Electric Moon (11 page)

Raven wondered that herself. It seemed almost too simple
that his mother could be behind both. She was definitely capable of it. She had
the ruthlessness for it and access to drugs. But the woman didn’t strike her as
being smart enough to pull it off without leaving some clue that would lead back
her.

Raven kept her suspicions to herself. She needed solid proof
first. “They called me Region, so I’m going to say the police case.” She didn’t
mention that if she’d fallen, she had no doubt they wouldn’t have stopped their
assault until she was dead.

Aaron didn’t appear completely convinced, but accepted her
answer.

One important fact stopped her from arguing with them more.

If someone was after her, they could’ve easily gone after
her people in order to teach her a lesson. The logic of it terrified her.
Shifters were ruthless enough to do it.

Maybe the buddy system wasn’t such a bad thing.

She would be able to keep them safe.

“Durant, get back to the club. Since I need to acquire more
of a resistance to shifters, we’ll be there tonight to absorb the pack
atmosphere.” The tiger didn’t look happy, but didn’t refute her.

He silently handed the icepack to Taggert, his golden eyes
never leaving hers. He hesitated as if contemplating hocking his precious club
and all it had cost him just to stay with her. She couldn’t let him risk that
for something as stupid as a tiny scratch. “You’re hosting the conclave. They
need you at the club. Go.”

With a scowl, he turned and disappeared out the door.

“Aaron, go back to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.” He
left without another comment, his eyes seeing too much.

Taggert took one look at her then Jackson. He dumped the ice
in the sink and left on silent feet.

“And are you going to order me about like a lackey to do
your bidding?” There was a snarl on his lips as he said it.

His continual silence since he’d arrived yesterday grated on
her nerves, and she couldn’t hold back a taunt. “So did you finally grow a
backbone?”

His eyes instantly turned yellow, and he leapt toward her.
Raven stood her ground and lifted her chin, silently daring him. She missed the
old Jackson, not this lifeless soldier.

Only inches separated them when he halted. They just stared
at each other, each too afraid to reach out to the other. His scent of fresh
cut grass had haunted her.

She’d missed it.

Him.

He inhaled deeply, fighting for control or as eager for the scent
of her as she was him. She didn’t know which one she hoped for more and wasn’t
sure she wanted to find out.

She lifted her hand and placed it on his chest, nearly
swallowing her tongue as delicious heat backwashed into her. The animals at her
core gave a pleasant rumble.

“Don’t send me away.”

“You left.”

“I didn’t have any choice. I had to protect you.”

“And did protecting me include spilling my secrets to anyone
who would listen?”

A dull flush highlighted his cheekbones. “I told them enough
to convince them that you could help. Nothing more. Are your secrets worth more
to you than Aaron’s life?”

His reply doused the last of her anger. He knew her too well
and used it against her. She searched his face for a lie. And found none. “You
could’ve asked first.”

“Pack never asks another pack for help. It’s a sign of
weakness. A trade is different.”

When he reached for her, she stepped back, not ready to
concede yet. She needed answers first. He tensed at the rejection, her words
hitting him harder than any blow. “Aaron seems to think he’s here because of
his mother. Is that the real reason?”

 Jackson shook his head. “Only partially. Kevin is worried
he won’t be able to crest. No one can detect any evidence of his wolf. I
explained your theory to the alpha that some shifters have certain abilities.
Instead of being born with a defect that could cost him his life, the alpha is
hoping that Aaron might have one of these gifts.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in that nonsense.”

“I believe in you.” The hoarse comment took her off guard
and knocked her on her ass with the pure intensity.

Raven didn’t confirm or deny what she’d uncovered about
Aaron. The kid had a right to his privacy. If he wanted anyone to know, he
would tell them. But it made a sick sort of sense. His gift could be a defense
mechanism years in the works to protect him against a mother trying to kill
him. “Then I guess we’re lucky that the alpha didn’t put spying on his son in
the agreement.”

She ignored the way Jackson’s jaw clenched at being shut
out. Jackson was the most honorable man she knew, but until his loyalties were
decided, she couldn’t afford to trust him.

She went to her room, craving to turn around, crawl onto
Jackson’s lap, and welcome him home the way her wolf urged. But she couldn’t
give into her emotions and lose him again.

She wasn’t sure she was strong enough to let him go a second
time without inciting an all-out war.

 Chapter Eleven

A
t
seven the next morning, Raven rolled over, and opened her eyes to find Taggert
standing next to her bed, a pile of messages in his hand. Groaning, she crammed
the pillow over her head.

“Go away.” This was his cruel revenge for disappearing on
him while he’d slept.

Paperwork.

“Scotts called. You’re to report at the station at ten.” The
bed dipped under his weight as he sat. The heat of him prickled over her skin
almost uncomfortably, and she cursed as her beasts woke, eager to feel him up
against her. She clenched her eyes shut. If she could just get back to that
delicious dream, she wouldn’t have to imagine what Taggert’s body felt like
touching hers.

As if by some silent signal, construction started in the
bathroom. She tossed the pillow at the door. “Did you tell them to do that?”    

“Durant gave them orders they weren’t to begin until you
woke.” Taggert gave her a devilish smile, telling her that he knew about her
dreams and wished to continue the torment. She had thought him innocent when
she’d first took him home, now she wondered if he might not be the most devious
of them all, slowly and insidiously slipping into her life.

“You’re enjoying this.” She glared at him.

Taggert grinned again, turning his face from handsome to
downright sinful. “My room doesn’t have any construction.”

Why did that sound like an invitation?

She corralled her emotions and flopped back the covers. Taggert
swallowed hard at the shorts and tank top, his eyes glued to her body. The
total unexpected reaction for such a tame outfit tickled her.

Enjoying the little payback, she grabbed her clothes and headed
down the hall to the guest bathroom. Still amused at Taggert’s reaction, Raven
hadn’t noticed the room was occupied until she’d entered.

Jackson stopped toweling his hair and slowly lowered his
arm. The flex and release of his tanned muscles as he finished drying was
hypnotizing. The second towel was hooked precariously low on his hips, ready to
slide to the floor any second. But she knew he wouldn’t let it drop. He would
not seduce. He would demand and take. The attraction was made sharper for the
fact that neither of them could act on it.

Not while he belonged to someone else.

Maybe never.

She clutched her clothes like a shield, barely managing to scrape
her chin off her chest. When she would’ve taken a step back, Jackson became
unstuck.

“Almost done.” His voice had a rough growl to it that spread
goose bumps over her flesh.

Just watching him increased the burn of desire Taggert had ignited,
something no cold shower would be able to fix. She leaned weakly against the
wall and waited for him to gather his things.

Instead, he dropped the towel, stopping her breath in her chest.
He grabbed his pants, slowly slipping them over his legs one at a time, and she
couldn’t look away from the muscular flex of his ass. All she had to do was
reach out to feel all that warm skin under her hands.

A sharp shock from the wall startled a yelp out of her. She
jerked away and rubbed her ass. She’d been so involved watching him, she hadn’t
noticed she’d been absorbing a charge. By the time she turned, Jackson had his
pants fastened, covering all the important bits.

She nearly groaned and wanted to say ‘no fair’. He must have
guessed her thoughts for he gave a quick grin and raised a brow, silently
asking if she wanted him to strip.

Desperation made her blurt out the first thing in her head.
“You better go tell Aaron that we’re leaving in an hour.” She couldn’t keep him
a prisoner in the house, and what could be safer than a police station?

Jackson’s intensity didn’t dim after he left, and the
promise on his face that this wasn’t over kept her blood heated long after he’d
disappeared. 

* * *

The police station was more active than Raven remembered.
Jackson opted to stay outside with less people, while Aaron followed her to
Scotts’ desk. The kid’s ghostly eyes flickered from one spot to the next,
taking everything in with more than a casual interest, not missing much, as if
he’d never been out of his tower.

Though slim, those shoulders hinted he’d grow into an
impressive man. Coupled with a sharp intelligence, he would become an alpha to
be reckoned with. He’d managed to escape his mother’s machinations, so she
didn’t doubt he’d use the shifter’s slyness to his best advantage. But as he
walked before her, the oddness she noticed trailed in his wake like radio
static.

“Aaron, what are you doing?” The strangeness instantly
stopped.

He gave her a look over his shoulders as if completely
unaware of his actions. Or maybe not used to other people being able to detect
his unique gift.

“Sit.” Scotts walked around them and planted himself behind the
desk. The cracked leather chair cried in protest when he settled his heavy
frame into the seat. Tobacco and sweat saturated the desk, telling her exactly
how much time he spent there.

Aaron took a seat, while she leaned her hip against the desk
and waited.

Scotts opened a drawer, slapped a gun, a loaded clip and a
badge on his desk, along with cell phone, and then shoved them toward her. “Consider
yourself sworn into duty.”

Raven made no move to take the gun. The sharp smell of oil
and spent gunpowder tainted the weapon. “No, thanks.”

Scotts stopped searching his desk and met her gaze. “It’s
not a request. You have to be armed at all times. If the gun is not on you, it
is expected to be in your trunk and within easy reach.”

She raised a brow at his lecturing tone. “For one, I’m not
sure it’s such a bright idea to be carrying during a full moon. Not only will
shifters smell the gunpowder, a gun won’t kill them unless you have enough ammo
to really do some damage. Also, not everything we run across will be the big,
bad shifters. Silver bullets help on shifters, but silver and iron would be more
effective on other races.” She prodded the phone. “And these don’t work so well
for me.”

“I’ll requisite silver and iron ammo if we have any, three
more clips, but the gun is not optional.” Scotts rubbed his fingers between his
eyes as if she gave him a headache. “Carry the phone. Your desk is there.”

He pointed to the empty place across from his. Ancient and
scarred, the desk had seen better days. She poked the heavy metal, half
expecting it to rock, surprised when it remained sturdy. The rest of the furniture
in the bullpen was in similar condition.

“I thought I would be assigned cases and work the streets. There’s
no need for a desk. No shifters would come to the precinct for help.”

An evil smile crossed his face as he said one succulent
word. “Paperwork.”

Raven winced at his glee. “Bastard.”

“That’s ‘boss’ to you.”

She blinked once then smiled. “Congratulations. You’re the
best guy for the job.”

Scotts scanned the files on the desk. “I’m not sure it’s much
of a promotion.” Then he got down to business. “You’ll share the desk with
other Regions when they’re appointed. I expect you to show up at least once a
week. When more are hired, you’ll each pick a day to man the desk.”

The idea of answering calls and being trapped in a room full
of humans made her shudder at all the things that could go wrong. “Although
shifters function during both day and night, a lot of the other creatures
thrive by hiding in the darkness. They won’t appreciate anyone ousting them. You
might want to keep that in mind when working on schedules. As for the desk,
shifters are very territorial and aren’t known for sharing.”

Scotts rubbed a hand over his scalp, his short, clipped hair
undisturbed. “Let’s hope the rest of the Regions don’t give me as much trouble
as you.”

She pushed aside his chiding to latch on the unfamiliar word
she heard so recently. The same word her attackers used. “Region? Is that our
official title?”

He sat back, his old chair groaning in protest. “Regional
Paranormal Liaison is a mouthful. The media dubbed the title Region.” He held
out his hand. “Welcome to the team.”

That might explain the name, but not why two teens had
targeted her. Raven accepted Scotts’ hand, her leather glove protecting him
from the static charge that was so much a part of her. He still jumped at her touch,
and she suspected he was naturally sensitive to the paranormal.

“Do you have a lot of applicants?”

“I heard they were flooded, but only a small amount has survived
the vetting. Less than one in a hundred. No one else has been voted through.”
He still seemed miffed that he didn’t know who her sponsors were.

She couldn’t help but agree. She didn’t like knowing that
there was some unknown benefactor out there. She suspected they hadn’t helped her
out of the goodness of their hearts.

“Tell me what you’ve found out on the case.” Scotts’ eyes
sharpened as he asked the question, all the pleasantries over.

“I reviewed the video. It’s like you said. Nothing.”

Scotts shuffled through his stack of papers, pulled out a
couple of files and tossed them to her. “They couldn’t confirm what killed
them, but your theory fits.”

“Shifters gather during the full moon.” Raven nudged the
edge of the folders. “So the next few days are the perfect opportunity to hit them
hard.

“The plan is ingenious. Just infect one shifter, and he’ll
go home to his pack. You take out the alpha, and you could potentially destroy
the foundation of the pack. Until a new leader can be selected, shifters will
be dangerous as they fight for status.

“Now multiply that by ten and imagine the chaos. Hundreds of
shifters will run free with no one to keep them in check as they duke it out.”

Aaron twitched in his seat, obviously uncomfortable with all
the information she was sharing. She ignored him. What did the paranormals
expect would happen when they voted in the Regions?

Lines bracketed Scotts’ mouth. “And humans will be caught in
the crossfire.”

It stung that he accepted and dismissed the death of so many
shifters, the destruction of such a fundamental way of life for them, and
compared that to the loss of a few
normals
that might or might not be
affected. “More than likely.”

“Then why kill these two shifters now?”

“Practice?” Raven shook her head. “This is all guessing.”

“Do you have any suspects?”

Aaron cleared his throat. “It could be anyone. An alpha
thinking to get rid of his rivals, rogues who detest their bottom-rung status,
slaves who live so precariously between worlds, vampires who want shifters to
revert back to servants again, or even magic users who want to reduce the
animals to nothing more than familiars. Let’s not discount the humans
determined to kill all the monsters. The list is endless.”

Raven blinked in surprise, but she shouldn’t be. Shifters
were predators. They were trained to always be aware of all possible threats.

They fell silent at the daunting task of finding the killers
before the full moon when shifters were at their most vulnerable. Raven grabbed
the reports, determined to dig deeper.

She’d been contained in the labs during the first war ten
years ago. Now war was coming to her, and she’d be dammed if she allowed anyone
to steal what was hers before she even had a chance to claim them.

“Don’t forget these.” Scotts tapped his desk.

Raven curled her lips at the gun and phone. “A suggestion?”

“Can I stop you?”

She gave a tight smile. “Give the Regions Tasers or stun
guns. They’d be more effective against shifters than a gun. The only drawback
is that the voltage would have to be turned up a few notches, but not so high
that a shifter might be forced to change.”

Police had a right to use deadly force if confronted by an
animal without a harness and tags. They were considered deadly weapons. “It
would keep your officers safer than a gun as bullets would only enrage shifters
into attacking.”