Electric Storm(105)
A shudder ran through Taggert’s frame, though he didn’t slow or miss a step. “Do it.”
Something in his reaction had her hesitating, sucking up precious moments. “Are you sure?”
“You won’t hurt me.”
His trust didn’t reassure her. A strangled inflection in his voice had her guts clenching with unease. Weighed against the overwhelming need to protect him, there was no contest.
“Stop.”
He instantly stilled and cocked his head to listen. His bloodshot eyes met hers, and he nodded to indicate they were alone.
To keep him safe, she imagined a five-foot circle surrounding them. Then with great care, she pulled energy from around them and fed her power to the circle. Built it. Like a leech, it devoured the charge, greedily pulling everything faster than she could gather it. Trees became brittle. Plants wilted and turned brown, then black. Grass withered. All the while, her temperature soared with each pull.
Once saturated with as much energy she could gather, she released her hold, nearly dropping to her knees at the strain of working with pure energy. Power shot out, blasting through the forest with impossible speed.
Taggert’s growl rumbled through her as he was hit with backlash, but she kept her focus on the wave. The first hit captured her attention. “Shit.”
She shoved Taggert down just as a shot sounded. A burn lashed along her arm. Before she could peel herself off him, Taggert rolled, dragging her into the shelter of the trees.
Crouched facing her, Taggert’s eyes glowed. He no longer resembled the boy she knew but a warrior determined to kill.
She clutched her arm, warm blood spilling through her fingers. Her core still sputtered, remaining unusable. The raw energy around them was too unpredictable to manipulate into closing the wound. She felt exposed and useless without her gift there to save them.
“Here.” Taggert tore off the bottom of his shirt and wrapped her arm. She gritted her teeth when he tightened the makeshift bandage to slow the bleeding.
“Sorry.”
She grabbed his hand when he dropped his arm and squeezed. “Thank you.”
When Taggert tensed, she slapped her hand against his chest. “No you don’t.” She lifted her arm, and the chain clanked. “We do this together.”
“We can’t stay here. He’ll kill you.” He lifted his face to the wind. “I can smell him, the powder on his gun, the tar in his hair.” Taggert turned slightly and nodded. “He’s coming from that direction.”
“He’d found us too damn fast. He’s tracking us somehow.”
Taggert stilled, not even breathing. “It’s me.”
Her lips tightened, anger burning bright as she imagined what they’d done to him. “Where?”
“There was a cut on my back when I woke. It never healed.”
“Turn.”
He growled as if furious with himself and turned. “There’s not much time. He’s closing fast.”
She peeled up the shirt. The infected wound stood out against the corded muscles of his back. The skin looked partially healed over, but a bright, angry red.
Without giving either of them a chance to flinch, she probed the small incision. Warm blood and nothing else met her fingertip.
“Hurry.” The light sound barely emerged through his gritted teeth. He had to be riddled with pain, but he didn’t show it.
He was right. There was no time to be squeamish. She pressed deeper, ignoring the fresh dribble of blood that smeared his back. Her fingertip touched the edge of something hard. She grabbed and pulled it free, wincing as she tore the object from his flesh.
Iron. The bastards. Since he couldn’t shift, the wound would leave a permanent scar. She dropped the tracker, relieved to see the dribble of blood down his back already slowing.
“The old man said that if we escaped, we’d be free.” Tension spiraled through Taggert. “Do you believe him?”
She didn’t have to think twice. “No.”
“Then we run.” They kept low to the ground, Taggert guiding them away from the hunter. Another shot whizzed in the dark from somewhere behind them.
A bellow of rage followed, and she couldn’t prevent a hard smile. “Cowboy found the tracker.” And he was close enough for her to smell the grease on him.
Taggert pulled her to a stop and crouched to face her. “You were right. More of them are ahead. If we run, they’ll take us.”
“How many?”
Taggert shook his head. “The wind carried just a hint of scent. Three?”
“How many were there in total?” She cursed her inability to send out another probe. She poked at the gold power that steadily bled into her system, but let it be. She couldn’t risk using it with Taggert so near without knowing the consequences.