Raven Investigation 04 - Electric Legend (17 page)

DAY THREE: SECOND DAY OF
CAPTIVITY – MORNING AFTER

R
aven 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.