Electric Storm(104)

Then she noticed he was alone. “Run!”

The walkie-talkie clenched in his fists squawked. “I have a rifle aimed at her head. Shackle yourself to her.”

She cursed herself for not seeing that this could happen. Those chocolate brown eyes locked on hers, and he resolutely walked toward her. Her heart slammed against her ribs as she watched him clicked the heavy weight to his own wrist, trapping them together. “Taggert.”

“He would’ve killed you.” He cradled his ribs when he settled at her side. He showed no remorse in his actions, running a hand lightly over her hair, fingering the strands with trembling fingers. The metal irritated his wrists, instantly turning his skin red.

An ungodly howl erupted, echoing in the caves, threatening to pierce her skull. A deep chill crept over her skin. Taggert bolted to his feet, jerking her up with him.

“Run!”

He pulled her along and some of his urgency washed over her. She stumbled over her own feet as she tried to keep up, cursing her clumsiness. Nothing had gone as planned. The burnout had scrambled her system more than she’d wanted to admit, the current coming and going in surges, but mostly going.

Her animals refused to settle as the gold power insidiously worked its way through her body, leaving black cinders in its wake as it consumed her from the inside out.

Another rage-filled howl spilled down the shadowy tunnel, washing over her, spreading goosebumps over her body.

Running sounded like a very good idea.





Chapter Thirty-one





“Hurry.” Taggert jerked on her arm, nearly pulling her off her feet, half lifting, half carrying her as they shot out of the cave.

The hunt had begun.

She risked a glance at the cave entrance and saw nothing. That didn’t stop her heartbeat from skyrocketing. Something was there in the darkness, something hungry and coming fast.

Adrenaline surged through her body. The fresh night air eased the tight band around her chest. Some of her coordination returned. She picked up speed despite the stitch growing in her side, but couldn’t dodge the obstacles nearly as well as Taggert. A branch took her unawares, smacking her hard enough to draw blood.

“Stop.” She tried to slow, but Taggert would have none of it. When he would’ve muscled her forward, she threw out her arm and snagged the trunk of a slim tree. The bark ripped off a few layers of skin from her tender underarm. Taggert barely halted in time to prevent her shoulder from dislocating.

“We have time before she catches up to us. It wouldn’t do for her to be on us too fast. The hunt would be over too soon.” She lifted her arm in the meager light to get a better angle on the locks.

Everything metal.

“We should run.” But he stayed still, allowing her to pull him into a crouch, making them a much smaller target.

“Running blindly through the forest is what got the others killed.” She scanned the surrounding area to gain her bearings. The wind swept low to the ground, shadows jumped as past chases haunted the area. She could almost see them running scared, panting in fear, their only intent to escape, knowing each step, each breath could be their last. She shook her head to rid herself of the images.

“I can’t unlock these.” She looked at him in the darkness, saw him trying to hide the pain so clearly etched on his face, and wondered how long he’d be able to keep going. She needed a plan and fast.

“They picked me up on the other side of the stream. That’s where everyone else is waiting. With your heightened sense of smell, can you get us there?”

Taggert lifted his head and inhaled deeply, shuddering as air filled his chest. He cradled his ribs, but didn’t stop scenting the air until he found it. “Follow me.”

He shot to his feet in the graceful way of his kind. Raven cursed her clumsy body, doing her best to keep up. After ten minutes of running, she was more than a little embarrassed by her lack of endurance. The stitch in her side was a taunt.

Wounded and starved, Taggert wasn’t in much better condition. The signs were there in the way his chest hiccupped with each breath, the way his stride hitched. He just hid it better.

“If we can get that far, we’ll have backup.” But she didn’t hold out much hope of making that distance without a confrontation. With each footfall, she pulled raw energy from the earth to disperse tiny grains of current across the surface of the forest floor. The roots eagerly soaked up the extra boost. The grass sprang back, bent leaves straightened, snapped twigs mended. Each step took its toll. She wouldn’t be able to cover them for long. Even now, a fever heated her body.

They needed help.

“I need to track the others.” She swallowed hard as she said the words, her body already flinching at the pain to come.