Raven Investigation 04 - Electric Legend by Stacey Brutger Read Free Book Online

dilating and she knew he’d
scented both her fear and her excitement, a dangerous combination to an animal.
It was all she could do not to step away and run.
    He would give chase.
    He would catch her.
    Her heart thundered against her ribs, and she was very much
afraid that she wanted to get caught, consequences be damned.
     

Chapter Five
     
     
    L ights to the rides were doused, throwing them
in darkness, and Raven gave a startled glance around her, having completely
lost track of time. The family circus had changed in the matter of minutes,
taking with it the innocent laughter. The cheerful mood had turned sinister. It
crept over her like shadows, something she couldn’t brush off or shed.
    Only adults remained, the majority of them men. They were
dressed in jeans and leather jackets, not the khakis and buttoned shirts the
suburban parents had donned. Their curiosity was invasive. Malevolence oozed in
the air. She wanted to grab Taggert and retreat, hide where they wouldn’t be spotted.
    She half expected the people to be sporting weapons and give
chase if she dared move.
    Like the last ten years of fragile peace between the races never
existed.
    “What’s happening?” She edged closer to Taggert, unsure if
she was seeking comfort or satisfying the need to protect him.
    Taggert’s face didn’t reveal any emotions. “The freak show
has started.”
    Raven flinched as if she’d been slapped. She had expected
the show to be entertainment for shifters, just as the daytime show was for
humans. “Then why does it feel as if we’re about to be hunted down like animals
to the slaughter?”
    “Because humans enjoy killing things they don’t understand.
They have to be seen as stronger and in charge. Out in the real world, they
have to bottle up what they feel. Here, the shifters pretend to be prey so the
humans feel safe.”
    “It’s all an illusion.” When Taggert still didn’t react, a
chill iced over her heart. “Right?”
    “To a certain extent. If humans had won the war, all
shifters would either be dead or behind bars. Most humans live in fear, and
their hatred festers. They don’t have to hide that here.”
    Raven glanced at the lit tents, the very same tents that
were closed earlier. “Tell me what I should expect.”
    “All shifters who join the circus are required to perform.
They are called freak shows because shifters can reveal their true selves
without fear. Sure, some humans born with deformities have joined over the
years, but the majority of the people are shifters who can hold partial transformations.”
    Raven shivered as the ice spread deeper in her chest,
feeling like it penetrated her soul. “Isn’t that dangerous? If you leave your
animals too close to the surface, you risk losing your human side, not to
mention it’s extremely painful.”
    Taggert shrugged it off as if it didn’t matter. “When it’s
either that or die, many find there is no choice.”
     “What else?” Raven braced herself, needing to know what to
expect. She needed to be able to keep her reactions in check. The last thing
she could afford was to reveal the truth. Females shifters were rare, an alpha
even less so.
    She would cause a stir.
    She would also be a great prize.
    “Shifters can take a lot of damage. Swallowing fire or
swords isn’t a big deal when you can heal fast. Knife throwing is an art form,
our aim’s better, our throws quicker. We’re stronger and faster and can do
things that should be impossible.” He nudged her in the direction of one of the
tents, and it was all she could do not to drag her feet.
    She did not want to go in there.
    “What would you pay to see a talking bear, or a man lift a
car, or witness a man shift into a real live beast?”
    Raven thought he was joking until he pointed to a sign
posted outside a crimson tent. There was an actual bear balanced on top of a
ball, underneath were the other acts, including something called a wolfman. “All
shifters?”
    She wasn’t