Electric Heat (30 page)

His smile was expectant as excitement shimmered in his eyes,
the red giving them a demonic gleam.

It almost looked like…fever.

Raven could’ve smacked herself for not noticing sooner. “You’re
burning through the magic too fast, consuming too much energy for your human
body to sustain you.” She’d seen signs of it in Rylan. “You’re addicted. Greed
won’t allow you to stop. You’ll need a new host sooner than expected, and you
need me to keep your army together. If we hold you off just a little longer, we
can bind the wild magic before you’re able to select your next victim.”

Such a simple answer.

Relief trickled through her.

Rage twisted his face. “You bitch. Too bad no one else will
be smart enough to figure it out, and once you’re gone, no one else will have
the power to make it happen, either.”

Without warning, he swung his sword.

She blocked, but the nasty blow dropped her to her knees.

She lifted her sword, bracing for the next strike—

And received a kick to her chest that took her by surprise.
She went sprawling, and the sword fell from her grip. She rolled and scrambled
for the blade, but the blow left her so stunned her reflexes were slow. Just as
her fingers curled around the hilt, the Prime kicked it out from under her grip.

“You should have accepted my offer.”

Raven looked up to see him raise his sword.

“It didn’t have to come to this.” Then the sword descended.

Raven rolled to her side and kicked, catching him in the
knee. There was a sickening crack, and his leg bent in the wrong direction.
With a bellow, he staggered and struggled to regain his balance.

Wild magic swelled in the air as she sprang for the sword.

He’d refrained from using magic while she’d been holding it.

If she didn’t reach it in time, she was dead meat.

Two feet.

The first lash of magic struck her across the back, slicing
through clothing to flay off a strip of flesh. The shock of pain tore a startled
yelp from her, and blood dribbled down her back.

Raven clawed forward. To defeat the Prime, she had to have
the sword. Magic welled again. She tried not to stiffen, but her muscles tensed
against the coming pain.

The second lash caught her between her shoulder blades.

A hiss of shocked pain escaped as her skin split.

Each movement, each breath, only heightened the agony.

A pair of shoes stepped into her line of vision.

Raven peered up to find Randolph glaring at something behind
her with cold, dead eyes, nothing in his body or face betraying any emotions.
The trained assassin had come out to play. “Get the sword, but you’d better
hurry or we’re all dead.”

With that, he stepped into the swirling mass of wild magic
that had settled around the Prime like an angry cloud.

When Randolph entered the storm, red particles in the cloud
sizzled against his flesh, eating it away like acid. That didn’t stop him. He lunged
at the Prime time and again.

Buying her a few precious seconds.

Whether he did it for her benefit or just to pit himself
against a stronger force and see who would win, didn’t matter.

Turning her back on the fight, Raven forced herself to her
feet and staggered toward the sword. The weight of the weapon sent agony
screaming through her back. She turned to see Randolph fly through the air and
collapse, his body deathly still.

The sounds of fighting intensified. The second wave of shifters
from the cave had arrived and flanked the battle. Beast fought beast as they
tore into each other. Dominic had organized the infected witches to battle the
others.

All the magic flying around thickened the air until it
became stifling, and the sword began to glow softly as it was buffeted by the
whirl of spells and charms.

The Prime strode toward the defenseless Randolph. Part of
her wondered if it might not be better to let him die, but she couldn’t force
herself to let it happen. She grabbed at the magic churning in the air and threw
it at the Prime. The hit caught him high in the shoulder, nearly spinning him
around. The wound steamed as he lifted his head, and his focus fell on her.

His eyes frosted red with hatred, he straightened and strode
toward her with the cursed broadsword in his hand. When he came within striking
distance, he renewed his assault by hacking away at her. His weapon was an
extension of himself, his entire body moving with each blow, powered by his grim
determination to finish her off.

She needed to go on the offensive. There was no way she
could win in a physical battle. She had to be sneaky. Just when his sword was
about to drop, Raven whirled, brought up her blade and sliced him across the
ribs, just under his arm. The move wasn’t a conscious effort on her part, the
blade had guided her hand to where it would do the most damage.

The Prime grunted, then reached under his arm, lifting his
hand to find it covered with blood. Shock hollowed his face as he met her gaze.
The sour scent of fear pierced his confidence while they circled each other.  

He narrowed his eyes, craving retribution, but his swing
went wide, leaving her a split-second opening. She took it, dragging the blade
across his thigh. The edge sliced through flesh, spilling blood down his leg,
and he growled as he whirled to face her.

“What do you think will happen when your beast wakes?” Raven
stiffened at the question, trying not to let the sting of it sink under her
skin. It was the same question she’d been asking herself for the past ten
years.

“You’ll need my help. You kill me now, you’ll doom your
precious pack.”

The creature dug its claws in her chest in denial. “Neither
of us would harm our own.”

The Prime laughed, the deep rumble filling the air. “You
don’t get it, do you? You’re the ultimate weapon. Without training, you’ll
become a monster. You won’t be able to control it.
You
won’t be in
charge at all. You’ll eventually destroy everything you hold dear.”

A second of doubt caused her to hesitate.

Taking advantage of her distraction, the Prime charged,
blocking her sword stroke. He plowed his shoulder into her, throwing her clear
off her feet, and the ground rushed up to knock the breath out of her.

Training allowed her to move, reach for the sword.

Only to have a foot land on her wrist.

Looking up, she glimpsed the Prime standing over her with a
snide smile. “You should’ve killed me when you had the chance.”

He brought the sword to rest against her throat, the metal cold
against her skin. The armor thickened in retaliation, and she grabbed the
blade, holding it at bay, but she wasn’t sure her beast would be strong enough
to save her this time. As if affronted, the creature flooded her with magic,
the blue strands a cool heat leapt from her to the Prime’s sword and streaked
up the blade. Instead of being absorbed, her magic swarmed into the Prime. His
arms trembled under the strain, his teeth clenched as volts of electricity
sizzled through him.

He couldn’t take her head off while she held him.

They were at a draw.

The Prime looked a little gray around the edges as her power
continued to eat away at him. As if knowing he was losing, he brought back his
foot, and slammed it against her side.

Her ribs cracked. Bones caved.

Breathing became impossible, and she lost her hold on her
power, watching helplessly as it evaporated. Metal sparked against the armor of
her hands as the blade dropped back down to her throat.

The Prime gave a triumphant laugh. “You’re just a baby, not
nearly strong enough to fight me and win.”

Durant barreled into the Prime, tackling the man, the sword
just nicking her neck before the Prime was flattened. A trickle of blood
dribbled down her throat.

Both men hit the ground with a thud, skidded against grass
and went sprawling.   

Raven rolled to her side, clutching her ribs as she tried to
get her lungs to work again.

The wards on Durant’s back flared to life, protecting him
from the magic, but nothing could keep him safe from the sword. Durant evaded
the first swing, grabbed the Primes arm, and landed a few rapid punches to his
injured ribs.

And received an elbow to his temple for his trouble.

He staggered back, his feet clumsy as he danced away, and
she realized the drugs were still affecting him. Even with his fast shifter
metabolism, he still needed time to recover.

Raven wheezed, and the first blessed taste of air trickled
down her throat. When she tried to stand, she couldn’t get any further than on
her hands and knees before the world started to spin. Each movement was agony
against her ribs. Seconds passed and another precious breath of air filled her
lungs.

Durant dodged and landed blows, growing slower and slower
with each hit and terror took root in her heart.

She had to do something.

She reached for her sword, dragging it closer, stabbing the
tip into the ground and using it to pull herself upright. The effort exhausted
her. She glanced up to see Durant barely block the blade in time, and her heart
dropped and shattered at her feet to see so many thin lines of blood staining
his shirt where he’d been nicked.

The damned fool was going to get himself killed.

Her heart chilled to realize what his good-bye kiss had
really meant.

It wasn’t because he thought she would die, but because he had
planned to sacrifice himself if it meant keeping her alive.

Raven lurched forward, panic making her trip over her own
feet as she charged toward the two men.

The Prime brought down his sword.

Time slowed, the air thickened to molasses as she struggled
to reach them. Her heart thudded against her ribs as she watched helplessly while
the blade plunged into Durant’s chest. “Noooo!”

 Chapter
Twenty-six

S
omething
inside Raven snapped, and her scream turned into a roar that shook the earth.
Crippling pain tore through her side as her beast ripped free from the last of its
bindings. Power suffused her in one agony-inducing wave as the creature fully awoke.
The sword in her hand blazed to life, and the insatiable hunger for vengeance
thrummed through them both.

There was no more pretense of control. Raven no longer gave
a damn.

All fighting stopped.

The world fell silent and held its breath.

The creature concentrated on a space before the Prime. Her
bones grew lighter, almost insubstantial as they seemed to dissolve. Then, without
even moving, she was teleported a short distance away, exactly where she wanted
to be most—face to face with the Prime.

He stumbled back in shock, leaving his sword still wedged in
Durant’s chest.

Power poured through her as the creature took over, and
Raven conceded to the beast’s demands without a struggle. She couldn’t allow herself
to think or feel or she’d drown in the avalanche of pain.

Wanting him to suffer, she backhanded the Prime, nearly
knocking him off his feet.

When he looked up, she saw four slashes had split open his
face where her claws had landed.

He lifted his hands in the sign of surrender, his fear a
stench fouling the air. “You don’t want to do this.”

Raven smiled and fangs sliced her lips, filling her mouth
with the taste of blood. “I can assure you I very much do.”

She stalked him as he stumbled away. The wild urge to give
chase roared through her. He must have seen it and forced himself to stop.
“Spare me, and you’ll never see me again.”

“No.” She landed a couple more strikes, laying open his arm
when he raised it to block the blow meant for his throat. The next slice slid across
his chest, her diamond-hard nails scraping against his ribs.

“I can teach you how to rid yourself of the beast.” He
stumbled and fell on his ass, scuttling backwards to get away from her.
“Permanently.”

The temptation to listen lingered, just out of reach. The
beast grew quiet, letting her decide, its grip tightened as if to deny any
thought of separation.

His shrewd eyes sharpened. “Or I can show your creature how
to gain freedom from the prison of your body.”

Raven lifted the sword.

“Kill me and you’ll never learn the truth. Neither of you
will ever be free.”

The creature protected her from feeling the pain, kept her
from shattering at the debilitating loss of Durant. The last thing she wanted
was to give that up…she wouldn’t survive. “We will never be free.”

The sword descended. There was a slight tug on the blade,
and she watched dispassionately as the Prime’s head hit the ground with a thud.

The creature hummed with pleasure at the victory, but Raven
felt none of it. She buried herself deep inside the creature, desperate to
escape the wave of loss that threatened to drown her.

There was no cheering at the end of this battle.

People stared at her in shock, too frightened to move.

Breathing heavily, Raven watched the corpse, unable to turn
and face Durant’s lifeless body.

It would make it too real.

Steam rose when the Prime’s blood met open air.

Only it smelled sour.

Wild magic soared out of the blood like a swarm of enraged wasps,
the red tint to the cloud giving it an ominous appearance. With no body to corral
it, the magic swirled like a tornado, seeking a new host. It needed to quickly
bind to either a body or an object or it wouldn’t survive.

The pulsing red mist circled the small clearing like a
predator, hovering above everyone in its search for the perfect candidate.
People froze, shrank away to avoid detection. The rot of dying magic filled the
air as it slowly condensed over her head.

Even as she stepped back, the symbols on her blade flared to
life.

She tried to drop the sword, but her hand wouldn’t obey her
command. The creature thickened the armor around her, but Raven didn’t know if
it would be enough.

Magic fell from the sky like rain.

Or more like acid rain.

The glow around the sword increased, the magic sizzling when
it hit the metal. Power surged through the sword but there was just too much
for it to absorb. The overflow spilled into her hand and raced up her arm. Unbridled
power scorched her insides until her flesh felt like it was being peeled from
bone.

What the sword didn’t consume landed on her like drops of
pestilence. Unfiltered by the sword, each drop blistered her skin, burrowing to
get through her armor, and she was quickly overwhelmed. Like wiggling maggots,
they tunneled into her flesh. The creature shredded the foul-tasting magic as
fast as it could, but it wasn’t able to keep up with the tide.

Wild magic infected her system

The agony lasted for what felt like hours, but could only
have been minutes. The wild magic was like sandpaper against her bones as it
clashed with her own natural energy. As if realizing they were killing her, the
two volatile magics came to an uneasy truce. The red magic tainted the edges of
the blue electricity that was hers, and the tips throbbed like an angry wound.

The symbols on the sword faded, its hunger fed for now.

The world quieted around her.

Wildness licked through her. She was finally free and whole
for the first time. Her heart thudded against her chest, like she’d lost
something important. Not wanting to remember the unrelenting pain of loss, Raven
retreated further into the beast.

Bloodied bodies were strewn about the small clearing.

The trees were stripped of leaves, the branches as barren and
lonely as she felt.

The shifters darted back and forth, gathering their injured,
all the while keeping an eye on her, ready to run if she so much as twitched.
The witches were huddled together, preparing to strike as if she was the enemy.
Luca ignored them, scurrying from body to body, checking survivors before
dragging them back to Paige and their fellow students for healing.

Randolph stepped toward her, his arm at an odd angle, blood dribbled
down his face, but he didn’t seem to notice as he studied her. He seemed
pleased at the changes, and showed no sign of fear.

Each familiar face shaved away a layer of the blessed
numbness. Memories of things she wanted to forget rose, and misery tightened
around her chest.

She needed to run and disappear.

To forget they’d ever existed.

“Raven.”

She turned to see Rylan standing three feet from her. He
didn’t move, didn’t breathe, laying his soul bare for her to see. The depth of
his loneliness echoed inside her, but it was the compassion in his eyes that nearly
broke her.

Then he spoke.

“You’ll never forgive yourself if you run. Trust me. I know.”

Anguish slashed through her chest at his heartfelt plea,
cracking open the door she so desperately needed to keep shut. Her insides felt
raw and bleeding, and she was devastated by the thought of never being able to
touch Durant again. Never kiss him. Never laugh with him.

There would be no more dates. No more purring from his tiger
when he was pleased. Or rumbles of displeasure when he thought she was being
foolish.

No more handcuffs.

Her heart slowly fractured, and she curled her arms to her
chest when the avalanche of pain threatened to crush her. Tears crowded her
eyes, her throat tightened, and the loss of his love was just more than she
could bear. “Stop. No more. Please.”