Raven Moon (10 page)

Maddox drew in a long breath and slowly released it before retracting his fangs. “I detected his foul stench. The bastard didn’t bother covering it.” He clenched his jaw and studied the scene with Jaeger and his men again, as if this time taking mental notes of their conversation.

“So did you make out what he was saying?” He narrowed his eyes at her, as if assessing if she was on the Kindred’s side. “Hey, I’m definitely not in their camp. I’m still ‘Team Jacob’.” Growing up when the Twilight movie first came out, she was always the only raven who was not Team Edward.

“Right. He ordered his men to head north to Montana.” He stared out the window. “He didn’t say it but I bet he’s planning on using the ape zombies to attack my pack.”

Maddox handed her the camcorder and after checking it for claw marks and finding it puncture free, she put it away, relieved he didn’t break it. “Oh, snap.” Jaeger would use the chimpanzombies as biological weapons to infect humans and make them far more dangerous than the slow moving zombies. Not only would wolf packs be in greater danger, but so would other shifters and the beleaguered human survivors. Was he mad?

Maddox turned to her for answers. “How did Jaeger even learn of them? Did he know about the infected humans?”

“Not sure. We had intel about a possible vaccine here and maybe he did as well.” Holding her fractured arm she straightened. “Listen, get me a car. I’ll help you track Jaeger.” He shot her an incredulous look. “I still have legs and my good arm. I can find a rooftop and shoot the chimpanzombies while you go warn your pack.”

A growl escaped his throat and he smoldered her with his cobalt eyes. “No!”

“Why? He’s a threat to all shifters.”

“Because you’re my prisoner.” He glowered at her. “Don’t even think of trying to escape. Your scent is buried in my memory.”

You give me no choice but to sedate you
. A zombie banged on the glass window, reminding her of her vulnerability. Rave’s eyes widened. Oh, crap. Hundreds of zombies shambled toward them. On the other hand, better to wait until they left Hotel Zombie. Not to mention chimpanzombies were not picky about who or what to eat. Maddox, enemy or not, was her only salvation. Rave sighed. “Oh all right, but at least get a cool British sports car.”

Maddox twisted a smile. “Right. For Queen and country. I’ll do my best.”

Rave rolled her eyes as he left. British dry humor and geez, a smile. A smile, with a hint of fangs that left her breathless.
I better not suffer from Stockholm syndrome so soon.

The closest zombie barked a moan at her and head slammed the glass with such force it broke its nose and remaining front teeth. Ooh. Gross. The after zombie apocalypse window cleaning was going to be a bitch. Fortunately, the glass held, but for how long against their combined assault? Others tried to walk right through as if no glass separated them from their next meal. More piled behind the first line and soon, they would ‘Black Friday’ crash in. At least there were no more chimpanzombies or their kin, zombietarzans.

Rave looked toward the back entrance for Maddox. Maybe he figured she’d be too much of a burden after all and abandoned her. His focus was the Kindred and not wayward ravens, even criminal ones. The crack of a window was all the convincing she needed. Time to shift.

Rave pressed her beak tight, suppressing an agonizing caw as her unsupported broken wing flopped to the side. Every breath sent shooting pain that dizzied her. She dragged herself beneath the lobby piano as confused zombies rushed in to where only moments ago, she sat in human form. A few began to chew on the sofa and then raged in frustration.

A car sped past the glass and then she lost sight of it.
Wait, don’t leave me.
Benandanti asshole!
To think I had the hots for you!
Rave cocked her head toward the zombies. A few followed the sound of the racing motor. Others milled around, their moans getting quieter upon the disappearance of their human target. It looked like a zombie office party, without the awkward small talk and gossip.

Rave waddled, dragging her lifeless wing toward the broken front glass. She pecked away the glass littering the floor and cleared a clean path for her feet. Bleeding feet and a broken arm would leave her prey for roaming dogs. Not to mention raccoons and coyotes. Between here and who knows where, she would have to shift back and forth between being a human and a raven, depending on each new danger. Without cutting her wings and feet, she hopped, cawing in misery. She’d never experienced so much pain in her life. For bird shifters, nothing compared to the agony of a fractured wing. Unlike humans and mammalian shifters, a broken wing amongst bird shifters and their totem kin was tantamount to a death sentence. Adrenalin drove wolves to fight, but in birds, it was always flight. That is, unless, there was danger to the murder and especially their young. Only then would they mob the enemy regardless of personal danger.

Stubborn determination and Rave’s vow to kill the damn zombie apes egged her outside. She huddled against the wall, weaving from the pain and regaining her strength as the cold breeze fluffed her plumes. Rave’s down feathers kept her warm, but her racing heart and despair threatened to bring on bird paralysis. She tilted her head sideways, using her monocular vision to look down the street at the abandoned cars. Did any of them have keys? It was her only hope. A car alarm suddenly blasted by the hotel. The zombies twisted and moaned, then shuffled with outstretched arms toward the blinking and honking car. Noise meant humans.

Rave cocked her head. That’s odd. How did that happen? She’d stake her life on nobody being out there but Maddox and her. And Maddox was long gone by now.

“I told you, I’d scent you out,” scolded Maddox.

“Caw!” She sprung to take flight, but her pathetic fracture prevented that and she flopped on her belly. Oof! She straightened and cawed in rage.

Maddox chuckled. “Sorry I snuck up.” He tried to touch her but she pecked him.

“Fuck!” He withdrew his bleeding wrist and growled. “Bloody hell. That hurt.”

Lucky I didn’t peck your eye out.
Rave roused her feathers in place and winced. She shifted to human form and wobbled, falling until his strong arms caught her and held her in place. His firm hold sent a shiver down her spine, not from fright but from desire. Shit, bird paralysis would have been a better reaction. She snapped, “I thought you left me.”

“Not a chance.” He sneered. “You’re worth at least ten Kindred hunters to my pack.”

So, the jerk was going to be a big hero for his religious cult pack. “Nice to know, I’ve got good value in the Benandanti market. I suppose you’ll get the biggest milk bone for being a good dog.”

“Come on before they catch the scent of our human flesh.”

Rave tilted her head toward the street, “So where did you park?”

Rather than tell her, he picked her up and ran, werewolf speed toward a car near a fallen stop sign. Rave cried out in pain and he slowed and adjusted his hold.

“Sorry, they’re heading our way.” His strides were long as he headed down the street. His lengthy black leather coat swayed, reminding her of Darth Vader’s long black cloak. She winced.
Wasn’t this the part where Obi one Kenobi would appear to challenge him? OMG. I’m turning in to a nerd like Dora.

The mob left the noisy vehicle. The ghouls lifted their heads, sniffed, and shuffled in their direction. Maddox set her down and opened the door. “British enough?”

She stared at the black SUV. “Hmm. A Range Rover. Quite British, indeed.” She shrugged. “Not an Aston Martin, but given the situation, I’m not too picky.” She settled onto the front seat.

He chuckled as he belted her in. “How did you know?”

“Know what?”

“That I drove an Aston Martin in England?”

“I didn’t. I’m just a fan of James Bond movies.”

Maddox raised a brow and nodded. “I too enjoyed the action scenes.” He got in and floored it as if the zombies were Bond-chasing villains.

Besides playing the piano, was he also a film aficionado? She scoffed. “I can’t imagine you sitting in the theatre having popcorn and a large sugary drink.”

Maddox pulled the Range Rover onto a side service road. “Now why would I bloody watch a movie in a human movie theatre when I had my own flat screen mini-theatre and bar at home?”

It was bad enough she’d had vivid dreams of him after seeing him last year at the Consortium meeting. Scenes of her and the enemy werewolf, naked while watching a chick flick in his
man cave
flashed in her mind. She focused on not swooning at such a bizarre fantasy. “Really? I thought you guys sat around praying and not having fun and especially not drinking.”

Maddox slowly inhaled and smiled at her. “A fine brandy or red wine is not forbidden.”

A new vision of her and the handsome werewolf at a fine restaurant enjoying a bottle of wine over a New York steak for him and a lobster for her warmed her, but not for long. Maddox was a werewolf, damn it. He could sense her love hormones. The Benandanti ass knew she was turned on.

Reality check!

Rave was his prisoner. Rather than enjoying a meal, she’d be chained and punished by the Holy Dogs of God before being burnt at the stake. She enjoyed bondage with hot werewolves but not the real inquisition variety that would make her current painful broken arm seem like a broken nail. She stared out the window. The fog lights blasted through the darkness, illuminating zombie shadows moving in their slow death dance. He drove off road to avoid the abandoned cars. She slowly exhaled. There was no safe heaven.

Maddox must have mistaken her sigh for discomfort. “I doubt we’ll find a hospital that isn’t infested or been looted, but I’ll find a pharmacy and get you some pain meds.”

“I took some aspirin.” He stared at her arm, but his glance roamed to her cleavage and her hard nipples. She should have zipped her coat to avoid the tight t-shirt look. Not to mention that her ‘I Heart Werewolves’ graphic in-between her breasts was a big invite for any horny werewolf, even the holier than thou variety.

His gaze still lingered on her girls. “You need something stronger, pharmaceutical grade. Like morphine.”

“Watch out!”

The Range Rover slammed into two zombies. The sickening crunch of broken bones was followed by blood splatter. He swerved but straightened the truck, used the window spray and drove on. “Apologies.”

“Keep your eyes on the road!”

He snarled. “Stop distracting me.”

Rave closed her coat, and snarked, “And how exactly am I distracting you?”

Maddox released a low growl, then mumbled something in Latin, probably a Benandanti prayer to leash his wolf from temptation with a raven shifter.

Rave snorted. “I took French. More popular than Latin.” She tapped her left finger over her lip. “Or do I mean French kissing is more popular?” She thought her dick teasing days were over but apparently not with the repressed hot werewolf. If she released his wolf, the wolf might release her. Maybe after hot werewolf sex.

His clawed hands clenched the steering wheel and he stared ahead. “I’m not used to traveling with foul-mouthed females.”

“No problem, Templar! I’m not used to traveling with holier than thou werewolves.” She was tempted to say horny but if she was not careful, he might muffle her.

Maddox turned on the next street and drove toward an abandoned strip mall that included a pharmacy, the old-fashioned mom and pop type. He killed the lights and pulled into handicapped parking.

“I hope you don’t get fined,” she jibed.

“I believe a broken arm qualifies for getting a handicap sticker.” He whipped the keys out of the ignition. “I’ll see what I can find.” He cocked his head. “Ravens can take most drugs, right?”

“While in human form, yes.”

Maddox rubbed his bruised wrist and his tone darkened, “This time, stay put.” He shot her a warning glare, stepped out and brandished his katana.

“Don’t worry, it’s not like there are any dance clubs around.” Not to mention he took the keys.

He scoffed, “Right.”

God, he looked hot as he swaggered, wearing all black and carrying his Samurai sword, toward the convenience store. Warrior wants condoms.
Okay, I’m not on a date. Get over it, Rave. Besides, how romantic is having your date getting you pain medication in some greasy strip mall? Not to mention that at any moment, he might decide bringing her head in for a reward might be more convenient than lugging around Satan’s get.
She smirked.
Don’t think I didn’t notice your ‘happy to see me’ erection earlier when you dropped your towel. Bad wolf.
Did he believe her reputation as the Consortium slut? God knows everyone else did, including her new BFF, Dora who brought up her reputation not long ago.

Dr. Dora Adler turned to her as they sipped hot cocoa on a bench while viewing Half Dome in Yosemite. “Rave, can I ask you something personal?”

“Sure, what?”

“I read shifters don’t have STDs, which is good, but do you have some sort of birth control mechanism? I’ve heard of no pill or even rhythm method.”

“I know when I’m ready to lay eggs.”

Dora gaped. “Huh?”

“I’m just kidding. Bird shifters don’t lay eggs but we only ovulate during specific times of the year. If we are not ready for nesting we abstain or use condoms.”

“So you’ve never gotten pregnant?”

“Oh, so you believe the rumors about my wild reputation?”

“I’m sorry but you do brag about your conquest of werewolf and human men.” She paused and quirked her brow. “Are you saying none of that is true?”

Rave laughed. “Afraid so. I met plenty of werewolf and human men during my party scene days but we mostly hung out, like roommates, literally no sex of any kind.”

“I’m sorry. I assumed too much without asking you.” She snorted. “Awkward.”

“The truth is, I’ve slept with Bram and though we both climaxed, we knew we weren’t meant for one another. He told me after our first and only time about his preference for men, so I didn’t take it personally.” Rave finished her hot cocoa. “I had a human boyfriend one summer, but my parents nixed that relationship.” She stared at her empty mug. “I’ve only had sex with a werewolf in France when I studied abroad. He later found his mate and marked her. I was crushed, but got over my hurt by broadcasting that I slept with the entire French and Italian pack.” She snorted. “And even the Vircolac pack. The bragging helped my ego, but then my parents grounded me.”