The Demon Within (48 page)

“Did they touch you?” He inched closer, his eyes roaming her body for injury as he walked around her.

His gaze left tails of heat in their wake, potent enough to stun her out of her anger. He appeared genuinely concerned. “I’m fine.”

“The three brothers signed a privacy contract. Besides their excellent work, their guaranteed privacy is what makes them the best in their field.” He continued to hover over her with each word spoken.

Then she noticed the molten gold eyes peering out at her. When she backed up a step, he mirrored her move. There was only a foot between her and the wall at her back. He was a furnace in front of her, throwing off heat hot enough to singe. And all she wanted to do was be scorched.

“You shouldn’t have come alone.” The danger in him was enticing, calling out to something deep inside her to come out and play .

“She didn’t.” Taggert stepped forward, a solid presents at her side and inching up the lust level to an almost unbearable degree. The men eyed each other, neither backing down. Then Durant caught sight of the collar and sighed.

Her palms itched to touch them, and any emotions but panic vanished under the onslaught. “How the hell am I supposed to fight this?”

Durant blinked and some of him returned enough for her to breath past his rich leather scent. “You’re the alpha. You’re the one who has the control.”

“Why does everyone keep saying that? I don’t understand. They say touch helps, but every time I get close to either of you, the desire is ten times worse.”

Before she could retreat, he snatch up her hand and pressed it against his chest. The fast beat of his heart thundered under her palms, heat radiated up her arms and raw lust nearly brought her to her knees. Taggert slipped behind her, his arm once more around her waist. His hand found its way beneath her shirt, splaying over her stomach. Power rocketed through her body.

His wolf.

It was close to the surface as if it ached and was reaching out for her.

She sucked in a sharp breath and grabbed his wrist. Her nails bit into his arm, and she felt a little rumble at her back that did delicious things to her body, reminding her of what his kiss had tasted like.

Instead of protesting her lack of control, he prodded her forward, only stopping with her body securely caught between them. Durant gritted his teeth, sucking in a harsh breath that beaded her nipples and weakened her knees.

“You can increase the lust or sooth those around you with a touch. Without any control, you’ll drive us insane before the week’s out.”

She brushed her hands over the front of his shirt and felt the beast purr at her touch. Taggert leaned down and nuzzled her neck. She barely resisted the urge to give him better access.

“I don’t think this is working.” She swallowed hard, trying not to so much as twitch least one of them broke.

Durant untucked his shirt and shoved her hands underneath. They both sucked in a harsh breath and didn’t move. Fine hair met her fingertips, and she couldn’t resist stroking him. The hard muscles under her fingers flexed, begging for more and he shuffled closer.

She felt the tigers’ near crazed need to be free and claim what it wanted. Instead of frightening her, she leaned her head against his chest, a light current, different than the normal electricity, rose at her touch. Power from his animal. “Shhhhh.”

The tiger paused in its pacing and lifted his head. Time stilled as if the beast was waiting for her to take what she wanted and the beast so willingly offered. Taggert’s wolf took advantage of her distraction and brushed against her back, offering and taking comfort. She didn’t know how long they stayed like that when she finally had enough strength to lift her head.

The tiger stilled looked at her through Durant’s eyes, but the restlessness and need had abated. Though he didn’t look completely sedated, he no longer looked as rattled when he’d first burst into the room. He still purred at her touch, but it was more a contented sound than one of lust.

“Touch.” Durant smiled.

Raven couldn’t prevent a heat of blush from filling her checks at the men’s obvious arousal. For some reason, what had just happened felt more intimate than sex. She reluctantly pulled her hand away, nearly sighing when Taggert dropped his as well and stepped back. She nervously cleared her throat. “We should go.”

Now that they weren’t touching, she could feel the desire of so many shifters in the room beyond beating at the door, racketing the lust back up. Part of her calm evaporated in frustration. She’d hoped the effects would’ve lasted longer.

“It was foolish of you two to come here with so many shifters so close to the full moon.” Gone was the contented man of a few seconds ago. In his place was a man intent on scolding her like a willful child.

“It was better to face this now than be surprised at the conclave.” His lips tightened, but he didn’t refute her claim.

“No female shifter is allowed out without protection for a reason.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “If someone touched you, I would’ve killed them.”

Raven swallowed a gulp and resisted the urge to cross her arms. “I’ve managed to take care of myself for a few years now.” She drew up enough energy to make it spark between her fingers. “Why is now so different?”

“You weren’t a full alpha then. You had the DNA, but you only woke when you started to interact with other shifters. Most shifters will give you respect, but there are more than a few who crave what you can do for them and won’t ask your permission. If they attack, you will have to retaliate or be seen as weak.”

A sickening sense of dread circled her gut. “Why are they so eager to throw away their lives?”

Durant snorted, his eyes darkening as a wave of heat snaked under her skin and caught her breath. She had no doubt he did it on purpose to put her on edge. “I like your confidence about your abilities, but you don’t know how persistent weres can be, especially with something as precious as a female alpha.” He crowded closer, his lips hovering over hers. “And if you don’t leave now, I’ll have you striped and sprawled across my desk in less than minute, tasting every delicious inch of you.”

Sneak Peak

Electric Storm

A
commotion at the other end of the room erupted. The boy. She knew it even before she saw his face. Five women surrounded him, heckling and caressing him. He stood there, a frozen smile plastered in place, tolerating the touch. Tolerating but not enjoying.

Then he flinched. His smile became strained, the women’s laughter more wild. The boy’s eyes hardened but he kept still, enduring the obscene fondling and cruel taunts.

She scanned the crowd. A few people snickered at his discomfort, a few looked away, pity leeching the life from their eyes. But no one protested.

Then the man who had accompanied the boy stood to his full height. The muscles of her back loosened, and she eased back into her seat, unaware she’d half risen to her feet. The big man would keep him safe. But instead of rescuing the boy, the Ogre turned his back and pushed his way to the bar.

A lump grew in her throat at the unwanted attention the boy endured. Memories of similar situations from her past cut into her mind, blurring reason until fury burned along her face.

Stillness settled inside her, burying everything but the need to do something, the need to prevent the past from repeating itself. Before she knew what she was doing, she moved.

The closer she came, the more she sensed his unwillingness and his resignation. She stopped outside the circle of women. Their gazes collided. Recognition sparked, and his gaze latched on to hers.

Pleaded.

It was a mistake coming here tonight, but she couldn’t leave without knowing he’d be safe. Couldn’t stop herself from rescuing him.

“He’s mine.” She reached through the circle of women, clamped down on his wrist and pulled him to her side. He came without a word of complaint, his head lowered, a small smile on his lips that barely lasted a second. His body trembled slightly before he controlled himself.

“What do you think you’re doing?” A blonde in strappy, three-inch heels stepped forward, drink in hand and a determined expression on her face. A woman who always got what she wanted.

Raven wasn’t impressed. “We’re leaving.”

As she turned, herding the boy in front of her, the woman’s talons dug into her arm.

Reacting on instinct, Raven spun and thrust out her palm, slamming her hand into the blonde’s chest, releasing some of the pent-up power that swirled inside in response to her anger.

The impact lifted the woman off her feet. She sailed over the table, one heel flying. Her mouth dropped open in moue of surprise, while her drink spun and sprayed her friends.

Conversation slowed, people turned. No one touched the woman as she staggered to her feet. Raven braced herself and scanned the crowd.

No one stepped forward to detain her or the boy.

“Is there a problem?”

Tiger.

He broke through the wall of people who circled the small group. Broad shouldered, lean but roped with muscles, he easily drew attention to him and it had nothing to do with the elegant clothes or wildly untamed mane of hair. The combination should’ve looked ridiculous but only succeeded in making him appear all the more dominant.

It gave him a dangerous air. An aura of bored arrogance seeped from him, but Raven knew differently. Power thrummed beneath his skin at his annoyance for being disturbed. The beast roamed close to the surface even in his human form.

“No, sir. The lady here claimed me, and Miss Jackie objected.”

“A challenge?” The tiger’s eyes sharpened in the muted light, his attention never leaving her face. He brushed against her shields, then shoved against them as if surprised to find resistance. The intensity increased, seeking a weakness. Her eyes narrowed. Usually only vampires or very powerful alphas had such strong mental ability.

Protocol dictated certain rules, and he broke them by probing her without permission. They both knew it if his sudden, impudent smile was anything to go by. If he pushed harder, she’d retaliate. She refused to let him enter her mind, refused to let him harvest all her secrets. It was too dangerous for either of them.

When he persisted, she twisted a strand of energy around his shields, using tremendous control to surround him instead of breaking through. Then she slowly tightened her hold. She let it rest there, let him feel her perusal, the threat. Her fingers trembled. Her stomach flopped like a fish out of water. It took everything she had to hold back more power and ignore the dangerous lure to crush the threat.

Then his aura fluctuated, rubbed against her own shield in a way that sent a shiver down her spine in a very pleasant way. Her blood heated, and she could almost swear she felt a purr from her core. From the startled look and the aroused flush to his face, the reaction wasn’t something he’d anticipated either.

Then he relented and retreated, bowing slightly in deference. “Please forgive my rudeness. I’m Jeffrey Durant, manager of Talon’s.”

She reeled in the string of energy, suppressing the unholy need to curse. A formal greeting. Rules of the pack dictated she reply in kind, supply her name at the very least, and the bastard knew it. She had to work with shifters. She couldn’t piss in the pond just because she didn’t want to do something. “Raven–”