Electric Storm(96)

Those battle-wounded eyes of his gave the answer.

“Because of me.” Acid churned her stomach and nausea threatened. He’d lived with the affliction for years without a word of blame.

How many other lives had she ruined and just walked away from without a clue?

“Don’t look like that. It’s not your fault.”

She met his gaze steadily, her heart shredded. “Isn’t it?”

Dina broke the spell when she spoke. “What made Cassie so different?”

Rylan swallowed hard, never removing his focus from Raven. “Raven.”

The pure lust in his expression slammed into her so hard, she couldn’t catch her breath let alone her run-away thoughts. She’d always thought Rylan kept his distance because he didn’t care. That she’d destroyed things between them when she tried to get too close. Now she saw that he actually believed he was protecting her from himself. She was his addiction. He might care for her, but he feared his craving for her blood more.

“I never knew. I never understood.” She was stupid, blinded by her own problems. Shame heated her cheeks.

“I couldn’t let you see. I didn’t want you to know.” He ran a hand through his hair, dropping his gaze. But not before she saw the humiliation. They hadn’t broken her in the labs, not the way that one devastated look did now.

“You should’ve told me.” She couldn’t prevent the way her lip trembled.

Sadness poured from him. “So that you would feel guilty and try to fix me?” He shook his head. “I’ve lived this way for years. I can manage my affliction.”

“Where does that leave us?” London bared his teeth at Ross, cracking his knuckles. “Would you like me to take a turn at him? I’m sure he’ll give up his secrets.”

Raven wasn’t so sure. The angle of Ross’s chin showed his stubbornness, and his complete conviction that he would get out of this alive.

She looked at the people in the room as Jackson’s words came back to haunt her. Shifters weren’t human, they didn’t think like them. She wasn’t either, not really. Maybe it was time to put away her dreams, face the fact that she’d never be normal, and embrace the other side of her soul that few people knew existed.

“Leave the room.” She’d think of something. She had no choice. She remembered the way Durant tried to crack her shields. It was possible. She just had to peel back the layers. She’d never exploited her gift that way, but it was worth the risk.

“I’ll do it.” Rylan’s quick turnabout baffled her.

“No. If I’d known, I would’ve never asked—”

“I’m volunteering.” His gaze was uncompromising.

“Why?” His actions confused her, especially now that she understood the cost would push him one step closer to the insanity of bloodlust.

“I know what you’re planning. I’ll survive. I’ll get the information. They need you on this case. Taggert needs you.”

“And damn the consequences?”

“I’ll accept them all on my own. They won’t involve you.”

“Like hell.” She snarled at the secrets he had no right to keep from her.

“Let’s argue when your Taggert is home.”

Suspicions darkened her thoughts. “And you’ll be here when I get back?”

Before she could react, Rylan’s eyes bled to black. His image blurred, and he struck.

Ross’s struggle sickened her, but the least she could do was watch what she’d put into motion.

The fight slowly went out of Ross, his sharp expression grew dazed. When Raven thought Rylan would drain him, he withdrew his fangs. Blood trailed sluggishly down Ross’s neck, but he lived.

Raven quickly turned her attention to Rylan. The tense set of his shoulders slowed her step, and she swallowed hard past the tightness of her throat. She hesitated, uncurled her clenched fists and reached out. “Rylan—”

He whirled, his extended fangs glistened, his eyes wild as he fought the lure of blood. The damned fool had waited too long to feed.

Raven didn’t flinch under his regard, and he cocked his head as if curious. “What did you see? Where’s the warehouse?” She wouldn’t cry at what she’d forced upon Rylan. She couldn’t let her emotions win or she’d lose both of them.

Those black orbs didn’t show any recognition. The muscles of his body flexed to leap at the first sign of fear or weakness. Across the room, London shifted a step closer, ready to intervene.

She shook her head. At the movement, Rylan gripped her arm with vampiric strength. Energy rippled at the touch, surged up without her command, coursing under her skin and bubbling up to the surface. It splashed into Rylan, bowing his back. His gasp of air, the sound of deep pain had her skipping back out of range.