“I don’t think we should split.”
Raven ignored Jackson and opened the door. The darkness of the woods didn’t look inviting. Shadows danced, but it was the lack of animals, the lack of sound, that had a chill creeping across her skin. “When you search, look for signs of any animals.”
“Why?” Jackson sounded suspicious and belligerent.
Desire my ass. That was pure distrust in his question. Raven glanced at him and resisted the urge to sigh. “Call it a hunch.”
Rylan narrowed his eyes. “Why do you think this is the right area?”
“Because I recognize that bite mark on Cassie from a couple of murder victims that were left here the day before last.” Two days seemed so long ago. Not waiting for any more protests, she headed forward. The darkness was oppressive, pushing against her as she walked. She blinked, and the shadows retreated, her eyes adjusting as the animals at her core woke from their slumber. Allowing her to see through their keen vision.
Although she was grateful for the help, she hated acknowledging that she was losing control. Every aspect of her life was becoming blurred. All her careful controls were cracking. She wished she knew what would be left behind when everything finally broke loose.
“Rylan, head south at a forty-five degree angle from here. Taggert and I will head southwest. When you reach the stream, head toward my direction and we’ll meet up in the middle.”
Jackson stepped in front of her and refused to budge. “I don’t trust him.” He jerked his head toward Rylan, his eyes bleeding yellow.
Rylan shrugged, leaving it up to her to reveal as much as she wanted. “The storm’s getting worse. I can’t guarantee how long our phones will work. If Rylan is in the area, I can sense him and vice versa.”
Jackson flipped open his new phone, and she winced at the reminder of what happened to his old one. “Service is–”
“She means that when she’s around electrical devices, they tend to not hold a charge. It takes a conscious effort for her not to consume the energy around her. With the storm, it would be impossible. Since her phone is on her person, and Taggert will be near her, they’ll be drained if they aren’t already.” Rylan turned and disappeared in the trees. Vampire tricks. She shook her head. Then she jumped when his voice floated back to them. “The sooner we leave, the faster we can get back.”
In a blur of speed, Jackson streaked into the woods, disappearing just as fast. Relieved to be away from the tension between those two, she gave a wan smile to Taggert and took off.
The wind tugged at her, pulling at her clothes. Despite her animals’ agitation, the power of the storm was exhilarating. She could almost taste the desire to reach out and pull down the lightning. Any fatigue vanished as the air literally recharged her. She’d worry about crashing after she did what needed to be done.
“Raven?” Taggert stepped in front of her and she blinked, unaware that she’d stopped.
She cleared her throat. “Do you sense anything?”
Taggert shook his head, his shoulder length hair framing his face, wild and untamed. His natural scent almost disappeared in the surrounding trees, but she could still pick him out. There was a subtle flavor to it that drew her, and she followed him as he scouted the area.
“I don’t sense anything.” He paused, but didn’t turn to look at her. “Do you?”
She opened her mouth to answer when understanding hit. He’d seen the web she’d created at the club, knew what she’d done. Giving him a short nod, she closed her eyes. Energy easily answered her call, kicking up the air around them like a cyclone, building and growing with each second. In the distance, she heard a snarl, then the animals at her core fell silent and vanished.
The current crackled along her skin, seeking an outlet. The temptation to linger and play whispered to her along the wind. She let it build, felt it whip along her insides like writhing snakes. The longer she held it, the more agitated they grew until her bones turned molten.
With a short breath, she released everything in a giant pulse. A gasp from Taggert popped her eyes open. The energy had passed through him, but she could see he’d managed to absorb quite a bit.
That shouldn’t have happened. It had to have hurt like hell. Yellow eyes glinted in the dark, their focus solely on her. Neither of them said a word.
After a moment, she registered Rylan and Jackson. She felt Rylan’s discomfort, his hunger, and winced. She’d never sent such a powerful burst, never expected it to reach them. She wanted to blame it on the storm, but she didn’t know if it was the truth and refused to hide behind a lie anymore.