Page 25 of Raven

Police cars converged from both ends of the lane, their tires screeching as they skidded onto the forecourt. The Human police were out of their vehicles in a flash. I saw dart guns aimed in my direction. "Stop," they shouted at me. “Hold the fuck still.” “Do not move.”

I dropped to my knees, hands raised in surrender. Around me, the three Humans I had been fighting stood defiantly. The leader, with his shirt slashed open, was barely on his feet. Each breath he drew seemed to drain his strength, yet he pointed atme and gasped to the approaching officers, "He attacked us." His lips curled into a smirk—he was feigning his weakness.

It didn’t matter. It never did.

“On the ground,” the harsh command came at me. “I said, get on the ground. Face down.”

They didn’t give me a chance to comply. A firm boot struck the centre of my back, thrusting me face-first into the dirt. Hands grabbed my arms, twisting them brutally behind me. The cold bite of silver laced handcuffs snapped around my wrists, followed by a collar around my neck—not silver, for they wouldn’t be that overtly cruel in public, but a collar designed to prevent shifting. If I tried, or if my panther surged forward, it would break my neck.

“Tia,” I gasped. “Help her.”

The officers hoisted me up; it took three of them. All around, the air was filled with shouts, the Humans who had attacked me eagerly spilling their fabricated story. “He attacked us. We’d been to the café for a drink and a rest, and he came out here and attacked us.”

“You piece of shit,” I spat, lunging toward the speaker. The officers yanked me back harshly, the pull searing through my shoulders.

The Human laughed and stepped toward Tia.

“Leave her the fuck alone,” I screamed at them. “Get him away from her. He’s going to hurt her.”

“Who?” the officer holding me asked, his grip iron-tight.

“Him. Take her home. Please. I don’t care about me. Just take her home.” They had to. They were the police.

The officer arched a brow, his gaze flickering coldly between me and the group of Humans. "You boys planning on hurting this young lady?" he asked, his voice laden with a mock concern that didn't quite reach his eyes.

One of the Humans stepped forward, positioning himself unsettlingly close to Tia. With a grin that twisted his features cruelly, he said, "Not at all. We’re just going to ensure she's comfortable." His tone was sickeningly sweet.

"See," the officer turned back to me, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "He’s going to take care of her."

Panic clawed at my insides, the danger Tia was in making my heart race. "He’s going to hurt her. You have to protect her," I urged, my voice raw with desperation.

The officer’s hand clamped around my chin, jerking my head up to force eye contact, his grip punishing. "I don’t have to do anything," he hissed, his breath foul with disdain.

Tia made a move toward me, her eyes wide with fear. Before she could reach me, the Human snatched her arm, his grip tight and controlling. I thrashed against the officers restraining me, the silver coursing through my system sapping my strength, rendering my efforts futile.

"Don’t you fucking touch her,” I screamed, my voice raw with desperation and rage as I was manhandled into the back of the police van. The door slammed shut, the sound echoing ominously, a finality that chilled me to the bone.

Through the small, barred window, I caught a last glimpse of Tia, struggling against the Human's hold. She was left in the clutches of those men, her fate uncertain, her safety hanging in the balance. The van lurched forward, driving me away from her, each turn of the wheels a sharp twist of the knife in my heart. The darkness inside the van mirrored the despair swallowing me whole, leaving me powerless and haunted by the image of her being pulled away into the night.

TWELVE

"You need to go and get her. Stop the car. Stop the fucking car," I roared. My voice was desperate, my mind racing. The silver cuffs bit into my wrists, searing pain through me, but it was nothing compared to my need to protect her. I pushed against the restraints, tried to batter the door open with sheer will.

"You wanna keep pushing, fella?" the officer taunted from the front seat.

I strained against the bonds, trying to see Tia, but the window only revealed blurred shadows and chaos. "Just go and get her. Don't leave her there," I pleaded, my voice thick with the primal growl of my panther.

The officer driving caught my eyes in the rearview mirror, his smirk a slash across his face, but he said nothing.

"Come on. Stop and go back." I hit the back of the seat hard, my position behind the empty passenger seat giving me a useless vantage point.

"Calm the fuck down." His order left no room for negotiation. Something hard struck me in the stomach, folding me over with a grunt. "Now pack it the fuck in, alright?"

They escortedme to the Human cells, situated right in the heart of the town, deep within the Human-only area. This was a calculated move, a twisted game of cat and mouse where the predator wasn't the one with the upper hand. When I was released, I'd be in forbidden territory, easy prey for them to recapture and haul back in.

We pulled up, and the officer who'd been my silent companion stepped out and circled to my door. "Give us one bit of shit, and we'll throw you in the silver cell. Do you understand me?"

Defiance blazed within me. I wanted to rush back and ensure Tia was safe. I ground my jaw, swallowed my fury, and nodded silently.

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