SOMETHING MALEVOLENT HAS INFECTED THE FREAK SHOW, SPREADING TERROR AND DEATH WHEREVER THE CIRCUS TRAVELS. ONE VISIT WILL ENCHANT YOU, BUT DON’T DARE STAY PAST DARK OR YOU MIGHT NEVER LEAVE.

After her recent nearly-fatal case as a paranormal consultant, Raven decides to take a much-needed vacation with her pack. They stop at a freak show, a circus owned by the paranormal, and stumble upon a case … or to be more precise, the pack is kidnapped and held hostage.

WHAT WOULD YOU RISK FOR LOVE…

Raven plots their escape, knowing that if even one thing goes wrong the circus would vanish overnight without a trace, taking her pack with them. When her newly awakened dragon sabotages their every attempt to leave, Raven must depend on her wits alone to discover who is terrorizing and killing the shifters in the circus before her pack becomes the next target. Her situation only grows more precarious when the bonds between her pack begin to unravel. To save them all before it’s too late, Raven will have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

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: Amy Eye (http://theeyesforediting.com/)

Editor and Proofreader: Megan Kelly (http://www.megankellybooks.com/editing.htm)

All rights reserved.

A special thanks to all my readers for their support.

I wouldn’t be here without you.

To my husband—

Thank you for being you.

Chapter One – Day 1

DAY ONE: FIRST DAY OF VACATION

Menace pooled in the air, an icy chill that crawled over her skin. Frost crept down her throat until her lungs crackled with each breathe. Raven woke up gasping and found herself plastered over Durant’s tiger form, using him like the world’s largest pillow. Death’s bitterly cold fingers skimmed along her spine, and she took comfort when her hand settled over her sword.

She remained perfectly still, expecting an attack at any second.

Time stretched, tension mounted … then petered out when nothing happened.

She lifted her head and cursed to find herself piled into the back of a crowded station wagon, leaving her no room to maneuver with a five-hundred-pound tiger taking up most of the space. With great reluctance, she released the sword. In the cramped space, she’d be more apt to stab herself than the bad guys. The metal sent a lick of static up her arm in protest at the separation before gradually falling dormant.

The sword should’ve been safely tucked under the folded-down seat.

So, how did it get into her hand?

Did it sense something or had it reacted to her unease?

Everything around her appeared blessedly normal. Durant remained sleeping as he recovered from his injuries. Crushing relief trickled through her that he’d managed to survive the severity of the wound. He’d come so close to dying that her throat still ached every time she saw him.

Needing a distraction before she got maudlin, she focused on what triggered her unease. She eased backward, her body rebelled at leaving the warm haven, the pain like ripping off her skin.

Before she could make her escape, Durant placed one large paw on her shoulder. The furry mitt pinned her down with ease as if she were a tiny mouse, and a displeased growl rumbled in his chest. Those golden eyes of his cracked open. Unable to stop herself, she stroked her fingers along his shoulder where he’d been speared by a sword in an attempt to save her life and marveled at the warm fur beneath her fingertips.

He’d survived.

Contented by her touch—or maybe that she couldn’t escape the confines of the car—he heaved a sigh and closed his eyes. Raven sat back on her haunches and finally tore her attention away from Durant, determined to discover what had triggered her disquiet.

Energy welled up from her bones at her growing agitation, and she quickly trampled it down. As a rare conduit, she had the ability to control electricity, her very touch deadly if she wasn’t careful. In this tin can of a car, there’d be a good chance she’d end up lighting everyone up if she lost control.

Her powers were both a blessing and a curse, leaving her more than human. To make things more complicated, she’d recently learned that she was a shifter, not to mention a rare female alpha.

She didn’t grow up in that world, spent most of her life avoiding any entanglements and minded her own business.

Now she was paying for it.

She only knew the basics about shifters. Her pack was scrambling to help her fill in the blanks, guiding her through the steps, but it left her at a disadvantage. She didn’t know the rules and ended up stepping on toes, gaining her share of friends and enemies.

Jackson sat in the driver’s seat. As an enforcer, he was granted the privilege of operating a car. Only those with the utmost restraint were permitted to drive—smart when road rage could provoke a shifter to change into his beast and attack. Taggert was more beta, his sandy-blond head bent as he diligently studied a map, but Raven was beginning to suspect that when she used her power to save his life, she’d changed him on an elemental level.

He was more aggressive. Growing possessive and territorial.

Alpha traits.

She frowned in worry, wondering if there was anything she could do to stop the process, but feared it was much too late.

Behind him, the sun was just a hint on the horizon, turning the sky a bright crimson as it began its descent. The sunset should’ve been peaceful, but it looked too much like spilled blood. Towering redwoods lined both sides of the road, sending shadows chasing from tree to tree as the car sped past. The place felt almost primordial, danger thick in the air as if ready to reach out and squash them. A shimmer of fog wound through the trees, only emphasizing the haunted and uninviting feel.

As if warning unwary travelers away.

“You’re awake.” Taggert spotted her first, his splintered green and brown eyes devouring her. He’d always seemed so attuned to her, now more than ever.

Raven ignored the way her heart fluttered pathetically under his perusal. “Where are we?” Her voice emerged as a croak, and she cleared her throat, unable to drop her gaze as she drank in his appearance.

A tiny smile kicked up the corner of his mouth as if he could read her thoughts and liked knowing he had an effect on her. “We’re at the northern end of Oregon.”

Raven blinked in surprise, not expecting that they’d leave California.

“We’ve been careful to go around the larger packs so as not to invade their territories.” Jackson studied her through the rearview mirror, his cool gaze clinical and detached. But beneath, she saw the worry and the hint of uncertainty.

He was one of the strongest shifters she knew. She winced in shame, knowing that by pushing him away to protect him, she’d ended up hurting him instead. Then what he said registered. “Which territories?”

“Bears.”

Bears had a habit of being territorial and would viciously defend what they considered theirs. They were big and mean and capable of getting rid of any bodies before law enforcement had a chance to investigate. They didn’t need a pack or allies, preferring the solitude of their families. “Is that wise?”

Taggert shrugged, unconcerned at the prospect of being mauled to death. “As long as we don’t linger in their territory, we don’t have to present ourselves to the alpha.”

Taggert’s father had moved from one location to the next, keeping them under the radar to provide his son a normal life … as much as one could be considered normal when one was a shifter pretending to be human just to survive. Her heart ached for the lonely boy, but the pang eased to know that his father loved him enough to risk everything to give his son a chance to survive without the stigma of being labeled a rogue.

“Where are we heading?”

Taggert’s eyes glimmered with the thrill of excitement. “We won’t know until we arrive.”

Lone shifters without a pack, those deemed rogue, couldn’t afford to make plans. They roamed from territory to territory, never settling or drawing attention to themselves, making it virtually impossible for anyone to track them.

Clever, but a twinge of sadness echoed in her soul at the nomadic life he’d been forced to live before she stumbled into his life.

No friends.

No family.

No pack.

Beneath Taggert’s calm exterior rested a ruthless determination to protect her at any cost. It frightened the crap out of her. She’d nearly lost him once. Nearly lost everyone in her pack. She had to be more careful, or they might not be so lucky next time.

Her fingers tightened in Durant’s fur, the steady thump of his heart easing the panic clawing up her throat, and she forced herself to release him.

The unease plaguing her continued to press against her chest. As the distance between them and the foreign pack territory yawned wider, she expected the smothering pressure to dissipate.

It didn’t.

She rubbed her chest and scanned the countryside, but there was nothing to see but miles and miles of trees and road. She peeked out the rear window for the third time in the last five minutes, expecting to see someone on their tail, something she could fight.

Only everything appeared ordinary.

They hadn’t had peace for so long, the lack of a direct threat left her reeling half a step off. It could explain her unease. Pretending everything was normal, she forced herself to stop staring out the window and faced Taggert. “Where are we staying for the night?”

Taggert nodded toward the woods, and her eyes widened in alarm. “Camping?”

A shiver worked up her spine at the thought of living outside without the shelter of walls. They were shifters for gosh sakes, part animal, so why did her skin crawl when she peered into the massive trees surrounding them? “But aren’t we too close to the pack borders?”

Jackson’s hands clenched on the wheel. “Do you trust us?”

Raven didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

“People in town will notice our presence. If we camp, no one will have a record of our passing.”

Everything he said was true, so why did she suspect that both of them were keeping something from her? Then her heart dropped. “You’re afraid I’ll lose control and hurt someone.”

Their silence gutted her, and she recoiled from the truth as the confining space of the car became smothering.

They thought her a monster.

They were right to be afraid, and she swallowed hard at the brutal truth.

“Raven.”

She flinched at the sound of her name.

“It’s the only way we know how to protect you. If one of us is threatened, you’ll do anything to keep us safe.”

There was no denying the truth of Jackson’s words, and her dragon hummed in agreement. Raven lifted her chin, feeling defensive, as if what he’d said was a bad thing. “So would you.”

“Yes, but wolves are common. No one would take note of us. If pushed, can you guarantee that you won’t react? Once people discover your affinity for electricity, word will spread like wildfire.”

Raven wanted to laugh. Her powers were the least of her concern. They didn’t know her creature had wakened, and it was the last thing she wanted them to find out, not until she could find a balance.

“Makes sense.” Raven cringed, hating that she kept something from them.

“Besides—” Taggert turned in his seat to watch her. “Being out in open air will help your beast.”

That was when she knew they both suspected something had happened. Like a coward, she nodded and turned away.

Raven scratched the itch at her side. The small metal symbol imbedded into her flesh felt warm and irritated, but the last thing she could do was peek with the guys watching her every move. But that wasn’t her only concern. In helping the witches find a killer murdering them, she’d becoming infected with tainted magic. She needed to check and gauge how far the infection had spread. She was almost afraid to see how it reacted to the creature that inhabited her body.

The witches feared the taint would make her beast feral.

An unstoppable killing machine.

With her emotions growing more volatile, Raven feared they might be right.

No one could ever discover she harbored an actual dragon. As far as the paranormal world was concerned, dragons were evil creatures that were better off left to myths and legends. If anyone ever suspected the truth, she’d be lucky to survive.

Oh, she trusted the unconventional pack of outsiders she’d somehow collected, but the truth would only put them in more danger. She needed to find a way to harness both her powers and the dragon, or she could lose the fragile pack she’d fought so hard to keep safe.

The dragon stretched under her skin until her body felt cramped and small. Claws thunked into the tender undersides of her ribs, gouging grooves into her flesh in protest of having the pack taken from her.

Knowing they were in agreement, the crippling fear eased.

They would do whatever was necessary to protect the pack.

When she glanced up, she found Jackson staring at her. The instant their eyes met, the car lurched as if someone had plowed into them. The vehicle shuddered then veered wildly toward the ditch. The momentum threw her sideways, and her head smacked the glass with a brutal thud. The tires caught gravel, and the car began to spin and twist.

Chapter Two

Jackson stomped on the brakes and wrenched the wheel, muscling the car to the side of the road. Only his quick reflexes kept them on the road.

When the vehicle finally lurched to a stop, they were on the opposite side of the highway, a couple of feet from where the forest looked like it was trying to take back any signs of civilization. Heavy breathing filled the car, and she rubbed the lump already forming on her temple. “Everyone all right?”

Jackson nodded and flung open the door, scorching anger radiating from him in waves. He circled, coming to stand in front of the car. Legs spread, hands on his hips, he scowled at the tire. Durant lifted his giant head and chuffed in amusement at the mishap, completely unruffled by the near miss. Raven gave him a shove, rolling her eyes the way the two men antagonized each other at every opportunity. “Be nice.”

She turned and hit the latch to the tailgate before crawling out the back. A groan escaped her lips as she straightened, the kink in her legs protesting movement after so long. Her injuries might have all healed from the abuse of the last few days, but her body still felt bruised by all the abuse. She inhaled the sharp, crisp fresh air, unobtrusively searching for a threat, but all the trails appeared to be days old.

She straightened her clothes and rebound her wild hair, so the distinct silver color remained hidden. Every time she used the current, bits of silver ate away the black, made her noticeable when her job and safety relied upon her remaining hidden and forgettable.

When she glanced up, the guys were watching her in various stages of fascination. Her stomach dipped and lurched, leaving her flustered at being caught primping.

Durant was the first to break the spell, gingerly lowering his bulk to the road one paw at a time like a dainty housecat. When he straightened, his animal form was huge, well over three feet high at the shoulders.

A sane person would hyperventilate with panic at seeing him prowl toward them. She gave into the urge to trail her fingers down his back, marveling when a rumbled purr sounded under her caress.

Durant’s nose lifted in the air, catching the scents before he wandered off. Taggert exited as well, coming to stop next to Jackson, giving her a blessed few minutes to recover from hours cramped in the back of the vehicle. Their intoxicating scents had kept her on edge for hours. It should be a relief to breathe fresh air, but she kind of missed them now that the smells were beginning to fade.

This trip was supposed to help her get to know her pack better and decide their future. She was very much afraid that she was falling in love with three different men, which only complicated things, and she didn’t know a way to dig herself out of this mess.

She was hoping the trip would settle things between them.

Darkness raced across the landscape, the trees blocking what little light tinged the horizon—not that shifters needed much light to see. When she came to stand next to the guys, she understood the silence.

The tire was completely shredded.

This was no accident.

“What could’ve done this?”

Jackson crouched and yanked something out of the mangled rubber. When he raised his hand, three nails rested in his palm.

Her hackles rose at the innocent sight. Pure energy swirled in her body at the challenge, and Raven whirled, her gaze skimming the trees, looking for the ones who had set the trap. “How could they have found us so fast?”

Current splashed through her system, but instead of the pale blue cords of her usual power, blistering strips of angry red twined around every strand.

Infected wild magic.

The urge to use the power only increased, and her creature did nothing to curb the craving, humming in agreement to kill everyone in the vicinity and stop the threat before it started. Energy seeped past her shields to soak in the air around her, stirring a wind only she could feel. The breeze tugged at her hair and clothes as it swirled around her, waiting for her command.

“They couldn’t.” Jackson rose and stepped into view. “This wasn’t set for us.”

Shock pulled her attention away from the tree line, and the rising power eased, sinking painfully back into her skin. “You mean we were snagged in someone else’s trap?”

Raven could only curse her luck.

Jackson raised a brow, then stepped into her space, much too close for her peace of mind with the current riding her hard. “That or someone lost a box of nails on the road and we were just unfortunate enough to run over them.”

“I don’t believe in coincidences.” To resist touching him, Raven stepped back and shook her head to deny his effect on her.

The distance didn’t matter.

She wanted to reach out and touch what he so freely offered, the dragon influencing her every thought and emotion. She didn’t know what feelings she could trust, and what were manipulated by the dragon to get what it wanted.

Taggert came to stand next to her. “If it was a trap, then where are they?”

She knew what he was asking. He wanted to know if she could sense anyone in the area. Raven hesitated, unsure she could trust using her power, not with the recent changes she’d suffered at the witches’ hands.

She wasn’t sure she could handle any more things going wrong.

Taggert’s neon-green eyes had calmed to his normal whiskey color … almost. His beast hovered close to the surface, ready to leap into action. Since he wasn’t a pure-blooded shifter, he wasn’t able to change into his wolf, forever stuck in human form. His bloodline had become too diluted over the centuries by human blood.

Each time his wolf rose had to be sheer torture. If his beast ever tried to break free, he would be shredded from the inside out.

He trusted her to save him.

He was asking for that same trust from her.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. To her shame, her hands shook at the prospect of failing them. Curling her fingers into fists, she closed her eyes and called up on the energy that had taken root in every cell of her body. It roared to her fingertips at her call, eager to do her bidding.

The ease with which it came should’ve been frightening.

No fight.

No struggle for control.

So why did her heart give an extra beat of excitement?

Raven tried to pluck at only the blue calming strands of her power, but the red cords refused to be separated. She hesitated. Every time she used that power, she would only grow more addicted. It would lure her into trusting it, relying on it, until she was firmly ensnared.

It was what the wild magic did to the witches who gave in to the temptation and dared to use it, then it consume them from the inside out.

She was different.

The magic chose her, but that was no guarantee she would be safe.

There was only one way to know for sure.

A test.

She called the power, and heat immediately built under her skin, swelling into a giant wave. Using electricity again was both comforting and alien. She waited for the blue lines of pure energy to scorch along her insides as it sought escape. She braced for the pain when the wild magic shimmered and flared to life. Like a limb waking, her hands tingled until the red lines grew brighter and brighter.

It was eating her magic.

She tried to rein in the power, but it fought her every step of the way.

The magic was sentient.

It didn’t want to be contained.

She almost dropped it in panic when the dragon pressed on her chest, pushing her to continue.

Raven waited to be overcome, prepared to shut it down hard, but the wild magic never took more, never tried to take over.

It only consumed the excess.

Keeping her from pain.

Much to her surprise, the red strands granted her more control, but a niggling worry hovered at the back of her mind. She hadn’t been able to curb it.

Taking a leap of faith, she released the magic.

It burst out of her in a blast. Like a pebble dropped into a pond, the ripples spread through the woods in an ever increasing wave. Anything with a heartbeat registered as soon as her power hit it. To others, it was invisible. To her, an eerie blue light expanded out from her.

Small animals registered first. They were in the trees, burrowed underground, even flying in the sky. Then her brows furrowed. Durant rounded the car and came to rest beside her, sensing her disquiet. “There should be more animals in the woods.”

“We are on the border of pack lands. Nearby predators could explain it.”

Taggert’s answer made sense. She began to relax when she spotted one human, then two, before a dozen more appeared. They were about a mile out.

With a wave of her arm, the energy floated to the ground like snowflakes and melted away. Raven looked at her hand and curled her fingers into a fist, marveling at the way the power had obeyed after so many years of struggle. The energy didn’t once fight her. It was a nice change, but she wasn’t sure she trusted it yet. Then she focused on the real threat. “Why would a dozen people be gathering in the middle of nowhere?”

Jackson scowled at her words, scanning the tree line as if he expected people to emerge at any moment. His eyes changed to a brilliant green as his wolf rose. It hovered so close to the surface she could almost reach out and touch the magnificent beast. His brown hair was short, dark and thick, tempting her to run her fingers through it. There was something too masculine, too purposeful about him that didn’t invite others closer. It made him ruggedly handsome and sinfully forbidden, and she couldn’t stay away from him.

He didn’t move, didn’t even appear to be breathing as he guarded her against attack. Something about seeing all that ferocity, knowing it was there to protect her, knowing it was there for her to touch, sent her pulse skittering.

Sensations flared to life as her dragon slowly woke from its slumber. Her senses sharpened, emotions became volatile, while logic grew cloudy under the bombardment. Taggert’s deep, woodsy scent wrapped around her, and she tensed against reaching out to brush against him.

“I don’t think they are a threat.” Taggert didn’t duck his head as he normally did when her attention fell onto him, but boldly met her gaze. He pulled a flyer from his pocket and handed it to her.

Raven touched the creases, noting it had been folded many times over. This was something important to him. More than a little bit curious, she unfolded the page.

“A circus?” She stared down in surprise at the colorful flyer. Then she noticed the location. “Why would someone set up a circus out in the middle of nowhere?”

Taggert pointed to a colorful ribbon at the bottom of the flyer. “It’s a freak show.”

Jackson relaxed and nodded as if it made complete sense.

Her lips curled in disgust, disliking the connotations. “What does that mean?”

“It’s code.” Taggert took the flyer back, his eyes sparkling as he reread the page again. “Most people think a freak show means people with deformities.”

Raven’s brows furrowed. “It isn’t?”

Taggert shrugged, trying to mask his interest, as if afraid to want something only to have it taken away. “Well, there were a few, but it was mostly what the humans were led to believe. Shifters didn’t come out of hiding until the paranormal conflict. Before that, they needed to find a way to hide in plain sight in case they were caught.”

It made a weird sort of sense to Raven. “And what better place than a circus.”

“Exactly. A freak show means shifters are running the circus. There are only a few sanctioned circuses remaining.” Taggert carefully folded the flyer, treating it like a beloved treasure.

It made her realize that he and dozens of other children like him had dreamed of escaping to the circus when they were young.

Jackson strode toward the back of the vehicle and began unloading the bags. “Why don’t you take Raven to the circus and show her?”

She peered at him over the top of the vehicle. “Are you sure that’s wise? I don’t like us separating.”

Jackson leaned his arms against the roof and raised a brow. “This tire needs to be changed, and don’t forget that Durant is in animal form. He needs more time to heal before he can change back. We can stay behind and fix the car and meet up with you two in the parking lot later.”

Raven dithered at the thought of leaving them, but the only way to take Durant with her would be to collar him. The leash laws stated any shifter in animal form in public must be leashed. In theory, it was a way to keep shifters under control, a law put into effect by humans to protect their own. The idea of putting a collar on a five-hundred-pound tiger was ridiculous, and everything inside her rebelled at the thought of clamping a collar around his throat.

In practice, the law was ridiculous. No human would be able to hold a beast if they wanted to go anywhere. The thick chains were stored in the back of the vehicle, but Durant could easily snap the metal like dental floss.

Raven refused to shackle him as if he were no better than a wild animal.

As if he concurred, Durant stretched out, firmly planting himself on the side of the road, clearly saying he wasn’t going anywhere.

“Let me borrow your phone. I’ll call a tow truck to fix the car, and we can all go together.” Raven held out her hand and waited.

Jackson shook his head. “We left all our phones at home.”

Panic grabbed her by the throat and squeezed, her arm dropping uselessly at her side. “So we’re completely cut off from the rest of the pack?”

They’d left home to allow things to cool down between the witches and the shifters after her last job. She needed to get away from all the interest she’d accidently garnered by rescuing a coven and preventing an all-out war between the two races. For her trouble, she’d been infected by tainted magic. 

By leaving, she was stealing time to settle her newly arose dragon and get rid of that magic before it had a chance to spread.

Before people had time to discover the truth and began hunting them in earnest.

But she’d never intended to abandon her people and leave them behind to cope with the trouble without her.

Taggert stepped between them, and she realized that she’d been ready to leap over the car at Jackson to demand answers.

Her insides trembled at the near miss, and the blasted man just stood there calmly, not a whiff of fear on him. She rubbed her sweaty palms on her pants.

It was one thing to trust her, another to test it with his life.

Foolish man.

“We have a burner phone, but it’s for inbound calls. Only London has the number. You can’t check on them. We can’t risk it being traced.” Taggert inched closer, so slowly she hadn’t even been aware he was moving, until he was only a breath away. “If there’s any trouble, they’ll call us.”

He didn’t say anything else, didn’t ask to go to the circus, leaving the choice up to her. The childlike pleasure in his eyes had dimmed, and she found herself going against her better judgement. Taggert had been a slave all of his life. She wanted to please him, even if it was something as simple as going to a fair.

“Fine.”

Taggert’s smile was slow in coming, a small curling of the lips that he only shared with her.

She gave one last look at Jackson, memorizing his features, and he tipped his chin in acknowledgement. “Go. You have anonymity here. It would be the perfect time for you to see how other shifters work. Just keep to yourself. You can’t let anyone see that you’re an alpha or even a shifter if you can prevent it. We’ll see you soon.”

With great reluctance, she turned her back on them and crossed the road. In minutes, they were surrounded by nothing but thousands of trees in every direction. If she hadn’t known the road was behind them, she would’ve never found it. The spooky silence plucked her nerves.

“You don’t need to worry.” Taggert studied their surroundings, avoiding looking at her directly, taking his duty to guard her seriously.

Raven stiffened, and her hackles rose. “I don’t like leaving them behind.”

“Understandable.” Taggert wandered closer as if to offer comfort, but refrained from actually touching her … as if afraid. Heat flushed her face, and she ducked, hurt that he considered her a monster to be feared.

Not that she could blame him. She had nearly killed him.

And as much as she wanted to protest, she couldn’t say it wouldn’t happen again.

No one was safe around her until she learned her limits.

The dragon wrapped around her, almost like a hug, trying to reassure her that they wouldn’t let anything happen to the pack, but Raven wasn’t convinced.

And until she knew for sure, she needed to maintain her distance.

Taggert glanced at her when she didn’t reply. “I meant that you have nothing to worry about with the circus.”

“You sound really sure.” Raven reserved her judgment, surveying the forest for any sign of threats. There was no thicket to struggle through, no lower branches to impede their way. The place was eerie, almost groomed. They were basically sitting targets, easily tracked and hunted from miles away. Fear prickled along her spine, a gut-wrenching terror that gripped her in its claws and refused to release her.

They were being watched.

She resisted the urge to whirl and hunt for the threat.

The dragon hunkered down, more curious than alarmed.

It wanted to hunt and explore the forest, dodge the trees and taste the freedom that stood just out of reach. The craving grew until her hands shook, and she almost gave into the impulse.

A glow on the horizon grew brighter through the tree line, and she knew they were getting closer to civilization. Her feet picked up speed, practically running from the temptation of getting lost in the woods and never returning.

When Taggert grabbed her hand and pried open her fist, she nearly tripped over her own feet.

“Don’t.” She yanked away from his touch, only to have him tighten his grip, stubbornly refusing her.

Emotions dropped from his face, and she knew her rejection had she’d hurt him.

They broke through to a clearing seconds later and encountered a sea of cars. His lips flattened, and his chin rose in defiance as he nodded to a couple that stood off to the side … holding hands. “We should blend with the crowd.”

Even knowing she shouldn’t, Raven gave in to his poor justification. Pack craved touch. To refuse was a punishment. He’s been through too much in the last few weeks for her to deny him this small thing, not when his very touch made her pulse pick up speed. She brushed her thumb over his wrist, marveling at the texture of his skin. She’d been denied such intimate contact with others for most of her life in fear that she’d kill them with her touch. Her pack taught her another way of life, and she refused to give up this small gift he was giving her.

“Tell me what to expect from the circus.”

He was so slow to answer that she sneaked a peek at him from the corner of her eyes, wondering if he’d changed his mind. He was more volatile since she’d brought him back from the brink of death. Much more alpha. He wouldn’t be pushed around without retaliating.

And deep down, it thrilled her to know that he could defend himself, even from her if necessary. The creature hummed in agreement, enjoying the challenge, and Raven had to shake off that thought.

A group of girls piled out of a car near the entrance of the circus. One of the girls caught sight of them—or more precisely, locked eyes on Taggert. The young thing smiled, an inviting blush on her cheeks as she scanned Taggert from head to foot.

Raven narrowed her eyes, feeling talons rake across the undersides of her ribs, the dragon determined to pounce and beat the girl to a pulp.

Taggert was hers.

She clamped down on Taggert’s hand, stepping closer, until their arms were entwined.

Mine.

Taggert’s stride hiccupped. His gaze dropped to their hands and awkwardness crept over her, but she couldn’t bring herself to release him. When she looked up, a secretive smile curled his lips.

He didn’t even notice the girl’s eyes dim with disappointment or her pout as she flounced away.

It might have been the only thing that saved the little twit’s life.

Chapter Three

“One shifter and one human to see the freak show.”

Raven stood back, keeping her senses locked down tight as the man at the ticket counter cast her a quick glance. Short and squat, his face wrinkled, his eyes sunk into his skull, he reminded her of one of those evil garden gnomes. She felt exposed standing there, vulnerable under his stare. He probed her mind, and it was everything she could do not to shove back at the intrusion. He narrowed his eyes when he couldn’t break her shields, pushing harder until it felt like her skull was about to crack.

The probe was messy.

No finesse.

Though not alpha strength, the signature all wrong, it was still pretty damned strong.

He tried to force her beast to react. If directed at anyone weaker, they wouldn’t have been able to resist the call, especially after he’d amped up the juice. He studied her eyes, teeth and hands like some specimen on the auction block, looking for signs of a change.

After a minute, the old, grisly man grunted then turned toward Taggert, his faded eyes glowing a pale blue. “Show me.”

Taggert’s wolf leapt toward the surface, barely contained by his body, and all the hair on her arms rose at the unbridled wildness.

Rogue.

Her throat closed at the implications. If anyone mistook him for a rogue, they’d be well within their rights to kill him on sight and ask questions later. She stepped closer, ready to protect him if anyone dared to lift a hand against him. While the dragon wanted to revel in his wildness, the human side of her just wanted to ease him. To have their animal so close to the surface was painful, even more so when they couldn’t shift like Taggert. It was all she could do not to run her hand down his back and soothe the wildness, even if everyone discovered that she wasn’t exactly human.

Her hackles rose as the old man continued to stare. It was a clear challenge, and she narrowed her eyes, struggling to hold back her dragon as it raged inside her body, wanting to rip the toady little man to shreds for the disrespect. “Everything all right?”

Her words were a demand.

A second passed in painful silence, and Raven feared she’d messed up when he finally spoke.

“One hundred and fifty.” The man slid over two wristbands, one black and one white. She grabbed the one placed in front of her, slipping the white plastic over her wrist, watching Taggert from under her lashes. He appeared calm, as if nothing had happened. That was when she realized it was normal for him to be treated as a second-class citizen. She hurt for him and the unfairness of it all. Taggert donned the black band, and then paid the fee.

Raven was surprised at the amount of cash he carried. “So much?”

The man answered before Taggert could speak. “We charge extra for the human gawkers.”

There was no heat or bitterness in his derision, just pure dislike for humans, so Raven brushed it off. “Taggert?”

He grabbed her arm and steered her away, raising his chin a little in defiance. “I took all the ready cash you had on hand and put a portion of it in each of our to-go bags.”

“Smart.” But that wasn’t what she wanted to say. A slight blush highlighted his cheeks, charming her into almost forgetting. “You can’t call your wolf anymore. It’s too dangerous.”

He’d stepped in front of a bomb to protect her, taking so much damage that his body had been riddled with shrapnel … what was left of it anyway. She’d slowly watched his life fade from his eyes. In an attempt to save him, she’d called his wolf to the surface. Forced him to heal. She’d never expected the situation to be permanent. He’d risked his life to save hers, and in return, she’d cursed him to live in constant pain.

“Stop.” Taggert grabbed her chin and lifted her face to his. “You gave me my wolf. Don’t feel guilty. You saved my life, and I will forever be grateful. I’m stronger now because of you, strong enough to be a member of your pack, and I wouldn’t change that for anything. Look for yourself if you don’t believe me.”

He wanted her to use her senses and see that he was telling the truth.

She inhaled deeply, his woodsy smell seeping into her senses.

Clean.

Fresh.

He gazed at her, both fierce and gentle, and … telling the truth.

Raven glanced away.

“Raven.” It was a warning. “Stop trying to fix me. I’m not broken. You have to forgive yourself.”

She shivered at his gruff voice, goose flesh chasing across her skin at his intimate tone. He sounded so delighted and sure of himself, it would destroy him if she tried to change him back. And despite everything, her beast was pleased with the changes. No one would hurt him or take him from her, not with his wolf. “Fine.”

And she meant it.

Given the option of changing him or letting him die, there had been no choice. The brutal truth eased the heavy weight of guilt she carried. “Now why don’t you show me this circus?”

Taggert’s smile was blinding, and her breath caught at the way he went from young surfer to sexy playboy in two seconds flat. He guided her forward, her hand tingling where it was tucked against his arm, and she wanted to draw him closer, craving more of his attention.

A shriek caused her to whirl and magic rippled under her skin, reacting to her alarm.

Only to see a child scooped up in his father’s arms and tickled.

Her lips curled at the sweet laughter, not able to remember such things from when she was a child.

Large tents were set up at the outskirts of the circus like a perimeter, the place cordoned off by the placement of booths and fences. Lights were strung between tents on string, the big bulbs lighting up the sky, leaving only a faint glow to disguise the dinginess. A number of rides were scattered at the far end of the tents. Dozens of game and food stands were strewn about in a way that directed people around the fairground in a sort of maze.

The children were not afraid, and she noted most of the others wore red tags.

Taggert followed her line of sight. “They don’t know the circus is run by shifters, while those who wear the black or white bands came for the novelty of seeing shifters.”

One thought came to her mind as she watched the crowd.

Easy prey.

Shame immediately heated her face, and she avoided glancing too closely at the people again.

All the lights, smells and the press of people quickly grew overwhelming, the festive air leaving her off balance.

She wasn’t used to the press of people. Her dragon liked the solitude and hungered down to observe. People were oddities to her. She’d spend most of her life as seeing them as the enemy. She tried to follow Taggert’s lead, not wanting to misstep and draw attention to them.

Sensing her distress, Taggert pressed closer, standing slightly in front of her, giving her breathing room to recover. The dragon huffed, wanting to stride forward and force everyone to move out of their way. It was all she could do to curb the impulse.

“Your alphaness is showing.” Taggert gave her a worried look, a deep line between his brows. “You must try to keep hidden as much as possible. You have to try to pass for human.”

Raven understood, her whole body practically humming with adrenaline, but she had no idea how to shut it off. The beast was too curious, busy filtering and cataloging thousands of smells. Savory cooked meat, spicy deep fried foods, overly sweet sugar and the sweat of too many people floated on the air.

Everything was fine for the first few minutes, but then something illusive and dangerous spoiled the scents, giving them an almost rotten smell.

Instead of tracking the threat, her creature froze and just shut down from one second to the next.

It shouldn’t have been a big deal. She’d been without her animal for most her of her life, but the instant the creature vanished, she tripped over her own feet. She and the dragon had become so integrated that all her senses became dulled by the loss of connection. As if she were drugged.

The loss devastated her.

Though she fought it, she’d grown comfortable with the beast’s constant presence the last few weeks, and couldn’t be more surprised to find that she actually missed the dragon.

A swirl of magic flared in her gut, seeping from her skin to snap into the air. At the return of her magic, pleasure thrummed in her veins, only to dull when the electricity continued to swell without the dragon there to regulate it. People glanced at her as they passed, the static jumping into them with enough strength to lift every hair on their bodies. She felt like part of the act—a freak.

Worse, she stood out like a beacon to the shifters. Cold panic slammed into her, and she shut down hard and fast, scorching her insides in her haste to shove the magic back down. Her bones felt brittle and embedded with barbed wire by the time she was done.

When the last of magic vanished, she swayed under the strain.

Taggert pulled her so close, plastering her up against his side. No longer under the influence of her beast or magic, she had no filters to protect her from the outside world.

Sensations immediately overwhelmed her.

To save her sanity, she focused on the one thing sure to ground her in the real world.

Taggert.

She set her hand on his chest, and lust exploded through her at the feel of all those tightly packed muscles he kept hidden under his shirt. She practically melted as his heat soaked into her skin.

He inhaled deeply, his whiskey-colored eyes splintering green with his emotions. People swerved to get around them, and he drew her out of the crowd, saving her from being trampled.

She’d been using her guilt to keep her distance from him, but she could no longer remember why it had been such a bad idea to get close to him in the first place.

The last thing she expected was for him to release her and set her on her feet. She deflated in disappointment.

“You all right?”

Raven avoided his gaze and ran a nervous hand down her shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles as her swinging emotions scaled back to more manageable levels. Without the dragon, she felt stripped bare and exposed, and she didn’t care for it at all. “Fine.”

“Mind telling me what happened?” Concern coated his words, and he scanned the crowd, searching for danger.

Feeling foolish, Raven shrugged. “My animal disappeared.”

Taggert’s head snapped toward her. “You’re not suppressing it?”

“No, it smelled something that disturbed it, and just shut down.”

Taggert tensed, completely wigged out as he stared down at her, which didn’t bode well for her peace of mind, and her heart bounced to her knees at his reaction.

“Why is that wrong?” Raven was completely confused. “You told me to suppress it. I think it disappeared to escape detection. Just like you wanted.”

“If threatened, our beasts would never hide. Being an alpha only makes it doubly true.” Then he relaxed, his rigidness easing as he reached out to brush a strand of hair from her face. “So you don’t think it sensed a threat?”

Raven didn’t answer right away, struggling to remain unaffected by his casual touch. But he was right about one thing—her beast would never back down from a fight. “I didn’t feel anything force her away, no spells or any power at all.”

The skin on the back of her neck tightened, and she felt vulnerable without her beast. Her attention fell onto a closed booth in the distance, disturbed by it for some reason. Though she couldn’t pick up any overt threat, no smell of blood, something was definitely wrong. “It must have something to do with the circus. Tell me why it’s so special.”

They began moving again, Taggert watching the crowd for any sign of trouble, walking just a little bit too close, distracting her when his arm brushed against her with every step. It was a relief when he began speaking, sidetracking her from the totally inappropriate impulse to wrap herself around him.

“The circus is considered its own pack. They’re not restricted to territory, and they can go anywhere, even travel into other territories without being challenged. To attack them is considered a crime to be brought before the council.” Taggert paused, watching a young couple ten feet ahead of them. The guy had his arm wrapped around the girl’s shoulder, hugging her close.

He wasn’t jealous or angry, they were human and didn’t pose any danger, but he couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away. All emotions vanished when the young couple became lost in the crowd. Only then did she recognize the expression. Yearning.

An irrational need to give him the night he dreamed of, a night without worry or fear, pierced her.

It wasn’t smart, it would only cause more trouble, but after all they’ve been through, she didn’t understand why she couldn’t have what she wanted if only for one evening. Feeling bold and daring, she snaked her arm around his waist.

It was Taggert’s turn to nearly stumble. His whole body stiffened, his eyes practically glowing when he gazed down her with a question in his splintered green-and-brown eyes.

She almost lost her nerve, almost pulled back. “Jackson said we should act like I’m human. Like you said, we blend in better if we pretend to be a couple.”

As if sensing her withdrawal, he quickly wrapped his arm around her shoulders and settled her close. His heart thundered against his ribs, her nearness pushing his tenuous control, and disappointment crushed her chest. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good id—”

His arm tightened possessively, cutting off what she was going to say. Even if she wanted to get away, she very much doubted that he’d allow it without causing a scene. She ran her hand along his side to ease him, and the tiny bit of current trickling along her fingers and soaked into his body.

Horror slashed inside her when a string of wild, tainted magic began to rise. Her breath caught in her throat when her lungs refused to work.

She tensed to throw herself out of his arms, but knew it was much too late to protect him. If the tainted magic so much as brushed against him, he could turn feral and be taken firmly beyond her reach.

She grabbed for the wild magic and did her best to crush it. The sentient magic stopped dead, sensing Taggert was important to her, guessing correctly that she’d rip herself apart to destroy it if anything happened to her pack. The red taint slowly reabsorbed back into her body, the action not without pain. It was as if her veins were being bitten from the inside by thousands of fire ants, the agony taking its own sweet time to dissipate.

Punishing her.

It took a few seconds to become aware of her surroundings. The first thing that registered was the delicious heat.

It could only come from one place … Taggert.

A woodsy smell wrapped around her, and she hated the thin fabric of his shirt that separated them. She could almost swear she felt a brush of fur from his wolf.

All the tension eased out of Taggert when she buried her nose in his chest and inhaled. Realizing what she’d done, she jerked away and met his gaze to find a small smile played about his lips.

Cocky.

Suddenly embarrassed, she pulled away and poked him in the rib, pretending nothing happened. “Now finish telling me about this freak show.”

“In the old times, it was imperative that the pack remain hidden from humans. The shifters that got into trouble and came too close to being discovered were sent to the circus.” Taggert steered them toward one of the booths, watching a teenage boy throw a ball at a stack of bottles. As one bottle fell, the crowd around the kid cheered. Taggert appeared fascinated by the whole process.

“Banishment seems like a harsh punishment.” Raven couldn’t take her gaze away from him and the excitement that shimmered just under the surface.

Taggert shrugged, completely absorbed as he watched the kid pick up another ball. “It was better than being killed or forced to turn rogue.”

That shut her up. He said it casually, as if it were no big deal, but she suspected it couldn’t be further from the truth, not when he fought so hard to be a part of her pack.

The kid threw another ball but missed, and the crowd groaned.

“It’s not really banishment. Most went willingly to keep the pack safe. Others would even run away to join the circus.”

“Why?” Raven didn’t understand how anyone could abandon their pack. They were family. If one of her men disappeared, it would shatter her. She clamped her hand possessively around Taggert’s arm, knowing she’d move heaven and earth to claim them again.

“Not all packs…” He hesitated as if searching for the right word. “…value their members equally. If the circus granted them asylum, the alpha would have no choice but leave off the hunt, the runaways considered part of a new pack.”

“I bet that went over well with the alphas. Not only do they lose a member, they gain nothing in return.” Alphas were possessive and most would rather kill one of their own than be forced to give up a member of their pack. Raven could understand the need to escape abuse, but she also saw the potential danger a circus posed. “With the ability to enter any territory they want, a circus would be the perfect spies.”

“That’s why they are so rare. The council understood the need for them, but has never granted permission to form another in decades. They were initially created to take care of troublesome pack members that drew too much attention.” Taggert inched forward as the kid picked up the third and last ball.

“More like smuggling them away from too curious humans.”

“If a human discovered us, we had no choice but kill them. A few would escape our hunt, but without proof that shifters are real, their own kind considered them insane and usually had them committed.”

“And the pack secrets remained safe.” It sounded like a harsh punishment.

“Drastic but necessary. We couldn’t let the truth be revealed. Humans outnumber us even back then. A hunt could’ve eradicated us all. Even decades later, the balance remains precarious. The paranormal wars proved that to us.”

It was frightening how clever the council was back then, how far-reaching their decisions. “So, the rest of the packs agreed, allowed the circus into their territory by choice. Now that the humans know about the paranormal world, I bet they aren’t so happy with that concession.”

“The old ways are still upheld, but freak shows are very rare. To own the show is a privilege, not a thing to be taken lightly.” Taggert studied the kid as he wound up and tossed his last ball.

It hit true.

The remaining two bottles wobbled before ultimately toppling over. Everyone jumped and cheered, and the man behind the counter took down a stuffed animal from the shelves and tossed it to the kid.

The teenager turned and proudly presented it to a girl in the crowd and received a kiss in return.

Before she knew it, Taggert grabbed her arm and dragged her forward.

She tried to tug out of his hold, but without her dragon or using her power, she was as weak as any human. “What are you doing?”

“You need a prize.” He flashed her a smile, mischief dancing in his eyes. “To blend in the crowd and look authentic.”

Raven snorted, charmed by his playfulness, and allowed herself to be hauled behind him. She couldn’t help but admire the way he filled out his jeans. He’d gained weight, all muscle by the look of it, and she gave a little hum of pleasure.

“How many?” The man at the booth was beyond lean, his body unwashed and smelly. Creepiness emanated from him as his eyes lingered on her body.

His smile was quick, all fake charm.

Human.

Taggert lifted a ball and studied it. Raven repressed her smile as he made the guy wait, retaliation for the way the he’d stripped her with his eyes.

“One ball.”

The smile was gone now. “Five bucks.”

He accepted the money, then flipped a switch. A faint hum of magnets rumbled in the air. Taggert heard and lifted a brow, silently goading the man, completely unconcerned. He focused on the bottles. Almost faster than she could see, he drew his arm back and launched the ball.

The bottles didn’t just fall over, they exploded, bits of metal embedding in the wall behind it. The man didn’t react beyond a sigh and tossed a small stuffed wolf that Taggert indicated onto the counter. “You’re entitled to one win per night. No more games tonight for either of you.”

The rehearsed speech was given in a bored, monotone voice, as if for the hundredth time. Taggert nodded and gingerly lifted the small animal.

He turned and walked toward her, the man already forgotten. He carried the animal in his palm, proudly lifting his prize out to her, then waited patiently for her to accept it.

He was offering her more than a stuffed wolf.

Raven hesitated, then realized that he was courting her. By accepting his gift, she was essentially accepting his suit. Hope shone from his chocolate brown eyes, only tiny shards of green remained from his wolf. The more time they spend together, the calmer he appeared, and the more his wolf retreated. The knot of worry that he’d never recover finally began to untangle.

They could get through this together.

She expected the shy wolf she first met, but when she gazed at him, he stared brazenly back, not an easy thing to do with an alpha. Hunger darkened his eyes, a proud and bold warrior staking a claim.

Giddiness swept over her at being courted. She’d never had anyone show such interest in her, not until she’d stumbled upon her pack. It wasn’t wise or smart or even remotely sensible, but she found herself reaching for the small stuffed animal. Her fingers sank into the fluffy fur, and she hugged the little wolf to her chest.

As if her acceptance was a signal, his stance widened, he crossed his arms and he lifted his chin, all possessive and arrogant. “My kiss.”

Chapter Four

Raven’s lips tingled at his growled demand for a kiss. Nervousness sent her heart tumbling, but Taggert made no move to take. A hint of vulnerability shadowed his eyes, luring her closer. Shifters were given free reign with human women, but shifter females were so rare, they were forbidden to have any relations without direct permission from their alphas.

That essentially made her off limits.

Most would consider openly flirting permission, but she wasn’t used to showing affection, and Taggert had been a slave too long to do anything without consent. So they had struck a deal. He would tell her what he wanted, and she would know she wasn’t taking advantage of him.

This was the first time that he’d asked, and her mind scattered into chaos. The crowd jostled her from all sides, and it snapped her out of her daze. “Not here.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw, her words like a blow, and he gave an abrupt nod before turning away.

But not before she saw the hurt.

He hid it so quickly that she would’ve missed it if she hadn’t been watching him closely, and she winced at the pain she’d inflicted by her clumsiness. Taking his arm, she began walking. “We both know one kiss won’t be enough. We need a place a little less … public.”

Part of her wondered if it wouldn’t be better to have an audience, a form of chaperone, but she didn’t want to share that intimate moment with anyone but him. A growl of hunger rumbled in her stomach. “Now, why don’t you show me this food?”

The shadows that haunted his eyes disappeared, heating with anticipation, and a hunger of another sort roared to life. Taggert saw, he saw everything damn him, and his seductive smile was a promise of what was to come.

When he learned that she’d never tasted fair food, he plied her with a sample of smoked turkey leg, gooey cheese curds, sticky cotton candy, cakes and sweets until they were both stuffed. Shifters needed extra calories or their beasts would rise to the surface. For her, it was worse. If she didn’t constantly eat, she syphoned energy from those around her.

They avoided the rides by silent agreement, neither wanting to be confined or trapped. The lights began to dim, signaling the close of the circus. Raven released a breath, relieved to be away from the constant stream of people. It had only been two hours, and the loss of her animal left her on edge. She expected her senses to have leveled off, turning her little better than human, but the longer she remained without the beast, the more her body rebelled. Her eyes felt scratchy, noises just a little too loud, leaving her jumping at shadows. She rubbed her arms as the hairs stood on end, the sensations so strong, her skin actually hurt to touch.

“You’re cold.” Taggert frowned, stepping so close she couldn’t see past his broad shoulders, damned touchy-feely shifters having no sense of boundaries.

“Not really.” But she didn’t have the heart to push him off. His nearness eased the seesaw of her senses. Raven hesitated, surreptitiously searching the crowd. “Something’s wrong. Shouldn’t the others have found us by now?”

Being away from the rest of the pack for so long only aggravated her unease.

“Durant’s still in his animal form. They probably stayed with the car to give us time to enjoy ourselves.” But he didn’t sound like he believed it.

Jackson had said they would meet up.

So where were they?

“We should head back.”

Taggert tightened his hold, forcing her to remain at his side as they walked through the thinning crowd. “If there’s trouble, the last thing we can do is go back.”

“But—”

“We would only be placing them in more danger. We’re safer here in the crowd. The instant we leave, we’ll be vulnerable.”

She hated it, but he was right. She wouldn’t risk bringing trouble back to her pack.

They needed answers first.

A chill slithered into her bones as they walked from tent to tent without stopping. She should demand to find the rest of her pack, tear apart anyone who would try to take what was hers, but her beast remained stubbornly silent. Magic hummed under her skin in agitation, rising with her volatile emotions. It grew in waves, so much stronger without her beast there as a shield that it threatened to suck her under.

The wild magic only made it so much worse.

It yearned to wreak havoc, escape into the crowd. Raven curled her fingers into fists, and the magic snarled at being denied. It sizzled under her skin, sinking painfully into her bones in retaliation until every joint ached.

Sanity returned as the magic faded. She glanced behind her in the direction of the exit, but made no move to leave. Every instinct warned her to remain, that the answers they needed were here. The overwhelming desire to find her pack remained, but the primal need eased back enough to allow her to think clearly. “They’re closing the circus. We’ll have to leave eventually.”

 Taggert cast her a glance, and Raven stiffened. She knew that look. He wanted her to do something that she wasn’t going to like.

“You’re an alpha. You should be able to connect to them.”

Raven scowled. Easier said than done. The only way she could connect with the pack was by using her animal. With her beast in full lockdown mode, she was left with squat.

That didn’t mean she couldn’t sense them. The connection was still there, she just wouldn’t be able to talk to them. “I’ll need to borrow your wolf if you’re willing.”

Taggert didn’t even hesitate. “I’m yours to command.”

Raven winced, hating the way it sounded like he was still a slave and didn’t have a choice. “If you would rather—”

“Don’t.” Taggert pulled her to a stop, hunching down until they were nose to nose. “I volunteered. We’re your pack, and we’ll do anything to protect you. You need me, and I’m happy to be of service. Now tell me what I have to do.”

“I need to touch you.”

His eyes darkened, and she swallowed hard as pure lust poured off him. He wasn’t hiding from her anymore, and the intensity of it made her yearn for everything he offered.

It reminded her that she was no longer alone.

If only she had enough courage to reach for it.

Her pack offered her everything she’d ever wanted. All she had to do was prove to herself that she was strong enough to contain her dragon before she could allow herself to really believe this was real.

She took a deep breath, his woodsy scent filled her lungs. Tension dribbled out of her, and she placed her palm against his chest. His heartbeat thundered under her palm, his desire and excitement reaching over to pull her under his spell.

It took all her restraint not to succumb.

In desperation, she grabbed for his wolf.

She expected a struggle to find his beast. Instead, his wolf slammed into her with the force of a sledgehammer, and she nearly landed on her ass. Only Taggert’s hold on her arms kept her upright.

His beast didn’t attack, didn’t try to consumer her. The animal’s shape wasn’t solid, or even vaguely wolf-like, more of an impression of something wild.

Something massive.

And it wanted only one thing … her.

She reached out tentatively, and pure warmth met her touch. A brush of fur rubbed against her, almost hesitant, as if afraid that she would run. Ignoring all the sensations bombarding her, she searched her mind, concentrating on the connection to the pack, and it easily snapped into place. The bindings could only be held by an alpha. The strand allowed her to trace every member of her pack, no matter the distance separating them.

A dozen or so strings streamed off into the distance, an intricate network joining her to her pack. Only there were a lot more connections than she’d expected. The wolf shifted impatiently, and Raven pushed aside her questions and focused on the threads nearest to her, not wanting the rest of her pack to become worried if they sensed her probe.

As she poured energy into the bindings, three bright lines flared to life. One for Taggert, the other two located at the back of the circus. Only, they weren’t moving. She could sense their heartbeat, but none of their impressions or thoughts. It worried her, but when she would’ve pushed for more, she saw Taggert’s wolf creep closer.

She didn’t sense any jealousy, more of a craving to touch her while she was distracted. A little unnerved under its attention, she hauled back on the current. She had to be content with the knowledge that the rest of her pack remained near. The second her hand lifted from Taggert’s chest, the intimate link between them broke. The noise of the circus swelled, filling the vacuum of silence like a switch had been flipped. 

Almost afraid of what she would find, Raven glanced up.

Taggert’s eyes were pure green as his wolf gazed brazenly back at her, all wild and hungry, his sight firmly set on her. The air became thin, and she all but wheezed at the intensity. “They were able to move the car. They’re parked behind the circus. They must have decided to stay with the car instead of bothering to leash Durant.”

Just hearing her voice dialed the wildness in Taggert back to normal levels. He inhaled deeply, his eyes dilating and she knew he’d scented both her fear and her excitement, a dangerous combination to an animal. It was all she could do not to step away and run.

He would give chase.

He would catch her.

Her heart thundered against her ribs, and she was very much afraid that she wanted to get caught, consequences be damned.

Chapter Five

Lights to the rides were doused, throwing them in darkness, and Raven gave a startled glance around her, having completely lost track of time. The family circus had changed in the matter of minutes, taking with it the innocent laughter. The cheerful mood had turned sinister. It crept over her like shadows, something she couldn’t brush off or shed.

Only adults remained, the majority of them men. They were dressed in jeans and leather jackets, not the khakis and buttoned shirts the suburban parents had donned. Their curiosity was invasive. Malevolence oozed in the air. She wanted to grab Taggert and retreat, hide where they wouldn’t be spotted.

She half expected the people to be sporting weapons and give chase if she dared move.

Like the last ten years of fragile peace between the races never existed.

“What’s happening?” She edged closer to Taggert, unsure if she was seeking comfort or satisfying the need to protect him.

Taggert’s face didn’t reveal any emotions. “The freak show has started.”

Raven flinched as if she’d been slapped. She had expected the show to be entertainment for shifters, just as the daytime show was for humans. “Then why does it feel as if we’re about to be hunted down like animals to the slaughter?”

“Because humans enjoy killing things they don’t understand. They have to be seen as stronger and in charge. Out in the real world, they have to bottle up what they feel. Here, the shifters pretend to be prey so the humans feel safe.”

“It’s all an illusion.” When Taggert still didn’t react, a chill iced over her heart. “Right?”

“To a certain extent. If humans had won the war, all shifters would either be dead or behind bars. Most humans live in fear, and their hatred festers. They don’t have to hide that here.”

Raven glanced at the lit tents, the very same tents that were closed earlier. “Tell me what I should expect.”

“All shifters who join the circus are required to perform. They are called freak shows because shifters can reveal their true selves without fear. Sure, some humans born with deformities have joined over the years, but the majority of the people are shifters who can hold partial transformations.”

Raven shivered as the ice spread deeper in her chest, feeling like it penetrated her soul. “Isn’t that dangerous? If you leave your animals too close to the surface, you risk losing your human side, not to mention it’s extremely painful.”

Taggert shrugged it off as if it didn’t matter. “When it’s either that or die, many find there is no choice.”

 “What else?” Raven braced herself, needing to know what to expect. She needed to be able to keep her reactions in check. The last thing she could afford was to reveal the truth. Females shifters were rare, an alpha even less so.

She would cause a stir.

She would also be a great prize.

“Shifters can take a lot of damage. Swallowing fire or swords isn’t a big deal when you can heal fast. Knife throwing is an art form, our aim’s better, our throws quicker. We’re stronger and faster and can do things that should be impossible.” He nudged her in the direction of one of the tents, and it was all she could do not to drag her feet.

She did not want to go in there.

“What would you pay to see a talking bear, or a man lift a car, or witness a man shift into a real live beast?”

Raven thought he was joking until he pointed to a sign posted outside a crimson tent. There was an actual bear balanced on top of a ball, underneath were the other acts, including something called a wolfman. “All shifters?”

She wasn’t sure she wanted to see, but morbid curiosity pulled her forward.

Whatever could scare her creature into hiding couldn’t be a good thing.

She needed to find out what was happening before they left. She couldn’t risk it following her. The last thing she could afford was to bring more trouble down upon her pack.

The man at the entrance of the tent was human, standing guard by checking wristbands. When he saw her white band next to Taggert’s black, his attitude changed. A sneer curled his lips, revealing tobacco-stained teeth, and she wanted to gag at the harsh stench emanating from the greasy hair snarled like a rats nest around his head. Whipcord thin, he was comprised of layers of clothing piled one over another in an attempt to make him appear more imposing. He resembled nothing more than a scrawny hobo … with all the fleas and dirt that went with not showering regularly.

When he noted them together, she was judged and found guilty, treated like a criminal for just standing next to Taggert. His eyes stripped her of all clothes, as if she were no better than a whore for the taking.

She felt violated.

Taggert stepped between them and growled. The hairs on the back of her neck rose, and the man leapt back, practically stumbling over his own feet to get away.

Raven quickly shoved Taggert toward the tent. The last thing they needed was to draw attention to themselves. When she glanced back to make sure they weren’t being followed, hatred darken the man’s face seconds before the tent curtain dropped shut, cutting him off from view. She shivered at his deeply seated loathing for shifters.

Raven eyed Taggert’s broad shoulders, admiring the way his body arrowed down to a slim waist. He’d won a dominance showdown and did it without thought, willing to beat the crap out of the man, consequences for touching a human be damned.

Raven flicked her fingernails, growing more and more concerned by his rash actions. “We’re supposed to blend in with the crowd, not draw attention to ourselves.”

Ignoring her hiss, he tucked her up against his side. Muscles flexed wherever they touched, doing a damned good job of distracting her.

“He was disrespecting you.” He said it as if that was all that mattered. Like he had no choice.

“He’s a pig and doesn’t know better.”

Taggert just shrugged. “Now he does.”

Raven heaved a sigh at his logic and kept the rest of her protests to herself. It wouldn’t do any good when his mind was made up.

They lingered at the back of the tent to avoid attracting attention.

A couple of girls stood huddled together at the front, laughing and obviously drunk off their asses. A few frat boys snickered, watching the girls with lewd eyes. They came for the thrill of seeing a real-life shifter. They wouldn’t recognize one on the street if one came up and bit them. The rest of the room didn’t laugh, watching the shifters as if they were a science project … or wild game to be hunted.

She wanted to protest the way they dissected the shifters, and it was Taggert’s turn to grab her arm.

“The shifters can protect themselves. They won’t thank you for your interference, more likely even resent you for making them appear weak.”

Raven bit her tongue against a protest.

Taggert was right.

Two people wheeled out a cage large enough to hold a man, the bars so thick it would keep a shifter in … or humans out. She wasn’t sure which. The man who stepped onto the stage was ginormous, close to seven feet tall, and all muscle. His hair was cut brutally short, his clothes designed to show off every inch of him. He walked to the kennel, his head down, back hunched, his eyes focused on nothing but walking.

Everything about him shouted defeat as he marched toward his doom.

Then she noticed his stooped shoulders, his ribs and hips poking out, a shifter pushed to the breaking point. He looked old. Since shifters took decades to age, his deterioration was shocking.

He entered the gate of his own free will, stood in the center, shrinking the tight space into nothing. His bent head brushed the ceiling, his elbows banging the sides of the cage as he settled himself.

Then he looked up.

Despite the crowd, their eyes connected and pure wolf stared back at her. As she watched, fur sprouted along his skin in patches, the bones of his shoulders cracked and hung forward awkwardly. His fingers stretched, claws ripped through his fingertips, while his jaw crunched and a snout slowly pushed forward. Fangs dropped down, cutting brutally into his lips, and blood spattered his chest. A few girls in the front screamed. A couple more turned away, unable to view more.

Ears elongated, his back hunched, his eyes growing wider apart as he struggled to remain standing on two feet. The frat boys no longer joked, pale and shaken at the slow change, unable to look away as the monster from their nightmares emerged.

She’d never seen the process so drawn out, the pain had to be excruciating, but no expression betrayed what he was feeling.

 In ten minutes, a full-grown wolf sat panting in the middle of the cage. The two-hundred-fifty-pound man was now a monstrous grey timber wolf. The shift left him weak as a mouse, but everyone leaned back in their seats as if he were a vicious beast ready to launch an attack.

Then the process began in reverse.

At the ten-minute mark, he stood half-beast, half-man and Raven knew something had gone horribly wrong. “He’s shifted too many times. He’s stuck.”

Taggert tightened his grip on her, not in protest but in horror.

Shifting was exhausting. Too many shifts could be damaging. Not only did they risk getting caught mid-shift, but also going insane with a wolf trapped in a human body or a human stuck in wolf form.

Panic brightened the wolfman’s eyes before slowly dimming in defeat.

He knew his fate.

He would be given time to change, but the longer he remained in half form, the more permanent it became.

It was a death sentence.

She waited for his alpha to step forward and lend his strength, but no one moved. A small spark of anger in her gut burst into an inferno that they’d let him suffered needlessly.

Even knowing that it could be traced back to her, Raven couldn’t stand by and idly watch the poor man be caught between forms … possibly forever.

It was worth the risk to try and save him.

She dipped into the pool of energy that rested just below the surface of her skin, catching a single strand and swirling it between her fingers. Taggert stiffened at her side, instantly alert, but he made no move to stop her. He watched the crowd, ready to stand at her side and protect her.

She could’ve kissed him.

Instead, she released the energy, guiding it down to the soles of her feet and forcing it into the earth. Foot by foot, it forked its way forward. She fed it more and more until it reached the cage. Electricity instantly arced into the metal cage, sparks snapping like static.

The beast shifted nervously as the energy soaked into him.

She twined it around his beast, then drew down hard.

The wolfman grunted as if kicked in the nads.

At first nothing happened, and she wondered if she’d done more harm than good. Then their eyes connected.

The man knew.

Hope brightened his face.

As she watched, the wolf melted away, shrinking his features down into his human form. It all happened fast, less than thirty seconds, and it dropped the man to his knees.

He never once looked away, and the hope began to wither, replaced by insurmountable fear … for her.

Gears clinked as the cage was unlocked, and the man emerged. He gave her a nod, then threw his arms wide, and howled for the audience.

There was a smattering of applause, but most people were left twitching uncomfortably in their seats. Morphing into a beast was a private act, not something they willingly shared in public as it left them vulnerable. Raven whirled, not wanting to see more. Taggert turned to follow, but his larger form got lost when the crowd swelled toward the exit to escape the monster.

She pushed open the tent flaps, gulping as the cool air washed over her, but it did little to ease her hot temper.

She managed two steps when someone reached out of the shadows and yanked her between the tents.

Raven brought up her fists, then dropped them when she caught sight of the man. “You.”

The wolfman immediately released her as if he feared retaliation, wiping his palms on the pants he’d hastily donned, a slight tremor to his fingers.

“You can’t be here.” He glanced at the shadows, his fear nearly suffocating. His words were rough and growly, too much animal left over from so many shifts to speak normally. Even given time to heal, she doubted he would ever be fully human again.

Sweat coated his chest, but she didn’t think it all had to do with the hard transition. He reeked of fear, and Raven didn’t understand what could terrify such a big man. “Are they forcing you to shift? I can help.”

He frantically shook his head. “There is nowhere else for us to go.”

It wasn’t a no, and her concern for him spiked.

No one ever left a pack alive without permission from their alpha, and no matter how unconventional, the circus was a pack.

“Cooper!” His name was a bellow. The big man blanched, his body jolting as if he’d been struck by a whip.

“Don’t let them catch you.” The man backed away until he was nothing more than shadows. “Run.”

His fanatical plea that she leave transferred to her, and her legs twitched to get far away.

The circus wasn’t under attack as she’d thought.

The circus was the source of the danger she’d been sensing all night.

And they were stuck in the middle of it.

Chapter Six

Taggert rounded the corner, carefully watching the crowd bubble out of the tent as the people searched for the next thrill. Two shifters alone would be an easy target. He grabbed her hand, dragging her behind him.

They wound around three tents when she dug in her feet. “Taggert—”

“We’re being followed. We have to go.” Taggert whirled, pushing himself right into her personal space, staring at her so intently that her protest became garbled.

“Someone figured out what I did.” Raven went lightheaded at the possibility. “I was careful.”

“The wolf.” He said it like a swearword, a growl rumbling in his chest.

“That’s impossible.” Raven hesitated, then blurted out the truth. “He was with me.”

Taggert stopped dead, and it was her turn to prod him forward. The ground was a combination of grass and gravel, the uneven surface leaving her stumbling every other step. “He knew I’d helped him. He told me to run.”

Taggert didn’t need any more prompting. They stayed within the confines of the circus, for as soon as they left, they would be forced out in the open and vulnerable. However, no matter how fast they moved, they couldn’t lose the shadows chasing them

Conceding defeat, she tugged him to a stop and dipped inside the nearest tent. Darkness immediately swallowed them. She reached forward and encountered another curtain. Peering through the slit, she saw nothing but a giant glass tank that resembled a full-sized pool. “It’s clear.”

“We have to keep moving.” Taggert’s voice never rose above a whisper of breath.

His lips nearly brushed the tip of her ear when he spoke, and she shivered, her stomach dipped as she waited for him to take advantage of the situation. Seconds passed before his words registered. Mortified by her reaction, she slowed her breathing and pushed away her inappropriate fantasy.

They needed a way out.

She couldn’t risk using her power while surrounded by shifters, not when it could force them to shift into their beasts. Shifters might be dangerous, but their animal sides were infinitely more trouble. So she had to rely on her herself alone.

She hated feeling helpless and didn’t know how humans lived that way every day. Knowing they couldn’t linger, Raven stepped into the small space.

There were no seats, no place to stop or hide.

A path led around the edge of the tent.

Raven couldn’t help but look into the murky water. Algae smeared the tank so thickly she couldn’t see through the other side.

Her steps slowed as the water began to ripple.

Raven instinctively took a step back despite being separated by the thick glass.

“There’s something in the tank.”

Taggert narrowed his eyes, leaning closer for a better look. Raven grabbed his shirt and jerked him back, not wanting him anywhere near it. A face emerged out of the depths, pushing forward so slowly the features appeared as if they were forming out of nothing but water.

The pale skin had a slight greenish tint, the delicate features female and so beautiful they could lure sailors to their death. “A siren.”

Fine, silvery hair floated around her when she shook her head. She pushed closer. Small shoulders took shape, large breasts barely covered by itty-bitty scraps of material, a tiny waist that merged into a … tail. The scales were different shapes, changing from larger to smaller as it traveled down the length, almost iridescent even in the dim light, and so delicate it encouraged a person to reach out and touch.

But even in the murky water, Raven saw something wasn’t right.

The algae floating in the tank wasn’t from the water, it came from her, almost as if her very skin was sloughing off. Revulsion and pity stirred through her at the abuse. Little pieces of slime clung to the tail, and Raven suspected they weren’t feeding her properly or the PH of the water was wrong.

“A mermaid.” Taggert whispered the words with reverence.

The woman smiled at Taggert and nodded, the change in her appearance stunning as she floated closer. She couldn’t be older than mid-twenties, but the water made it difficult to tell, not to mention that shifters aged amazingly slow. Something about her eyes told Raven that she was much older. Any man looking at her would see a princess, something to guard and claim for their own.

“I didn’t even know mermaids existed.” It made her wonder about unicorns and elves and all the other creatures from myths and legends. But one thing picked at her relentlessly, bothered her worse than anything—the way Taggert gazed at the woman—the same special look he reserved only for her.

Raw jealousy gnawed at her insides, and she curled her fingers into fists to keep from reaching out and staking her claim. Swallowing hard, Raven turned away before she did something stupid, like smashed the glass and kill the bitch.

Claws sank into her chest, the action so unexpected that she nearly gasped in pain as the beast swarmed up and threatened to take control.

Mine.

Desperate not to let Taggert know of her struggle, she tried to pull back, but it was like holding back the tide.

Senses became sharper, tingling painfully as they came back to life as the dragon woke with a vengeance.

A small noise, a brush of cloth only, sent her whirling toward the opening.

They were about to be discovered. “We have to go.”

Taggert and the mermaid glanced toward the door. The woman’s eyes widened, and she pointed toward the back of the tent, mouthing one word—

Hurry.

Raven grabbed Taggert’s hand and dragged him away from the blasted tank. She ran her hand along the tent. They’d almost completed a half circle, and she feared she might have missed the exit when her hand slipped through a hidden opening.

The canvas rippled, and she knew whomever was stalking them had entered from the opposite direction.

Taggert must have heard something as well. He shoved her through the opening and followed quickly behind. When he pushed forward to take the lead, Raven put a hand on his chest. He halted immediately, and she couldn’t stop her fingers from tracing over the delicious muscles she knew the shirt hid. Damned stupid dragon was messing with her emotions. She had so little contact with others that each touch still threw her for a loop. She cleared her throat twice before she could speak. “He’s too close. He knows the layout. We’ll never get out by running.”

“I’ll distract him.” Taggert’s face darkened, and he stood in front of her, seeming to bulk up as he faced down the threat. “You run.”

“No, we must stay together.” A stupidly dangerous idea took hold of her mind. The memory of him flirting with the mermaid still burned, which made the idea all the more appealing. “How about we do it my way and improvise.”

She yanked him closer and heat immediately soaked into her skin. Fighting her desire, feeling awkward, she cuddled up to his chest.

He didn’t move, didn’t react in any way.

Not encouraging.

“We need a reason for snooping around.” A fiery blush filled her cheeks. “Kiss me.”

His eyes darkened with hunger, but it was the yearning there that nearly dropped her to her knees. His gaze skimmed her lips, leaving them tingling, and she struggled to remember how to breathe.

He still didn’t move.

“No time.”

She grabbed his face and pulled his head down, determined to stake her claim so he wouldn’t forget. Going up on her toes, she met his lips. The rest of the world dropped away. After the initial shock, Taggert took full advantage of the situation and control of the kiss.

He tasted wild and forbidden and totally delicious. His hands brushed her hips gently as if she were something precious. Raven sank her fingers in his hair, wanting more, and bit his lip hard enough to sting. “You’re holding back. Don’t.”

At the invitation, his hands clamped down possessively on her hips, slid around to her back, then down to cup her ass. Taking it as an invitation, Raven wrapped her legs around his waist, humming at the press of his arousal.

She should’ve been intimidated. In the past, she’d always backed away from anything intimate. Knowing her touch could kill put a damper on getting close to anyone. But it was different now. She had more control. She had a pack.

She ran her fingers down the back of his neck and brushed them over his shoulders, cursing the clothes separating them. She’d worn gloves most of her life to shield others from her deadly touch. With her pack, the precaution wasn’t needed, and she relished touching skin to skin.

Then all thoughts vanished as Taggert pushed her against a pole. She shivered at the friction. He twisted, moving his body in a way that wasn’t possible for a human. Like he didn’t have any bones.

She felt surrounded.

Cherished.

“Get the hell out of here. This area is off limits.”

Raven tore her lips away from Taggert, completely dazed. A flashlight beam locked on them, blinding her so she couldn’t see the person who issued the demand. It took her a few seconds to realized they were being watched, and another few seconds to unwrap herself from Taggert. She expected to feel embarrassed for all but crawling up Taggert’s body, but she only felt disgruntled at being interrupted.

“Sorry.” She ducked her head away from Taggert, brushing the back of her hand against her lips as she fought to catch her breath and cool her overheated cheeks. She grabbed the small stuffed animal that had dropped from her nerveless fingers at the first taste of his kiss.

The man at the entrance stood a bit under six feet and smelled of sweat and wet fur. She lifted an arm up to block the beam from the flashlight he held in his ham-like fists. The man was dressed in a ringmaster outfit, his bulk almost overflowing.

She’d never seen an overweight shifter before, their metabolism usually burning through the calories too fast for fat cells to grow. She must be looking at the alpha, but no matter how long she stared, she couldn’t sense what type of beast he carried.

That meant he was incredibly strong—or weak but vicious enough to keep the others in line.

From the look on his brutish face, she suspected the latter. His features were too close together, his forehead a little too big, his jaw a little too square. Hair covered nearly every inch of the man, springing up from his knuckles, sticking out of his ears, even peeking from the collar of his shirt.

Taggert grabbed her hand and tugged her after him as they scooted past the man. The ringmaster eyed them suspiciously, but their act must have convinced him as he allowed them to leave without a word of protest.

* * *

“We can’t stay here.” Taggert dragged her directly toward the exit this time, the desire in his eyes banked as he glanced back at her. “I won’t risk losing you.”

The edge of the fairground stood less than thirty feet away, his determination to protect her instinctive. Not only was she female, she was his alpha as well. Raven hadn’t grown up in a pack and didn’t realize how much the need to protect her was built into their existence.

They would do anything for her—even kill.

She should find it barbaric, but she couldn’t help be drawn to them all the more. Part of it was primal, years of evolution built in her DNA, attracting her to the strongest protectors. The bigger part, though, feared their lack of self-preservation when near her. Worry churned in her gut, leaving her wondering how she was supposed to keep them safe.

Raven didn’t protest as Taggert practically picked her up, the urge to leave like a tsunami. The threat built at her back, waiting to ensnare them. As much as she wanted to remain and help the trapped shifters, it was too dangerous.

She wouldn’t risk her people.

“Do you want to know your fortune?” A woman stepped in their path. Short and lithe, she was dressed as a typical gypsy with a loose blouse and a colorful layered skirt. She had a scarf wound through her long dark hair, but it did little to tame the wild curls. Large, dangling earrings completed the look. A string belt was looped about her waist, fake gold coins twinkling even in the darkness, and chimed with her every movement.

“No.” Taggert easily sidestepped, herding Raven behind him, but the woman persisted, grabbing his arm before he could pass.

Raven lurched forward to rip him away when Taggert stepped between them, and she somehow ended up tangled in Taggert’s arm instead.

The gypsy reared back but didn’t loosen her hold. “It will only take a minute. Free of charge for all those who paid for the freak show.”

Taggert shrugged off her hold, nearly pulling the poor woman off her feet. As the gypsy staggered to remain upright, Raven instinctually reached to steady her, not wishing to draw more attention. As soon as their skin touched, color leeched from the gypsy’s face. A sickly-sweet smell thickened the air, and things clicked into place.

A witch.

Desperation widened the gypsy’s eyes, and she clutched Raven’s hand. “Please. I will be punished if I don’t read your rogue’s future.”

Stark terror filled her eyes with tears, and Raven found herself nodding. Despite herself, a tinge of sympathy rose as she remembered what it felt like to be trapped. “That’s fine, but he’s not—”

Taggert plucked her hand from the woman’s grasp, and brought it to his lips, then nibbled on her fingertips. “They know I’m a shifter and you’re human. There is no need to hide that I’m not human here.”

She had been going to say he wasn’t a rogue but followed Taggert’s lead. Shifters were allowed to intermix with humans, take lovers, but anything more was frowned upon.

No serious relationships between the species.

Duty to the pack must always come first.

The gypsy smiled, her relief palpable as she reached for Taggert’s hand. The sight of another woman touching him, especially after the mermaid, left her fingertips aching as claws threatened to erupt. Her gums tingled, her fangs ready to descend and tear into the woman. The beast stretched under her skin, growing restless.

Taggert stared at her over the gypsy’s head, his eyes widening at the sight of her ready to lose her cool. He shook his head once in panic, tensing to shove the poor girl away.

The comical sight calmed Raven faster than anything else could.

Cobwebs brushed against her skin as the witch began to cast. Without a coven, the witch was weak, the spell small. Raven tensed, ready to suck the magic down at the first sign of a threat.

Reacting to her disquiet, the wild magic flared dark red at being so close to a practicing witch. It wanted out, wanted to infect and consume.

As if it sensed her attention, the tainted magic faded, still alert but no longer desperate to break free.

It understood that as soon as it left her body, it would die.

Raven would personally kill it before it could spread.

Then the woman began to speak. “You’ve been on your own for a while, but you found someone special.”

Only rogues would visit the circus, so there was nothing extraordinary about her prediction, but there was something eerie in the way she spoke that raised the hairs on the back of Raven’s neck.

The reading was real.

She smiled at Raven, guessing correctly that she was the someone special, then focused back on her reading. She ran her fingers along his palm, and then a frown marred her brow. “But you’ve changed recently.”

As if she solved the puzzle, her face cleared. “She made you stronger. You would do anything for her.”

“Yes.” Taggert didn’t look away from Raven, emotions splintering the color of his eyes from whiskey brown to the neon green of his wolf.

The gypsy released him and smiled at them both, looking more troubled than pleased. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

She scampered away, disappearing in the crowd, and Raven had no doubt to report her findings. “We need to leave.”

No one else tried to stop them as they passed under the grand banner at the entrance. The parking lot remained half-full, but she didn’t see their vehicle at all. Worry gnawed at her. Something was wrong. “Let’s circle around back. They should’ve been waiting for us. I don’t want to risk doing another search if I can avoid it.”

“Agreed.”

Raven allowed Taggert to take the lead, and they turned right. If they were going to be attacked, it would be from behind. She would drop them on their asses before they could get near. Taggert kept his distance in case they needed room to fight, and she missed the comfort of his hand in hers.

The closeness to him.

She stumbled over the lumpy and uneven ground.

The only thing that kept her uncoordinated ass on her feet was her budding shifter reflexes. Even suppressed, the creature continued to safeguard her.

As soon as they turned the corner, a ten-foot canvas outer wall separated the back of the circus from the public, blocking the meager lights, and they found themselves surrounded by shadows. She thought they were for privacy, but she couldn’t help wonder if it was for a reason a bit more sinister.

A boundary.

A warning.

Enter at your own risk.

Raven grabbed the tag on her wrist and pulled, watching it flutter to the ground. There was only twenty feet between the circus and the freedom of the forest.

She expected the ancient, gnarled trees to be more menacing, but it took all her nerves not to run into it and hide. Her skin prickled, imagining that they were being watched.

Chased.

She refused to be responsible for leading trouble back to her pack. She needed to find them quick and get the hell out of there.

As they neared the corner of the circus, Raven dropped her shields. Small threads of energy surged toward her from the surrounding area. She absorbed the strings of current until it sank under her skin, just enough to get a taste of it, taking comfort in the familiar ache.

Then she shifted through all the sources, concentrating on the potent energy that made shifters so powerful and gave them the ability to transform.

Careful not to disturb the shifters and alert them to her presence, she checked the source of each flare of energy, hoping to locate Jackson or Durant, but every source led back to one thing—the circus.

Taggert kept glancing at her as they walked, and she feared he’d smack into a tree. When she couldn’t absorb more energy without giving away their location, she finally cut off the stream. “I’m not able to locate any shifters outside the circus.”

“So you couldn’t find Durant and Jackson?”

Raven shook her head in defeat, pissed with herself at the failure. Without the help of her beast to either contact her men or consume the excess energy, she was basically useless. “I can’t continue the search without risking that they’ll find us. I don’t understand why the shifters continue to work at that horrible place.”

“They’re bound to their pack. Even if they wanted to fight, they wouldn’t be strong enough.”

She threw up her hands in the air, completely exasperated. “They could run.”

Taggert shook his head even before she finished. “As soon as they run, they’re marked as a rogue.”

Raven paled at the implications. “Giving everyone legal permission to hunt and kill them.”

The burnout rate must be extremely high. Her pulse raced as things began falling into place. “They must constantly need more shifters who can contribute, ones they can control.”

Taggert gave her a pointed look. “Or ones who have something to lose.”

The meaning of the reading smacked her upside the head.

They wanted her men and planned to use her to get them.

Rave increased her stride, growing more anxious to find Durant and Jackson and put as much distance between them and the circus from hell.

Chapter Seven

As they reached to the backend of the circus, Raven stumbled to a stop and cursed. “What the devil?”

She expected a parking lot and a quick getaway.

Instead, they encountered a forest with cars parked haphazardly between the trees, no rhyme or reason to the chaos.

Taggert looked grim. “We need to search.”

Raven nodded, and they split up, keeping within ten feet of each other by silent agreement. The delay made her nervous. The farther the circus fell behind, the more the crippling jealousy faded. Without all the people surrounding them, her emotions normalized. She wished she could say the same for her embarrassment.

She’d acted like a possessive lover.

It didn’t seem to matter that she had no right.

As they wandered deeper into the dark forest, they stumbled upon more and more vehicles, but none of them their station wagon. The guys would’ve tried to keep out of the way, but these cars had purposefully been hidden, someone had gone to great lengths to ensure no one would find them.

Worry solidified like a ball of lead in her gut, and she couldn’t help be grateful to have Taggert at her side. She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, her lips still tingling from his mind-blowing kiss. She released the stranglehold on the stuffed animal she held, stroking its fur, a poor substitute for the real thing. Thankfully, Taggert seemed oblivious to her thoughts as he scanned their surroundings until she noticed that his gaze kept landing on her after a few seconds.

She wasn’t sure if he thought she would disappear or if he wanted to pounce on her.

She pushed away the chaotic thoughts, hating that she was growing so aware of the men thanks to the dragon messing with her emotions. The beast made it impossible for her to ignore them as she had in the past.

The absolute silence from the forest became heavy and began to prey on her nerves.

No animals foraging.

No insects.

It wasn’t natural.

Cheering rose from the circus, and she shivered, not sure she wanted to know what was happening. It couldn’t be anything good.

It made her nervous she couldn’t sense anyone giving chase.

That she couldn’t see and take down the threat.

What the hell were they waiting for?

Her clients usually came to her with a problem to fix, where she could do research and gather background information on the case before jumping into the fray. This was different, and until she had more information, the only way to keep everyone safe was by leaving, enlist the council’s help and come back with reinforcements.

She went over everything they’d seen, glanced back to gauge the sheer size of the circus, and realized they’d only seen a small portion. Taggert was hiding something from her. “You avoided taking me to see the whole circus. Why?”

“You know why.” He gave her a measured look, betraying nothing about his emotions, bottling himself all up.

Hurt ploughed into her gut that he kept a part of himself apart from her, just like he did when he’d first come to her.

Like he didn’t trust her. “You didn’t think I could handle it.”

“Circuses have animals. I knew it would upset you to see them, and I didn’t want to ruin our special night.” A hint of vulnerability softened his face, and Raven found herself drawn closer.

Then the truth became clear, and she closed her eyes in resignation. “The animals are shifters locked in cages, aren’t they?”

“Yes.”

Raven could understand why he thought it would upset her, but the way his shoulders tensed, the way he angled away from looking at her directly, she knew he was keeping something else from her. “They can’t shift back, can they?”

Taggert’s shoulders dropped as he sighed, weighed down with the truth. “None of the shifters we saw were in good condition.”

“When they can no longer change back into their human forms, they are relegated to the cages like animals. And the longer they remain in animal form, the harder it is for them to remember their human side.”

“We don’t know that.” But his protest lacked conviction

They traveled farther into the trees, found three more cars, but never the right one. Her muscles tensed, and she shook with the urge to run hard and fast.

This was not her mess.

It wasn’t her problem to solve.

Duty and the need to do the right thing tore her in opposite directions.

The shifters were virtual prisoners, treated worse than slaves, and their alpha didn’t give a damn. The very idea horrified her. Pack was built to protect, lived and died to safeguard each other. To be betrayed by the ones who were supposed to keep them safe was beyond unspeakable.

She waited for her beast to show outrage, but the dragon remained locked down tight. They’d become so integrated, Raven found herself missing the creature. No spell held the beast at bay. No outer forces were at work.

The beast was just gone.

After so many years of repressing the monster, Raven missed the dratted creature.

She gave her dragon a careful poke but received no response.

It meant only one thing—something bad was about to happen.

Apprehension churned in her gut, and she picked up her pace, eager to find the men. She brushed against a tree, the bark biting into her skin. Every step without catching even a trace of them shot her anxiety higher. She could feel people watching them from the woods like a game of cat and mouse, their boots against her neck, ready to grab and drag them back.

She wouldn’t survive being imprisoned again.

Her breathing grew labored when she couldn’t find enough air. Raven knew she was having a panic attack, but the knowledge didn’t ease the swirling emotions.

She’d had enough.

There was no more hiding.

Refusing to leave without the men, Raven grabbed for a string of current.

“Here!” Taggert took off running.

Concentration shot, the hot strands singed her palms as the energy slid through her fingers. Raven followed, heart in her throat, darting around trees and random cars in her path. Taggert practically vaulted over a vehicle. No way could she keep pace.

When he drew to an abrupt halt, Raven slowed.

He whirled, pure wolf staring back at her and roared. “Run!”

In the next second, three shots echoed in the glen.

Taggert staggered and something inside her crumbled.

It took her precious seconds for her to realize that she scented no blood.

He wasn’t dead.

She blinked to see three red darts sticking out of his chest.

They’d drugged him. They wanted him alive. He lifted an arm, swiping away the darts, but it was much too late, the poison already coursing through his system.

She sprinted toward him, refused to leave him behind.

Taggert growled when she wrapped her arms around his waist. “I told you to run.”

“Not happening.” They pushed deeper into the forest, the circus offering no sanctuary. Even hampered, they moved faster than any human. Unfortunately, the shadowy forms hovering in the darkness easily kept pace.

Without her beast, she was useless. Heart hammering against her chest, she gathered her power when the dragon pressed down on her chest, smothering every ounce of current.

Raven was devastated by the betrayal.

Before she could grab the damned beast and demand answers, the bitch slithered back into her bones and vanished. The dragon obviously wanted her to stay, but no amount of probing would tell her why.

She understood the beast wanted to protect her by keeping their secret, but the dragon would never put her men at risk without a reason.

“Stop.” Taggert squeezed her waist until she had no air left. He slowed to a jarring stumble, his hold on her weakening. “Leave me.”

Raven shook her head, prepared to be just as stubborn, and he shoved her away. “They will use you against us. You have to escape.”

Everything in her rebelled at the idea, but she knew he was right. If they took her, her pack would all be trapped. If she left, she could come back for them, but it didn’t make abandoning them any easier to swallow.

Her chest burned as she took a step away from him, the action so painful, it felt like she was being gutted by a butter knife.

Two large shifters stepped out of the darkness, not remotely human, both stuck in transition like werewolves of old with furry legs, snout, teeth and claws galore.

A human followed a few paces behind, a soldier by his bearing, his cold gaze freezing her insides solid. He held a gun in his grip and could’ve easily shot her. Instead, he waved to the men, malicious glee in his eyes. “Get the woman.”

Both werewolves lifted their guns in a blur, obeying as if the man were their master, their spirits completely broken.

No way could she elude them without the help of her beast or magic.

Time slowed.

Their fingers tightened on the trigger.

Then the darts shot through the air.

Even as she dropped to the ground, she waited for the piercing pain from the darts.

Instead, Taggert lunged in front of her.

He grunted as the tiny missiles struck true.

He swayed on his feet, his eyes dilating until they were nearly black. His beast processed the drug as fast as it could, but there was just too much.

Raven scrambled to her feet as he dropped to his knees. Her arms ached to catch him, demand he come with her. She almost gave in when his eyes heated with anger, his wolf ready to lunge at her to get her moving. “Go.”

She instinctively took a step back.

He’d sacrificed himself for her and wouldn’t forgive her if she stayed. She needed to be free so she could rescue them.

With one last look, Raven took off running.

She heard grunting and chanced a glance behind her in time to see Taggert tackle the two men who’d given chase. He fought dirty, taking the men down long enough for her to gain ground. Running full speed, she focused on escape.

A small shape straightened from behind a car, leaping over the vehicle in a single bound, landing directly into her path. The thrill of the chase had stripped the werewolf of what little humanity he had left. There was no reasoning behind his eyes, pure predator staring back at her.

 Raven tensed as he raised a gun but didn’t slow down. A little puff from the barrel alerted her first, and she barely managed to swerve in time. The dart winged her arm.

Her muscles burned as the chemicals sped through her body.

Then Raven bent low, hitting the man in the gut with enough force that they both went flying. She slammed into the ground with a grunt, while the man thumped into a car with a heavy thud. The impact knocked the breath from her lungs. Air became scarce as she grabbed the fender of the car and dragged herself upright.

A shadow fell across her, and she peered up into a barrel of a gun. Without hesitation, the man fired twice.

A sharp jab of pain slammed into her upper shoulder as if she’d been stabbed.

More poison flooded her system.

Raven refused to go down without a fight, kicking out, pleased when she heard the bones of his knees crunch as it bent backward.

The man bellowed, the sounds not remotely human, as if he no longer had vocal cords. His face was misshapen, not wolf or human but caught in between. With his mouth open, his fangs appeared more prominent. When their eyes connected, anger burned in their depths, and he struck her across the face with the side of the gun.

Pain exploded in her head, and she allowed herself to collapse. She wanted to keep fighting, she could take them, but it was important for them to believe she was human.

The werebeast threaded his hand in her hair and viciously yanked her head back. Her neck strained at the awkward angle, and she struggled to breathe. Muscles corded his arms, but instead of covered in fur, the beast had a leopard pattern etched over his skin.

“Do not damage her or they’ll take it out of your hide.” The soldier strolled into view, calmly watching her get her ass handed to her, a satisfied twist to his lips.

The leopardman grunted in disappointment and released her.

Raven collapsed forward, gulping for air, her head growing fuzzy. A few feet from her, she stared at the glassy-eyed stuffed animal Taggert had given her, the little thing trampled in the dirt.

Two men dragged Taggert’s limp body between them, and her chest hurt to see him so vulnerable. Even flooded with poison, the magic and her dragon helped burn through the worst of it. She should escape as Taggert had ordered her, but instinct warned that if they didn’t capture her, her pack would be worthless to them.

Expendable.

She couldn’t leave them to die.

Someone grabbed her arm and hauled her upright before thrusting a boney shoulder in her middle and hoisting her high. It took everything she had to remain pliant. Even with the dragon firmly hidden, claws pressed against her fingerprints, and she resisted the need to shred the man to ribbons. The man carrying her had a heavy limp, and pleasure spiraled through her knowing she’d at least maimed him. Shifters healed fast, but he could look forward to a week of agony and think of her with every step.

Lights and noises from the circus rose as they drew closer. “Put them in the cages.”

Canvas rippled, and she realized they’d been escorted through the back entrance. The man carrying her stopped, and she fought against the urge to tense. The man lifted her, then she went airborne as he tossed her. She bit her lip to hold back a squeal. She hit the cage with a thunk, before crashing to the cold metal floor.

Agony rippled through her. Her ribs felt bruised, her knee throbbed. Her head swam as she struggled to remain conscious.

The world went black for a few seconds when she heard a roar.

Durant.

Alive.

She lifted her head, feeling woozy as something dripped down her face. She lifted her hand and encountered a nasty gash at her temple. She stared in confusion at the blood staining her fingers. She struggled to stand, but her legs wouldn’t hold her. Vision blurry, she peered beyond the bars of her cage to see Durant pacing in his tiger form, fully agitated and ready to rip into anything that neared.

Taggert lay slumped across from her, completely unresponsive, sweating out the toxins as fast as he could while Jackson was swaddled in chains that had to weigh a couple hundred pounds, his body tensed to explode into action at any second.

Though they were all captured, she sensed no injuries. They must have been taken by a blitz attack, caught off guard and shot with darts from a distance. They wouldn’t have allowed themselves to be taken without a fight.

She castigated herself for not knowing they were in trouble.

Some protector she was turning out to be.

Raven struggled to remain human as her magic rose with her agitation, threatening to expose her. Their captors thought the men were the bigger threat.

They were very wrong.

Jackson didn’t take his gaze away from her, muscles straining as he tried to break the chains. He must have seen her look, the one that craved vengeance, and slowly shook his head.

Annoyance rippled through her at being forced to back down even if he was right. Without her dragon or power to back her up, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to take them without putting her pack more at risk.

They needed to wait until the drugs burned out of their systems first.

The cage slammed shut in her face with a resounding thud.

Her heart dropped to her feet with a splat.

A prisoner again.

Trapped.

She repressed the growl that threatened. She had to remain calm or risk harming her men if she lost control. She wanted to unleash all the pent up rage on the circus and obliterate it. She could overload the shifters with energy and force them to change. Though they would be more dangerous in beast form, it would also suppress their human side for a few precious minutes. The bindings to the pack would waiver and chaos would reign.

Her dragon could grab control, but there was a vital flaw to the plan. If her dragon failed to rise, her people would be torn apart. She could do the opposite and drop everyone where they stood but the sudden influx of syphoning away all their energy could knock her out cold.

She couldn’t risk that they would recover first.

She’d bide her time for now, but the instant they moved against one of hers, they were all dead.

Chapter Eight – Day 2

DAY TWO: FIRST DAY OF CAPTIVITY – MORNING

Raven kept watch over the men all night, determined nothing worse would happen to them. No one spoke, not with the guard standing outside the small tent. The cages were tall enough for them to sit and long enough for them to lay down if they curled up their legs. Though the men were crammed into the miniscule space, they’d settled down, not quite sleeping as they burned off the rest of the drugs.

Paranoia kept her awake, and she’d spent all last night gathering as much information as she could. She pushed tiny strands of energy through the earth, holding back as much as possible so the shifters wouldn’t sense the sudden influx. Current forked through the ground, registering anything with a heartbeat. She did it over and over until she worked her way through the whole circus, her hands trembling under the strain by the time she was done. Her spirits plummeted at the sheer number of people. By her estimation, the circus housed over fifty workers, a third of them some variety of shifter.

That left dozens of humans, more than half of them soldiers.

Some of the shifters had tried to help them last night, but she couldn’t count them as allies, not if it meant going against their pack.

The side of her face ached from the blow she’d taken, but the gash on her temple had scabbed over. Temperatures had dropped throughout the night, the metal cage offering little comfort. Dew glistened on the grass. Dawn colored the horizon through the thin canvas, a smudge of red in the sky, when the tent flap flew open.

The ringmaster entered, and Raven blinked in surprise as she spotted his animal form wrapped around him like cloak. The man was an honest to god bull, sharpened horns and all, not to mention damned near a ton in weight. He didn’t speak as he trotted through the tent, observing each cage for a few minutes like a proud owner admiring his newest acquisitions before halting in front of her.

Without a shred of doubt, she knew her suspicions were true.

They replenished their ranks by kidnapping people, and her pack were the newest recruits.

Calculating thoughts flickering behind the dark pits of his eyes, and her hands clenched around the bars until her knuckles ached. Raven concentrated on blocking as much of her magic and beast as she could. She must have passed for human for he turned away. Relief trickled in her veins, the tension releasing its stranglehold on her body.

Her secrets remained safe.

Now she just had to keep it that way.

She needed to think human.

How the hell was she supposed to do that when she’s never been human?

The few humans that she’d met when growing up had all either experimented or tortured her.

Fun times.

“Imagine my surprise when we stumbled upon these two skulking behind the circus. We offered our hospitality while they waited for your return.” Their scent. Raven cursed her carelessness, sick to her stomach. The people from the circus must have searched the cars until they’d located their scent and found Durant and Jackson waiting like sitting ducks.

While Taggert and she were playing hide-and-seek, they’d been hunting her men.

The ringmaster walked around the cages in a proprietary way, remaining just out of swatting distance. She didn’t like the possessive way he studied the three men, judging their worth like he already owned them and could do whatever he pleased.

“You make it sound like we set a trap for you.” More the other way around. Rage seethed under her skin, and she was proud her voice didn’t shake with her volatile emotions. Raven leaned back as casually as possible until her spine hit the cage, refusing to be intimidated, keeping him in view as he continued to clomp through the tent. “What do you want?”

She wanted it spelled out. She wanted to know exactly where they stood.

His brows rose, as if surprised that she would speak for the group.

Then a satisfied look settled on his face.

“My name is Clancy, the ringmaster here. You all have been given the honor of being chosen to join my pack.” He paused as if he expected some sign of appreciation. When no one even moved, a frown furrowed between his brows at the slight. “You will be expected to work for your food and board. You’ll be given a one-week trial, so you’ll want to make sure you pass inspection.”

A slight smirk danced about his lips, but it was the malicious gleam in his eyes that made it clear that if they failed to pledge allegiance, they would not enjoy the consequences. Then he nodded toward her. “For your own safety, you will be separated from the shifters and housed with the other women. If you obey the rules and earn your keep, you’ll be granted the privilege of a few minutes alone with each other at meal times.”

Giving them a taste of what they were missing, a nasty reminder of what they had to lose if they didn’t behave. Everything inside her rebelled at being separated from her men. Fury scorched her insides raw at being used as a damned hostage, and she quickly reined it back before it could leak pass her shields. If she hadn’t been in a damned cage, she would’ve leapt at him.

“And if we don’t obey?”

The man cocked a brow at her, clearly not impressed. “If you don’t earn your keep, then I have no use for you.” He gestured with two fingers, signaling to a man hidden outside her range of sight.

The man who entered the tent next appeared no more than thirty years old, but age could be deceiving when shifters lived a few centuries. Definitely a shifter from the energy roiling under the surface, but he had himself locked down so hard, she couldn’t tell which breed. Muscles roped his body, not a speck of fat on him. Trimmed dark hair and plain nondescript clothes allowed him to pass as forgettable.  

Until she saw his eyes.

Guarded.

Ruthless.

No mercy.

There would be no help from that quarter.

“Touch her, and you die.” Taggert threw himself at the cage, nearly upending it. Durant swung out with a massive paw, and the man easily danced out of the way. Jackson worried her the most. He did nothing but watched, his eyes cold and deadly.

At the first opportunity, the man would be dead.

“Ah, Greggory, see to the human. She can stay with Veronica until they take their pledge.”

Greggory stiffened slightly, then held his hand out, waiting for Clancy to remove the key from around his neck and hand it over. Without missing a beat, he opened the lock and straightened. She waited for him to grab her and drag her out, but all he did was stand patiently by the door. Giving her the opportunity to run or prove herself or just plain manners, she wasn’t sure which. For now, she’d play with the hand she was dealt.

In order to convince them that she was human, Raven hadn’t allowed herself to heal.

Now she paid the price.

When she pulled herself toward the opening, her ribs creaked in protest. Every movement, every breath sent agony rippling through her body as she struggled to stand and walk. They almost reached the door when the ringmaster spoke again.

“Since you’re such an animal lover, you can work with the beasts.”

Grunt work, not that Raven cared.

They considered her human and therefore worthless.

Good.

That meant they wouldn’t see her coming.

* * *

Her escort didn’t talk or touch her as they wove their way through the fairgrounds. They slipped through a small section in the canvas, more of a cut than an opening, and entered a maze of trailers and tents.

A tiny village where the workers lived.

People stopped as they passed. Some smirked, while others dropped their eyes, pity leaching them of all emotions. One trailer stood off to the side, bigger than the others, and her guard pounded on the door.

It opened to reveal the last person she expected.

The mermaid.

She filled the doorway, but not the woman Raven had seen last night. Oh, the tail had morphed into legs, but it was more than that. Instead of a young woman, she had aged a good ten years overnight. The glorious fine blond hair now looked limp and oily. The flawless skin had drooped, covering her in a layer of fine wrinkles, taking her from a beautiful princess to a middle-aged crone in a matter of hours.

Shifter aged slowly, but they can’t function at their peak so far out of their natural habitat. Without water, this woman would die a brutally slow death. She aged so fast, Raven could actually smell the death around her.

“The little human. You didn’t make it.”

Raven shivered at the purr in the voice. The sound should’ve been seductive, but the woman rubbed her the wrong way.

“Clancy wants her to stay with you for the first week, show her the ropes. She’s the new animal trainer.” The man gave nothing away as he issued his instructions. “She’s human. Make sure you handle her with care.”

A moue of disgust crossed the woman’s face, and she lowered her eyes demurely. “He promised me my own trailer.”

“Take that up with him.” The man turned and walked away, abandoning Raven without another word. Some shifters resented humans, treating them as a pest to be dealt with when they couldn’t avoid it. As she watched his lean form disappear into the crowd, she realized he saw her as nothing more than a chore.

The woman heaved a sigh and pushed the trailer door wider. “You might as well come in, but don’t bother making yourself at home.”

Veronica flounced away, the nightgown she wore flaring out in her agitation. It appeared more than a hundred years old, something a woman might wear in the Victorian age. She lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, nervously flicking her nails. She parted the window curtain and peered outside.

 “It might look like your guard walked away, but everyone will be watching you. You have to be careful. Few of us are human. The longer you remain, the more dangerous it will become. You have to prove your worth. The instant you mess up, they’ll pounce.”

She turned away from the window, puffing on her cigarette, the confined space filling with the stench of smoke. Raven unobtrusively covered her nose, but nothing would block the invasive smell.

“Sorry.” The woman stabbed out her cigarette, the ashtray filled with a dozen or so half-smoked butts. She waved a hand then picked up a can and sprayed the air.

It only made things worse.

Now Raven smelled smoke and a heathy dose of sickly-sweet flowers on top of it. With a shifters enhanced sense of smell, smoking should’ve been intolerable. The lack of sleep combined with the smoke left her head pounding and the bruises on her face throbbed.

“Here, let me change, and I’ll show you the job.” Veronica dropped the robe and threw it across the bed, quickly dressing in a simple pullover gown. In under a minute, they were out the door.

Raven gulped fresh air, feeling a bit green, swallowing compulsively so as not to be sick. They travelled through the maze of tents and trailers, people edging out of their way, avoiding looking at them directly, something usually they only reserved for alphas, and everything inside her froze.

Her heart thudded painfully against her ribs.

They couldn’t know the truth.

Raven quickly scanned for her beast, but she couldn’t find hide nor hair … er … scales nor tail of the stubborn creature. She chalked the reaction up to her imagination.

Instead of proud warriors, they were cowed and so submissive they didn’t meet anyone’s gaze. Afraid to draw attention to themselves. Violence hovered around them, drawing their beast closer to the surface—not a healthy place to be for a shifter, not when they could go furry and rip out your throat at any second.

Every shifter she saw had been a rogue at one time, and less than a handful of them could shift.

“What’s wrong with them?”

Veronica glanced around and shook her head, a tinge of sadness clinging to her. “The circus used to be booming. We had our choice of pledges, but people have gone missing in the last few months.”

Raven glanced around the park, seeing it through new eyes, the way the people scurried in fear. She’d assumed the circus itself was the threat, and couldn’t help but wonder if she’d gotten things wrong.

“Since we’ve been targeted, our attendance has plummeted. We move every few weeks, but trouble follows us everywhere we go.”

Raven wasn’t sure she believed the woman, but couldn’t sense a lie. “When did Clancy take over?”

Veronica raised a brow at the impertinent question and snorted. “I like you.” Then she waved a hand. “But you’re wrong. Clancy took over years ago. The trouble only arose a few months ago.”

Raven wanted Clancy to be the root of the problem so she could go after him. “Then how do you explain the kidnappings?”

Veronica shrugged, smiling at a few male shifters constructing a small tent. They ducked their heads away, pretending not to see. “We need workers. It’s a lot better life than most of the rogues can expect.”

Abducting people to protect their pack didn’t make it right, but at least she could understand. She’d do whatever was necessary to protect her people, too. Raven noticed all the closed, boarded-up trailers. “And those?”

The mermaid’s face fell. “Gone missing.”

The prospect of an investigation to keep her occupied perked Raven up, and her senses sharpened. “They just left?”

Veronica ducked her head when a group of rowdy humans charged past. “We used to be overflowing with workers, turning shifters away. Now we’re more human than not. We thought one or two of the crew might have just left, but everyone who vanished left all their belongings behind.”

“Has anyone ever seen anything or survived an attack?”

“No.” Veronica lifted her face and met her gaze head-on. “Something is hunting us. Soon, there will be no one left.”

It would be one way to get rid of a circus. Raven could easily envision a couple of packs joining forces to eliminate a possible threat, but none would abandon their own territory for months at a time.

The group of humans that had passed less than a minute ago whooped like a bunch of hyenas on the hunt. Raven twisted to see them circle a shifter ten feet to their right, shoving the poor rogue from one man to the next. She waited for the beast to retaliate. One swipe could kill them, but the guy only lifted his arms to block the blows raining down. No shifter would take such abuse from someone weaker, not when they were at the top in survival of the fittest.

Raven stopped dead, her feet rooted to the ground at the wrongness.

Veronica stepped in front of her, only inches from her face, blocking the show. Raven sidestepped to see around her, ready to shove her out of the way when she spoke.

“Humans are the beasts here. They might not be physically superior, but in numbers, they are in charge. They enjoy the power, the small cruelties they inflict.” She met her gaze directly. “They won’t do permanent damage to the property.”

Raven couldn’t believe what she was hearing, especially from another shifter. “That’s not good enough.”

Veronica grabbed her arm when she went to move again. “The humans are the dredges of society no one would miss if something goes wrong. Criminals you don’t want to mess with. Harm one of Clancy’s minions, and he’ll have your head.”

“So we’re not supposed to do anything?” It took everything in her not to react. Pretend to be human. She was supposed to be afraid of shifters, not confronting them.

Veronica waved a hand and rolled her eyes as if she thought the whole thing absurd. “If you want to survive here, you’ll need to learn that there is nothing you can do. You should be more worried about yourself.”

Veronica gracefully skirted around her and continued their walk, her eyes lowered demurely, all innocent and simpering as they passed the group of men. She gave a nod to each, acting like the princess she’d portrayed last night.

And the guys ate it up, stopping the fight to stare.

No one showed her any disrespect.

Even on her best days, Raven wasn’t that good of an actress. She would’ve gutted them at the first opportunity.

They neared the now-silent circus, the place creepy in the daylight with everything so still and empty. The earth appeared trampled and beaten … like the very people who worked there. The charm from last night was tarnished, the tents dingy and faded by too many days out in the sun.

Trash lay scattered everywhere, the booths banged up and splintered, the air tainted by the grimy smell of grease from the derelict rides. The paint on the rides was chipped, rust marking every bolt. No way in hell would they ever get her to ride any of those deathtraps.

Instead of entering the circus, they swerved toward the back and a section of five-foot square boxes, surrounded by a metal gate. As they neared, the overwhelming smell of feces and urine clogged the air. Veronica wrinkled her nose, her lips twisting in disgust. “The animals are kept here.”

Fifteen boxes.

So many.

But only half of them appeared full. Raven couldn’t help wonder where the rest of them had gone.

She rubbed the hollow ache in her chest at their plight. She knew what if felt like to be missing half your soul.

She’d lived most of her life that way

It was a horrible way to live, and she was surprised so many of them have survived this long.  They were all in poor shape. “Is no one taking care of them?”

Veronica paused in opening the gate surrounding the boxes, her gaze flicking toward her before she opened the door. “The last one no longer wanted the job.”

A snort came from behind them. “You mean he was eaten, don’t you?”

Raven whirled and found a petite dark-haired woman standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at Veronica. Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, her hair pulled back into a ponytail, the girl barely looked out of her teens.

Then Raven placed her. “The gypsy.”

Veronica tossed back her hair and sniffed. “Nothing so glorious, just a witch, and a poor one at that.” She pushed away from the wall and strutted forward, all snide and caustic. “Since you’re so interested, Eve, you can show her the rest.”

The princess sauntered away with a jaunty wave.

Feeling clueless at the animosity between them, Raven turned to Eve and raised a brow.

“Don’t get too close to the bitch. She’s Clancy’s lover, which gives her certain protection.”

Raven grimaced at the thought of that bull of a man touching her. Eve pin her under a narrow gaze, scanning her from head to foot in disgust. “You won’t last a second with the animals. No one does.”

So not reassuring. “Then why not get someone else to do it?”

“No one else will take the job. Another shifter would only rile the animals.”

“Then I guess I don’t have a choice.” Raven was nothing if not stubborn. She would not be cowed. If push came to shove, she would shove back harder.

Eve grunted in grudging respect, dropped her hands from her hips, and marched toward the entrance. “Come on, then.”

As they entered the gate, the canopy overhead cut down some of the heat. She followed the woman who’d played a large part in trapping them in this hell. She waited for the vengeful urge to rip out the woman’s throat, but the volatile emotions she’d suffered through the last week never surfaced. She prodded her beast, but the dragon just gave a warning rumble and curled tighter around itself. Raven was beginning to suspect the creature was protecting her the only way it knew how. If she left without her pack, and the circus disappeared, she would be devastated. Without her beast for aid, she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to find them, not if they continued to move every week.

So she was on her own to find a way for all of them to get out alive.

Tension vibrated off the gypsy, a brittle set to her shoulders. Her stark fear reeking in the enclosed space. Something was off. Determined to find out what was really happening, Raven provoked the woman in a way she knew would get a response. “You betrayed us.”

“I don’t know you.” The sharp reply came immediately.

Raven refused to retreat without answers. “True enough, but you knew what you were doing. That it was wrong.”

Eve whirled, thrust out her finger like a sword and poked it in her direction. “You don’t get to judge me. We all do what we must to survive. Your time will come when you have to make an impossible choice. Only then will you understand.”

Raven stepped forward, a sense of urgency scratching at her insides. “And if you have a chance to leave?”

Eve blanched, waving her arms as if to ward her off. “You can’t say something like that here. You’ll get us both killed. We’re all here of our own free will. You won’t get anyone to say otherwise.”

She scurried toward the workbench, setting out enough pans to cover each animal. She reached up, pulling down a binder, her movements jerky with agitation. “This page lists what each animal needs to receive. They get a portion of protein, dry food and vitamin powder once a day. Don’t feed them extra. We only have so much food. If they get extra now, they’ll starve later.” A tremor wobbled in her voice as if she knew from experience.

The process appalled Raven. She opened her mouth to protest when a heavy weight landed on her chest, crushing the breath out of her. The dragon wanted her to be quiet. Speaking now would only get them all killed. 

Worry about her men gnawed at her. “What can I expect to happen to the men with me?”

When the woman didn’t answer, Raven grabbed her arm. “Please.”

The gypsy shrugged out of her hold, but her rigidness unbent a fraction. “Nothing will happen to them if they accept their fate and obey.”

The vise around her throat eased for the first time since the forced separation.

They were safe.

For now.

They had a week to find out the truth and leave before they were forced to pledge and the shit really hit the fan.

The beast sank back into her bones, her body growing heavy.

Completely unaware of Raven’s internal struggle, Eve opened the large freezer, systematically dumping packages into each tub before moving on to the next. When she disappeared around the corner, Raven quickly followed. Only to stop when she saw pans of thawed meat. Decay and rot clogged her sensitive nose. As soon as an animal died, the meat began to rot. The older the meat, the less appealing it became to shifters. It was why they preferred live prey.

Not to mention they enjoyed the hunt.

“Keep the blood in the pan. It leaves the food more appetizing.” She kicked a box under the bench as she worked. “The vitamin powder is under here. Next bin holds dog food. Mixing directions are here.”

She plopped the book on the tabletop, clearly wanting to get away from her as quickly as possible … as if stupidity was catching.

“We slide open the slot and shove the food into the kennels. While they feed, we drop down the gate, and clean out the cages. I’ll be back in an hour to show you the rest.” The clinical list was chilling, distancing her from the animals as if they were truly beasts and not shifters.

Raven stepped in her way but didn’t get a chance to say anything before the little whirlwind spoke. “Are you listening? ‘Cause if you don’t follow the rules, you’ll get eaten, just like the others.”

Raven had a feeling she was talking about more than just feeding the animals. She eyed the packages of meat suspiciously. “I understand.”

And she was beginning to understand a lot more, too.

The circus was run by terror.

“Good.” Tension eased out of her shoulders, but only for a second as Eve recovered. “You want to be sure you’re finished before the doors open at seven.” She darted around Raven, moving fast for a human. She halted by the door, her fingers clenched on the canvas, her body stiff. “I am sorry.”

Answer clicked into place. “Who do they have?”

Eve appeared startled, paling as if struck. “My son.” Her lips trembled before she firmed them. “If I don’t point out vulnerable shifters, I don’t earn our keep. They will hurt him. We’re forced to spy on each other, every infraction punished. Others are rewarded.” Her face twisted in distaste, and she glanced away, humiliation burning her cheeks. “Don’t give them anything to use against you.”

She disappeared before Raven could ask anything else. She curled her hands into fists, wishing for the power to do something. It was too soon. She had to bide her time and learn more before she could take action.

Something more was going on here.

If she reacted to the situation wrong, the people responsible for all this misery would get away.

Raven wanted to help these people, but not all were innocent. She wondered if that was why her dragon had vanished. She thought the creature had disappeared to protect her, possibly worried that her men would discover her beast was a real live dragon, but her beast would never put her pack at risk that way.

If she trusted the wrong person, she’d only end up putting people in more danger.

One thing was very real—someone was terrorizing these people. She just didn’t know if it came from within the pack or if they were actually being stalked.

No wonder the shifters didn’t act like a pack.

How could they when they were set at each other’s throats?

Chapter Nine

Raven unwrapped all the packages, doing her best not to look too closely at the mystery meat. She organized the pans, followed the directions in the book, ignoring the twinges in her ribs. When she lifted the lid on the powder, she reared back, the astringent stench like nothing she’d ever encountered.

That wasn’t vitamins.

She leaned forward and inhaled carefully, trying to sort through the smells. Acid burned up her throat as she focused on one scent.

Poison.

Shifters were notoriously hard to poison, but continual doses over an extended period of time would make it possible. Poison would keep the shifters docile.

Raven hesitated as she bent over the container, not sure what to do.

The quantity of food wasn’t enough to sustain shifters, the extra supplements needed to keep them alive. If she left it out, she would be responsible for them starving. If their roles were reversed, she knew what she’d want done.

She looked at the sink, then turned on the water and poured the exact amount for each down the drain.

The heat in the tent turned stifling as the mid-day sun beat down on it. The rancid smell of rotten blood increasing until the need for air clawed in her chest. She threw open the tarp and nearly tromped on Eve in her escape.

Eve gave a startled yep.

Too late to backpedal, Raven spun without thinking, her moves fluid and controlled.

A blur to the naked eye.

Only a few rare shifters could move in sharp bursts that fast.

Eve’s mouth dropped open, her face a pasty color as understanding dawned in her dark eyes.

So much for pretending to be human.

Raven could silence her. Snapping her neck would be easy enough to do, but she held still and waited for judgment.

She would not be a monster.

Eve grabbed Raven’s hand and jerked her back inside the tent. “If anyone finds out you’re a shifter, both our lives will become sheer torture.”

Raven nodded at the harsh whisper. “Then don’t tell them.”

Eve reared back, quickly letting her go as if stung.

Raven lunged to stop her from fleeing but dropped her arm when the witch flinched.

“Killing me will only lead them to learning the truth all the faster.”

Raven carefully crossed her arms, offended by the words despite the fact she’d contemplated that very thing. The woman had been pushed around enough. Any more and she would snap, and Raven would lose a potential ally. “If I wanted you dead, I would’ve done it already.”

Surprisingly, that seemed to relax Eve.

She’d been around shifters long enough to know it was true.

“How could I have messed up my readings so badly? So stupid, I didn’t even think to check you. Female shifters are protected, much too valuable to be allowed to roam free without guards. They’re much too risky for us to grab.” The words were an accusation, as if it were Raven’s fault for being kidnapped.

The gypsy threaded her hands in her hair and tightened her grip, beginning to hyperventilate as she paced. “They’ll blame me. It’s too late to kill you and get rid of the bodies. Your pack will track you here. They’ll find us. It’s only a matter of time before we’re all dead.”

Raven’s heart gave a twinge of pity at Eve’s overwhelming dread, but she had to proceed cautiously. “Not necessarily.”

Eve stopped dead and stared at her. “What do you mean?”

“What about Veronica?”

Eve waved her hands, dismissing the other woman. “She has no pack affiliations, no one to care what would happen to her.”

Raven racked her brain for a solution because Eve was right, if the truth was discovered, they were all dead. “You’re missing the obvious answer.”

At Eve’s blank stare, Raven shrugged. “Don’t tell the others.”

Eve shook her head even before Raven finished speaking. “They’re shifters. They’ll find out sooner rather than later. You can’t keep that type of thing a secret. Then there will be hell to pay. I’d be lucky if they only kill me and not my son.”

Eve worked herself up in a state, convincing herself that turning Raven in was the only solution. And she was partially right. Raven doubted they would kill her outright. If the truth was discovered, the cost would be too high. Clancy would most likely auction her off to the highest bidder for an astronomical sum. Raven wasn’t worried about herself, but without her there to be used as leverage, her men would become more trouble than their worth.

They would become a liability and immediately marked for death.

Heart slamming against her ribs, Raven ruthlessly pushed down her qualms and dangled the thing Eve wanted most out in front of her. “What if I told you I could help you and your son escape?"

Shock snapped Eve’s mouth shut so hard her teeth clinked. Hope burned bright in her eyes before they dimmed under the brutal truth. “They would hunt us down, not only out of spite, but also teach a lesson to others. No one escapes. Ever. I can’t risk it.” She turned toward the door.

“Not even for your son and the chance of freedom?”

Eve’s pacing slowed, the temptation too great to dismiss without listening.

“Give me a week. I don’t know about you, but I don’t plan on staying longer than necessary.”

The gypsy twisted to stare, her dark brown eyes hardening to pure black. A brush of cobwebs swept over her skin as Eve worked her magic. “You really believe that.” Her brows wrinkled. “Why wait? Let’s leave now.”

Eve rushed forward, but halted before touching her. “Tell me how.”

It was a demand.

“It’s too soon. I won’t leave my men behind. They’re too well guarded yet. They’d located us too quickly if we tried to just leave. Give me time to work on a plan. I won’t leave any innocence behind to suffer.”

Eve blanched and backed away. “No one here is innocent. You can’t trust anyone. As soon as they learn what you are, they’ll turn you over the first chance they get.”

She never spoke truer words.

If the wrong person discovered that Raven was a female shifter, she’d become their hottest commodity. She couldn’t go through that again. Her skin itched at the thought of being imprisoned, forced to perform.

“Then we don’t tell anyone.” Raven turned away and eyed the row of food trays. “That means we have to act normal. Show me what needs to be done next.”

With a jerky nod, Eve gathered one of the pans with trembling hands and shoved the tray in the food slot. “Then we wait for the animal to enter. While they feed, we need to shovel out the pen and spray everything down, including the animal if you can get them.”

Gathering a shovel, she headed outside, so distracted she veered a little too close to one of the cages. The beast slammed into the bars. Eve leapt back, barely missing the swipe of massive paws from a mangy lion. The molting beast gave a roar of outrage, staring at them like prey.

Matted fur hung on him, his frame all skin and bones, while his wild mane was snarled and ratted almost beyond recognition.

Nothing human remained.

Then the rules she’d learned the day before came back to her. If they weren’t in the show, they were not earning their keep.

He’d been left there to die.

A blatant reminder of her precarious position.

The lion’s habitat was stark, no greenery, no cooling shade larger than a foot, nothing but a tub of water to keep him from overheating.

As he prowled past, Raven couldn’t resist the impulse to reach through the bars and touch the wire-like fur. A smidge of current released on contact.

The lion whipped around to face her, his snarl fading to a low grumble when their eyes locked. The beast retreated, his eyes brightening as his intelligence gradually returned. The animal might not be happy, but he was no longer so vicious.

“How’d you do that?” Eve whispered, both excited and fearful.

“I have an affinity for animals.” It was the truth in a sense, but it must have looked like magic to Eve. “He’s been in beast form too long. He’s lost his human self. I just reminded him.” And he wasn’t happy about the return. He didn’t want to fight any longer.

 “He lost his partner. When he changed, they could no longer control him, and they stuck him in this cage. He’s never turned back.” Eve gave her a pointed look, silently urging her to be careful. “If one hostage dies, so do the others … either by choice or by Clancy’s hand when their usefulness ends.”

Without a connection to the pack, someone to ground him, he would gradually turn feral. Raven could understand. If anything happened to her pack, she wasn’t sure she would be strong enough to pull herself back from the edge.

Eve bent and removed a panel from under the cage, then pulled out a hose. “When they won’t go into the kennel to eat, we can’t unlock the cage, so we just spray everything down.”

Raven frowned and studied the prison. “Where do the shifters go while we clean then?”

Eve looked grim, her lips flattening. “If they don’t retreat into their box, we hose them down as well.”

The hose was not the garden variety, but more of a power washer. The spray had to be painful, nearly skin-peeling force. They thought beasts were brutal and could take anything, but that just wasn’t true. Their spirits could be broken, the same as any human. Raven couldn’t be a party to it and held up her hand. “I understand. You can go.”

The gypsy wanted to protest but bit back her retort. She looked at the cage, dropped the hose and silently handed over the keys. “Just remember that you need to be finished before dusk when we open the gates.”

Another reminder that if they stepped out of line, they would be punished.

Raven gave a grim nod. When Eve turned away, Raven called after her. “Why did you choose us?”

She needed to know what gave them away so she could protect her pack in the future.

Shadows danced over Eve’s face. “Only a person in love would freely travel with a shifter. Most humans prefer to kill them. You two acted so in love, they singled you out for testing. We need a connection—”

“—a way to hold something over us.”

“I saw his devotion to you. It was enough.” Eve didn’t say anything more and walked away.

Raven fingered the keys, eyed the cage but didn’t enter. Not yet. Allowing herself to be pulled away, she moved to the next cage. All the other animals immediately ate when she shoved the food in the box. She sprayed down the cages while they were occupied.

The animals were docile.

Too docile.

The drugs had been in their system for so long that they no longer knew how to be a creature of the wild. She had feared the animals might sense her true nature and give her away. Most just avoided her, their senses so deadened they didn’t even recognize her. A few watched her suspiciously but didn’t bother to stop gulping down their food.

As she passed one of the many empty cages, it felt like she dropped into a freezing lake, the spooky vibe sinking into her soul. She practically tripped over her own feet to get away, glancing over her shoulder to see if anything followed.

Her skin was dotted with frost, chilled almost to the bone. Something waited in that cage, seeking vengeance.

It peered inside her, searching for something … or someone specific.

She walked away, but only because it had released her.

Exhaustion crashed into her when she reached the last cage. Her movements became labored, weak as the human she was trying to portray, and it wasn’t really a lie. Staying up all night, worry mixed with the drugs, had taken its toll.

Three men were wrestling with a large animal, each carrying a Taser shaped like a wand, zapping the poor beast to get him to obey.

A roar shook the air, and Raven froze in recognition.

“Durant?”

She scrambled forward, much too far away to be of any help.

As she watched through the bars, six men tried to force Durant to enter an empty cage.

“Settle down or we’ll shock your little girl instead.” They didn’t care if she heard or not. She was an animal lover, which to them meant she was less than human.

Durant didn’t even hesitate, instantly turning meek, and entered the cage without further protest. As the door slammed shut with a clank, Raven bit her tongue against the scream of rage burning her throat and tasted blood.

The men laughed, edging a little too close to when they passed. Durant snarled, lunging at the bars, looking ready to rip through them. The man nearest her lifted the Taser next to her face and pressed the button.

A blue spark arced in the air between the prongs.

It took everything in her to halt the need to suck down all that lovely energy. Durant immediately quieted, and the man raised a brow. “You’re smarter than the rest. Obey and you all might enjoy coming to live here.”

As they left, Raven scrambled toward the cage. In tiger form, Durant butted his large head against her hand, seeking affection and reassuring himself that she remained unharmed. Instead of being humiliated at being confined, his animal form dominated the cage.

She ran her hands over him as she searched for injuries, and pleasure rumbled in his chest. He seemed more alert, almost healed, and her legs sagged in relief. “We’re going to get out of here, but we need to act carefully.”

Energy pulled toward him as he prepared to shift. Raven quickly grabbed it in her fists and squashed it, the sting burning her hands. “You’re safer here for the moment. Watch. Listen. Be prepared to move when I give the signal.”

Intelligence glowed in his eyes. She wanted to talk to him, but couldn’t risk the other shifters noticing the exchange. Raven twisted the key to his door off the ring, then tucked it into the corner of the cage, wedging it under the wood to keep it hidden. It felt good to be doing something. At one time, she had thought she wanted to be normal.

Being normal sucked.

She glanced up to see Durant study her intently, then gave her a nod of understanding.

He would wait and bide his time.

Taggert was right to avoid bringing her to see the pens. If she’d seen the abuse last night, there was no way she would’ve left without freeing them. The way they treated the animals showed who the real monsters were.

Now it looked like her people were caught in the same trap.

The circus had been doing replacing the people they’d lost for a long time without being caught, more than just a few months.

They made a fatal flaw this time by grabbing the wrong people. The way they treated their pack members was inexcusable, and she would find a way to make those responsible pay.

In the meantime, she needed to figure out what was so important that her dragon surrendered without a fight in order to remain at the circus.

Chapter Ten

With one cage left to clean and two hours until the circus opened for business, Raven reluctantly pulled away from Durant and headed toward the lion. Her clothes were soaked, her skin soggy after hours of cleaning. She lingered outside the cage to find the wily old beast watching her suspiciously. He had a metal collar around his throat and a chain connecting him to the cage floor to limit his movements.

None of the others had the extra precaution.

Wildness clung to him, his human side nearly obliterated.

He didn’t have much time before he succumbed to his beast completely.

“The chains indicate he’s available for auction.”

“Taggert.” Raven twitched as if she’d been shot. Her head snapped up, and she twisted until she located him.

He stood to the other side of the cage, shadows clinging to him, almost as if he were hiding from her. She tucked back a few strands of hair that had escaped her clip behind her ear, feeling grungy and disheveled. It was all she could do not to go over there and throw her arms around him. His rigid posture didn’t invite company, still pissed as hell that she’d allowed herself to be captured. If she stepped any closer, she doubted she’d be able to prevent him from picking her up and running off with her, uncaring that it would put others in danger.

 “Shifters are too violent, and humans don’t like being knocked off the top of the food chain. When a shifter turns completely into his beast and loses his human side, he’s marked with the collar. Humans will pay big bucks to hunt one of these vicious beasts.”

To hunt one of their own was barbaric.

A chill snaked down her spine, and a horrible new and more likely scenario wormed its way into her mind. 

Had people actually gone missing by someone stalking the circus or was that some story Clancy concocted to justify the missing people?

She wanted to believe they’d escaped, but once bound to a pack, shifters could be tracked. Clancy wasn’t the type of man who would just let them go. He would’ve hunted them down and dragged them back.

But Taggert’s accusation just didn’t make any kind of sense.

No alpha would destroy his own pack by killing them off one-by-one.

It would leave the pack weak, and a dominant man like him would never stand for that.

Taggert’s eyes devoured her when his gaze dropped to her wet shirt. Then his attention lifted to her face, particularly the nasty bruise near her temple. Repressed violence hovered around him, ready to snap at the smallest provocation, and worry prickled along her spine. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

A snarl curled his lips, flashing a hint of fang, and his fingers curled into fists. “They dragged you away, refused to let us see you, and you ask what’s wrong?”

His voice rose with each word, rage vibrating in the air. The animals in the cages shifted in agitation. Being near him riled them up, their animal instincts kicking in at all that raw emotion.

Raven softened her voice so as not to set him off. “It’s dangerous for you to sneak around.”

His chin lifted mutinously at the mild rebuke. “I can protect myself. I’m not the one injured.”

“I’m fine. No harm done.” She didn’t like the way he hid from her, and her chest hollowed out at the vast chasm opening between them. “Where are you staying?”

He stepped into the light and grabbed the metal cage. “In a tent with other shifters. They have me working to fix the rides.”

His eyes were the pure green of his wolf as he teetered on the edge of his control. Worry clamped down hard on her gut. “Taggert—”

“This is my fault. If I hadn’t insisted we come here, none of this would’ve happened.” Destructive self-hatred consumed him. And if he didn’t tread carefully, he would do something foolish.

“You did nothing wrong. They set a trap on the road for us. We would’ve ended up here either way.” Her heart tumbled at his turmoil, his guilt eating him alive. Static snapped under her skin, desperate to reach out and ease his agitated wolf. “I think we were brought here to save them.”

His face contorted in rage. “Save them?”

His fury bled past her shields, the strength stealing her breath. If he didn’t tone down his anger, it would get him killed. “Do you trust me?”

“Always.” He didn’t even hesitate.

“This pack is infected. Unless we stop them, they will continue to spread evil wherever they go.”

“It’s not our place to interfere in other pack business. We’ll leave and tell the council.”

Raven felt herself waver. Maybe he was right. Leave before her pack could come to any further harm. When she opened her mouth, the dragon thunked its claws into her in protest.

The creature didn’t want them to leave yet.

Her shoulders deflated in defeat, and Raven shook her head.

She would trust the beast.

For now.

So going against her instincts, they would stay. And unfortunately for Taggert, she’d learned more about the paranormal world than he’d have liked. “The pack crossed the line and attacked us first. We have a right to defend ourselves. As soon as we escape, we lose that right. We’re no longer the victim. The council will not be able to interfere, especially since the circus operates with extra privileges outside their laws.”

With every word, his eyes darkened and she knew she’d guessed right.

Raven didn’t feel betrayed by his ruse—he’d do anything to keep her safe.

So they were at a stalemate.

The longer she stood unmoving, the more attention she drew to herself. They needed to keep under the radar for the moment. Not wanting to get caught talking with Taggert, she reluctantly backed away. The distance actually hurt, and her breath caught as she issued her order. “You need to leave.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw, but he didn’t protest. Nor did he leave. She gave him the only promise she could. “I’ll do my best to stay out of trouble.”

“You always try.” A brief smile quirked his lips before fading. “It just never works.”

His gaze swept over her, leaving heat in its wake. She took a step toward him, gripping the bars of the cage to prevent herself from closing the distance between them. As if pleased by her reaction, he backed into the shadows. Even with her keen eyesight, he managed to disappear into the darkness.

Only when his woodsy scent faded did she know he was truly gone. Ice thickened in her veins, and she feared that he’d do something stupid to try and protect her.

The big cat no longer pretended to ignore her but watched her every move with curiosity. The light brown colored eyes had dulled, his spirit having dimmed over time. When she lifted the keys to the lock, his attention dropped and became glued to the small gesture.

The thick chain around his neck dissuaded any kind of escape, but the beast wouldn’t admit defeat.

The key turned in the lock, the door creaking as if it hadn’t been opened in ages. Heart pounding at the risk, she eased inside the pen. She kept her head down and washed out the cage. “What’s your name?”

A minute passed with no answer, the stubborn cuss pretending that he didn’t understand. Raven wouldn’t be deterred. “Fine, I’ll call you Leo. Eat the food. You’re going to need your strength.”

The large cat looked away, nose stuck in the air, blatantly ignoring her.

“I left the poison out.”

“Go away.”

Raven nearly fell on her ass when he spoke in her mind.

The need to help at least one of them get free surged through her. “And if I can help you escape?”

He snorted, stood, turned his back to her and sat. “I’m bound to the pack. They will hunt me down and kill me.”

“Aren’t you going to tell me you’re here of your own free will like all the others?”

The beast huffed and stared at the forest in defeat.

Raven peered at him from under her lashes, carefully spraying the pen of the filth he’d been living in. “You’re worried about being hunted. Why does that matter when you’re killing yourself anyway?”

The lion roared in anger, lurching to his feet and charged her. Raven flattened herself against the bars, but stubbornly stood her ground. He stopped seconds before being jerked off his feet by the chain, leaving only a few inches between them. No doubt if he could reach her, he would’ve tried to remove her head from her body.

Raven glanced at the open door and raised a brow.

Freedom beckoned.

The lion stilled, gazing longing through the opening, hesitation leaving his body rigid with indecision. More than a hundred pounds had been whittled off his frame, his skin hanging on him. Matted hair covered most of his body, while patches of his hide were bare where the fur had fallen out. “What are you?”

Raven shrugged, glad the dragon remained hidden. “A friend.”

He shook out his scruffy mane, but didn’t say anything for a long moment. He mouth opened, tasting the air as if suspecting she were more than human, but Raven kept herself locked down. He hesitated a moment longer before finally making a decision. “They will blame you. Punish you. Or worse.”

She squeezed the hose harder at the ominous tone, cleaning a small section of the floor off before answering.

He was right. Helping him would put her whole plan in danger, but a deep foreboding chilled her blood with the urgency to help him escape. If he didn’t leave today, he wouldn’t be leaving at all.

“I’m new. I made a mistake. They can’t risk killing me until we’re bound to the pack. I’m willing to risk it.” She switched to another section of the glorified kennel, careful to keep out of range. “Are you?”

There wasn’t much left to clean. The circus would begin soon. The sweltering heat cooled off as the night drew nearer.

Not much time remained.

“You can get help.” He gazed at her with dead eyes, all unmoving, a hunter catching sight of its prey. She switched course, her words emerging nothing more than a murmur. “Or you can get revenge.”

“How do I know I can trust you?” The question was nothing more than a growly reply.

Raven closed her eyes and stirred up the energy in her body. As it built and spread through her system, she opened her eyes and saw the world come alive with current as her second sight kicked in. She scanned the lion, noticing weak lines of energy danced around him, a thin thread that still connected him to the pack disappearing off in the distance. It would be easy to cut the cord tying him to Clancy using a sharp burst of current to disturb the energy, but the backlash would reverberate through the whole pack. If the boost of energy didn’t kill him outright, it could send his beast into a frenzy and destroy the tiny shred of his humanity that remained. Only what little remained of his tattered control would prevent his beast from taking over and possibly killing her.

Even if she rescued him, he’d been animal too long. She wasn’t sure he could turn completely human again without the help of a pack.

It was a catch twenty-two.

Either way, she’d end up destroying him … unless she channeled the excess energy from the backlash into his human form.

She blinked twice, and her vision shifted back toward normal. “The pack bonds are already weak. I can give you a boost of power, enough energy to snap the ties. It will force you into a rogue and hurt like a bitch, but they won’t be able to track you.”

Neither spoke as she finished cleaning the cage. The beast twisted to keep her in view, but made no overt threats.

“Dangerous.”

He appeared contemplative, as if he were actually considering their asinine scheme. Giddiness fluttered in her gut.

“Chances are good that you’ll die. Your beast will be stronger than ever.” She strode toward the door. “Are you willing to risk it?”

The lion began to pace, his rolling gait smooth, all predator on the prowl. “Why me? I’m weak. Worthless.”

Bitterness tainted the words, reminding her what it had been like when she and Rylan were imprisoned in the labs. She been suspicious of anyone trying to help. It usually meant a trap and lead to pain and punishment.

Leo was a loose cannon, totally wild and unpredictable. A complete ass. If he left, she doubted he would ever return. Despite all that, instinct said it mattered that he be free. Her vow to be human flew right out the window. “I almost gave up once, and someone pointed out my stupidity. I’m returning the favor to you. You don’t have a choice. If you stay, you’ll die.”

He lumbered closer, his teeth flashing as he drew near. Her body braced for his charge, but she didn’t back away. She was not prey. She would not run. Metal gleamed from around his throat, the chain dragging behind him like a steady rumble. “Do it.”

Air rushed out of her lungs, and she licked her lips, suddenly nervous at her rash promise. Unless she timed everything perfectly, they’d discover she had more power than a human could possibly contain.

Her fingers twitched in anticipation of dipping into the pool of current she carried. A tiny spark of hope that the energy had time to heal and purge the taint of ancient magic from her body, but a sickening lurch of nerves told her that she wasn’t going to be that lucky.

He stared at her expectantly, but when she didn’t move, the fragile hope in his eyes brutally dimmed until only ashes remained. Helping him would jeopardize everything. So why did doing nothing leave a gaping pit in her stomach? When he turned away, she quickly grabbed the chain with both hands until it stretched taut between them. “Wait.”

He stilled, his body practically vibrating with the need for action, but he didn’t turn.

Raven took his silence as acceptance. With a deep breath, she braced herself for a world of pain.

“This is going to hurt.” Not waiting for his reaction, she fed power into the metal. A tumbling mix of caustic energy rose from her bones, so strong it was like pure bleach burning in her veins for a few seconds before she grabbed control.

Everything went as planned for a few seconds, the blue current pooling in her hands, and she welcomed the cool tingle. Then it changed, turned darker, red twisting through the blue current like vines. The soothing burn changed until if felt like someone was filleting flesh from bone. Without her core or her beast to funnel the magic, it hurt like a bitch, but she didn’t stop.

The blue and red current quickly ate up the length of the chain, heating the metal to scalding, before splashing back into her body like molten lava. Her body jerked, trying to make her drop the chain and escape the agony.

Stubborn to her core, Raven tightened her grip and refused to let go. She funneled the excess energy back into her body so the others wouldn’t sense what she was doing. When the pain became unbearable, tiny plates under her skin clicked into place, the armor shielding her from the worst of it. Without her gloves, she saw faint lines of silver bubble up on her hands, a liquid metal scoring across her skin, leaving a delicate filigree behind as it cooled.

It took her seconds to recognize the tiny pattern.

Scales.

She curbed as much energy as she could away from Leo, but could smell singed fur as it continued to burn up the metal. A low grumble vibrated from the beast’s chest, his hide rippling as static bit and snapped along his body.

Her muscles tensed as she waited for his fangs to sink into her flesh, but those pale brown eyes met her own with a grim determination to hold out as long as possible. She directed a fraction of the energy to his aura and encountered a silvery static film wrapped around his beast.

A shield of some kind.

She’d never looked at the aura of an animal, surprised to learn they even had one.

The energy was animalistic.

Wild and primitive.

Nothing like a human, more of a shield, and she wasn’t sure how her energy would affect it.

She needed to connect to his human side or all their plans would all be for nothing. She pushed through the silver curtain, the static crackling along her mind like icepicks being jammed into her skull. Acid crawled up her throat just as she poked through the shield and slammed into his beast.

Stuck between the two layers, energy rose like a cloud of fireflies as his shield steadily fed off his aura.

There was no balance and without it, one part of his soul would wither and die.

His beast was stronger, fighting to live. He staved off the inevitable for as long as possible, but if he didn’t shift soon, his beast would consume his human self completely. 

Once the human side of him vanished completely, he would turn feral.

There was no coming back from that.

Ignoring those troubling thoughts, she focused on his aura. Darkness slashed through it in spots, the muted colors all faded. The only thing that burned bright was the deep-seated need for vengeance.

She could work with that.

She stitched tiny strands of current together, weaving a safety net around him, enough to cover his scent.

Colors became more vibrant, almost glowing as she planted the false aura.

When he turned human, this new aura would take over. Unfortunately, without a steady stream of energy, he would burn through it fast.

Just when her brain felt ready to boil, the metal turned to taffy. She grabbed his collar and pulled down as hard as she could.

And fell on her ass when it tore in half in her hands.

“It worked.” She stared at the collar dumbly before turning toward him. “You need to change into your human form as soon as you can. They won’t expect it. I managed to alter your scent, so it will be harder for them to track you, but it won’t last long before it fades. An hour tops.”

Without waiting for his reply, she grabbed the weakened pack bonds and drew down hard. The strands snapped like a rubber band, the reverberation felt by everyone in the pack.

Awe and a painful hope brightened the big beast’s eyes. The lion took one last look at her and hesitated as if he didn’t want to leave her behind to face the consequences, the human and beast in him at war.

If he stayed, they’d both be caught and punished.

“Run.” The word scraped painful against her throat.

Understanding darkened his eyes. He leaned toward her, then lowered his massive head. She expected to feel teeth and claws, but the majestic beast remained perfectly still.

Bowing.

A show of submissiveness to her.

She tentatively reached out and ran her hand down his nose then drew back and closed her fingers into a fist. The armor was gone, leaving behind a deep ache. “Go.”

He lifted his head high, a tall, proud king of the jungle, then leapt out the door in a powerful display of muscles.

Raven watched him lope toward freedom, then tore her eyes away to see if anyone had noticed. The lax guards consisted of nothing more than a group of dissolute circus workers, greasy hair slicked back, smoking cigarettes as they played cards.

Unfortunately, one happened to look up at that exact moment. The lion only reached the halfway mark to the forest when the first shout rose. The men scattered, the table tipped and crashed over. Drinks went flying, cards fluttered in the air before drifting to the ground like confetti.

Three men ran to get help, while the fourth grabbed a gun he had stashed under one of the trailers. She recognized him from the first night—the coward who lingered in the shadows as the three werebeasts took her captive.

He was calm, no rush to his movement.

He must be head of security.

He was a tad overweight with thin, shaggy hair, just this side of forty-ish, but still in good shape. His hazel eyes observed everything. He had a hard edge, nothing penetrating his Zen-like calm. The way he caressed his gun like a prized pet, but his brutish features indicated he wasn’t opposed to getting dirty.

Humans were beneath him.

He felt apart and distant from them.

Better.

He jogged in her direction, searching for the perfect shot, his eyes locked on the lion. The man knelt, lifted the rifle to his shoulder, the movement smooth with the ease of long practice.

A soldier of some type.

Possibly a mercenary if working here.

Spit dried out of her mouth as he took aim. She couldn’t watch someone be killed in cold blood. Jumping to her feet, Raven hurtled herself from the cage. The dragon gave her a boost of pure energy. For one second, she defied gravity and glided effortlessly through the air as she cleared the ten-foot gap in a single bound. Wind rippled in her hair and tugged at her clothes as she smashed into the man, and they crashed into the hard-packed earth.

Raven rolled and landed face-first in the dirt, her breath knocked out of her.

The gun discharged harmlessly in the air.

With shaky arms, Raven pushed herself upright and saw the lion disappear into the thicket.

“You stupid bitch. Your little stunt just cost us a fortune.”

Raven didn’t point out to him that killing the shifter would’ve done the same. When she turned and glanced up, she met the clear, thunderous gaze of a sociopath. The butt of the rifle slammed into her face, much too late for her to dodge.

Pain cracked across her temple.

She didn’t even feel her head bounce against the ground.

She told herself to move, but her body no longer obeyed her commands. Buzzing filled her ears, and she focused on just staying conscious.

People gathered … more soldiers.

Raven very much doubted the man gave a shit about the money. He was pissed she messed up his hunt and allowed his prey to escape. Even now, his heart raced with the thrill of the chase, the chance to stalk something bigger and deadlier. It didn’t matter he used guns and a veritable army against one shifter who had nothing more than teeth and claws to defend himself.

“You think you’ve helped him. You only made it worse. We’re going to hunt him down.” The man who hit her grabbed her hair and wrenched her head back. He leaned forward, his caustic breath working like smelling salts. She twisted to get away until she feared she was going to be scalped. “When we bring back with his corpse, I’m going to enjoy taking the cost of losing him out of your hide.”

Raven couldn’t help it, she smiled. “Good luck with that.”

He shoved her away so suddenly, Raven fell backward. Before she could rise, a kick to her ribs took her by surprise, and she lost the ability to breathe. Another kick hit her low in the back, the stunning pain wrapping around her body.

A giant roar reverberated in the air.

Durant.

She saw him charge the cage, his claws hooking into one of the bystanders, shredding flesh as he slowly reeled the man toward his open maw full of inch-long teeth. A terrible scream rippled in the air. The man writhed on the claws, trying to get loose before he finally managed to yank himself away, tearing the flesh of his shoulder to ribbons in the process.

His actions probably saved his life.

It all happened in seconds.

Energy gathered around Durant in waves as he prepared to shift, and she gave a short shake of her head.

He couldn’t change, or they’d lose their ace in the hole.

He wanted to ignore her, fight to save her. Only when his great head dropped to hang between his shoulders did her heart break at his defeated posture.

So distracted by the action, she missed the chance to block the third kick to her stomach.

It took all her control not to grab his leg and rip it off.

She had to appear human.

Weak.

A small rumble of protest filled her chest, and she swallowed it back without giving it voice.

Her hair fell forward and covered her face. More importantly, covering the glow in her eyes as the dragon tried to peer out at their tormentor.

 Flashes of the labs came back to her with the force of a freight train. The frequent beatings, the torture—it was all too easy to remember how to act. She curled into a ball and shouted to be heard above the screaming man in the background. “The chain broke while I was working in the cage. I couldn’t stop him. All I could do was get out of the way.”

As suddenly as it started, the beating stopped. Every inch of her throbbed and burned, and she was too afraid to move and bring attention to herself. She cautiously lifted her head a fraction and spotted the beast-like trackers gathered around, crouched like well-behaved dogs, salivating and waiting for the command to attack.

She wondered if he would set them on her just to watch them tear her apart.

Petrifying fear held her frozen, and probably saved her life. Any defiance and she didn’t doubt he would’ve continued beating her.

As if the screaming interrupted his enjoyment, the mercenary bellowed over his shoulder, the fingers wrapping around the trigger of his gun. “Shut that man up, or I will do it myself.”

He continued to watch her, enjoyed letting her stew in her terror. He wanted to kill her, let them tear her apart, but he still needed her as a hostage.

He spun away, his agitated movements revealing his deep anger at being denied a second time. He tipped the rifle back to rest against his shoulder and studied the ragtag group of men that surrounded him, eyes narrowing in frustration. “Grab your weapons. I want that lion found.”

He left her pinned by the werebeasts, taking pleasure in punishing her the only way he could without garnering retaliation for harming her.

Little did he know that he tapped into one of her worst nightmares.

She battled with the memories of her past.

The dragon hovered under her skin, waiting for her signal.

She couldn’t let herself fall apart.

Not yet.

The werebeasts staring at her might partially resemble humans, but there was nothing but pure beast behind their eyes. Raven saw none of the circus as memories of the cement walls of the labs rose in her mind. They’d locked her in a room with the werebeasts, waiting for her to change and defend herself from the half-formed monsters.

It never happened.

The animals tore into her flesh.

By the time the scientists realized their mistake, Raven had bled out.

It was the first time she’d ever died.

Chapter Eleven

Raven had been ten the first time she died. Her power had been in its infancy, growing slowly over time to protect her. She idly wondered if no one had ever threatened her, if she had grown up with a normal life, if her powers would’ve ever manifested at all.

The labs discovered her gift in the middle of one of her daily tortured sessions. They thought she was a shifter and wanted her to crest. When they discovered she was something else, they wanted to trigger her powers again by repeating the torture over and over again.

To study it.

Nightmares of what they’d done to her had haunted her for years, where the smallest sight of blood would cause her chest to tighten, her pulse to pound. She thought she’d gotten over it, but seeing the werebeasts waiting to attack brought it all back.

The dragon roared in her head, clawing up her insides with the demand for freedom. Blind panic allowed her to block the beast, which only infuriated the creature more. Her fear had transferred to the dragon, the creature frantic to be free to protect her.

Rational thoughts returned slowly.

If she changed, she would be taken again.

Studied.

Not going to happen.

She was not prey.

The dragon eased back as her panic dissipated, but it didn’t go back to her slumber. Raven uncurled, never removing her gaze from the werebeasts. She heard people talking, planning the hunt, but no one paid her any attention. Sweaty and shaken, she tucked the distinctive silver streaks away and faced the beasts. One by one, the werebeasts gave a low whine and dropped their gazes, cowing as the alpha in her rose to the surface.

The hunter stepped between them, casting her a glance of pure displeasure when she didn’t melt into a ball of tears. “Throw her in the kennel. If she likes them so well, she can live with them. I’ll deal with her when I get back.”

* * *

They dragged her to the one cage she’d been avoiding.

The ghost of some shifter lingered in that cage.

Ghosts were just left over energy and usually faded in time. Shifters didn’t normally turn into ghosts as they consumed their energy much too fast to leave any of it behind when they died. Only very disturbed spirits lingered in the human world. Uncaring of her struggle, the two men tossed her inside and slammed the door shut behind her.

Rage vibrated in the air, swarming around her as if seeking to infect her.

If she had been anyone else, it might have succeeded. Instead, she grabbed the teeming energy and wrenched down on it, hard and fast.

The ghost gave a howl of denial and vanished.

Some type of wolf.

People who lingered around the cage to taunt her shifted uneasily as their vitriol anger evaporated. Raven might have banished the ghost for now, but it wasn’t gone completely. It lingered in the cage, more cautious this time, waiting for the opportunity to cause trouble.

It wouldn’t leave without getting vengeance on those who wronged him.

After an hour when the wolf ghost didn’t return, Raven finally began to relax. The circus would open soon. So far, none of her pack except Durant had learned of her predicament, which she could only be grateful. They would rip apart the place if they saw her like this. Eve had passed by the kennels to check on her work and paled to see her locked away. She kept her distance, not wanting Raven’s stupidity to rub off on her.

Raven sat in the middle of the cage, using the time to strengthen her shields, knowing she wasn’t going to enjoy what was to come. She needed to keep up pretenses, and fought her body’s natural inclination to heal, but the most she could do was slow the effects and hope no one looked too closely.

The flashbacks of the labs left her deeply disturbed.

She thought she’d put that life behind her when she’d destroyed the labs.

Apparently not.

With no rush to his steps, the same mystery man who had taken her from the cage when she first woke that morning walked toward the guy Durant had speared with his claws. Possibly a doctor of some sort. Greggory tore away the shirt with brisk movements, studied the injury, then heaved the man to his feet with no regard to the pain he inflicted.

The injured man bellowed in agony, barely managing to stay upright. The doctor cast her an indiscernible look as she sat behind the bars of the cage, and she felt like she’d disappointed him in some way by getting caught.

Time passed on pins and needles as she waited for something to happen. Two hours had gone by since a small army of ten men and six beasts had disappeared into the forest.

None had returned.

No shots had been fired.

It worked. The shifter got away.

Raven should be ecstatic, but a seed of doubt lingered. She just hoped that she hadn’t set a wild beast loose on the human population. When she broke the bonds, the lion had been more beast than man. Reverberations of breaking the bonds could be devastating. The pack might have been the only thing keeping him sane. It had been a gamble, and she prayed he listened and changed into his human form at the first opportunity. If he waited, his beast would take over completely.

Another ten minutes passed before she saw movement at the tree line.

The hunters had returned.

No one spoke.

The small victory sent a ripple of pleasure through her, and she allowed herself to stretch bonelessly, relaxing for the first time since they’d disappeared. Raven wasn’t sure how the lion did it, but he’d eluded capture and escaped.

The mercenary paused outside her cage, repressed fury vibrating from him. He wasn’t a shifter, but there was something not quite stable about him, which made him almost more dangerous. Just your friendly neighborhood sociopath. “Gather everyone and get Clancy.”

Raven grabbed the cage bars and pulled herself to her feet, ignoring the agony as her stiff muscles screamed for mercy.

She would not show weakness to this man.

No one moved as they stared each other down. A snarl curled his lips at the silent challenge. That she wasn’t broken only seemed to infuriate him all the more. A vein throbbed in his forehead, and he barked out a command. “Now!”

Only when everyone scattered did he march off, his stride stiff.

Raven feared she had made a mistake, nothing she could pinpoint, but the hunter knew something was off. He would keep digging until he found a way to destroy her. Her timetable just shrank if they wanted to get out of this alive.

In minutes, the whole circus had gathered around the cage. Half the audience laughed and joked, taking pleasure in her predicament. A few rogues joined laughed nervously, afraid of retaliation if they didn’t join in the heckling, but they couldn’t stop staring at Leo’s empty cage, painful hope in their eyes. The shifters in the crowd avoided looking at her, knowing that in other circumstances it could’ve been them. They shuffled their feet, but none dared protest and that only deepened their shame.

Their silence was worse.

Oppressive.

A movement in the crowd drew her attention, and Raven didn’t see anyone but Jackson and Taggert as they pushed their way toward the front. When they reached the cage, she gave a tiny shake of her head.

Both men halted on the spot.

Jackson stood at rigid attention, his anger all contained, his mind working on solutions. Energy crackled around Taggert, waiting to erupt, the emotions so violent people nervously backing away from him.

The crowd parted, falling silent as Clancy strode forward. A fierce scowl twisted his meaty lips. He studied her in the cage, then slowly shook his head, his face drooping in pity. “My rules are simple to follow. I don’t want to punish you, but you left me with no choice.”

Funny enough, Raven believed him. Not that he felt anything toward her, but she suspected it had more to do with control. To keep it, he had to prove he was the alpha.

All eyes landed on her, and she raised her chin.

Whatever he did to her, she could handle it.

It had been worth it.

The malicious gleam in his eyes didn’t bode well, and she rubbed her fingers together, trying to ease the ache of claws pressing against her fingertips. “You must select one of your men to spend a week in the pit.”

Raven stiffened, not expecting the guys to face the brunt of her defiance, but she should’ve guessed it from what Eve had said. “What is the pit?”

A man nearly seven feet tall stepped forward, a giant who had to weigh over three hundred pounds, and all of it muscle. He carried little power, but it wasn’t needed with his massive form. He carried shifter blood, but it was so diluted that she suspected he couldn’t actually shift.  

He stood hunched over, his arms so long that they hung down close to his knees, giving him an extra-long reach. Those meaty fists of his could kill with a single blow. Stringy hair sprouted from his knuckles, hell from every surface of his body. His large forehead and pronounced brows only emphasized her impression.

If she didn’t know better, she’d swear he carried gorilla blood.

“Goliath here is our champion fighter. Every night after closing, we put on a show for those who are willing to pay. One of your men will be his new opponent for the next week.”

If the giant didn’t kill them outright.

Shifters could take a beating and survive, but there had to be enough of them left to heal. She clenched her hands on the bars to keep from doing something stupid … like reaching through them and killing Clancy.

The only thing that stopped her was the bastard stood too close to both Taggert and Jackson, the threat clear. She wouldn’t be able to reach him in time before he could slaughter one, if not both.

“You know your men best.” He circled the boys. “I’m being generous and allowing you to select the one who will face off with him. Choose.”

“No.” Raven couldn’t condemn one of them to that fate.

People gasped, and Clancy’s face darkened.

Then in a move that weakened her knees, he pulled out a gun and pointed the gun directly at Taggert then Jackson. “You will choose one, or I will take the choice away from you.”

She had no doubt he would kill one of them just out of spite for challenging him. Impotent rage slashed through her, spreading acid in its wake. Danger thickened the air, her fingers tightening on the bars until the metal began to bend.

Her hand tingled painfully. As her anger grew, the prickling sensation increased. Red magic settled into her palms, as if her flesh were being held over a fire and slowly roasted.

She’d felt it only once before.

She flexed her hands and swore she could almost touch the cool metal of her sword just out of her reach.

If she called for the blade, it would come.

It wanted to taste blood, wanted vengeance for those who would take what was theirs.

She probed the ancient magic and realized it wanted to show her it could help. It wasn’t completely sentient anymore, but it hadn’t died out as she’d hoped. There was an awareness to the magic, a need to do her bidding. Every time she called upon it, it would feed and grow stronger, and fully cement their bond.

Despite the danger, the promise of freedom beckoned.

A gentle wind swept through the cage, the ghost gathering in the corner as if drawn by her strong emotions. The wolf was more aware, watching instead of reacting, waiting for the perfect opening.

Waiting to see if she would start a war.

The dragon coiled around her, and Raven gritted her teeth, not willing to be swayed.

Instead, the creature opened their connection and a smothering fear threatened to consume her.

If they left, one of her pack would die.

The knowledge hit her with the force of a two-by-four, and her legs threatened to give out.

Raven wasn’t sure if it was a premonition, but the dragon was so certain that all thoughts of fighting vanished. She shook her fingers and banished the urge to call for the blade before she accidently summoned it.

The wolf heaved a sigh, knowing the opportunity had passed, and winked out of existence.

The mercenary watched her, knowledge gleaming in his eyes. He suspected she was more than human. If she wasn’t careful, he would learn the truth and come after her next.

The loud click of the hammer being pulled back slammed into her like a hurricane, tearing her composure until she was left exposed like a raw nerve.

She had to choose.

Eagerness hovered around Taggert. Though he didn’t move, he practically bounced on his feet. He craved the fight, his temper on simmer as he noted every bruise, every one of her injuries. His emotions were too wild, his need for vengeance overshadowing everything else. His impotent anger wrapped around her like a delicious aroma that called to her beast.

Jackson, on the other hand, stood without moving, repressed energy hovering under his skin, ever the enforcer. He had more than brute strength and speed, but years of battles and strategy to fall back on.

He dipped his head, volunteering for the job.

It didn’t make it easier to choose him, but he had the best chance for survival, and they both knew it.

“Jackson.”

With one word, it felt like she reached into her chest and gouged out her heart.

A snarl twisted Taggert’s face at not being selected, his eyes glimmering brighter with no way to vent his rage. His lack of control trickled along her nerves, the hair on the back of her neck rising, and her heart trembled with the knowledge that he’d snap soon if something wasn’t done.

“Take him and get him ready for tonight.” The ringmaster turned and gave her a smile. “I’m so glad you’ve seen things my way. I hope we can continue to work together.”

He held no grudge, honestly believing that he did nothing wrong by threatening her men. Two weak shifters, rogues who had no other place to go, bracketed Jackson, but didn’t touch. They couldn’t take him in a fight, and they knew it. With one last silent look meant to reassure her, he allowed them to lead him away.

He would win, she had to believe that.

She probed the dragon, wanting some damned answers, but the blasted beast won’t budge.

She was beginning to hate the silence.

“You will remain in the cage until the gates open as a reminder that you are a part of a pack and your actions have consequences. You will be remanded to your quarters for the rest of the night.”

Effectively cutting her off from connecting with her pack or anyone else. By separating her, he was keeping her weak and biddable.

That might work for a normal shifter, but she’d been alone for most of her life. She’d be damned if she allowed anyone else to try and control her, much less an unorganized pack of monsters.

But Raven knew when to play her part and nodded obediently.

A satisfied smile crossed his face. “Then it’s settled. Let’s get ready to open the doors.”

Chapter Twelve

DAY TWO: FIRST CARNIVAL SHOW OF THE EVENING

Raven sat in the overheated trailer behind the circus, the air suffocating, her wet clothes becoming constricting as they dried. As the sun began its descent and disappeared over the horizon, the lights from the circus lit up the outside world, making the shadows in the trailer darker. Music sounded muted, voices just a murmur, easily tuned out. She’d devoured the small tray of food they left her in less than five minutes, hunger still gnawing at her stomach. They thought her human and only gave her enough to keep a bird alive.

She might not be able to shift, but she needed the calories as much as a true shifter. If she waited too long, the energy she harbored took the decision from her and started consuming the life force of everyone around her.

She could run, and her pack would follow. Even before she finished that thought, the dragon wrapped its tail around her feet in a demand that they stay. “Then tell me why?”

Only silence greeted her. It grated on her nerves, and her frustration felt ready to boil over. If she didn’t do something soon, she would explode.

Raven reluctantly backed down, deciding to trust the dragon a little longer. They wouldn’t leave yet, not unless she wasn’t given a choice. If what the dragon said was true, one of them was destined to die.

The tiny confines of the trailer shrank as she paced. She scratched her arm, ready to crawl out of her skin. The creature stretched, giving a soft rumble of comfort to ease the feeling of being trapped.

Ever since her dragon had awakened, her emotions had gone super nova, primal one moment, switching back to human the next. Shifters went through the same when they crested and came into their animal form for the first time.

She struggled to balance the two halves of her soul.

It had been working.

She thought back to what triggered her backslide, and slumped against the wall in realization … it was the instant she became separated from her pack.

Needing something to do with the excess energy before she began climbing the walls, she tied back her hair, shoved what little furniture she could out of the way, and launched into the work out London recommended. The large Kodiak bear was her security guy and determined to beat her into shape. He didn’t take it easy on her, demanding she do things that shouldn’t be possible for a human.

Shifters were stronger and faster, pack members trained to fight at birth.

To say they were born weapons wouldn’t be an understatement.

If she trained hard enough, learned to fight, muscle memory would take over in battle. As the dragon became further integrated, so would her strength and speed. It wouldn’t replace years of practice, but it could keep her alive.

 After an hour, her bruised muscles burned as they began to heal. The stifling air left her skin slick, her shirt sticking to her back, and the only sound in the room her harsh breathing. Light shone into the trailer from the one window. Something about it appeared brighter than normal, sparkling like a diamond in the darkness, and she peered upward.

The dragon surged forward, and her senses swam into focus. Images became sharper.

And her breath caught.

High on the Ferris wheel Taggert climbed the metal cage and cables like a god-be-damned monkey, no fear or hesitation in his smooth movements. Her breath hiccupped in her chest as he leapt from one bar to the next, closing the five-foot gap with a flex of muscles and no concern for his safety. He stopped at a tiny black box, opened it and tinkered with something inside. Less than a minute later, the large wheel began to spin.

Pulse thundering in her ears, she watched as Taggert leaned over, grabbed the bar, and slid down the metal, much too fast for her heart to take.

Just before he reached the cart, he leapt, spun through the air and disappeared from sight. Raven launched to her feet to see more, but he’d vanished.

Raven closed her eyes, the air vanishing from her lungs. Without a second hesitation, she dropped into the pure energy that made up her bones. The dragon rumbled in protest, tugging the power back, trying to prevent her from doing anything rash.

Raven shoved back.

She needed to know Taggert had survived.

The dragon bared its many sharp teeth and swatted her like a fly, her giant claw pinning her down.

Raven dropped to her knees, the energy fizzling as common sense returned. She couldn’t run off half-cocked. Taggert was alive or she would’ve felt the reverberations through the pack. She closed her eyes, purposely didn’t touch her power, but scanned the lines connecting her to the pack. Three lines were pure bright blue, no hint of magical taint … Taggert, Durant and Jackson. Another rippled off into the distance, a little dimmer than the others. She reached out, her hand hovering over the current and a rich spice filled her mind.

Rylan.

A vampire.

It should be impossible to physically claim him. They were a different species.

But Raven was eternally grateful, pleasure thrumming under her skin as she discovered the forbidden tie.

She carefully withdrew, not wanting to draw him into danger. Half a dozen other lines appeared, so faded they resembled phantom ribbons—the rest of the people she’d unofficially claimed. They weren’t as strong as pack bonds, weaker without the blood oath.

She’d never seen anything like it.

Fascinated by the discovery, she traced the lines to the source, and couldn’t have been more surprised to encounter her dragon.

Talons tightened on the cords as if afraid she would sever them, such possessiveness in the hold that she knew they would both die before the creature would release its hold. It might not be legal in the eyes of the shifters, but it was good enough for both of them. Raven waited for the rush of blind panic at being tied to so many people, but instead, a knot of tension she’d been holding onto for years began to unravel.

The dragon allowed her to be around others without the fear of killing them. Between the two of them, her pack would remain safe.

That was if they managed to survive this little escapade.

Taggert was taking too many chances, his control shaky at best. Shifters needed touch other pack members to keep them grounded … keep them human. To be denied was considered drastic punishment. She needed to touch Taggert to see if she could calm him before he lost control completely.

Opening her eyes, she studied the door, listening for any movement beyond it.

Nothing.

No breathing, no scuffling of feet or brush of clothing.

Climbing to her feet, she crept toward the door, and slowly turned the knob.

The door sprang open as if she’d kicked it. Raven lunged forward and grabbed the knob, clenching in horror as she overbalanced and tumbled outside. She stumbled but landed on her feet.

The darkness seemed denser, more dangerous.

She took a few hesitant steps, surprised when no one raised an alarm.

They hadn’t even bothered to lock the door.

They relied so much on obedience, they never thought a puny human would defy them, and hadn’t bothered with a jailor to enforce their rule.

Only a sheet of canvas separated her from the circus, and she found the opening on the second try, the trampled path barely discernable in the dark. She kept to the fringes, staying away from the workers ambling along like wolves prowling amongst the sheep, and headed toward the Ferris wheel.

The last spot she’d seen Taggert.

He tensed, sensing her long before he saw her, always aware of her presence when she was near. It both baffled her and left her leery, hating that he was so cognizant of her every movement. Her stupid heart didn’t care, thumping against her ribs in pleasure at the attention. Taggert dropped his tools and edged his way through the crowd toward her like a shark cutting through water. People scrambled out of his way. Without saying a word, he grabbed her arm and dragged her into a large tent.

The place was packed, over a hundred people crowded in the bench seats, their attention riveted on the show. Taggert didn’t allow her to linger, dragging her out of the way of prying eyes, dropping her arm only when they were concealed under the bleachers. With so many people cramped in the small place, no shifter would be able to pick out her scent unless they were looking for her specifically, and maybe not even then.

Only the bottoms of people’s legs were visible, the ripe stench of their feet so intense she almost gagged. The tightening around Taggert’s eyes said he noticed it, too. Even with the ability to sort smells, she imagined the intensity had to be much worse for him. His special ability was tracking, able to pick up the smallest scents. Since he couldn’t shift, he’d adapted for survival.

The perfect evolution.

What would take humans generations of mutations took them a single lifetime.

Dirt kicked up each time her foot landed. Taggert was more graceful, his feet barely disturbing the surface as he walked. Wrappers littered the floor, toppled plastic cups, and more than a few gobs of chewed gum. They stopped only when they had a clear view of the center of the tent.

Taggert stared at her, his expression growing darker as his patience snapped. “Why put yourself in danger by leaving the trailer? It’s a stupid risk. If you’re caught, they’ll punish you.”

Raven ignored his question, fury burning through her. “I saw you climb that wheel. What the hell were you thinking by risking your life like that?”

Taggert’s brows rose in confusion before his face softened. “You were worried about me.”

The back of her throat ached at the marvel in his voice over something as simple as someone caring about him. She wanted to smack him. “Of course I worry.”

“I was never in any danger. The fall wouldn’t have killed me.”

He might have a point, but it nearly gave her a heart attack to see him suspended in the air with no thought to his safety. “It might not kill you, but you wouldn’t have escaped unscathed, either.”

His expression smoothed out, ever impassive, and her heart lurched at the way he shielded himself away from her as he had when they first met. Hiding himself from her as if he thought she might hurt him. His reaction devastated her. “Taggert—”

“You put yourself in danger without a second’s hesitation almost every day. How is that different?”

Raven huffed, but didn’t have any answers, none that didn’t make her sound hypocritical. A cheer rose from the crowd, the aroma of sweat and fear, awe and anxiety, a toxic and addicting combination.

She twisted until she could see what held everyone so captivated. A set of six dancers stood in the center of the ring, their movements so in tandem they couldn’t be human. They tumbled through the air, balanced on hands and feet in impossible displays of strength. Women dressed in see-through scarves, shimmering in a way only professional belly dancers could duplicate, wove around the men. “What’s happening?”

“They run this show twice a night.” He came to stand next to her, not stopping until his arm brushed against hers.

“It’s too much to see all at once.” Her eyes couldn’t take in everything all at once. At the other end of the ring, a man threw small machetes at a woman tied to a spinning wheel. Another man walked around blowing five-foot flames over the crowd, then swallowing the fire. She somehow doubted the man had a talent for it by the way he winced, his smile more of a grimace of teeth, but shifters could heal even from the most severe injuries.

Taggert nodded. “That’s the point. They have a couple of acts at the same time to keep people distracted. It leaves them with a bit of mystery, keeps the humans from observing them too closely. Right now, it’s all fun and games, but the instant they see what we can really do, the enjoyment can morph into fear.”

As all the acts cleared the ring, a big bear of a man strode to the center toward the smallest car ever built, the roof standing no taller than her waist. She counted at least five people packed inside the vehicle. She couldn’t help but wonder if they had to break bones to make themselves all fit.

Calm as can be, the man stooped and picked up the rear of the car and pushed it out of the ring. Nothing said ‘not human’ more than pushing a thousand pounds of metal and flesh round without breaking into a sweat.

The ringmaster entered the ring, and the crowd cheered. “You’ve been waiting for this all night. I must warn you, this next act is dangerous, and very few people have seen anything like it. Don’t make any sudden moves or draw attention to yourself in any way, or I can’t guarantee your safety. Those faint of heart should leave now.”

No one so much as twitched.

Tension crept up her neck, a deep foreboding darkening the edges of her vision.

“Don’t.” Only when Taggert spoke and grabbed her arm did Raven become aware that she’d been shuffling closer.

She didn’t know if she wanted to see better or try to put a stop to what was going to happen.

“I present you with The Wild Wolf of the Great North.”

People cheered and a man with a bullwhip entered the small area. The leather strap twisted through the air like a living thing, graceful and smooth, hypnotizing with its movements. With a twist of his wrist, the sharp snap of the whip made her jump.

A wooden sign on the pole cracked in two and clattered to the ground.

The crowd gasped and clapped their appreciation. Raven remained frozen, apprehension dropping onto her like a ton of bricks when Jackson entered the ring next wearing nothing but a pair of sweat pants. Tan muscles gleamed in the spotlight, not an ounce of fat anywhere on his body. He didn’t strut about, didn’t flash his body. There was no need. Even standing still, he exuded power, a living, breathing work of art.

Hers.

Then the truth of what he was doing there shriveled her soul.

Shifting was a private thing. To be forced to do it in public was a huge invasion of privacy. It stole something from them, a violation that left them feeling exposed and vulnerable.

Her throat ached with the need to roar her outrage. Energy rose until it crackled under her skin. It would only take a little push to suck all the electricity from the circus and shut it down permanently. The dragon stretched under her skin, wanting freedom.

Taggert inched in front of her, his eyes only for her. “You have to tone it down.”

Rage seethed around her like an invisible wind, offering comfort and the will to do her bidding, and she nearly buckled under the temptation. “And if I refuse?”

A gust of air tugged at the canvas tent. Dirt and debris danced around the floor like little tornados.

“If you don’t pull back, you’ll kill everyone here.”

Raven didn’t care, not seeing that as such a bad thing. They deserved anything that happened to them. The dragon’s primal need to protect the pack seeped passed past her shields.

Taggert stepped into her space, so close less than an inch separating them, effectively drawing her attention as his delicious heat soaked into her. “Including Jackson and me.”

Power evaporated in the air from one breath to the next, the temperature dropping a good ten degrees. She swallowed down the current, the force of it like razor blades slicing her throat, the sudden influx of energy sloshing through her as she struggled to reabsorb it all.

The dragon wrapped around her and squeezed, sucking the air from her lungs. The beast dragged the energy from her system, claws gouging her insides as the current sank heavily into her bones. Her limbs and face tingled as if she’d sucked on a car battery.

Her body jolted at the sharp crack of the whip as if the lash had been aimed at her. Her attention snapped toward Jackson, afraid if she didn’t watch, he’d vanish forever.

Even from the distance, she could feel energy gather around him. Shifting normally wasn’t smooth or graceful. Jackson’s shift to his animal form was different. There were no muscles popping, no bones snapping or rippling fur, no blood or gore as flesh reformed.

It took less than a minute for the human form to melt down, leaving a gigantic wolf in his place. The big wolf was gorgeous, the lines of his body tightly packed with muscles, and easily twice his normal size, a rare trait that actually allowed him to gain body mass when he shifted. His fur had an amazing mix of tawny gold tinged with black instead of the normal black and white of his race.

The wolf stood strong and proud as he faced the crowd.

No one cheered or clapped. What should’ve been an amazing sight twisted into fear, the change so fast and brutal, a number of people gasped in shock, leaning all the way back in their seats to get away. Some people even scrambled higher in the bleachers to escape such a dangerous monster.

They wanted to see the change, expected to find a cuddly animal waiting, not a vicious wolf appearing out of thin air, able to kill a man with one swipe of his massive claws. Fear perfumed the air, the smell like catnip to animals. Shifters could control their baser urges, but only to an extent. Without a strong alpha, they could become riled and revert to their most primal form. Their beast would ultimately giving into the need to hunt.

The whip whistled through the air as if that would do anything to prevent the wolf from attacking. The wolf didn’t flinch as the leather kissed his fur. The whip sailed again, trying to work him into a frenzy, give the crowd a show, but they couldn’t push him too far or risk the animal losing control.

Until she spotted two men hidden at the perimeter of the tent, guns pointed with Jackson in their sights.

One misstep and they would kill him.

Adrenaline spiked in her veins. She wanted to slip around the curtains, sneak up on them and rip out their yellow spines for being such cowards. The dragon hummed in agreement, and her skin tingled as the large beast began to push to the surface.

Jackson lifted his head, sniffing the air, then stilled. Not even his chest moved as those vivid green eyes of his lowered. Despite the benches and the people separating them, his eyes locked onto her, all majestic wolf and warrior. She couldn’t be prouder.

He would never bend, never break, loyal down to the bone.

As he continued to stare, his eyes began to glow as his wolf struggled to take over and a deep oh, shit feeling trembled through her.

His beast recognized the danger and wanted to take her away and protect her. Muscles bunched as he prepared to move, and a wave of helplessness nearly strangled her.

They would shoot him.

Pandemonium would erupt from the audience.

And she was too damned far away to calm him.

Much as she hated to admit it, she was the one inciting him more than that blasted whip ever could.

Just like Clancy wanted.

It was too soon yet. She had to pretend to be human, so she run and left him behind like some coward. Everything inside her rebelled at abandoning him.

Clancy smirked, noticing Jackson’s weakness, and she wanted to rip off his face. Sensing her intent, Taggert grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the tent. With one last stricken glance at Jackson, Raven went without a struggle.

Chapter Thirteen

DAY TWO: MIDNIGHT

The crowd had thinned considerably, the kids having long since gone to bed with fairytales dancing in their heads as the evening crept closer to midnight. The noise didn’t taper off. If anything, the guests became rowdier, and the laughter more boisterous.

After leaving the tent, she’d expected the threat to have lessened. If anything, Raven couldn’t get over the impression she was being watched. She slowed her steps, trying to pinpoint her unease and found her gaze returning time and again to the woods … away from the circus.

Someone was out there.

When she focused, she could almost sense him.

A connection snapped into place.

Burning anger spread like wildfire, a hunger to destroy everything threatened to overtake her, and she quickly cut the link. Raven was floored. She wanted to believe the circus was responsible for the disappearances so she could go after Clancy, but someone in the forest wanted to destroy the circus and didn’t care how they did it.

That meant Veronica had been telling the truth.

Someone was actually stalking the circus.

Son of a bitch!

Taggert opened the door to her jail and nudged her inside.

Raven had one foot lifted to step into the trailer when she stopped, mistrustful of Taggert’s sudden silence. “They’re going to make him fight, aren’t they?”

This churning, gut-wrenching worry was her punishment for helping Leo escape.

Taggert cursed when her foot dropped back to the soggy ground, and she firmly shut the door with a quiet snick. “You have to trust him. He knows what he’s doing. If you’re caught disobeying, it will go worse for all of us.”

She trusted her pack with her life, but it was her job to keep them safe. This was her fault, her responsibility to get him out of this mess. She rubbed her brow, scrambling to find answers. When she came up empty, her stomach began to cramp with the brutal truth.

He was going to have to fight.

Changing shape took an enormous amount of energy. A strong shifter could only do one or two shifts a day. More than that, they dropped unconscious and didn’t wake for days.

“Jackson’s been shifting all night. He might be strong, but he’s not invincible.” She touched Taggert’s arm. “Don’t ask me to stand by while he kills himself.”

Taggert nodded reluctantly, staring at her hand with such deep yearning her heart hiccupped in her chest. When he blinked, the look was gone, and she found herself missing it. Made her realize how important the men in her life had become. “I won’t risk the pack further for these people. The first sign of him losing the fight, I’ll signal Durant to get out. We’ll grab Jackson and run.” And if she took down the ringmaster and some of his henchman in the process, all the better.

She started to head back to the Big Top when Taggert growled and stepped in her path. “We’ll go, but the first sign that he can fight, we get you back here.”

Raven opened her mouth to protest, when a mutinous expression filled his face. He wouldn’t feel an ounce of remorse restraining her if he thought it would keep her out of trouble, and she barely held back a snarl.

“Yes, we’re in danger, but nothing that we haven’t dealt with before. You can’t coddle us. Jackson is a fully trained enforcer, and he’s been so for years. That takes skill.” His face softened a fraction as he gazed down at her, part of the old Taggert emerging.

She swayed forward, needed to touch him, only to stop short when his head snapped up. All emotions vanished as he scented the air. Raven turned, trying to see what caught his attention, and squeaked in alarm when he hefted her off her feet, opened the trailer, and chucked her into the trailer.

She twisted mid-air, surprising herself when she landed on all fours. Right before the door slammed shut in her face, she saw Taggert roll under the trailer.

Raven straightened, her senses going on alert, trying to pinpoint what had set Taggert off. Some shifters were born with gifts to compensate for not being able to shift, others developed them as they aged and grew into power. Jackson could shift fast and gain mass, while Taggert could scent things far beyond the normal shifter.

A full minute later, she caught what he picked up.

Two of the circus henchmen approached, both of them shifters. One man moved so silently, she barely sensed him. If not for a slight disturbance of energy in the air, she wouldn’t have. The other one breathed heavily, the stink of someone who hadn’t showered in a few days clinging to him. He made no effort to remain quiet, while she suspected that it came like second nature to his companion.

Raven patted down her hair, hiding the distinct silver highlights that almost seemed to glow in the dark. By the time she stood and straightened her clothes, they were pounding on the door—a formality as it was flung open a second later.

Two men waited for her, one partially hidden in shadows. She focused on the first man, taking him in as at a glance as she leapt back, not willing to be taken so easily like some weak prey.

Average height, slim build and worse, a determined expression.

“Your presence has been requested at the games.”

An order.

Raven halted mid-attack, realizing she’d get exactly what she wanted. They’d take her directly to Jackson.

The dark-haired one reached for her, but Raven ducked out of the way of his grasping hands, jumping to the ground without help. He scowled, ready to lunge, when the second man snorted and quickly stepped forward to take the lead.

The doctor they called Greggory.

For the first time, she got a really good look at him.

He wore a pressed gray shirt, his blond hair buzzed short. Nothing about him stood out. Just a shadow in the night. He moved like a predator, all smooth grace and power, his body not built like an average shifter with massive shoulders and muscles, but she found him just as imposing.

Every inch of him was all predator on the hunt. Though his beast hovered close to the surface, she couldn’t pinpoint his breed.

From the power resonating from him, she imagined something big and ready to take a swipe at anything that bothered him.

Irritable.

Prickly.

No love was lost between the two men, and Raven liked him for it.

She kept pace at his side, able to feel the other man hard on her heels, waiting to grab her again if she fell so much as fell a step behind. Both shifters were slim, but the difference between the two couldn’t be more obvious. One smelled crisp and clean, maintaining a respectable distance, while the other had a slightly sour odor, his appearance rumpled and dirty.

As they exited the makeshift trailer park, Raven didn’t bother to search for Taggert, able to sense him moving through the darkness, keeping watch. The doctor slowed his steps and studied the shadows. He might not know what was there, but he sensed something paced them.

The slob remained oblivious.

Unnerved by his heavy breathing, Raven focused on the near silent man at her side. She scanned him as unobtrusively as possible, and his aura lit up like a Christmas tree. She’d never seen anyone so tightly bound.

She wanted to probe deeper, read the bindings, but didn’t dare. If she used any more current, they would be able to sense it.

There was more than one way to find the truth. She scanned the man following them, easily picking up the pack bindings, and nearly stumbled over her own feet when she discovered none of them led back to the doctor.

Nothing made sense. “You were born a rogue?”

The doctor stiffened, then shrugged.

She didn’t detect a lie. Usually when a person lied, their scent altered slightly. A few shifters had the ability to become the perfect lie detectors. Jackson happened to be one of them, and thanks to his blood when she claimed him, she’d inherited his gift.

“Have you never tried to petition the pack for a position?” A rogue had only three ways to earn pack status. Petition an alpha, enter the slave auction in hopes of being selected, or challenge the pack and fight for position.

Before he could answer, the dark haired one laughed. “No one would want Greggory, not even Clancy. He can’t hold his shift for more than five minutes.”

Raven didn’t laugh. “It takes more than shifting to be valuable to a pack.”

“How would you know, human?” The man gave her a rude shove, his hand like a rock slamming into her, and she shot forward a few feet.

She would’ve fallen if Greggory hadn’t grabbed her.

She hadn’t even seen him move.

He set her on her feet, then released her, touching her no longer than necessary.

But it was long enough.

Energy from his beast splashed into her at the contact. A shock jumped between them, and his body jolted. The dragon’s eyes snapped open at the potential threat, sensing something off about him. They both froze, each staring at the other. Not wanting to bring attention to what happened, Raven started walking. With no hesitation, the doctor followed suit. His dark eyes swirled with emotions as his gaze latched onto hers.

The instant they touched, she finally saw the pack connections binding him down harder than any other animal she’d ever seen. There wasn’t just one line but nearly a dozen, all of various strengths.

She’d never seen anything like it.

Her ass he wasn’t powerful.

Only the strongest paranormals could partially shift … or prevent a shift. If he could hold the half-change for any length of time, she’d bet her new scales that he was a full shifter. The only thing that stopped him from turning furry was his damned stubborn nature.

From the way he studied her, he’d sensed she was more than human. She waited for him to sound the alarm and call her out, but his mouth remained firmly shut. The silence stretched to the breaking point, echoing around them, a threat all its own.

After a few minutes, his shoulders relaxed a fraction, his gait smoothing out as he realized that she would no more share his secret than he could share hers, not without them both being caught.

They were at a stalemate.

Gravel crunched under their shoes, the night air crisp, the perfect evening for a stroll … if she discounted the fact they were taking her to watch Jackson be beaten near to death. Taggert tracked them, his energy an angry red hovering in the darkness, waiting for her signal to attack. While Greggory might not be able to see him, he studied the shadows as if sensing something hunting them.

Raven turned, easily able to spot Taggert’s glowing green eyes. If she hadn’t known where he hid, she would’ve never seen him peering through the canvas of a tent. Ever since she’d entered his life, his stability had been declining, growing worse every minute he remained with her. Grief sat on her chest with the knowledge she was destroying him.

As if sensing her attention, he lifted his gaze from his prey to focus on her.

She gave a tiny shake of her head.

Frustration bubbled out of him, but he obeyed, backing away until the darkness swallowed him. She stared at the spot he disappeared long after he’d gone. The rest of the circus appeared shut down, the booths padlocked, the crowd gone. The string of lights resembled nothing more than a spider’s web waiting to entangle and trip up the unsuspecting.

A cheer rose from the Big Top and dread seeped into her pores. The closer they drew, the more menacing the tent appeared, ready to collapse and smoother them all within its grasp and eat them.

“Hurry up.” The dark-haired creep slammed into her shoulder as he passed. He threw back the canvas flap and disappeared inside. “I want to place my bets before they close them down.”

Jackson waited for her inside.

It gave her the courage to step over the threshold.

Just before she could enter, a familiar darkness thickened around her until she could see nothing else, its suffocating weight stealing the air from her lungs. She reached out, only to have her hands slam against wood.

She was no longer at the circus.

She tried to roll, but banged into a wall. Same with the other side. … as if she were trapped in a coffin. She expected death to be cold, but sweat damped her clothes until they stuck to her in the most awkward of places.

She could deal with that if not for the bone-deep despair that gutted her soul.

She’d never felt so alone in her whole life. Whatever ties she had with her animal and others had been severed in one brutal swipe.

She scratched her arm, flaking off a fine layer of dirt caked over her skin. Hundreds of stings peppered her from head to foot, as if something was nibbling on her flesh.

Then a caustic smell infused her senses, the stink so vial and overwhelming it left a fuzzy taste in her mouth. She scrambled to get away, smacked the side of the wooden box, and heard the crunch of thousands of bugs.

They were everywhere.

She slapped at her skin, panicked at the thought of slowly being eaten alive. Air grew thinner until it felt like she was swallowing fire.

When she felt a hand on her arm, Raven yelped, striking out as she imaged something was grabbing her from beyond the grave. When she turned, her vision flooded back. She gasped as fresh air surged into her lungs.

“A vision?” Greggory raised his arms as he released her and stepped away, growing more intrigued by the minute.

Then his question registered

Her shoulders sagged in relief.

Of course.

A vision.

She should be worried about her secrets being exposed, but she was just too glad to be out of that box.

She scratched at her arm, still able to feel the phantom touch of thousands of bugs crawling over her. Flustered under his attention, she pulled away, wishing she could run away from the question as well. Only Greggory followed, his silence a persistent prod for answers. “Is there a graveyard around here?”

A stitch appeared in his stride.

“No.” The gruff response didn’t invite further conversation.

It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the truth either. “You’re hiding something.”

He slanted her a calculated glance. “It’s a certain punishment Clancy likes to use on those who really displease him. Now it’s your turn. Explain. What did you see?”

She wanted to refuse but couldn’t risk that he’d shut her out. He was the key. Something told her that if she didn’t answer him, things would only grow worse. “I thought I was trapped in a coffin. Air was running out. I couldn’t breathe.” Her lungs struggled to work as she relived the experience, the memories a persistent stab into her brain.

He whirled on her, his face so intent that the rest of the world fell away, and his true self peered back out at her.

Big.

Vicious.

Intent.

He wouldn’t stop until he got answers. “Do you know where?”

Raven went through the memories again, wishing she could wipe the horror from her head. She rubbed her nose to get rid of the stench as sensations bombarded her. She tried to pick up flashes of images, but everything remained black. The unrelenting darkness upped the creepy factor, but it also heightened her other senses.

It was why everything felt bigger and stronger and a ton more terrifying.

So she focused on her other senses, doing her best to block the blind panic gnawing on her. Sweat trickled between her shoulder blades, her breathing growing more erratic.

She tasted dirt and something fresh.

Young.

“A boy, not yet able to shift.”

Too young to change and drag himself out.

“Where?” Greggory stepped closer until all she could smell was him.

The vision faded, leaving her queasy and intensely glad to be above ground and not trapped in a tiny wooden box. Raven stepped away, but Greggory followed, his hands curling into fists, as if he would force answers out of her if necessary.

Taggert growled in the distance and strode forward like a juggernaut, intent on protecting her no matter the cost. Raven could’ve kissed him. When he came near, she stepped into his path, pretending she didn’t want to crawl into his arms. Claustrophobia eased its crushing grip at his nearness.

Greggory growled at the interruption, his teeth lengthening to fangs. “You can find him.”

“Maybe.”

Surprise lessened Greggory’s anger. His animal eased back, allowing him to function past the need to rip off her face. “Do it.”

She suspected that if she didn’t try, he would turn her over to Clancy without an ounce of remorse.

With reluctance, she eased her stranglehold on the energy she held. She expected it to surge forward, but the current waited patiently for her command. She hated to admit it, but the control she had now exceeded the vault she’d used in the past. She and the dragon had become so integrated that there was no separating one from the other anymore.

It should’ve panicked her, but all she felt was relief.

She would never be weak again.

She went through half a dozen scenarios to locate the kid then dismissed them all. The best option would be to see if she could find any large energy signature underground. Unfortunately, it would take too much time to search everywhere. Current traveled differently underground than through the air. If she had a target, she could direct the voltage in a certain direction. Without one, it left her working blind.

Raven debated calling out to the kid using her alpha abilities to force the change, but since he’d never crested, the trauma would most likely kill him. Shifters only turned when their bodies could cope with the transformation. Any sooner could destroy both the human and animal side of him.

No, there had to be a better option.

Instead of using her own current and drawing attention to herself, possibly risk spreading the wild magic to others, she called the energy from the ground. It rose like curls of pale blue steam. She wrapped the foggy strands around the lingering trail from the kid, then released it.

She’d hoped it would shoot off in the direction of the greatest concentration, but it only fizzled out into ghostly trails in all directions. Too many people had passed through and disturbed the energy.

Raven tried again and again, using the energy taking a bigger toll each time.

On the third failed attempt, Raven shook her head in defeat. “He’s never shifted, so I’m not able to get a grip on his beast, and his human signature is too faded for me to track. Too much time has passed. If he was anywhere near, I could help, but it would take time.”

Greggory stepped closer, growing larger, more intimidating with each step. “How much time do you need?”

He acted as if he’d steal time for her if that’s what she required. She wished it were so easy. The instant she left to look for the kid, her pack was dead. If she escaped with her pack, the circus would either hunt them down or disappear altogether. “Too long if you want to find him alive.”

Raven stopped rubbing her nose when she found Taggert staring at her. She cocked her head to the side as a totally irrational idea formed. “Taggert, can you get his scent?” She pointed toward Greggory.

Taggert raised a brow but didn’t question it. He inhaled deeply, his chest expanding as he absorbed the scent, then nodded to her when he got it.

Greggory’s eyes narrowed in challenge, and Raven wedged herself between the two testosterone-driven beasts, maybe not the best action when both of them bristled.  

“Taggert is a tracker. He has your scent now.” Greggory scowled and crossed his arms and she realized it sounded like a threat. Ignoring him, Raven turned toward Taggert. “There is a boy trapped underground in a coffin. His scent almost matches the doctor’s. Can you weed out Greggory’s smell and find out what’s left?”

Taggert didn’t move but lifted his eyes over her head. Raven turned in time to see Greggory nod. “I’ll keep her safe while you’re out hunting, but I’ve been all over the grounds and came up empty, so I’m not sure what you’ll find.”

Both eyed each other for a moment longer, then Taggert scanned her face as if memorizing it. “If he’s out there, I’ll find him.”

He wasn’t bragging, just spoke the truth.

She worried about sending him out alone, but wondered if it might be better for him to stay away from the circus and her for a while to give him time to recover. He couldn’t keep going at the same pace without cracking. So why did nausea twist through her at the thought of him leaving?

Taggert glanced into the woods, his mind already eliminating possible trails. “Is there anything else to narrow the direction down?”

Raven closed her eyes, and shivered to find herself immediately confined back in a coffin, her body slowly dehydrating in the heat. It was all she could do not to flick off the bugs on her arms even though she knew they were all a part of her imagination. “He’s buried at a base of a tree.”

Greggory snorted in disgust. “If you’ve noticed, we’re surrounded by forest.”

Raven ignored him. “The trees we want are infected with some type of ghastly smelling bugs.”

It sounded a lot easier said than done.

Taggert still had to be close enough to the source of the smell to find the kid. With thousands of acres to cover, it could take more time than they had.

Greggory lifted his face in the air and inhaled as if he could trace the scent himself. She expected him to charge off, but the muscles of his jaw hardened, and he turned away.

To send Taggert away would increase the danger for all of them, but she had to take the gamble. She couldn’t leave the kid to suffer alone, not when she could help. Taggert had the ability to find his prey given enough time. “You’ll find him, but take care not to get caught. He doesn’t have much time left, so you must hurry.”

As if her words were an order, Taggert brushed a hand across her cheek, stealing the touch, before dashing between the tents and disappearing. The instant Taggert vanished from her sight, loneliness wormed its way inside her. It made no sense. She’d been alone most of her life, so why did being alone now feel so wrong and desolate? With her emotion shaky, she wanted to crack open her senses and touch the cords tying her to her pack. The temptation surged so strongly, she nearly caved.

The dragon gave a little hum of comfort, reassuring her that she wasn’t alone even if it felt otherwise.

Greggory stared after Taggert, clearly torn, a bemused expression etched on his face.

“You really think he can find him.” It wasn’t a question.

She searched for any sign of happiness or hope, but his face gave nothing away.

Instead, he exuded menace like a dark fog that would consume anything that got too close. If anything happened to that kid, she had no doubt this man would bring down the whole circus and anyone who stood in his way, including her pack.

“Come, we don’t want to miss the match.” With one last look that betrayed nothing but impatience, he marched her into the tent.

Chapter Fourteen

The cheerfulness of the day had vanished, morphed into something dark and twisted. Raven reluctantly stepped over the threshold of the tent and stepped into a whole new world. They’d converted the Big Top. The bleachers had been shoved to the side to make room for the audience and the gigantic ring that dominated the center. The darkness of the tent made everything seem bigger and more intimidating and infinitely creepier when her eyes couldn’t pierce the wall of shadows and reveal what lurked beyond.

A small roar of voices rose and fell as people waited for the fight to begin. Raven noted all the exits, the placements of the guards, and frowned when she discovered a number of them were missing.

All she could do was pray that Taggert managed to sneak by them without getting caught.

The humans stood huddled together in small clumps under the dimmed lights. The shifters prowled around the edges of the room, almost appearing to herd them together for easier slaughter. She couldn’t help wonder if it had been done on purpose or by habit. Most of the humans appeared oblivious. A few people of them moved restlessly, searching for the threat, but were never quite able to pinpoint what troubled them.

Harsh light filled the center of the ring, and the majority of the audience gathered around it.

To her surprise, the audience contained an equal number of men and women. She expected the violence of a fight to draw the men, a few of them carrying an air of superiority, a dark relish to see the beasts beaten to a pulp. But a number of the women seemed to be just as bloodthirsty.

Anticipation tinged the air, along with the smidge of danger of the forbidden.

Greggory pushed his way forward. While a few people grumbled, they quickly scrambled out of the way after a well-placed snarl and shove. Raven locked herself down hard and followed in his wake, envious of his ability to part the crowd. Durant had that ability, but much to her disappointment, she’d never inherited that gift. The only way a person parted for her was if she shocked them to get their ass moving.

Not too long ago, one touch from her could kill. She curled her very naked fingers into fists, wishing for the additional security of her gloves.

The scuzzy feeling of some of the looks she received made her want a shower. Some looked away when she met their bold stares, while others appeared intrigued by the challenge. Raven became distracted when the crowd parted, and she stopped dead.

Jackson boldly stood in the center of the ring wearing only a pair of skimpy shorts that had less material than some underwear, leaving nothing to the imagination. His bored, impenetrable expression was all business.

Possessiveness sliced through her as he stood on display for anyone to ogle.

What disturbed her more was that she could see Jackson, but couldn’t feel him through their connection. She blamed herself. She must have severed it when she shut down while walking through the crowd.

She tried to re-establish the link but ran into a brick wall each time.

She wanted to force the matter but couldn’t risk distracting Jackson before the upcoming fight.

Only then did she realize the truth.

He shut her out deliberately.

Hurt ricocheted in her with the force of a bullet, tearing her insides apart. It explained why she felt so alone and set adrift.

The dragon wrapped around her in comfort, the contact grounding her against doing something stupid … like going over there and physically reestablishing the connection.

She noted the instant Jackson spotted her in the crowd. He maintained his calm, remained in the killing zone as if completely unfazed until she noticed the slight tightening around his eyes and the subtle tensing of his body.

Goliath, the gorilla she’d met earlier, stepped between them and danced around the ring, throwing his monstrously long arms up in the air and roaring in challenge as he worked the crowd into a frenzy.

Jackson’s reaction was the opposite. He remained still, hands loose, shoulders relaxed, studying his opponent. While Goliath wore shorts and a tank top, it was Jackson who captured her attention.

His body glistened in the light, and she suspected that he’d oiled himself up on purpose. Not to draw attention to the mouth-watering liquid way his muscles moved, but to make holding him more difficult.

Sleek and powerful, Jackson was the perfect compact fighting machine, while Goliath, with his exaggerated features and a body so hairy it could be mistaken for fur, had massive brute force on his side. She could all but see evolution in motion between the two, a primitive Cro-Magnon pitted against the smaller, more refined beast without all the flaws.

Then she noticed the thin leather strap around Jackson’s throat.

A damned collar.

Horror pierced her composure that shifters would demean one of their own in such a way. Outrage swept over her, heating her blood until all she wanted to do was reach out and rip it off his throat.

She must have moved to put thoughts into action when Greggory stepped into her path. When her eyes met his, what he saw must have spooked him. He lifted his hands in surrender and offered his throat in submission.

His actions gave her pause. He was such a strong beast, he should be furious at being made back down and surrender, but she detected no anger or animosity. Only when he saw that he had her attention did he speak. “They’re forbidden to use teeth or claws during the fight. Those collars prevent them from ripping each other’s throats out.”

Raven listened closely to his words, but they tasted wrong.

Not the complete truth.

Ignoring Jackson this time, she studied the ring. Everything looked normal, the same as it had when she’d been in there earlier.

All but the eight tiny boxes set up at the base of the circle. They were connected to a power supply, creating a type of invisible fencing. Trapping Jackson inside as some gladiator of old. She swallowed hard. Only one gladiator ever left the coliseum alive. “Then why set up sensors around the ring?”

Greggory’s mouth tightened at her accusation. “It’s to keep the crowd safe. As long as they don’t cross the line, they remain unaffected.”

“Place your bets here!”

Raven whirled at the shouts to see a large sign posting the odds.

Seven-to-one against Jackson.

The crowd yelled out their bets, money exchanged hands, and her palms tingled with the need to do something, the heat scorching her fingers. The dragon woke at the crush of people, and she struggled for balance as her wild emotions became tangled together.

A low growl vibrated at her back, and she tipped her head to the side to see Greggory standing guard and protecting her. She’d expected him to abandon her and sneak out to follow Taggert. The kid was obviously important to him.

Then his hard eyes landed on her. “Whatever you’re doing, you need to pull it back.”

Raven stiffened, rubbing her hands against her thighs as claws threatened to burst from her fingertips. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Greggory’s eyes lightened and he studied her, working out all her secrets as if she were a puzzle.

She shifted under his intent stare, leery of what he saw when he looked at her.

Curiosity never turned out well for her.

“You can’t protect your man this way. Just wait. Watch. Anything you do will just put Jackson at more risk. He’d feel the need to protect you.”

The soothing tone of his voice was almost hypnotic, and the raging emotions eased back a fraction, enough for her to know that he was right. She hated him for it, wanting to protect and spare Jackson despite knowing it was impossible. She turned away from his prying eyes to see a few of the circus women enter and scatter through the crowd.

Three women were dressed up … or undressed, their skimpy outfits making their intent clear. She recognized the women as the dancers by the seductive, boneless way they moved. Each quickly zeroed in on a man and hung on their arms like treasured wives. One woman stood apart from them. She was dressed up, her makeup subtler to draw a different clientele. Raven stiffened at what they were being forced to endure. Her gums ached as she struggled not to allow her fangs to descend. “They—”

“—are here voluntarily. They make more money here than on the streets. What better protection can you ask for than a whole pack of shifters?”

They fell into an uneasy truce, and she was surprised to find comfort in his nearness. He bristled anytime anyone brushed too close, guarding her without being too overt. He glanced at the door, only once, but rage was alive in his eyes.

“You don’t need to babysit me. Go. I would do the same if one of mine was out there.”

A muscle in his jaw twitched. “My presence here is mandatory. If you’re wrong and your man comes up with nothing, then the kid dies. That’s not an option.”

“Mandatory?” She spoke through clenched teeth as ideas ran rampant in her head. Doctors were redundant as shifters could take a lot of punishment. They had the strength to literally rip each other apart even without using teeth or claws. If they went down, they were dead and beyond help.

She thought the fight was a show for the crowd. She was beginning to suspect she was wrong. She gritted her teeth from saying anything.

Animals often fought to show dominance or gain status in a pack.

It was brutal and vicious, often ending up with both combatants beaten near to death, supposedly to teach them a lesson.

Raven twisted until her gaze landed on Clancy, and her spirit shuddered at his smug attitude. He wanted her men and would do whatever it took to keep them, even break the bonds between them in order to claim them for his own.

Chapter Fifteen

A bell dinged to start the match, the sound like a death toll echoing in her head, and Raven swallowed past her dry throat.

Goliath charged, his bulk moving incredibly fast, the earth rumbling at his approach.

Jackson narrowed his eyes and stood his ground, giving nothing away as the man bore down on him like a speeding truck.

Her whole body tightened, braced for impact when Jackson dove out of the way at the last second. But instead of getting to safety, he kicked out and smashed his foot into Goliath’s knee.

The big gorilla bellowed in surprise, lost his balance and began to tip like a felled tree.

The crowd gasped, the cheers dying down as the interest in the fight picked up. Probably the first real competition Goliath had ever had in the ring.

Jackson whirled and brought the side of his fist down on the back of Goliath’s skull.

The man toppled, the ground shaking under the massive thump.

Raven breathed a sigh of relief at the quick win, unable to tear her eyes away from the fascinating way Jackson’s muscles rippled with every movement. Her fingertips tingled to touch, wanting to run her hands possessively over him.

The perfect fighting machine.

The gorilla pushed himself to his feet and gave a massive roar, his incisors lengthening two inches. Her skin iced over as the crowd cheered, and the circus folks stopped casing the audience to watch the fight.

Jackson darted in, landing two quick blows before dashing out of range.

Goliath swung those tree trunks he called arms, and her breath caught.

One hit.

With one hit, he could put Jackson out of commission permanently.

Jackson dodged the first swing, then spun away from the second aimed to cave in his chest. He dropped to the ground, kicked out, his foot a blur slicing out to thump into Goliath’s ribs and unprotected side.

Even over the roar of the crowd, she heard bones snap.

Jackson rolled to put distance between them, but Goliath lunged forward and grabbed his leg. He spun, picking Jackson off the ground and slammed him face-first into the pole at the perimeter of the ring.

The brutal impact shot a jagged foot-long crack into the wooden pole.

Bile rose in the back of her throat, muscles tensed to dash into the ring, expecting Jackson to collapse. Instead, he grabbed the pole and wrenched himself out of the gorilla’s grip. He hit the ring with a thud that kicked up a plume of dust before he slowly rose to his feet.

Her pulse raced, and her body shook as too much adrenaline flooded her system. Watching the battle was much more devastating than being forced to fight for her life.

She couldn’t stand being pretending to be human and helpless.

Blood ran down Jackson’s face, his brow and jaw already swelling from the impact.

His usual sharpness appeared lacking, and he stumbled for a nanosecond. Her heart withered and cracked when he didn’t seem to snap out of it. “Something’s wrong.”

Greggory grunted. “Concussion. He’ll need to push through it fast or he’ll only grow weaker.”

Raven wasn’t sure how much more she could watch, how much longer she could contain the simmering rage before the last thread of her control snapped.

Goliath came at him like a freight train, raining blows down on Jackson, his swings wild, but his aim true. Jackson dodged most of them, blocked a couple more, but not all of them.

A single blow grazed his ribs.

Even at the distance, she heard his lung wheeze as his breath rushed out, a bruise already forming.

Raven wrapped her arm around her waist, her own body aching with phantom pain. She wanted to charge in to help, but Greggory was right … any move on her part would only be a distraction. “He won’t be able to keep it up forever. He needs to go on the offensive.”

When a fist flew past his head, Jackson grabbed Goliath’s wrists and yanked, throwing the man off balance. Jackson took advantage of the weakness and hammered Goliath repeatedly in the ribs, one strike after another.

The dragon enjoyed watching the vicious battle, reveling in Jackson’s fighting prowess, and Raven forced herself to watch closer, grudgingly admitting that Jackson was good.

More than good.

As much as she hated watching, she trusted him to know what he was doing.

She was a wimp, more than willing to take a beating rather than watch him being thrashed.

Goliath straightened and threw up his arms, lifting Jackson clear off the floor.

Jackson released his hold on the gorilla’s wrist, dropped to the ground and rolled.

Goliath stomped after Jackson, each foot landing with a thud, just missing its target.

Until Jackson slowed, hitting the edges of the tiny ring.

A kick caught him in the ribs and his body flipped through the air.

Jackson landed hard and rolled to his feet, his body not as fast as normal. He had to be hurting, but he didn’t show it, no hint of weakness giving him away.

The fight was fast and brutal.

She should be horrified by the viciousness, the need to inflict pain and win, but the dragon hovered right under her skin and enjoyed every second of it.

And though pleased that Jackson fought for her honor, he was theirs to protect.

Energy gathered around her like an invisible wind and sank painfully under her skin. Static built until it felt like a hundred bees stinging her, a hum rising like the swarm was circling overhead.

She waited for the opportunity to strike.

Jackson met her gaze for the first time, and he shook his head just once.

Wanted her to wait.

The split-second distraction cost him, allowed the gorilla to get too close.

Jackson took a hit to his ribs that would’ve caved in a normal human’s fragile chest.

Raven crept closer, ready to take action, when the doctor grabbed her arm. Energy crackled as it jolted into him.

It had to feel like he’d touched a live wire, but despite the pain, he didn’t release her. “Wait. Watch for a bit longer, little queen. See what we see. Look with your eyes and not your heart.”

Jackson used his nearness to Goliath to bring up his knee, clocking the man in the jaw and toppling him over.

Raven jerked out of Greggory’s grip, her skin prickling painfully as the energy continued to build. “I see two grown men beating each other to death for sport.”

Greggory shook his head. “Then you’re not looking deep enough. Goliath can throw punches hard enough to kill a man, but he’s not used to taking hits. If your man lands enough blows, he can take him out.”

Her temples pounded with dread, but she knew he was right. “If he doesn’t get himself killed first.”

* * *

They’d been fighting for fifteen minutes, each man bloodied and beaten.

Each man determined to win.

As if sensing that he was losing the battle, Goliath charged, gathered Jackson into a bear hug, trying to kill him by squeezing him to death.

Jackson worked his arms free and boxed Goliath over his ears.

She wasn’t sure which man would cave first.

Goliath flung Jackson to the ground hard enough for him to bounce. While he lay stunned, Goliath grabbed his head and dragged him toward the edge of the ring.

The crowd instantly retreated.

Dirt and rock gouging against the front of Jackson’s exposed body as Goliath heaved Jackson over to the sensors and steadily fed him into the current.

Jackson stiffened as electricity flooded his system. Every muscle went taut. His jaw clenched so hard she expected his teeth to crack.

Her stomach turned liquid, knowing from experience that his insides were slowly being cooked. “They’re killing him.”

Greggory’s face tightened, his eyes grim, and he glanced at Clancy. “Only he has the ability to call the winner.”

Raven followed his gaze to see the victorious gleam in Clancy’s eyes.

He didn’t take pleasure in the pain but reveled in showing her that he had the control.

Waiting for her to break and submit to him.

A growl escaped her throat and for the first time, actually contemplated challenging him.

Greggory ducked until their eyes met. “Now is not the time. You’ll force him to change. They will kill him and claim it was a justified shooting to protect the audience.”

Raven realized he wasn’t talking about rescuing Jackson, but keeping her beast in check. If she moved, Jackson would do anything to protect her.

A chill crept down her spine.

Greggory knew more than he should.

She’d kept her secret for so long she wasn’t sure how she felt being exposed.

He wasn’t their friend or enemy.

Yet.

But he was right.

Until they were ready to move, she couldn’t take any action against Clancy. To rescue Jackson would mean putting the others in her pack at risk. There were too many circus people scattered about for her to watch them all at one time.

Taking Greggory’s words to heart, Raven turned away from Clancy and the vengeance she craved, resolved not to let him win.

She might not be able to bring Clancy down, but that didn’t mean she still couldn’t help Jackson. Raven crouched right in front of Jackson, taking care not to touch. She placed her hands on the ground, buried her fingers in the dirt and stared right into the gorgeous green eyes of his wolf.

“Jackson.”

His name was a command.

Her voice snapped him out of the haze of pain consuming him. The instant their gazes met, the pack connection snapped back into place.

Pleasure and pain rippled over her skin. She purged all the current from him, gathering it into herself, her heart buoyant to discover that he’d only cut their connection to shield her.

The idiot.

The connection only served to make them stronger.

They’d been trying to tell her that all along, but she’d fought them every step of the way, not understanding what they meant until now.

She bled the energy from the circuit around the ring, re-routing it through her. As the current built, she converted it into tiny strands of pure energy, twirling it together into a rope. Her whole body hummed, delighted at working with live current again and being able to do something.

She fed the energy toward Jackson using the pack link.

His eyes immediately blazed yellow, brimming with suppressed power.

Without taking his gaze away from her, he pushed himself away from the electrical fence, lifting both his weight and Goliath together.

The crowd cheered while the shifters inched forward, falling silent.

Jackson brought his elbow back, slamming it into Goliath’s face twice in rapid succession.

The gorilla roared, grabbed his face, and lost his hold.

Raven stood at the same time as Jackson. Without notice, he took off running. The crowd gasped and collectively stepped back.

But Jackson wasn’t running to get away. He gained speed, leapt off the ground, and defied gravity by running up the pole. His momentum carried him twenty-foot high before he kicked off. He twisted mid-air, drew back his arm and nailed Goliath in the face.

Goliath didn’t react at first, his hands clenched at his sides, ready to finish the fight.

Jackson landed lightly on his feet, his attention focused solely on her as if nothing else mattered.

The big man teetered, shook his head as if to clear it, then gradually tipped backward. He landed flat, a ring of dirt kicking up around his body, knocked out cold.

The crowd fell silent, then let out a victory cheer.

Clancy’s smile vanished, the shifters stood unmoving. They glanced at Clancy in shock, waiting for his reaction, then peered at Jackson in a sort of awe. It shook them to see their best fighter beaten by her man in less than fifteen minutes. Doubt entered their eyes, wondering who was stronger … their alpha or Jackson.

And if Jackson would be able to beat him in a challenge for the pack.

Hope burned painfully in a few for a chance for a better future.

Jackson didn’t wave or acknowledge the crowd, and Raven couldn’t tell if he was pissed at her interference or not.

She refused to fidget under his uncompromising stare.

She would not apologize for protecting him.

“He’s waiting for you to recognize his win.” Then Greggory left to kneel next to Goliath’s prone body, leaving her to stand all alone.

Raven cocked her head and observed Jackson.

Greggory was right.

Battered and bruised, he stood as a proud warrior victorious in battle.

Waiting.

Every nerve ending in her body prickled painfully to life under the intensity of his regard. Raven let instinct guide her and stepped over the ring, the dragon rising from her bones to twine through her body. She worried about discovery, the energy snapping and alive around her.

She almost stopped and turned around.

Her steps slowed.

Jackson would understand.

But to leave without touching him was impossible, a compulsion she couldn’t resist.

The closer she drew, the more energy gathered, seeping from her hold. She swallowed it down, fed it to the dragon, knowing the influx would only make the beast stronger, more dominant. Sooner or later, it would come down to a fight between them, and she wasn’t sure who would win.

Dragons were dangerous creatures at the best of times, but the wild magic that infected her blood made her unpredictable. The combination had nearly destroyed the world once. If she lost the fight for dominance and the dragon took over, she feared she’d lose the last shred of her humanity. The last time that happened, she woke up covered in blood and the labs holding her had been destroyed.

She’d barely survived.

With wild magic coursing through her blood, she might not come back sane if it happened again.

Current snapped along her skin, seeping into the air as her fear rose, no longer contained by the dragon. If she couldn’t grab it fast, she’d end up putting her pack in more danger.

They would get themselves killed trying to protect her.

The threat was enough to give the dragon pause.

Tiny pieces of armor slotted together under her skin, effectively caging the power.

From the outside, she appeared nothing more than human … as long as no one touched her.

Tips of claws pressed into her chest for daring to question the dragon’s loyalty.  

Raven came to a stop in front of Jackson to see worry tightening his brows. Wishing she knew what the hell she was doing, she lifted her hand, but hesitated to reach out to him.

Jackson had no such qualms.

He boldly stepped into her touch. Right before impact, a spark arched between them. Her palms stung as her flesh heated, and her fingers flexed, pressing into his chest just short of drawing blood.

Jackson’s back bowed, and he pushed himself closer.

The extra energy leaked into him, boosting his beast until all his senses had to be on fire.

The armor melted until bare skin touched skin.

A growl rumbled up from his chest, but it carried no pain whatsoever. Pleasure tingled through her at his obvious enjoyment.

He didn’t seem to care about her clumsy fumbling around in the shifter world.

She shuffled closer, the desire to wrap herself around him overwhelming.

Clancy shoved his way through the crowd, thunder darkening his face. Jackson twisted, putting himself between them, and she saw his claws slowly lengthen.

“Not here. Too many casualties.” Unable to resist, she touched his back, then brushed her hands down warm muscles, enjoying the slight tremble he couldn’t control. “Soon.”

He inhaled, his chest expanding at the double meaning of her words, and her cheeks heated at the unintended flirtation.

Clancy grabbed Jackson’s wrist and lifted his arm in the air. “The winner!”

The crowd cheered and pushed forward, eager to greet the new champion. Some just wanted to be close to his prowess, others wanted to touch, while some males reeked of testosterone, sizing him up as some prize.

Fear left a sour taste in her mouth, possessiveness crushing her in its grip.

As soon as Jackson lost or stepped out of line, he would be put up to bid for the next hunt.

He’d just been proven too dangerous to keep.

Chapter Sixteen

The crowd surged toward Jackson, and Raven stepped back to avoid being touched, the current still riding her hard. Sensing her unease, Greggory stood at her side like a sentry, pushing back a few curious people.

“We should leave now.”

Something about the total lack of emotion in his voice caused her to stiffen. Instead of looking at him, she went up on tiptoes, desperate to spot Jackson in the throng of people, but he’d been swallowed up by the crowd.

Raven allowed herself to be lured away, but she had no intention of leaving. As they neared the door, she launched herself up and glided through the air. She landed lightly, crouched on top of the bleachers. There was no extra boost of energy. The dragon hadn’t taken over. The action was all instinct. She should be anxious at the ease she managed to jump ten feet without thinking twice. It meant the barriers between her and the beast she’d harbored were failing. Soon, there would be nothing separating them, but she couldn’t seem to make herself care.

If she was going to live in the kill-or-be-killed shifter world, she needed all the edge she could get.

Greggory cursed and quickly followed. “You’re taking chances that can get us all killed, little queen.”

A chill slithered down her spine at the casual title, but he made no move to stop her.

It wasn’t fear that held him back, and it disturbed her that she wasn’t able to discern his true motives. Right now he pandered to her, but she had no illusions. The instant she went against what he wanted, he would go through her to get it.

From her vantage point, Jackson remained in the center of the ring, standing perfectly still. A few women flirted, but he kept his eyes trained over their heads, not paying them any attention. But she couldn’t get rid of the image of them circling around him like birds of prey.

Some grew bolder at his lack of attention, running their hands over him. Raven swallowed hard, muscles trembling under the strain not to leap to his aide and defend her claim. One woman didn’t like being ignored and dragged her nails down his chest, leaving bright red welts behind.

Marking him.

A growl rumbled up her throat. To prevent herself from going over there, ripping off her arm and beating her with it, Raven gripped the top of the bleachers until the wood splintered under her touch. It could’ve been made of sawdust at the ease it fell apart.

Then she realized what was actually happening. A red haze filled her vision until all she wanted was to tear everyone apart. “They’re going to auction him off.”

Greggory stood motionless as if afraid that any action on his part might draw her ire.

Smart man.

Clancy raised his arms, and the crowd quieted. He faced Jackson and rocked back on his feet, all good cheer like an evil Santa Claus. “As a bonus for your win, you get the choice of what you want to do for the remainder of the night. You can spend the evening running free in the forest or you may select a woman of your choice.”

Raven blinked at the innocent options, her suspicions confirmed when a few of the men smirked, while the women fluffed up their hair or stuck out their chests. Her heart grew heavy, then crumbled to dust. “It doesn’t matter what option he selects, does it?”

Greggory shook his head. “If he runs, the humans will chase him until dawn. They use three-inch metal darts, painful enough to keep him motivated, but not enough to kill. The guards will follow to keep the humans safe. If he fights back, they will put him down.”

“And the women?”

He dropped his eyes from hers. “Some just want to brag they had sex with a shifter. Others want the thrill of danger.”

He didn’t say more, holding something back, and her insides turned to lead. “Or?”

His face twisted in obvious reluctance. “Some men and women like to inflict pain. If he chooses the wrong one, he could be whipped and tortured for hours. Either way, Clancy gets paid.”

Blood drained from her face until the tent seemed to sway. Raven very much doubted she could stand by and watch him walk off with another woman or listen to him be tortured. The dragon agreed, rising under her skin, fury bubbling in her veins.

The crowd grew quiet as they waited for Jackson’s choice. Her claws thunked into the wood beneath her palms, gouging grooves into the bench.

“A woman of my choice.”

That was the last thing she expected him to say, and her heart twisted at his gruff voice. Raven went cold, no longer able to feel her skin, struggling to find enough air to breathe. She knew she couldn’t keep the men to herself forever, but his answer devastated her, the loss leaving her feeling like a hollowed-out husk.

As the women jockeyed for position, Raven wanted to march over there and challenge them for Jackson. Her pulse pounded in her skull. She couldn’t watch him choose another woman, not when she wasn’t sure she could control her urge to draw blood.

Raven dropped from the bleachers and stumbled to keep her feet under her when she landed. She strode toward the exit, her dragon fighting her every step of the way, tearing up her insides with the need to fight for Jackson.

He deserved more than what she could offer.

He deserved a choice. 

“I want her.”

Silence followed.

People shifted their feet as they turned and a murmur went through the crowd. As if a thousand spiders swarmed over her, Raven froze, hunching her shoulders as dozens of eyes landed on her.

“Little queen,” Greggory whispered her name.

She turned slowly to see the crowd part, and Jackson stride toward her, his muscles rippling, his sole focus on reaching her. Heat flooded his eyes as their gazes met, a promise of what he would do when he got his hands on her.

The crippling pain of him picking another woman evaporated as hunger to touch him roared to life.

Then Clancy stepped between them. “You misunderstood.”

Jackson continued marching forward, stopping just a breath away, his face hardening with determination. “You said any woman in the room.”

Fangs flashed as he spoke, the threat palpable.

Tension swamped the tent, the humans shifting uncomfortably. Clancy noticed the subtle change in attitude, his eyes narrowing in calculation. He couldn’t risk being seen as a liar or a cheat or he would lose the local clientele. It would cost him less to forfeit a night than lose customers. He smiled congenially, then stepped out of the way. “You are correct. Enjoy your evening.”

His smile was more gritted teeth than anything pleasant. There would be no forgive or forget with him. Come morning, they could expect retaliation.

Then Jackson stood before her, his delicious heat soaking into her skin. One irrational, totally stupid thought popped into her head—any punishment was worth not seeing Jackson leave with someone else.

Jackson bent and tossed her over his shoulder.

Raven squeaked at the unexpected move, squirmed in automatic protest, but his hold only tightened. The crowd cheered at the caveman tactic, then they were outside, her added weight not even slowing him down.

Then she became distracted by all the lovely flesh within touching distance.

Raven trailed a finger down his spine, enjoying the warm contact … until she encountered a large bruise covering his lower back. The sight snapped her back, and she could’ve kicked herself for getting distracted.

“You’re hurt.” Raven jerked her hand back, afraid to touch him and hurt him worse. She wiggled to be set free, wanting to gauge the damage he’d suffered. “Put me down.”

“No.” The grumble rumbled in his chest, and his arms clamped down around her legs. “You’re not hurting me.”

Raven shivered at his husky tone, then her breath caught as his hand slid up the back of her thighs, and she squirmed for an entirely different reason, uncertain if she was trying to get away or get closer. She almost whimpered when his hand stopped moving. Giving into the impulse to touch him back, Raven took advantage of her position, and the legitimate excuse to touch him, and carefully traced his ribs.

She would keep it professional and ignore the need to kiss him to see if he tasted as good as he looked.

Jackson gave a snuffling snort, the sound caught between human and beast. “My ribs aren’t broken. Your extra boost of energy healed them already.”

She jumped, guilty at being caught. She should’ve pulled back, kept things clinical, but she fell under his spell, her palms tingling at the contact of warm skin, miscalculating the effect he had on her.

One touch just wasn’t enough.

His scent of fresh grass invaded her lungs until she wanted to bury her face against him and inhale. His stride hitched, then his pace increased. Before too long, he halted in front of a trailer. Jackson thrust open the door, and she promptly found herself placed on her feet. She wobbled at the abrupt loss of his support as he practically scrambled to get away from her.

His chest heaved, but more than exertion caused his reaction. Fighting brought out their animal’s primitive side. He might be in human form, but inside, he was full beast. She wanted to examine his wounds and heal him, but didn’t dare get close.

Unless she wanted to be flat on her back, she needed to show him who was in charge.

She needed to show dominance.

The trailer was gutted, the room sparsely furnished with a table, a set of chairs and a very large bed that took up a quarter of the space. She twisted to keep Jackson in view, her skin tingling with awareness, very conscious of the bed looming behind her. She licked her lips, nerves dancing in the pit of her stomach, and she cursed her body’s fickle reaction. “Sit on the chair.”

Energy vibrated around him, a seductive warmth she ached to rub against until she was surrounded by nothing but his delicious scent. She waited for him to disobey and lunge at her, but to her surprise and—if she was honest with herself—disappointment, he listened. He brought the chair to the middle of the room, less than a foot from her, then sat, never once taking his gaze from her.

She felt his eyes on her body, studying every inch of her, almost as if deciding which part he wanted to devour first.

She’d gotten him to listen, but that didn’t mean she was in charge.

She needed to take control.

When she stepped forward, he reached for her, and she quickly slapped his hands. “No. Hands on your knees.”

Again, he obeyed, his knuckles whitening as he gripped his legs to keep from reaching for her. Though the wolf in him retreated a little bit more, he still remained more beast than man. The barely there shorts hugged his form to perfection, leaving his powerful legs on full display. Roped muscles twitched as he struggled to stay still, an all-powerful machine tuned to perfection—and all of that attention was focused on her.

A tiny thrill twisted through her at seeing him submit to her, and the way he couldn’t control his obvious desire.  

 “You took too many chances out there. You let him land too many blows.” She stepped closer, but quickly halted when his muscles rippled, whether in anticipation of her touch or to lunge at her, she didn’t know. His chest heaved, his whiskey-brown eyes splintered and gleamed a bright green as he studied his prey.

When he tipped his head a certain way, she realized he was trying to catch her scent.

Her own breath hiccupped in her chest as the tension ratcheted up another notch. If he even suspected that she wanted his touch—craved it—there would be no way to prevent him from taking what he wanted.

Not when she desired him just as much.

One touch from him and all her control would vanish.

“It was the only way to get close to him. I couldn’t keep dancing around him forever. He’s so used to landing blows he’s never learned how to take them.”

His gruff words broke the spell, and Raven narrowed her eyes, fury balling into her gut. “You based your whole strategy on a guess?” Her voice took a sharper edge, rising slightly at the end.

“I’m an enforcer. I’m trained to study my opponent and devise the best way to bring him down.” More and more of the man returned with the conversation.

His calm only infuriated her more, but his complete confidence in his answer deflated her anger a fraction. She might not like his decisions, but it was backed up by years of experience. Irritation flickered in her for a few more seconds before she dismissed it and walked around him. She tried to study his body for injury, but kept getting distracted by what he wore … or more precisely, what little he wore.

Those blasted tiny shorts.

They revealed everything.

Especially his blatant erection.

She swallowed hard, waiting for familiar anxiety to swamp her at being trapped with him, would have almost preferred it to the mixed emotions ripping through her gut—possessiveness, along with the overwhelming need to touch and taste.

It took all her willpower to tear her gaze away.

Looking at the rest of his body wasn’t much better. He was covered in blood and sweat, bruises littering his torso. A gash over his eye still bled sluggishly, while a nasty bruise darkened his jaw. His lip was split. A shiner colored one eye. Bruised ribs. All of his injuries were painful but not life-threatening.

He would be all right.

Her throat tightened in relief.

But what about next time?

Life taught him how to fight, and he had a tolerance for pain, but the constant shifting into his wolf would eventually exhaust him.

He couldn’t go into that ring again. She couldn’t bear to see him beaten into unconsciousness. Something inside her would snap.

Even as she watched, his cuts pulled closed, bruises lightened.

But there was one spot on his shoulder, right under his collarbone, that drew her attention. There was no injury or bruise, but something that nearly dropped her to her knees.

Her mark.

She shuffled forward, her arm lifting to touch him, a compulsion she couldn’t refuse even if she wanted to.

Jackson moved as a blur, launching out of the chair and catching her wrist so quickly she could barely track it.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she found her back pressed against the cupboards, her ass perched precariously on the edge of the counter. Both of them froze, afraid to move lest one of them break. She enjoyed the feelings he invoked and didn’t want to ruin it by letting reality intrude.

“You play a dangerous game. If you touch that mark, I won’t be able to stop from claiming every inch of you.”

What was meant as a threat had the opposite effect. Her body turned molten with need, and she unconsciously swayed forward at his not-quite invitation, the hunger that licked through her impossible to ignore any longer.

Her lips were just a breath short of touching paradise when her balance slipped.

Reality came crashing back in a mortifying wave.

She wobbled and clutched Jackson’s arms to steady herself, embarrassment heating her face. She ducked her head and reluctantly loosened her hold, her fingers lingering for a second, unable to stop from stealing one last touch, before she finally released him. She tensed to jump down when he cupped the underside of her knees, slowly sliding his hand up the back of her legs, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. He pushed forward until he settled between her thighs, the thin barrier of clothing making the contract electric.

Her heart thumped heavily against her ribs, leaving her giddy at the thought of his kiss. Desperate to know that he wanted her just as badly, she lifted her gaze, then stopped short when it snagged on the collar he wore. Wrath wrapped her up in its crushing grip to see him treated like some damned house pet to be tamed and domesticated.

She reached up, her claws tearing through the leather and cords until the straps fell away in her hands. She stared at the delicate, tiny claws in surprise, watching as they disappeared as quickly as they came. A sharp pinch of pain came from her fingertips as the claws came and went, but not to the degree that she expected. It was over in an instant, her blood instantly healing the injuries. She should be terrified by the ease with which they appeared, but elation quickly replaced any other emotions.

It meant she could protect her pack.

Her attention dropped to the collar. Inside rested threads of silver, ready to burn or even be used as a garrote to decapitate a shifter if he tried to remove it. She expected to feel the burn of silver now that the dragon thrived in her blood, but she still felt nothing and dropped the vile collar to the floor.

For so many years she hadn’t been able to touch anyone without the fear of killing them. Even the smallest brush of skin on skin was a marvel she couldn’t take for granted. She waited for the familiar crippling fear to infect her, the desperate need to scramble away and get to safety before she harmed Jackson.

Instead, she wanted to get closer.

But he’d stopped moving, having come to his senses, the bastard. Disappointment ricocheted through her with the realization that he wasn’t going to act on his feelings.

Raven took advantage of her position and reached out, placing her hand over her mark. It was a dirty trick, but the obstinate angle of his chin said he wouldn’t relent, not even to steal one kiss.

A growl rumbled up his chest at her touch, pure lust heating his eyes to a brilliant green. Without giving herself time to think, Raven arched upward and kissed him.

Time froze for a second as she waited for his reaction, then he exploded into motion. His grip flexed on her hips, pulling her snug against him while his mouth devoured her. Breathing became unimportant as the kiss took on a life of its own. When she nipped his bottom lip, she could feel the tips of his nails rip into her jeans, his ferocious hunger unleashed.

Raven loved every moment, taking what she could before reason returned and reality intruded. The thought of him stopping had her reaching out to wrap herself around him. 

A possessive growl rumbled up his chest, and her body melted. His hands glided upward, slipping under her shirt until bare skin met skin and his fingers brushed lightly over her back. Her breath caught as her whole body tingled at such a simple gesture. Unable to help herself, she wiggled her hips, wanting more, then halted when she felt his arousal pressed so intimately against her.

As if sensing her hesitation, Jackson eased back, the kiss slowing as if he were savoring every last second. The effect was just as devastating, and her body hummed with the knowledge that she had such an effect on him when he so prided himself on his control.

After the labs and her deadly touch, she’d never been overly attracted to men, never had a certain type that drew her, but something about all his power, the care he took with her, drew her on an elemental level.

She craved more of his touch, his taste, adoring the possessive way he clutched her to him. In an instant, she knew she could do whatever she wanted to him and he would allow it—welcome anything she had to offer. She raked her nails down his back, demanding more, and Jackson growled in pleasure, his hips jerking against her

Her beast rose, eager to come out to play, and a frisson of unease doused the desire to take everything he offered.

Chapter Seventeen

The instant Raven stopped responding, Jackson eased back. To her regret, sanity slowly returned to his eyes. She panted to catch her breath, growing uncomfortable under his regard, his once loving embrace becoming restricting as the seductive mood that had so captured them vanished.

The dragon howled in denial as the distance between them grew. Claws thunked in her chest, as if trying to reach through her to keep him close. Her eyes widened, startled by the realization, battling to rein in the beast before anyone else could sense its presence.

Jackson pressed his face into her neck, trembling as he fought for control. He licked her neck, more to soothe them both than anything sexual.

The dragon calmed and hunkered down, appeased for the time being.

“Not here.” He grabbed her shoulders, gently pushing her away. “Not like this.”

Raven shivered, tightening her hold, not ready to let him go. Before she could protest, he tore himself from her arms and stood on the opposite side of the trailer, the farthest he could get from her without actually leaving. Raven felt a fool when he couldn’t even bring himself look at her.

“Jackson—”

“Pack craves touch. When our beasts rise to the surface, so does our need. I should’ve never touched you.”

His words were like a slap to the face, and she blanched at the truth. “Of course.”

Mortified by her reaction, Raven jumped from the counter, giving him her back as she quickly shoved her shirt back into her pants. Her heart rested heavy in her chest, crushed to pulp as he reduced what they had just shared to nothing more than a quick romp. Any woman would do. Before she could escape, Jackson stepped in her path and cupped her chin, lifting her face up to his.

“You misunderstand.”

Jackson gave her that baffled, frustrated look she was becoming familiar with, and she tried to smile … and failed. “I’m thinking too human, aren’t I?”

His lips quirked for a second. “Women born to the pack are raised away from the men. They’re trained from birth for seduction by older females to get what they want. Men will always be stronger, but women have a different power and they aren’t afraid to use it. They deal with infatuation and lust, nothing deeper.”

He inched closer, heat warming his eyes. “Your touch is not calculated, you give without taking. It’s more than what the pack would offer.” He tipped her head back until he could stare into her eyes. “Don’t ever think that you’re not enough.”

Nothing he said made sense. “Then why did you stop?”

“Durant and I are old enough to know what we want. You think you are denying us something, but it’s the opposite.” Those wonderful whiskey-brown eyes of his splintered green as his wolf rose. “Taggert grew up rogue. Pack considers him tainted. No female inside the pack would want him for anything more than to toy with him, turn him into a slave to do their bidding. We all left that life behind and chose something else.” He pressed closer, invaded her space. “You.”

Raven shifted uncomfortably under his penetrating stare and found herself pinned against the wall by his body. His eyes dilated at the contract, and she shivered with desire for more. When his hands trailed down her sides, her breath left her in a rush, and she groaned in protest when he stopped exploring her.

He rested his forehead against hers. “Touching you leaves us both too vulnerable. I can’t let down my guard and take the time I need to show you the pleasure you deserve.”

Raven nearly swallowed her tongue at the scorching heat in his eyes. Much more pleasure and she’d burst into flames. “Don’t you think that should be up to me?”

“You deserve more romance than to be taken like an animal in a dirty trailer.” He pulled away, pacing the small confines of the room. He stole glances at her, regret tightening his face, revealing that if he kept touching her he would never stop.

He was right, of course, but the distance between them devastated her control.

She crossed her arms, leaned against the wall to keep from trailing after him like a lost puppy begging for scraps.

They needed to leave.

The dragon hissed and crouched, landing like a thousand pounds had just sat on her. No matter how she probed the beast, the stubborn creature refused to relent. That meant the danger still has not passed. One of them was still destined to die. Unfortunately, Raven was very much afraid that if they stayed, the very same thing would happen. She needed to find a way to remove herself from the equation. “Remaining at the circus is becoming too dangerous. I’m too much of a liability. Sooner or later Clancy’s going to use me against the pack. If we tell them I’m a witch, I think it would give us more leverage.”

Jackson halted on the spot, his shoulders straightening, every inch of his body ready to fight. “We can’t risk Clancy become more interested in you.”

Raven knew he was right, but she didn’t know how much more abuse she could watch her pack endure before she broke. She debated leaving the circus to their fate when Jackson stopped in front of her and tipped up her chin.

“You’re a good alpha, but you need to learn how to be ruthless. You need to learn that you can’t save everyone.”

“Maybe.” Raven found herself distracted by the way his fingers feathered along her skin. She leaned into him, unable to bring herself to pull away. “But we both know what’s happening here is wrong. These people need help.”

Jackson’s face turned serious. “Interference in pack business is a death sentence.”

“Even if they are forced into a pack against their will?”

Bitterness tinged the air around him. “Being here is better than what most of them can expect. You see them as abused, but pack uses its people to best support the pack. Only the alpha gets to decided which is best.”

Raven couldn’t believe what she was hearing and jerked away from him. “Even if it’s wrong?”

Jackson’s hand dropped to his side, his fingers fisting. “You still see things in the pack as right and wrong.”

She winced at his tone, knowing that she wasn’t as ruthless as she needed to be, not if they wanted to survive the shifter world. “You make that sound like a crime.”

He stroked a strand of her hair, playing with it between his fingers, not daring to touch more. “For any other alpha, it would be. Any sign of leniency, any sign of weakness, would destroy a pack.”

Her stomach lurched into her throat at the thought of her actions endangering the people she’d come to care about way too much. “Oh.”

“You’ve somehow made it into a strength. You’ve banded together a group of misfits in a way that no one else has ever been able to manage.” He rubbed a hand down his face. “If you want to stay, we’ll stay.”

Indecision warred inside her, the need to do what was right tugging at the need to keep her pack from harm. “I was trapped for most of my life in the labs, studied and tortured, along with dozens of other shifters. Wrong is wrong. I can’t abandon them, not yet. Give me another day. If things aren’t better, then we’ll pull out.”

 She waited for his protest, but all he did was dip his head. She dropped her gaze and found herself distracted by the smattering of hair that arrowed down his chest and disappeared into the tiny shorts. Awareness tingled down her spine, and she was very conscious that this was the first time they’d been alone since he’d tricked her into claiming him.

And she couldn’t make herself regret what happened, fiercely glad to call this man hers. “Ah…” She cleared her painfully dry throat, trying to keep it professional. “You’ll want to try not to heal so fast.” Even now, the bruises had faded from a viscous black to a nasty green and yellow. “The last thing we want them to do is ask more questions. If they find out just how powerful you are, it will put us all in more danger.”

Jackson just shrugged it off. “I have a feeling that after tomorrow it won’t matter what they find out. You’ll either have torn out the infection in the pack or destroyed it altogether.”

He stated the brutal truth without a flicker of emotions, probably meant it as a compliment, but Raven bit her lip against the protest that rose.

After all, it was the truth.

Chapter Eighteen – Day 3

DAY THREE: SECOND DAY OF CAPTIVITY – MORNING AFTER

Raven shifted restlessly, waking from a delicious dream with great reluctance, only to find a hand molded to her breast, while the other arm was rested over her hips, fingers playing with the edge of her panties. Her pants were undone, the zipper down. Her eyes shot open wide, and she bolted upright.

Or tried when the arms around her tightening, effortlessly holding her in place.

“Don’t move.”

Jackson’s rumbling groan vibrated down her spine, and the tension melted away. He leaned forward, his lips skimming down her neck, and she found herself tipping her head to give him better access.

Her hair spread over her face, the silver tips gleaming as she struggled to sting two words together. “Jackson?”

He opened his mouth, and a hint of fang trailed along her sensitive nape. A surprise splash of pure lust tingled over her body. A delicious shiver went down her spine at the faint threat of danger, and her body came alive with the simple caress and the promise of so much more. She fought his drugging affect to understand what was happening.

Jackson’s control was unraveling.

Her primitive side was fiercely glad of the effect she had on him, but the instant he bit her, things would change between them, and she wasn’t ready for that.

And until she could purge her body of the wild magic, her blood was toxic.

Needing to distract him, she arched and nestled her hips against his. His arousal pressed against her lower back. She should be afraid, demand he release her. Instead, she reached for him, her hand landing on his bare thigh. She dragged her fingers up, her nails slightly scraping against his skin until she cupped his ass.

His arms banded around her until she felt cocooned by warmth and his delicious scent. “Raven.”

Her name was a breath of air, drawn out and broken as his control wavered.

She tried to twist around to face him, but he wouldn’t allow her to move.

“Let me take care of you.”

Raven didn’t understand his words at first, not until his hand dropped lower and slipped inside her panties. Against her will, her hips tipped up, wanting more. “Jackson—”

“I can smell your need.” He inhaled deeply, and heat burned her face. Damned shifter senses. “You want me.”

The wonder in his voice had her swallowing hard. “But you said last night it would be too dangerous.”

She could feel his lips curl, all but able to see his devilish smile as he rubbed his nose up the back of her neck, until his mouth rested against the rim of her ear. “Too dangerous for me to lose control. That doesn’t mean you can’t.”

Her body trembled as his meaning became clear, and she bit her lips to hold back a groan of pure want. With each quick breath, her breast pushed harder against his hold and damn if she could ignore the sensations for much longer.

“Say yes.” He cuddled closer, his body moving in a way that brushed every inch of him against her, and she nearly growled at the barriers separating them. He was seducing her, and blast him, it was working.

Rules were hardcoded in him, and Raven realized that no matter how much he might want her, he would not take it without her permission. The knowledge just turned her on more. His hand burned where it rested possessively against her stomach. Tension spiked through the room as he waited for her answer.

One wrong move and he would snap.

It wouldn’t take much.

But damned if his control didn’t hold firm.

Bastard.

And she couldn’t bring herself to force the issue, especially since one slip would be against shifter law. Something told her that the punishment wouldn’t be just a slap on the wrist for touching her without her giving him formal permission.

Heat filled her face, and she hated him for forcing her to make the decision. At her silence, he retreated and devastation stomped on her heart.

She clutched at his wrist, her fingers trembling.

Going further would be stupidly dangerous.

Indecision churned in her stomach, leaving her with a queasy, thrilled feeling like just before jumping out of a plane.

If she didn’t jump, things would never be the same between them. He would retreat behind the impenetrable shell of an enforcer. The fragile emotions between them would slowly wither and so would her heart.

She couldn’t lose him again.

Her grip tightened, the cords of his muscles bunching under her fingers. Jackson was too masculine to be strictly handsome, but he had the irresistible combination of brains and brawn she found wildly attractive. He stripped himself of his defenses and left himself vulnerable … for her. He gave himself wholly and completely, and Raven found it irresistible.

For once in her life, Raven took a deep breath and decided to follow her heart.

“Don’t go.”

A rumble came from behind her at the words. His hips surged against her. His hand flexed around her breast while the other one dropped lower, teasing her with a light touch.

She arched toward his questing fingers, only to groan when he avoided her hint. Not willing to wait, she let her hands wander, tracing all the beautiful muscles along his side. Her fingers trailed down to the mouth-watering muscles of his abs, and he automatically sucked in a startled breath.

When she would’ve reached for his arousal, he shoved his leg between her thighs, effectively blocking her access. “Jackson.”

Then she forgot what she was going to stay when he touched her where she needed him most. He rocked against her, and she found her hips moving in rhythm with his as she rode his leg and hand. Each movement forced his fingers against her until all thought and reason vanished.

He eased one finger inside her, added pressure to all the right spots, and her world exploded in a show of lights that turned her insides liquid. Pleasure wrapped around her and swept her up. Claws escaped and sank into his flesh. Energy seeped from her pores, soaking into Jackson until she felt him growl. Raw pleasure rippled in the air between them, prolonging the ecstasy for a few heart-stopping minutes when he suddenly he threw himself out of the bed. He landed with a thump on the floor and scrambled to get away.

Startled by his reaction, her reason slowly returned as the haze of lust faded, replaced by worry that her deadly touch had hurt him. “Jackson?”

Speaking his name was like a lash, and Jackson shuddered, refusing to turn around and face her. Their harsh breathing filled the confined space, and the enjoyment of a few seconds ago vanished at his violent withdrawal.

Those blasted tiny shorts drew her gaze to his perfect body, muscles flexed as he paced back and forth in the whole three feet of room, prowling like his wolf counterpart. He had a tousled look, like he’d just gotten out of bed, his skin glistening in welcome, and her fingers twitched to run her hands over every inch of him on display, wanting to lure him back to bed.

But each step wound him up tighter and tighter, his stiff posture not inviting her closer. After what passed between them, the rejection stung. A full minute passed, and her insides feeling like they were being smashed in a vice as the silence turned awkward. “You regret what happened.”

He twitched as if she’d shot him, hunching his shoulders so far he was bent forward … as if trying to escape her.

Raven sat and straightened her clothing, the magical moment darkening into a nightmare. She knew better than to open herself up to someone and allow herself to get close, but mistake or not, she refused let him walk away without a damned good reason.  

“Look at me.” Frustration and a touch of shame twisted through her, giving her voice a hint of command, enough to make him obey. “Talk to me.”

He turned slowly, his head lifting just enough for their gazes to clash. His eyes were a combination of brown and green as he stared at her, and she saw he was still struggling to remain human. His muscles rippled, his sheer force of will the only thing keeping him human. “I lost control.”

Raven didn’t understand. “So?”

His face hardened with self-incriminations. “I could’ve hurt you.”

She laughed. She couldn’t help herself, relief leaving her giddy. “You couldn’t hurt me even if you wanted, neither you nor your wolf would allow it.”

“You don’t understand. I—”

“Stop saying that.” Raven scrambled from the bed, suddenly furious. Feeling exposed and vulnerable, she tied her hair up in a messy knot. “I’m not a child, and I understand a lot more than you give me credit for. You keep saying that I’m not like one of your pack women. Well, maybe it’s time you stop trying to treat me like one.”

She turned her back on him, trying to get her breathing and thundering heartbeat under control. “I know what it is to be hurt. I also know that if I told you to stop at any time, you would’ve pulled back immediately, even if it would’ve killed you.”

“I almost bit you.” It came out a roar, his voice anguished and harsh.

Raven blanched, worried what the tainted magic would’ve done to him. She remembered the feel of his fangs as they brushed against her throat and shivered at what could’ve happened. She was ashamed to say all caution had vanished at his first touch. “Jackson—”

He almost came near her, ready to shake her. “You must never give a man permission to take your blood.”

This went beyond her fears of infecting him. He was terrified for her. “Explain.”

He shook his head, his movements more frantic. “Your blood contains power. It means that anyone who even takes a sip shares that power, but it also gives you a false sense of closeness to them while it’s in their system. A bite is a privilege that will give them power over you. Don’t you understand?”

Raven knew the dangers, accepted them, but this went beyond that of a simple bite. Something wasn’t right. Jackson was growing too agitated. “Have you ever felt the need to bite anyone?”

She held her breath at such a personal question, not sure she really wanted to know if he’d ever cared for anyone that much.

His mouth tightened, and she feared he wasn’t going to answer when he slowly shook his head. “My wolf has never been very interested in the women I’ve selected.”

Horrible realization slammed into her, and she thought she was going to be sick. “You said females are trained in your pack.”

Jackson stilled, his chest still heaving. “Yes.”

Her soul shriveled a bit more. “Trained so that they could be prepared when they are with a man, possibly control the beasts?”

 “Stop it.” Jackson took a step toward her, then stopped, still terrified of touching her. “This is not your fault.”

Raven snorted, bitterness leaving a sour aftertaste in her mouth. “Good god, with every touch, every kiss, I’d practically tortured you because I hadn’t known what the hell I was doing.” She flushed with shame. She curled her hands into fists, mourning the closeness they shared for a few breath-stealing minutes, vowing to keep her distance until she could learn how badly she’d messed up.

Jackson immediately shook his head. “You did nothing wrong.”

A frown furrowed her brow at his vehemence. “Neither did you.”

His caustic laughter broke something fragile inside her chest. “I almost bit you!”

Her heart stuttered for a few seconds as the truth became clearer, her senses sharpening. “That’s what bothers you the most, isn’t it? That you almost hurt me. But you stopped.”

“But I didn’t want to. Don’t you get that?”

She’d been horribly wrong about everything. He wasn’t afraid of hurting her. He didn’t trust her, not the way she’d thought, and that was the real reason he was rejecting her. The room shrank down until she couldn’t breathe. She went hot then cold, feeling herself die a little as she headed toward the door and grabbed the knob. She glanced at him over her shoulder, her insides shattering beyond repair. “Maybe it’s not me you’re so afraid of getting hurt. You see, I trusted you not to harm me, but you can’t say the same about me, can you?”

Raven left before he could protest. It hurt too much to even look at him. Maybe it was cheating to leave in the middle of the argument, but she knew he would never follow until his beast was stable.

Shame pierced her for giving in to temptation when she knew better. So he fucking lost control. They both had. No, the real problem was he didn’t trust her enough to leave himself vulnerable. Hurt settled around her, and she felt bruised as if she’d been in the fight against Goliath instead of Jackson.

And the worst part, maybe he wasn’t wrong. Even the witch had said something similar. Dragons were protectors, but the wild magic changed them into destroyers. The process could already have been started.

Raven paused outside the trailer assigned to her, lost in thought, and threw open the door. The mermaid whirled, eyes wild and quickly shoved a piece of raw meat into her mouth.

Raven stumbled to a stop. “Sorry.”

Veronica ducked her head, swallowing the last mouthful, then smiled at her, patting a small cloth napkin to her lips. “Not at all, come in. I was just finishing up.”

But Raven could see the mermaid was disturbed to be caught snacking. The air smelled of blood and fresh meat, the scent slightly off, and damned if she could pin down what made her so queasy. Grabbing a change of clothes, Raven hurried to the closet they called a bathroom. “I just need to wash and get back to work. I’ll be right out.”

* * *

By the time Raven reemerged, the trailer was empty, smelling once more of vile cigarette smoke, covering any trace of what had left her so disturbed. Desperate to get away from the trailer and her doubts, she rushed out the door, nearly bowling over Taggert in the process.

They collided, and she quickly danced away before he could grab her.

His chocolate-brown eyes hardened as he raked his gaze over her from head to foot.

Was it her imagination or did he look at her differently after spending the night with Jackson?

It seemed whatever she touched always fell apart. A new loneliness crept into her heart.

“Are you all right?”

The gently spoken question brought tears to her eyes. She quickly blinked them away, but too late. A muscle along his jaw flexed, his hands fisted, and his whole body prepared to pounce. His increased aggressiveness continued to worry her. She wanted to brush her hands against his arm to calm him, but couldn’t bring herself to touch him after what’d just happened. “I’ll be fine. Were you able to find the boy?”

“Nothing yet, but I’m close.” He glanced at the forest, a hint of concern on his face and her senses went on alert.

“Did you notice anything … unusual out in the woods?”

He turned toward her, knowledge gleaming in his eyes but didn’t speak.

“Tell me.”

Almost reluctantly, he nodded. “Something is watching the circus.”

“Shit.” She wanted the circus to be evil, so she could just kill Clancy and leave. Get away from the mess she was making of her life. Maybe he was wrong. “Did you find a trail or—?”

“I found the mangled body of one of the guards. From their reactions, it wasn’t the first one either.” Taggert looked disheveled, ragged around the edges, his shoulder-length hair falling loose about his shoulders.

Raven stepped closer to him, her concern growing. “When’s the last time you ate?”

He tipped his head, his wolf rising under his skin. Since he couldn’t change, it had to be painful, but he didn’t seem to notice as he watched her. She very carefully lifted her hand and set it on his chest. His heart thundered under her hand, heat radiating off him like a furnace. Shifters normally ran warm, but he practically burned as if he’d caught a fever.

“Taggert—”

His lifted his head and inhaled deeply as if trying to catch a sent. He grabbed her arm and dragged him behind her. “Come, someone is watching.”

He threaded them between the tents. She cracked open her senses, able to feel them behind them, practically breathing down their necks, searching around her until she located the problem

Shifters.

Two of them.

And gaining ground fast.

Taggert halted abruptly in front of a large tent with a big picture of a clown on the outside. He didn’t hesitate and shoved her through the clown’s open mouth and inside the tent. Mirrors sparkled on every surface, the floor and ceiling covered with black cloth. “We’re in a fun house.”

The place was set up as a maze … or a death trap.

There was only one way to go.

Forward.

Taggert grabbed her arm, his face grim as they ran. The two men behind them whooped as they caught their scent and entered the maze in hot pursuit.

Tagger sniffed, tugging and pulling her through the warren of mirrors in a path that only he could see … or smell as it were.

She heard whispers of feet behind the mirrors as they stalked them every step of the way. When they were halfway through the maze, the room began to shift, the mirrors reconfigured into a new setting.

The distorted mirrors threw their images back at them, the pitch-black tent making it appear that there were more people present than there actually were.

Claws raked against glass, the screech so loud it felt like icepicks slammed into her eardrums. Running footsteps pounded around them, echoing against the mirrors, making it impossible to pinpoint their location.

A slash of pain racked down her arm and blood filled the air. “Son of a bitch.”

Taggert whirled, crouched to spring, his eyes glowing a brilliant yellow in the darkness, but the men had already disappeared back into the maze. Laughter rang out, and the mirrors shifted again.

She saw a flash of movement. “Behind you.”

Taggert rolled, and the claws meant to eviscerate him gouged down his back instead. Neither wound would’ve killed him. “They’re playing with us.”

The shifters were picking on them because they thought she and Taggert were the weakest.

They were nothing more than bullies.

The dragon gave a hum of awareness in the back of her mind, settling down to watch, but letting her handle things.

Great.

Just when she could’ve used the help.

As if on command, her claws sliced through the tips of her fingers, the second of pain startling her.

The dragon.

She was giving her the means to defend herself by fighting fire with fire.

Only it would mean giving away her secrets in the process.

She immediately curled her fingers into fists to hide them, the claws sinking into her palms.

She racked her brain to come up with a plan, but the reflections of dozens of mirrors distorted her senses. Her eyes told her one thing while her other senses told her another, leaving her disjointed and off balance.

The experience could only be worse for Taggert.

That was when she realized they’d been herded there for a reason. She rushed over to Taggert. “Close your eyes. Focus all your attention on your other senses. You’ll be able to find them before they can sneak up on us.” She grabbed his hand, ignoring the blood trickling down her arm, the skin tight and icy as the gash closed. “I’ll lead you through the maze. You keep them off of us.”

He stared at her a second longer with an unreadable expression, then nodded and closed his eyes, trusting her completely. Raven took comfort from the grass smell uniquely his own.

She could do this.

For him.

She exhaled and peeled back the shield she wore. Electricity and magic rose from deep within her bones and sped through her veins. When the power built enough, she released it through the air, watching it light up as it caught the invisible trail, the twisted blue and red strands leading the way out in a path that only she could see. She unerringly wound them through the maze before the gears began to grind again.

Taggert lunged to the left, yanked out of her hold and lashed out into the darkness.

A startled yelp rang in the confined space.

When Taggert sprang to follow, she snagged his shirt and yanked him backward seconds before the mirrors snapped into place and separated them.

 She twisted to gauge their new surroundings, but they appeared to be in a room completely enclosed by mirrors. Only their reflections stared back at them. The men whooped and hollered as if they’d succeeded in trapping their prey. Danger prickled painfully along her back as the men closed in on their location.

Then she noticed that her magic trail continued … through one of the mirrors. Raven narrowed her eyes. “They’ll be waiting for us when we exit. Whatever happens, don’t react. Your mission is to find that boy.”

She was taking a gamble that those hunting the circus weren’t there to hurt Taggert.

She was betting his life on it.

No matter what happened, they had to locate the boy. The urgency kicked up a notch, scratching at her skin like a mosquito bite she couldn’t quite reach.

Time was running out.

If they didn’t find the boy in time, she feared they’d all be in trouble.

Taggert opened his mouth to protest, and she lifted her hand. “Follow me.”

Then Raven ran toward the mirror, lifted her arms, curled up her legs, and threw herself at the glass.

It shattered on contact.

Gravity took hold, and she landed crouched on her feet in a shower of sparkling glass. Taggert didn’t hesitate, dropping down lightly next to her just seconds later.

Cursing sounded behind them, and they took off running, winding their way through the maze until the exit blazed before them, sunlight streaming through the doorway. Raven slowed, her steps stumbling. The light should’ve been warm and inviting, but all Raven wanted to do was head back the way they’d just come.

The world around them fell silent, and she realized they were completely alone inside the maze.

It had all been a game, corralling them exactly where they wanted them.

A trap to teach them a lesson.

 She had no doubt the ringmaster knew exactly what was happening and had approved the hunt.

Retaliation for her interference last night.

Raven glanced at Taggert, his eagerness to fight chilling her down to her bone. The meek, eager-to-please man she’d first met had vanished, replaced by this volatile creature. She was more determined than ever to leave tonight and find out what the hell was happening to him before she lost him to the rage. If he turned feral, she feared she’d never find him again.

Raven wrapped all the current back around her. It fought her, wanting to protect her, sensing the lingering danger. More than a dozen people stood waiting for them, their energy swarming the tent. It would be so easy to drop them where they stood. She was almost willing to take the risk when the dragon swallowed the current down, leaving her feeling impotent.

“Remember what I said.” She waited for Taggert to nod. His muscles bunched, his eyes gleamed in protest, before he finally relented.

Then she took a deep breath and walked outside to confront the growing crowd waiting to lynch her.

Chapter Nineteen

“You were warned what would happen if you didn’t obey.” Clancy shook his head as if saddened by her obstinacy.

Like what was about to happen was all her fault.

She wanted to demand proof, but she wasn’t sure which rules he knew she’d broken and which he didn’t. She didn’t want to give him more ammunition.

He seemed disappointed that she didn’t confront him, and she was beginning to understand the helplessness of being a lowly member in a pack.

Men surrounded her and Taggert, marching them toward the Big Top. Besides the small gathering, the circus was deserted.

Then they entered the tent.

Everyone had been gathered.

No one spoke, no one moved as they watched her enter, not wanting to draw attention to themselves. At the edge of the ring stood a fully-clothed Jackson, and her heart plummeted to her knees. He stiffened when he saw her, but didn’t otherwise show any other reaction, his emotions once more locked down. They shoved Taggert next to him and guided her into the center of the ring.

“We granted you leniency because you’re new, but you left camp, snuck around when you should’ve been working. You continue to flaunt the rules. We gave you the benefit of the doubt, but now you’ll both be punished for your crimes.”

Raven gave a start of surprise and realized they were talking to Jackson and Taggert.

“Pin them.”

Raven stepped forward when Jackson shook his head.

To her horror, she watched as two large chains were dragged into the ring. Collars were fitted around their throats. Even from the distance, she smelled silver burning their skin. Raven couldn’t catch her breath, the need to do something riding her hard. Then both chains were pulled through a loop on the floor and bolted down.

The action forced both men onto their knees.

Then, much to her surprise, Clancy turned toward her. “Tie her down.”

Both Taggert and Jackson lunged forward, but they were effectively trapped. Greggory stepped toward her, ignoring Jackson’s snarl and Taggert trying to claw his way free.

“Hands.”

Raven saw the apology in Greggory’s eyes.

There would be no help from him.

If she caused trouble, Clancy would take it out on her men. She slowly lifted out her arms, and he quickly secured her wrists, careful not to touch her skin. The bindings bit into her skin, his eyes stark as he met her gaze. Then he spun her around, lifted her hands and looped the rope through a spike high on the pole similar to the one Jackson had split last night.

It was thirty feet high, six inches around.

A shifter could easily break it, not to mention the ropes binding her arms.

Greggory yanked on the straps, pulled the restraints tighter, until she remained balanced on her toes. Her gaze flashed up to his in time to see him mouth two words. “Stay strong.”

She read the silent message.

Stay human.

Then he disappeared from sight.

Careful not to touch her, he ripped open the back of her shirt and spread the edges, exposing her skin to the cool air.

Then she realized what was happening.

They were going to whip her.

Her breath stuttered out of her. She leaned her forehead against the rough wood and widened her stance. She grabbed the ropes and wound them in her hands. Her back tingled in anticipation of the pain, vividly recalling what the fall of the lash felt like.

The sharp pinch as her skin split.

The trickle of blood.

The few seconds of blessed numbness before the burning pain set in.

With her stomach churning, she made the only decision she could to protect the pack—she cut the connection. Half her senses died, the loneliness growing worse when she couldn’t feel them.

A tiger roared in the distance and tears gathered at the back of her eyes.

Durant.

She jumped as the crack of the whip snapped in the air. She relaxed her muscles in anticipation of the blow, released the breath she’d been holding, not willing to give Clancy the satisfaction of screaming.

Then there was no more thought. The air shifted as the whip began to whirl. The first blow made her jump, and she arched away from the pain. A low moan strangled in her throat, and she clenched her teeth and slowly straightened.

After five lashes, her back was on fire. Her claws sliced through the tips of her fingers and thunked into the wood to keep from tearing at the ropes confining her.

On the sixth lash, her skin sliced open and blood trickled down her back.

Her beast rumbled in displeasure, flooding her system with adrenaline, dulling the pain enough for her to take a single deep breath before the next stroke landed.

By the eighth stroke, sweat beaded on her skin, dripping into her wounds, but she barely felt the added sting. Her legs shook, and she used the pole to support her weight.

Two more blows landed, and Raven could only manage short, quick breaths, anything else impossible as each movement sent agony screeching through her back.

She gritted her teeth, determined to stick it out even when the beast threatened to rise. She thought it would try to take away the pain ravaging her body, but realized the dragon was waking because of the loss of connection to the pack.

She just had to hold on for a few more minutes. Pain had been such a constant companion to her for so many years, she welcomed it like an old friend, swallowed it down and pushed past it.

Allowing her to think.

Her body felt too small to contain everything, and a tiny crack spidered up her shields.

Raven concentrated on the energy that had been so much of her life, weaving it together to form a grid, moving quickly so the beast wouldn’t guess her intent. When she secured the mesh, she slowly fed it power. She almost lost her concentration when the next two lashes landed in quick succession.

The dragon wouldn’t be calmed. It wanted her pack back. Her vision darkened for a second, and she used the last of her energy to power the cage.

The beast roared in denial when it realized what she’d done and threw itself at the grid.

It felt like someone had punched her in the ribs … from the inside.

Breathing became impossible.

More frightening, the cage bent like taffy.

Two more blows, and the dragon would be free.

Agony kept her focused, allowed her to function, and she concentrated on holding the cage steady. If her beast tore free, she feared the dragon wouldn’t judge right from wrong, but kill everyone for just being there.

The beast snarled in agreement, and her skin heated. Her control slipped further. The ropes cut into her skin as she struggled against the binding. If she hadn’t been tied up, she would’ve been clawing at her flesh.

Her beast wanted out.

Unfortunately, she doubted she’d survive the transition. Only purebreds have the ability to change. If she’d been a normal shifter, she would’ve changed at puberty. Most who try to change later don’t survive, stuck between forms. People like her, those who carry multiple strands of DNA, would end up tearing themselves apart from the inside out if they tried.

The ropes creaked ominously, the wooden pole groaned, and her back screamed in agony at the strain. 

“Enough.” Clancy sounded furious that she didn’t bend to his will, but Raven didn’t give a shit. All that mattered was the dragon stopped pounding against the inside of her skull like little fairies armed with sharp pickaxes. She sagged against the pole, fighting nausea.

When someone touched her bindings, Raven flinched, struggling to lift her head and focus her eyes. “Easy, little queen.”

Greggory.

The ropes released, and she wobbled precariously before forcing her legs to hold her weight, determined to walk out on her own two feet. 

Greggory followed her, blocking the view of her back, giving her some privacy.

The crowd had long since gone quiet, everyone shifting uneasily as she passed, even the human guards. What concerned her most was the absolute silence from Jackson and Taggert. They’d fallen quiet after the first lash, and she stole a glance at them as she passed.

As easily as that, the connection between them snapped back into place. The dragon shuttered, settling down like a bird with ruffled feathers, carefully checking the bindings as if they were little chicks. A trickle of energy struck the men hard, and she finally saw their chests rise for the first time in minutes.

Theirs eyes glowed with their wolf, power clouded the air around them both, and everyone stepped away, not daring to come too close. Taggert appeared shattered, Jackson grim, both of them nearly feral.

Blood dripped down their necks from the collars. The bolts pinning the chains to the floor had bent, almost ripped free from the moorings. Their wildness thudded into her body, fed the violent need to be free and hunt. As she neared, the primal urge scaled back, and their humanity slowly returned to their eyes.

A minute or two more and they would’ve broken free and torn into the crowd.

It was why Clancy had called a halt.

Despite the anger seething around him at being disobeyed, his confidence was shaken. Suspicions darkened his eyes as he stared after her, and she knew he’d guessed some of the truth.

Both men were just too strong to be rogues.

They were pack.

To attack another pack was cause for war.

The need to go to her men and touch them nearly overtook her, only Greggory’s presence prevented her from putting her thoughts into action. Greggory opened the flap of the tent and stepped closer, forcing her to move or risk current arcing into him. “If you stay, you’ll only make it worse.”

“My men—”

“Will be released when they’ve had time to calm down. Your blood will only incite them more.” When she hesitated, he pushed home his point. “Don’t give Clancy a reason to kill them.”

“It’s only going to be a matter of time before he tries.” She allowed herself to be steered outside. The slight breeze set her back on fire, her words emerging through gritted teeth.

Greggory didn’t say anything, just guided her around the tents until she was standing outside a larger trailer. His faint scent faded in and out, indicating he spent most of his time there, away from the others. When he opened the door, the sharp antiseptic stink of medicine and cleaners billowed out, cutting off his elusive scent before she could identify it.

He held open the door and nodded for her to enter. “We’ll have more privacy inside.”

She sneezed at the chemical stench, nearly bending double as pain riddled her body. It took her close to a full minute before she could straighten and enter.

Though the place was packed floor to ceiling with supplies, there was a sort of order to the chaos. Raven remained standing, twisting to keep Greggory in view, not trusting anyone at her back. Not even him despite his helpfulness.

“Clancy follows the same pattern with all new people. He always picks the most vulnerable, the one most likely to get the desired results. Any small infraction is met with brutal punishment, a lesson you only need to learn once.”

“Ah.” Everything made a sick sort of sense. “To bring us under his heel.”

Greggory ignored her and began gathering supplies. “Only it backfired for the first time today. Those men of yours gave him pause. They wouldn’t break. He has no use for those he can’t control.”

Foreboding wrenched through her gut.

Clancy had no intention of releasing them.

Greggory peered up from the supplies he’d gathered on the small table, the truth in his eyes. The shadows engulfing him parted, dragging her under his tow. A dozen or more tiny strands of energy bound him, not pack bonds, but something more. Each strand had a different flavor, like associated with a different pack. Before she could push for more, a huge brown bear formed in her mind. It reared on its hind legs and roared so loud it reverberated in her head, pain and anger and outrage thudding in her chest.

The connection between them shut down, severed so brutally she swayed at the abrupt loss. He might be terribly strong, but he’d fallen into Clancy’s trap like all the others. Only the multiple strands prevented him from being claimed by force.

So why would he linger, unless …

“The missing kid.” Greggory flinched slightly, a small tightening around his eyes that gave him away. “You don’t fit in with the rest of the group. You keep to yourself, not forming any ties. The others stay away, even the hunters avoid antagonizing you.”

He grunted as if she’d struck him. Ignoring her, he ripped open some of the packages and opened a bottle of antiseptic then slipped on a pair of gloves. “Let me see to your back. They’ll be coming for you soon.”

The ominous words didn’t deter her. “Taggert didn’t find anything, but he’s going to keep looking. He’s close.”

The hard set of his shoulders softened a fraction, the querulous bear changing, becoming curious. Raven had only met one other bear, London, her security guy. The man was massive and could change into a large Kodiak that would only attack when provoked, but he would be deadly and relentless until he got his prey. This grizzly was different, grumpy all the time. If she kept on poking, he would retaliate.

Then she thought no more as he poured antiseptic into her wounds, setting them afire. Ten minutes passed as he cleaned up the wounds and blood. “You’ve already stopped bleeding. I don’t think you’ll need stitches, but you’d do best to try not to heal too fast. Clancy is already suspicious.”

A faint accent tinged his voice, Russian if she had to guess, the first real sign of any emotion other than anger. He snapped off the gloves, not once looking at her as he pulled out a shirt from the sea of gray in a nearby drawer and handed to her. Raven accepted it, grateful not to walk around in her tattered clothes. She let what was left of her shirt fall to the floor and tugged the new one down over her head. Her body ached, but the pain was already easing. Though he was slim, the shirt still drowned her, his elusive scent going in and out of focus.

The dragon grumbled at being smothered in another shifter’s stink, not ready to trust him just because he’d helped her. Greggory’s loyalty wasn’t easily given, and she didn’t have it yet. Without that boy, his allegiance would always be to his owner.

Greggory headed toward the door, the muscles of his back tense as his hand clenched on the latch, but he didn’t open it. “You need to leave.”

He was telling her it was okay to leave him and the boy behind. His gruff tone, his lowered eyes were deferential to her … a female shifter. It gave her a little peek into his past. He’d grown up as part of a pack, with all the rules and structure instilled into him from birth.

“You’re worried about us being forced to pledge to Clancy.” The dragon perked up, breathing down her neck and she swallowed hard, needing to know how much he’d discovered about them. A prickle of unease slithered down her back, and the dragon sank its claws in her guts at the thought of someone else trying to claim what was hers.

Greggory’s nearly black eyes lifted toward hers. “I suspect that even if he tried, the binds wouldn’t form. All of your men have a prior claim that would prove too strong to break by the likes of him.”

Raven stilled, all sounds faded as her world became centered on the man before her.

He knew.

Well, knew enough to get them killed if he told the wrong people.

“You—”

“Don’t be a fool. I won’t have to say anything. If you stay, they’ll find out the truth on their own and kill you and your pack to protect themselves. If you were any other female, they might be tempted to keep you, but a rare alpha female is just too dangerous.”

A trickle of breath escaped her. He was right. Her mind quickly switched track, plotting the best escape routes. “More than half of the hunters were missing at the tent.”

“There are no scheduled hunts.” Greggory scratched his jaw, the scruff of his beard rasped in the silence. “They’ve been searching the woods for the missing lion.”

“Can’t leave evidence behind, not to mention losing a payday.” Then her attention sharpened. “Have they been going off in pairs and maybe not returning?”

From Taggert’s description of the mauled body he had found and the timing, Raven had a very good suspicion who was leaving the bodies.

Their very own king of the jungle.

Greggory’s eyes widened, a grin tugged at his lips, but warned, “That doesn’t mean that they’re all dead.”

But it did mean that more than half of them were not there to guard the circus.

Raven no longer cared.

They were leaving.

She’d given the dragon the benefit of the doubt, but if they continued to stay, she feared that none of her pack would survive.

The dragon didn’t protest this time, and that only made her apprehensive, wondering if she’d waited too long already.

Chapter Twenty

Two guards deposited Raven outside her trailer after her interesting exchange with Greggory. He was right. Today was the perfect time to leave, but that didn’t mean they would sneak out quietly like thieves.

As she reached for the knob, her spine tingled, and she froze.

Someone was watching her.

She turned, a twinge shooting down her back, when she spied Taggert lurking between two small trailers. His gaze raked over her from top to bottom, almost clinical as he searched for weaknesses like she were prey. Wildness poured off him in waves, but he seemed to be in charge if by the skin of his teeth. She took a step toward him, wanting to lay her hands on him and calm him, but he retreated, blending into the shadows without a word.

His slim form moved so graceful and fast she could barely track him. She expected him to pick a place to hide and watch her. Instead, he headed toward the woods and vanished into the trees from one step to the next.

Heading after the boy.

Warmth filled her chest, and she curled her fingers into fists, missing not being able to touch him. She turned and entered her trailer—and stumbled to a stop to see Veronica coming out of the bathroom.

The wounds on her back tugged again, and Raven winced. Her beast sank into her bones, weighting them down, hiding until she couldn’t even feel a single thought from the creature. In the space of seconds, half her senses died, nearly doubling her over with the loss.

All the scents she’d relied upon vanished, the air losing taste, leaving her floundering for balance.

“Here.” Veronica opened a drawer and handed her a small bottle of lotion, her voice soft. “If you spread this on your skin, it should prevent scars.”

“You…”

A bitter smile twisted her lips, her thin blond hair appearing dull and lank out of water. “Just because I’m Clancy’s lover doesn’t exclude me from his punishments.”

Right then, Raven was sure she’d been placed with Veronica so the mermaid could spy and report back to her lover.

She needed to tread carefully.

Raven accepted the bottle, then eased down on a stool. “Then why?”

Veronica perched herself in front of her dresser, fussing with her hair and makeup. “Being at his beck-and-call allows me more freedom. Plus the perks. I get more food, my own place and the more time he spends with me, the less time he spends…”

She trailed off, fiddling with the brush she held, and Raven picked up the thread. “With your hostage.”

“Exactly.” A sad smile lifted her lips. She sighed and pushed to her feet, her beauty queen fake smile back in place. “Time to get back to work. I believe you’ll be with Eve today until your back has healed.”

“But the animals—”

“Will be handled. Until you’ve had a chance to heal, the smell of your blood will only provoke them.”

Effectively separating her from her whole pack, including Durant.

Raven stared at the door long after the woman left, but the dragon never returned.

Almost like she was afraid.

Two hours later, she sat next to the gypsy, watching her work the crowd. A light energy floated in the air around the witch, threaded through the person’s aura … as if she could really read their future from it, and Raven wondered if it were actually possible. The process must leave her exhausted by the end of the day. “You give them honest reads.”

A scowl scrunched up her face. “Of course.”

The tension between the two of them hadn’t dissipated. They had an unsteady truce, but Raven didn’t know how much longer it would last. Two men wove their way through the crowd toward them, people she recognized from the circus. One of the men dropped off a picture then walked away without a word.

Targets.

Eve paled, the starch beaten right out of her, resigned to her job.

Raven picked up the picture of a small family with a boy no more than four years old. “And just what are you supposed to do?”

She couldn’t keep the accusation out of her words, and Eve flinched before straightening and lifting her chin. “Whatever I have to in order to keep my son alive.”

Even with all the people milling about, Raven easily spotted the family. The woman was human, but the father and child were pure shifter. Love shone on their faces. Raven blinked her eyes, dropping into her second sight. Swirls of energy that made up the world flared to life.

When she locked on the family, her shoulders drooped.

They were not a part of a pack.

The truth knocked her out of her special sight, the world rushing back in a crashing wave of sounds and colors.

Eve stood and smiled, working her way through the crowd. Panic built up in Raven’s chest like a crushing weight. If lucky, the boy would be sold into the pack, at worst, he’d become nothing more than a slave … just like she had been at that age.

She couldn’t allow it.

Raven pushed through the crowd, beyond caring if anyone got too close and received a nasty shock.

Eve spoke to the parents, laughing and reading their palms.

All lies.

Raven bent toward the kid and dropped every shield that she’d spent a lifetime building. The dragon roared toward the surface with the force of a volcano erupting, nearly knocking her on her ass. Sparks crackled along her skin, scorching her flesh until tiny platelets slid into place.

The kid jumped, then froze, unable to move as she pinned him under her gaze. “You’re in danger. You must take your family and run.”

Power swelled as she spoke, changing the plain words into a command. The young kid looked scared shitless, but nodded.

Since Raven was a female alpha, he had no choice but to obey. “Now.”

The kid opened his mouth and screamed bloody murder. Both parents immediately stopped talking and surrounded him, trying to get the kid to hush, but nothing they did helped.

“I’m so sorry.” Embarrassment and concern tinged the parents’ apology. “The show must be too much for him.”

Raven quickly retreated, releasing the beast from her hold, swaying as all the lovely energy dissipated. The lashes on her back throbbed at the influx of energy, forcing her body to heal faster than it could handle all at once, as if someone had taken a blowtorch to seal her wounds.

The world spun wickedly, and she focused on the family making their way toward the exit. The boy gazed at her over his shoulder. Terror was etched on his face, but also a dangerous amount of awe, the kid not even fazed by her beast.

“What the hell did you do?” Eve grabbed her arm and spun Raven around and pain seared through her. “Do you even know what you’ve done? Clancy’s going to be after you now for defying him again. He can’t let it go or it will make him appear weak.”

The gypsy spoke from experience. And they were both going to be blamed for chasing the kid away. “I’m sorry to drag you into this.”

Eve’s lips compressed, but she didn’t protest further, her focus trailing after the small family, her brows pinched together. “He’s never targeted children before.”

Raven’s attention sharpened. “So you think it was a test?”

She lifted a brow as if to say what an idiotic question. “You don’t?”

And Raven had clearly failed.

Eve rolled up her sleeve, revealing a silvery mess of scars, not an inch of her skin unmarked. “Each time I let someone slip away, I get marked, a constant reminder of my failure. When I run out of room, my boy is next.”

Fury pierced Raven that they’d threaten to mark a child in such a way.

“Don’t say a word. Let me do the talking.”

Uncertainty lightened Eve’s eyes, a speck of hope glimmering there before she brutally crushed it. “Sure. Whatever.”

The commotion drew attention, especially from the two men who’d dropped off the picture, and they sliced their way through the crowd toward them like crocodiles closing in on wounded prey. They drew to a halt in front of Raven, purposefully edging into her personal space. A good intimidation factor if she’d been human. Both men towered over her, each inches over six feet. Their bodies were lean, but not trained for fighting like pack members were from birth. “Follow us.”

Eve nodded like a well-behaved pet, giving into the inevitable without a fight.

They were once again directed toward the Big Top. Clancy barked out orders, the people inside scrambling to get ready for the next show. When his eyes landed on them, he fell silent, a gleam of annoyance at being defied flashing in their depths. He let out a piercing whistle and everyone stopped and fell silent.

“You were given one task and failed.”

Panic swirled around Eve, her eyes shimmered with tears, but Raven had to give her credit when they didn’t fall.

There was no use denying anything, not since it was a set-up from the beginning.

Raven stepped forward, ducking her head, not meeting his eyes, a pure submissive gesture that took everything in her to perform. “My fault. I came on too strong. The kid got scared before we could learn more.”

Clancy’s face scrunched up in displeasure as if she’d taken away his favorite toy. He wanted her to fight so he could punish her.

“Do you have anything to add, Eve?”

Raven kept her head down, not daring to even breathe as she waited for the gypsy to turn her over. Despite the distance between them, she felt Eve tremble, smelled the stench of fear emanating from her skin. “No.”

Raven peered up to catch Clancy’s scowl, clearly undecided if he was being played.

Then a smile tipped the corner of his lips, and her heart shriveled at the malicious pleasure. “Very well. For your reward, after the show, you and your men will have the honor of joining my pack. We’ll make it official.”

Bile rose in the back of her throat. The thought of being forced into service stabbed deep in her gut, pinning her in place with a sharp blade. Her mind flashed back to Jackson, and she wondered if that was how he’d felt when she’d taken him from his prestigious pack and dropped him into her messy life. It wasn’t as if she really gave him a choice. A vice clamped around her chest at the resentment he must feel.

 As if her thoughts conjured him, Jackson appeared at the back of the crowd, moving into place as he waited for her signal. Their eyes clashed, and she looked away in shame.

Everyone deserved a choice.

The bindings holding the pack together might keep the men safe, but she wasn’t willing to risk their lives on a gamble. “And if we decline?”

Jackson tensed and crept farther into the crowd, heading toward one of the armed hunters.

He would cover her back even knowing it would be a suicide mission.

She shook her head.

Now was not the time to make a move. The pack was too separated. They would move tonight.

Satisfaction coursed through her veins at the decision.

Jackson hesitated for a fraction of a second then backed away, blending into the crowd.

Instead of getting angry, Clancy’s smile only grew. “You have until tonight to decide. I won’t force you to join the pack. We’re not monsters.”

Anticipation surged around him, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out why. If they didn’t join, they died. “Why don’t you go to your trailer to decide?”

It wasn’t a suggestion.

She’d be a virtual prisoner until the main event. Once Taggert returned, the pack would need to be ready to move and fast.

“Don’t worry about your little wolf.”

Raven snapped up straight as if she’d been shot and whirled to face Clancy, horror piercing her soul.

Taggert.

The ruthless pack leader stared back at her. “I sent my hunters to follow him and drag him back. It wouldn’t do for him to miss the honor.”

They were going to hunt him down like some animal, not caring that he couldn’t shift. When she lunged for Clancy’s throat, a man lifted his rifle and locked her firmly in his sights.

Raven didn’t care.

Only when the dragon gave a warning thump in her chest did she hear a shell click into the chamber of a second rifle.

She froze and cranked her head back.

A second shooter stood in an aerial booth thirty feet in the air, his gun pointed straight at Jackson.

No way could she reach them both in time.

Impotent rage thickened the air around her, until she felt stuck in quicksand and sinking fast.

“Put a guard on that cat of hers. If she leaves the hospitality of the trailer, kill him.” Smugness oozed from Clancy as he turned his back on her … an insult in the shifter community. He didn’t consider her a threat.

It would be the last mistake he made.

“Take her away.”

Chapter Twenty-one – Day 4

DAY FOUR: AN HOUR BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Raven paced the cramped trailer, the clank of the chain around her ankle dragging roughly against the floor with her every move. The metal chafed her skin raw, only adding to her annoyance. It had been two hours since they’d tossed her inside to await her fate. The afternoon heat had cooled as darkness fell. No one came to visit, not giving her the opportunity to squeeze any information out of them.

Her stomach rumbled, hunger devouring her from the inside out. She burned through calories like a shifter. If she didn’t eat soon, her control over the current and the dragon would waver.

The lack of food combined with the coming storm only meant trouble.

Not that she could see much outside.

A heaviness clung to the air like a weight pressing against her sternum. Energy continued to build, a palpable threat waiting to pounce as soon as she let down her guard. Her skin itched with static, current seeking entry in her body.

There would be no dodging a lightning strike in this tin can.

The park lights turned out one after another, the music slowly winding down as people departed. The atmosphere changed as a more dangerous clientele entered the fairground, the thrill seekers and hunters who craved the more challenging chase than regular animals or humans.

The sense of time running out coiled around her until she felt ready to snap. Taggert was in the middle of nowhere, being hunted if what Clancy said was true. Jackson would soon be fighting for his life, while Durant was left rotting in a fricken’ cage. To be trapped inside the trailer, not knowing what could be happening to her people was driving her insane.

Clancy expected her to be cowed.

Expected her to obey.

Maybe it was time to stop playing by his rules.

Crouching, she grabbed at the chain around her ankle and studied the shackle. A simple padlock secured the latch. She grabbed the lock, then reached for her energy.

Instead of the cooling blue strands of power, her dragon roared to life. She clenched and unclenched her hands, marveling as tiny plates of armor locked under her skin.

She pulled on the metal, stunned to see it stretch apart like clay and plunk to the floor as it fell apart.

Shifter strength … gotta love it.

She should be concerned the beast had taken over her body without even a struggle, but she was coming to understand that if she wanted to keep her pack, she needed to embrace the beast she’d always feared.

She stood, all her senses tingling as they came back to life after a long slumber, energy shimmering into her veins. Not wanting to waste any more time, she headed toward the door and twisted the knob.

Locked.

Using her strength, she wrenched it a little harder, and the handle came off in her hand. She dropped the tin knob to the floor with a hollow thunk. The door creaked open, and she waited for an alarm to blare, a shout to break the silence.

Nothing.

She refrained from throwing a blast of energy around to gauge how many people guarded the trailer. She couldn’t risk Taggert would notice, couldn’t risk distracting him. If he thought she was in trouble, he would charge right into danger.

The air practically crackled with electricity, the smell of ozone right before lightning strikes. The need to run and hide, escape before it was too late, swept over her like the tide, nearly drowning her under the force.

Her nerves steadied when a few minutes passed and no one burst into the trailer. Instead of easing her mind, worry stuttered in her chest.

If no one was watching her, where was everyone?

Thrusting the door open, Raven launched out of the trailer, her feet hitting the ground running. With no more reason to hide, she let the dragon off the leash. She kept low, gliding through the shadows, quickly adapting to the extra boost of speed. The rides had stopped hours ago, the lights extinguished, leaving the empty metal structures clawing at the sky like giant spider legs. Raven skirted the canvas curtain separating the trailers from the freak show, avoiding the late-night entertainment.  

The farther she got away from the tents, the quieter it grew until she heard the rumble of animals in their cages.

Again, no guards.

So not good.

If they weren’t guarding the circus, Clancy had kept his promise … they were hunting Taggert. Raven wanted to charge into the forest and go after the men who thought to harm him, her muscles tensed as she scanned the tree line. The dragon swelled with the demand to hunt, the lure nearly irresistible.

It took all her willpower to turn her back on Taggert and the trouble sure to be following hot on his heels. As she neared the cages, she immediately sought Durant, tracking the big cat by the luscious scent of leather she’d come to associate with him. The tiger must have sensed her presence, pacing the length of the cage, his golden eyes scanning the grounds until it landed on her.

Just when she was ready to step out of the shadows, he turned his big head away.

Raven skidded to a stop and followed his gaze.

It took her two tries to see what he wanted her to find. The guard remained so well hidden, if she hadn’t caught a glint of metal, the smell of gun oil, she would’ve bumbled right into a trap.

The lack of guards on her own trailer now made sense. No need when all her men had them instead. She wasn’t going anywhere without them.

She could handle one guard, but it worried her to see his weapon was aimed directly at Durant.

Smart.

The tiger’s cage was out in the open, offering no coverage. Raven could wrap the darkness around her, a trick she picked up from the vampires, but she wasn’t sure she’d be fast enough to get to him before he got off a shot.

Raven studied the other cages and inched her way toward the nearest as a plan began to form. She leapt upward and grabbed the top bar of the nearest cage, effortlessly hoisting herself on top. The animals inside sensed the predator and hunkered down, not wanting to draw her attention. They peered out of their kennels.

Waited.

Anticipation of the hunt leaving their eyes glowing.

She ran across the cage tops, leaping the five-foot distance between them without missing a beat, stopping right on top of Durant’s cage.

Durant roared, a deep bass sound that rumbled in the air, and the guard jumped.

Raven used the distraction and leapt.

She landed on top of the guard, wrenching the gun away. They rolled and Raven slammed her elbow into his temple, stunning him. She straddled him as armor plated together under her fist.

With one blow, the man lay still.

The dragon gave a rumble of pleasure at the hunt and wanted to continue to beat the crap out of the man. Getting physical, drawing the first blood filled her with a bloodlust so strong it was a struggle to take back control and force herself to her feet.

The dragon grumbled in displeasure and subsided, but not without one last kick to the guard’s head to make sure he stayed down.

Raven turned, chest heaving at the thrill of the hunt and faced Durant. She’d swear that his eyes warmed. Tension eased out of him, his gait smoothing out as he prowled toward her. “You about ready to get out of here and cause some trouble?”

 Power swelled around him, and he drew it into his body. He shed his animal skin slower than Jackson but faster than any other shifter she’d seen. In a little over a minute, his bones cracked and shrank down, fur melted back under his skin, and his face and ears shrank.

From one second to the next, a very naked Durant knelt before her. She greedily scanned his body for signs of injury, but he appeared no worse for wear. The sword wound that he took high on his shoulder still hadn’t healed all the way, even though it’d been a little over a week. If he had been a weaker shifter, he wouldn’t have survived at all.

So lost in thought, she jumped when Durant reached between the bars, rubbed the distinct silver strands of her hair between his fingers before tucking them behind her ear. “I’m fine. It no longer hurts.”

The words had a sharper scent to them.

A lie.

Raven wanted to call Durant on it, but both of them knew it didn’t matter if he was hurt or not. They needed to leave.

Durant swiveled and pried out the key she’d hidden.

He threw the door wide and jumped to the ground, barely covering a wince as the movement jarred his shoulder. Muscles flexed as he lifted his arms, and he arched his back. Raven didn’t blink, fascinated by the stretch and pull of muscles.

She wondered if the cage had bothered him more or being locked in his beast for so long.

Either way, she couldn’t tear her gaze away.

It felt good to have him back.

He appeared thinner, his body honed down to pure skin and muscle, every inch of him chiseled and so defined, not an ounce of fat to be found anywhere. They barely fed the shifters, just enough to keep them weak and in check.

Just shy from going feral.  

He saw her fascination—or possibly the drool on her chin—and froze. Then with a liquid grace that no human could duplicate, he strode toward her, hunger etched on his face.

She jolted with the look, her body turning molten with the urge her to give into temptation and touch him. The more sensible side of her said turn around, they didn’t have time for this, but she couldn’t make herself go.

A shadow passed over her as she remembered the disastrous encounter with Jackson. Worse, what she’d done to Taggert by just touching him. The conflicting emotions threatened to bury her under the avalanche. How could she want three so very different men with every fiber of her being?

Then she had no more room to think when Durant stopped before her, his warm leather scent seeping into her pores, tugging her closer to the source just so she could get another whiff.

Less than an inch separated them, his heat splashing into her when he ducked his head and pressed his lips to hers.

She expected to be scooped up in his arms and ravished.

Instead, he did something more dangerous to her peace of mind … treated her like something precious that he didn’t want to scare away. The kiss sank deep in her mind and heart, and the dragon rumbled in pleasure, urging her to brush against him and take everything he offered.

She shuffled closer to do just that when Durant lifted his head. She swayed and groaned in disappointment and a roguish smile tipped his lips. “Ready to cause some trouble?”

More trouble than kissing her again?

She blinked a few times to clear her mind before nodding. “Open the rest of the cages.”

The animals grew restless when they noticed them, wandering out of the wooden-like doghouses with the grumbled demand to be free.

“With pleasure.” Durant headed right, while she went left. In under ten minutes, all the cages were empty. Raven paused in front of the empty cage where they’d kept her. Then very deliberately, she opened the door.

The ghost wolf shimmered into existence for a few seconds, muscles bunching as he launched himself out of the cage. His form vanished in a wisp of smoke, and a gust of wind swirled around her as he disappeared. A faint growl vibrated in the air, excitement of the impending fight. Then, whatever she felt was gone.

Thunder rumbled in the distance like the very earth had cracked open. Raven twitched with the need to get somewhere safe, away from all the innocent people she could hurt.

“Will they be safe?” Raven watched the last of the animals disappear into the forest with a bit of trepidation, wondering what she’d unleased unto the world. Even being generous, they were half-broken beasts with nowhere to go.

“They will do what they have to in order to survive.” Durant shrugged in a fatalistic way. “We have much more pressing concerns to deal with right now.”

He was right, of course. With one last look at the forest, she faced Durant and noted he’d found a pair of sweats from somewhere. Sensible, but she mourned seeing all that glorious skin covered up. At least the pants made it easier for her to focus on the danger they faced and not his manly dangling parts. “They plan to force everyone to join the pack tonight.”

 Durant nodded, not appearing the least bit worried. “Where are the others?”

“Taggert is searching for a missing child, while Jackson is still at the Big Top.” Unease lurched in her gut at not having them near. Riotous cheers echoed from the large tent, and she very much feared Jackson was in the middle of it.

She wove around the cages, her feet picking up speed, knowing she wouldn’t like what she was about to find. Garbage littered the ground as the entered the maze of tents. The magic of the circus appeared tarnished and run down, abandoned over a hundred years ago.

As they neared the Big Top, the crowd cheered again, and Raven’s head snapped up. She charged forward when Durant grabbed her arm and nearly yanked her off her feet, only to catch her up in his arms. She shoved at him, but the bastard didn’t have the grace to even budge as he dragged her to a stop. “They have Jackson.”

Durant pinned her against the small booth until not an inch of her could move. “You charging in there will solve nothing.”

The desperation to get to Jackson clawed up her insides, the beast swelling under her skin with the need to fight. The emotions were wild, the need primitive … the dragon influencing her. She could break his hold or give him a command he had no choice but to obey. The truth helped clear her head, and she nodded. “You’re right.”

That didn’t mean she had to like it.

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

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

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

The emotions were pure her.

But work came first. Jackson needed them.

“Are you back?”

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

Then her throat tightened in recognition.

 Fear.

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

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

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

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

A costly mistake.

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

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

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

A dog of some sort.

A scavenger used to fighting in packs.

A hyena.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The distraction was all Durant needed.

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

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

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

Instead of lying outright, Raven just nodded.

It was the best she could promise.

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

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

Jackson.

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

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

“Sold to the beautiful woman in red.”

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

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

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

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

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

Something inside Raven snapped.

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

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

Over a thousand bulbs popped in under a minute.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then his gaze locked on her.

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

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

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

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

It was too new. Too fragile to describe.

And now it was gone.

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

Chapter Twenty-two

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

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

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

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

Clancy roared, “Find me that bitch!”

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

Enough was enough.

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

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

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

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

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

A lie.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The pack connection thinned, smothered under the assault.

The men staggered under the command.

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

Not happening.

Not without a fight.

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

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

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

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

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

It could be a trap.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It all came down to one question.

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

She’d give him a week.

Two at most.

He came to the same realization.

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

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

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

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

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

The air shimmered around him as he prepared to shift.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Raven had known that the kid was the key.

A wave of helplessness clawed at her.

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

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

“I can’t take that risk.”

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

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

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

Why his lines were attached to different packs.

Why they tasted different.

Why they were so different from a normal pack bindings.

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

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

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

Chapter Twenty-three

Raven should’ve attacked Greggory while at his weakest, during the change, but she couldn’t make herself lift the sword. “What if I can cut the ties to the boy?”

His mouth pursed as if she’d asked him to eat shit. “I’m a Warden. I’ve given my oath.”

Great, now she offended him.

Big black claws curled from his fingers, each well over an inch long. He wasn’t going to stop coming after her until one of them was dead. Hampered by the storm, she wasn’t sure which one of them would come out alive.

“What is a Warden?” Raven resolutely tightened her hand around her sword, but kept the blade pointed down. As much as she hated it, if he gave her no choice, she would kill him.

The question seemed to throw Greggory, and he stopped advancing.

Which only served to infuriate Clancy. “Just kill the bitch.”

Hatred darkened Greggory’s eyes, and he clicked his claws in agitation. Clancy was a dead man walking. As soon as the kid was safe, Greggory would tear the ringmaster into itty-bitty confetti pieces.

Raven ignored the tyrant and focused on one very important fact … Greggory didn’t want to kill her. She intended to use that to her advantage.

Every minute counted, giving Taggert enough time to locate the kid and get back.

He had to be close.

“Don’t you think I deserve to know?”

As if to antagonize Clancy, Greggory crossed his arms and studied her thoughtfully. “You really don’t know?”

Raven shrugged her shoulder, hating to reveal her stupidity. “I’m learning as I go.”

“Dangerous that.” His face softened as their gazes connected. “Very well. An alpha is usually born an alpha. In some rare cases, shifters can become stronger as they get older. They gain the strength of an alpha, but they don’t have all the abilities to control a pack. It’s not something one can learn, but it doesn’t stop some from still trying. While some are content to remain part of the pack, the majority ended up being pushed out by their alphas. They don’t want the competition. We’re too big of a threat to their rule.”

He said the words like a history lesson, impersonal and detached, but emotions rolled beneath the surface. Raven narrowed her eyes. “You never had any interest in building your own pack.”

His lips kicked up at the corners. “I’m part of a pack already. I have no need to build my own.”

“So a Warden is an alpha without a pack?”

“Kill her.” Clancy looked personally affronted that she still remained breathing. He whirled on his pack and raised his voice until it rumbled in the air. “Kill her.”

Alpha power slammed into her but didn’t soak into her skin.

She was lucky, the others in his pack received the full blast.

A few of the bigger shifters dropped to their knees, fighting the command. A number of the humans eyed each other, then quickly ducked away from the coming battle. They would be nothing more than fodder in a fight, and they knew it.

No, the problem was that most of the shifters in the pack were weak. They couldn’t do anything but obey. Their eyes widened in panic as they were forced to trudge forward, programmed to do as told and attempt to rip her apart.

 “If you plan to do anything, you’ll want to start doing it.” Durant and Jackson stepped between her and the shifters, creating a protective wall.

The almost constant lightning kept the fairground bright. The thick clouds lowered ominously, so close you could reach up and touch them—an eerie color that gave them a sickly greenish cast.

The shifters tried to walk around the men. Jackson leaped forward, knocking a couple of them back like bowling pins. They scattered and went down. Durant grabbed one by the throat, literally picked the man off the ground and threw him a good ten feet. Like some deranged robot, the shifter rose, blood leaking from a gash on his head and shuffled back toward the fight.

The two men efficiently worked together as they disabled one shifter after another, Jackson protecting Durant’s weak side, but unless they started killing, they would soon become overrun.

Her hands clenched, watching them fight for her, and hated not being able to do a damned thing.

At the sounds of the fight, the werebeasts prowled forward, nothing human remaining. With the soldiers taking cover, there was no one to hold them back. They charged, claws digging up dirt as they dropped to all fours and lunged toward Durant and Jackson, fangs gleaming with saliva.

Durant threw his opponent directly at one, and they slammed into each other with a sickening crunch. The shifter yipped as they both plowed into the ground. Neither moved.

Then the other two half-shifters were on them.

Greggory flicked his claws, eying Clancy up like a side of beef, clearly wanting to help. “Your men are only delaying the inevitable. I’ll eventually have to obey. Tell them to stand down, and they might walk away with their lives.”

Everything inside her rebelled at giving up her men. No way in hell would she leave them to Clancy’s tender mercies. Jackson struggled with one werebeast, holding his own. Durant used brute strength to keep the other at bay. He dodged the snapping jaws, teeth missing his jugular by inches, and her breath caught in her throat at the near miss.

Too close.

Raven brought up her sword, gripping and re-gripping it over and over. She couldn’t stand around and do nothing while they fought for their lives.

The werebeasts didn’t act like humans, so she’d treat them like animals. Careful not to pull the energy around her and draw the storm’s attention, she scraped every speck of current from her bones. It felt like someone was slicing her up with razorblades, the agony nearly doubling her over, leaving her hollow and fragile. The blue cords crackled with static, but more worrisome, the red magic had threaded itself throughout, the teeming mass like wild lightning.

She almost changed her mind, but the dragon pressed its giant paw on her chest, forcing the energy out. Raven held it back until it felt her eyeballs were being boiled in acid, just long enough to shout a warning to her men. “Get down.”

Jackson and Durant didn’t hesitate, dropping to the ground. The magic rebounded out of her and shot through the air, ensnaring the three shifters in a net. She tightened the cords until they were surrounded, the smoldering touch of unfamiliar magic stinging.

As she’d guessed, since they were no longer human, the bindings to the pack had weakened to nothing more than faint lines. She easily snapped the cords, the backlash ricocheting in her like a flaming arrow. They stumbled to a stop, confused, no longer compelled to kill, then animal instinct took over and they ran away from the humans, disappearing into the forest in seconds.

The instant the power dissipated, her knees wobbled. She felt gutted without the comforting touch of power. Without the current to hold her shields, the storm increased in its ferocity, raw energy seeped into her body, and she had no way to stop it from overloading her.

Jackson and Durant leapt to their feet and went back to fighting, giving her time to think of a plan.

Too bad she had nothing.

“Unfortunately, you didn’t change anything.” Sadness dulled Greggory’s eyes. “I don’t want to kill you. If you hadn’t weakened yourself, you might have stood a chance to beat me.”

He might not want to kill her, but he would.

It was written on his face, but he made no move toward her.

“You’re stalling.” Raven eyed him, surprised he would try to help her.

She flinched at the sounds of flesh hitting flesh. It took everything in her not to turn around and fight with her men. The sense of time growing short sat like an elephant had parked its car on top of her chest.

Without her shields, the dragon swelled and the armor slotted into place. Her skin hardened, readying her to fight for her life. She shouldn’t be able to move with scales covering nearly every inch of her, but they shifted seamlessly with her every move.

Greggory eyes narrowed at the change, his stance shifting warily. “What did you just do?”

“I don’t want to kill you, either. Don’t make me.” Her words were pure bluff. A puff of wind could knock her over right now.

Greggory had the lethal combination of strength and determination of an alpha.

A virtual unstoppable force.

An ultimate fighter.

Her men were buying her time, but she didn’t need time, she needed a damned army. Without her dragon, she couldn’t take Greggory one-on-one even with her special enhancements. Thanks to her scales, she’d be able to take a beating, even land a few good blows, but he was too fast, too strong. The only chance she had to even the fight was to call down the storm despite the cost. With the storm brewing so heavily, she would either burn out or kill herself trying to channel the raw energy.

“Tell me more about the Wardens, and I’ll answer your questions.” She prayed he said something that she could use to get them all out of this alive. Her beast peered out through her eyes, noting every shift of his muscles, every breath, studying its prey.

It waited, ready to lunge forward to stomp on the bear and squash him.

Her pack, her hoard.

Must protect.

Her control wavered dangerously.

As the beast rose, so did the ferocity of the storm. A constant rumble of thunder drew near. The wind whipped around them like a bloodhound searching for a scent.

If the dragon burst free, they were screwed.

The creature would kill everyone, just like it did in the labs so many years ago.

She refused to believe the dragon would hurt the pack—the dragon huffed in agreement—but the storm would be another matter.

The storm was too big, too dangerous to hold back.

The dragon heeded the warning, hunkering down when it came to the same conclusion.

It gave up its chance to gain control of her at the thought of harming the pack.

The niggling worry at the back of her mind that the beast would eventually try to take over gradually faded. A warm glow of trust began to build between them.

She walked a careful balance between two worlds, spent her whole life with a caged beast. No way would the creature go back to its slumber now that it had a taste of freedom. It would fight her every step of the way if she tried. After the trouble of the last few weeks, they were so intertwined, she doubted either of them could survive without the other.

After years of struggle, Raven was finally at peace with the change, startled to realize that she’d come to care for the dragon.

The dragon was the other half of her soul.

And now it was her turn to protect them.

To stay alive, she must use her wits.

The sword warmed in her grip, reminding her she wasn’t alone.

Now, all she had to do was get close enough to use it without getting her head ripped off.

Chapter Twenty-four

Just when Raven feared Greggory wouldn’t answer her question, he spoke. “Wardens are not true alphas, but our abilities do allow us survive without a pack. It also allows us to exchange pledges with others.”

Things began making sense. “You bind yourselves to your charge, something like an ironclad agreement of service. It’s different from an alpha oath. If you don’t protect them and they die, you die with them.” Raven shook her head at the stupidity. No wonder they were so rare. “Nothing like incentive to keep you motivated.”

“Exactly.” He smirked, as if amused by her description. “We’re an elite bodyguard service. Most jobs only last a few months, and the bindings fade when it can’t be supported by a true alpha. If the job lasts longer, the bindings need to be strengthened by another exchange of blood.”

It explained the multiple bindings. “And the boy?”

Greggory straightened, coming to attention. “My alpha’s second son. I serve as a bodyguard.”

A second son to an alpha was rare, but didn’t deserve a super soldier to guard him, unless … “Both sons are alphas.”

“Two alphas is rough on a pack, three will tear it apart. Eventually, the two sons will end up challenging each other.”

“So to protect his sons, he asked you to keep them separated.” Worried about her men, she turned a fraction of an inch to watch Jackson and Durant fight. Thankfully, the shifters were still trying to get around them and not attacking directly, but eventually, her men would tire. Her heart sank with the realization she’d eventually have to fight Greggory. “How did you end up here?”

“You mean, how did we get caught?” He jerked his chin in Clancy’s direction. “The circus came to town.”

“And the boy heard the legends and ran away to save them both.” Raven felt sick at how Clancy had turned something good into evil, duping the people who needed help the most into a trap they couldn’t escape.

“He didn’t want to fight with his brother. They’re too young to challenge each other until they crest, but it won’t be too much longer.” His gaze shifted behind her, and she resisted the urge to whirl and see what was wrong.

First rule of fighting, never give your opponent your back.

But it took all her restraint not to turn.

Greggory took pity on her. “Your men know how to fight. They could probably hold out all night by sheer determination alone.”

“Thank you.” The brittle emotions holding her hostage eased a fraction.

Until she realized the truth.

Durant and Jackson would kill themselves to save her.

She couldn’t live with the sacrifice.

No more delay.

They were out of time.

From Greggory’s deep sigh, he knew it as well.

“You’re all worthless,” Clancy bellowed, his face red, spittle flying in his rage. His eyes narrowed, his crafty mind working all the angles.

Her skin crawled when he turned and headed toward the humans. He grabbed the first soldiers he reached, yanked the walkie-talkie from his belt, then shoved the man. The human thumped to the ground so hard he bounced then stilled.

Static roared to life as he clicked the button. “Get your ass back to camp and bring the kid.”

He didn’t wait for a reply, but dropped the walkie-talkie and smiled at Greggory. “Enough stalling. If you don’t kill her by the time they return, the kid is dead.”

Greggory closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them again, everything remotely friendly had vanished, leaving the deadly alpha in its place. Undaunted by the sword, willing to die, he advanced without hesitation.

Power poured off him in waves, the strength repeatedly slamming into her weakened shields.

Some of the display was intimidation, but the majority of it was just brute strength.

The storm thickened overhead, the energy soaking in her skin until her whole body felt like it was lit on fire. Static crackled in the air, begging to be used. The dragon hummed in pleasure, swelling with the influx of pure current, all but wagging its tail and ready to pounce.

As if sensing the change, Greggory slowed and circled around her, searching for weaknesses. He lunged in a blur so fast she could hardly track him. She threw herself sideways, lifting her arm, barely blocking the blow meant to rip out her throat.

Weight slammed into her arm, the brute force numbing her from wrist to elbow. She expected to lose her hand, see flesh peeled away from bone. Instead, the tiny scales weren’t even scratched.

It still hurt like a bitch, though.

A rush of adrenaline allowed her to ignore the pain as they circled each other.

At least he was going for the quick kill and not playing with his prey.

Not giving her a chance to recover, he snapped his leg out.

She lurched backward, his kick only an inch short of taking her head off. He advanced like a predator scenting blood. She dodged the right hook aimed for her chin, but missed the fist that plowed into her gut.

Her breath whooshed out of her.

Training took over, and she danced back, wheezing for air.

Spirits plummeting, she realized he wasn’t going to let up until she was dead. She ruthlessly cut off the panic, tightening her grip on the sword, more determined than ever not to lose. If she didn’t go on the offensive soon, the fight would be over even before it began.

On the next swing, she ignored the fist aimed for her ribs, brought up her sword and sliced at the soft spot under his arm.

He grunted at the impact, and the sword hummed in pleasure at the taste of blood.

The sword cut weakened the blow meant to cave in her chest.

Instead of killing her, the fist lifted her off her feet. She sailed through the air and landed with a heavy thud. She gasped for air, the pain trying to twist her insides out, nearly causing her to throw up.

Acting on instinct, she rolled, and felt the ground vibrate as his boot landed where her head had been not seconds ago.

The sword warmed in her hand, and she automatically lifted her arm. Instead of landing a chop to her throat, his hand slammed into the side of the blade. Without thought, Raven twisted to her feet and brought up the sword before dancing away. The blade sliced through the soft flesh of his stomach, the weapon guiding her hand.

Blood spilled down his abs, pulling him out of his killing rage.

Raven halted to find Greggory studying her, the doctor in him beating back the predator as he grew more cautious. What should’ve been a quick kill for him was turning out to be an evenly matched battle.

He was fast on his feet. Strong. His only weakness was underestimating her.

Now that was gone, too.

The blood would make him slippery as hell.

Too bad it wouldn’t slow him down enough to matter. She could really use the advantage.

The blade took on a slight red glow, eager for the taste of more blood and she rotated her wrist, her muscles turning liquid with the desire to attack.

Like his bear counterpart, he charged straight for her.

Raven braced herself and brought up her sword, but he didn’t even do her the courtesy of slowing down. He used her hesitation in not wanting to kill him against her, bending low.

Alarm skittered through her when she realized his intent—he wanted to disarm her.

If she lost her weapon, she would be vulnerable.

Easier to kill.

Before she could evade, his shoulder smashing onto her stomach.

Momentum flipped her through the air.

She clutched her sword, twisted and managed to land hard on her knee instead of flat on her back to be gutted like a fish.

Greggory didn’t hesitate, charging after her again without a second’s hesitation.

Raven stumbled to her feet, but much too slow.

Claws raked through the thin armor, leaving four deep grooves scored down her back where he tried to tear out her spine.

She arched forward, desperate to escape the pain, blood trickling down her back as he dug deeper into her spine. She ripped herself from his hold before he could do more damage.

Though not deep, the gouges hurt like a bitch.

Every inhalation, every movement sent agony screeching through her, and she struggled to turn and face the next attack, well aware she would be dead without her armor. If Raven didn’t get her ass in gear and fight back, she would eventually lose not only the fight but her pack as well.

The dragon bared her fangs in denial, pressing claws into her chest to get her moving. The sword hummed in her hand, and she could almost see the way Greggory would move next, the way she needed to strike to take his head.

Though she didn’t want to do it, she would do what it took to protect her men.

Greggory’s face hardened as if realizing that he’d missed the only chance he had to take her out.

“Clancy!” The gasping screech filled the clearing.

Raven gave a start, her head snapping up, and she twisted to keep everyone in view as she turned toward the tree line.

A smile blossomed across Clancy’s face. “About damned time.”

But it quickly became apparent that something was wrong.

A lone man charged blindly across the grass, all-out terror clutching him in its grip. Even from the distance, the stench of fear rose from him like he’d rolled in a pile of shit that wouldn’t wash away.

Clancy shifted from one foot to the other, the first hint of unease settling over him. “Where is the boy?”

Even before the soldier managed to clear half the distance between them, a golden lion bounded from the forest. Sweat stained the man’s shirt as if the beast had been stalking him for some time.

Playing with him.

Hope lit the soldier’s face as he neared the safety of the circus, his legs pumping faster, his chest heaving as his breath billowed in and out.

A movement at the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she saw the hunter lift his gun and take aim.

“Hey!” Raven drew back her arm and heaved her sword. It spun end over end through the air before landing with a juicy thunk into his chest and straight through his heart. Shock dropped open his mouth, and he grabbed the sword as he lifted hate-filled eyes in her direction before he dropped dead to the ground.

Clancy smiled in glee and marched toward the man, leaning over to wrench the sword from the dead body.

Her fingers tingled, the tainted magic swirling inside her at the thought of anyone else touching her sword. Even as she watched, the blade vanished before he could wrap his grubby hands around the pummel.

His eyes bulged in surprise when his hand clutched nothing but air.

As if she called it, the sword filled her hand.

She fumbled under the weight, surprise almost making her drop it. She tightened her hold on the weapon, possessive of the damned thing, taking comfort from its solid weight.

A vicious roar rented the air.

Raven whirled to see the lion pounce.

A terrified scream echoed in the small clearing, only to be cut off abruptly by a brutal snapping of bones.

The mangy lion lifted his bloody muzzle, and Raven immediately recognized Leo, the nearly feral beast she released from the cage. The shifter appeared ragged, but he’d gained a few pounds, his fur not quite so matted. A bit of craziness still gleamed in his black eyes as he surveyed the fairground in search of his next target.

“He’s been hunting the soldiers. Every time Clancy sent his men into the forest, not all of them returned.” Her words brought his big head swinging in her direction and he prowled toward her, his form nearly hidden in the long, swaying grass.

He stopped a few feet away and roared, the booming sound vibrating in her chest.

Then he promptly sat.

One … two … five more of the caged animals crept from the darkness of the forest. Blood coated a few of them, one clearly bleeding from a gunshot wound, but most of the blood was not theirs. Taggert emerged a few steps behind them, not a scratch on him. Elation soared through her. She’d never seen anything look so good. A ragged boy, no more than sixteen and covered in dirt, stumbled after him.

“He did it.” Greggory didn’t say anything more, but turned on his heel and charged her at full speed, rage and ferocity etched on his face. His body began to shift, fur sprouting along his arms, bones snapping.

Stumbling away from his attack, Raven braced to feel claws to rend her in half. The sword blazed red, the demand to defend herself a compulsion. It took all her concentration to force her fingers to release their hold, and the metal landed on the ground with a heavy thump.

Greggory changed into a full-grown grizzly, his shift slowing him down enough for her to crouch and meet the attack head-on.

Muscles flexed as he gained speed, and he leapt clear over her head.

Raven dropped to the ground, then twisted, rolling over to see that she’d never been his intended target.

Clancy spotted him in the same instant. He reached for the gun the soldier dropped, and he drew down on Greggory. Then his gazed landed on her. Pure hatred brimmed in his eyes. He knew he was going to die, but he was determined to take her with him, blaming her for all his trouble.

In slow motion, he lifted the barrel of the weapon in her direction, and she heard him pull the trigger. The cylinder turned on the revolver and the bullets exploded from the gun, hurtling toward her.

He managed to pull the trigger three times before the enormous bear slammed into him.

Then he disappeared in a mass of brown fur.

Raven twisted to evade the line of fire, but knew she’d never get out of the way in time. Jackson charged toward her, when it didn’t appear he could close the gap between them, he threw himself in the way of the bullets.

Two bullets passed harmlessly, while a third winged him before continuing on its deadly course toward her.

Durant roared in denial.

The ghost wolf flared to life, blazing with energy gained from the storm. The beast leapt toward her, slamming into her seconds before the bullets, knocking her out of the way.

Her skin tingled at the contract.

The beast gazed down at her, satisfaction shining in his eyes as his body slowly began to disintegrate into thousands of fireflies before burning away into the night. With his quest for revenge gone, there was no need for him to stay.

Durant and Jackson skidded to a stop at her side a second later. Durant searched her for injures, then thrust out his hand to help her to stand. One tug and she found herself practically swept off her feet. He kept pulling until she was snug in his arms, plastered against his chest. Not that he seemed to mind, wrapping his arms around her like he never wanted to let her go.

Durant patted her down, searching for injuries, while Jackson held back. Satisfied that she remained unhurt, Durant rested his forehead against hers. “Thank God.”

Raven snuggled in his arms, surprised to find a faint tremor running through him. She brushed her hands a down his sides. Her fingers met warm, smooth skin, while in her mind his beast rubbed his full body against her, his tail twining around her legs, seeking comfort before he finally pulled away.

She held on for a few seconds more, reluctant to release him, not after all the near misses they had so recently. Only when she heard his beast give a little rumbling purr did she finally let go.

Jackson stood within touching distance, not moving, the enforcer still in control. His arm bled sluggishly, and all her confusion and anger at him melted away.

He sensed the change in an instant and lunged toward her, crushing her to his chest. “What happened?”

Her wounds protested, but Raven didn’t complain, glad to just be in his arms. “The wolf wanted vengeance against Clancy so badly that when the beast died, he remained behind as a ghost. When they shoved me in that cage, I must have woken him up. He could’ve gone for Clancy, but he must have used the last of his energy to save my life.”

Speaking of Clancy, she shoved away from the men see the two shifters still fighting a pretty even battle. Both men were torn to shreds, blood flowing freely. Raven grabbed her sword and ran toward the fight.

It was all the incentive the others needed.  

The rest of the shifters waded into the fight, teeth and claws flashing, each intent on taking their own pound of flesh. The one-ton bull didn’t stand a chance.

Clancy bellowed in anger and denial.

He threw off the first few shifters, his body rippling as he began to shift.

Durant grabbed her arm and held her back. “Leave them their justice.”

Raven hesitated, then did as told.

Her people were no longer in danger.

She was tired of fighting.

Black twisted horns, at least a foot long, formed out of Clancy’s head, the pointed tips created for gouging. With a swing of his head, one man was nearly cut in half. Another was impaled, his body lifted off the ground, sliding farther on the horns before Clancy tossed the body ten feet through the air with a twist of his head.

The giant grizzly didn’t let him finish, bodily picking him up between massive jaws and shaking him like a ragdoll until every bone in his body had to be pulverized. Then he dropped the still form, and continued to maul him, powerful shoulders bunching and straining. With each swipe of those razor-sharp, inch-long claws, blood and flesh flew as he dug into the body.

With the death of the alpha, the bindings caught fire and unwound like a frayed string, leaving deep scorch marks throughout the pack as the final strands seared away.

The rest of the people didn’t hesitate, going after the sadistic soldiers who’d taken such pleasure in torturing them over the years. A few men ran, managed a yard or two before getting caught, and shredded by teeth and claws.

Raven turned away.

She should be pleased, the threat was over, but the viciousness left her reeling. Most of the shifters had remained human, but they’d lost all their humanity in their attack. The dragon wanted to join them, but Raven held the beast back, wondering how long she would remain human if she ever gave in to the craving for violence.

Durant limped over to her, his body bloody and bruised, bumping his shoulder into hers as if unable to stand near and not touch her. She understood the sentiment exactly and leaned into his strength.

“You did it.” His words of praise were whispered in her ear.

“No, they did.” Raven glanced down at her sword, unsettled by how much influence the blade had over her when in contact with her skin. Now that the battle was over, all she felt was cool metal.

The threat was over, so why wasn’t she relieved?

The overwhelming urge to protect the pack kept her on edge, her senses jumping to high alert as she searched for the threat. She studied the shadows, wondering what could be hiding behind the trees or waiting for them in the long grass.

Durant stepped into her line of sight. “The storm is affecting you.”

Raven rubbed her temple at the building ache, not disagreeing. “Maybe.”

“You’re worrying for nothing.” But even as he said it, he began assessing the crowd, jumping from one person to the next as he noted the possible threats.

Both men took up a protective circle around her … all but Taggert.

Her heart squeezed so hard she couldn’t catch her breath. “Where’s Taggert?”

Raven whirled, pushing through the crowd.

People grunted as static soaked into her skin in the form of a nasty shock and scrambled to get out of her way.

The storm was messing with her ability to track him.

Her shields were shut down too damned tight to be able to track him through the pack connection.

Her stomach churned with the only option left to her.

She dropped her shields, nearly doubling over in agony as the storm locked in on her. The pain sucker-punched her in the chest, stealing her breath as if she grabbed a live power line with her bare hands. Energy surged toward her in an avalanche of raw current.

It didn’t want to kill her. It wanted her to use it, and her fingers tingled with the temptation.

Everyone around her fell silent, slowly shuffling away, heads bowed in submission.

The beast hummed in pleasure at the action, sipping the current like a fine wine, each second growing stronger … growing unstoppable and Raven could do nothing to cut the flow.

But maybe she could distract the dragon.

We need to find Taggert.

Though they were fully intertwined, she treated her beast like a separate creature. Something outside herself but connected on an elemental level. She so rarely communicated with her more primitive side, she didn’t even know if the dragon would notice her plea.

Much to her surprise, the dragon shot to attention, lifted her big head, and inhaled a deep breath. Thousands of smells inundated her, way too many to analyze, and she struggled to suppress a wave of nausea that threatened to overtake her. The beast had no such problems, quickly categorizing everything. Then, moving as one, they turned toward a series of small tents … or more precisely, the shadows between them.

“Are you looking for your little pet?” The mermaid dragged an unresponsive Taggert after her.

Worry riddled Raven, and she struggled to keep thinking, keep functioning and not just react.

Something was wrong with Taggert.

He wouldn’t go meekly without a fight.

He panted heavily, his eyes glazed, his body moving sluggishly.

Raven searched him for any injuries, but couldn’t detect anything that would make him obey Veronica. It was as if he was under some sort of trance.

The dragon forced her vision to change.

She expected to see a web of energy, some spell controlling him that she could sever.

But she found nothing that would hold him in place.

The only energy around him came from his beast as it struggled to rise.

Since he couldn’t shift, the sudden influx had to be sheer torture.

“What’s wrong?” Raven could barely speak past the tightness in her throat. “Why doesn’t he stop and pull back his beast?”

Durant came to a stop at her side, his expression grim. “He’s cresting.”

Cresting takes place at puberty, when a shifter changes into his beast form for the first time. It could also be trigged by stress.

If a shifter was more human than beast, they would never shift.

Taggert was one of those people.

If he tried to shift, his beast would rip him apart.

The urgent need to go to him beat at her like a compulsion.

She could help him.

Raven lunged forward. Before she managed to take two steps, Durant wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against his body.

No matter how she struggled, he refused to loosen his hold.

“Release him.” Raven’s hand tightened on her sword, a red mist rising from the blade as the magic sensed the coming battle and lusted for another taste of blood.

Veronica smiled, revealing needle-like teeth. She lifted wickedly sharp claws and pressed them against Taggert’s throat. “No.”

Raven stilled, her eyes dropping to the talon resting directly over his pulse.

Only when she stopped struggling did Durant released her, then stood back to give them both room to maneuver.

“You’re not a mermaid.” The saltwater tank had kept her alive, but just barely. It was why her scales turned the water slimy and gave her a sickly look as soon as she left. 

“Smart girl. I’m a siren. Clancy and I learned about the circus and challenged for control.” She kicked Taggert behind the knees, dropping him to the ground.

Durant and Jackson kept close, waiting for her signal. To her shock, Greggory and the other shifters followed suit until Raven had a veritable army at her back.

Taggert’s eyes blazed yellow, his beast surging toward the surface. Veronica laughed, grabbed his snarled hair and yanked his head back. “Worthless.”

Raven lunged, her body rematerializing and cutting the distance between them in half. It all happened in less than a second.

Veronica crouched, setting her lips against his throat. “Ah-ah. Careful.”

Saliva pooled in the siren’s mouth, and she slowly licked his throat.

Tasting.

Raven halted abruptly. All the missing shifters now made sense. They weren’t hunted, and they sure as hell didn’t leave. “You took over the circus not to run it, but so you had a continuous supply of shifters. You’re cannibalizing your own pack.”

“A girl’s gotta eat.” Veronica licked her lips.

Horror rippled through Raven, and she swallowed compulsively against the urge to gag. “Bindings connect you to the pack. You and Clancy had to have felt every horrible, torturous thing you did to them.”

“Ah, but fear adds a bit of spice.” Veronica leaned forward, sniffing Taggert’s hair. “Yum.”

The dragon hunkered down, ready to leap the distance.

Mine.

“You wear them down until they’re so weak they can’t fight back. You need live flesh to survive. What better than a bunch of shifters nobody would miss?” All the hunts, all the missing people … they were dead. Raven tried to keep her attention off Taggert. She wouldn’t let him die the same way. “Have any shifters ever been released or did you just kill them all?”

“I’m the one in charge. I decide who lives or dies.” A snarl curled Veronica’s lips. “Dead meat left me sick, the tiny land animals offered no more than a snack. I was starving. I couldn’t go back to the ocean. Together Clancy and I found the perfect solution. You should be thanking me. I’m doing the shifter community a favor by getting rid of the unwanted, the very dredges of the shifter society. I put them out of their misery, giving a purpose to their pathetic lives.”

“You pretend you’re an apex predator when you’re nothing more than scum. You can’t even hunt on your own, but have them drugged and weakened before you take advantage of them. Pathetic.” Raven didn’t just poke at the psychopath but beat her with a stick, waiting for even the slightest mistake, the perfect moment to strike, but the woman kept herself too close to Taggert for her to take the risk.

Raven debated if she could close the distance between them before the siren could kill Taggert, but she just couldn’t risk his life on a gamble.

Veronica hissed in fury, the taunt pushing her over the edge. “You’ve ruined everything. You took my mate. Now I’m going to take yours.”

Chapter Twenty-five

Instead of attacking, Veronica opened her mouth and sang.

The hairs on the back of Raven’s neck stood on end at the first note. She didn’t understand the words to the hauntingly beautiful song, but the reaction was immediate.

The fighting stopped.

Not slowly, no winding down.

Just stopped from one second to the next.

The animals from the cage growled, shifting restlessly, something in the air disturbing them. They looked ready to bolt at the least provocation.

The boy fell under the spell first, quickly followed by those nearest the siren.

One by one, the men straightened and shuffled toward Veronica, their faces enraptured.

Greggory threw the kid over his shoulder and staggered, the extra weight having nothing to do with it as he struggled to fight the siren’s pull. He shook his head, stumbling a few steps and their eyes connected.

The flare of panic consuming him faded as he lost his hold on reality.

He only needed to go a couple more yards to get out of range. She held her breath with hope, only to have it plummet when he staggered to a stop. The kid slipped unheeded from his grip to crash to the ground. Her heart dropped to her knees when he turned and trudged toward the siren like all the rest.

It chilled Raven to see such a strong man being turned, all without a fight.

“What’s happening?” When only silence greeted her, Raven turned toward her men. “Durant?”

“Huh?” He blinked in confusion, but didn’t bother to even glance at her.

Jackson didn’t even register her question, turning away from her with all the rest.

Devastation nearly wrenched her heart out of her chest. When she looked around the only other person who remained unaffected was the gypsy.

Eve glanced at the men as they plodded forward, then inched her way toward Raven. None of the men even noticed the women, despite even bumping into them to get to the siren. “Can you sense anything?”

Raven focused on Veronica and dropped into her second sight.

And saw nothing.

She amped up the charge. All the warmth around her bled away, her breath billowed out in a cloud of white as she pushed herself for more. There had to be something. She expected bright bursts of magic; instead, it splashed through the air like fluff from a dandelion.

It drifted across her skin, then crawled over her like a cluster of spiders, trying to burrow into her flesh as if desperate to get inside and pull her under its spell. Blood whooshed in her ears. The longer she stayed in the alternate vision, the more her head pounded, and she finally blinked it away. “It’s not magic, but it’s close. Can you do anything?”

Eve lifted her arms and began casting, knitting an intricate spell that Raven had no ability to interpret.

Though Durant had remained by her side, he stared at Veronica, completely captivated. Something shriveled inside her when he stepped away from her, drawn to the seductress.

The dragon growled in denial, and Raven grabbed Durant’s arm.

Current jumped between them, electricity snapping in the air, and every hair on her arm stood on end. The dull look in his beautiful golden eyes gradually faded. He shook his head like a dog, not seeming to recognize his surroundings, completely dazed and uncoordinated as if drugged.

“Durant?”

Alarm spiked through her when Jackson drew farther and farther away, and she reluctantly loosened her hold on Durant to go after him.

She darted forward, managing only two steps, when a gurgling protest reached her ears. Her skin crawled at the sound. She whirled to see Durant sway on his feet, the vacant look falling back over his eyes.

“Run.” His raspy voice sent a chill down her spine.

She was losing him.

The same realization darkened his eyes, and a pit of despair yawned between them at his utter helplessness. He took one stumbling step toward her when he completely forgot her existence, and his eyes began to dull over.

Her soul shattered at the loss. If she did as directed and left, the circus would vanish in the middle of the night, and she’d never see any of them again.

She couldn’t do it.

Even if it meant they would kill her.

The animals paced restlessly, unaffected by whatever the bitch was doing.

Hope surged at the realization, and Raven whirled and yelled, adding power to her words to make it a command. “Durant, you have to shift. She can’t control your beast.”

He heard her order and struggled against the pull of the siren, but it was too little too late. With each heartbeat, he fell further under her influence.

Then it was too late as he finally lost the battle.

She grabbed for his beast, willing the change on him, but slammed into some sort of barrier. No matter how much energy she threw at it, she couldn’t access his tiger, meeting nothing but darkness.

The loss of connection gutted her, leaving her so alone the dragon lifted its big head and gave a mournful wail. She’d been able to connect to him by touch, and a fragile hope flared to life. She tried to shove the shifters out of the way, but it was like pushing at a brick wall. She wedged herself between two men and squeezed through, only to be confronted by three more.

“Raven.” Eve grabbed her arm, a combination of fear and pity etched on her face. “We can’t help them that way. We need a plan.”

“The men are mine.” Veronica stood, her chin high, surveying the crowd like a queen over her possessions.

Fury rippled through Raven. Claws sliced through the tips of her fingers, and she welcomed the sting of pain. Energy spilled through her veins with the need to eliminate the threat. “Over my dead body.”

“That can be arranged.” Veronica laughed, drunk on power. Her skin tinged green as the siren fully emerged, a mythical creature said to lure sailors to their death. Two rows of needle-like teeth filled her mouth, while sharp, dainty talons tipped her fingers. If the siren had been in water, Raven suspected her power would be twice as strong.

That weakness gave them an opening.

Rebellion must have shone on Raven’s face for Veronica’s eyes narrowed, then she turned toward the men and pointed. “Kill them.”

Raven automatically fell into a fighting stance and lifted her sword, then slowly lowered it as the men around them turned toward her.

She couldn’t do it.

She couldn’t kill them, not when they weren’t in control of themselves.

To her shock, the sword shimmered then vanished as if she’d banished it by thought alone.

She open and closed her firsts, already missing the blade, feeling naked without it.

Vulnerable.

“Now would be a good time.” Raven shouted over her shoulder.

Eve threw a spell at Veronica, the power slamming the bitch back a few feet. Half of the men paused, those the farthest away from her, and the siren hissed in fury and hummed a haunting melody until the men resumed their march.

It had worked.

Only for a few seconds but it had worked.

That meant they had a chance.

Excitement shimmered along her spine. “Whatever you did, do it again.”

Eve nodded, her face pale under the strain, but she didn’t waver as she began gathering energy again. “Fine, but you need to keep them off me while I cast.”

Raven nodded, taking a few steps away to give herself room to maneuver. Raw current churned under her skin, ready to burst free. She’d love to give Eve a boost, but couldn’t risk contaminating her with the tainted magic in the process. It would be a death sentence she didn’t deserve, not after everything that she’d survived.

The storm continued to brew, thunder and lightning cracking across the sky, seeking release.

Seeking her.

Raven wanted to call down the storm, throw all that lovely current at Veronica, but she’d never been able to direct the power. It always had a mind of its own. If she could get close enough, gather the woman in her arms, she just had to wait for the lightning.

It would come for her.

It always did, begging to be used.

Like an addict, her whole body trembled with the need for a fix, a small taste of the storm.

Raven concentrated, gathered the current in her palms, the raw energy scorching her hands as she drew it from her bones. When the first man came within striking distance, she tossed the little ball of energy she gathered.

The man froze and twitched as the current electrocuted him.

He dropped to his knees, awareness creeping back into his eyes as his beast rose to the surface.

Elation spiked in her chest so hard, so fast, she lost her breath.

She could save her men and bring them back.

Raven panted under the strain, her hands raw and painful as if she’d lost a few layers of skin despite the armor. She only had so much energy left before the precision strikes devastated her power supply. She could possibly take two more men down without drawing the attention of the storm.

Three more men quickly took the place of the one she’d shocked. Wanting to save the remaining energy to bring back her pack, she slammed her elbow into the temple of the first one, knocking him to ground. When the second one reached for her, she was desperate enough to kick him in the balls and dropped him. She thrust her fist into the throat of the third, but not before she took glancing blow high in the shoulder.

A streak of pain shot down her arm at the jarring blow.

Exhaustion weighed her down, making her slow.

Making her sloppy.

She wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer.

When she turned to face the next attack, Raven froze, nonplussed when she came face to face with the kid.

The hesitation was all the opening he needed.

He lunged toward her.

He nearly reached her before self-preservation kicked into gear. Not wanting to hurt him with the current, fearing that it could damage his unawakened beast, she coldcocked him.

To her relief, the kid dropped like a stone and didn’t move.

Raven backed away, stumbling over one of the bodies, barely catching her balance as she danced away from another man. The strike meant to rip out her heart cracked a glancing blow to her ribs instead.

Even with the armor in place, every inch of her body ached. Cuts stung. Abrasions throbbed. The adrenaline began to wear off so that she felt every scratch, every bruise. There were just too many to fight. They would eventually wear her down unless she resorted to killing them. “Eve!”

“I’m close.” Her voice broke under the strain, the last word cracking.

Raven didn’t bother to look behind her as the next man swung at her, his claws aimed to gouge out her eyes. She grabbed his arm and twisted, her stomach lurching as bones snapped. “Faster would be better!”

Veronica narrowed her eyes, hatred burning in the blue depths, and she began to sing again. The song was beautiful, captivating and within moments, the few men Raven had managed to free gradually fell back under her spell.

Three more men crowded closer, nobody home behind their eyes. If they knew what they were doing, they couldn’t stop it. Raven knocked another one down with another jolt of current. The muscles of her hands twitched with agony, and Raven reluctantly dropped the energy she held, not sure how much more damage she could take before she stopped healing.

Despite all the work, it had only bought her a few minutes as the men slowly lumbered to their feet. The pain had to be unbearable, but not one even gave a hint of it as they slowly surrounded the two women.

The feel of being hunted closed in on her. A weight pressed against her chest with the need to stop them.

Kill them.

“Leo.” Fighting the primal urge, Raven turned toward the lion and saw the large beast perk up. “Gather the rest of the shifters and create a barrier between us and the men.”

His lips lifted, fangs flashing, telling her what he thought of that idea, not budging an inch, the stubborn beast.

“I’m not asking you to kill them. Push them out of the way. Hell, pin them to the ground by sitting on them. I don’t care. We just need to buy some time. I’d rather not kill them.”

He cocked his head as he debated her request, and Raven continued to back away from the men, zapping the ones that got too close. Her mouth went dry with the need to dump all the juice into them until it pulled out their beasts … even if it would damage them beyond repair. “You trusted me once, trust me one more time.”

Her desperation must have reached him.

With a roar, the lion loped forward and knocked the man who’d been reaching for her back to the ground. The other animals joined the fray, creating a rather fragile shield.

The pressure of being hunted eased for a fraction until she saw Jackson stalk her just beyond the reach of the animals.

Raven backed up from his predatory expression. “Eve?”

“I need another minute.”

Raven gathered more energy, her body trembling under the strain not to let it all loose and wallow in it. Each time she drew current, the wilder the storm grew. It sensed her nearness and gathered strength to pounce. Wind picked up, tearing at the tents, stripping the trees of leaves. “I don’t think we have it.”

She needed to shut down soon or the full ferocity of the storm would tear them apart. The closer the storm, the weaker her shields, and the more the dragon rose to the surface, lured out by all the lovely current.

The dragon could only take so much, and a deep foreboding slithered down her spine.

Things were different now that the dragon was awake. The creature had always been safe and protected.

Never weakened.

It had always kept her alive, helped her survive. Raven suspected that if the dragon died first, she would die was well.

No healing.

No coming back.

The dragon seemed so indestructible that Raven sometimes forgot the beast was just a toddler. They were both vulnerable until the creature could come into her full power.

For the first time, Raven realized that it was up to her to protect them now.

One person drew her attention by his complete stillness.

Taggert.

Even near Veronica, he didn’t fall under her spell, made no move to attack.

He was so focused on his beast, he was immune to Veronica and her machinations. She’d considered him weak, therefore beneath notice and had dismissed him. A hint of an idea formed at the fringes of her mind, only to scatter when Jackson leapt over the shifters as if they weren’t even there.

He came at her like a juggernaut, his natural training taking over, and he lunged for her throat.

Chapter Twenty-six

Raven ducked the first blow, trying to grab Jackson’s arm but missed.

Though she realized he wasn’t in control, after their recent argument, she couldn’t help but feel the fight was very personal.

She didn’t want to kill him, but knew he wouldn’t hesitate to take her head.

He kicked out, his foot slamming into her chest, nearly knocking her off her feet as she stumbled backward. If not for the tiny armor, he would’ve broken her ribs. She wheezed, struggling to straighten.

She would never be able to beat him in hand-to-hand combat. Not only did she not have the training, she couldn’t bring herself to harm him.

Throwing out all the fighting styles London had been pounding into her head, Raven ran toward Jackson and plowed into him.

She wrapped her arms and legs around him, twisting to catch the blow aimed for her face against her shoulder. She buried her face into his neck to keep away from his snapping teeth.

Skin touched skin.

Jackson struggled to untangle himself, his hands grabbing her hips, his claws sinking deep.

Raven yelled in pain, tightening her hold, when sanity gradually returned to his face. “Raven?”

His claws immediately retracted, and he juggled her weight, trying not to hurt her as he cradled her close.

She smiled through the agony, swallowing hard in relief to have him back. “My touch breaks the siren’s hold, but the instant I let go, you’re going to try to kill me again.”

He actually paled, his arms squeezing painful around her. “Then you better not let go.”

“Right.” She leaned against him, stealing a few seconds of comfort, before pushing him away, careful to maintain contact with a hand on his chest.  

Jackson gazed down on her, his face softening. “Your powers can break her hold on us.”

“Yes, but it only lasts for a few seconds before it fades.”

“Then you have to fill me up with as much energy as you can, and I’ll take care of Veronica.” His voice was low, full of determination.

“Your body wouldn’t be able to handle the raw current, not to mention the shifters will tear you apart before you even got near.” It was a suicide mission, and he knew it.

She scrambled to find any alternative, but her mind came up blank at every turn.

Jackson grabbed her hand, brought it up to his lips and kissed her fingers. “Raven—”

She shook her head, refusing to even contemplate sacrificing him. She had to come up with a different solution. “Can you shift? You might be able to change into your beast before she grabs ahold of you again.”

Jackson stubbornly shook his head. “I’m not willing to take the chance on your life.”

The animals were knocking down the men as fast as they could, but Veronica’s minions didn’t seem to feel fear or pain. They just rose and marched ever forward.

Everyone except Taggert … the only one of them close enough to kill Veronica before anyone could stop him.

Everything inside her revolted at the prospect of using him that way.

As if sensing her regard, Taggert lifted his head, and their eyes met.

Shock jolted through her body, the world around her fading when she saw his eyes had gone completely black. A deep foreboding filled her.

He was cresting.

Even if she could reach him in time, there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Though he’d been growing tougher, his beast wasn’t nearly strong enough for the change.

Given time, he might have the ability to shift, just not yet.

At least not alone.

Indecision caused her to hesitate, worried that if she tried anything it would only make the situation worse.

Time ticked away.

He wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer before his beast killed him, tearing him apart from within.

If she didn’t do something, he would die.

Sending him energy would be risky.

Over the last few weeks, his body had become conditioned to the current. He sought her touch at every opportunity like a craving he couldn’t control. The only problem, the last time she gave him a boost of power, she’d nearly killed him.

Terror weighted heavily in her chest, afraid of what would happen to him if she did it again.

If she failed to save him, it would destroy her, stealing the last bit of her humanity with him.

Jackson followed her gaze and grunted in understanding. “You don’t have a choice.”

Raven swept her fingers across his chest, trying to soothe them both. “There is always a choice. You just have to decide if you can live with the consequences.”

Durant crossed the animal barricade, too strong to hold, slowly prowling toward them like his tiger counterpart as he locked onto her.

“Do it.” Jackson ripped out of her hold and threw himself at Durant. He bodily picked him up, and ran as hard and fast as he could in the opposite direction, buying her a few precious seconds before he would ultimately fall back under the siren’s spell.

“Eve?” Raven glanced at the woman, saw her shake, and Raven’s heart grew so heavy in her chest, each heartbeat hurt.

“One more minute.”

Unfortunately, they didn’t have it.

If she didn’t do something, she would lose them all.

Whatever happens, you must stay hidden.

The dragon stilled, the desire to fight almost overwhelming, but the beast seemed to understand it was the only way to save the pack. The creature reluctantly sank back into her bones, the pain of holding so much back like needles being slammed into her joints.

They only had one chance at this.

Raven took a deep shuddering breath, the weight of her decision nearly suffocating. Then she dropped the shields she’d been holding, and allowed the storm to find her.

Thunder shook the ground, and seconds later, lightning forked across the sky. One. Two. Four bolts of lightning joined together until the whole sky lit up.

That was when it located her.

Static built until raw current hummed in the air. The smell of ozone swept around them. Her hair swayed from an invisible wind. Then, in one powerful motion, the energy arced toward her.

She forced her muscles to relax, knowing the jolt could snap her spine if she struggled. The jagged bolt struck the ground less than a foot from her. It tunneled through the earth, up her feet and snaked into her body, hitting her system like lava.

The animals scampered out of her way. The men halted, almost confused as to what was happening. Awareness shone in their eyes as the energy cooked the air, but the siren’s spell lingered. Persistent. They struggled to move, but their feet remained pinned in place.

Then the world dissolved in a combination of pain and pleasure as the storm wreaked havoc on her body. It raced through her veins. Her skin grew heated, scorching to the touch, and the need to let all the power loose became a compulsion.

Only, it was too much power for Taggert to process.

Determined to protect him, the dragon burst from hiding, unfurrowing in her body until her skin became so tight it felt ready to split. The current surrounded the dragon like a boa constrictor, wrapping around them and squeezed tight.

Her ears popped under the pressure.

Energy seeped from her skin, snapping through the air.

The dragon lifted its claws, and sank her talons into the raw current and shoved it into its mouth. The pressure eased as the beast gorged. Just when her brain felt ready to boil, Raven dropped to her knees and slammed her hands into the ground.

It took only seconds for the current to fork its way through the black dirt toward its intended target.

Taggert roared when the current hit, his back arching until his whole body bowed under the strain. She could see the current eat its way into his body. His wolf snapped at the cords, then paused and lifted his head as he caught her scent.

Their eyes connected across the distance and recognition flashed between them. His wolf tipped his head toward her and stopped fighting the sudden influx of power.

Horror sank into her as the wolf, ever so slowly, dissolved until it was nothing more than a ball of energy.

Stealing the last bit of his soul.

“Taggert!”

As if her words were a command, the energy exploded outward, soaking into his flesh. His skin rippled, bones snapped, fur erupting all over him. He grew until his clothes shredded from his body.

Hope blossomed painfully in her chest.

He was still alive.

But instead of landing on all fours, he rose on two legs. A muzzle shaped his face, two-inch fangs erupted from his jaws, while two long ears sprouted and swiveled around to catch every sound. Inch-long claws tipped his feet and hands. His chest deepened, his spine stretched, arms lengthening and corded with muscles.

The world fell silent as his beast finally burst free.

He stood at least seven feet tall, muscles built upon muscles, a fighting machine from ages gone by—she would say a werewolf, only they had gone extinct over a thousand years ago.

Raven pushed to her feet, so close to burning out that she swayed and struggled to remain standing. “Taggert?”

Chapter Twenty-seven

“Lycan.” The whisper rose through the crowd, the word tinged with awe and a healthy dose of fear.

The sound set off the creature. He tipped back his head and let out a roar, the deep bass reverberating in the air, raising the hair on the back of Raven’s neck. The instinctive need to run and hide flittered through her.

His eyes glowed with madness as he pinned her to the spot with his gaze.

Nothing remotely Taggert remained.

Anguish threatened to take over, but Raven shoved it back. To give in meant that there was no hope, and she refused to believe Taggert was lost to her.

She reached for the pack bindings, nearly sagging in relief when she found them still connected and stronger than ever. But when she tried to reach him, all she felt was the wolf’s pain and raging anger.

Like he’d gone feral.

Her fingers shook at the realization.

No one ever came back … at least not whole.

Veronica backed away, which only succeeded to draw the creature’s attention. She immediately stopped. Smart woman. The beast inhaled, glanced around as if trying to catch a scent.

Then Veronica made a fatal mistake, she began to hum, probably trying to call the men to her for protection.

The siren’s magic floated on the air, barely noticeable.

But it was enough.

Taggert’s big head swung in the fish’s direction, his teeth bared. In a single bound, he jumped the ten foot distance between them. With a slash of his claws, blood splattered and he continued to rip the woman apart.

Veronica didn’t even have time to lift an arm to protect herself.

Whatever power held the men vanished with the first blow.

The men began to back away, and Taggert stilled. He slowly turned his head, his wild green eyes almost yellow, a low growl rumbling in his chest.

Looking for prey.

Everyone froze again.

“The pain of the change must have driven him mad.” Durant edged toward her as he spoke, Jackson copying his move, but they were too far away to do any good.

Taggert’s eyes narrowed, his complete attention focused on them like a threat that needed to be eliminated. The body in his grip dropped to the ground with a juicy squish, already forgotten. His muscles tensed in preparation to attack, and her heart nearly ruptured.

If he attacked, the men would defend her and they would all end up dead.

She couldn’t allow that.

Taggert was still in there. She just needed to reach him.

She couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t at least try.

Ignoring Durant and Jackson, Raven scurried forward. “Taggert.”

He launched himself at her, his movements a blur. His fist swung toward her, and Raven caught his wrist … the one that carried a bite marking him as hers.

Everything about him stilled at the contact.

With each brush of her fingertips over the mark, Taggert rose closer and closer to the surface. His nostrils flared, and he pushed his snout closer as if trying to catch her scent. Raven tried to resist jerking back, battling the fear he was going to rip out her throat. He gave a deep rumble of displeasure and pulled her forward. The creature lowered his lips to hide his fangs, trying to look innocent. 

Raven forced her pulse so slow, allowed herself to go pliant as he dragged her closer. But as the distance narrowed between them, the more his aggression eased. Confusion marked his face, and she could see her Taggert struggle to surface.

Her throat tightened painfully with hope.

She hadn’t realized how worried she’d been.

Greggory and her men crept forward, waiting for the opportunity to tackle them both to the ground. Taggert bared his fangs, growling possessively, and she waved them off. Her men instantly obeyed. Greggory paused, clearly displeased. Death darkened his eyes to black, danger thickening until the air grew heavy in her lungs.

If he decided to attack, she would lose the fragile connection to Taggert … possibly forever.

The only thing holding him to the present was her touch.

Taggert didn’t like that her attention had wandered, his grip clamped possessively around her wrist, pulling her close. He scanned the crowd and bared his fangs, getting lost again as the beast rose.

The need to touch him was so strong she could taste it.

She reached out, only to have him catch her wrist, stopping her just an inch short.

But it was enough.

The grip closed the circuit, and electricity arched between them.

She waited for him to throw her off, but instead of snarling and ripping out her throat, he relaxed into her touch.

He appeared confused, noticing how he looked for the first time and ducked his head as if ashamed. His body slowly melted down, fur receded, bones reshaping until he stood naked and shivering before her.

He wobbled precariously before his legs finally gave way. Refusing to release him, they both dropped to the ground. He tried to twist out of her hold and push her away, but Raven refused to let him go. “Taggert—”

“I almost killed you.”

Raven cupped his face, forced him to meet her gaze and threw the same words back at him that he’d told her not too long ago. “And yet I’m unhurt. Your beast recognized me. He wouldn’t hurt me. If you wanted me dead, I would be dead.”

Doubt colored his eyes before his face crumbled in devastation. “I’m a monster.”

Greggory cleared his throat. “Actually, you’re royalty, an ancient warrior coded to protect the highest-ranking shifters. You’re a legendary lycan.” Amazement tinged his face, but Greggory wisely kept out of striking distance. “None of your kind has been located for hundreds of years.”

Raven had never heard of any such thing. She brushed all the nonsense away and focused on one thing … if anyone would be coming for him. “And the rest of the royalty?”

“Gone. None have been located for over a thousand years, not since the last war between royals. Rumor has it they wiped each other out.” His eyed her queerly, and Raven knew why he called her little queen. He believed she was one of them.

Other people began to creep closer out of curiosity, and Raven resisted the urge to shield Taggert from view. Eve neared and carefully set down a pair of sweats, and Raven nodded in thanks.

Taggert still appeared shaky but functioning. After he was dressed, she glanced at Greggory. “How is this even possible?”

“He must have recessive genes that were triggered by the attack.”

Not the attack.

Her.

When she flooded him with power, the current must have activated the dormant genes, pulling them to the surface to help him survive.

Things began to click into place.

Taggert was the one who was going to die in her premonition.

It explained why the dragon wanted them to stay at the circus. It had known that Taggert was near cresting, that he needed the extra boost to shift, and that Raven wouldn’t have voluntarily given him more energy, not after she nearly killed him last time.

But that did leave a very important question. “What does this mean for him?”

“Werewolves are like berserkers, revered and worshipped in the old days for their prowess. Deadly killing machines, not known for stopping once they’d start killing.”

Until now.

The implications landed on her like a ton of bricks. Taggert had just become the most sought-after shifter in the world. Humans would want to kill him or experiment on him, while the shifters would want to challenge her for ownership.

Taggert could literally kill a whole pack and no one would be able to rein him in until the deed was done. “Explain why he can’t stop.”

 “Once they change, they can’t shift back until after the battle. It’s a defense mechanism. Only when the threat is over do they usually fall unconscious from exhaustion. It’s their only weakness. Humans discovered their existence, saw them as monsters, and hunted them to extinction. Those who escaped were tracked down by the shifters and eradicated. They couldn’t afford for humans to find out the truth, not even back then. They were supposed to have all been slaughtered.”

Taggert swayed, complexly wrung out from exhaustion. A touch of pride tipped his chin up before his face quickly crumbled in worry. “You’ll never have any peace with me around.”

He was going to leave the pack. She could see it in his eyes. Panic swelled, threatening to crush her with the truth.

A decision needed to be made.

Keep her secrets or lose Taggert.

The decision was easy.

She made no move to stop the dragon as the creature shifted under her skin. The beast rose until she knew her eyes glowed a brilliant blue. She scanned the crowd, searching for threats, letting them feel the danger. Taggert was going nowhere without her. “I’m sorry, but you’re just small potatoes when people find out what kind of shifter I am.”

Taggert lunged at her, trying to stop her from saying more, but she easily evaded him. “We’re both ancient, but I think I still have a leg up from you. Dragons have been gone from this world a lot longer than simple lycans. I guess we’ll just have to work through it and face the threats together.”

Raven lifted her shirt, revealing the tattoo on her stomach. The silver blob had sharpened, the image now distinctly dragon-like in shape. The small beast was the size of her fist, the silver and black colors appeared metallic. It shimmered in the darkness as if alive, the tiny details like delicate filigree, stamped into her flesh but it was tougher than any metal she’d ever encountered.

People gasped, some backed away, recognizing them as the greater predators and offering their throats, while others froze, too afraid to move lest they draw attention to themselves.

The ones old enough to remember the legends.

Who remembered that the dragons were monsters that nearly devoured them all.

Raven ignored the threat, her sole focus remaining on her men.

Waiting for their judgment.

They’d been patient with her while she fumbled around in the supernatural world. Ignorance was one thing, but keeping this secret from them was something else.

With her words, she’d invited a whole shit-load of trouble to their door. She essentially ruined their lives. She wouldn’t blame them if they walked out on her. If they asked it of her, she would release them, even if it destroyed her.

A desperate hope prickled along her spine that they’d at least give her a chance to plead her case before they abandoned her.

Jackson and Durant didn’t even appear fazed by the news. Durant raised a brow, as if amused by her revelation. “We knew you were something special, something different. We just didn’t know what until now.”

That was it.

Nothing more.

Like it didn’t matter.

Their acceptance brought tears to her eyes.

“You told everyone your secret to save me.” Wonder widened Taggert’s eyes, and for the first time, she saw belonging there. A small smile tugged at his lips. “I know what you’re thinking, worrying how you’re going to protect me. We feel the same way about you. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

A wave of inevitableness swept over her, shoving her toward a fate she didn’t know she was ready to handle.

From this moment forward, her life would never be the same.

She hated the helplessness that threatened to drown her, and couldn’t help wonder how she was going to keep her people safe now that the cat was out of the bag. But when she glanced at her small pack, she knew that she’d made the right decision.

Her secret wasn’t worth their lives, even if it would only lead them to more trouble.

The storm gave a last rumble, the tempest dissipating but fighting it every step of the way. She should’ve been unconscious, burned out by the raw current, but the dragon siphoned off the worst of it. It could have taken over control when she’d been vulnerable, but the creature worked with her to keep her pack safe.

Raven couldn’t help feel grateful despite knowing the bindings between them only grew stronger, tightening like a noose that would one day take everything she held dear if she ever gave into the urge and used the tainted magic.

“We’re strong enough to handle what’s to come.” Taggert hesitantly touched her arm, as if uncertain of his welcome, and she leaned into him. The pack connection wrapped her in a layer of warmth, banishing the chill of her dark thoughts.

Raven dearly hoped what he said was true.

Chapter Twenty-eight – Day 5

DAY FIVE: AN HOUR BEFORE SUNRISE

More and more people gathered around to stare, many of them still wearing blood and gore from the people they had just slaughtered. Their clothes were soaked with blood, their mouth and teeth caked it like some horror movie.

She thought they would be happy to be free.

Instead, fear brewed in the air, their focus on both her and Taggert. They appeared undecided if they should run or attack, an angry mob in the making.

Her breath hitched at the prospect of another fight, her muscles shaking at even the thought of trying to defend herself. Taggert was stretched to his limits already, while Durant’s body needed more time to heal, not to mention that the constant shifting and fighting had pushed Jackson nearly beyond his endurance.

Not good odds.

The need to extract her pack flooded her, and she scrambled to come up with a plan to get them out of there alive without harming more people.

Much to her surprise, Greggory, the man who just tried to kill her, came to her aid. He strode forward and offered her his hand. Taggert’s eyes glowed as the other male neared, his body tensing to attack, his muscles shaking under the strain.

He would protect her even if it killed him.

Raven touched his arm. His gaze dropped to follow as her fingertips traced over his skin, then he closed his eyes, relishing the intimate contact.

At what they had so nearly lost.

When she lifted her head again, Greggory hadn’t moved. Raven wished to hell that she could read him, but his granite face revealed nothing.

Taking a chance, wondering if she could expect to be gutted at any second, she accepted his hand.

He pulled her to her feet, then stepped back a respectable distance … well, for a shifter anyway.

That meant she had a foot of space between them.

Damned touchy-feely shifters.

She didn’t get the vibe that he wanted to harm her, more like keeping within striking distance in case it was needed, whether to kill her or protect her, she wasn’t sure.

A scrawny kid hovered over his shoulder, sticking near Greggory, but couldn’t seem to take his gaze away from her and Taggert.

She flinched and glanced away from the painful awe in his expression.

The kid was so close to cresting that she could all but see his beast hovering around him, the creature nearly feral after being imprisoned for so long. He’d been pushed to his breaking point. That he could still control his bear after what he endured spoke of his strength. He had lots of potential. If guided by the right person, he could be a powerhouse.

Greggory stepped between them, breaking the eye contract, drawing her attention away from the boy as if he thought she would try to steal him or something. “Why don’t we look over your injuries?”

Raven opened her mouth to protest she wasn’t hurt, then slowly closed it again. He was giving her time. “Thank you.”

The whole crew followed them to his trailer, Durant, Jackson and Taggert guarding her back. Jackson seemed almost too ready for a fight, while Durant practically carried Taggert. The first change usually left a shifter unconscious for days. That Taggert was even awake was a miracle.

Greggory opened the door to his trailer and vanished inside, leaving the decision to follow up to her. Taking a deep breath, she entered the confined space with a man who was stronger and faster than any shifter she’d ever seen.

They were so close to being free she was hyperaware of everything that could go wrong.

When the guys moved to follow, she waved them off. If they all packed inside the tin can, they would be nothing more than sardines, no one able to even breathe.

Too easy to slaughter.

She needed the extra space to maneuver in case he tried something, and she wanted her men safe. “Stay out here and keep watch.”

Raven turned toward the trailer, implicitly trusting her pack to guard her back.

Danger thickened in the air, and she hated not knowing what to expect. Greggory didn’t ask her to his trailer to be nice.

He wanted something.

She took a deep breath, winced when her ribs protested, and entered the trailer. The small click of the door behind her sounded like the slam of a jail cell.

Run.

Trap.

Kill.

She battled with her dragon for control, and Greggory just stared at her with knowing eyes, waiting to see what she decided.

Trust me.

The dragon hesitated, then reluctantly curled around her and waited. She rubbed her fingers together, marveling at the tiny scales, evidence of the dragon’s determination to protect her no matter what. The texture should’ve been cold and hard, but all she felt was a comforting warmth … as if she were stroking the dragon and not metal.

Greggory nodded and handed her a wet cloth. “You have some blood on you.”

It had been a test, watching to see if she could control herself. Her mouth went dry with the knowledge that if she’d failed, he would’ve killed her. “Most of it’s not mine.”

That wasn’t the complete truth.

Strips of her skin from her back felt missing, shredded down to the bone where he’d tried to rip out her spine, but she wasn’t quite ready to present him with her back again.

Besides the motley of bruises dotting her body, her hips throbbed where Jackson’s claws had pierced her them.

So no, she wasn’t dropping her pants for him, not when she might need to fight for her life.

She grabbed the peace offering, her waxy, melted hands stinging from the chemicals. She scrubbed her face and hands, glad to do something with her shaky fingers. Things didn’t add up about Greggory. Shifters were trained to fight since birth, but he had something more than training, something that couldn’t be taught. His speed, his strength, even his partial shifts could be explained by being an alpha.

Those bindings, they were still active.

He was working for more than just the kid.

Oh, she didn’t doubt his story, but there was more to it than that. He’d been sent to investigate. Observe. But by whom and why?

He didn’t lie. She would’ve sensed it, but he didn’t tell her the whole truth either. She relied so heavily on her gift that she took him at face value and failed to dig deeper.

If she bothered to push harder, she would’ve noticed that he conducted himself like some kind of spy.

And he was now focused on her and her men.

As her agitation rose, the current swelled in the air between them, ready to rip him apart if he dared move against her pack. The power reacted too swiftly, too ready to her call … and she felt the storm begin to gather overhead again. Wind gusted and rocked the trailer, wanting to pry it open to get at her. The burst of energy pushed her sore body to its breaking point, even her hair hurt, but she didn’t care. She would protect her men. “Why did you help me? Dragons were like a plague across the land.”

A faint whiff of fear burned in the air between them, quickly snuffed out as his resolve rose. “If you believe the myths, then you also know that it didn’t start out that way. You are not infected. Not completely. You’re fighting it. If you were like the dragons of old, you would’ve destroyed us instead of trying to help.”

“The dragon is waking.” He flinched at her words, and her lips tightened in bitterness. “It’s only a matter of time. If the infection ever takes over, it’ll be too late to stop.”

“Maybe.” He shrugged. “Or maybe your pack will continue to keep you in check.”

He knew.

Her eyes darted around the small trailer, looking for anything that she could use as a weapon. She was in a weakened state. If he came at her, she couldn’t be sure that she could win. Before she could work herself up into a full panic, he lifted his hands. “Don’t you think it’s really coincidental that there is not one, but two royals in this time and place when there had been none for centuries?”

It took her brain a few seconds to process that he wasn’t trying to think of ways to dispose of her body. Then another two as she realized what he said. “You think royalty is being reborn for a reason.”

“The world is changing. Things are shifting in the paranormal world. Hundreds of years ago, the royals kept us safe. Their beasts were more primal and stronger, their bloodlines not diluted by years of inbreeding and human taint.” He lowered his hands, his face intense. “Some danger, something big, woke your dragon from its slumber. You chose Taggert for a reason. My guess is you sensed his dormant genes. A queen collecting her guard. I choose to believe that you’re our salvation, not our destruction. I think we’re going to need your assistance before too long if we have any hope of surviving.”

Raven swallowed hard at the faith he placed in her. “That’s a hell of a gamble.”

He lifted a brow, completely confident. “Is it?”

Her gut clenched in dread at his surety. He knew something. “What have you heard?”

His mouth tightened, his face growing grim. “Just rumors.”

But the look in his eyes said more.

He was afraid and that chilled her more than anything. “You’re more than a bodyguard.”

His eyes darkened, turning almost black as his animal rose. He didn’t deny it. “I came for the kid.”

Again, not a lie, but not the complete truth. He was so good at hiding that she barely caught the slight altering of his scent. “And?”

Almost reluctantly, he sighed and placed his hands on the countertop. Claws raked the surface, his fingers snapped, elongated … a partial shift, as if he were battling a compulsion to even speak. “And found something more. It has nothing to do with you. That’s all I can say.”

Nothing to do with her … this time.

He wouldn’t say more … or couldn’t.

Someone bound him against speaking about his real mission.

Raven didn’t like it, but didn’t push for more, suspecting that his pain would only increase with each question. The wounds she’d inflicted with the blade had stopped bleeding, but hadn’t healed completely despite having shifted. “You should stitch your injuries.”

The tension eased out of his shoulders at the change of subject, his hands melted back into normal fingers, and he glanced at her over his shoulder, raising a brow. “A few cuts. I consider myself lucky to have come out alive.”

He brushed away her concerns as unimportant, turning to face her, curiosity brewing in his eyes. “You promised to tell me about yourself.”

Damn him for remembering.

Everything inside her protested the thought of sharing anything more with this man. “I think you already know enough, don’t you?”

He shrugged and didn’t deny it, the closed-mouth, grumpy ass bear back in charge. He gathered a few supplies around the trailer with no-nonsense, efficient moves.

He set a few butterfly bandages on the table and pointed to her hairline. “You might want to tape that up so the bleeding slows before you go back outside.”

Then he was gone.

Chapter Twenty-nine

Raven carefully folded the rag, her gut clenched with worry that she wasn’t going to be strong enough to save them all like he believed.

And the consequences if she failed.

No pressure.

Though she couldn’t see them, the tiny scales covering her hands were like Braille dotting her skin. They felt like soft metal, cool and warm to the touch. She flexed her fingers, the metal impenetrable but flexible.

Without thought, the scales melted away. Her skin tingled, leaving her feeling vulnerable without the shield. She should be glad they were gone, so why did she immediately feel uncomfortable … so human and weak?

When she opened the door to follow Greggory, she froze with her hand on the knob, her foot partially lowered to the ground. Everyone stared at her as if she’d committed some sort of faux pas, put on display like some freak. “Durant?”

“They’re waiting for you to decide what’s going to be happening next.” Though Durant remained a bit weak, his swagger had returned. What attracted her to him in the first place was his complete confidence in his place in the world. And though she didn’t understand it, he had the same unshakable confidence in her as well.

It was intimidating.

And sexy as hell.

Even after everything they’d been through, nearly getting him killed more than once, he trusted her implicitly, and she warmed with the knowledge. Her hands tingled with the need to touch him, reassure herself that they would be all right. He gave her a knowing smile, guessing where her thoughts went, and she jerked her attention away to see everyone still gazing at her.

“Next?” Raven blinked in confusion, fighting a blush, struggling to keep her eyes from straying back to his very nice, very naked chest on display. “We’ve stayed too long. We need to get back home.”

Stunned silence descended, everyone shuffling uncomfortably as unease spread through the crowd. Eve stepped forward, her son’s hand tightly gripped in her own. “What about us?”

Raven stepped down to give herself room to fight if it came to it and carefully closed the door behind her. “You’re free. You can go anywhere you want. I’m not going to stop you.”

No one moved.

Instead of being happy, they all appeared more uneasy. Eve cleared her throat, patting her son’s hand and gazing at her beseechingly. “We have nowhere else to go. Veronica wasn’t wrong. We are the weakest in the paranormal world. We belong nowhere. We have a measure of safety here. Out there, we’ll be defenseless again. Don’t take us away from here. Please.”

Jackson stepped to her side and nudged her arm. “You challenged the alpha and won. What you decide here will change all our fates. If you leave, you will be giving up standing, the carnival and the pack. This is an invaluable opportunity … unheard of not to claim.”

Raven was floored.

They expected her to take over the pack, not because she deserved it, but because she challenged Clancy’s rule. Jackson kept his face neutral, no inflection in his voice to even hint at what he felt.

Everything inside her rebelled at the thought of keeping them prisoner, and she was beyond tired. She wanted to go home, find a bed and pile in with her pack and not think for a month. “You don’t need me. You killed him all on your own. You’re already a pack, and I have my own.”

That wasn’t quite true. No one had ever stood up to Clancy and lived to tell about it. Raven suspected that it wouldn’t have changed either without her interference.

Interference that could land her in a boatload of trouble if anyone else found out. Since the circus didn’t operate above board, they didn’t have a standing, but other alphas would still look at her and wonder. To some, it wouldn’t matter that the circus had taken her prisoner, that she had a right to retaliate and protect her pack in any way she thought fit. To them, she was so weak that she allowed her pack to be taken. That she deserved anything Clancy dished out.

Eve gave her a tentative smile, hope lining her face for the first time since they’d met. “We can run the carnival the way it was supposed to be done … a safe haven for those in need.”

She wasn’t asking permission, more letting Raven know it was no longer her concern, her stilted posture both warning and pleading with Raven not to protest.

The crew cast nervous looks between the two women, creeping closer to Eve to protect her even though she wasn’t a shifter.

They were family.

It was enough, and Raven found herself nodding. “I think that would be a very good idea. The circus is a fairytale to most and holds a certain place in the shifter world. It would be a shame for it to end. This place can offer hope to those who need it. Far be it for me to take that away.”

Eve stared at her for a few more seconds as if waiting for her to change her mind, then her face split into a wide grin. “We’ll make it work. We’ll run the place the way it was intended.”

Earnestness and determination shone in her eyes.

Excited babble spread through the crowd.

Raven believed them, and her spirits lifted to know a place like this existed. As they began to talk, Raven slipped away, glad not to have the added responsibility of the circus and left them to plan for a future they never expected.

Her three men waited for her, all so different and all so captivating she couldn’t take her eyes off them. They were all bruised and bloody, but she’d never seen anything so good in her life. Durant radiated confidence and sexiness enough that she wanted to lean up close and lick him just for a taste. He oozed so much charm that he made her feel things she’d long ago given up hope of ever having. He had the sheer strength to hold his own pack, but was confident enough to stand back and let her lead. He had his freedom from all pack ties, and had given it up for her.

Jackson had more rough edges, completely hardcore, and incredibly yummy in his determination to protect her. It was more than just a job to him, and she adored his protectiveness. He made her feel special and not because she was a rare female alpha. He looked deeper, saw her for who she was, and wanted her anyway.

He left a powerful pack to be with her.

He could’ve stayed, but he chose her.

He always chose her first.

Taggert didn’t match the others upon first perusal, shorter and slimmer and much less intimidating. Yet, even grubby and exhausted, everything about him fascinated her. He had been a rogue all his life, recently a slave until she’d rescued him. His submissiveness made her teeth ache, his devotion to her leaving her uncomfortable at first, but now she found it sexy as hell. Underneath, he had a will of iron, quickly taking over and running her life behind the scenes as if he’d been born to it. He’d risked his life for hers over and over, his silent strength earning her trust. She underestimated him, thought him weak, but nothing could be further from the truth. When he touched her, his feelings shone in his eyes. He held nothing back, making her want to give him everything in return.

They’d all wormed their way into her life, forced her out of her shell until she couldn’t imagine her life without them.

Raven vowed to do whatever it took to live up to their faith in her.

“Raven, wait up.”

Eve caught up with her, her face uncertain for the first time. “You’ve dealt with the council. Can you tell me what to expect?”

“From what I understand, the circus functions outside the council. Inform them of the changes, that you are now the new spokeswoman, and they will be dealing with you moving forward.”

“And that I’m not a shifter?” Eve lifted her chin, not ashamed of her heritage.

“That’s a bit trickier. The council can be capricious, but they won’t shoot themselves in the foot. The circus performs a function that they can’t.” A mischievous smile kicked up her lips. “Remember, the council is made up of more than just shifters. Open the circus up to all fractions of the supernatural world. Things are changing, and the circus is needed now more than ever. Help those you can, but be selective.”

Eve chewed her lip, and glanced over at the small crew gathered behind her, the weight of leadership settling on her shoulders. The constant worry. The second-guessing.

“You’ll be a good leader.”

Eve met her gaze squarely as if to read the truth of it herself, a tinge of magic dusting the air. “You think so?”

“You care. It will make you both soft and ruthless. You know what will happen if things go bad, and you won’t let it happen again.” Raven let the words sink into her mind. It was a warning, and Eve took it as such. “You’ll defend and fight for these people with your life. It’s enough.”

“Thank you.” Eve turned then paused, looking back over her shoulder one last time. “If you ever need anything, you know where to find me.”

Not waiting for a response, Eve strode back toward her people, confidence straightening her spine.

Raven turned, past ready to leave, when she saw Greggory standing off to the side. “What do you plan to do next?”

He hesitated, uncertain for the first time since she’d met him. “It’s still too dangerous for us to return home, not until the kid shifts and learns how to defend himself. Here’s as good a place as any.”

Raven followed his gaze to see the kid shoveling food into his mouth as fast as he could swallow, his bony shoulders and scrawny fame so thin it looked painful. Another day or two in captivity and she doubted he would’ve been able to recover.

When she glanced at Greggory again, she found him watching Taggert speculatively. “He will not be able to control himself. He’ll cause you trouble. Are you sure he’s worth it?”

A shiver ran down her spine at his not so innocent question, and she couldn’t answer him past the lump of fear in her throat. She wasn’t sure if he wanted Taggert for himself or destroyed altogether. Either way, it wasn’t happening. Armor slotted together at the threat, becoming so second nature that Raven barely paid it any attention as she waited for Greggory to make his move.

At her silence, he continued. “I wouldn’t have hesitated to kill him at the first opportunity just for the threat he posed, but you see something else when you look at him, don’t you?”

Her hackles rose at his kill-first attitude. “He’s my friend, my pack. He’s not a weapon to be used.”

“I never would’ve believed you could contain him if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.” Greggory turned those deadly eyes on her and smiled for the first time, transforming him into something even more dangerous, a charming man who would do anything to fulfill his own agenda, and she suspected that he was fully capable of shutting down the freak show without her help if it hadn’t been for the boy. “He will guard you well.”

“He’s not some damned guard dog.” Raven’s fiery anger sizzled through the petrifying fear that threated to encase her in stone. She refused to back down and allow anyone to treat him as less than a full member of her pack. “We protect each other.”

It was a warning.

If he went after her men, she would put him down.

He seemed amused by her threat.

“You and your pack appear to be perfectly suited to each other. They’re all incredibly strong. Including you.” His casual tone set her back up.

Too casual.

He wanted something.

She stiffened, more wary than if he’d just outright attacked them. “Just say it.”

“Remember our conversation. Watch and keep on guard. I have a feeling that you and your pack are going to be shaking up the paranormal world soon.” He flashed her another smile, then offered her a formal bow. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to learning what mischief you can get yourselves into. Just be careful. Something out there is very determined that we not survive, and they won’t fight fair. You and yours are the biggest obstacle, which also makes you the biggest targets.”

Stunned by his pronouncement and that he’d actually been trying to be nice, Raven did nothing as he turned on his heel and disappeared into the darkness like a ghost.

He reminded her of Randolph, the pack assassin, but worse—he’d slipped under her radar for days without her being aware of the threat.

The idea chilled her to her bones, the sensation so strong she could only describe it as a premonition.

It brought home that he was not her friend, that someone had paid him to spy, and he’d had the whole week to assess her and her pack.

A niggle of worry grew at the back of her mind.

She was on someone else’s radar now.

She couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be before she could expect trouble.

Someone bigger, badder and possibly more dangerous than the council.

The council at least followed a set of rules.

Something told her Greggory only followed his own.

She was tempted to call up a bit of current and tag him, but held herself back, beginning to learn not to poke the beast.

Right now all she wanted was to gather her pack and go home.

Chapter Thirty

The skyline lightened, the sun tinging the horizon a pale orange and red. Only a few scattered clouds remained, and Raven was beyond ready to leave. She walked back toward their car, very conscious of the silent men following her.

Something was on their mind, and she was pretty sure she didn’t want to have this conversation now.

Maybe not ever.

“You can’t run forever.” Durant sounded amused … and much too close.

Raven quickened her steps, muttering under her breath. “I can try.”

“You’re going to have to deal with the possessiveness you feel or it will eat you alive.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Raven cringed, clenching her fingers into fists to hide the proof of her lie. She could control her need to touch them.

Jackson maneuvered next to her, easily keeping pace without appearing the least bit winded—the bastard could at least fake it. “You risked yourself needlessly more than once to show your claim on me. You nearly lost control in front of a bunch of strangers and you didn’t care. You told them the truth about yourself, without thinking twice, just to protect us.”

Raven stopped abruptly and threw up her hands in frustration. “I don’t know what you want from me. I’m your alpha. You told me it’s my job to protect you. I did that the best way that I saw fit.”

Durant kept walking until he was up in her face, his wonderful, delicious leather scent wrapping around her, doing a very good job of distracting her from her ire. “What you’re feeling is normal. You’re an alpha, the need to protect is instinctual, but your actions were almost manic. Not the actions of an alpha but those of a woman with her mates. We’ve had this discussion before—you are more important than any member of the pack. We can be replaced. You can’t.”

“I don’t agree. None of you are interchangeable to me.” Raven lifted her chin mutinously. The loss of control still smarted, and she liked it less that he threw it back in her face. She immediately dismissed the second half of his sentence. Unfortunately, she feared he was at least partially right—her reaction couldn’t all be pinned on her being an alpha, but not like he thought. Her dragon considered them part of her hoard, and would do whatever it could to protect what was theirs. “I was just trying to keep you safe.”

Jackson shook his head. “It was more than that and you know it, even if you don’t want to admit it. An alpha would never risk herself for one member of the pack, not like you do.”

She glanced at all of them, more confused than ever. “Maybe you better spit out what you really want to say. Stop pussyfooting around the real issue.”

All the guys exchanged a look that left her uneasy, and she bit her lip, wishing she’d kept her mouth shut.

Suddenly wanting to be anywhere but there, Raven backed away.

Only to have Durant followed her step for step.

Relentless.

Determined.

“Your beast is basically a teenager with all the emotions of one. The only way to ease her is to put a claim on us.”

“I don’t understand.”

Jackson and Taggert circled around until they were at her back, effectively surrounding her. She didn’t like the pressure, but something about all that manliness left her body tingling. Her thoughts trailed off into a totally inappropriate area, scrambling her ability to concentrate when she needed her wits the most.

“I’ve already claimed you. You’re part of the pack.”

Durant scowled, muttering about her thinking too human.

Taggert swayed with exhaustion, his gentleness crumbling her shield like dust. All her denials evaporated in her throat before he even spoke his first word. “You’re uneasy sleeping with all of us, but humans often date more than one person at a time. Think of us that way.”

“What the hell does that have to do with anything?” An uncomfortable sensation, a wave of heat, sizzled over her every nerve ending. She rubbed her arms, then dropped them when she caught herself wishing it was their hands. She gazed longingly in the direction of the car, tensing to sprint if that was what it took to get away.

Unfortunately, she knew they would only follow her.

She would rather have this conversation here than stuck in the tiny confines of the vehicle with all three men within touching distance and no room to breathe past their intoxicating scents. She ran her fingers over her forehead to ease the gathering ache.

It felt like someone kicked her in the head.

Repeatedly.

She’d almost have preferred that than have this conversation.

Jackson sighed and stepped in front of the others, blunt and no nonsense as always. “You claimed us as part of your pack, but you’re also a female. Your dragon doesn’t feel that we are hers, and until you lay a personal claim on us, she will keep fighting you.”

Raven crossed her arms to stop from reaching for him. She wished what Jackson had said was true, it would be the easy way out, but she’d come to terms that what she felt wasn’t all the dragon’s emotions. Nerves danced through her gut at the prospect of finding a way to fix her possessiveness, and all that it would entail. “What do you suggest?”

They all glanced at each other again, and Taggert spoke. “A few weeks ago you spent time with each of us.”

Raven fought a blush as she remembered, then the reality settled heavily on her shoulders. They were going to ask her to choose. Bile rose at the back of her throat at the thought of picking one and watching the others go on with their life. “The dates.”

Jackson was blunter with his words. “You need the practice to train your beast. You’re not just human anymore.”

He gave her a pointed look, silently reminding her what happened in the trailer between them.

They saw it as a weakness, something others could use to take advantage of her, and they were right.

They were asking her to trust them.

She inhaled deeply and took the plunge, whole battalion of butterflies launching in her stomach. “Tell me what I need to do.”

 “Time alone with each of us will help strengthen the bonds with you beast, so you won’t feel so frantic at the thought of losing us. We’ll each choose a day until you grow more comfortable, and we’ll train you in what you can expect now that your beast woke. The rest of the days, we’ll spend it all together as a pack.”

She went lightheaded with relief.

She didn’t have to lose them, not yet.

A kaleidoscope of emotions tumbled through her, and awkwardness smacked her in the face as they all waited for her reaction. Dating three men went against everything she believed, but she couldn’t help admit, if only to herself, that she desperately wanted what he described.

“No man would be satisfied sharing their woman.” She wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to let them go if she allowed herself to grow any closer to them. The true reason holding her back. She wouldn’t survive the separation. “You’ll eventually want to find someone special to call your own.”

Raven absently rubbed the ache in her chest.

To watch them fall in love with someone else would destroy her.

Taggert shook his head, seemingly resigned to his fate. “Shifters don’t expect to settle down with one person, much less fall in love. We grow up with the expectation that if we’re lucky enough, we might find a shifter woman who would give us the time of day, much less a lifetime.”

Her heart cracked at the bleak future he sketched out. “It doesn’t have to be like that anymore. Things are different now. ”

Taggert’s face gentled, as if getting ready to tell her some bad news. “It’s already too late. There is only one woman for us. And you wouldn’t react so violently if you weren’t already a little bit in love with us, too.”

No one said anything, none of them bothering to deny it. They watched her unwavering, each one of them way too serious … like she should already know how they felt.

Their confession left her dazed, which seemed to amuse Durant. He wrapped an arm around her waist and steered her toward the car. “Why don’t we give you a little time to think about it on the way home?”

Raven wanted to blurt out her first response—yes, but held back, trying to think past the giddiness and the way the dragon hummed in pleasure.

She needed to make sure that she was not being selfish. She needed to choose the best option for all of them. “And if I turn down your proposition?”

The only indication that Durant wasn’t as collected as he pretended was the hitch in his stride.

It was enough.

Jackson reached the car first, but didn’t open the door, gazing at her over the roof. “The wildness will only increase, your dragon will take control and jealousy will literally eat you alive.”

Taggert ducked into the car, sprawling across the backseat in the boneless way of an animal in a deep sleep. Jackson left her alone with her thoughts and slipped behind the driver’s seat. The car turned over on the first try.

Durant tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and nodded to the back. “Why don’t you crawl in next to him and get some rest. Think about what we said.”

She doubted she’d be able to think of anything else. Heat licked up her spine at the innocent touch. He brushed his fingers along her jaw, relishing the touch, before he dropped into the passenger seat.

Taking his advice, Raven crawled into the back, but sleep eluded her. Taggert rolled over and reached under the seat, pulling out a dirty stuffed animal.

Her wolf.

She snatched it close, her eyes stinging as she rubbed the dirt from its fur.

It survived.

It gave her hope that they could do the same.

As if satisfied by her reaction, Taggert wrapped himself around her with a small smile to his lips and fell back asleep. Her body relaxed at his touch, and she dropped into unconsciousness.

The ringing of the phone woke her some hours later.

The whole day had passed, darkness had fallen, and she heard Durant answer the phone. Even with the distance, Raven could hear London on the other end of the line. “Pass the phone to Raven.”

Raven unwrapped herself from the shelter of Taggert’s arms as reality intruded. “What’s wrong?”

“Your vampire has gone missing.”

Raven bolted upright. “Rylan?”

“Your sword returned without you, and he went to investigate. No one has seen him since.”

Rylan often disappeared for weeks or even months at a time, but this time felt different. He was in charge of her pack while she was gone. He wouldn’t have just left.

He had the ability to track her blood or follow the bindings if he allowed himself to admit they were connected. Stubborn jackass. He’d gained enough power, absorbed it through her blood, to force the particles of his body to break down and rematerialize, something only the ancients should be able to do after they spent centuries amassing power.

To work, though, he had to be close enough to lock in on her.

Great distance would stretch him too far, and he’d never be able to gather all the particles to reform his body.

If he tracked the sword, he should’ve been there by now.

“How long has he been gone?”

“He disappeared last night. We found signs of a struggle. He didn’t return for his first appointment tonight.”

The car began to accelerate, and Jackson’s gaze flickered toward hers in the rearview mirror. “We’ll be there in under an hour. Keep everyone inside.”

London grunted in acknowledgment and hung up.

Raven lowered the phone, but could only stare at it. Taggert gently pried it from her fingers and pushed the off button. “We’ll find him.”

The hour ride home was the longest of her life. No one spoke. The others didn’t care for Rylan. Vampires and shifters had fought wars on and off for years, their hatred bred into them for generations, but they were all trying to get along to please her.

Taggert slept wrapped around her. Every time she so much as twitched, his eyes cracked open to study her. Satisfied she was unharmed and not ready to bolt, he would settle back down again.

Urgency rushed through her as they finally turned down the driveway. Raven could barely sit still. If she thought she could get there faster, she would throw herself out the door and run.

A dark shape lay crumpled across the driveway, and her heart nearly exploded out of her chest. “Jackson?”

But he was already slamming on the brakes. “I see it.” 

Raven flung open the door, already stepping out before the vehicle stopped. Magic spilled out of her in a wave, seeking the source of the threat, but found nothing. She darted forward, only to slow when her brain caught up with what she was seeing.

A bloodied corpse.

The metallic smell of blood thickened the air, invaded her mouth and spilled down her throat. A gallon of it saturated the ground, but the majority of it seemed to be missing.

The body had been dumped, dropped face-first on the ground as if pushed out of a vehicle.

No matter how hard she concentrated, she couldn’t pick up a heartbeat.

The chest didn’t move.

“Rylan?” Raven dropped to her knees by the still form, unsure where she could touch him without hurting him more, the body so bloody it looked like they’d skinned him, bits of dirt and pebbles imbedded into the flesh.

Then she noticed the odd angles of the body, his frame contorted in a way that wasn’t physically possible … not if he had bones.

Bits of white bones poked through the flesh.

All broken.

She’d seen these injuries before.

In the labs.

It was what happened when they were finished with their test subjects. They took what they wanted from the body and threw out the remains like trash.

Her chest hurt.

Her lungs screamed for air.

No matter how much she wanted to run, she couldn’t seem to move. She frantically scanned the surroundings, waiting for the sadistic doctors to emerge like spiders crawling out of the darkness. Taggert and Durant spread out and searched for the threat, and she wanted to scream at them to run, but couldn’t seem to get her mouth to work.

Jackson knelt by her side, and she remembered he had some medical training. He didn’t touch the body, just poked and prodded a bit. Without skin, even the lightest touch of air had to be agony. “If you want him to survive, he’ll need a lot of blood and fast. We’ll need to jumpstart the healing process or the blood will leak out of him as fast as we put it in him.”

“What?” Raven’s head whipped up, and she fell on her backside. “He’s still alive?”

“Vampires are by definition dead. They didn’t remove his head or heart.” His face turned grim. “They wanted you to find him like this.”

Raven swallowed hard at the nasty task before her. “I can cauterize his wounds.”

Her magic would basically burn him alive.

If she messed up, she could literally turn him to ash.

At Jackson’s nod, she pulled all the current toward her and carefully wrapped the strands around the body and cooked him until the skin scabbed over.

The smell of charred flesh stuck in her nose, coated her mouth, and she barely resisted the urge to vomit. Sweat gathered between her shoulder blades, and her whole body protested the prolonged use of magic, but Raven refused to drop her hold, not until he was whole.

Then the corpse moved.

His hand clamped on her arm, blood squished between its fingers and dripped down her arm. Raven sucked in a sharp breath, swallowing her scream, the energy fizzling and soaking harmlessly into the ground with a nasty snap of electricity to her hands that left her whole arms tingling and numb.

“Rylan? Can you hear me? I’m here. You’re going to be okay.”

“They took him.” The words emerged almost unintelligible without lips and his tongue shredded to ribbons.

Everything inside her stilled.

It wasn’t Rylan.

The blood and lack of skin had obscured the scent and all recognizable features.

It took her brain a few seconds to recognize a certain tenor in the voice. “Nicholas?”

Nicholas had gotten on the bad side of his master, and he’d come to her for help. He’d shown her his loyalty by risking his life to help save her pack. In return, Raven had vouched for him, and brought him home with her on the excuse that she needed him to guard Rylan’s back.

 It was supposed to keep him safe, not get him killed.

“Who?”

“Humans.” Blood drippled down the side of his face, coughed up from his lungs, revealing one of his fangs was chipped.

No humans could take two vampires without training.

Her whole body chilled as the truth became starkly clear.

The labs had finally produced viable paranormal soldiers and they were coming after her.

Their original soldier.

The world stopped spinning as the dragon roared in fury, ready to hunt and tear the world apart and kill everyone who threatened her pack.

She messed up, got noticed, and they tracked her back here.

She couldn’t help but wonder if the humans were the threat that Greggory sensed.

Most shifters believed they were invincible, the top of the food chain. More than a few shifters would never believe they could be taken down by humans.

They would be very wrong.

She met Jackson’s concerned gaze, her lips numb as she spoke. “The people from the labs found us.”

Durant placed his hand on her shoulder, offering comfort and support. Then his grip tightened, as if he alone could keep her safe within his arms. “And they set the perfect trap to lure you out.”

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)

Electric Legend (Book 4)

Coming Soon:

Druid Surrender

Druid Temptation

Electric Night (Book 4)

Citadel

Watch for her first dystopian novel called Citadel

or her next historical fantasy called Druid Surrender.

Visit Stacey online to find out more at www.StaceyBrutger.com

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