Page 49 of Raven's Instinct
“Electrical?” Alan didn’t like the sound of that.
“We tried variations of electric shock to elicit a reaction,” Aiden supplied. “None of them were effective. Nor were sedatives, or stimulants.”
“You experimented with drugs?” Kendra asked. She didn’t try to hide her disapproval.
“We had consent for all of our trials,” Noah said flatly. “We’re not monsters.”
“So what finally worked?” Alan didn’t want Noah and Kendra to get off on the wrong foot. He was still thinking about what a great agent she would make.
Noah grunted.
“Magic,” Aiden said cheerfully. “Noah doesn’t like to admit it, but our guy got the brand healed magically and as soon as it was gone, he could shift again.”
“So, can we do that here?”
Aiden made a sucking sound with his mouth. “We probably could, but we’re not sure who did it, or how. Our subject was unwilling to share their identity and we weren’t given the authority to pursue it. The agency accepts shifters, but it’s a little old-fashioned aboutmagic.”
Secrets on top of secrets.Alan could understand why someone who was capable of magical healing would keep that kind of information private.
“If it was the removal of the brand that unlocked them, can you just…fix it? Like with tattoo removal or something?” Kendra touched the brand thoughtfully.
“That idea has been proposed,” Noah said. “But a brand is a scar, and it would take considerable time, effort, and pain, and it may never be completely removed. We may end up having to do a skin graft of the entire area.”
Bernard snorted and pawed at the gravel, bobbing his head up and down. He clearly wanted it done.
“The medical team I want to assign to this is on another mission at the moment,” Noah said with a frown. “We’ll want you on site for the lengthy duration of the treatment.”
Bernard cocked his head doubtfully and shifted so the business end of his horns was pointing at them.
“Yes, we know about your criminal record,” Aiden added. “It’s obvious that your parole was broken for shifter-related reasons, and this has some interesting implications about motives on your original case. We’ll need to ask you a lot of questions, and I’ve been working on a communication program I want to test. It’ll take a bit of training, but it sounds like we’ve got time.”
Bernard gave an unhappy huff and slowly nodded.
“We’ll need an NDA from you, ma’am,” Noah growled at Kendra.
“Who am I going to tell about this?” Kendra scoffed. “Molly Flash, Cryptid Hunter?” But she signed the screen of the tablet that Aiden held out for her.
36
KENDRA
Kendra stayed as busy as possible for the next week to avoid thinking about Charlie’s threat. There was plenty to do, throwing herself into work, researching Bernard’s shifting mystery, and caring for Amy. She was candid with the agency and answered their questions without reservation. One of their representatives came to inspect the van, and she met them at a legitimate campground and demonstrated her usual routine.
“Everything toxic is in the upper cabinets, double sealed. Everything sharp is locked up. I sterilize the van before and after any surgery.”
Everyone assured her that her case was solid, that Charlie’s claim was unfounded, and that she wouldn’t lose Amy or suddenly have to share her.
But it was hard to avoid worrying when she woke at night.
Alan had a king-sized bed and the blankets were too generous for anyone to steal completely, so it was considerably more comfortable than her van bunk. It also had a headboard that was entirely functional, and they had made it bang against the wall more than a few times.
Alan was snoring lightly now, just the slightest rattle to his breath, and Kendra took comfort in the fact thatsomethingabout him wasn’t utterly perfect.
Doubts crept in, emboldened by the darkness and the fact that she wasn’tdoingsomething to distract herself.
Why would Charlie want Amy now? He’d been so clear that he didn’t want a child, that he was appalled by the very idea of one and all the inconvenience and shame it would bring. Was he still married? Was his wife childless and they thought they could insert Amy conveniently into their lives? Maybe she had found out about the affair and wanted to take Amy topunishKendra. Charlie had implied that his wife was powerful and dangerous, not to be crossed.
He was a coward, Kendra thought angrily. This was nothing but cruelty, whatever the source, and she would fight it with every fiber of her being. She turned her head and looked at Alan’s profile in the faint light. Being a snowy owl didn’t give her perfect night vision, but it gave her a little more low-light sight than most humans. She could just make out his hawkish hose and high forehead.
