by Dannika Dark
“Your anguish smells worse than the soap,” he said with a straight face.
I sniffed out a laugh. “Then you might want to ask them for some air freshener, because it’s not going away.”
He slowly walked in front of me and knelt down, placing his hands on my knees. “I do not want you to become hardened and indifferent to the loss of life. Draw strength from the courageous woman who fought against me the night we met; who escaped, despite my warning; who endured the beatings of her captors, never allowing them to take her spirit. The fire, Silver. I don’t want to see you put it out with tears.”
“Then you tell me what to feel!” I said, rising to my feet on the mattress. “I’m more than willing to get us out of here because… what alternative do we have? I spoke to the Overlord and he won’t budge, and he’s the only person who can grant you a pardon. We have no evidence of what I am to prove you’re my kindred, and Nero is the only one who could possibly hold that key. Do you want me to go to him and trade my freedom for yours?”
His canines punched out as he stood up to face me.
“I didn’t think so. But I would, just so you know. I hope to God he never figures out what to do with all that evidence. I hope he doesn’t find those labs or who is funding them. If he figures out how to make a powerful Mage and seal their core light to his, he’ll be all-powerful! What am I supposed to feel when I’m incapable of helping the one person I want to live the rest of my life with? I’m running in quicksand, Logan. I’m trying to save you without a clue how to do it. I promised someday I’d save your life—”
“Silver,” he said. “And I told you that you already did.”
“Not metaphorically speaking. For real. You’ve put your neck on the line for me so many times and proved your worth, proved your love for me.”
“Is that what this is about? Proving your love?”
“No, Logan,” I said softly, touching his smooth chin and looking into his eyes. “It’s about saving my love.”
He lowered his head and leaned into my touch.
“Can Leo talk to Tarek’s family?” I asked. “Can they be convinced? Justus is willing to help with the money.”
“Pride is not easily bought. If they are salvaging their good name, or what’s left of it, we could offer nothing of value. Tarek wasn’t the only one who paid for his crime—his brothers will carry the weight of that shame. It matters not if they disowned him or supported him; the damage is done. Regardless of their stance on past affairs, they have been dragged down in the mud by his malevolent deeds.”
“Maybe I could talk to them.”
“They won’t listen to a Mage,” he said, cupping his hands around my neck. “If the Overlord found no success in offering them a settlement, then we have nothing.”
Logan slipped his arms around my lower back, holding me close.
“Does your father know you’re here?”
He sighed heavily and shook his head. “I have an estranged relationship with my father—we all do. He comes into town and we have dinner for the sake of appearances. He’s still family and we will always respect and fight for family, but this is something he expected from me. I have shamed him.”
“Your father is a jackass.”
Logan smirked. “So is yours.”
“Justus isn’t all bad. I’ve learned a lot from him, but I also hope he’s been able to learn something from me. Sometimes rules have to be broken; sometimes you have to follow your heart. Sometimes doing what you’re told isn’t always the right thing to do. I’m sure we wouldn’t have all these great inventions and philosophies if people always just did what they were told.”
Logan’s broad smile stretched across his face and he leaned forward and kissed my nose. “There’s that fire.”
I jumped when the outside door opened and heavy footsteps rapidly approached. Logan snaked his arm around my waist and moved in front of me. When the guard walked past us, I breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’ve come to release you. I hope during your imprisonment you’ve had time to reflect on your actions and turn away from a life of crime,” the guard said from down the hall. “Stand aside.”
The sound of keys jingled and a door opened. Then I heard the frantic sound of kissing and an excited squeal.
We quietly watched as the prisoner and his woman came into our line of vision.
My heart dropped and I gasped.
I shoved past Logan and lunged toward the bars. I gripped them tightly and pressed my face through the cracks to get a better view. As he moved out of sight, I couldn’t remain silent a moment longer.
“Kane?”
The movement stopped.
“Be right back. Just one minute, guard.”
A man walked into sight with beautiful eyes—the kind of hazel eyes that made women swoon. His brown hair was in disarray and I looked him up and down. He seemed to have lost weight.
“Thanks for the cookie. Hope it all works out for you.”
“Kane, I know you,” I said urgently.
His brows knitted and he shook his head. “Sorry, I don’t know you.”
“Yes, you do. I’m Zoë Merrick. I don’t have time to explain why I don’t look the same, but I know your sister.”
Now I had his attention, but the guard cleared his throat and time was ticking.
“Please, Kane. We’ve met a few times. You sent me money to give to her. Sunny needs you, Kane. She’s here in Cognito.”
“How do you know my sister?” he said, stepping forward.
“She called you Snoopy because you used to rifle through her things. Please believe me—even if you don’t think I’m Zoë. She’s been looking for you for the past year. Why are you here? I don’t understand.” I paused for a few beats. “You said you were a Sensor, but how is that possible?”
He drew in a breath and blinked, looking at me with a confounded expression. “How do you know about my sister?”
The guard appeared and grabbed his arm. “I have orders. If you choose to act out, I’ll have to report it and they’ll toss you right back in for another year.”
“Kane, no,” the woman urged. “Please, let’s just go home.”
I walked to the edge of my cell as the guard coaxed him away.
“Look for Justus De Gradi! He’s a Mage. Tell him I sent you,” I yelled as he moved out of sight. I wanted to tell him she was pregnant, but he might snap and get in trouble with the guard. I bit my tongue and prayed he’d listen.
“Justus De Gradi!” I yelled once more. “He works for HALO.”
The door slammed.
“What was that?” Logan asked. “You know him?”
I clutched my heart and turned around with my back to the bars. “Oh my God. I can’t believe it. Kane didn’t seem like the kind of person who would end up in jail. And a Sensor?” I said, throwing my hands up. “What is going on? I wonder if Sunny knew he was adopted and never told me. Or what if she was the one adopted? He probably thinks I’m criminally insane. Jesus, this is…”
“Your hands are shaking,” he said, grasping them. “Calm down. He’s free now; it shouldn’t be difficult for them to find each other if they choose to. If he cares for his sister, he will search for her. There is a possibility he is ashamed of his crime and does not want to explain to her where he’s been. She is also a human and he is not—perhaps he wants to sever the relationship for that reason alone.”
Grief touched his expression and I held his hand. “You would have gone after Sadie eventually. Maybe fate gave you a nudge for a reason. Sometimes Logan Cross needs a good kick in the pants,” I said with a burst of laughter.
He popped me on the behind playfully and nipped my ear.
“You smell nice, Mr. Cross,” I said, touching the ends of his wet hair.
“My shower only lacked one thing.”
“Hot water?”
He kissed my neck and ran his nose along my jaw until our lips met. “No. You.”
Chapter 26
That afternoon, I slipp
ed into the Grey Veil and spoke with Justus. Leo had received the blueprints for the property and they were reviewing satellite imagery. It confirmed their suspicions: a separate building on the property housed Nero’s captives. While they wanted to take down Nero, they didn’t want to endanger innocent lives. Justus wanted to secure their safety even though he was uncertain if Nero had brainwashed his captives. Especially after what had happened with Cheri and Ray betraying the Mageri. After their release, they’d supported Nero’s reign of terror.
Justus mentioned Christian had been temporarily relieved of his duties until my release. Christian deserved a vacation, but I could see that Justus was still upset with him. I hadn’t thought it would be a big deal to a man like Justus that a woman remembered he was her first lover. When it came to women, Justus had always been a player. But he also didn’t talk about his emotions, so I never knew what was really going on in that head of his.
Perhaps Christian had injured his pride.
I had bigger issues at hand. One of which was the sentencing. We’d received word that shortly after dinner they would escort us to what was referred to as “the court.” Most sentences are decided before an individual is incarcerated. But the higher authority had not come to a unanimous decision in our case, which centered around the murder of a human, the kidnapping of a Mage, and the death of a Chitah.
I stretched out on the mattress and Logan sat beside me with one knee bent, his expression tranquil as he ate his meal. I had no appetite for hamburger patties and mashed potatoes, so I wrinkled my nose.
“Eat,” he urged, holding out a piece of meat.
“I’m not hungry.” I rolled to my side with the wall behind me and picked at the fibers on the blanket.
Logan suddenly leaned over and caged me with his arms, lowering his gaze. “I will not sit idly by as my female hungers. You may not have an appetite, but your body needs nourishment.” He held the meat between his fingers in front of my mouth. “Eat from my hand, Little Raven.”
I cracked a smile and took a small nibble. It was disgustingly bland and dry. After three bites, I waved him off. “That tastes like Justus’s socks after a workout.”
“And how do you know this?”
“It smells the same.”
“Then let’s try the bread,” he suggested, taking a bite. It crunched and tiny crumbs sprinkled on his lap. “Mmm. Reminds me of my homemade baguette with seasonings.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I said with a snort.
A magnificent smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Try it.”
I capitulated and ate what he offered, reminded how nice it was to share a meal with Logan. I thought about our night in the cave—how unpredictable and animalistic he’d seemed to me. I’d grown accustomed to his nature, even if he did stare at people harder than he should have. He simply didn’t comprehend the power behind his body language.
“Logan?”
“Yes.”
“I think Finn’s going to be all right. Simon is working on it. I don’t have any details, but I have faith in him. Despite being in jail, he seemed in good spirits. Normally I’d expect to see his grumpy side, but the guard told me they released him this morning. Justus filled me in when we met in the Grey Veil and said he’s at home, looking after Finn.”
“Good,” Logan said in a resolved voice. “And Levi?”
I laughed and sat up. “He’s probably lounging on the sofa with a bag of chips, watching movies with Finn. Justus doesn’t like people eating on his trillion-dollar furniture, and I’m sure he won’t have nice things to say about the condition Levi leaves our bathroom in.”
“Yes, that’s a problem.” Logan slid the tray toward the bars and it made a whoosh sound. “Levi has a disability.”
My heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”
He stretched his back and stood up. “It’s a type of vision impairment. Since childhood, Levi has never been able to see a hamper.”
I laughed and fell back on the bed. “Sounds like the bachelor pad is going to be interesting. I don’t think it will take long for Justus to warm up to Finn. He’s a little quiet and likes to read. Justus appreciates people who self-educate. I just hope he doesn’t try to get him to start training in the gym. Poor Finny.”
“Might do him some good,” Logan said, stepping up to the bars and lifting his nose. “Little Wolf must learn to protect himself so others won’t have to do it for him.”
“The pen is mightier than the—”
I launched to my feet when the outside door opened. Logan backed up and widened his arms, shielding me from the guard.
“Logan Cross, I’ve been summoned by the court to escort you to your sentencing. Put your hands behind your back and turn around. Walk in my direction and stop when I say.”
Logan did as the guard asked and the man reached through the bars, cuffing his wrists. I immediately ran to his side as the guard opened the door.
“Step back, Mage,” he said, holding up his baton in a threatening manner.
Logan turned around and stood between us. “Raise that weapon to my female again and I’ll inflict hell upon you,” he said darkly.
“I have permission from the Overlord,” I insisted. “Where Logan goes, I go. I was a witness to the events, so if they question him, then they’ll need to question me too. Go ahead and handcuff me, but you have my word I won’t try to escape. I’m not technically under arrest, so…”
“Fine. I want you to walk ahead of us and keep your distance. Whenever we reach a door, you stand to the opposite side of the prisoner. That would be to my left.”
This was the same idiot who had taken me to the shower. I did as he asked and we rode the elevators to the ground floor. Two additional guards escorted us down a flight of stairs until we reached an underground tunnel.
“Where are we going?” I asked nervously, feeling the chill against my skin.
“Adjacent building. We built this tunnel years ago to prevent anyone from escaping during transport. If you choose to run, the only place you have to go is back to jail or straight ahead.”
I swallowed thickly. “What’s straight ahead?”
The guard smiled mechanically. “Your fate. That’s what always lies ahead.”
We approached a door and the two guards in front of us unlocked it with a swipe of a card. The concrete stairs led up to a tiny room with a second door. I wanted to clutch Logan’s arm but was forced to keep my distance.
When the heavy door slowly swung open, the hinges creaked loudly. My heart galloped and fear gripped my spine as we entered a spacious room that resembled a gymnasium in size. The people within paid no attention to us over the chattering. A wide aisle divided the seated audience, which all looked to be prisoners by their uniforms. The guard led us to a row of empty chairs on the right side. Up ahead was a low stage with several rows of ascending tables, each with men and women seated behind them.
The higher authority.
The chairs went halfway to the stage, and at the front of the room was a large congregation of people standing on either side of the aisle. My eyes immediately settled on a built man with a shaved head, searching the crowd. Seeing Justus should have filled me with relief, but I took an unsteady breath, attempting to regulate my erratic heart rate.
The Overlord was seated in the center of the panel, wearing a dark suit and a red tie. Novis was on the front row to his left. So this is where all the official rulings are made.
Flashes of lightning pulled my attention to the windows high up toward the ceiling. A heavy roll of thunder followed, simulating the bone-deep feeling of dread in me. A guard sat to my right, separating Logan and me. Logan leaned back and nodded to let me know it was all right.
But it wasn’t all right.
I wrung my hands while the panel reviewed papers and made decisions on individuals who were not present. I had never seen so many officials in one place, and there were several from each Breed represented. A Vampire and Chitah bickered and the Ove
rlord impatiently said, “Enough!”
Cascading down the wall behind the leaders were long red curtains with gold embroidery. At the front on the extreme left and right were doors, each guarded by two Regulators. Not the prison guards, but higher-ranking, uniformed men armed with katanas.
My eyes roamed around the room that was otherwise plain with concrete floors and slate-grey walls. The lights above weren’t bright and the ceiling was high—like it might have once been used as a warehouse. Obviously renovations had been done to reinforce the walls and seal up all windows, except those that were out of reach.
The guard on my left smacked the back of my head, forcing me to pay attention.
Logan shot to his feet. It caught the attention of a few people up front before the guard who had cuffed him yanked him back in his chair. Logan had no concern of the consequences. If someone laid a hand on me once more, I was certain he would attack.
Another prisoner shuffled through the back door and sat in the chairs across the aisle to our left. He had a beard down to his navel and looked wild in the eyes, like some kind of mountain man. I couldn’t help but notice he had only one guard with him as did most of the men seated, while Logan had the entourage. His was a high-profile crime against a Lord, and noticing that small detail reminded me of the severity of his crime.
I touched my chest, feeling a tightening that made it difficult to catch my breath.
“Giotto Antoni, please step forward,” a voice from the panel called out.
A brittle-looking man two rows in front of me stood up and approached the stage, moving past the bystanders at a slow gait.
It looked like a Vampire who was speaking, but it was hard to tell from the back of the room—I could only see his luminous skin and a hint of dark in his eyes. He whispered to someone on his left.
“You have been arrested and found guilty of charming a member of the Mageri for sensitive information. Your recommended sentence is two years.”
“Outrageous,” Novis interjected. “A crime against the Mageri is not a minor offense. We hold to our recommendation of a ten-year sentence.”
The Vampire laughed and coughed into his fist. His hair was as black as midnight and wavy, hanging to the length of his chin. “Ten years? Truly, what was the cost? Giotto’s memory has been scrubbed and he sold nothing.”