Electric Storm(38)

Chest billowing under the strain, the big man finally halted. “She’s still alive.”

“Her body’s been shutting down for the last hour. He’s trying to turn her, but the process is painful. His blood will rejuvenate the cells. Since she’s so far along in the process, it’ll be agony as the change expels any drugs and toxins from her body.”

“And how is it that you know so much about their kind?” She felt the brush of his gift and nearly staggered when he slammed into her shields with the force of a jackhammer. Shards of pain shot through her skull. She pressed her palms against her temple in an effort to keep her mind from turning to mush.

“Stop.” When he did it again, the walls around her control threatened to crumble. Electricity flared to life, eager to lash back.

Desperate to keep him safe, she yanked back hard on the raw energy as it sought a target. She was only partially successful. A strand escaped, wrapped around his body. If any more of her power infected his system, they’d have one very angry, determined tiger on their hands. Reacting without thinking, she drew down hard.

He gasped, but she couldn’t open her eyes for the pain ricocheting through her skull. Despite her best intentions, he didn’t stop, continuing to ram against her shields. She could almost swear his animal snarled. The voltage built again, burning along her skin. It grew, her core searing the inside of her chest. Breathing became difficult.

Then blessedly, everything went quiet. Her knees shook as the flare slowly dwindled. She was afraid to open her eyes, afraid to find out what she’d done.

“Raven, can you hear me?” She blinked and found herself face to face with Taggert. Her gaze flickered toward the form spread out along the floor, and her throat ached at his absolute stillness.

“Did I kill him?”

Dominic snorted. “Nothing a little bump on the head won’t cure. What the hell was he doing to you?”

She winced at his tone, rubbing her temples at the recent assault. “He wanted the truth, no matter how he got it.”

“By ripping it from your mind? It could’ve killed you.” Dominic looked ready to wake Durant so he could hit the man again.

Taggert cupped her elbow, nearly lifting her off her feet in his effort to help her stand. She noticed the bruised and bloodied knuckles and felt ashamed. “I was supposed to protect you.”

“Things are a little more complicated than that. You take care of the pack, and they protect you from any threat.” Dominic opened his mouth to continue when everything went ominously silent in the other room.

She staggered closer, using the wall for support and gently knocked on the door. “Rylan, is everything okay?” The door swung opened in the middle of her question. She peered inside when she saw no one at the door.

Dominic brushed by her, entering first. Taggert hovered over her with Jackson bringing up the rear. She almost bumped into Dominic when he stopped abruptly.

From his ashen expression, she expected the worst. When she turned her head, the girl they once knew as Cassie greedily drew on Rylan’s arm.

“Sleep.” Cassie instantly closed her eyes and slumped. Rylan extracted his arm, then rolled down his sleeves. But not before she saw the chew marks that made his forearm nothing more than hamburger.

“Will you be alright?”

“I’ll be fine.” He avoided her gaze.

He didn’t look fine. His energy was dangerously low, and she pushed when she would normally remain silent. “You need to eat.”

He stilled completely at her comment, his back to her. “I’ll be fine.”

Raven shook her head. She stepped away from Taggert and stumbled. She would’ve fallen if Rylan hadn’t whirled and caught her arm. As she met his gaze, she saw his fangs extend, saw his eyes darken to that wonderful blue that revealed his troubled soul.

“Don’t touch her.” Dominic’s demand thundered through the room.

“I have no intention of hurting her. What happened?” As careful as a glass doll, he righted her, then pulled away, never removing his gaze from hers. His brows lowered. He raked his gaze over her, his hands curling into fists. “You’re in pain.”

She shrugged. “Like you, I’m fine. There was a little dispute. It’s settled.”

“That jackass tried to break her shields.” Jackson didn’t even finish, and Rylan was already moving. Faster than humans could track, he crossed the room and disappeared out the door.

She hurried past the others, hauling ass, but not quick enough. Rylan had Durant by the throat, dangling the unconscious man off the floor. With his fangs fully extended, the vampire hissed in fury.