by G. K. DeRosa
“What option do we really have?” asked Hayden. I’d met the fallen angel last night after the warden slapped on magic siphoning cuffs, cutting my demon off, and dropped me into a cell with him and the angry dragon.
“We have to come clean with Maxim,” said Vander, the werewolf, I’d met this morning. Beside him sat the vampire member of the crew, Dallas. I didn’t understand why they were called the Triad when there were four of them, but then again with my absent memories there was little I understood these days.
“Absolutely not,” Talon growled. “With the number of deaths under Azara’s belt this week alone, facing the Tribunal wouldn’t even be an option. She’d be back in this hell hole for another decade.”
“Then what do you want us to do, T?” Dallas raised his dark brow at their apparent leader.
“I don’t know.” He loosed a frustrated breath and dragged his fingers through his hair. “First things first though. We have to get her demon under control. If and when we tell Maxim, we’ve got to have an explanation if Azara has any hopes of seeing the light of day this century.”
Great. “So, do I have a say in this?”
“No,” Talon barked.
Dallas and Hayden exchanged a smirk before schooling their expressions to normal.
“Why did you come back here, precious?” Dallas crooned. His voice was smooth like molasses and just as sweet.
“To get answers. That day I saw Talon at the brownstone in the city, I remembered bits of our conversation. He seemed to know me, and he was the only one besides my cousin who did. All the Underworlders I’d met in the past week thought I was Thax’s distant cousin-slash-paramour.” I shuddered at the thought. “I usually black out when my demon emerges.”
Talon’s brows perked up. “Completely?”
“Most of the time.” Heat rushed up my neck as flashes of his hands all over my body raced through my mind. I sure as hell hoped I wasn’t bright red.
“Okay, so how do we button up the demon now that she’s been let out of her cage?” Vander asked, his warm hazel eyes drifting over me.
“More training. Same as before.”
“T, I’m not sure the two of you in the same room with pointy weapons is a great idea.” Hayden smirked as he side-eyed me.
“He’s probably right.” Vander leaned forward and propped his elbows on the table. “I can work with her. I’ve got experience taming my own beast.”
Talon’s lips contorted into a frown. I waited for him to say no, but he sat back in his chair and threw his hands up. “Fine. Give it a try. I only hope she doesn’t try to eat you.”
Dallas and Hayden broke into a fit of laughter, and I knew I was definitely missing out on some big private joke.
I lifted my hand and flashed him my wrist. “How would I even be able to with this bad boy?”
“Oh man, T, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do with the little pumpkin.” Hayden popped up from his seat and Dallas followed suit. “We’ll see you guys later, duty calls.”
Turning to Talon, I forced my eyes to meet his. “I’d like to do that catching up sooner rather than later. I’ve got a lot of questions.”
“Well, they’ll have to wait.”
I opened my mouth to object when the rec room door swung open, and a dozen inmates flooded the room. Jumpsuits in every color of the rainbow filled the small space, some heading for the TV and others settling into tables like ours.
“Azara, oh my gods!” A pink-haired faerie darted toward me with a huge smile plastered across his face. “Where have you been?” He flicked his thumb at Talon and pouted. “This guy wouldn’t tell me a thing. Rumor was you’d escaped!” The pixie folded his lithe frame into the chair beside me, excitement dancing across his mossy green eyes.
I stared at him blankly.
“Azara has amnesia,” said Talon when I couldn’t seem to get a single word out. “She’s been at a specialist.”
“No!” The Fae male slapped the back of his hand to his forehead dramatically. “So, you don’t remember your old bestie, Flix?”
I shook my head as I watched the animated faerie.
“Oh, dear.” He turned to Talon and pouted. “Why didn’t you tell me that months ago?”
He shrugged. “You didn’t need to know. Now you do.”
Flix gave him a hard eye roll and spun back to me. “Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ll tell you everything you need to know. I am the official tour guide at Darkblood Prison after all.”
“Great.” Maybe this guy would give me answers since my new dragon friend wasn’t apparently speaking to me.
Vander whispered something to Talon, and they both looked our way and nodded.
“What?” I asked.
“Don’t forget about what we talked about earlier.” He pressed his finger to his scowling lips.
I nodded at the surly dragon.
“We’ll talk later.” Vander shot me a wink, and Talon stood without sparing me a second glance. Geez, what the hell crawled up his butt?
As soon as the guys stomped away, a cute blonde faery bounded toward our table. “Azara! You’re back!”
Flix leaned in and whispered, “That’s Valeria. She’s your friend too and pretty awesome, but not quite as awesome as me.”
“Got it.”
She sat down and folded her long legs under the table, her pale-yellow jumpsuit almost the shade of her light hair. “Did you escape, were the rumors true? Did the SIA haul you back in?”
“She’s got amnesia, Val,” Flix supplied. “She doesn’t remember anything.”
Her eyes widened as her mouth formed a capital O. “You’re kidding!”
“I wish I was.” I didn’t really understand why I had to lie about where I’d been. It was just another of the many questions I had for Talon.
“Don’t worry, girl, we’ll fill you in.”
“Thanks, I’d really appreciate that.” I sat back in my chair and scanned the rec room. A few of the inmates watched us, identical expressions of curiosity on their faces.
“Don’t mind them,” said Flix, waving a nonchalant hand. “They all just want the dirt on where you’ve been these past three months. We’ll let them think you escaped for now. It sounds much more badass than being stuck in Psych with amnesia.”
A faint laugh slipped through my clenched lips. “That is true.” I could see why I was friends with this guy. I lowered my head and whispered, “So how did I end up in prison in the first place?”
Flix and Valeria shared a look. “Oh girl, you really don’t remember a thing, do you?”
“Nope.”
“Well, sit back and relax because we’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”
When recreation time was up, I followed the rest of the inmates toward the exit. My head was buzzing with all the information Flix and Valeria had filled me in on. I was so consumed with my thoughts, I almost missed the massive dragon waiting in the shadows.
“This way,” he muttered when I emerged from the crowd and scanned both sides of the hall. I was kind of glad Talon was there because I was sure I wouldn’t be able to find my way back to our cell. The prison was a huge freakin’ maze.
“Thanks for coming back,” I mumbled as I hurried to catch up with his long strides.
“I never left.”
I lifted my gaze to his and invisible steel bands squeezed my lungs. I opened my mouth to ask one of the millions of questions floating around in my mind, but nothing came out.
“Just spit it out, Azara.” He averted his gaze, keeping it trained straight ahead.
I swallowed down the mad flutter of butterflies tearing apart my insides. “What were we?”
A rueful chuckle tumbled from his tense jaw. “There’s no easy answer for that one.”
“Flix and Valeria seem scared of you—as does most of the inmate population. I may not remember much, but you don’t scare me.”
“Too bad. Guess I’ll have to work on that.” He didn’t crack a smile, but a hint of humor laced h
is tone.
We walked in silence for a few more steps and I waited for him to say more, but he remained mute. “So you’re not going to tell me?”
He shook his head slowly. “I can’t. Not yet anyway.”
“Why? I came here because of you. You triggered something inside my broken brain. Before I saw you that day in the city, I was perfectly happy in my empty, blissful bubble. Then you appeared and everything just felt wrong. I want to know why.”
“I want a lot of things, Azara, but I don’t think I’ll be getting any of them.” Talon picked up his pace. I watched his broad shoulders move further away and considered catching up to him, but I had a feeling it would be pointless.
I’d have to get my answers from someone else for now.
And that someone else was waiting for me, leaning against an unmarked door with shaggy blonde hair and warm hazel eyes.
Chapter Ten
“I can’t fill you in on your story with Talon.” Vander took another long gulp of water and set the bottle back down. “That’s up to him, but I’m sure he’ll tell you when he’s had some time to process everything that’s happened.”
I swept the sweat off my brow and huffed. “It’s not fair. Why won’t he tell me?”
“It’s a complicated story without a happy ending—for now anyway.” He jumped up and held out his hand. “Ready to go again?”
I threw my empty bottle of water into the garbage and took his hand. “I guess, if we have to.” Again, I regretted my hasty move to abandon the easy life at Thax’s castle. I wondered what my cousin thought of my disappearance.
“Talon’s orders.” He grinned. “And if you put some effort into it, I’ll reward you with our story.”
My eyebrows shot up to my hairline. “We have a story?”
“Of course we do. Everyone has a story.” He checked my power sucking cuff and slid a boxing glove over it.
“You know, I’d be a much more skilled fighter without this damned thing on.”
“I know. But I rather like my soul, and I’d just as soon keep it if it’s all the same to you.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “I don’t think I’m that bad.”
“That’s not what T said.” Vander pressed his lips together the moment the words were out.
“Care to elaborate?”
“Not at all.” He beckoned me forward and bounced from foot to foot. “Now, let’s go.”
I threw a sucker punch and nailed him in the gut. He doubled over with a satisfying oomph.
He glanced up with a big grin twitching the corners of his lips. “You’re not going easy on me, are you?”
I was going to wipe that silly smile right off his face. Unlike the memories in my head, my muscle memory hadn’t forgotten a thing. I threw an upper cut then followed it up with a roundhouse, both direct hits. “Woohoo!” I smacked my gloves together as I pranced around triumphantly.
And then Vander charged.
I hit the floor with a crash, all the air squeezing from my lungs in a sharp smack. My head bounced off the mat and stars danced across my vision. Son of a witch!
When I opened my eyes, Vander stood over me grinning. “Because I was going easy on you.”
“Bastard dog,” I snarled.
He raised his hands up, that grin still plastered across his handsome face. “I was told to work you, so I’m only doing as instructed. Talon taught you well. I know it’s in there somewhere.”
“Talon trained me?”
“He did.”
“I thought you weren’t telling me stuff about him.”
He backed away and leaned on the mirrored wall. “That’s only the tip of the iceberg, Azara.”
“Will you tell me about us now?”
“After one move?”
I flashed him my best smile. “Please… I’ve been through so much, Vander. My cousin held me captive for months, and I don’t even know what he did to me.” I laid the whineyness on thick.
His warm smile melted into a scowl, and a flash of darkness scurried across his irises. “We’ll make him pay for that, Azara, I promise you.”
I believed him for some reason. I may not have remembered the guys, but they all elicited the warm and fuzzies from me. Which was weird considering I hadn’t felt much of anything for as long as I could remember. “So will you tell me?” I added in my puppy dog eyes this time.
His face softened like putty in my hands. Sucker. “Fine. But after that, back to training.”
“Deal.”
I sat wide-eyed on the thinly cushioned mat as he recounted the story of his mission as my secret bodyguard. When he was done, I was left with even more questions. “But why would my dad have an SIA agent watch me for two whole years?” I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that Vander was in the SIA. Though he didn’t come out and say it, I figured his Triad buddies were too. I was finally starting to put the pieces together of the strange running of Darkblood Prison.
“You’re special, Azara. It was obvious from the first moment I saw you.” Flecks of citrine lit up his hazel eyes, and a goofy grin curved his lips.
For the first time in forever, I actually felt special, felt loved. My parents hadn’t just abandoned me in the Underworld after all. And from the look in Vander’s eyes, there was still more to our story. “So is that everything?”
A noncommittal sound squeezed through his lips.
“Aw, come on, no fair. Talon’s already holding my information hostage for no apparent reason.”
“Some of our story is tied to his. It wouldn’t be fair to bring up my part without explaining Talon’s.”
“And you can’t do that…”
“Nope.” He popped his P, and the quirk was oddly familiar.
“So now what?”
“Back to training.”
I rolled my eyes, and he grabbed my hand and yanked me up. His hand was soft and warm against my own. Vander was so different than Drayax—so different than any of the warlords my cousin was trying to force on me.
At least one plus side for having escaped.
“Okay, enough stalling, Azara. Come at me.”
My pleasure, wolfie. My she-demon purred in my mind. The moment I’d entered the training room, I’d felt her. She was faint, thanks to the metal bangle on my wrist, but she was there. I wasn’t certain if that was a bad thing, but I hadn’t mentioned it to Vander. For now, she’d be my little secret.
I lunged at my trainer, swinging my gloved fists like mad. I got in a few good punches before Vander started to fight back. I ducked and jabbed, my muscles on autopilot. As we sparred, my mind whirled with all the new information I’d learned from Flix and Vander.
I’d discovered a lot in a short time, much more than my cousin had ever divulged. And somehow, I could feel it was true. My parents were important, and I was too. Otherwise, why would Thax have orchestrated my imprisonment at Darkblood. The hushed words I’d overheard between my cousin and Remy back at the castle swam through my mind.
“…My visions have changed. Azara no longer poses a threat.”
Remy sure as hell was wrong about that one. The dark lord would pay for what he did to me. I just had to wait for the right time. My demon chuckled. Once I knew everything, I’d break out of here and steal the throne right out from under his lying nose.
Vander’s leg swept out behind my knees, and I lost my balance. Dammit. I reached for him and grabbed his shirt, tugging him down with me. My back smacked the mat with a sharp crack, and Vander toppled down on top of me. Squeezed between the floor and his hard body, all the air evacuated my lungs.
I sucked in a breath as he hovered over me, his big arms trapping me on the floor. “Get off me,” I growled.
His lips cracked into a smile. “Make me.”
I couldn’t help but laugh as the big idiot loomed over me. Until the door slammed open, and an overpowering presence sucked the fun right out of it.
Talon stalked in, his fiery glare shooting daggers. Vander jumped up so
fast I was sure he’d given himself whiplash. The scaredy wolf ran his hand over the back of his neck, his eyes fixed to the floor. “Hey, T, we were just sparring and Azara fell and…”
“Whatever,” Talon barked then shot me a withering glare. “How’s she doing?”
“She is right here,” I interjected. “And I’m doing great, thanks.”
“The question was for Vander, and I was asking how you were performing physically.”
I smirked and ticked my head at the cowering wolf. “Well, go ahead and tell him.”
He cleared his throat and finally met his surly leader’s glare. “She hasn’t seemed to have forgotten much combat-wise in the past three months. She’s a little out of practice, but I’m sure it’ll all come back once she’s had a few more sessions.”
“Good.” The frown engraved into Talon’s face only deepened when he turned to me once again. “Let’s see it then.”
I trudged toward Vander with my gloves up and ready to go.
“No,” Talon snapped. “Not him. Me.”
A shiver of excitement rolled through my spine. Finally. My she-demon whispered in my ear.
I lunged, hitting the dragon with my favorite—or at least I was pretty sure it was my favorite—combo, a one-two punch and roundhouse. I nailed the first hit to his rock-hard abs and bit my tongue to keep from whimpering, he blocked my second hit and grabbed my leg as I went for the kick. He twisted my knee, so I had no choice but to drop to the floor or break it.
“Asshole!” I gritted out as I hit the mat hard.
“What did you just say?” Talon was on me so fast, he was nothing more than a dark blur. His hands fisted the collar of my jumpsuit, and he forced my face inches from his.
“I called you an effing asshole,” I growled.
The ghost of a smile hitched up the corner of his lip, but it was gone a second later. I’d probably imagined it. I doubted the dragon douche canoe knew how to smile. He straightened, leaving me on the floor without so much as offering his hand.
“You’re wrong, Vander. She’s way out of practice.”
Anger exploded through my insides. I leapt up and attacked the infuriating dragon from behind. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I jumped on his back and hitched my legs around his waist. I wasn’t sure exactly where I was going with this move, but it had felt right at the time.