by Tully Belle
“Goddamn it, Lyson. Let me out. You have no right to keep me here.” The adrenaline that would be coursing through her right now was making her dangerous. He needed to diffuse the situation and get Juliana out of there. Then he could tell Mac and hear his wrath.
“Go and unlock the cell. Let Juliana out and lock yourself back in.”
“Are you crazy? I’m not going back in there. It’s filthy, not to mention totally illegal.”
“We are only protecting ourselves. Self defense is a legal option, you know that.” Truthfully, she could get Dragonspark into a lot of trouble for the cell but he had to play it down. “We’ll talk about moving you. But you have to let Juliana go.”
“Move me where?” Her arms fell to her side. Good, she was calming down.
“Somewhere else here. Somewhere with a bed, a shower. Would you prefer that? You will still need to be restrained, I can’t have you hurting anyone.”
He could tell she was contemplating his offer, even though he knew Mac and Ash wouldn’t agree to move her. With Caran, it was different. She wasn’t a threat like Elle was. There were no rooms he could put her anyway. Only a few spare bedrooms, none of them had the capabilities to hold her like the cell did. He wondered if he could convince her to stay down here, bring a proper bed down instead. He could even keep the cell door open, let her use the bathroom whenever she liked. Mac might agree to that seeing as she wouldn’t be able to get out the steel door.
They still hadn’t agreed on how long they would keep her here anyway. Mac wanted to get rid of her now. How they would do that though, without giving up their location. Lyson had more thinking to do.
“No cuffs or restraints and I want a soft pillow, access to clean clothes, and food. Home cooked, fresh, hot food. Oh, and a few bags of Cheetos in my room.” She cocked her head to the side. “I’ve developed a taste for them.” She grinned cheekily.
“I’ll see what I can do.” His heart was still hammering against his chest.
“No, you won’t. You’ll get me what I want or I’ll wait here and take down the next person that comes through the door.”
“With what? You don’t have any weapons.”
“I can fight.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
“So what’ll it be? Will I get my demands?” She crossed her arms over her chest and raised a brow triumphantly.
“Okay,” he lied. There was no way he was going to be able to get her everything she wanted.
“I’ll let Juliana out and I want you to come down and get me out of here.”
“It’ll take a while to get everything set up.” He watched her narrow her eyes. “Because we don’t have bags of Cheetos on hand,” he added quickly.
A smile tugged her lips. “Fine. I’ll forgo the junk food for the time being, but not forever.”
“And about the restraints?”
“Yes?”
“I’ll only make them disappear if that’s what you truly want. Whenever you want them I’ll be more than happy to oblige.” He only added that bit so he could gain some power back.
She smirked. “Don’t flatter yourself. Who says I’m into any of that anyway, or even would ever want to touch you? You’re a dragon shifter.” She grimaced like she was disgusted by the thought.
“We’ll see. Now go and free her. Please."
He could see her hesitate, run the options through her mind. He waited until she came to the conclusion there was no other choice. There was no way he could let her walk freely around Dragonspark, especially not after what she’d done. She was too unpredictable.
Elle walked away from the camera. She took one last look back over her shoulder before descending the stairs. He lost vision of her after that.
It was an oversight on his part that he hadn’t bought cameras down further. He hadn’t thought he needed to, there were so few times they used this area. But, now he’d need to order it. First though, he had to wait to see if she would do what she’d promised to do and free Juliana.
It was her only option, she had to know that if she was smart. And he knew that she was. It was the dangerous unpredictable part that both worried and intrigued him.
17
Elle knew this was too simple. Of course there would be another door locking out her escape plan. She cursed herself for being so naive.
She turned, taking the stairs down, taking her time. It didn’t matter if she hurried, her fate was sealed. He would find a way to not give in to her demands and she would stay in the cell. She had no power in that negotiation no matter how much bravado she’d shown.
Damn him. He was so infuriating to make her think, even for a small second, that she would get out of here. If the tables were turned and he was the prisoner instead of her, there was no way she would treat him like this. She was nothing more to him than a dog. Worse probably.
She huffed as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
There was a small part of her that still believed, hoped, that he would keep his word. Sleeping in the cell had become tiring.
She stalked down the hallway toward the end to her cell.
Juliana was standing inside. She wasn’t smiling anymore, her arms crossed over her chest and her shoulders pulled back. She narrowed her eyes as Elle approached but didn’t say anything. She knew that Elle wasn’t able to get out and she was free.
Elle unlocked the cell and held her hand out, the keys in her palm. Juliana walked out and snatched them from her. “I was being nice to you and you took advantage of that. Mac was right about you all.”
“Mac doesn’t know me.”
“He knows enough. He knows the lies that Tessa tells you to make her do her bidding. How can you blindly trust her?” Juliana raised a brow, glaring at Elle as a warning to return to the cell.
Elle turned and walked back in. “How do you know that you’re trusting the right people?” She leaned against the far wall, lifting her foot to the stone wall. “Tessa isn’t evil, you've just believed Mac's lies.”
Juliana slammed the door, the iron clanging. She held onto the bars as she locked Elle back into her cell. “We are not bad people.”
“You might not be, but the brothers being able to change at a moments notice. That’s the devil’s work.” They weren't her words, but she liked the way they sounded and the way Juliana reacted.
“You don’t know anything about them. I hoped you’d be different and have your own mind and make your own decisions. I made the wrong call.”
Elle started to rebut but stopped herself. Juliana was baiting her into an argument. She wouldn’t have it. “Whatever.” She looked down at her hand, examining her fingernails.
“I feel sorry for you.”
“Uhuh, and why’s that?” Elle rolled her eyes and cocked her head to the side.
“You don’t care about anyone else except yourself. Your actions impact others in ways you can’t take back. It’s a sad way to live your life.”
What the hell? Who does this woman think she is? She doesn’t know anything about her and what she’s been through. If Juliana had one ounce of compassion she’d see that Elle had to live her life this way. It was the only way to survive. She didn’t need anyone and she didn’t blindly follow Tessa either.
But there was no way she was going to give Juliana the satisfaction of an argument if that was what she was doing. Elle didn’t answer. She just kept examining her fingernails, picking the dirt out from underneath them.
She didn’t look up as Juliana walked away. It wasn’t until the door at the end closed that she finally let herself slide down the wall and hug her knees.
Even if Lyson did keep his promise and give her a room she wouldn’t stay. She didn’t belong here and that was made very clear.
They may not be evil at Dragonspark Headquarters, but they sure were cruel.
18
Lyson waited a full hour before he went to see her. There was no reason for it, he could take her to a bedroom immediately if he wanted, but he hadn’t talke
d to Mac or Ash about moving her yet. He would, but he was still conflicted. He needed to talk to Elle first. Ask her why.
Something had happened to her to make her think that she couldn’t rely on anyone except herself, and believe whatever lies Tessa had told her. He needed to get through to her about that and make sure she wouldn’t try and escape again before he would let her out. Unless? He scratched his chin as he thought about what would happen if she did escape and run back to Princess.
Would it be the worst thing in the world to have her go, especially if he had a way of tracking her location? Hmm, it wasn’t a bad idea, especially since it would be the quickest way to find out what Tessa was up to.
Hell, if he could infiltrate Princess himself, then he could set up all manner of surveillance and recording equipment inside. Now that would be something that Mac might agree to.
He unlocked the door, closing it behind him and walked down the stairs.
When he opened the second door he paused. She knew he was there, she would have heard him enter, but she wasn’t looking his way. Instead she sat with her back to the bars at the front of the cell, staring to the far wall. Dirt was smudged over her clothing, and he frowned. They would need to do something about these cells. Elle was right, they were inhumane. Dirty, uncomfortable. They’d never bothered to clean them up because they never used them. Except now they’d been used twice over the past month. Once for Caran, and now Elle.
He made a note to order to get them cleaned up, a proper bed put in, and running water and a toilet. Basic human rights.
“Well, are you here to get me out?” She turned her head and looked over her shoulder. “That was the deal wasn’t it?”
“Yes, that was the deal.” He walked over to the cell door. “Although we haven’t got a room for you yet, you’ll need to be down here another hour or so.”
She got off the floor, brushing down her clothes. It wasn’t working, they were crusted in dirt now. “I knew you’d reneg.”
He smiled at her and unlocked the door, letting it swing open. She caught it with one hand and held it, watching him carefully, wondering if it was a trick and if she was really free. “You can have the whole floor, including the bathroom at the end. I apologize for they way you’ve been treated.”
“But you’re still not letting me out.” She crossed her arms back over her chest.
“Not everyone wants you out. You need to give me more time. I promise I'm working on it."
“Promise, huh.” She walked closer to him until she was only a few inches away. She lowered her voice. “You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep, dragon boy.”
“I don’t.”
“Why are you really letting me out? You’re not stupid, you know I’ll try and escape again.”
“Will you? Perhaps you won’t.”
She narrowed her eyes and began to walk around him like a tiger circling her prey. He let her pretend she was in control. “Why do you look at me that way?”
He wasn’t aware he was looking at her any way. “Maybe I like you.” He kept his face neutral so it wasn’t clear whether he was telling the truth or not.
She scoffed. “I highly doubt that.”
“Why would I lie?”
“Then you’re an idiot. Just because Caran hooked up with your brother, doesn’t mean that I’m going to hook up with you. I’m not going to fall for whatever mind control tricks you’re using on us.”
Mind control? He couldn’t help but grin at that comment. If she felt something toward him, attraction, mutual respect, it wasn’t because he was manipulating her mind. The feelings were real. “I wouldn’t expect you to. You’re too smart for that.”
She stopped circling him and placed her hands on her hips. “And stop patronizing me.”
“I wasn’t aware—“
“I said shut it.” She leaned closer until their faces were a breath apart. “And stop trying to intimidate me. I know your game and I’m not playing it.”
Lyson stepped back. He lifted his hands in the air in surrender. “Whatever you say.”
“Grrr,” she shoved him in the chest. Not hard, but enough to show her frustration with him.
“Okay, I’ll stop if you answer one question that I don’t understand.”
“I’m sure there is more than one question that you don’t understand.” She smirked.
He decided to ignore it. “I still don’t know why do you follow Tessa’s rules She’s only using Princess members because of her hatred for Mac. Surely, you can see that it isn’t your fight.”
“So what’s your question, exactly?”
“Why her, why Tessa?”
“Why not?”
He didn’t think she’d tell him the reason. Not when they were still enemies like they were. The only way to get past that was to get her to trust him. “Do you know their story?”
“I know enough.”
“They were together for a long time, and when Tessa became pregnant, Mac proposed to her. They were supposed to get married, but Tessa lied. She tricked Mac into proposing, she wasn’t pregnant after all. And because he couldn’t marry someone who betrayed him like that he left. So that’s the woman you’re following, someone who seeks revenge because Mac left her, but only because she lied about the pregnancy. It had nothing to do with him being a shifter, and she knows it. That’s another lie she tells all of you so you’ll do what she asks.”
Elle took a deep breath. She looked sad, not shocked like he expected. “I know the story,” she said. “But Mac still betrayed her, not the other way around. Want to hear my side?”
19
She was about to start when he roared, “Whatever she's told you it's not true.” She’d got under his skin enough that he had lost his cool. She'd finally unnerved him.
“How do you know?" Elle took a deep breath. “Okay, so I agree that her lust for revenge has gotten out of control, but it was Mac that left her. He left her, he didn't talk to her, wait to hear her explanation. She had a good reason for telling him that, but he wouldn't listen. She was devastated. Hurt beyond anything else. They were getting married and he was supposed to love her forever.”
“And that justifies her stance that all dragons must die?” He threw up his hands in the air. “That’s ridiculous that you could even come to that conclusion. He had a good reason to leave, that shouldn’t mean that me and my brothers are murdered because of it.”
“Stop.” She placed her hand on his shoulder to try and calm him. “I know you’re defensive about it.”
He pushed her hand away. “Can you even hear yourself? You’re justifying murder.”
“It isn’t like that.”
“Then explain to me why you think dragons should die. That’s your mantra isn’t it.”
“Well, yes,” she said quietly. “Dragons aren’t natural, they're monsters.”
“Am I natural?” He grabbed her hand and placed it against his chest. “My heart beats just like yours does. I have blood running through my veins just like you.” He placed his hand over hers holding it to his chest and keeping it there. He didn’t need to, she wasn’t about to pull away. “I feel, just like you do.”
She looked up at him, her breathing remarkable faster than it was a few second ago. “But . . .” She shook her head. “Dragons are dangerous, they can kill.” Her voice was barely a whisper now. She still believed it, she had to. But the man standing in front of her. He wasn’t a dragon, he was . . . What was he exactly?
“Dangerous are people with warped ideologies of what’s right and wrong.”
Elle pulled her hand away, the warm of his body gone from her palm. He couldn’t feel like she did. Because she felt . . . What exactly did she feel anyway? She closed her eyes trying to push the growing need that was swirling around her head. Being alone with him, having him open up to her like he was, seeing him angry and upset with her. It just . . .
“I’ll let you know when the room is ready,” he said. As he turned to leave she placed her
hand back on his shoulder.
He whipped around, grabbing her arm around the wrist. “What do you want now?” he asked angrily. “I don’t want to hear another justification out of your mouth. You know you’re wrong.”
She agreed. She knew she was wrong about him, but that didn’t change anything. She had so many people relying on her, and she was about to say something when he pulled her close to him, her chest against his and he kissed her.
His lips were strong and warm and even though she wasn’t expecting it, she didn’t pull away. How could she when she’d thought about the same thing? She had to admit that she wanted him to kiss her, she’d imagined what it would be like. Her whole body was alive with lust, with need, with emotions that were too much to control.
She wrapped her arm around his neck, pulling him closer, opening his mouth to let him it explore it. All she wanted was for him to take her. Against the bars, or . . .”
Lyson pulled back. He said nothing as he turned. She watched him walk away, not once looking back at her as he exited and turned to the stairwell.
She pushed the door open letting it slam into the wall. How dare he kiss her like that and then leave. No wonder Tessa wanted to kill them all. They were dangerous. And not just because they could turn into dragons.
20
Lyson's stomach churned as he watched Mac pacing, his face etched in worry. Ash sat at the far end of the table with the same concerned look.
“I want her gone,” said Mac. “She’s unpredictable and violent. She could have hurt Juliana, killed her.”
“But she didn’t.”
Mac bared his teeth and thumped his hand on the table. “You’re still defending her, after what she’s done.” He narrowed his eyes and looked away, glaring at nothing. “I wish I’d never met Tessa Fuller. That damn bitch is going to be the death of me, of all of us.”