Electric Heat by Stacey Brutger

creature were one and the same. If she wanted her
power back, she needed to accept the connection between her and the creature
and work as one.
    The thought petrified her to her bones.
    She’d never forgive herself if she hurt those closest to
her. The creature gave a huff, offended at the implication that it was a
mindless beast, and breathing became difficult as they tussled for dominance.
If felt like the beast was sitting on her chest in retaliation, trying to
smother her into taking her words back. It left her with the impression she was
arguing with herself.
    Amusement got the better of her.
    The pressure in her lungs eased. Feeling foolish, she closed
her eyes and tried to recall what woke her. Much to her surprise, she
experienced a definite tug, urging her deeper into the trees.
    They were getting closer, practically on top of the source,
when Raven opened her eyes. And saw nothing but trees. Disappointment pinged
through her. She’d thought she was finally learning something. “I must have
messed up—”
    A noise in the distance caught her attention, and Raven
cocked her head, trying to zero in on the source. A snarl echoed through the
treetops, a predator catching scent of its prey, and she had the sinking
feeling it was her. Durant tensed, hissed back and moved to stand in front of
her.
    Dread gathered in her gut, and she wondered if the summons
had been a trap to lure her out in the open. Going on instinct, Raven turned
and saw them emerge from the darkness, more of a stir of air than any noise. Two
shadowy shapes sped through the woods, the figures barely touching the ground
as they flowed over the forest floor.
    Thirty feet and closing.
    “Run.” Durant shoved her from behind to get her moving as he
braced himself to fend off the intruders.
    Something was hauntingly familiar about the figure in front,
and she hesitated, grabbing his arm. “Wait.”
    Twenty feet.
    “Taggert?”
    The man in the lead altered course slightly, not changing
speed, still barreling toward them. Within seconds dirt pelted her as he
skidded to a stop. The kid was lean, his chest billowing with each breath, the
thin shirt he wore plastered to him. His shaggy sun-streaked hair was sweaty,
darkening it to a sandy brown.
    He looked remarkably well for someone who’d nearly died just
a day ago. The damage inflicted when he’d used his body to protect her should
have killed him, but she’d used her alpha ability and every scrape of power to bring
him back from the brink of death. The torturous process had saved him, but not
without a lot of pain.
    What surprised her was he appeared perfectly healthy.
    No side effects.
    But Raven didn’t get her hopes up yet. She was never that
lucky.
    “What are you doing here?” She glanced behind him, expecting
to find trouble on his heels, and spotted nothing but a tawny gold and black wolf
picking his way toward them. The animal was tightly packed with muscles and
easily twice the size of a normal wolf.
    “Jackson.”
    The two hundred pound wolf melted down into the form of a
man. She heard no muscles popping, no bones snapping. No ripping fur or blood
as his body reformed. His gift allowed him to pack on extra weight and
transform faster than the normal ten minutes. The man slowly stood, his brown
hair in disarray, his chest heaving. There was something too masculine, too
purposeful about him to make him classically handsome, but she was drawn to him
just the same.
    She scanned him for possible injuries, blushing at his
nakedness and the fact he made no effort to cover himself. A smattering of hair
arrowed down his chest, and her naked fingers tingled with the urge to touch
what was so blatantly displayed. She had to force her eyes up to meet his gaze
before they wandered any lower. “What’s wrong?”
    Of course, he noticed her predicament. He didn’t smile, but
his neon eyes faded to an enticing whisky brown that invited her closer to
investigate.
    “He’s been unconscious. The