by G. K. DeRosa
“Eew. Seriously?” I stared up at the attractive vampire.
He threw his hand up and arched a brow. “Don’t judge, little lady. I’ve been locked up in this place for way too long. A man has urges…”
“Bleh.”
“I’m with him, pumpkin.” Hayden jumped up and sauntered after Dallas. “Magazines can only hold me over for so long,” he called out over his shoulder.
“Double bleh.” My gaze bounced from Talon to Vander and back. “Please, don’t let me stop you. I can go hang out in our cell if you guys need some primal urge scratched too.”
Talon legit looked hurt by my comment. I almost regretted saying it, but it was too late now. “That’s not necessary,” he gritted out.
“I’m good too,” said Vander, stretching out his long legs under the table. “I’m still pretty wiped.” As he finished off his cereal, I took a second to steal a good look at him. I’d been pretty out of it at the infirmary, and he looked half dead when I first woke up—me too. Now the natural rosy tone of his skin had returned, and a slight scruff darkened his jaw line. He was definitely attractive, and I could see why all the inmates were in such a fluster.
Talon cleared his throat, and I lowered my gaze as heat blossomed across my cheeks. Crap, he’d totally caught me checking out his brother. So embarrassing. “The director wants us to start training at headquarters tomorrow, Azara. Ella will meet us, and you’ll spend an hour with her honing your magical abilities and the other hour with me. It’ll be similar to what we’ve been doing here, plus some more tactical training.”
“Got it.”
Vander leaned forward to see Talon on the other side of me. I scooted back, suddenly feeling awkward. “I take it I’m stuck here, T?”
He nodded slowly. “Yeah, but hopefully it’ll only be temporary. They’ve got to work their magic and get your credentials back in order. In the meantime, you can keep an eye on Delacroix for us.”
“Right…”
Talon reached around me and squeezed Vander’s shoulder. His arm brushed my back, and I couldn’t help leaning into him just a little. My body might not have reacted to his in the same way anymore, but after only one day, I already missed what we had.
“It’ll all work out, brother, you’ll see.”
Again, I felt like I should be anywhere but here. But knowing my dragon bodyguard, he still wouldn’t let me out of his sight, regardless of our status change. Especially now after we botched Delacroix’s mission to dethrone Thax.
The door to the mess hall swung open and smacked against the wall. A sharp keening sound reverberated across the dull chatter. Actaeon, the one supervisor I’d met awhile back appeared in the doorway. He ticked his head toward us and beckoned with a long finger. “You three, the Warden wants to see you now.”
I exchanged a glance with Talon. It wasn’t often Logan called us out in front of the other inmates. He seemed as surprised as I was as he got to his feet.
“Let’s go, inmates!”
I jumped up and followed behind the brothers as dozens of eyes drilled into the side of my head. Again, the whispers and lude comments. Dallas was joking, but he wasn’t wrong. I could barely handle one guy, how would I handle four?
I chased the weirdly exciting visual from my mind and focused on the two large forms in front of me. If I’d met these two at a club, I never would’ve guessed they were brothers. Besides being big, they didn’t share any physical characteristics. Talon was dark, with olive skin, jet black hair and built like a truck, whereas Vander had lighter skin tones and dirty blonde hair with long, lean muscles. Their differences made sense since one was a dragon and the other a wolf with no blood ties. And yet, I already knew Talon would do anything for his adoptive brother, blood or not.
We walked the halls in silence, Actaeon leading the way and the guys a few steps behind. Despite knowing what Vander meant to Talon, I’d been getting a weird vibe from the two of them since I woke up. I wasn’t sure if it was because Vander hadn’t been honest with Talon about his assignment or if there was more to it. And I couldn’t shake that conversation I’d overheard the other day. What the heck had that meant?
When we finally reached Logan’s door, a swell of relief coated my insides. He was the closest thing to family I had within these obsidian walls.
“Go on in.” Actaeon held the door open but didn’t follow us in.
As soon as I crossed the threshold, my eyes landed on the back of a blonde head seated in front of Logan’s desk. He stood as we approached and gave me a warm smile. The girl turned, and her face lit up as it landed on Vander and then moved to Talon. She jumped up and raced toward Vander, her arms wide open.
“You’ve got a visitor,” said Logan with a grin as she wrapped her arms around the wolf.
“Oh, thank the gods, Vander.” She buried her face into his chest and faint sobs reached my ears. “When Talon told me you were gone, I couldn’t believe it. I wouldn’t. And now here you are standing in front of me.” She hugged him tighter as tears streaked down her cheeks, leaving a trail of mascara.
“I’m okay, Vessa. I’m here now, and that’s all that matters.” Vander stroked the girl’s back and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “I love you, Sis.”
Sister? Oh…
“I love you more, you big idiot. I knew that assignment with that girl that was soo important was going to get you into trouble.”
I raised my hand awkwardly before things got even more uncomfortable. “Um, that girl is standing right here.”
Her eyes widened as they drifted over her brother’s shoulder and met mine. “Oh! Sorry.” She released Vander and ran her scrutinizing amber gaze over me. Long blonde curls spiraled down her shoulders, perfectly shaping her heart-shaped face. Shaking her head, as if she’d found me not quite to her standards, she swiveled toward Talon. “Thank you so much for bringing my big brother home, T.” She looped her arms over his head and nuzzled his neck.
What the heck? Wasn’t that a little too friendly for an adoptive sister?
Talon held her out to arm’s length and gave her a gentle smile. “I’d go to hell and back for either of you. You know that, right?”
She nodded and snagged her lower lip between her teeth, her eyes glossy.
Talon stepped back, and Vessa’s gaze locked on mine as I came into view. “So you’re the one. The one he’s spent the last two years protecting?”
Vander stiffened, and a low growl rumbled in his throat. “Vessa—"
“What?”
“Just don’t.”
I was definitely missing an important part of this story, and I was going to get pissed if someone didn’t clue me in ASAP. I folded my arms over my chest and glanced up at Talon. He avoided my gaze, dipping his chin. Coward.
“Well,” I interjected when an uneasy silence swept the room, “this has been lovely and all, and I’m thrilled for you and your happy family reunion, but I’ve got some training to do.”
Talon’s fingers clamped around my upper arm before I could get away. “I’ll go with you. Just wait a second.”
I huffed out a breath and wiggled free from his grasp, then crept toward the doorway, preparing to make my escape.
“You’re leaving already, Talon? But I just got here. I was hoping the three of us could catch up.” Vessa stuck out her pouty lips and batted long, sooty lashes.
Oh, barf.
“I have to make sure Azara is prepared for her first session at the SIA tomorrow, but I’ll meet up with you guys later. How long are you staying?”
Yes, how long was the she-wolf staying?
She sighed dramatically and leaned back against the chair. “I’m not sure exactly. The trip from Marlwoods wasn’t exactly a quick one. Not all of us have wings to fly anywhere in the blink of an eye. But I doubt there’s a hotel nearby.”
“I’d be more than happy to open a por—” I started but Logan cut me off.
“You can stay in the staff quarters, Vessa. There’s plenty of room on the third
floor. Please feel free to remain as long as you need. I’m sure you’d like to spend some time with your brother.”
“Oh, thank you, Logan. That’s so sweet of you.” She tossed him a brilliant smile.
“Great, then, it’s settled,” said Vander, who looked oddly uncomfortable throughout the entire exchange. “We’ll see you later, T.” He practically shoved him toward me and the door.
Yup, I was definitely missing something big.
I waved at Logan over my shoulder and hightailed it out of there. As soon as the door slammed behind us, I spun at Talon. “What was that about?”
“Huh?” He slid his hands into his pockets and stared down at the cement floor.
“That weirdness back there with Vessa? Why did it seem like Vander wanted us—or maybe just me, out of there?”
“Sometimes Vessa can be a little intense. He hasn’t seen her in a while, so he probably wanted to deal with her in private.”
I side-eyed him as we walked down the hallway. “And why does she hate me?”
He shook his head and grumbled. “It’s not personal. Ah, how to say this? Vander got a little obsessive with his assignment—with you. None of us knew who you were at the time, of course, but he disappeared for a while. Didn’t keep in touch with Vessa or me and his vanishing act hurt his sister. I’ve been undercover, and I know what it does to you so I didn’t take it seriously, but it was different with Vessa. That was probably the weird vibe you were feeling.”
Okay, that made a little more sense but also spiked hundreds of more questions. Vander was obsessed with me?
“And before you ask,” Talon continued, a slight smile pulling up the corner of his lip, “if you want to know more, you’ll have to talk to Vander about it.”
“Right.” I should’ve known he’d be hush-hush about whatever was going on with his werewolf bestie. There was another question burning at the back of my throat. “You and Vessa seem pretty close.” Deep crimson tinged his cheeks, and I immediately regretted my loose tongue. I hadn’t imagined it. There was something between them. I raised my hand as Talon’s jaw worked nervously. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“No, I might as well tell you now. I’m sure Vessa would have spilled eventually. She and I didn’t grow up together, not like Vander and I. When Vessa was young, her father sent her to live with his sister who had lost her only child. We saw her occasionally, but she was always more like a friend than a sibling. After I left for the SIA when I was eighteen, Vessa came to visit and things changed between us. We were together on and off for a while, but with my assignments moving me all around, we ended things a few years back.”
I slowly lifted my jaw, not sure when it had gaped open. Sure, he and Vessa weren’t related by blood but still… I decided now was not the time to delve into that story.
At least the momentary drama with Vessa and Vander had distracted me from my own depressing love life. Now that it had been cleared up, Talon’s overwhelming presence beside me was bringing back all the buried feelings. I wasn’t sure I could handle a one-on-one training session right now.
Before we made the turn toward the stairwell that led down to the basement, I slowed my pace. “Do you mind if we skip training today?” I leaned against the wall and sighed dramatically. “Sorry, I know you left your friends to spend this time helping me, but I’m kinda beat and I’d rather save my energy for the SIA tomorrow.”
His dark brow lifted, and I knew he wasn’t buying my act, but I didn’t care right now. A sweaty workout session with the broody dragon was the last thing I needed when I was trying to get over him.
“Are you sure?” He mirrored my position, sidling up to the wall beside me. “You haven’t gotten any training in since your injury. It could help you feel more like yourself again.”
An image of Talon shirtless, sweat dripping off his perfectly sculpted chest and trickling across carved abs solidified my decision. “I’m sure,” I rasped out. I couldn’t pine over him forever. Not when it was clear his feelings had only been a result of the blood bond.
I turned to continue down the hall to our cell, but Talon’s hand wrapped around my arm and hauled me back. “Azara, I want you to know that regardless of what’s going on with us, I’m still here for you. I want your assignment with the SIA to work out. You don’t belong in this place so don’t ruin your chances because of something stupid.”
Did he just call our almost relationship stupid? Anger burned through my veins, and a swirl of darkness uncoiled across my insides. I clenched my fists at my sides and inhaled a deep breath to keep my she-demon in check.
“I’m sorry.” Talon scrubbed his palm across the back of his neck. “That came out wrong. I don’t know why I’m having such a hard time expressing myself to you lately.”
“Yeah, me neither,” I snapped.
His lips twisted into a pout as a stretch of silence ensued.
Before it got too awkward, I wriggled free of his grasp and marched down the hallway. It was only ten in the morning, and I’d already had about enough of this day.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The sharp rattle of our clear enclosure jerked my thoughts from the spellcraft book spread across my lap. Lifting my gaze, my eyes landed on a sheet of paper pressed against the glass. Thick, black letters inked across the page froze the blood in my veins.
Delacroix is waiting.
It was only a matter of time before I’d have to pay the demon piper. Steeling my nerves, I refocused my gaze beyond the ominous message to the short messenger holding the paper against the glass. Dembrat. Pushing the book to the side, I crept off my bed with a quick glance over my shoulder. Talon was stretched across the top bunk, his light snores filling the air.
He’d be pissed if I went to see Delacroix without him. Good.
The loud whoosh of the glass door sliding open broke the stillness in our quiet cell and I cringed, my eyes on my dragon bodyguard. I released a breath of relief when his eyes remained closed. Hurrying out of our chamber, I followed Dembrat.
“Do I at least get points for coming when called?” I deadpanned.
He grunted, a shock of greasy hair tumbling over his wide forehead. “From what I understand, you’ve been back for a few days.” He motioned toward the end of my corridor where three more of Delacroix’s men waited.
Figures, he’d have back up. “I almost died,” I grumbled, keeping my spine ramrod straight when the three goons closed ranks around us. “I was in the infirmary healing. It’s not like I was avoiding your boss.”
The irritable elf shrugged. “You can discuss the specifics with him.”
Once we reached the atrium, instead of turning toward Cell Block Eight, Dembrat spun toward the corridor to the mess hall. I must’ve been meeting with the demon mob boss in his office, a.k.a. the janitor’s closet. That meant no cameras on us, and now with the blood bond between Talon and me gone, he’d have no way of finding me.
We reached the door in question, and Dembrat motioned for me to enter. I scanned the quiet hallway. Just my luck, not a soul in sight. Maybe I’d been a little hasty agreeing to this meeting. I took a step back, but the three goons closed in around me.
“You’re not backing out are you, girl?” Dembrat’s raspy voice froze my backward motion.
“No, I just remembered that I’m supposed to meet with the warden in a few minutes, so I don’t want him to come looking when he can’t find me.”
“Don’t worry, he won’t find you in here.” Dembrat smirked, showing off a toothless grin.
The three other guys closed in tighter around me, so I was forced to move forward. I grabbed the knob, twisted and hauled the closet door open. A dim light was on and the secret passageway revealed.
“I believe you know how to find your way to the back?” the elf asked.
“Yeah. I’ll figure it out.” I squeezed through the opening and as I straightened to my full height, a pair of onyx eyes pinned me to the tunnel wall.
“I d
idn’t think you’d show up today, Azara. I must say I’m pleasantly surprised.” Delacroix’s dark form loomed over me.
I pushed off the wall and straightened my spine. “I didn’t do anything wrong so why would I avoid you?”
He let out a wicked chuckle. “Nothing wrong? Then how is it that Thax still sits on my throne?”
“You didn’t tell us about his harem of warrior women. Sad to say they were more than the guys could handle.”
He rubbed at his hairy chin, his lips twisted. “Ah, well that explains it then. Apparently, I’m not privy to all Thax’s little secrets. However, I was one of the few who knew about the tunnels and given your disastrous assault on the castle, the dark lord has decided to cut me out. Word around the Underworld is he believes I’m a traitor.”
I gulped. That couldn’t be good.
“I’m sorry. We tried our best, believe me. I almost died.”
“Yes, I did hear about that most unfortunate event. It was a good thing the fallen angel was there to save you.”
Geez, how did this guy know everything?
His eyes narrowed as they scanned over me, icing my blood. “How’s Vander doing? Have you had a chance to speak with the young agent?”
I shrugged. “He seems okay. And yes, he told me that he was assigned to protect me for the past two years. I still don’t understand why though.”
“I’m sure you will eventually.” He smirked, his gleaming white teeth brilliant against dark charcoal skin. “I only hope Vander’s rescue wasn’t the reason for the failed mission.”
“Listen, Delacroix, I told you we would get him out, and no, it didn’t have anything to do with our epic failure.” That was my fault.
“Well, fortunate for you, I’ve decided to cut my ties with the dark lord.”
I tried to control my eyes from bugging out of my head, but I didn’t think it worked. He began to speak again before I could form a sentence.
“It’s really a mutual decision that will be best for us both. I’ve grown tired of my residence here, and your little disaster has planted the seed of doubt in Thax’s head when it comes to my loyalty. Therefore, I’ll end things now before they take a turn for the worst.”