by G. K. DeRosa
Chapter Twelve
“Any murderous urges yet?” Vander loomed over me as I sucked in ragged breaths.
The mat on the training room floor was covered in sweat and blood – mostly mine. I pushed up and launched myself at the stupid grinning werewolf.
He chuckled as I rammed into his gut and sent him sprawling onto his back. He slid across the wet mat, that silly grin still plastered on his face.
“What’s so funny?” I growled as I straddled him.
“You’re kinda cute when you get all worked up.” A spark of amber lit up his hazel irises as he grinned up at me.
An unfamiliar warmth swirled through my insides. I’d been training with Vander for days, and despite the new freedom to use my powers, my she-demon hadn’t made an appearance. I felt her surge to the surface on a few occasions, but I’d been able to control her soul-sucking urges. It was odd curbing her appetite after allowing her free rein for so long.
Vander had grown on me, and maybe her too. I supposed it was like with Lumi back at Thax’s castle. I’d never tried to eat her either.
“Earth to Azara, come in Azara…”
I shook the thoughts of the past aside and stared down at Vander. “We were friends, right?”
His lips puckered, and the sparkle waned. “For the short time you knew I existed.”
“You care about me though…” It was meant to be a question, but it didn’t come out that way because somehow, I already knew the answer.
He nodded, his lips pressed in a tight line. He didn’t say anything for a few long moments as I strained to remember anything about this man. Though he’d told me our story, I was certain there were parts I was still missing.
A sharp pain drove through my skull, and I couldn’t help the cry from erupting through my clenched lips. I squeezed my fingers to my temples to drown out the throbbing, but it only intensified.
“Azara, are you okay?” His muffled words were drowned out by the banging in my skull.
I shook my head and gritted my teeth to keep from screaming. The headaches had gone from bad to worse. The longer I was without that potion, the more severe the migraines became. If they got any worse, I’d have to sneak back into my cousin’s castle to retrieve it. The prison healer had attempted a few concoctions, but they were nothing like Remy’s.
A loud bang jerked my attention to the entrance of the training room. Talon filled the doorway, the door rattling on its hinges as it bounced against the wall.
I was still straddling Vander, and at some point, his hands must have moved to cup my cheeks. The initial panic in Talon’s blazing eyes was replaced with something harder, more feral as his gaze raked over us.
Vander scrambled to his feet, helping me stand as I pressed my palms to my head. “Another headache,” he muttered to his dragon brother.
The hard clench of Talon’s jaw released, and he marched behind the counter. Shuffling through the drawers, he popped up a minute later with Fiona’s pain potion. He tossed it at me, barely sparing me a glance.
“Thanks.” I sucked down the small vial of purple liquid as my skull continued to throb. We sat in an uncomfortable silence for the next few minutes until the pain finally began to wane. I released the breath I’d been holding and grabbed my water bottle from the floor. This potion always left a nasty taste in my mouth. “So who do I have to bribe to take me back to Thax’s castle so I can get Remy’s magical headache brew?”
Talon grunted. “We’re not using SIA resources for such a risky and ridiculous mission.”
“Ridiculous?” I marched over to the dragon with my hands on my hips. “I’d like to see you sit through just one of these infernal headaches and then you tell me how ridiculous it is.”
He squared off with me, throwing his broad shoulders back. “Have you done like I asked you? Are you even keeping a journal of when the headaches come?”
No. “Yes,” I hissed.
“Let’s see it, then.”
I pointed at my temple. “It’s all right here.”
“Very useful, Azara.”
Vander stepped between us, a placating smile angled at the surly dragon. “Give her a break, T. She’s trying.”
“Is she?”
“Yes,” I hissed, my she-demon scratching her way to the surface. One minute with the infuriating dragon and all my control was gone. I rubbed circles at my temples, trying to find my Zen once again. “I’d be fine if I just had Remy’s potion.”
Talon stepped back, and his dark brows furrowed. “Wait a second, were you taking that stuff every day?”
“More like three times a day.”
“Vander, you said when you were held captive in Thax’s castle, they used some sort of truth serums that wiped your memories, right?”
He nodded.
“What if Remy’s potion was what kept her memories from resurfacing?”
My thoughts whirled back to my grandfather’s visit. He’d said I’d been poisoned. Son of a witch! “You’re right. I can’t believe I didn’t put this together sooner. Every time I tried to remember something the headaches would come on. Then I’d take the mystical medicine, and the pain would vanish, along with all of those pesky thoughts that brought it on.”
“You see. You should have kept a journal.” A ghost of a smile hitched up the corner of Talon’s lips.
I threw him a good eye roll and crossed my arms over my chest. “So now what?”
“Maybe if we knew exactly what Remy had been feeding you, we could get Fiona to reverse engineer it somehow.”
“Are you actually suggesting a trip to Thax’s underground castle?” Vander’s eyes bulged out.
He shrugged. “Not unless we get desperate.”
“Wonderful,” I muttered, then turned to Vander. “Can we call it a day, boss? I’d love to hit the showers.”
“Yeah, I think you’ve earned it.” He threw me a wink and ticked his head at the door. “Come on, we’ll escort you back upstairs.”
“Is that really necessary?” I was fairly certain I could take on that Delacroix now that my combat skills had kicked in.
“Yes,” Talon growled. “It’s only a matter of time before Thax comes after you. I doubt he’s forgotten all about the prophecy.”
“Prophecy?” A memory flickered across my mind. The conversation I’d overheard between my wily cousin and his seer. I’d forgotten all about it. “Remy said the oracle had changed and that I no longer posed a threat. Whatever that meant.”
Talon’s eyes widened. “What?”
“I overheard Thax and Remy talking one night, and he said something had changed in his visions.”
The two guys exchanged a loaded glance. “You didn’t think that was an important piece of information to share?” Talon snapped.
I shrugged. “There’s been a lot going on, all right? Is there something else you guys haven’t explained?”
Another veiled look from Talon.
“Spill, dragon.”
Ten minutes later, I finally understood why I’d been dragged to the Underworld by my cousin. And I couldn’t stop laughing. “I’m not some sort of superhero that’s going to take down my cousin and rid the human world of the nasty Underworlders plaguing the city streets.”
“Well, that’s not what the oracle says,” said Talon.
“It’s ludicrous.” Or maybe it’s not. My she-demon’s voice slithered through my mind. We deserve the throne. Not him. I pushed her dark musings to the back of my mind. I had zero desire to sit the throne of the sixth realm of the Underworld. No, thank you.
“Either way, you have to watch your back, Azara.” Vander held the training room door open.
As I trudged back up the stairs to the main floor with the two shifters at my heels, all the new information swirled around in my head. A prophecy that I’d take down the dark lord? Crazy. I glanced over my shoulder at two pairs of intense irises. Obviously, they believed it. I chased the thoughts away as I passed the atrium. Whispers followed wherever I went. I m
ay not have remembered the inmates, but they sure as hell remembered me. Or maybe it was my two bulky shadows. As if one bodyguard wasn’t enough, I’d found myself with a pair since my return to Darkblood. At least they both made delicious eye candy.
When we reached the showers, I ducked in with a quick wave to my brawny escorts. A thick fog blanketed the dank bathroom which was odd since the water in there never actually got hot. Pulling the curtain closed, I stripped down and lathered up. Three minutes till the lukewarm water turned off. There weren’t many things I missed about my cousin’s underground fortress, but the simple luxury of a hot bath was one. The servants weren’t bad either.
My thoughts swirled back to Thax’s words, to the ones I hadn’t shared with Talon and Vander. Perhaps it is time to push Azara closer to the edge. Make sure there is no coming back for her. Had they manipulated my she-demon? Maybe the guys were right, and I’d never been the soul-sucking demon my cousin had made me into.
I couldn’t let him win. I’d keep her on a tight rein until the time was right. Then I’d unleash her on him.
As I towel-dried my hair in front of the dingy mirror, hushed voices in the hallway caught my attention. I moved closer to the door and pressed my ear to the timber.
“You can’t be serious, T.” Definitely Vander. “She just got back, she needs time.”
“I don’t know.” Talon’s deep voice swept through the cracks in the door. “I don’t think she’ll ever be the same. Maybe we were doomed from the start.”
“Don’t say that.”
“I had my shot with her, Vander. I blew it. I see the way you look at her, and I don’t want to stand in your way. Not again.”
Another voice I didn’t recognize piped in, and the discussion switched to inmate work detail. Creeping away from the door, I finished toweling off as I replayed their conversation. Talon and I had something. A twist of emotions churned my insides like an angry tornado. Somehow, I’d known that from the first moment I’d set my eyes on him. Why wouldn’t he just tell me?
And Vander… He was sweet and patient, and he’d been a huge help since I returned. I couldn’t deny a connection. Beyond the glimmer of feelings from the past, we’d forged something new.
Two sharp knocks at the door made me jump. “Azara, you ready?” Talon’s deep timbre reverberated through the door. His voice did things to my insides. In the short time I’d known him, no one elicited such intense emotions as my dragon bodyguard.
A sharp creak on the opposite side of the bathroom turned my attention to the last stall. “Hello?” I could’ve sworn the bathhouse had been empty. I crept toward the stall door, and it whipped open.
A dark blur barreled by me with such force, it knocked me on my butt. I hit the cement floor with a smack and my towel came loose. As I scrambled to wrap it around my chest, the bathroom door jerked open and a pissed-off dragon lurched toward me.
“Azara, are you okay?” Silver irises bored into mine before dipping to my chest.
I hiked the towel up and tucked it under my armpits as heat spread over my cheeks. “Yeah, I’m fine. Someone just ran out of the bathroom.”
“I saw. Or rather, I didn’t.” He ticked his thumb toward the doorway. “Vander went after her but whoever it was, was fast—supernaturally fast.”
“Which should be impossible since everyone’s wearing these bad boys.” I lifted my wrist, showcasing my pretty metal bangle.
“Right.” He offered his hand and pulled me up. Deep lines furrowed his brow, and the tendon in his jaw fluttered like a mad hornet.
“You think it had something to do with Thax?”
Molten steel surged through his irises, nearly blotting out his pupils. “I don’t know. But I will find out.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Thank the gods.” I pressed the small vial to my lips and guzzled it down. Fiona’s replacement potion helped a little, but Logan had assured me my grandfather’s tonic would be much more potent.
GG eyed me as I placed the empty container on the warden’s desk. Logan had given us free rein over his office. Either he was starting to trust me, or my grandfather really was as badass as I’d heard.
“The effects aren’t immediate, but with each dose, the magic should begin to counteract the poison Thax has been feeding you for the past three months.”
A flicker of hope swirled through my chest, and my pulse picked up. I wanted to remember more than anything. Having stories recounted wasn’t the same. They were just stories, not my life. I didn’t think I could stand hearing the guys chuckle about one more funny anecdote of when I first arrived at Darkblood.
“Azara?” My grandfather’s voice pulled me from my dark musings.
“Hmm?”
“Are you all right?” He stepped closer and placed his hands on my shoulders.
“I will be once my memories are back.”
His eyes narrowed, and his lips tightened into a frown. “Remember that not all lost memories are good ones. I know how upset you were when you lost control at the Fae club which landed you here in the first place. What you learn about your time with Thax may not be pleasant.”
But it was fun. The thought flew across my mind, and my she-demon chuckled. A pit the size of The Hole sank to the bottom of my gut.
“Keep her in check,” my grandfather warned. “I am all for you getting in touch with your inner demon, but I know you.” His index finger hovered over the left side of my chest. “You have a heart exactly like your mother’s and despite succumbing to your urges being perfectly normal, it will haunt you in the long run.”
I nodded slowly. I wasn’t sure how, but I knew he was right.
He pinched my cheek and despite the irritating gesture, my heart doubled in size.
“Thanks for getting this potion to me so quickly, GG.” The nickname felt odd yet familiar on my lips.
“The sooner we have you back to normal the better. I’m not sure how much longer I can keep the truth from your parents.” His expression softened, the hard lines ingrained in his face relaxing. “They love you more than anything, Azara. I never should’ve let you continue with this farce. If they knew about any of this, they would’ve roasted my hide and served me to the gria demons.”
“I miss them.” The words popped out of my mouth without thinking. How could I miss someone I didn’t even know?
He pulled me into a hug, and his familiar charred scent filled my nostrils. Unexpected emotion clogged my throat, and I swallowed down the hard lump. “They miss you too, princess.” He released me and held me out to arm’s length. “You be strong; this will all be over soon. And if there’s anything else I can do for you, let me know. I have no problem making a little visit to the dark lord of the Underworld. Your dragon friend isn’t the only one who can protect you.”
My brows slammed together. “Talon?”
“Yes, the one who looks at you like a lost puppy dog.”
A rueful chuckle slipped through my lips. “I think you’ve got that wrong, GG. He seems to want nothing to do with me.”
My grandfather shook his head and waved a nonchalant hand. “Give the man time, Azara. Dragons are notoriously prideful creatures.” He dipped his head and pressed his lips to my forehead. “You’re too good for him anyway.”
“Thanks, GG.”
“Now, I’m sorry, but I must run. Don’t forget to take the potion twice a day every day until it stops refilling itself. When the magic has run its course, you’ll know.”
A dark cloud of smoke curled around his legs as soon as the last word was out. It climbed up his body until he was enveloped in darkness. “Goodbye, my princess.” His words lingered in the air long after he’d disappeared, filling the emptiness inside me.
I sank into the warden’s couch, stroking the supple leather as hot tears welled in my eyes. I had to pull myself together before returning to my cell. The last thing I needed was the other inmates thinking I was weak.
Sweeping the tears away, I grabbed the vial from Logan�
�s desk and tucked it into my jumpsuit. It should refill itself by tonight when it was time for my next dose. I wished I could fast forward time and have my memories back already.
I trudged to the door, yanked it open and ran into a wall. Of flesh.
“Steady there.” Talon’s hands hooked around my waist as I teetered back. The heat from his fingers seeped through the stiff material of my jumpsuit and sent my heart into overdrive.
I glanced up to meet twin pools of molten silver. Our eyes locked, and everything else around us stood still. His mesmerizing irises captured me, nearly swallowing me whole. I suddenly knew what my prey felt like. An impossibly long minute later, Talon lowered his gaze, releasing his hold over me.
I slumped back and gripped the doorframe. “Why do you make me feel like that?”
Talon’s eyes widened. “Like what?” His rough voice sparked a swirl of heat in my gut.
“Like you’re the only thing that matters.”
Silver flames lit up his irises, and his lips curved into a rueful grin. “Because maybe at some point I was.”
“But not anymore?”
“I don’t know yet.” He turned on his heel, but my hand shot out without my approval.
My fingers wrapped around his thick bicep, barely encircling half of it. “Please, stay.”
He spun around so fast he was nothing but a dark blur. His lips brushed mine so quickly I was sure I’d imagined it.
And then he was gone.
Talon’s warm lips ghosted over mine as I tossed and turned on the hard mattress. I’d returned to our cell, but the mysterious dragon had vanished. In fact, both of my cellies were surprisingly missing.
Since my return, I hadn’t been left alone once or at least not that I knew of. The murmur of approaching voices stopped my fidgeting, and I pulled the crappy blanket over my head. Our cell door whooshed open, and I held my breath.