Electric Moon (23 page)

If she hadn’t been close, she might not have noticed the
slight blush to Taggert’s cheeks. It charmed her that he reacted so readily to
her weak attempts at flirtation. Being near him kept her desire at a slow
simmer, and she savored his closeness.

He cleared his throat nervously. “Here’s fine.”

Raven detangled her hand, and he spread the blanket. While
he was busy, she faced the tree line. Though hidden, she spotted the kids in
seconds. “You might as well come here. You won’t be able to see very well from
there.”

Nothing happened at first. When she crossed her arms and
waited, two people emerged from the woods. The younger one had his eyes
downcast, while the elder led the way with his chin high.

“I made him come along.”

They expected her to punish them. “You are not a prisoner in
the house. Since you’re already here, sit and join us. Taggert is going to give
me a demonstration of what his wolf can do.”

“Him?” Kyle snorted and received an elbow in the gut from
his brother for his trouble.

Raven stepped right into his face, not willing to let him
get away with disparaging Taggert. “This is your one warning. You will want to
step carefully.”

Taggert stood calmly on the other side of the blanket, unconcerned
at the drama. “Let me show you. Sit and face the tree line.”

Raven did as told, taking the furthest seat so the boys
could remain together.

“Close your eyes.” Raven hesitated, uncomfortable not being
able to see a threat approaching. The boys seemed just as leery, looking at her
to gauge what she would do. Trusting Taggert, she did as told.

“When you take away one of the senses, the others are
heightened. You’ll be overwhelmed if you try to sort all the smells. Let your
beast do that.

“I’m going to open each container one at a time. You will
tell me what’s inside. The catch is that you can’t use taste, touch or sight. I
want you to concentrate on finding this one scent.”

The almost twins quivered with curiosity, their bodies
twitching at the possibility of using their wolves. Raven heard the lid pull
free.

“What is it?”

Whatever he expected, he was doomed to be disappointed. She
had no clue. The other side of the blanket remained just as silent. “Tell me what
to do.”

“You need to raise your beast. Let the animal do the work.”

Raven called for her wolf and waited.

Nothing.

Damn contrary animal.

She cleared her throat. “How?”

She sensed movement and opened her eyes. Taggert knelt in
front of them, a frown between his brows. “You should sit between Kyle and
Brant. They haven’t crested yet. You’ll be able to help them.”

She squinted up at him, alarmed by his words. She had a
piss-poor track record for touching others without consequences. “Are you sure
that’s wise?”

Kyle snorted and cast her a dismissive glance. Brant took the
opportunity to knee him. Kyle grunted and dropped his eyes along with the
attitude.

“They haven’t been through their first turn yet.” He reached
down a hand to help her rise. “They haven’t been around a true alpha. Not
someone like you. You can show them what they can expect.”

With a bit of trepidation, she accepted his hand. Once
everyone was resettled, she nodded for Taggert to continue.

“Remember how you healed me when we first arrived?”

Raven thought back, vaguely recalling that she’d manipulated
his aura, forcing the energy around him to heal his body. “Yes.”

“You can pull up their wolves that way.”

“And my wolf?”

Taggert didn’t answer for a while. “Your wolf is different
than any others I’ve known. I’ve only seen her when danger threatens or when
you’re around other wolves.”

He was so very observant that it frightened her. She
couldn’t help be curious at what other things he’d picked up from her and knew
it was better not to know. She wouldn’t like the answer. “Then let’s do this.”

She lifted both of her hands. Brant flinched while Kyle just
looked grim. She didn’t reach for either of them. They had to make their own
decisions.

Slowly, they came forward and accepted her hand.

There was nothing at first.

She allowed a snap of energy to grow and let it soak into
the boys. They fidgeted, their energy spiked, and then their wolves were there,
tripping over themselves as they rose.

Taggert opened the first container. The smell was barely
there. She cocked her head as she heard movement. “It’s liquid.”

“Holy shit.” Kyle whispered the words, but everyone heard
the awe.

Brant spoke next. “Raw egg.”

Raven opened her eyes to see Taggert grin in triumph.
“Correct.”

Kyle scowled. “Do another.”

Excitement and fear threaded through both kids, their breathing
growing rough. Both boys had their eyes open wide, their pupils normal except for
a few slivers of yellow encircling them, their wolf not strong enough to bring
on the change.

Even as the second container opened, their scents grew
sharper.

Overwhelming.

The stink of the enemy clung to them, same as the two men
who’d attacked her. Heat washed through her, and her wolf snarled to the
surface, begging to be let free. She craved vengeance, wanted to dominate the
other two so they wouldn’t forget she was alpha.

Raven’s hands shook with restraint, her fingers curling into
claws, and she quickly broke her hold on them before she did something
irrevocable...like hurt them.

Both kids dropped like rocks to the blanket.

“Shit.” Raven reached out with trembling fingers to check if
they were still alive when Taggert grabbed her hand.

“Don’t. They’re just exhausted. It takes a lot out of a pup
after their first brush with their wolf.”

Oxygen rushed into her lungs at his words. Both had their
eyes closed, so terribly still that she feared she’d killed them. Only when
their chests rose and fell in deep sleep did she finally nod.

To prove his point, Taggert shook Kyle. The kid’s eyes flickered
as he battled to remain awake.

“Go back to the house and rest.”

Kyle obeyed without question, struggling to stand, half dragging
his brother to his feet. What shocked her more was the nod of respect he sent
her as he passed. She watched them, Kyle nearly carrying his brother, until
they disappeared into the house.

“So I can raise their wolf, but the desire to tear into
them...” She still shuddered at the need to follow and rent them apart.

“They’re rogues living in your house. You’re feeling
territorial.”

“But I asked them here. Why would I want to kill them?”

Taggert snorted. “You wouldn’t have killed them. You would’ve
shown them who was alpha, and they would’ve respected you for it.”

Disturbed by his explanation, she bent to help collect the
items to their little experiment. Taggert waved her away.

She thought about the last few days, trying to riddle out
what bothered her the most about someone targeting her and came up with no
satisfying answers. “Why am I being singled out by the rogues?”

Taggert took so long to answer that it chilled her to
realize he had to sort out so many possibilities.

“You made yourself known at the club when you defended me, you’re
also working with the police. You brought down a ring of humans hunting
shifters. It might not have made the human news, but it spread like wildfire
through the shifter community. Not to mention rogues are living on your land.”

“But nothing that deserves their retaliation.”

Taggert paused in folding the blanket. “They could be
testing you.”

“By trying to kill me?” She brushed away his reply. “I mean,
I understand that rogues hire themselves out. I understand territory and fear.
I can even understand the self-preservation of Vivian’s attack, but my death
won’t really gain them anything. Someone else will just take my place. It makes
no sense.”

“At the core, shifters are animals. They react and trust
instincts.”

“So they see me as a threat?” She hated politics. They
twisted things about in a way that she had no hope of navigating.

“You’re an alpha. They might have enhanced your abilities in
the labs, but you’re a natural born alpha. You instill a terrible hope and a
devastating fear in all rogues. Their beasts will want to please you. You can control
them and for that, some rogues will hate you on sight.”

Her cellphone rang, startling Raven. The phone so rarely
worked, she’d forgotten she worn it. She fumbled to answer it.

“Hello?” No one replied. She listened, using her other senses,
and heard labored breathing. Not like a prank call, but more like the person
couldn’t gather enough air into their lungs. “Speak to me. Give me something to
help find you.”

“Injured.” Jamie’s voice cut in and out, distorted by the
background noise.

Raven gripped the phone, hurrying toward the house. He
wouldn’t be calling unless there was trouble. “Where are you?”

“Old Lake Front Street.” He panted from pain...or the middle
of a shift. Neither option was an acceptable alternative in public. If caught
in beast form without a collar and tags, he would be arrested, if not outright
killed. If he was so injured that he wasn’t healing, it could only mean the
worse.

“I’m on my way.” But he’d already disconnected...or fell
unconscious. Taggert followed her to the house. “Grab my weapon and badge.”

It took them twenty minutes, even with her speeding, to
reach the far side of the city. The new car London had purchased ate up the
miles quickly. She pulled up to the abandoned street. The windows of the
worn-down buildings were boarded up, the people kept clear, knowing better than
to get involved in something that could be detrimental to their health...like a
police investigation.

She pulled out her phone and hit the re-dial. No one
answered.

“Call again.” Taggert rolled down his window.

She did as told, and Taggert held up his hand. “He’s near. I
can hear the ringing.”

Raven veered to the curb, slammed the vehicle in park and
hopped out before the engine stopped rumbling. A chime sounded.

Distant.

Muffled.

Raven cocked her head then took off running, Taggert hot on
her heels. She turned the corner to the alley and skidded to a stop. Jamie lay
sprawled in the shadows where the falling sun couldn’t reach, only his shoes
visible from the sidewalk.

“Jamie?” She hurried to his side when Taggert placed a hand
on her shoulder to halt her.

“I smell blood. Be careful. An injured animal can react to
the pain before they’re aware of their surroundings.”

Raven nodded and carefully knelt. Jamie was unconscious when
she rolled him onto his side. It was only then that she spotted his injuries.
From the grievous wounds all over his torso, she was amazed he’d managed to
stay conscious long enough to call her, let alone remain breathing.

Then she recognized the wound pattern.

The same injuries that the woman trapped in the car at her
last crime scene had carried. Her head shot up, and she peered into the
shadows.

Liquid saturated the stone walls of the buildings.

Raven nearly jumped out of her skin when Jamie grabbed her
arm. His mouth moved, but no sound emerged. She leaned forward.

“He wasn’t rogue. If the shifters believe rogues are behind
the deaths, they’ll purge all rogues to protect themselves.”

The news was shocking. Then another thought threatened to
knock her on her ass. “Where is Dominic? The big black wolf I had trailing you.
Did you see him?”

Jamie cracked a smile, revealing blood stained teeth. “Caught
him the first night. Left him to watch the rogues.”

He coughed heavily, blood speckling his lips. Raven grabbed
his hand when it trembled, and she noticed the same tattoo on his hand that the
woman had worn. “Where did you get this?”

She received no answer. He’d already fallen back into
unconsciousness. Concern clutched at her chest. She concentrated until she
heard the beat of his heart pounding reassuringly if a little unsteady. She
glanced at Taggert for confirmation of her diagnosis.

“His wounds are severe. He needs all his energy to heal.”

“So he’ll be all right?”

Taggert hesitated, his eyes stark with the truth. “He’s
still alive.”

But not for long went unsaid. Raven pulled out her phone and
snapped a picture of the stamp on his hand, then stood. Her first priority was
to get Jamie to safety.

He was alive. He would stay that way until she could get him
to the privacy of her home and the help he needed. “I want you to take Jamie
and leave. I need to call the police and stay until they arrived.”

“I haven’t driven a day in my life.” Taggert crossed his
arms. “And I’ll not leave you alone at the site of a murder.”

Raven cursed, having forgotten that as a slave, Taggert
wasn’t allowed behind the wheel of a vehicle. “Jamie can’t be found here. The
police will take him into custody. Since he has no affiliations, I’m not sure
how long they’ll detain him. With his injuries...” She trailed off. Nothing
more needed to be said, they both knew he’d never see another sunrise if taken
into custody. She pulled out her phone and snapped a dozen pictures of the
alleyway.

Taggert conceded her point, but not enough to relent. “I’ll
take him to the car and park around the block. We’ll wait for you there.”

“He needs to be seen by a doctor.”

“Then hurry. I’ll call Digger and put him on alert.” Taggert
bent and lifted Jamie with an ease that surprised her as the man was nearly
twice his own weight. Before she could protest either of his commands, they
were gone.

Taking a deep breath, Raven dialed Scotts.

 Chapter Twenty-three

“
W
hy
didn’t you call before entering the scene?” Suspicion coated Scott’s voice, the
same suspicion that had shown up when she’d first started hanging around the
wrong
group
, as he put it.

He’d meant shifters.

Raven bit back her response and nodded toward the alley. Without
the falling sun, there was nothing but shadows. “What do you see?”

Scotts rubbed a hand over his scalp. “Point taken.” Pale
light from a few flashlights traced across the stained bricks, the techs still
setting up their equipment.

Scotts scraped the tip of his toe over the spot where Jamie
had lain, a pool of his blood still discoloring the cement. She waited for him
to question her, but he didn’t say a word.

“What did you see?”

His question caught her off guard. “Nothing. Once I knew it
was a crime, I secured the scene. I didn’t want to ruin evidence before
forensics arrived.”

“And how did you come to find,” he waved his arm toward the
slaughter, “him?”

His attitude was beginning to piss her off. “A tip that came
through.” She gave him a tight smile. “Someone smelled something and called.
They didn’t leave a name, but I suspect it was a shifter.”

She wasn’t necessarily lying. Jamie did call, and he was a
shifter. What she didn’t admit was to taking pictures of the crime scene. She
needed answers now instead of waiting for the police to analyze everything and
decide what they wanted to share with her. She wasn’t sure when she’d stopped
trusting Scotts, thinking of him as a
normal
instead of a cop.

He looked doubtful but took her words at face value. “Then
let’s look now.”

Scotts was a big man. She wasn’t able to fit her steps into
his without looking like she was trying to play a game of
Twister
with
shoe print. What remained of the body was spattered over a five-foot diameter.
Tatters of a shirt lay scattered everywhere, half hidden in the gore. The jeans
were harder to destroy, remaining mostly intact, including a pair of boots that
were a little worse for wear.

The team snapped pictures, set lights and secured samples.
After twenty minutes, Raven couldn’t take it anymore. Jamie needed a doctor
sooner rather than later. “I need to speak with a few of my contacts to see if
I can find any leads.”

Scotts waved her off, not taking his attention away from
what one of the techs was unearthing. “Don’t forget that you have to take your
turn to man the desk at the office as well.”

Taking that as permission, Raven shot out of the alley at a
near run. She turned the block, relieved to find the car still waiting. Taggert
was leaning over the front seat, tending to Jamie.

“We should hurry.”

His voice sent her heart skipping a beat and fear crawled up
her spine. Not waiting to confirm his condition herself, she shoved the car into
gear. The ride home seemed interminable. Each second, she expected to hear the
raspy breathing cease.

When the lights of the house finally came into view, she
didn’t take her eyes away from the beacon of hope.

They would make it.

Even as they pulled up, the door opened and Digger rushed
toward them. All that was missing was to see his coattails flapping. He opened
the door and examined the patient like any seasoned ER doctor. She hadn’t even
seen London follow until he nudged the doctor out of the way and extracted
Jamie’s too still body.

The line to the house reminded her too much of a funeral
procession for comfort. “What can you tell me?”

Digger’s shook his head. “I won’t know until I can examine
him closer.”

Raven follow them into the house, and Digger waved her away
from the basement. “We’ll inform you of any changes.”

“But—”

The door snicked shut in her face, leaving her staring at
the wall with a helpless feeling she knew all too well. She clenched and
unclenched her fists only then noticing Taggert had remained at her side.

“It’s a good sign that he’s still alive. Digger will keep
him that way.”

She didn’t know why she cared. He was just a rogue. He
didn’t matter. Or that’s what everyone kept telling her. “Where the hell was
Griffin? He was supposed to be watching the rogues. I want to know what
happened.”

She whirled, her beasts rising with her agitation, and she
had no idea how to calm them.

“I’m here.”

She crossed the floor to Griffin and grabbed him by the neck
before he could react. He seized her wrist, but couldn’t force her hand away
without ripping out his own throat.

Raven dropped her beasts. She wouldn’t be able to win that
way. They were both too alpha to give way. Electricity poured over her in
welcoming waves. She took Jackson’s advice and didn’t try to control current,
but let it wash over them.

Griffin grunted as if she’d struck him, and he dropped to
his knees. The grip on her wrist tightened, but the expected pain never came.
She felt nothing but rage at the thought of him betraying his own kind. That he
would betray her. “What game are you playing at with these people?”

His brilliant green and yellow eyes stared up at her. Sweat
beaded his hairline as her energy snaked around him seeking answers. “No game.
Trying to save.”

The scar on the back of his hand reminded her of all that
he’d lost. “You’re an alpha in your own right. Why bother with these rogues? You’re
not one of them. Not really.”

“You’re right. Partially right.” His smile was more of a
grimace. Despite her control, he struggled to his feet, surprising her with his
will not to be seen as weak. “I volunteered to infiltrate them and find out who
was hunting shifters. Then, when rogues started to die,” he raised his fist to
show his scar. “I decided that I might as well make use of this.”

She dropped her hold. The energy reluctantly retreated,
leaving a sting in its wake. She’d almost swear that the lash was more of a
caress.

As if the creature sensed her watching and listening, it
settled down content just to be noticed. No matter how much she wanted to
explore this new phenomenon, she had more pressing issues.

“And the story of how you became a rogue? Was any of it
true?”

Every emotions shut down. “Every word.”

“And Jamie?”

“He was following a lead.”

“So he was helping you?”

“You might say we had an unsteady truce.” Griffin paused,
debating what to share. “He knows little of my past, but he also knows that
without help, the rogues will suffer.”

“Maybe it’s time you tell me what’s happening.” It wasn’t a
question.

Griffin did smile then. “I know little more than you. There
is a drug on the market that’s making shifters act like alphas, but there are
side effects. I’m not sure if they’re caused by the drug or if the addicts were
targeted. Maybe both. I’m trying to narrow it down.”

“And getting nowhere.” Raven couldn’t help be suspicious if
he really wanted the drug shut down or if he just wanted it for himself.

He didn’t say anything more.

“You have an in with the rogues, but you are also limited on
what you can do. I’m not. In the morning, we will discuss this further.” Raven
paused to push home her point. “The shifter who died tonight wasn’t a rogue.”

Griffin flinched, the action barely noticeable. He must have
come to the same conclusion as Jamie. If the shifters thought they were being
targeted, they will remove the threat.

They’ll destroy all rogues.

* * *

Raven trudged up the stairs, each step heavier than the last.
Taggert followed her, ever silent, and she was grateful for his quiet presence.

Dating three men at one time was insane, but it didn’t feel
like she was cheating by being with the others. She didn’t understand the bonds
forming between them, and wondered how much her animals were influencing her
decisions.

“Why don’t you let me run you a bath?”

Raven turned toward him and smiled. “It sounds lovely except
that my bathroom is currently under construction. I’m lucky I still have a
shower.”

Though no expression showed, she couldn’t help sense his
crestfallen emotions. “I’m sorry our date didn’t turn out the way you wanted.”

Taggert eyes brightened, a smile tipping his lips. “I had
time alone with you. It was perfect.”

When he turned to move away, she grabbed his wrist.

He inhaled sharply, a small whimper in his throat. She
immediately dropped his arm, the sound more effective than if he’d slapped her.
“You’re hurt?”

He whirled on her, stepping right into her personal space
like it didn’t exist, backing her up until her ass hit the wall. Lust poured
off him, but he controlled himself, not touching her in any way.

“Do it again.” He placed his hands against the wall on
either side of her head. His voice was part plea, part demand.

Only when she was able to tear her gaze away from the yellow
glow of his eyes did she realize what she’d done.

The scar where she bit him stood out pale against the tanned
skin of his wrist.

She should’ve been horrified to see her mark on him, know
that she’d scarred him. Her wolf trotted forward, pleasure and possessiveness shivering
down her spine. He was hers. Now and forever. “Will it always be so sensitive?”

Taggert inhaled deeply, breathing her in. “Only your touch.”

She knew what he craved. What her wolf wanted. And if she
was truthful, she was curious at what it would be like to indulge in touching
him again.

Eyes on his, she leaned over and licked his wrist. The taste
of him hummed through her.

As if she’d flipped a switch, he flattened her against the
wall with his body. His lips sought hers, the hunger in them almost desperate
as he kissed her. The wildness of him called her own, and she returned his embrace.

But concern edged out desire. It was harder than she thought
to pull away from him. “Taggert?”

He jerked away from her as if she kneed him in the groin
instead of said his name. “I’m sorry.”

Raven was confused. What the hell was going on here? “Why
are you sorry?”

He wouldn’t face her. When she reached for him, he ducked
away in panic. That only served to piss her off more.

“I shouldn’t have touched you without permission.” His voice
was a raw, a barely-there whisper.

His reply gave her pause. “Because I’m an alpha?”

Raven knew he’d enjoyed their exchange, his arousal proof
enough. Her gaze landed on his clenched fists, and the truth dawned on her. “Have
you ever kissed anyone without being ordered?”

He glanced at his feet, never lifting his head. “No.”

“Does it feel wrong to touch me?”

He shook his head then nodded. “Not without permission.”

“So, the only way you’d feel comfortable being near me is if
I ordered you.” Raven was talking more to herself, their treatment of him
horrifying.

The way they’d trained him.

She hadn’t realized how deeply integrated he was into the submissive
life.

“Orders are the only things that keep us alive.”

His logic made sense in a sickening way. Any move he made
without approval was a death sentence hanging over him. One she wasn’t sure she
was prepared to lift if it meant opening herself up and giving him permission
to touch at any time.

It was too dangerous.

But she could give him one thing that no one could take from
him. “You are part of my pack whether the conclave agrees or not.” Then she
licked her lips, suddenly uncertain. “If you want it.”

His head jerked up at that. “I would be honored.”

“But I’m not used to all the romantic attention. I’m used to
blending into the crowd.” His sudden smile gave her pause, and she eyed his
sudden cheerfulness. “What?”

“You are an unmated female. Even with the best shields,
shifters will seek you out.”

Raven scowled at him. He was right but that didn’t mean she
had to like it.