward until she was right in the girl’s face. “I wasn’t bitten because we removed his head from his body before he could. We need to find the rest of the corpses and find out how many people have been infected.”

The girl colored at the accusation, but backed away in disgust when she noticed Raven’s tattered appearance.

Raven couldn’t blame her for that, since she knew she looked like she’d bathed in rotten blood and smelled as disgusting.

“I’ll have two groups put together to hunt them down.” Heloise turned to the wizards who hung in the back. “Search this level. There are five zombies left. We need to find them.”

“No magic, unless you want to become bait. They’re drawn to it. The more you use, the faster and stronger they get.” Raven turned toward Heloise. “Where do you want us?”

She didn’t answer at first, then heaved a sigh. “I want you to inspect all the witches and find those who were bitten.”

Raven resisted the urge to curse, sure that if the witches hadn’t hated her before, they would now. “We need a place where we can isolate them from the rest of the community.”

“You don’t get to tell us what to do.” Paige apparently wasn’t done with her yet.

Raven shrugged, picking at the goo around her fingernails. “Fine, don’t listen to me. It appears only witches are affected. Let them run free, I’m sure everything will be fine. It’s your life you’re gambling with.”

Paige crossed her arms and glared, but didn’t say anything more.

Heloise stared at Paige, her face impassive. “I have given you a lot of latitude, hoping you’d show promise, but you obviously think your powers make you special. You’re just one of hundreds of students. Let me tell you, darling, being a leader is about more than power. It’s knowing when to use it, and when to stand down and protect your people.”

Raven wanted to cheer, but she knew the lesson wouldn’t last. If they managed to leave the fortress and survive, she had no doubt Heloise would go right back to seeing Raven as the enemy.

Heloise pinned her with her spooky dark eyes, clearly still wishing she could blame this mess on Raven. “We’ll place them in holding.”

“You’re putting them in jail?” One of the older witches seemed shocked at the choice.

“It’s the only secured place, unless you feel comfortable having them walk around infected with wild magic?”

The woman closed her mouth without another protest.

Raven gave a nod. “Show me where to set up.”

Heloise turned and led them down a short corridor. They hadn’t gone two steps when a familiar sound caught her ear…scuffling feet.

Raven halted, motioning for Heloise to hand over an amulet. The moment she activated the spell, the zombie shot out of the tunnel toward her. It clipped Rylan on the shoulder so hard he barely managed to remain on his feet.

Raven twisted and grab one of the arms reaching for her. Using his momentum, she swung him around and slammed him into the wall. His skull hit with a nauseating crack. Raven pinned him with a knee to his lower back, but it still wasn’t enough to hold him. She used her shoulder against his back to keep him from escaping, her whole body plastered against the revolting creature.

Bones snapped from the pressure she used to keep it still, but the zombie didn’t feel a thing. His teeth clicked together over and over with a sickening frequency, while he tried to lunge for her. Ravenous for magic, he clawed at the wall, breaking first nails and then fingers in his hunger. Blood smeared the stones as he tore his hands apart to get at her. “Some help here would be great.”

Her hold was slipping.

If he got loose, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to grab him before someone was bitten. Rylan came into view with a rock that had to weigh at least thirty pounds. He lifted it over his head and nodded.

Raven leapt back just as the rock descended.

The first blow caved the skull.

The body collapsed to the floor, but the thing just wouldn’t stay dead. It clawed its way toward Raven, hauling his body behind him. Rylan brought down the rock a second time, splitting the head open like a watermelon.

Black goo drained from the mess in an ever-widening circle.

And the smell was just atrocious, like a skunk and road kill had mated in a rotten mess.

Rylan dropped the rock and dusted off his hands. His skin had turned gray, and she cursed herself for not noticing sooner. “You have to go rest before you collapse. You’re no good to me dead.”

He gave her a searching look before finally nodding. “Try to stay out of trouble while I’m gone.”

“Of course.” As he disappeared down the tunnel, Raven picked up a shard of stone and scraped up some of the goo.

“What’re you doing?” Curiosity lured Heloise closer.

“I want my doctor to do a work-up on this virus. I’d also like permission to take a sample from one of the bitten as well.”

 It took close to three hours to check every caster in the fortress. They submitted to the search with ill grace. Overall, ten people had been bitten; the eight witches and two wizards were then secured behind locked doors.

Raven frowned as she inspected her notes. People were in various stages of infection, those who were further along had slight fevers.

“You sense it, too, don’t you?”

Raven went rigid, doing her best not to squeal in alarm. No one likes to have an assassin sneak up on them. It took her a few seconds to recall his question. “The wizards seem unaffected, but there’s something wrong with the witches’ magic. It’s become mangled.”

As if answering him was an invitation, he moved to stand next to her. “Wizards don’t hold magic, they can only use it. Once they relinquish their magic, the infection has nothing to latch onto and it clears their system.”

Raven suspected the same thing. “Then why go after them?”

“They probably got in the way or were using magic at the wrong time.”

It chilled her to know he was so familiar with the virus, as if he’d contemplated biological warfare for fun in his spare time. “And the witches?”

“Their magic is no longer pure.”

Raven brushed the front of her shirt, but the black goo stubbornly clung to her. “They’re turning into something else.”

Randolph raised a brow. “Agreed, but the better question might be, turning into what? We can’t afford to have more people able to wield wild magic.”

He was suggesting that they kill them.

Why wasn’t she surprised?

Raven turned her back on the prison hallway and forced herself to meet Randolph’s look. “How do you know so much about this virus?”

He smiled as if he found her suspicions amusing. “If you were going to attack the witches, the best way to do it would be to attack their magic. They’re ingenious at protecting themselves. No one has ever been able to find a way to undermine them.”

Until now went unsaid.

 Chapter Twenty

DAY FIVE: LATE AFTERNOON

Randolph was right about one thing…they couldn’t afford to have more wild magic loose in the world. It didn’t matter if the infected could wield it or not. If what Heloise said was true, wild magic was sentient up to a point. It would eventually find a way to spread and infect others, searching for the perfect host.

Her creature had been able to shred and destroy the wild magic in tiny doses, but not without some world-class indigestion.

“If you don’t do anything, they’ll die anyway and infect others before they do.” Randolph had followed her around for the past hour while she examined the survivors, always watching and studying her.

Everything inside her rebelled at the thought of experimenting on people. “No.”

Randolph raised a brow. “Isn’t it a little presumptuous of you? Doing nothing will condemn them. Don’t you think they deserve a choice?”

Raven resisted the urge to rip out his throat, anything to shut him up. She knew what he was doing. He didn’t care about helping these people, he wanted her to use her power so he could study it.

He leaned forward, hands on the table. He looked approachable and friendly, but it was a carefully crafted pose. There was nothing normal about the man. A stillness rested beneath the surface that was unnatural…like a cobra ready to strike. “We need a weapon to use against the Prime. The only way we’re going to find one is through them. I shouldn’t need to remind you that when the wards fall, we’ll all be at the mercy of the Prime.”

He straightened and left without another word, the clever bastard, leaving her to stew in her thoughts. And damn him, he was right.

If she did nothing, they were all dead.

After only an hour of observation, Raven dismissed the two wizards. They hurried away, relieved to be free. She gathered the others in a secured room. The oval table seated ten, the mismatched chairs leftovers from an era long gone. The four walls were solid granite but man-made, an office many would pay a fortune to have designed topside.  

They were far enough into the mountain that the noise and jarring effects of the attack had faded. Only the occasional tremor could be seen in the cups of water resting on the table.

It wouldn’t be too much longer before the Prime broke through.

“Why are we here?” A middle-aged, plump woman who could be someone’s knitting grandmother, spoke from her seat at the end of the table. That she still showed her age meant she either came into her powers later in life or had such miniscule magic that even small spells were beyond her. Since she was their spokesperson, Raven was guessing the first option.

“You’ve all been bitten and infected.”

“Infected with what?” The girl at the foot of the table was belligerent, absently tugging down her sleeve to cover the bandage on her arm.

“Wild magic or what you call ancient magic.”

They laughed, but soon their amusement melted into disquiet.

The grandmother spoke. “What do you mean?”

“You’re hungry, but no food helps. You’re showing signs of magical withdrawal: shakes, nausea and headaches. None of you can use your magic, and have been unable to since an hour after being bitten. That’s because your magic is being altered.”

Their disbelief changed then to something far more dangerous.

Terror.

Without their magic, they would age and die.

“Those without magic who were bitten starved out the infection. In your case, your magic is feeding the ancient magic. As you weaken, it grows stronger.”

“What do you want from us?” One of the men spoke this time, an older guy who could have passed for a butler at even the poshest English estate.

Raven released a breath, relieved that they were listening to her, and leaned forward. “The wild magic doesn’t seem to care for me. I want to find out why, and hopefully stop the process.”

A few of them didn’t move, suspicion darkening their expressions.

“I’m trying to help. If nothing is done, you’ll eventually be consumed by the wild magic, but not before you pass it on to someone else.” That stopped all the objections. She rose and walked around the table. “When I pass by you, I want you to call upon your magic.”

The butler was the first person in line. When she placed a hand on his shoulder, the magic he’d gathered scurried away like she was a predator. The rest of the table behaved similarly.

“It worked.” The youngest girl smiled, her whole posture melting with relief. When the others remained silent, the huge grin dropped off her face. “Right?”

Raven crossed her arms. “I’m afraid not. It’s acting like prey and hiding.”

“Not prey.” The granny shook her head. “Survival.”

“Randolph, would you mind taking a turn and walk around the room?” Raven waited for him to protest, but he gave her an amused smile, pleased to be included.

Even without trying, she felt the wild magic rise, reaching out in curiosity. The witches’ eyes glazed over with fever as the magic took over.

The blend of old and new magic tasted darker.

Tainted.

As if sensing the threat, all emotions dropped from Randolph until his eyes were pale green chips of ice. The trained assassin emerged. As he passed, the people leaned away from him. Despite being curious, the wild magic made no move against him.

At least not yet.

It chilled her to realize it was waiting, smart enough to know it needed to be stronger before attacking this man. When Randolph came to a stop at her side, he stood to attention like a dog that had his fur ruffled.

Raven walked the circuit of the room one more time.

When she came to a stop at her seat, the magic was gone again.

“You’re dampening it, repressing it somehow.”

The young man sounded so enthusiastic Raven hated to disappoint him. “I’m slowing the infection, but that’s not good enough. It won’t hold.”

The granny nodded, her gray hair bobbing. “She’s right. Once our magic is gone, the wild magic will take over, and we’ll become the enemy.”

“This is all bullshit.” A woman who resembled a soccer mom shoved away from the table, her ponytail swinging. “Why are we even listening to her?”

A second girl rose to her feet. “Ancient magic is a blessing, trusted to only the strongest. We were chosen. We’re meant to rule. She’s trying to trick you into giving up your power.”

The room erupted in confusion. Three witches sided with the soccer mom.

“You’re a fool.” The pity on the granny’s face was more powerful than any argument. “And you’ll die for it.”

Raven raised her hands. “I’m not going to force anyone to do anything. You saw what wild magic could do. I think I can help you, but only if you want it.”

The granny stood. “I want to live.”

Three others nodded, splitting the group in half. Raven hadn’t expected so many to place their trust in her. It was both humbling and scared the crap out of her. “The rest of you will go back to your cells, and—”

“No.” Soccer mom smiled, a sinister twist to her lips. “We don’t take orders from you or anyone else anymore.”

The temperature dropped as wild magic thickened in the air, growing like a black shadow as it lashed out.

Like a ghostly fist, it plowed through her chest, grabbed her heart and squeezed. Raven gasped and fell against the granite-tiled wall. Her power rose at the assault, her armor hardening, cutting off the stream of dark magic.

She inhaled sharply at the rush of fresh air, and shoved away from the wall. Rage roared through her as her creature woke with a vengeance. She grabbed soccer mom by the throat and hefted her off her feet. Pinned to the wall, the woman wheezed for air, clawing at Raven’s hand. Nails snapped off when she encountered the armor.

“Stop.”

As if sensing her prey was about to be snatched away, her grip tightened.

Bones creaked in protest.

The granny pushed her way forward. “You mustn’t kill her. If you do, the ancient magic will be set free to seek a new host.”

A growl rumbled up her throat, and Raven reluctantly lowered the woman to the floor. Soccer mom immediately dropped to her knees. Raven grabbed the girl’s blonde ponytail and yanked her head back.

Fear widened the woman’s eyes, and the dark shadows of magic swirling in them scuttled away to hide.

Raven couldn’t let her go free, not without taking some precautions.

She called on her power, and was shocked when the wild magic rose at her summons. She almost jerked back, able to feel it lick at her fingers like an eager puppy. It gathered itself, ready to leap, and panic clawed up her throat.

She searched for the source of the ancient power in the woman’s body, and found it had completely infested every part of her. The wizards could manipulate magic, but not store it. Witches pulled it through the earth and stockpiled small amounts of it in their body.

Wild magic was like neither.

It was sentient.

It needed to feed to grow stronger.

The similarities to her own power were chilling.

She didn’t know what would happen if it tried to take her over. She was a conduit, able to absorb energy from anything around her. She could become the ultimate power source if she didn’t find a way to protect herself.

Her beast rumbled in agreement and a flood of power engulfed her. When she grabbed the seething blue strands of electricity, the creature tightened its hold until it felt like her bones were being wrapped with barbed wire.

That’s when she understood what the creature wanted.

“I bind you from doing harm.” Raven sent a surge of energy into the woman, scraping every inch of her insides to gather the ancient magic.

The girl screamed in agony as the wild magic tried to flee. But without another host, there was nowhere else for it to go. Raven looped cords of energy around the magic and dragged it into the woman’s bones. The magic gouged groove into the flesh to get away, but it was no use. Once it was encased in bone, Raven heated the electricity until the magic was bound tight.

The girl screamed again, a combination of pain and denial, before collapsing to the floor with a sob.

The world around her dipped as all her energy was stripped away. When the trembling didn’t stop, she leaned weakly against the wall, locking her knees to keep from sliding to the floor. When Raven opened her eyes, it was to find everyone on the other side of the room, staring at her with varying degrees of horror. She flinched at the accusations in their eyes, then raised her chin and accepted the sting of their judgment.

“What did you do?” The granny couldn’t take her eyes off the soccer mom huddled on the floor, not daring to go anywhere near the woman and risk having the same thing happen to her.

“I bound her magic from doing harm.” She thought they’d be relieved, but they acted as if she’d confessed that she enjoyed kicking puppies and torturing kittens in her spare time. “I didn’t kill her.”

The butler shook his head, pity leaching color from his face. “It would have been kinder if you had.”

“If I did nothing, she would’ve died within a week. This way, she can’t cast, the wild magic will starve, and she can have a normal life. Without magic, the bindings will fade. After a time, she might even get her abilities back.” It was the best solution for all of them, the only way she could save their lives. Why didn’t they understand?

“She’d never be more than a wizard.” Granny had a hand at her throat, her eyes sad. “I think we need to go back to our cells and consider our options.”

Disappointment slammed through Raven as they walked toward the door. “You do understand the wild magic can’t be allowed to go free.”

Granny helped the soccer mom to her feet and sent her on with the others. “You’re trying to help, dear, but we’ve spent our whole lives working for the coven. Without magic, we’re just human and worthless to them. We don’t just lose our magic, we lose our family, friends, our jobs and our very homes.”

The door closed behind them, leaving her alone with Randolph. Something dark moved behind his eyes, an awareness of danger, and a grudging nod of respect.

“You think I made the wrong choice, too.”

He shrugged as he strode toward the door, uncaring now that the excitement was over. “I couldn’t say. I would’ve just killed them.”

At one time all she had wanted was to be normal.

To be human.

But at the prospect of losing her pack, she wasn’t sure she could go through with stripping herself of her creature, not if it meant losing everything.

* * *

Durant was waiting for her when she reached their room. Repressed violence hovered around him as she entered. He scanned her from head to toe, his arms crossed, his muscles bulging as he resisted the urge to reach for her. “You’ve had an interesting day.”

Raven froze, then cursed, reaching up and using her sleeve to scrub at the stubborn goo that had given her away. “You heard.”

Exhaustion made every move a chore. She wanted to lean against him, soak up his strength, but his look didn’t invite her closer.

“You were gone when I came back.” A growl rumbled up his chest. “You went off alone.”

Restless energy poured from him, the cramped room offering no outlet to work off his amped up rage. She needed to defuse it before he exploded. “Only to get food. I got distracted.”

“You nearly got dead.” The growled words were as good as a shout.

Raven wasn’t in the mood to be lectured. Needing to switch the subject, she said the first thing that came to mind. “How are your wounds?”

“Fine.” He spoke through clenched teeth, his words reluctant.

She didn’t believe him one bit and copied his pose by crossing her arms. “Let me see.”

He didn’t take the change of subject easily, glaring at her for a full minute before his lips tightened in defeat, and he reached for the hem of his shirt.

As packed muscles came into view, she wondered if she might have made a huge tactical error to ask him to strip while they were trapped in a room.

All alone.

With him half naked.

Muscles rippled as the shirt lifted before finally being pulled over his head. His dark golden hair fell wildly about his head. A little dusting of hair rested low on his abdomen, arrowing downward as if in invitation to delve lower.

It took a full minute of gawking for her brain to catch up with what she was seeing. Raw, angry lines crossed the front of his chest where claws had raked him. She somehow found herself in front of him, reaching out to trace the scars.

Muscles flexed under her touch and goose bumps chased across his skin. Those large hands of his clenched, but didn’t otherwise move. She didn’t dare lift her eyes to his, not until she saw everything. Instead, she circled around to find that his back was much worse.

The injuries were brutal, the blows meant to debilitate and kill.

One long wound traveled down the length of his spine. The only thing that saved her sanity was knowing that he was healing. Unable to stop herself, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss against the wards between his shoulder blades, giving thanks to them for saving his life.

He stiffened under her touch, stopped breathing and Raven could have kicked herself for giving in to the impulse. She carefully backed away, then turned and faced the wall when that didn’t curb the need to touch him again. “Where’s Dominic?”

“He went to eat with the other shifters. Without his wolf, we thought it would be safer that he not be left alone for long.”

It made sense. Durant’s clothes rustled as he moved, and she tensed up like a poker. If he touched her, they were both screwed. “Then why were you here alone?”

“Waiting for you.”

Raven whirled at his comment to see his upper lip curled in displeasure, revealing very sharp fangs.

Thank the heavens he’d replaced his shirt. So why was she so disappointed? She scratched her brow, trying to focus on the conversation and not recall the way he looked half naked. “I was completely safe.”

Durant raised a brow and purposely looked at the black goo staining more than fifty percent of her body.

“I just got in the way of a zombie.” His stared at her unblinking, and she protested the accusation in his eyes. “It had no interest in me.”

“Obviously.” Sarcasm coated the word. “You just happened to be in his way.”

Raven shifted uncomfortably, unwilling to lie to him. “Not exactly, but I couldn’t allow him to roam free. They’ve already infected eight people.”

His silence was unnerving. “How are we supposed to keep you safe?”

Raven sighed, and her shoulders slumped. “I don’t need saving.”

“No, maybe you don’t, but it will take us a while to adjust. The need to protect you is instinctual. I’ll take you at your word that you’ll allow us to catch you when you stumble.” Durant gave a charming smile as he neared, then he lifted a hand to cover his nose. “Can I talk you into taking a bath first?”

Raven lifted her arm to her face, then jerked back with a grimace. She smelled as if she’d been dug up and removed from a cemetery a few weeks after burial.

“Give me your shirt. I’ll clean it while you wash and then tell you what I’ve learned.”

She expected a teasing glint in his eyes when he talked about getting her naked, but he was very serious. With a heavy sigh, Raven headed toward the tiny washroom. “I’m not going to like this, am I?”

Raven stripped off her shirt and thrust it through the gap in the door. Durant scowled and gingerly picked it up between two fingers before disappearing with it. Raven scrubbed herself as much as she could in the sink, wishing for a full shower and maybe some acid to remove a few layers of skin.

“Try this.” Durant edged open the door and shoved a long-sleeve shirt at her. He didn’t bother to turn his back or offer her any privacy. She wasn’t fooled, fully aware that he was searching her for injuries, much like she had done to him not two minutes ago. She lowered the small towel, discreetly covering the tattoo at her side.

She wasn’t hiding it, not really. He’d already seen the mark in the shower. That didn’t mean she wanted to discuss it with him, not until she had time to figure out what it meant first.

Raven angled her body away from his prying eyes as she buttoned up the shirt. It was a good fit if a little short, flashing a bit of skin when she moved. “Satisfied?”

He grunted, shooting her a devilish smile. “Not even a little bit.”

Raven fought a blush and felt the heat rise anyway, which only made him smile wider. She skirted around him and walked toward the auditorium where everyone seemed to gather. “Tell me what you found out.”

He sighed, and his playfulness vanished. “The witches were still divided on the vote.”

“If what they say is true and the Prime only wants me, I could try and lead him away. It might give everyone else enough time to escape.”

“No.” His refusal was immediate. Durant placed his hand against her lower back, two fingers brushed bare skin, and her pulsed jumped predictably. Her reaction had a calming effect on him, and they stopped outside the auditorium doors. “We don’t know what he wants. We can’t risk him getting his hands on you.”

“He’s right.” Heloise emerged from auditorium, exhaustion lining her face. “If he wants you, it’s in our best interest not to hand you over. We cannot risk him becoming more powerful.”

There was no concern for her welfare, no compassion at the core of their decision, only practicality. If the witches believed it would save them, they would hand her over in a heartbeat.

Durant noticed the absence of concern as well, edging closer to her. “If you hand her over, you’ll lose your only advantage. He won’t stop until your whole race is annihilated.”

Heloise no longer tried to deny anything. “We managed to find and destroy the remaining zombies, but the wards are failing even faster than we expected. We can’t hold them much longer. We’re going to send the shifters out first to lay down cover and get out as many children as possible.”

The pronouncement was like a blow to the gut. “They’ll be massacred.”

Heloise gave her an impatient look. “We’re all going to be slaughtered, but we can try to save the children.”

Raven bit back her sharp retort, because Heloise was right. “What do you need me to do?”

The woman’s anger eased at her acceptance. She hesitated then shook her head. “We can’t risk the Prime going after you.”

A plump redheaded woman charged forward. “We should just hand her over. While the Prime’s distracted, we can all escape.”

Durant stepped forward, and Raven quickly placed a hand on his arm. He halted on the spot, but it didn’t stop his tongue. “The shifters will only follow her. Sacrifice her, and they’ll hunt every last one of you down. I’ll make sure of it.”

The woman blanched, but that wasn’t what Raven noticed the most. Shadows moved in Heloise’s eyes at the threat. Everything was unraveling around them, and Raven couldn’t let that happen, or they’d all die in this tomb.

“Stop. Both of you. Neither of you gets to decide what to do with me. That decision is between me and Heloise.”

The plump witch pursed her lips at the sour taste of being told what to do by a filthy beast. Durant took it better…that was if you didn’t notice the way his eyes had turned golden as his animal stared boldly out at her with disapproval.

Heloise gave her a measured look, then a reluctant nod of respect. “I stand by my decision. It’s too dangerous for him to get his hands on you.”

“The shifters are willing to fight, but if they survive, they want to be released from their contract.” Raven lied through her teeth. The shifters had said no such thing, but they deserved to be rewarded for their sacrifice.

Heloise scowled, and a murmur of protest rose among the other witches. Her reluctance was obvious when she finally spoke through gritted teeth. “Fine.”

The witches had no choice but agree with the concession, and they knew it.

Something nagged at Raven. “Why was the Prime so important?”

“He’s the best of us, trained to bind and destroy magic.”

Raven remembered the thread of red encircling his eyes. They were no longer dealing with the Prime at all. “So binding and destroying magic is a special trait known only to Primes?”

There was a stretch of silence. Heloise answered first, her reluctance obvious. “It takes a special talent that only a few people can master, not to mention a tremendous amount of power and training.”

Raven’s heart dropped, and a sinking sensation ballooned in her gut. “How do you defeat wild magic?”

“By being stronger.”

Raven cocked her head at the prompt answer. It was a half-lie. “But won’t the magic jump to the more powerful person?”

Durant stood in front of her, giving the witches his back. He cupped her chin and lifted her face to his. “We’re not going to gamble that you’re stronger.”

“It can be bound.”

“What?”

“I think that’s why the Prime is so anxious to get to me.”

Over his shoulder, Heloise jerked at the announcement.

“The Prime is strong, but once he starts consuming magic from others, he will become invincible. If we act now, I should be able to bind him.”

“If it doesn’t kill you first.” Durant’s statement was flat, and the crux of the problem. Binding the soccer mom had nearly wiped her out, and that had been just a small sample.

What would be left of her after she’d bound the Prime?

 Chapter Twenty-one

Heloise marched forward. She tried to push her way past Durant, but he wouldn’t budge. “Are you sure?”

“I was able to bind one of the infected.”

Everyone appeared stunned. “What did you learn?”

“Those bitten aren’t suitable hosts. The wild magic is consuming their magic faster than they can gather more. Once it’s taken everything, it will jump to another host.”

Heloise paled. “After which, rapid aging will kill them within a matter of hours.”

The future for those who’d been bitten was bleak, unless they could figure out an alternative. “The cave is an incubation center. If the Prime just waits, you’ll all be infected or dead soon enough.”

“Releasing the ancient magic would create a scourge over the earth.”

“I could try to absorb as much magic as possible and fight the Prime.”

The witches backed away, horrified at the prospect of losing their powers, even temporarily.

Durant stepped closer until she was pinned between him and the wall. “You’d burn out.”

“But maybe I could kill the Prime first.”

“Or he’d kill you.”

“If you hadn’t noticed, I have a hard time staying dead.”

Durant wasn’t convinced. “You said it yourself, you’re changing. We no longer know if that holds true.”

They all doubted that she was strong enough to take the Prime in a fight and win. The lack of support from one of her own stung. “There was a reason the zombies weren’t interested in me. I’m not food, and I think the same thing will happen with the Prime.”

“Explain.” The air around Heloise sharpened at her comment, her complete attention now riveted on Raven.

“Witches can only manipulate natural energy, bending it to their will. Kind of like a single-phase energy. I use more of a three-phase power.”

 “You mean, when you can use it.” Durant narrowed his eyes, determined to protect her at all cost.

It was a low blow, but she had to admit there was some truth to it. “Could he want to use me as his familiar?”

Her stomach churned at the thought that the Prime might know the truth about her, but Durant was already shaking his head. “Familiars are used to take the brunt of the cost when casters use more power than they’re capable of handling. Ancient magic doesn’t work the same way. It doesn’t need familiars. If they burned out, they can just grab another host.”

“There is another way to defeat him.” Everyone whirled to see Randolph strolling up to them. He flashed her a smile, and she barely managed not to flinch. She subtly edged in front of Durant.

Randolph’s eyes lit up at the telling move, and it was all she could do not to wince. “Explain.”

He turned to Heloise and lifted a brow. She didn’t move, but her brown eyes flashed black, signaling that she was fully prepared to defend herself.

“Heloise has been keeping secrets.”

Even though Raven didn’t want to take her eyes away from Randolph, she looked at the witch, and saw a tightening around her lips. Randolph spoke the truth. She and Heloise weren’t friends, but she’d expected the witch to work with her to get everyone of this alive.

Apparently she was wrong.

“What did you find?” she asked Randolph.

“A weapons room.”

It was the last thing she’d expected him to say. “What?”

“They’re ceremonial weapons,” Heloise protested “They’re no use to you against magic.”

Again, not quite a lie, but Raven had enough subterfuge. “All our lives are at risk, and you’re more worried about keeping your secrets than keeping people alive.”

The witches remained tightlipped, and any cordiality between them cracked. Distrust filled the void. Disgusted at their pettiness, she turned back to Randolph. “Show me.”

“My pleasure.”

Raven cringed at his pleased expression. That could never be a good sign.

“Don’t do this.” Heloise scurried after them, but she made no move to interfere, probably knowing it would escalate into a fight she had no hope of winning.

“You didn’t give us much choice.”

No one else spoke as they hastened lower into the cramped tunnels, where the passageways were older and significantly narrower. The walls were rougher, the floor not as well travelled. The air became heavier, and she wasn’t sure if it was because they were underground or if it was the vast amount magic that hummed in the air. She suspected the latter. The vibration of magic was like that of a running refrigerator, you didn’t notice it unless you really listened. The constant thud of warfare faded, the absence of the relentless pounding made the silence seem even louder.

They finally came to a stop outside an ancient doorway blocked by an enormous slab of stone.

Randolph stood to the side, eyes twinkling challengingly at Raven.

She studied the door, noticing the static wrapped around the boulder.

Another damned ward.

Raven looked over her shoulder at Heloise. “Open it.”

She pursed her lips then shook her head. “I can’t.”

Raven narrowed her eyes and turned to face the witches. Heloise raised her hands. “I mean it. I can’t. You must be one of the chosen to enter into the chamber beyond. It’s a graduation test for all students. Those who pass are allowed to attempt the training necessary to become a Prime.”

With reluctance, Raven turned to face Randolph. “How did you know about this room?”

He rocked back and forth on his feet, practically bursting to tell her. “The children talked about sneaking down here. They said there were weapons. I came to investigate.”

He was holding something back.

She glanced at the door then back at him. “You couldn’t get through.”

He stilled, and his smile slipped. “No.”

“And you wanted to see if I could.”

Much to her surprise, he shook his head. “Not at all. I know you can open it.”

Raven didn’t like the sound of that at all. “I’m not a witch.”

Randolph shrugged. “I don’t think it cares whether you are or not. I think it measures a person’s power, their intent and allows those who are pure to enter.”

He had a hell of a lot of power, so his intentions weren’t pure.

How was she not surprised.

Still not sure she trusted Randolph, Raven glanced at the witches.

“He speaks the truth.”

Her stomach went tumbling at the answer. She didn’t want to open that door. She didn’t want to draw more attention to herself. Whatever lay in the room beyond would change everything. All she wanted to do was save her people. Was that too much to ask?

“You don’t have to do this.” Durant stepped between her and the door, as if sensing her reluctance. Trying to spare her.

While sweet, it wasn’t the truth. “Yes, I do.”

He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her, glaring at the witches. “Tell me this won’t harm her.”

Raven tried to pull away, but realized that he’d effectively trapped her against him. She had no doubt he’d physically pick her up and carry her away if he thought she was in any danger.

Heloise didn’t bat an eyelash. “I can’t promise that.”

Durant’s arms tightened until Raven’s ribs creaked. She tipped her head up and met his gaze. “I have to do this.”

He pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “I know.”

But he didn’t let her go.

“Kiss me.”

Durant stiffened at her demand.

When he opened his eyes, they were pure molten gold. His leather scent surrounded her, ratcheting up her hunger for just a taste. When his head lowered, she went up on her toes, expecting to be ravished. Instead, his mouth barely touched hers, a light brush of lips that beckoned her to lean in for more. He did it again, tearing a frustrated groan from her, and she licked her lips to catch another taste.

He straightened, his hands running down her back in a light caress. Then he stepped back, leaving her unsatisfied and craving more. “What the hell?”

“Come back to me, and I’ll finish what I started.”

Raven flushed at how much she wanted that and muttered jackass under her breath. His grin said he’d heard and enjoyed torturing her, but worry lingered in the way his eyes remained gold.

Taking a deep breath, Raven walked up to the door.

There was no knob.

Of course not, that would be too easy.

She’d have to go through the ward. After only a slight hesitation, she lifted her hand to the door. Her fingers slipped through a film of static, and her palm was slammed against stone like a magnet being pulled forward. She tugged but to no avail.

She wasn’t going anywhere.

Static ate up her arm, the pain like someone was peeling off her skin. Her armor hardened all the way up to her elbow, and she was able to feel the small plates locking into place. The static remained, but became more of a hum. Then everything went quiet.

She expected cold, hard stone under her touch, and couldn’t have been more surprised when she encountered something with the consistency of warm clay. Since she couldn’t go backwards, Raven pushed forward. Her whole hand disappeared. She was up to her wrist when she met resistance.

Now she was well and truly stuck.

“Um, any suggestions?”

“If it doesn’t accept your magic, you don’t gain entrance.” Despite all her protests, Heloise looked disappointed at the rejection, while the other two witches looked smug. “We should return to the others and decide what our next steps should be.”

Raven heaved a sigh. “I would if I could, but I seemed to be stuck.”

Everyone stopped.

“What do you mean?” Heloise came closer and studied the situation, scowling when she saw Raven’s hand was encased in stone. “How much magic did you use to force your way in?”

Raven nearly gave into the urge to deck her, might have if she could reach her. “None. It grabbed me and now it won’t let go.”

Heloise was already shaking her head. “Impossible.”

Randolph smirked as he came to stand next to Heloise. “Looks possible to me.” Then all amusement dropped away as if it never been when he faced Raven. “Call your energy to you.”

Everything in her rebelled at the suggestion. The fact that he wanted her to try it guaranteed it was a bad idea. “I don’t think so.”

His eyes frosted to a light green, then he shrugged and walked away. “Fine, but I’m not the one stuck. How far do you think your kitty will get when the wards fall?”

Bastard.

“We’ll survive.” Durant’s face was impassive. “Don’t let them use us to make you do something that doesn’t feel right.”

Raven glanced back at the door. She didn’t feel threatened, not exactly. The static had retreated, hovering over the door again like a sentinel, and she had a sneaking suspicion what it wanted.

It didn’t want her power, it wanted her.

It wasn’t until she’d armored herself that her progress was halted.

Her creature had remained silent and observant since they’d neared the door. She prodded it, hoping it would take the hint and retreat. The beast resisted. For the first time, she had the impression it wanted to protect her.

Trust me.

There was a rumble of displeasure, then the creature slowly retreated. The armor clicked as it disassembled, melting back into her skin. The beast crouched, ready to spring at the first sign of trouble, and Raven was grateful for the support.

Two heartbeats passed before the static spilled out from the door and crawled up her arm once more. The pain felt like it was eating away her flesh. Part of her wondered what would happen when it reached her heart, but she gritted her teeth, locked her knees and bore it.

They needed weapons. Without them, everyone would die.

As if reading her intent, the clay softened under her fingers, and she pushed forward.

And her fingertips met open air on the other side. The pain faded, leaving her skin tingling and slightly numb.

She would have cheered if she’d had enough breath. The static was up to her shoulder now.

Not willing to give up, Raven continued to push forward and swallowed the scream building at the back of her throat. Once her hand broke through the other side, it was as if the clay grabbed her and sucked her through. The previously slow torture of the static flashed through her for a vomit-inducing second. Then she found herself on the other side of the door, on her hands and knees, trying to remember how to breathe again.

She was shaking so hard it took two tries before she managed to stand. It felt like she’d been through a scrubbing system, only it had used steel wool to peel away her skin and read her soul.

The room was pitch black, so even wither creature’s help, her vision barely penetrated the gloom. Something in her chest loosened when she saw the door had a knob. She wouldn’t have to exit the same way. Her skin felt sensitive to the air, even her hair hurt. She closed her eyes and searched for her creature, panic threatening to drown her when it didn’t respond.

Where are you?

A thin barrier snapped, and the creature rose from her bones, stole through her system, wrapping around her in a comforting hug. The residual pain faded. Breathing became easier. The pressure in her head vanished.

Thank you.

She felt its rumble of pleasure.

There was no more hiding from her creature, and she suspected there never had been. It had granted her time to become accustomed to its presence instead of taking over. She could only be grateful.

Raven grabbed the knob on the door and yanked.

It opened easily.

Light spilled into the room, quickly followed by Durant. He stumbled, nearly fell before catching his balance. He whirled, his eyes golden, his fangs prominent as he roared.

When he saw her, he charged.

Before she could brace for impact, Raven found herself smothered against his chest as he wrapped her in his arms. His heartbeat thundered under her cheek, and she brushed her fingers against his back to soothe him. “I’m fine.”

He buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled. Only after a full minute did his shoulders relax and he eased back. Before she could guess his intent, his mouth covered hers. There was nothing soft or caring in his touch. This was pure dominance. Heat flooded her system at his loss of control. Hunger roared through her, and she kissed him back, raking her fingers through his hair, wanting him closer.

Someone cleared their throat, and it took Raven a second to gather her wits and remember they weren’t alone. She ducked her head, pleased at the little growl of displeasure that vibrated in Durant’s chest.

She peeled herself away, the separation almost painful. Her creature hissed in annoyance, her fingertips aching as claws threatened to erupt, wanting to tear into whoever had interrupted.

Durant pressed up against her back, cuddling her close, his blatant arousal like a brand against her lower back. Surprisingly, the creature eased back, pleased at the attention. Durant placed his hand over her stomach, his fingertips playing with the small gap between her shirt and pants. A single claw scraped against the delicate skin, and she shivered as desire burned hotter.

All lust was doused when Randolph entered the room. She pulled away from Durant and tugged down her shirt as far as possible. Durant tucked her behind him, again the protective alpha male, and she couldn’t help placing her hand between his shoulder blades. Muscles flexed under her touch, and she shivered, imagining again what it would be like to be naked and wrapped around him.

When she realized that he was projecting his thoughts to her, she smacked him and pulled away. “Stop it.”

He glanced over his shoulder, his unrepentant lust gleaming back at her. That’s when she realized he’d been holding himself back for fear of scaring her off. He wasn’t manipulating her, not really, he just wanted to show her what she was missing.

Putting more distance between them helped her regain some control. Conceding defeat, her beast sighed and settled back under her skin.

When she turned away, she saw the witches had lit the room. They were scattered throughout, a hushed quality around them as they examined the weapons stacked haphazardly throughout the armory. Some were hung on the wall, others were on pedestals, a few even tossed into crates or stacked against the wall. Curiously, there was even a cupboard full of books and clothes that reminded her of druids.

Beyond a drawer filled to the brim with jewels, she saw nothing to cause such reverence in the witches. “I don’t understand. Why go to so much trouble to lock away a few weapons?”

She didn’t hold out much hope that what she saw would be a match against the Prime.

“They’re not just weapons.” Heloise didn’t bother looking at her as she reverently traced the air over the knife before her. “They’re spelled. Only a chosen few are selected to wield them.”

Raven gingerly walked toward the wall to study a row of daggers on display. Some were encrusted with jewels, while others were marred with nicks and rust. “Spelled to do what?”

She copied Heloise and ran her hand in the air.

And received a nasty shock strong enough to singe the tips of her fingers.

She saw Randolph doing the same and getting the same results. He moved from one to the next, systematically working his way around the room, as if searching for one particular item.

There was silence, and she glanced up to see Heloise looking at her if she were an idiot. “Fight magic.”

“Right.”

Impatience shut down Heloise’s good cheer, and she shook her head. “Unless they’ve chosen someone to wield them, these weapons are virtually useless to fight off the Prime. We don’t have much time before the final wards fall.”

Durant’s size made some of the daggers look like toothpicks. He saw her looking and winked. “Throwing daggers.”

They were obviously made for a smaller hand…a woman’s hand. Others, like the giant sword high on the wall, stood taller than her small frame. As she drew near, she noticed a faint glow under the bench.

With great reluctance, Heloise moved toward the door. “We need to go.”

Curiosity got the best of Raven, and she dropped to her hands and knees. Pressed against the wall, as if it had fallen behind the bench and been forgotten, rested a small sword. Her hands curled into fists to keep from reaching for it.

“What did you find?”

Raven jerked back to see Randolph stooping beside her, peering under the bench.

She hadn’t even felt him approach.

“Nothing.” She wanted to shove him away from the sword, already feeling possessive of the damned thing.

When she pushed herself up and made to stand, he latched onto her wrist. His hold was just short of bruising, not letting her retreat. “What did you see?”

Durant quickly approached, a scowl darkening his face, and Raven raised her free hand to ward him off, terrified what would happen if Randolph got his hands on him. “I’m fine.”

He stopped a foot away; his legs splayed and arms crossed, an imposing alpha determined to defend what was his.

Stubborn ass.

He was going to get himself killed.

Randolph tightened his grip, not liking the way her attention wandered away from him, and she held back a wince. “I saw a sword.”

“What does it look like?”

Though she was reluctant to share, he wasn’t going to budge. The thought of him reaching back and touching the blade sent rage swirling through her. “Old. Little over three feet long. Two-edged. Pointed.”

 “It’s a bastard sword. It can be used for two-handed fighting or single-handed for fast combat.” Randolph grinned, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Pull it out.”

She wanted the sword so much she nearly did as he asked. Instead she stepped back, her heart pounding against her ribs so hard, she feared she might have a heart attack. “No.”

Her creature rose, snarling in denial.

At first Raven thought it woke to protect her, but again and again she found her eyes drawn to the light under the bench. The beast wrestled her for control, trying to force her to do its bidding. Her head pounded under the assault, and it was all she could do to hold her ground.

It didn’t want Randolph anywhere near the sword.

Randolph rose to his feet, hands raised and walked backwards with no expression on his face.

A dark suspicion took root. Though he didn’t harbor an animal, his power was very similar to her own. Possibly stronger than hers. If the blade had selected her, the likelihood it might work for him as well left her nauseous.

Knowledge flickered in his eyes, and she knew the same thought had crossed his mind. Then he stopped, still within grabbing distance. “Either you claim it, or I will.”

It was a threat, and a quite effective one.

She took a step toward the bench, and the creature stopped throwing herself at the prison of Raven’s body, and sat hunched, ready to pounce if Randolph came within swatting distance. Raven wasn’t sure she’d be able to hold it back next time.

She suspected she was falling for one of Randolph’s schemes. Why risk his life to grab the sword first when she could do it for him? If she survived, she’d have to be prepared for him to come after it.

And he would eventually.

Raven knelt, and Durant came to her side. “You don’t have to do this.”

But he was wrong. Without the sword, the fortress would fall to the Prime. She would lose him. “If we don’t defeat the Prime here, he will keep coming after me and destroy whatever stands in his way.”

His eyes flashed in protest, but he didn’t say a word. They both knew it was true.

Surprisingly, the witches didn’t try to stop her.

They were up to something.

Raven lay flat and reached for the blade. Her fingers brushed against the pommel, and electricity jolted up her arm and invaded her body. For a few seconds, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, as the raw energy swelled over her. Her muscles jumped and curled even after her fingers dropped away. Just when she got her breath back, the sword scraped across the stone floor, sparks flew, and it slammed into her palm.

Her fingers automatically curled around the hilt.

The jolt was gentler this time. Her teeth clicked together, clenched tight until she thought they’d crack. Every hair on her body stood at attention. Just when she thought her blood would boil, the agony dialed back.

Strong arms grabbed her ankles, and she was dragged backwards.

Her arm was still partially hidden when Durant rolled her onto her back. His golden eyes peered down at her, his obvious alarm making them gleam wildly. He ran his hands down her body, searching for injuries.

She didn’t bother protesting, since he wouldn’t stop until he was satisfied.

Randolph was impassive, but she could tell he was disappointed.

Heloise and the others came near, smug smiles on their faces. “There are precautions against those who think to steal what’s ours. I would have explained if you bothered to listen, but you wanted to see the weapons.”

Raven resisted the urge to kick the woman’s feet out from underneath her. Instead, she brought her hand out from under the bench, the sword firmly in her grip.

Randolph smiled in delight while the witches fell back, eyes wide in fear. “That’s not possible. Only the Primes are strong enough to wield these weapons.”

They looked ready to rip it from her hands and kill her for daring to take it. Surprisingly, it was Randolph who blocked their way. “The weapon has chosen.”

Now that Raven was holding the sword, she could see Randolph’s golden energy swirl around him as he gathered his power to fight in her defense. The witches’ energies weren’t as clear. Their power rose from the ground in hues of greens and browns.

It was raw energy, but not pure like the energy she and Randolph used.

Durant took her arm and helped her stand, and she leaned into him, grateful for his support when her legs wobbled. The sword was surprisingly light, fitting her grip as if it had been made for her. The blade was riddled with nicks, the steel solid rust. One blow would cleave in two.

“This gives us a way to beat the Prime.” Raven thought they would be pleased.

Heloise’s expression revealed nothing, but her eyes were pitch black again. The venomous glares of the other two revealed that they had tried to claim a weapon and failed.

“It’s sacrilege.”

“Then you feel it would be better if we all die?” Her hands flexed on the hilt. She’d be damned if she’d give up her sword, not if it made it possible to keep her pack alive.

 Chapter Twenty-two

They were back in the auditorium. The witches were shocked and outraged, unable to take their eyes off the sword Raven held.

Durant leaned over and bumped her shoulder. “You look badass.”

Raven snorted at the outrageous lie.

The mountain shook and groaned under the constant barrage, the blasts landing almost on top of each other now. A particular nasty blow rattled the room, and the towers holding the ceiling up swayed dangerously.

“Enough.” Heloise stood in front of the dais for everyone to see. “The wards are falling. In less than an hour, they will be gone and the Prime will be through.”

The room fell eerily silent. Raven went to stand next to Heloise. “I don’t care about your secrets, I have enough of my own. I came because you asked for my help.”

All eyes locked onto her, and it was all she could do not to shift uncomfortably under their hostile stare. Her whole life she’d been programed to hide in the shadows, never reveal herself for fear others would find out she was different, and start hunting her in earnest.

“You don’t believe in me, but you believe in this.” Raven lifted the sword in her hand. “I have no intention of dying here, but we need to stand united if all of us are to survive.”

She pointed to the shifters. “We’ll do a three-pronged attack, shifters against shifters, witches against witches, while my people try to take down the Prime.”

“Do you honestly think this will work?” One of the wizards in the back stood, the question both a demand and a plea for reassurance.

“I know if we do nothing, we’ll die. If we escape and do nothing, he’ll grow stronger and decimate everything in his path. I don’t know about you, but I don’t plan to stand around and do nothing while the world burns.”

Heloise gave her a nod and took over the preparation. “We’ll attack just before sundown.”

While Heloise put forth the rest of the plan, Raven slipped out the back of the auditorium.

“Where are we going?” Dominic straightened from where he was leaning against the wall. His frame was gaunt, he appeared haunted without his wolf, but he hadn’t broken under the strain, which she would be forever grateful.

“We’re going to talk to the infected, and see if they want to get a little payback instead of being killed like lab rats.”

“Want some company?”

“I want more than that. I want you to lead the shifters in battle, and kill as many of those bastards as you can.”

His smile was all teeth, his eyes vicious. “It will be my pleasure.”

* * *

It was an hour before the prepared attack. Raven sat in her room, staring down at the sword, wondering what the hell she thought she was doing. She wasn’t a fighter; she barely held her own against a shifter in a one-on-one battle.

How was she supposed to use a rusty sword to save the world?

“You look like you’re ready to run.” Luca peered into the room as if unsure of his welcome.

“I don’t even know how to use this thing.” She lifted the sword, waving it in the air as if it was a useless branch she found on the ground. “How am I supposed to defeat a Prime?”

Luca smiled and stepped into the room. “I can help you with that.”

Her brows rose in surprise. “Really?”

Luca crossed his arms, almost vibrating with excitement. “Every child born with any power dreams of becoming a Prime. Students study everything they can get their hands on in the hope that one day they might pass their test.”

“Did you?”

His smiled dimmed, not masking his bitterness. “I’m a wizard. I’m not eligible.”

Raven snorted at the ludicrous comment. “That’s their loss. I don’t think being chosen has anything to do with power, but the purity of the soul. You would have been chosen in a heartbeat.”

His smiled dropped away completely, and he straightened. “Really?”

Raven lifted the sword and raised a brow. “You think you’re not good enough because you’re not a witch. You’re wrong. I’m living proof you don’t need to be a witch. When this is over, I want you to take the test. I saw much more than weapons in the armory, and I think you might find the contents very interesting.”

He nodded, hope shining in his eyes.

Raven shoved to her feet and inhaled deeply. “Now show me how to use this thing.”

“You need to inject your power into the blade.”

Raven blinked. “Say again?”

Luca smiled at her confusion. “Sorry, it’s a first-year lesson. I forgot you wouldn’t know.”

“Pretend I know nothing.” She rolled her eyes and muttered, “You wouldn’t be far off the mark.”

“I doubt that.” He rubbed his chin. “You’re most likely a natural. You and the sword bonded when it claimed you. When you call your magic, the sword should automatically draw it.”

“Then what?”

His smile faded, and he shrugged. “I don’t know. That’s part of the Prime training, and they don’t share that information.”

Raven lifted the rusted sword, twisting it this way and that. “What do you say that we give this a try?”

Excitement gleamed in his eyes. “Can I watch?”

“Sure.” Actually, she preferred it. At least one of them would know what the hell they were doing. “Here goes.”

She reached for the current that had once been so much a part of her. Much to her surprise, the creature didn’t stop her. The familiar sizzle rose up from her bones like a swirling storm.

Nothing happened.

She boosted the energy until the room crackled with it. The kid’s hair stood on end, and he reached out to touch the invisible winds with a wide-eyed look of wonder she found endearing. Conceding defeat, she allowed the power to drop. “What did I do wrong?”

Luca’s brows scrunched as he cast about for answers. “I don’t know.”

“Maybe I wasn’t chosen after all.”

But he was already shaking his head. “You were able to enter the room, so the weapon was meant for you. You wouldn’t be able to lift it otherwise. They change to fit the one who wields them, growing heavier or lighter, the hilt altering to fit your grip.”

She tipped the rusted blade in the light. “Could it be defective?”

A boyish smile flashed across his face, and he flipped his hair out of his eyes. “More like user error.”

“That’s what I was afraid of.” Raven sighed and tossed the sword on the bed, then stared at it as if would tell her its secrets if she glared hard enough.

“They say the sword will guide your hand in battle.” Luca offered the piece of information as if he felt bad for her.

Nothing like taking an untried weapon into battle with no clue how to use it. “I heard Primes can remove powers. Is that ability connected to the weapons or the Prime?”

He shrugged his bony shoulders. “Way over my head. They don’t share the trade secrets with us seconds.”

They both fell silent, and a nasty shockwave hit the mountain hard enough that she staggered. She turned toward the boy, her heart clenching at the thought of sending him into battle. “When you go out there, stick as close to the shifters as you can. Keep your back to the wall. I’ll ask my man Dominic to keep an eye on you if it’s at all possible.”

Luca listened closely, as if memorizing everything she said. It was so very little to offer him.

He swallowed hard, jitters at the upcoming battle dancing in his eyes. “Anything else?”

“You’re quick with casting, but they’re stronger. Pick your battles. Work with others to take down your opponents. Be sneaky. This is war. There is no such thing as being fair. And for heaven sakes, stay alive.”

He straightened and gave her a two-fingered salute to his forehead. “Aye-aye, commander.”

She scowled at him, but he only laughed and walked toward the door.

“Hey, kid.”

He glanced over his shoulder at her, a brow raised in question.

“After this is over, you should come visit me sometime.”

All joking dropped away as he stared at her with wide eyes. “Like a sponsorship?”

Faced with such devastating hope, she found herself nodding.

“Thank you.” When he turned, he nearly smacked into the wall. “Thank you!”

His footsteps thundered down the hall, and a second later, she heard a whoop of pure joy, and she couldn’t help smiling. It eased the fear that she might never see him again.

“I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Raven whirled to see Rylan filling the doorway, staring after the retreating wizard. “I gave him a reason to fight smart and stay alive.”

He heaved a sigh. “Do you know what a sponsorship means to a witch?”

Her gut sank, and a deep oh, shit feeling took over. “Sponsorship means giving money, like buying cookies from a little girl.”

Rylan entered the room, stopping short when he spotted the blade on the bed. “Not exactly.”

“You’d think that I would have learned my lesson by now, wouldn’t you?” She rubbed her brow and plopped down on the edge of the bed. “What did I promise him?”

“After he graduates, you promised him an apprenticeship. Only the top ten percent are ever chosen.”

“And let me guess…never any seconds.”

He shook his head. “Witches are very possessive. Because he’s a second, they might make an exception.”

“But only if I make it a condition of fighting with them today.”

“You’re catching on how this paranormal thing works. By offering him a place, you give them the perfect opportunity to plant a mole in your pack.” He gave a wry smile, then leaned forward to nudge the blade. It was everything she could do not to twitch with the urge to lean over and snatch it away. The instant his fingers touched the hilt, a puff of smoke rose, and he jerked back. Two of his fingers were seared.

“Tell me that’s not what I think it is.” His voice was bland, but it did nothing to hide the reprimand shading his eyes black.

Raven shrugged her shoulders and heaved a sigh. “Don’t get all excited. It’s not like I can make it work.”

“But you can touch it.” It was an accusation.

“Yes.” Feeling another surge of possessiveness about the darn thing, she pulled it closer, anything to put distance between him and the sword.

“I bet the witches just love you right about now.”

Raven grimaced. “You could say that. If there wasn’t an enemy literally at the gate, I don’t think you would have to worry about ever seeing me again.”

Rylan laughed, his whole face relaxing into the handsome man who made her breath catch. “I very much doubt that. If you put your mind to it, you can do anything.”

If only that were true.

Another blow hammered the mountain, and all the good cheer between them faded. “Tell me what you have planned.”

“We’re going to go out the main exit, along with most of the witches and the shifters. There will be two small groups leaving through the side exit to flank them.”

His eyes narrowed as he studied her. “Did you volunteer to take on the Prime, or did they order you to be the first line of defense?”

Anger radiated from him, and Raven carefully rose to her feet when he looked ready to start his own witch hunt. “The Prime wants me for something. By going out first, I can buy time to get the others into place.”

He stalked forward until he was right in her face, looming over her as if to intimidate her into doing what he wanted. “You’re gambling your life that he won’t try to kill you outright.”

Though she knew she shouldn’t, that he wouldn’t welcome her touch, Raven laid her hand on his chest. Much to her surprise, his heart thumped once beneath her palm before he pulled away.

Vampires didn’t have a heartbeat.

“Rylan—”

“Don’t change the subject. Do you think you can beat him in battle?”

Raven glanced at the sword, then shrugged. “I can hurt him, which is more than anyone else has been able to accomplish. I’m not a warrior, and I’m sure as hell not a leader. I have no intention of dying, but if we don’t strike now, we might not get another chance.”

Rylan didn’t say a word as he raked his fingers through his hair. It fell back into place, not a strand out of order, everything in his life ever obedient…except for her. It must annoy the very snot out of him that she didn’t fall into line with the rest of his well-ordered life. When he lifted his head, the raw emotions on his face, something he never allowed himself to display so openly, struck terror in her heart.

He didn’t want her anywhere near that kind of powerful destructive force. Hell, she didn’t want to be there either. Too bad neither of them had a choice.

The Prime was coming for her one way or another.

Yet, despite all that, Rylan seemed to believe she was capable of handling the weapon and the Prime.

Warmth spread through her at his belief in her, but she wasn’t sure it was merited. Rylan had never seen the Prime in action, his ruthlessness in battle, only the devastation he’d left behind. “I wish I had your confidence.”

 “You don’t have a clue why people are drawn to you. Your iron will and determination are a lethal—not to mention irresistible—combination. Being a leader isn’t about giving orders. You don’t ask anything from anyone. If there’s trouble, you’re the first one on the line. Courage and bravery are bred into your very bones, and people are drawn to that strength. They know they can trust you, that you won’t betray them. Once you give your word, you keep it. While others issue orders…you get volunteers.”

Raven shifted uncomfortably. Something about the phrasing of the words let her know it wasn’t exactly praise.

“Some people see your compassion as a weakness, but you inspire them to be better and want more. That’s dangerous.” He stalked toward the door, his shoulders bowed as if under a heavy weight. He glanced back at her with unfathomable eyes. “You know what happens to heroes? They die. I have no intention of letting you kill yourself.”

 Chapter Twenty-three

DAY FIVE: LESS THAN AN HOUR BEFORE SUNSET

Raven waited in the tunnel that lead outside, needing a few minutes by herself before the last of the wards fell. Rylan had disappeared after his dramatic declaration, and she hadn’t seen him since. She was worried about what he might do.

Each blow now shook the mountain so hard she half expected it to tumble down at any moment. The walls seemed to close in on her, and the need to get out scratched at the inside of her skull. Her energy had risen at her unease, a living, breathing thing that pulsed in the air around her.

“I see you managed to scare away everyone else.” Nicholas strolled into the tunnel as if he didn’t have a care, but his gait was stiff, still not completely healed. With his curly hair and open face, he could pass for human. That was until he stopped. It was as if he turned into a statue from one moment to the next. There was something predatory in his stillness, and the way he studied her sent her hackles rising.

“Why did you come?”

Though he remained smiling, something sinister moved behind his eyes. “The Council sent me.”

Raven listened closely. Though she couldn’t detect a lie, the total lack of inflection in his voice made her hand tighten around the sword, and she cursed her carelessness for being caught alone. “Why are you really here?”

He gave a humorless laugh and leaned his shoulder against the wall. “I volunteered. You’re so honest and upstanding, I thought it might be an act.” All humor was stripped away, his eyes becoming hard, seemingly baffled as he stared at her. “You have no artifice.”

“Rylan said the same thing. You both make it sound like a bad thing.”

“Those kinds of traits aren’t valued in the paranormal community, not if you want to survive.”

“I don’t understand.”

He sighed, a gust of air which seemed to deflate him, and shook his head. “Hope is a dangerous thing, especially to paranormals. You don’t belong to anyone. You’re an outcast no one should look at twice.”

Each word gouged out a piece of her, not because they were wrong, but because he was right. “What do you want?”

“You value honesty, so here it is. Jason was my friend. I was his guard from the day he was turned. You worked his case, caught his killer, but his father blames me for his death. I went from being a protected member of the clan to having a target painted on my back. Those clawing and scratching for status see me as an obstacle to overcome. All they have to do is take me out to earn favor in the clan.” He spat the last word, but the unadulterated fear on his face was very real.

Raven gave a half-laugh. “So you came to me to die on your own terms? Maybe exact a little vengeance while you’re at it?”

He ran a hand over his hair and began pacing. Raven flexed her fingers on the sword, not certain she’d be fast enough to defend herself if he used his vampire speed. He didn’t even bother to look at her.

“You found justice for my friend. I will be forever grateful. My failure was not protecting him in the first place. For that I was sentenced to a year of entombment.” All defiance evaporated at the bleak future before him.

Raven flinched at the harsh sentence. He would literally be placed in a coffin, then buried alive. He would starve in the first month. After three, he would be insane. After a whole year, all his humanity would be stripped away, nothing remaining but a monster to be put down. “By coming here, you delay your sentence.”

“Yes.” But he didn’t seem pleased at the reprieve.

Her heart sank as she stared at him.

He wanted her to save him.

The last thing she needed was to make an enemy of the whole vampire clan.

“What do you want from me?”

He appeared hesitant for the first time, unable to look at her. “Talk to Rylan for me. He severed his blood bonds and survived. I’m nearly a hundred years old, the same age he was when he went through the process. I need to know how he survived. It’s the only way I can escape my sentence.”

A sour taste filled her mouth, especially since she’d long suspected her involvement had something to do with Rylan’s change. “When did this happen?”

He gave her an odd look. “Nearly two hundred years ago. It’s a legend. He’s one of only three who managed to break with his master without willingly being released.”

She nearly dropped to her knees in relief.

Then her mind started functioning again. “If we stop the war, do you think you might be granted a reprieve?”

He didn’t look hopeful. “Possible, but vampires aren’t exactly known for their lenience. He might pardon the entombment, but leave me to be ripped apart by the clan. I’m strong enough to protect myself, but it wouldn’t be long before I’d be overwhelmed with challenges.”

Raven narrowed her eyes. “I’ll agree on one condition.”

He stilled, not even his chest moved, a fragile hope lighting his eyes. “Anything.”

“Watch Rylan for me during the battle. Protect his back. Don’t let him do something stupid.”

Only when he nodded did she release her breath. “Then I’ll do my best to find your answers. If we survive, you’ll come back with us to my house.”

He looked like she’d just thumped him over the head with a two-by-four. “You’ll really do it.”

Raven smiled until a whisper of sound made her whirl. She lengthened her stance and brought up the sword, the hilt tight in her grip. It might be useless as a magical weapon, but it was still a usable blade.

A young witch gave a startled yelp when she turned the corner, raising her hands in surrender. “Your shifter sent me to find you. He found something in the well he wants you to see.”

“Durant?” She lowered the blade. “Where?”

She eyed the sword, both fear and awe in her expression. “I’ll show you.”

Raven took a step when Nicholas pushed away from the wall and followed. “I think I’ll join you.”

The witch stopped and stammered. “I didn’t…you don’t…” she took a deep breath and tried again. “He said come alone.”

That would be the last thing Durant would ever say, since he harped on her every time she disappeared without a guard. The creature rose, scenting the air, and found the girl reeked of fear.

Anxiety for Durant coursed through her with crippling strength. She barely held back from leaping at the girl and beating the truth out of her. The chit wasn’t smart enough to concoct the plan and lure her away all on her own.

“Nicholas, find Rylan and stay with him.”

He barely spared her a glance. “Once I deliver you to your cat.”

He knew.

He’d somehow figured out it was a trap, and the stubborn jackass wasn’t leaving. She debated ordering him to obey, but didn’t dare for fear he’d make a scene, and their slight edge of surprise would be gone.

She couldn’t risk Durant being harmed.

The girl gave a nod, unaware of Raven’s private exchange with the vampire, and scurried away like a mouse. Raven glared at the vampire and picked up her pace. She’d become used to the noise of war and filtered out the sounds, focusing on what remained. Whispered conversation. Laughter. Running footsteps. A couple engaged in sex.

No sign of Durant.

Her calves ached from downward angle as they wound deeper and deeper into the bowels of the earth. Soon everything faded until the absolute silence became unnerving.

The tunnel became less carved and more roughhewn.

A low rumble echoed through the tunnels, and the girl smiled nervously at them before speeding up. “Almost there.”

Raven shared a glance with Nicholas, her hand flexing on the sword, and he gave her a nod.

They were ready.

The opening was surprisingly narrow, the walls worn and thin with age. As they entered the well, she scanned the room for any sign of Durant.

It was empty.

The cavern was ginormous, the soaring ceiling at least twenty feet high. Ten foot spikes dripped down, resembling a giant maw about to swallow them. It was downright chilly, the cold rising from the water, the twenty-degree drop in temperature like a slap in the face. The walls were curved and smooth, worn away by years of swiftly-moving current.

The acoustics amplified the roar of the underwater spring. The water was like an impenetrable wall, spanning ten feet across, leaving a narrow path on each side if you considered five inches a wide enough walk space. The current churned like a whirlpool, the water frothing as it whipped past at an amazing speed. It bubbled up from under a massive rock, before curving around the bend and disappearing.

“This is the only way out of the fortress without triggering the wards.” Two witches, a man and a woman, walked through the opening behind Raven. Another one stood further back, next to the little mouse who trembled in the shadows, his presence the only thing preventing the young girl from bolting. “We were able to contact those outside. They’ve promised to let everyone go if we hand you over.”

Raven didn’t care what they thought they were doing, only one thing mattered. “Where’s Durant?”

“We just delayed him for a time. He should wake up in an hour with a nasty migraine.” The woman waved her hand as if it was unimportant. “Unless you don’t do as I say. Drop the sword and get in the water. The weapon should never have been yours in the first place.”

Bitterness and the need for retribution oozed from the witch in a toxic brew, corroding her ability to listen to reason.

Raven’s fingers clamped down possessively on the hilt, and she glanced at the churning pool behind her. Part of her trembled at the thought of being pulled under the water. “Don’t do this. If we strike hard and fast, this might be our only chance to defeat the Prime.”

Doubt darkened the man’s face, but the woman scoffed. “This is the only way to prevent a war. We negotiated a peace treaty. Once you’re gone, we can leave safely.”

They honestly believed what they said, but they were fooling themselves. “War is coming either way. You can leave today, but he will hunt you down. By then it will be too late. He’ll be too strong, and you won’t be able to stop him.”

“Get in the water or your cat won’t be the only accident.” The woman showed her teeth in a malevolent imitation of a smile. “Funny things happen in battle. Mistakes happen. People die.”

Raven backed closer to the ledge, and a spray of freezing water soaked her clothes. Her creature snarled in displeasure, but didn’t make any overt threats against the witches, not without confirmation that Durant was safe. She could kill one or two of the witches, but not all four without giving them a chance to escape. If Durant was unconscious, they could slit his throat before he was even aware of the danger.

Though they seemed confident she’d survive being thrown into the water, Raven wasn’t so sure. If hypothermia didn’t kill her, drowning would. There was no guarantee she would come back this time.

“I won’t ask again. Drop the sword and get into the water.” The pleased expression had dropped away.

Magic built in the air, but Raven wasn’t able to tell if the attack was aimed at her or Durant.

She couldn’t take the risk.

Frustration at having her hands tied roared through her, and Raven tried to release the sword but she couldn’t get her fingers to obey. A sheen of light ran down the blade, barely visible under hundreds of years of grime. When she blinked, it had vanished. Though she didn’t sense any magic, the sword was preventing the separation.

“I can’t get the blade to let go.”

It didn’t deter them.

“It’s stuck.”

Magic swelled as three of the witches began chanting.

Raven stepped backwards and landed in water up to her thighs. The cold literally stole her breath. The current was so strong she struggled to remain upright. Nicholas clenched his jaw and jumped in after her, grabbing her arm to steady her. He took a position at her side to keep her from being swept away.

“I did what you asked.”

“If you’re not going to give up the sword, kill the vampire.” The demand was for no reason other than the witch’s sadistic pleasure.

“No.”

“Do it.” A muscle ticked in Nicholas’ jaw as he gritted his teeth. “I’m a dead man anyway.”

Her very soul rebelled at the idea of taking his life. She shook her head and backed away, nearly losing her balance in the water. “No.”

Magic flared, and they hurled a spell at Nicholas. The strike hit him center chest before she could react, and he froze. “It would have been much kinder had you killed him. Now, he will be swept away by the current. If he’s lucky, they’ll take pity on him and fish him out. If not, he’ll be dragged out to sea. I wonder how long he’ll last once the spell wears off.”

Rage swelled around Nicholas, his body shaking as he fought the effects of the spell, but he was held fast. The fury turned to acceptance of his fate. Pleading eyes met hers, and she knew what he wanted.

An honorable, true death.

Hatred for the witches thundered through her. If the Prime didn’t kill her first, she’d make it her personal mission to hunt all four of them down.

Her intent must have shown, and primal fear darkened the witches’ faces. The man took a step back, while the mouse fled with a squeak of fear.

Raven lifted the sword toward Nicholas, dread crushing her chest. The edge of the blade was just inches away when it blazed to life, a hunger in it a living thing. The tarnish burned away to reveal gleaming metal, and ancient runes shimmered like blue fire. The spell wrapped around Nicholas shriveled like it had been burned away and drifted down in strings of ash. All that remained were glittery pieces of energy that settled on the sword, smothering the flame.

No, not smothered.

The sword had absorbed it all.

With no escape, the flames imploded.

Searing pain spilled up her arm, consuming her bones like a firestorm, and a cry of pain escaped her parted lips before she could bite it back. Armor locked together under her skin, blocking the agony, and she glanced up to see Nicholas’ black eyes staring back at her.

His smile was all fangs.

Then he was gone, using his speed to barrel into the witches. The man went flying, barely missing her when his body torpedoed past. He splashed into the water. By the time he surfaced, he was ten feet down the tunnel, his head barely above water. Terror filled his eyes just before he was sucked down in the swirling mass and disappeared from view.

When she turned, Nicholas had the leader in his grasp, feeding on her. “Nicholas, stop.”

Raven struggled against the current, trying to reach the ledge, but the sword had done a number on her. She was as weak as a kitten. Instead of leaping out of the current, she was forced to heave her upper body on the edge and roll free from her watery grave.

By the time she could stand, the witch was a pasty mixture of gray and white.

She touched his shoulder, nothing more, knowing better than to interrupt a vampire lost in a feeding frenzy. “Enough.”

Surprisingly, he listened.

She expected to see blood drip down his chin and a ghastly wound, but apparently he was a neat eater, only a single drop of blood remained on his lips. He studied her for a few seconds, deciding whether she was food. Something other stared back at her, something totally inhuman that had been banished to wander the darkness of night, too dangerous to be released in the light of day.

Raven remained perfectly still, dread slowing her pulse. Her hand tightened on the sword, but she couldn’t bring herself to raise it.

His humanity returned slowly, almost reluctantly, as he wrestled for control. He released his hold on the woman, and she collapsed to the ground like a bag of bones. Since the witch hadn’t shriveled up and died, Raven had to assume her magic was keeping her alive.

Pity that, but the last thing they needed was to be held responsible for her death.

“You back with me?”

He nodded but wouldn’t meet her gaze. “You could’ve saved your pack by killing me.”

Shame had her turning away, unable to face him. “I nearly did.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Her head snapped up to find him studying her with such intensity she nearly backed away. “I had a sword at your throat.”

“My master wouldn’t have hesitated to kill his whole clan if it meant saving his own life.”

Raven studied the bodies to avoid the uncomfortable tension between them. “Yeah, well, I guess we’ll never know if I could’ve gone through with it.”

But his unchanging expression spoke volumes.

“We need to get back.”

His posture changed, growing more aggressive. “What do you want done with the bodies?”

“I’d love to throw them in the water and leave them to the fate they planned for us, but I think we need proof they’re alive, or we might not make it out of the caves.”

Distaste curled his lips, but he nodded.

Urgency to find Durant pounded through her, but she resisted the urge to run through the tunnels and search for him. They’d never find him in time. “We’ll use these two as hostages to make sure they turn over Durant.”

The witches had better pray nothing happened to Durant, or they’d wish the Prime had killed them before she could get her hands on them.

Nicholas bent, grabbed the ankles of the two bodies and dragged them to the stream. He dipped them in the water and held them there until they thrashed. His arms trembled under the strain, not of their weight, but against the urge to just keep holding them there until they drowned.

He held them there for a little longer than necessary, but Raven didn’t object. When he finally pulled them out, he dropped them on the ground and watched them scurry backwards.

She gestured with the sword. “Get up.”

They cringed and scrambled to their feet, backing away from the weapon. Their leader swayed from the blood loss, her hand clamped against her neck. Shaking like a leaf, her hair sopping wet, she looked miserable, but Raven didn’t feel an ounce of remorse.

They filed out of the cavern and headed back to the main entrance. With every step, her shoes squished, and she caught Nicholas repressing a smile.

The sounds of battle gained volume as they wound their way up a few levels and surfaced in the main living space. The warmth was welcoming. Though the creature flooded her with heat, nothing penetrated the chill that had taken residence in her bones since she’d learned of Durant’s disappearance.

“I see you managed to figure out how to use the sword just in the nick of time,” Nicholas ventured.

Raven wished it were so easy. “I had nothing to do with it. It didn’t obey my command. I think it sensed a threat and reacted.”

He gave her a curious look, flashing his fangs when one of the witches stumbled. “You were threatened long before then.”

“But not with magic.” They both glanced at the gleaming blade, so different from the tarnished steel she first held. “It reacted at the first sign of magic.”

Nicholas rubbed his chin. “So when the magic hit me, and you brought up the sword—”

“It drank it down.” Giddiness leaked through her worry, and her hand clamped down on the sword. All she had to do was finish with this nightmare, and her pack would be safe.

Nicholas’ brows furrowed, slicing through her hope. “You cried out when the spell shattered.”

“It hurt.” An understatement, but she kept her mouth shut. She couldn’t risk her pack taking the sword from her if they found out about the backlash.

Panic crushed all the air out of her lungs at the thought of losing the sword. She’d grown even more possessive of the damned thing, despite the fact that one tiny spell nearly kicked her on her ass.

What would the power of the Prime do to her?

Raven rubbed her arm, still able to feel the echoes of pain, but there was more. The rush of power was addicting. Like a craving, she longed to wield the weapon again.

The sword was trying to influence her, its hunger to consume more almost overwhelming. It made her leery to use it, but she didn’t have a choice. She just had to be stronger, her resolve unbreakable. She was just beginning to cope with the creature. She hoped the addition of the sword wouldn’t shatter the fragile peace between them.

“You don’t have to do this. We can find another way.”

They both knew it was a lie, but she smiled at him anyway. “I’ll be fine.”

They travelled only a few more yards when they heard voices.

“Where is she?” Durant’s silky smooth voice was threaded with menace.

The chill that frosted her insides slowly thawed.

He was alive.

She gave in to the irrational urge to smile.

Nicholas chuckled and gestured in the direction of Durant’s voice. “Go.”

She didn’t need to be told twice and hurried down the tunnel.

 Chapter Twenty-four

Raven rounded the corner to see Durant pinned to the wall like flypaper, a spell holding him still.

Almost.

Muscles strained as he peeled himself away.

Power swirled in the air, and she saw his wards flare to life. He dropped to the floor on all fours, his eyes molten, fangs and claws at the ready. Stark fear was etched on the witches as they backed away, busily trying to amplify the spell to hold him in place.

“Durant.”

His head snapped in her direction, his eyes unfocused. Her gut sank, and a deep foreboding raised the hairs on the back of her neck. If she didn’t stop him, the witches would do whatever it took to protect themselves. “Durant, you have to stop. They’ve drugged you.”

He shook his head as if to clear it and narrowed his eyes. “You’re not real. They conjured you up to trick me.”

He prowled toward her on all fours, nothing in his eyes remotely friendly. She would not back away. She would not be prey. She lifted her hand as if to hold him off. “Wait.”

Raven raised her sword, and he cocked his head, his smile turning predatory. “Raven would never raise a sword to me.”

“No, I wouldn’t.” She grabbed the blade in her fist and jerked the sword free. The edge was so sharp, the pain she expected never came. Blood welled between her fingers, and she held her clenched fist out to him. “Witches can mess with what you see, but they can’t alter scents. Shifters’ senses are too keen for them to be fooled.”

It took all her strength to hold her hand steady while he approached. He sniffed the air, then came closer, a low rumble in his chest. Before she could move, he launched to his feet and had her wrapped in his arms.

He trembled, his hold squeezing the breath from her, but she didn’t care. “It’s me.”

“I almost killed you.” He didn’t look up as he buried his face in the crook of her neck.

“They drugged you to get you out of the way.” She gave a pointed look over his shoulder at Heloise. “A few of the witches contacted those on the outside and made a deal. They were going to hand me over in exchange for their freedom.”

Nicholas had come up behind her and shoved their two captives. They sprawled on the floor in a heap. Durant stiffened in her arms as his attention fell on them.

“Don’t.”

The floor rolled as the mountain shook, and Heloise stepped forward. “We only have a few minutes before the wards fall. Their belief is not shared by all of us. I can assure you that they’ll be punished. Will you still fight with us? We won’t survive without you.”

“I have a feeling none of us will come out alive if we don’t start working together.” Dominic and Rylan edged closer to her, us versus them, ready to stand beside her in whatever she decided. “But don’t expect us to trust you. At every turn, you’ve lied and tricked us. You won’t get another chance. Turn on us, and I will hunt you down and kill you myself.”

“I deserve that.” Heloise gave a wry smile. “Despite my good intentions, we’ve done nothing but betray you from the start. I have no right to ask you to sacrifice more, but I have no choice. Without your help, my people will be slaughtered.”

The witch who’d tried to kidnap her struggled to her feet. “They’ll still honor the treaty we negotiated. All you have to do is hand her over, and we will be safe.”

Raven braced for an attack, her hand tightening around the sword hilt as all eyes swung toward her. Durant stiffened, while Rylan just rolled up his sleeves in his precise way as he readied for a fight.

“No.” Heloise’s eyes darkened to shadows and power threaded her voice. “We need more than survival.”

Magic built in the confined space until it clogged Raven’s chest. The blade hummed under her hand, eager for a taste. Durant grabbed her arm when she took a step forward, tucking her up against his side, his leather scent clearing the haze that had taken hold of her.

Hatred distorted the witch’s face. “Then you’ve killed us all.”

Energy sizzled in the air, and she hurled magic at Heloise.

She deflected the spell like swatting away a mosquito. Power thrummed in the tunnel, the shadows groaning as they were torn away and sucked toward Heloise. With a flick of her hand, the witch flew backwards and smashed into the wall with a sickening crunch.

“Anyone else want to protest?” Enriched with power, her voice thundered in the narrow space.

No one said a word.

Raven’s vision flickered, her second sight stealing over her, and she saw Heloise as she truly was…a real-life voodoo priestess. The images at the mansion now made sense. She wasn’t a long lost relative. The woman she’d been arguing with had been her mother…the voodoo queen, Marie Laveau. They’d never found Heloise’s grave because she’d escaped her mother’s fate and headed west to start her own coven.

Shock knocked Raven out of her vision.

A nasty blow rumbled through the mountain, the very stones shuddered, and Heloise closed her eyes. When they snapped open, they were pure black. “The wards have fallen. Do you fight with us?”

Durant bristled, his grip on her tightening. “You don’t have to do this.”

She touched his arm then stepped out of his hold. “If we run, he’ll come after us. If we stay and fight, we have a chance to avert a war.”

A small glow seemed to swell around Heloise as she gathered her power back into herself. “Then we’ll stick to our plan. I hope you’ve had time to learn how to use that thing.” She gestured toward the weapon Raven held at her side.

Raven lifted the sword, angling it for the others to see. “It seems that I might.”

“It’s active.” She sounded surprised, pausing briefly to study the symbols on the blade.

“In a way.” Not wanting to tell the truth, that she had no idea what she was doing, she forged ahead with their plan. “I’ll go out first. Get your people ready to move.”

* * *

“Raven.”

Her name echoed down the tunnel, and she scurried away to avoid the confrontation she knew was coming. She couldn’t deal with another argument with Durant. Something in the way he said her name warned her that she didn’t want to be caught.

She rounded the corner, then skidded to a stop to find him waiting for her. He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, but the way his chest heaved belied his casual pose. When his gaze locked onto her, menace tightened his face, and he dropped his arms.

To have his fury directed at her was unnerving.

Raven couldn’t help it, she backed up a step.

She wasn’t afraid…exactly.

He stalked her down the tunnel, filling up the narrow space. Even if she was quick, she’d never be able to squeeze past him without getting caught. “You should be waiting with the rest.”

But he kept coming until he stood right in her space, damned touchy-feely shifters. They had no sense of personal boundaries.

“I know what you and that vampire have planned, and I have no intention of watching you die.”

Her stomach dropped to her knees. He was talking about Rylan’s promise to make sure she wouldn’t hurt any innocents. She tried to hold Durant’s gaze, but the recriminations she saw there made her drop her eyes to stare at anything but him.

“It was only a last resort,” She mumbled, and everything about him stiffened. Damned shifter hearing.

He touched her chin with a finger and lifted her face to his. She saw the last thing she ever expected.

Hurt.

Something in her chest cracked at the knowledge that she’d wounded him. “You don’t understand. I was only trying to protect you.”

“No. You were taking the easy way out. If you wanted to protect us, you’d never try to abandon us.” The accusation hit her fragile heart with enough force to make it crumble around the edges.

 Worse, he was partially right.

Shame burned through her, before anger flared to life. She knocked his hand away, unable to bear his touch. “Do you think I want to leave?”

She shoved her hands behind her to resist the urge to deck the bastard.

Durant shrugged, bruises still darkening his eyes. “You never wanted a pack in the first place. You were forced to take me. What do you expect us to believe?”

“That I wanted to protect you.” She snarled the words between clenched teeth.

His face softened a little, and he pressed closer until she felt cool stone against her back and hot male smashed against her front. “You’re the only one who believes we need protection from you.”

The creature hummed its agreement.

His golden eyes shimmered as he studied every inch of her face.

“Rylan only agreed because I forced him into it years ago. He’s refused to do anything unless there was no other choice.”

“Smart man.” His gravelly voice warned that any other answer would’ve had the two men at each other’s throats. He leaned closer, never once looking away. Being the center of attention from an alpha male like Durant was flustering…and flattering. “Tell me you’re not going out there to get yourself killed.”

“The thought never crossed my mind.” Which was true in a way. She just didn’t expect to survive, but it didn’t seem prudent to say that last bit out loud.

But he knew anyway. He traced her face with light fingers, as though memorizing every detail. Saying good-bye. Something fierce danced in his gaze as he ducked his head toward hers. “I won’t let you die on me.”

Before she could protest, he covered his mouth with hers. His kiss was hot and ruthless and pushed everything else out of her head but him.

Raven didn’t try to stop him, giving as good as she got. She wrapped her arms around his waist, scraping her nails lightly down his back. A growl rumbled from him, sending a thrill coursing through every cell, making her crave more.

He bent and scooped her ass up in his large hands, and she automatically wrapped her legs around his waist. His arousal pressed intimately against her, and Durant tore his mouth away and rested his forehead against hers.

“You will live.” It was a vow.

Raven leaned forward and nipped at the strong cords of his neck, relishing the way he shuddered.

He pressed her back against the wall to hold her in place, and then those hands of his sneaked into her hair and pulled her head back. “Promise.”

Raven narrowed her eyes on him, annoyed at being denied. Wanting a little payback, she flexed her legs and wiggled. “Kiss me.”

It was a demand.

He growled, and his fangs lengthened. Instead of fear, heat sped through her at the tantalizing danger. He dropped his head, teeth nibbling along her neck, and she simply melted. The hand in her hair skimmed down the side of her face, and trailed around her neck before slowly brushing across her collarbone. His mouth skimmed upwards until his lips hovered over hers.

“Promise me.”

“Yes.” She’d promise him anything if he just kissed her one more time and made her forget their uncertain future.

His hand slid behind her, cradling her against him, when something changed. The kiss he gave her was slow and gentle, worshiping her, reducing her to a puddle of emotions.

Fierce she could handle.

Gentleness destroyed her.

He loosened his hold, allowing her to slide down the front of his body, forcing her to feel every inch of him against her. Then, without a word, he broke the kiss. Her legs wobbled when she tried to stand on her own.

The last thing she saw was the brittle set of his shoulders as he stormed away.

She covered her mouth with the back of her hand, panting for breath, still able to feel him pressed against her everywhere.

She should be embarrassed, angry that he took instead of asking permission.

And maybe she’d tell him so if she could remember how to form words again.

Even rattled by the kiss, he’d forced her to realize just how much she wanted to live, beast or no beast.

She wondered if that had been his intent all along, but damned if she could stay mad at him for manipulating her, not when it felt so good.

 Chapter Twenty-five

Raven emerged from the caves, surprised when she wasn’t struck down immediately. The sun was only a hint on the horizon, the shadows from the trees drowning the forest in darkness.

The clearing was small…and empty. Not the war party she’d been expecting. There was a stillness to the air, like it was holding its breath, the peace almost eerie.

If she left now, she’d be able to get help.

She nearly gave into the compulsion when a faint whiff of pixie sticks coated her tongue, the powdery taste of pure sugar was so light, she almost missed it.

Clever spell.

It was meant to lure them out one by one.

The minute she ventured beyond the circle of the grove, the predators prowling the forest would tear her apart. It took everything in her to stand there like some damned target. She’d much rather give in to the urge to hunt the cowards and thrash them like they deserved. But every second she stalled gave her team more time to get into place.

A subtle change in the air had her straightening, and she felt the spell dissolve. It was like someone hit the play button.

Raven braced, knowing they’d come for her soon.

“You shouldn’t have kept me waiting.” The Prime strode out from the tree line, stopping abruptly a healthy distance away.

“You look surprised to see me.” Raven walked away from the opening, circling until his back was partially to the cave entrance. “Did you think your remnants would have infected me?”

“On the contrary, actually. I never wanted to hurt you. I was hoping to claim a few more witches, but I never believed you’d succumb.” He flashed her a charming smile. “You persist in painting me as a monster, but things haven’t always been this way.”

His friendliness made her skin crawl. The beast coiled, ready to strike, but biding its time until the perfect moment. They’d only get one shot at this before they lost their edge of surprise.

“You have no idea of your heritage, do you?” When she didn’t respond, he laughed, a chilling sound that had her tightening her grip on the hilt of the sword. There was a certain relish in his eyes as he moved a bit closer, leaning forward as if to share a secret. “Between the two of us, I’m not the monster. They created fairytales about your kind to scare children and grown men alike. I’m not the one these people should fear…you are.”

She wanted to charge forward, force him to take back the words, but his certainty stopped her cold. “You lie.”

“We both know I’m not.” He inhaled deeply, gave a hum of pleasure and smiled. “You’re fear tastes delicious.”

“We’re each in charge of our own destiny.” She had to believe that.

“Of course, but we’re also tied to our fate.” The man’s gaze dropped toward the weapon she carried, and something feral flashed in his eyes. “I know who you are…or should I say what.”

She had never gone digging into her past, too terrified of what she’d learn. Dread and excitement surged through her at the chance to finally discover the truth.

“You’re a toddler, not fully aware of what you’re capable of becoming. Swear your allegiance to me, and I’ll tell you everything you want to know. When your creature is finally unleashed onto the world, nothing will stop you.”

Lust tinted his eyes red, not for her, but the greed of becoming her master. A faint ticking drew her attention to his hand, where he clicked his nails over and over. She trembled with the knowledge that she was something that could made this powerful being nervous.

A flicker of light came from the cave, and she nearly groaned with relief.

They were ready.

Raven ignored the powerful temptation of his offer, searching him for any weaknesses she could use. Faint welts crisscrossed the skin of his hands and arms, and a spiteful smile curved her mouth. “You’re not healing.”

“A few scratches, not worth my attention.” He waved off her comment.

Static brushed over her skin, and she cocked her head. “You lie. You can’t heal, can you?”

A scowl darkened his face. “A minor setback. Once I come into my full power, that won’t be a problem.”

 “Are you sure? I was able to stop the wild magic from stealing Crystal.” Raven gave him a taunting smile as the first few people dashed from the caves. She had to keep him focused on her. “I think my presence dampens your powers.”

His good cheer dropped away. “These people thrust you into danger without a care for your well-being. They aren’t your friends. Our kind used to be partners, the perfect fighting team. We were built to rule, not be put out for slaughter. Allow me to train you. You can be so much more. We’d be unbeatable.”

“Our kind were not built for this world. We don’t belong here.” Raven grabbed for the energy seething in the air. The moment it landed, her skin hardened like armor. She didn’t even have to give the command, proof she and her creature were melding together and becoming one.

The Prime had spoken at least some truth.

She was a monster.

But maybe they needed a monster to stop one. The witches had spread out. Heloise was surrounded by a group of women, while Luca had banded the students together behind them. He kept to his word, sticking close to the shifters as they prowled from the caves. She could all almost see their beasts rise to the surface, relishing being released from their prison, and the prospect of fighting for their freedom. 

“You don’t understand. We can bring the world back to its former glory, where we rule everyone.”

Madness gleamed in his eyes, the type that wouldn’t be appeased by anything less than complete dominion over everything around him. “You’re insane.”

“And you’re a fool.” A fierce scowl contorted his face. “I could give you everything.”

To finally learn the truth about her heritage tempted her, but she had to trust her creature had a reason for keeping things from her. Behind him, her pack emerged from the cave, and she realized she was at peace at what she was becoming. Because of them. “I have everything I need.”

Raven tore her gaze away from her pack when the Prime whirled, pulling the broadsword from the sheath strapped to his back, and swung it directly at her head. She stumbled backwards and barely brought up her sword in time to block the blow.

The power behind the swing nearly knocked the weapon from her hand.

He hammered at her, forcing her back, each strike reverberating through her bones with a jarring clash of blades. Her armor absorbed the majority of the shock, the only thing that enabled her to keep her grip. Wielding the sword felt unnatural, the length and weight awkward as she struggled to defend herself.

As if his attack was a signal, witches and shifters threaded through the trees. There was something wrong with the witches, their bodies bloated almost beyond what the human body could contain. Their skin was smudged gray, their hair stringy and matted. Their bodies were covered with open lesions where their skin had cracked from being stretched too tight. As they plodded along, their corrupted magic stripped everything around them of energy, the plants and trees wilting, until the witches resembled overfed pigs at a trough.

Magical sickness.

Too much magic was poisoning them.

Raven couldn’t understand why they would continue to feed when it was killing them. “They can’t turn it off.”

The Prime shrugged as if it were unimportant. “The prolonged attack on the fortress had certain unfortunate side effects.”

As if proud of his creations, he gave the wretches a benevolent smile. There were only a handful of them left. Like wraiths, they clung to the tree line, almost indiscernible from the darkness as they watched the first wave of attack spill out the gloom. The shifters emerged from the tree line on all fours, running low to the ground, the smoothness of their movements unnatural in the human form they still wore. Madness shimmered in their eyes as they streaked forward.

“There is something beautiful in the art of war. The violence. The destruction. It all tastes so sweet. Watch.” He nodded and gestured toward the two opposing groups like he was an emperor at a coliseum, cheering on his gladiators.

Magic swirled in the air.

Pure magic.

And he was syphoning it off and getting stronger.

Raven was spellbound with horror as the horde of shifters swept toward the all-too-human witches.

Before the two sides could collide, Luca threw a charm, undaunted by the teeming mass of fangs and claws heading straight toward him. Like a flash bomb, the air shook with thunder as his charm exploded in front of the charging shifters. Their uniform attack vanished, the beasts closest to the blast lurched as if the ground had turned to gelatin, while the ones in the back stumbled around like they had been hit by a bad case of vertigo. They slashed at nothing but air as they tried to claw themselves free of the enchantment.

Much to her surprise, Raven saw Paige cast in concert with Luca, hurling a spell that scattered fire across the ground. But instead of consuming the woodland for fuel, these flames had tiny feet. They scurried across the grass to launch themselves at the attackers, lighting them up like torches.

Heloise flung a spell that hit one of the opposing witches in the face, peeling her skin like an orange. Instead of going down, the witch chanted a short spell in retaliation. The leaves clanked in the wind as they turned to blades and fell like daggers to the ground, slicing everything in their path.

Two men in the front of the cave dropped under the attack and didn’t move.

The next three were pierced, sliced straight through, barely managing to cast a shield fast enough to keep from being shredded. They bled profusely from dozens of wounds, and a wave of shifters descended to finish them off.

Luca narrowed his eyes and darted forward, sinking his hands into the earth. Magic rumbled under the ground, and she saw one of his amulets tarnish as it emptied. When he straightened, the grass had hardened, becoming like nails.

The wave of shifters fell back, bloody, when their feet and hands were impaled.

Nicholas and Rylan worked in tandem along the perimeter, keeping the shifters back, hacking at anything that came within reach. Dominic held the line on the other side of the clearing with a group of shifters, a perfect tactician as he blocked the enemy’s every attempt to advance. The shifters healed almost as quickly as they were injured, but each blow slowed them down a little more. The witches stood at the entrance of the cave, tossing magic as fast as they could draw it.

Heloise chanted and magic spread out like a wave.

Three of the tainted witches had gotten close enough to become ensnared.

At first, nothing happened.

Then their hair coiled slowly around them, faint hissing rose, and the locks turned into snakes. The serpents struck, one after another, removing chunks of flesh with each bite.

When a few shifters charged forward, Luca left the line in a dangerous move and lobbed one of his amulets.

Lights flared.

Anyone hit in the blast stopped short, falling to their knees as their clothes tightened. They were forced to claw their way out of their clothing before they were strangled to death.

The fight was brutal and bloody, dropping bodies as quickly as replacements rushed into the fray.

“We shouldn’t be fighting.” The Prime’s sole focus was centered on her, seemingly unconcerned who would win the battle. “These are our soldiers. With only a suggestion, they turn on their own. You could rule them at my side. They would follow you.”

Her heartbeat grew sluggish, horror thickening in her veins as his master plan became clear.

He wanted her to become his general and bring everlasting war to the world.

His smile was expectant as excitement shimmered in his eyes, the red giving them a demonic gleam.

It almost looked like…fever.

Raven could’ve smacked herself for not noticing sooner. “You’re burning through the magic too fast, consuming too much energy for your human body to sustain you.” She’d seen signs of it in Rylan. “You’re addicted. Greed won’t allow you to stop. You’ll need a new host sooner than expected, and you need me to keep your army together. If we hold you off just a little longer, we can bind the wild magic before you’re able to select your next victim.”

Such a simple answer.

Relief trickled through her.

Rage twisted his face. “You bitch. Too bad no one else will be smart enough to figure it out, and once you’re gone, no one else will have the power to make it happen, either.”

Without warning, he swung his sword.

She blocked, but the nasty blow dropped her to her knees.

She lifted her sword, bracing for the next strike—

And received a kick to her chest that took her by surprise. She went sprawling, and the sword fell from her grip. She rolled and scrambled for the blade, but the blow left her so stunned her reflexes were slow. Just as her fingers curled around the hilt, the Prime kicked it out from under her grip.

“You should have accepted my offer.”

Raven looked up to see him raise his sword.

“It didn’t have to come to this.” Then the sword descended.

Raven rolled to her side and kicked, catching him in the knee. There was a sickening crack, and his leg bent in the wrong direction. With a bellow, he staggered and struggled to regain his balance.

Wild magic swelled in the air as she sprang for the sword.

He’d refrained from using magic while she’d been holding it.

If she didn’t reach it in time, she was dead meat.

Two feet.

The first lash of magic struck her across the back, slicing through clothing to flay off a strip of flesh. The shock of pain tore a startled yelp from her, and blood dribbled down her back.

Raven clawed forward. To defeat the Prime, she had to have the sword. Magic welled again. She tried not to stiffen, but her muscles tensed against the coming pain.

The second lash caught her between her shoulder blades.

A hiss of shocked pain escaped as her skin split.

Each movement, each breath, only heightened the agony.

A pair of shoes stepped into her line of vision.

Raven peered up to find Randolph glaring at something behind her with cold, dead eyes, nothing in his body or face betraying any emotions. The trained assassin had come out to play. “Get the sword, but you’d better hurry or we’re all dead.”

With that, he stepped into the swirling mass of wild magic that had settled around the Prime like an angry cloud.

When Randolph entered the storm, red particles in the cloud sizzled against his flesh, eating it away like acid. That didn’t stop him. He lunged at the Prime time and again.

Buying her a few precious seconds.

Whether he did it for her benefit or just to pit himself against a stronger force and see who would win, didn’t matter.

Turning her back on the fight, Raven forced herself to her feet and staggered toward the sword. The weight of the weapon sent agony screaming through her back. She turned to see Randolph fly through the air and collapse, his body deathly still.

The sounds of fighting intensified. The second wave of shifters from the cave had arrived and flanked the battle. Beast fought beast as they tore into each other. Dominic had organized the infected witches to battle the others.

All the magic flying around thickened the air until it became stifling, and the sword began to glow softly as it was buffeted by the whirl of spells and charms.

The Prime strode toward the defenseless Randolph. Part of her wondered if it might not be better to let him die, but she couldn’t force herself to let it happen. She grabbed at the magic churning in the air and threw it at the Prime. The hit caught him high in the shoulder, nearly spinning him around. The wound steamed as he lifted his head, and his focus fell on her.

His eyes frosted red with hatred, he straightened and strode toward her with the cursed broadsword in his hand. When he came within striking distance, he renewed his assault by hacking away at her. His weapon was an extension of himself, his entire body moving with each blow, powered by his grim determination to finish her off.

She needed to go on the offensive. There was no way she could win in a physical battle. She had to be sneaky. Just when his sword was about to drop, Raven whirled, brought up her blade and sliced him across the ribs, just under his arm. The move wasn’t a conscious effort on her part, the blade had guided her hand to where it would do the most damage.

The Prime grunted, then reached under his arm, lifting his hand to find it covered with blood. Shock hollowed his face as he met her gaze. The sour scent of fear pierced his confidence while they circled each other.  

He narrowed his eyes, craving retribution, but his swing went wide, leaving her a split-second opening. She took it, dragging the blade across his thigh. The edge sliced through flesh, spilling blood down his leg, and he growled as he whirled to face her.

“What do you think will happen when your beast wakes?” Raven stiffened at the question, trying not to let the sting of it sink under her skin. It was the same question she’d been asking herself for the past ten years.

“You’ll need my help. You kill me now, you’ll doom your precious pack.”

The creature dug its claws in her chest in denial. “Neither of us would harm our own.”

The Prime laughed, the deep rumble filling the air. “You don’t get it, do you? You’re the ultimate weapon. Without training, you’ll become a monster. You won’t be able to control it. You won’t be in charge at all. You’ll eventually destroy everything you hold dear.”

A second of doubt caused her to hesitate.

Taking advantage of her distraction, the Prime charged, blocking her sword stroke. He plowed his shoulder into her, throwing her clear off her feet, and the ground rushed up to knock the breath out of her.

Training allowed her to move, reach for the sword.

Only to have a foot land on her wrist.

Looking up, she glimpsed the Prime standing over her with a snide smile. “You should’ve killed me when you had the chance.”

He brought the sword to rest against her throat, the metal cold against her skin. The armor thickened in retaliation, and she grabbed the blade, holding it at bay, but she wasn’t sure her beast would be strong enough to save her this time. As if affronted, the creature flooded her with magic, the blue strands a cool heat leapt from her to the Prime’s sword and streaked up the blade. Instead of being absorbed, her magic swarmed into the Prime. His arms trembled under the strain, his teeth clenched as volts of electricity sizzled through him.

He couldn’t take her head off while she held him.

They were at a draw.

The Prime looked a little gray around the edges as her power continued to eat away at him. As if knowing he was losing, he brought back his foot, and slammed it against her side.

Her ribs cracked. Bones caved.

Breathing became impossible, and she lost her hold on her power, watching helplessly as it evaporated. Metal sparked against the armor of her hands as the blade dropped back down to her throat.

The Prime gave a triumphant laugh. “You’re just a baby, not nearly strong enough to fight me and win.”

Durant barreled into the Prime, tackling the man, the sword just nicking her neck before the Prime was flattened. A trickle of blood dribbled down her throat.

Both men hit the ground with a thud, skidded against grass and went sprawling.   

Raven rolled to her side, clutching her ribs as she tried to get her lungs to work again.

The wards on Durant’s back flared to life, protecting him from the magic, but nothing could keep him safe from the sword. Durant evaded the first swing, grabbed the Primes arm, and landed a few rapid punches to his injured ribs.

And received an elbow to his temple for his trouble.

He staggered back, his feet clumsy as he danced away, and she realized the drugs were still affecting him. Even with his fast shifter metabolism, he still needed time to recover.

Raven wheezed, and the first blessed taste of air trickled down her throat. When she tried to stand, she couldn’t get any further than on her hands and knees before the world started to spin. Each movement was agony against her ribs. Seconds passed and another precious breath of air filled her lungs.

Durant dodged and landed blows, growing slower and slower with each hit and terror took root in her heart.

She had to do something.

She reached for her sword, dragging it closer, stabbing the tip into the ground and using it to pull herself upright. The effort exhausted her. She glanced up to see Durant barely block the blade in time, and her heart dropped and shattered at her feet to see so many thin lines of blood staining his shirt where he’d been nicked.

The damned fool was going to get himself killed.

Her heart chilled to realize what his good-bye kiss had really meant.

It wasn’t because he thought she would die, but because he had planned to sacrifice himself if it meant keeping her alive.

Raven lurched forward, panic making her trip over her own feet as she charged toward the two men.

The Prime brought down his sword.

Time slowed, the air thickened to molasses as she struggled to reach them. Her heart thudded against her ribs as she watched helplessly while the blade plunged into Durant’s chest. “Noooo!”

 Chapter Twenty-six

Something inside Raven snapped, and her scream turned into a roar that shook the earth. Crippling pain tore through her side as her beast ripped free from the last of its bindings. Power suffused her in one agony-inducing wave as the creature fully awoke. The sword in her hand blazed to life, and the insatiable hunger for vengeance thrummed through them both.

There was no more pretense of control. Raven no longer gave a damn.

All fighting stopped.

The world fell silent and held its breath.

The creature concentrated on a space before the Prime. Her bones grew lighter, almost insubstantial as they seemed to dissolve. Then, without even moving, she was teleported a short distance away, exactly where she wanted to be most—face to face with the Prime.

He stumbled back in shock, leaving his sword still wedged in Durant’s chest.

Power poured through her as the creature took over, and Raven conceded to the beast’s demands without a struggle. She couldn’t allow herself to think or feel or she’d drown in the avalanche of pain.

Wanting him to suffer, she backhanded the Prime, nearly knocking him off his feet.

When he looked up, she saw four slashes had split open his face where her claws had landed.

He lifted his hands in the sign of surrender, his fear a stench fouling the air. “You don’t want to do this.”

Raven smiled and fangs sliced her lips, filling her mouth with the taste of blood. “I can assure you I very much do.”

She stalked him as he stumbled away. The wild urge to give chase roared through her. He must have seen it and forced himself to stop. “Spare me, and you’ll never see me again.”

“No.” She landed a couple more strikes, laying open his arm when he raised it to block the blow meant for his throat. The next slice slid across his chest, her diamond-hard nails scraping against his ribs.

“I can teach you how to rid yourself of the beast.” He stumbled and fell on his ass, scuttling backwards to get away from her. “Permanently.”

The temptation to listen lingered, just out of reach. The beast grew quiet, letting her decide, its grip tightened as if to deny any thought of separation.

His shrewd eyes sharpened. “Or I can show your creature how to gain freedom from the prison of your body.”

Raven lifted the sword.

“Kill me and you’ll never learn the truth. Neither of you will ever be free.”

The creature protected her from feeling the pain, kept her from shattering at the debilitating loss of Durant. The last thing she wanted was to give that up…she wouldn’t survive. “We will never be free.”

The sword descended. There was a slight tug on the blade, and she watched dispassionately as the Prime’s head hit the ground with a thud.

The creature hummed with pleasure at the victory, but Raven felt none of it. She buried herself deep inside the creature, desperate to escape the wave of loss that threatened to drown her.

There was no cheering at the end of this battle.

People stared at her in shock, too frightened to move.

Breathing heavily, Raven watched the corpse, unable to turn and face Durant’s lifeless body.

It would make it too real.

Steam rose when the Prime’s blood met open air.

Only it smelled sour.

Wild magic soared out of the blood like a swarm of enraged wasps, the red tint to the cloud giving it an ominous appearance. With no body to corral it, the magic swirled like a tornado, seeking a new host. It needed to quickly bind to either a body or an object or it wouldn’t survive.

The pulsing red mist circled the small clearing like a predator, hovering above everyone in its search for the perfect candidate. People froze, shrank away to avoid detection. The rot of dying magic filled the air as it slowly condensed over her head.

Even as she stepped back, the symbols on her blade flared to life.

She tried to drop the sword, but her hand wouldn’t obey her command. The creature thickened the armor around her, but Raven didn’t know if it would be enough.

Magic fell from the sky like rain.

Or more like acid rain.

The glow around the sword increased, the magic sizzling when it hit the metal. Power surged through the sword but there was just too much for it to absorb. The overflow spilled into her hand and raced up her arm. Unbridled power scorched her insides until her flesh felt like it was being peeled from bone.

What the sword didn’t consume landed on her like drops of pestilence. Unfiltered by the sword, each drop blistered her skin, burrowing to get through her armor, and she was quickly overwhelmed. Like wiggling maggots, they tunneled into her flesh. The creature shredded the foul-tasting magic as fast as it could, but it wasn’t able to keep up with the tide.

Wild magic infected her system

The agony lasted for what felt like hours, but could only have been minutes. The wild magic was like sandpaper against her bones as it clashed with her own natural energy. As if realizing they were killing her, the two volatile magics came to an uneasy truce. The red magic tainted the edges of the blue electricity that was hers, and the tips throbbed like an angry wound.

The symbols on the sword faded, its hunger fed for now.

The world quieted around her.

Wildness licked through her. She was finally free and whole for the first time. Her heart thudded against her chest, like she’d lost something important. Not wanting to remember the unrelenting pain of loss, Raven retreated further into the beast.

Bloodied bodies were strewn about the small clearing.

The trees were stripped of leaves, the branches as barren and lonely as she felt.

The shifters darted back and forth, gathering their injured, all the while keeping an eye on her, ready to run if she so much as twitched. The witches were huddled together, preparing to strike as if she was the enemy. Luca ignored them, scurrying from body to body, checking survivors before dragging them back to Paige and their fellow students for healing.

Randolph stepped toward her, his arm at an odd angle, blood dribbled down his face, but he didn’t seem to notice as he studied her. He seemed pleased at the changes, and showed no sign of fear.

Each familiar face shaved away a layer of the blessed numbness. Memories of things she wanted to forget rose, and misery tightened around her chest.

She needed to run and disappear.

To forget they’d ever existed.

“Raven.”

She turned to see Rylan standing three feet from her. He didn’t move, didn’t breathe, laying his soul bare for her to see. The depth of his loneliness echoed inside her, but it was the compassion in his eyes that nearly broke her.

Then he spoke.

“You’ll never forgive yourself if you run. Trust me. I know.”

Anguish slashed through her chest at his heartfelt plea, cracking open the door she so desperately needed to keep shut. Her insides felt raw and bleeding, and she was devastated by the thought of never being able to touch Durant again. Never kiss him. Never laugh with him.

There would be no more dates. No more purring from his tiger when he was pleased. Or rumbles of displeasure when he thought she was being foolish.

No more handcuffs.

Her heart slowly fractured, and she curled her arms to her chest when the avalanche of pain threatened to crush her. Tears crowded her eyes, her throat tightened, and the loss of his love was just more than she could bear. “Stop. No more. Please.”

 Chapter Twenty-seven

Dominic strode forward, shoving his face into hers. “Damn it, snap out of it. If you don’t do something, Durant will die.”

The words rang in her ears for one uncomprehending moment, then all the blood rushed from her head until she felt faint.

“He’s alive?” Her lips felt so numb, she wasn’t sure she even spoke aloud.

Raven whirled and stumbled toward Durant’s prone figure. He lay where he’d fallen, still pinned to the ground by the damned sword.

Blood surrounded him in an ever-increasing circle, so much blood that her throat closed, trapping the scream clawing to get out. As she approached, his eyes flickered open. The color was a pale yellow instead of his usual vivid gold, his tiger doing everything it could to keep him alive.

And dying for it.

She grabbed for the hated sword.

“Don’t. It’s all that’s keeping him from bleeding to death.”

Raven ignored Rylan’s warning. Durant was dying anyway. She grabbed the sword and excruciating pain rocketed through her hand, the metal singeing her fingertips black, and she jerked away.

“Come here.”

Her eyes slid closed at the acceptance in Durant’s raspy voice.

He was giving up.

A howl of denial burned in her chest, her insides shredding at the thought of losing him.

She couldn’t go through it again.

She narrowed her eyes when a vague idea formed. Armor plated together under her skin, and she flexed her fingers.

She reached for the sword again.

Braced for the pain, she wrapped her hands around the hilt and shoved the weapon full of power. It automatically tried to absorb it, but not fast enough.

The metal heated in seconds, steam rising from the sword.

Durant whitened and gave her a nod.

She yanked the blade free from the wound. He convulsed in agony, his bellow of pain locked behind his clenched teeth.

The sword fell to the ground, the weight too much for her ruined hands. Raven dropped to her knees at Durant’s side. She reached for the hem of his shirt, forcing the curled, charred mess of her fingers to open. They cracked, the skin splitting open and blood dripped onto his skin as she tried to shove up his shirt.

A tiny wound high on his shoulder marred his chest, no more than two inches. So innocent. He got paper cuts bigger than that.

The bleeding had stopped, cauterized by the sword when she slid it free of his flesh.

“Can you heal?” She gave him a sharp glance.

Durant shook his head, and a lump formed in her throat. She had to clear her throat twice to be able to speak. “You need to change into your beast.”

He reached for her wrists and drew her closer. “The tiger is nearly insane from the pain. If I set him free, he will kill.”

He wasn’t going to even try.

Tears burned her eyes, but she refused to blink.

If he wouldn’t do it, she would do it for him.

She shoved power into him, reached for his beast, but the damned ward on his back blocked her every attempt. Panic tore into her chest until every breath was agony.

“Fight, damn you!” She slammed her fists against him.

When he didn’t speak, she pressed her forehead against his chest, as if she could hold him there by sheer will alone. “Don’t leave me.”

Arms reached for her, and she fought them, clawing and scratching to get away.

“Watch!” Someone shook her until she stilled.

Durant was changing…or trying. The blood loss had weakened his animal to the point that he didn’t have any strength remaining.

Raven closed her eyes and reached for the fragile strings that tied him to the pack. The rope had worn to a thread, thin and faded, the magic between them only a faint glow. Any more strain, and that precious cord would snap.

Twirling a few small strands of raw electricity together, she wound it around the tiny thread over and over until it thickened, then steadily fed power to Durant, scraping together everything she had left.

The process gutted her.

When she would have reached for the last of her strength, a band tightened around her chest.

Rylan’s arms.

When he lowered his head next to hers, his spicy scent wrapped around her. “Open your eyes and look.”

She obeyed.

Durant all but glowed with power, his attention focused solely on her. Bones snapped, flesh rippled as he changed. His face revealed none of the agony he endured. Clothes shredded. Fur sprouted.

The torment was over in a moment.

In his place a large, beautiful tiger sat panting.

Wonder plowed through her at seeing such a majestic beast up close. The sheer size of him could intimidate lesser prey with just a look from those mesmerizing eyes.

Those golden eyes narrowed, his large fangs flashing as he locked on something behind her.

“I believe that’s my cue.” Rylan reluctantly released his hold on Raven after a final squeeze.

Raven dropped to her knees as the gorgeous cat prowled toward her. A heavy limp disturbed the smooth gait, a silent snarl curled his lips as he neared. His massive head lifted, his mouth opened and chest worked like bellows to catch her scent.

She gave in to the temptation to touch and lifted her hand. Her fingers had almost healed, although the waxy skin was now sensitive to even the slightest brush of air.

Hot breath hit her fingertips, and the big cat bumped into her hand, rubbing his jaw along her palm. He circled, brushing up against her with each step, until he was curled around her. Only then did he drop to his stomach, close his eyes…and sleep.

Even wrapped in warmth, Raven didn’t dare allow herself to believe Durant had survived. Hope was a dangerous thing. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to remain sane if she found it had all been a cruel lie. With trembling fingers, she ran her hand along his spine, and he curled tighter around her. She slipped her arms around him and buried her face in his hide. Much to her surprise, a layer of soft fluffy fur was hidden underneath the top hair.

His reassuring heartbeat finally made her believe, and her throat burned with tears.

“Raven.”

Her arms tightened for a second, and she reluctant lifted her head. “What?”

Heloise approached. “We need the sword back.”

Raven’s gaze dropped toward the broadsword and revulsion curdled through her. “It’s yours.”

Heloise didn’t move. “We need them both.”

Unable to help herself, Raven stiffened. Power rose until her skin felt ready to crack. Claws pressed against her fingertips. Raven didn’t feel the creature any more. It was no longer separate, now melded so seamlessly with her she couldn’t tell where one began and the other ended.

Durant’s eyes cracked open, murder darkening them to a brilliant gold. Much to her surprise, Nicholas stepped between the sword and the witches.

The witch’s face hardened. “It’s not your place to keep it.”

“I beg to disagree. It chose me.” There was no way she could give the sword back, not when it was filled with wild magic.

It was too dangerous.

Heloise didn’t budge an inch. “It needs to be locked away.”

Raven agreed completely. “The temptation to use wild magic would be too much for your coven. You still have a number who are infected.”

“They will be bound.”

It was a huge concession, since the witches would be giving up their magic. “And it will all be for nothing if they get their hands on that sword. It needs to be placed somewhere inaccessible to them. Where better than a whole house full of shifters?”

But only after she set up some wards of her own. Any witch who crossed her property line would be stripped of their ability to cast while on her land. Raven didn’t question how she knew the spell, didn’t care as long as her people remained safe.

Heloise pursed her lips, wanting to argue with the truth, but couldn’t, which only pissed her off more. “You aren’t a witch, nor are you a shifter, not completely. What are you?”

Raven was beginning to suspect the truth. Her past was shrouded with mystery, so she had no idea if she’d been born that way or if they’d done something to her in the labs when she was a child, but there was no way she would share any of that with the witches. “I don’t have a clue.”

“You can’t be allowed to go around unchecked.”

Rylan was deathly still, his eyes black. “We won’t be test subjects.”

They wouldn’t submit without a fight.

 “She’s pack, not a threat to your people.” Dominic stepped forward, his brilliant mind working. “You asked for her help, and she willingly gave it. She’s done nothing to warrant your constant badgering.”

Heloise wasn’t appeased, and her eyes landed on Raven. “Yet.”

“Until it happens, leave us the hell alone.”

The threat hung suspended between them.

Magic clashed in the air, and the world slowed. A leaf stopped mid-flight, while the howling of the wind ceased as abruptly as being plunged underwater.

Heloise nodded toward her. “I believe you mean what you say, but too many people saw what you did today. They heard the Prime speak of your unique makeup. There are legends of ancient creatures that roamed the night, long before the pack and clan came into existence. Even knowing they existed was so dangerous they’ve been stripped from history.

“They were protectors, even rulers of the ancient lands. People became jealous, craved power and worked to destroy the very thing that protected them.”

Raven listened intently, the story achingly familiar even though she’d never heard it before.

Her story.

She needed to know the truth. “What happened?”

“Evil.” Heloise closed her eyes as if shamed by the truth. “People became greedy and wanted the protectors gone. They infected the guardians with a form of tainted magic to get rid of them.”

Raven’s stomach twisted at the truth. “They created ancient magic.”

Heloise nodded. “The plan backfired, turning the protectors into monsters. They fought vicious wars for dominance until they were all but wiped out. Only a few escaped the annihilation. They managed to bind the wild magic, but it was much too late. Fearing retaliation for what they’d done, the humans created the creatures of clan and pack to rid the world of the rest of the ancient protectors. It was a massacre. The few who remained went into hiding.”

Raven instinctively knew she was a descendant of those ancient creatures, although her bloodline must have been diluted over the centuries. Every time danger became too great, it brought out her more primitive side—triggering her dormant genes to rise to the surface and rousing her beast.

It woke to protect what was theirs.

First Rylan, and now her pack.

“After years of war and devastation, the humans took over the kingdoms and magic faded from the world.” Heloise eyes turned dark and ghostly. “You were infected with the wild magic. It’s too volatile to control, too capricious and fickle.”

Raven could only nod.

All of it was true.

“You’re not like the rest of us. You’re more pure of heart. You don’t care about war or land or politics. Maybe that will save you, but I doubt it. You seem to have a natural resistance, but it will find a way to corrupt you. When you turn into the monster you carry, you will destroy the world. It almost happened today. The only thing that saved you was your pack.”

Heloise straightened, and her voice resonated in the air like a goddess pronouncing her fate. “It would be better to kill you before you turn into a threat.”

Power stretched under Raven’s skin to get out. It was a physical effort to speak past the compulsion to simply kill and rid herself of the problem. “I was the only one who could have stopped the Prime. The humans are unsettled now that they’ve learned paranormals are real. They’re playing nice in public, but they’ve been trying to make their own soldiers for years. It will happen. When they think they can win, there will be another war.”

Heloise grew solemn. “More than possible.”

“If I’m this guardian, allow me to guard.”

“And if you slip? It will be too late.”

Raven rose to her feet, exhaustion leaving her numb. “It’s already too late, but I think you know that. What do you want?”

 Chapter Twenty-eight

“A witch in your pack.”

She meant a spy.

The answer came so fast, Raven suspected that had been the witch’s end game from the beginning. “To what purpose?”

Heloise gave her a tight smile. “You have my demand. Take it or leave it.”

Denial slammed into her with the force of a freight train. To invite a person in her pack was an intimate thing. Choose the wrong person, and it could become an invasion. Durant’s tail slinked out, curling around her ankle, the brush of fur soothing her agitation, and a small burst of warmth splashed through their connection. She wasn’t sure if it was a show of support or if he missed the contact between them. Either way she was grateful. “To be in a pack is to have complete loyalty to me. You wouldn’t gain anything.”

“It would guarantee you wouldn’t harm her.”

“Not really. Plenty of packs kill their own or sell them into slavery.” But the voodoo priestess was correct to a certain extent, the witch would be under her protection.

“She’ll call to report to me once a week.” Smugness settled around her. “To assure me she remains unharmed, of course.”

More like to report Raven’s whereabouts and any other information Heloise’s spy could steal. The pack would have to be on constant guard. On the other hand, if she became a monster everyone feared, the added safety guard could be a blessing. “I’ll agree on one condition.”

This time Heloise was the one who hesitated. “Go on.”

A leaf drifted into view, so sluggish she didn’t even see it move, and Raven realized time hadn’t stopped, just slowed down. “I get to choose the person.”

Heloise was already shaking her head before she finished. “Unacceptable.”

“I need a witch who won’t be tempted by the wild magic, one who will be able to fit in with my pack, or the deal’s off.”

Realizing she didn’t have any say in the matter only infuriated Heloise, and she grunted in agreement. With a wave of her arm, time resumed. “Then you are free to leave.”

Raven turned and spotted Luca among his friends. As soon as her eyes landed on him, he flashed her a hesitant smile. The promise she’d given him shone on his face, and he seemed about ready to burst with anticipation, but he didn’t say a word as he waited for her decide. “Luca, if you’re still interested in traveling with us, you should say your goodbyes.”

A wide grin split his face. With a quick wave to those behind him, he darted toward her as if he feared she would change her mind if he didn’t reach her in time. A few students frowned, but she wasn’t sure whether it was jealousy or that they didn’t like see one of their own abandon them.

“You planned this.” Heloise’s accusation stopped Luca short, and his gaze bounced between them.

Magic dusted the air. Like the tide, she felt it being pulled toward Heloise, and Raven stiffened at the threat. “He asked me to sponsor him. He’s a wizard, so he meets both our criteria.

Deep grooves dug between Heloise’s brows at her choice. Though he was a kid, he wouldn’t be easily manipulated by the coven. He couldn’t be bought by the promise of power.

Wizards didn’t have any.

It was one way to keep him and her pack safe, but still honor her bargain with Heloise.

The witch sighed and gestured toward Luca. “This is your choice?”

“Yes.” He didn’t hesitate, but swallowed hard, his Adam apple bobbing painfully when those spooky eyes focused on him. Raven gave him points for not dropping his gaze. Tough kid.

 “So be it.” Heloise turned their back as she walked toward the cluster of remaining witches, and Raven wondered if the gesture was symbolic of cutting ties with the boy.

Raven faced the shifters who clung to the tree line. “As per our agreement, you are free to remain or return to your packs. Your contracts are paid in full.”

The witches grumbled, but none protested.

A few of the shifters immediately disappeared into the shadows. A number of them scurried back toward the safety of the witches, but a handful remained behind.

One of the group straightened and took a step toward her. Thomas’ friend spoke, “We fought for you and would like to remain with you.”

Familiars were usually the most undesirable of the pack. If they went back to their old lives, they would have to be submissive to everyone else in the pack or sold back to the witches. Neither of those options was an enviable positions.

They were expendable.

Most would be dead before the year was out.

As if understanding her hesitation, Dominic gave her a nod. Trusting his judgment, she waved to the group. “You’re welcome to join us.”

* * *

After hours of sorting through the rubble and collecting dead bodies, Raven and her rag-tag group headed toward the gates. Sunlight threatened the horizon.

The new day would begin soon.

As soon as an SUV and a small bus pulled up to the gate, London emerged and took in everything at a glance, then assumed charge of getting everyone loaded. Jackson emerged from the bus, his gaze immediately landing on her. He didn’t move toward her, instead surveying her from head to foot, the possessiveness she saw there stealing her breath. When his focus fell on the sword strapped to her back, his brows lifted. Then, as if satisfied to see she was alive and whole, he went to help London.

Part of her wanted him to come closer, but she understood his restraint.

One touch wouldn’t be enough.

Unnerved by his penetrating gaze and the need to touch it invoked, Raven glanced back at the gate. It took her brain a second to register her silent shadow had vanished. Despite all Randolph had done for them, she was pathetically glad to find him gone. He hadn’t risked his life to be nice. He’d demand payment. The last thing she wanted was to have him anywhere near her pack when he came to collect.

The sword warmed in agreement, the heat soaking into her aching muscles. Raven paused, but sensed nothing else from the weapon but a show of camaraderie.

A movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Nicholas stood on the outskirts of the group like an outcast, something so bruised in his eyes as he watched her people that she took a step toward him.

Only to see him pull out a set of keys and walk away. Unable to curb her curiosity, she followed. “Sneaking away?”

“You don’t have to worry, I won’t hold you to your promise.” He unlocked the door, not bothering to meet her eyes.

His stiff posture didn’t invite conversation. “You’ve changed your mind.”

He appeared startled, something that rarely happened with a vampire. The mask he wore was stripped away, revealing such naked emotions that her heart ached. “No, but I understand why you needed me to help protect your pack. I’d use anyone to protect them, too.”

“You’re a dork.” Raven smiled at the yearning in his voice. His decision to give her an out merely cemented her vow to help. “I never make a promise I don’t intend to keep. You’re coming with us.”

He didn’t move, his intensity so unnerving her smile fell away.

“There will be trouble.”

Raven raised a brow at him. “Trouble always has a way of finding me.”

His lips twitched. “You do seem to have a knack for it.”

She rolled her eyes. “So everyone says, but maybe it happens for a reason.”

Nicholas hesitantly stepped away from the car, his body coiled tight as he nodded toward her pack. “You don’t see it, do you?”

She swung toward the group, drawing energy from her bones in a delicious ache as she searched for the threat. Worry tightened the muscles of her back into knots as she waited for an attack.

Only to find nothing menacing in the shadows for once.

“See what?”

“Your men are not the perfect little soldiers groomed for a normal pack. Such structured life of blindly following orders would stifle them. You’ve managed to bind a pack of outcasts together, each with different strengths. Most would see you as foolish for polluting the pack with so many breeds. They wouldn’t be able to control them, which would make them useless. But you don’t see them that way, do you?”

“Of course not.” Raven was baffled about what point he was trying to make. Something in his tone warned her she wouldn’t enjoy what he had to say. “Get in the car and explain.”

London was behind the wheel. Durant in his cat form took up the cargo area. That left Dominic, Nicholas, and Rylan to fill the car.

They took the first winding turn out of the mountains when Nicholas started to speak. “The world is changing. The old ones don’t see it. With humans now aware of our existence, the old ways of hiding our mistakes under the cover of darkness and brushing them off as myths and legends will no longer work.”

He was so certain war would strike again, everything inside her chilled at the prophecy. “What do you mean?”

“Humans have had enough time to study us, learn our weaknesses. They’ve been creating weapons. If they decide to attack, they’ll take out the strongest first.”

“The alphas and the masters.” Rylan spoke as if he’d already planned the fall of the paranormals. Noticing her look, he flashed her a smile. “You forget we were at war with each other over a hundred years ago. Ask any paranormal, and they can tell you any number of ways to destroy the others. We’re predators, trained by clan and pack to be warriors. The alphas and masters used to have full guards to protect them. With the peace between clans, we’ve become lax.”

 “You make it sound like killing them would be so easy.” Raven had met the other paranormal creatures. They were vicious and deadly and wouldn’t take kindly to a paltry human trying to kill them.

“Easy?” Rylan raised a brow. “No, but possible. It’s the best way to pitch the paranormal world into chaos. Then all the humans have to do is pick us off. Without a leader, we’ll be wiped out in a matter of years. If the humans don’t kill us, we’ll kill each other in the battle for power.”

Disturbed by his conviction, Raven swiveled in her seat to face Nicholas. “You’re sure?”

The bleak truth was etched on his face. “They’ll take out the Council members first. The treaties holding the races together would unravel, leaving each paranormal sect to defend themselves.”

The certainty in his voice was chilling.

The realization that it could happen so easily twisted her stomach and bile rose in her throat. “I hadn’t realized peace between the races was so fragile.”

“We’re basic creatures.” Dominic’s eyes were haunted. “When it comes down to survival, we’ll do whatever’s needed to protect our own. We’ve seen it happen in the labs often enough.”

The scientists soon realized they needed to snap the bonds of the pack before the shifters could be molded into perfect soldiers. They did unspeakable things to break them down into nothing more than a simple beast to serve their purposes.

Those who had survived the training, anyway.

Rylan touched her shoulder, anchoring her in the present. She leaned back into the comfort of his touch, shaken at how quickly she’d been pulled into the nightmare of her past. “Who else knows?”

“Only the Council and a few of the alphas.”

London grunted as he took a turn a little too fast and gravel rattled the bottom of the SUV and sprayed out from under the tires. “And telling us is a death sentence. You’ve sealed your fate by warning us. Why?”

“I’m a dead man anyway.” Nicholas shrugged. “They’re trying to work out a plan and build a war committee, but no one can come to terms on anything.”

They all knew the likelihood of everyone agreeing was almost zero. But it also explained why the witches had allowed her to leave with the sword.

“They might not know it yet, but they already have their committee.” At her blank expression, Nicholas tipped his head toward her group. “You. People will follow you.”

“Whaaat?” The last thing she wanted was to be a leader, not with the rise of her creature.

“You brought together a bunch of outcasts, something that should be impossible. They believe in one thing absolutely—you—and it’s made you all stronger. Nothing can prevent what’s coming, but your group might be able to salvage what’s left before we’re wiped out.”

Raven was already shaking her head when Dominic spoke. “We need to stop them before war erupts.”

“How?” Knowing someone had a plan that didn’t involve her leading a war, allowed her panic to recede to a manageable level. She was desperate enough to latch onto even the most far-fetched idea.

“By finding them first.” Dominic’s expression shut down as he stared at her. “We both know the people who want us dead. They have plenty of money, power, and the knowledge to win this war.”

He was talking about the labs.

Unable to meet his eyes and see the horrors reflected there, she looked away.

The men exchanged glances and fell silent, a guy thing that never boded well for a woman. “What?”

“It’s too dangerous for you to be home right now, especially if we’re going after the labs. You need to leave until things cool down.” Rylan’s spoke without inflection, but hatred for the labs burned in his obsidian eyes, a lust for vengeance that wouldn’t be quenched without bloodshed.

His quest for retribution was so all-consuming, Raven feared it would lead him straight into danger. If she left, there would be no one to talk sense into him. “I won’t abandon my pack.”

Dominic rested his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. His eyes glowed as his wolf crouched close to the surface, and a fierce grin split his face at his animal’s return. “I’ll stay and lead the investigation. I’ve been researching the labs for a long time. We have contacts the Council doesn’t.”

He meant the survivors.

“Your vampire might be right.” Nicholas gave her a nod, confirming without words that he would keep Rylan safe. “We might be the only ones able to stop them, but only if you leave and give us time to prepare.”

London nodded his head. “I’ll keep the grounds and the boys safe.”

They overrode her every hesitation.

Rylan studied her with those blue eyes of his. “I’m your intermediary between the two races that border your land, the vampires and the rogues. They alone represent a veritable army right on your doorstep. Too many people know what happened tonight and more will find out as word spreads. You need time to learn control before they descend.”

“I’ll call Taggert to get ready.” Dominic grabbed the phone on the dash, ignoring her protests as he dialed.

Worse, she wasn’t sure they were wrong. She just didn’t like leaving them behind to face danger without her standing next to them.

“You’ll have less than a week before my master finds out I’m staying with you and demands my return.”

The last thing she needed was another enemy, especially a powerful leader of the vampires. “Lester owes me a favor. I’ll talk to him.”

“He won’t take kindly to you stealing away his vengeance.”

Raven feared he was right, but there was no help for it. “You dragged me into this, you’re damned well going to see me through it.”

Yearning flickered in his eyes before he could douse it. “I don’t want to be the one who ruins what you’ve built.”

“You don’t see it, do you?” She mimicked his words back at him and confusion darkened his face. “You’re already one of us. If what you say is true, I need all the people I can trust at my back.”

“What will you tell him?”

She wracked her brain to think of something other than the truth. “I’ll explain your presence is needed to help Rylan with his new post.”

Nicholas’ wary gaze flickered up and landed on the other vampire. “He’s never shown any interest in having help.”

“He’s also never shown interest in staying around for longer than a few days either. If they start hunting us in earnest, Rylan will need your help.”

Raven watched acceptance settle over Nicholas, his relief palpable and his whole countenance lightened.

The ride home was used to make call and put their plans in motion. By the time they rolled up to the house, everyone had their assigned tasks. Sunlight blazed over the horizon. Both Rylan and Nicholas were old enough to withstand the weak morning rays, but they needed shelter soon.

As soon as the vehicle stopped, Rylan was outside without seeming to rush. He strolled toward the back door, helped her out, then gave her a hug. “Come back to me safe.”

His unusual display of affection caught her by surprise, and he squeezed the air out of her.

Before she could ask him what was wrong, he vanished into the house. Nicholas exited behind her, his eyes earnest. “I’ll keep him safe.”

Raven gave him a hug, and he stiffened in her arms for one awkward second before he wrapped himself around her. “There’s a safe room upstairs. Be careful. The Council only reluctantly gave their permission for you to remain here. Make sure you stay close to the pack.”

Then he, too, was gone, swallowed up by the house.

Raven followed at a slower pace, pleased when the house welcomed her with an influx of energy. It swirled around her like a warm hug, and a rumble of contentment settled in her chest. Luca waved his hands around in the air as if he could feel the energy, but couldn’t quite grab hold of it. London lumbered past her with a nod, and she gestured to the bag he deposited at her feet. “The clothes in there have samples of blood on them for the doctor to analyze. Would you see to it that he gets them?”

“I got it.” Luca scrambled forward.

“No.” She grabbed his wrist before he could touch the bag. “There’s infected blood from the zombies in there. To be safe, you shouldn’t touch it.”

He blanched and stepped back, staring at the bag as if he expected flying monkeys to burst free and carry him off. “Thanks.”

London didn’t hesitate to grab the bag. “I’ll take care of it.”

He went to his wing of the house, then paused. “You coming, kid?”

Luca hesitated, and Raven felt like a cad for abandoning him on his first day. “He’s my security guy. He will show you around the house and teach you how to defend yourself. There are a few rooms upstairs for you to choose from. By the time we return, you should have a better idea if this is the life you want, and you can decide then whether to pledge yourself to the pack or return to the coven.”

“I’ll stay.” Relief shimmered around him, as if he’d just escaped a life sentence. Afraid that she’d change her mind, he turned and darted after London.

His certainty had her wondering what kind of life he’d led back at the campus. “You’ll be leaving behind your friends and family.”

Luca stopped as if she’d pegged him in the back. “I’m an orphan. The only reason I was allowed at the school was because I have some semblance of skill. They’ll force me to work for the rest of my life, scraping to pay off my debt to them. They expect me to be grateful for their pittance.” His jaw clenched. “Don’t make me go back. I’ll do whatever you ask.”

Raven walked around him until she could look him in the eyes. “You’re not a fraud. I saw the way you fought, and it was with a skill few others could surpass.”

He lifted his chin, daring to meet her eyes to see if she was telling the truth. “But I’m just a wizard.”

Raven couldn’t help it, she laughed. “Yes, just like Merlin was a wizard, too.”

His mouth fell open, and a spark of hope blazed in his eyes.

“I have no intention of sending you back, but living here is dangerous, and not an ideal life for everyone. The first order of business is to show you how to defend yourself.”

Luca lifted his arm. With a flick of his fingers, a fireball engulfed his hand. “I know a trick or two.”

The amulet he wore flashed at the show of power, the energy draining at the trick. The way he manipulated raw magic was truly remarkable.

Then the air thickened with a hum of electricity as the house honed in on the foreign magic. Raven struggled to grab the rampant energy, but it remained elusive as it searched for the threat. It gathered like a beast ready to pounce, then slowly slinked around Luca, growing curious when it didn’t sense any danger. When it touched his cheek, Luca turned into the caress, searching for the source.

She wondered if allowing him to stay might not be such a bright idea, but she wouldn’t go back on her word. She’d reevaluate things on their return. At the first sign of danger, she would send him away.

“Those tricks take power that you can’t duplicate once the amulet is empty, leaving you vulnerable. When that fails, you need to know how to survive.”

His cockiness faded, and the fire doused as he dropped his hand.

“I don’t want you to stay here out of fear. I want you to really understand what kind of life you’d have if you decide this is what you want. Understand?”

Luca scanned her face, searching for answers. “I think so.”

“Then scram, kid. Watch. Learn.” She smiled as he walked toward London. “I look forward to your answer on my return.”

The room felt empty with them gone.

The house was strangely silent considering the amount of people living there. She was halfway up the steps when the air in the room changed. She turned to find Jackson bounding up the steps with a sense of urgency that didn’t bode well for his target. Raven flattened herself against the wall to get out of the way, only to be surprised when he stopped in front of her. He hovered just short of touching her, less than an inch separating them. Only a shifter was able to control every inch of his body with such precision. It made her think of sex, and what they could do with their bodies.

His heat splashed into her, and the sudden, violent urge to touch him had her shoving her hands behind her back to resist temptation. The craving was intense and primitive.

There was no more blaming the creature, not since the two sides of herself had merged.

And damn him, Jackson wasn’t helping at all, staring at her with such hunger she was acutely aware of their long separation. He touched the tips of her frosted hair, his chest heaving and she suspected it had more to do with keeping himself in check and not sweep her up in his arms and carry her up the steps.

“Taggert already has us packed. He’s given us fifteen minutes to shower and be ready to leave.” The longing in his voice devastated her restraint, and she swayed forward.

He had more sense and pulled away, his fingers curling into fists. When she went to reach for him, he bounded up the remaining steps. “You touch me, and no one will make it down in time. I’ve already loaded Durant in the vehicle.”

He walked backward down the hall, his eyes still glued to her. So much energy whirled around him, she almost expected to see his wolf spill out of his body.

But he had more control…at least for now…and stepped backwards into his room.

It was only after he was out of sight that she was able to peel herself off the wall and stumble toward her own room.

Then nearly went sprawling to discover a half-naked Taggert standing in her room. Her stomach tumbled with nerves, and she realized she’d been avoiding coming here, knowing he would be waiting for her.

What she’d done to him was unforgivable.

She’d nearly killed him, then abandoned him to his fate.

Taggert must have the same problem. Even with his back to her, he froze when she entered, always aware of her at all times. He was freshly showered, wearing only jeans. He seemed bigger, his muscles more pronounced since she’d been away.

More wolf.

And since he couldn’t shift, having his animal so close to the surface had to be agony.

Proof that being around her was only harming him.

Pain pierced her chest at the thought of losing him. People thought she was so good, always doing the right thing.

They were wrong.

She was selfish.

She couldn’t release him from his pledge. 

Raven walked forward, stopping right behind him. She didn’t think he even breathed. There was something brittle about the set of his shoulders. One wrong word or touch would shatter him.

She did the only thing she could.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her forehead against his back. Heat scorched her, and his comforting, woodsy scent surrounded her.

He shuddered at the touch before finally relaxing in her hold, his head bowed. “You won’t send me away.”

The words were full of wonder. He reached up and hesitantly fiddled with her fingers.

“I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”

“Promise?”

There was a wealth of agony and demand in that one word, and Raven could’ve cursed herself for leaving him in limbo for so long. It didn’t matter that she hadn’t known. It was her job as alpha to know everything about her pack. “Promise.”

To seal the deal, she brushed her lips against his shoulder, enjoying the way he sucked in a sharp breath at such a small gesture. Releasing him, she stepped away.

Taggert had to clear his throat twice before he was able to speak. “You now have ten minutes to get ready. A change of clothes is waiting for you in the bathroom.”

He picked up a shirt and pulled it over his head.

The flex and pull of muscles was captivating. He’d always been lean but stacked with muscles, but now there was something she couldn’t put her finger on that caused her gaze to linger.

When he pulled the shirt down, she realized he’d waited to dress on purpose.

Like a show.

Inviting her to touch.

The others might be alphas, able to fight tooth and nail for the privilege of standing by her side, each a powerful force to be dealt with.

But she knew the truth.

Taggert was the most dangerous of the bunch.

His submissiveness was a tool he used so effectively she hadn’t been aware of the way he wielded it until much too late. He’d already wormed his way into every part of her life and made himself indispensable.

“Nine minutes.” There was a smile in his voice.

When he took a step toward her, she scurried into the bathroom.

Raven rested a hand on the pile of clothing waiting for her, marveling at Taggert’s ruthless ability to organize her life. The girl in the mirror was a stranger, with wild hair and even wilder eyes. The electric blue color ate away the natural pewter, until only slivers of mercury remained.

Her power had been used to imprison the creature for years, whether she knew it or not. Now they were so fully merged, neither would survive without the other.

She should be terrified—part of her was a bit—but it also meant she was strong enough to hold the pack together if push came to shove. Fierce satisfaction overrode any doubts.

She and her pack would work through it together.

They’d promised to teach her everything she needed to know.

Aware of time ticking, she stripped.

Then froze, her heart hammering away at her ribs.

The spot on her side had changed. What resembled a tattoo had burned away, revealing a shiny silver filigree that matched the highlights in her hair and eyes. The center texture was rough, the pattern forming into what appeared to be tiny scales, while the outer circle resembled wings.

She brushed her fingers over the shape, then jerked back in surprise.

Metal.

Warm metal.

The softest touch was like running her hand over a fresh burn, and she shuddered at the contact.

The tattoo looked exactly like a…dragon.

She grabbed the sink to keep from dropping to her knees.

Everything made sense…how she could jump small pockets of time, the constant hunger for energy.

She wasn’t a red fire-eating dragon that fed on flames, but a silver lightning dragon that devoured energy.

And when people found out, not if—there was no way she could keep this a secret—she had to be prepared to defend her pack or risk losing everything she’d fought so hard to protect.

 The End

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stacey Brutger lives in a small town in Minnesota with her husband and an assortment of animals. When she’s not reading, she enjoys creating stories about exotic worlds and grand adventures…then shoving in her characters to see how they’d survive. She enjoys writing anything paranormal from contemporary to historical.

Other books by this author:

BloodSworn

Coveted

A PeaceKeeper Novel

The Demon Within (Book1)

A Raven Investigations Novel

Electric Storm (Book 1)

Electric Moon (Book 2)

Electric Heat (Book 3)

Coming Soon:

Electric Legend (Book 3.5)

Electric Night (Book 4)

Citadel

Watch for her first dystopian novel called Citadel

or her next urban fantasy called Electric Legend.

Visit Stacey online to find out more at www.StaceyBrutger.com

Join her newsletter by visiting her site.