Free Raven Investigation 04 - Electric Legend by Stacey Brutger

waiting for?
    Her clients usually came to her with a problem to fix, where
she could do research and gather background information on the case before
jumping into the fray. This was different, and until she had more information,
the only way to keep everyone safe was by leaving, enlist the council’s help
and come back with reinforcements.
    She went over everything they’d seen, glanced back to gauge
the sheer size of the circus, and realized they’d only seen a small portion. Taggert
was hiding something from her. “You avoided taking me to see the whole circus.
Why?”
    “You know why.” He gave her a measured look, betraying
nothing about his emotions, bottling himself all up.
    Hurt ploughed into her gut that he kept a part of himself
apart from her, just like he did when he’d first come to her.
    Like he didn’t trust her. “You didn’t think I could handle
it.”
    “Circuses have animals. I knew it would upset you to see
them, and I didn’t want to ruin our special night.” A hint of vulnerability
softened his face, and Raven found herself drawn closer.
    Then the truth became clear, and she closed her eyes in
resignation. “The animals are shifters locked in cages, aren’t they?”
    “Yes.”
    Raven could understand why he thought it would upset her,
but the way his shoulders tensed, the way he angled away from looking at her
directly, she knew he was keeping something else from her. “They can’t shift
back, can they?”
    Taggert’s shoulders dropped as he sighed, weighed down with
the truth. “None of the shifters we saw were in good condition.”
    “When they can no longer change back into their human forms,
they are relegated to the cages like animals. And the longer they remain in
animal form, the harder it is for them to remember their human side.”
    “We don’t know that.” But his protest lacked conviction
    They traveled farther into the trees, found three more cars,
but never the right one. Her muscles tensed, and she shook with the urge to run
hard and fast.
    This was not her mess.
    It wasn’t her problem to solve.
    Duty and the need to do the right thing tore her in opposite
directions.
    The shifters were virtual prisoners, treated worse than
slaves, and their alpha didn’t give a damn. The very idea horrified her. Pack
was built to protect, lived and died to safeguard each other. To be betrayed by
the ones who were supposed to keep them safe was beyond unspeakable.
    She waited for her beast to show outrage, but the dragon remained
locked down tight. They’d become so integrated, Raven found herself missing the
creature. No spell held the beast at bay. No outer forces were at work.
    The beast was just gone.
    After so many years of repressing the monster, Raven missed
the dratted creature.
    She gave her dragon a careful poke but received no response.
    It meant only one thing—something bad was about to happen.
    Apprehension churned in her gut, and she picked up her pace,
eager to find the men. She brushed against a tree, the bark biting into her skin.
Every step without catching even a trace of them shot her anxiety higher. She
could feel people watching them from the woods like a game of cat and mouse,
their boots against her neck, ready to grab and drag them back.
    She wouldn’t survive being imprisoned again.
    Her breathing grew labored when she couldn’t find enough
air. Raven knew she was having a panic attack, but the knowledge didn’t ease
the swirling emotions.
    She’d had enough.
    There was no more hiding.
    Refusing to leave without the men, Raven grabbed for a
string of current.
    “Here!” Taggert took off running.
    Concentration shot, the hot strands singed her palms as the
energy slid through her fingers. Raven followed, heart in her throat, darting
around trees and random cars in her path. Taggert practically vaulted over a
vehicle. No way could she keep pace.
    When he drew to an abrupt halt, Raven slowed.
    He whirled, pure wolf staring back at her and roared.