by Ginna Moran
“And do you have proof of this?” High Council Woman Laveau says, keeping her red eyes locked on mine. Power flickers across her fingers, raining glowing sparks across the tiled floor.
I swallow. “I—”
“Because as far as I know, the Liohts are in good standing with the High Council. They’ve served us greatly for many decades, and I can’t see why they would jeopardize this now, for the daughter of a well-known criminal, to say the least.” Pursing her lips, she waits for me to argue.
What am I supposed to say? I was guilty the moment I was dragged to Magaelorum the first time. Nothing can change that now.
I meet her glare with my own. “Because Rhett had a deal with—”
Waving her hand, High Council Woman Laveau shoots a burst of magic at me, sealing my mouth shut with a muter. She cocks her head, jerking her attention toward the hallway like she hears something I can’t. My chest tightens the longer she stands there, looking creepy as hell. If she doesn’t plan to hear me out and disregards everything I have to say because of my mom, then what’s the point of trying to argue with her anyway? I’m tired, afraid, and in need of time to process. I wish she would hurry up and send me on my way to my damn cell already.
“High Council Woman Laveau, please,” I mumble, sounding like I’m just humming in frustration, but I have to try.
Her red eyes flicker and she finally darts her gaze to me. “Hmm. It seems things have grown a bit complicated. Get dressed and wait for CO Rover to return.”
“Wait, what? Please! You can’t do this!” I yell, my breath stretching the muter against my mouth. Damn it. I wish she’d let me speak.
With a flourish of her hand, High Council Woman Laveau smashes my back to the wall of the interrogation room. Her red magic sizzles across my skin as she pins me in place. I wiggle and thrash, trying to break her spell, but nothing works. I’m utterly helpless.
“Until we confirm the confession of Baker Lioht and can find the Drekis whereabouts for confirmation, you will remain imprisoned in this facility. We will need time to verify your story, but it does not mean you won’t be held accountable for your previous crimes.” The witch chants something under her breath, summoning a glowing red block into her hands. I cringe and try harder to fight at the sight of the magic iron that’ll brand the marks onto my skin to permanently cage my dragon.
A part of me dies inside. It feels as if she’s stealing the best part of me. Now that I know who I am and of what I’m capable, what I will lose due to these injustices, it hurts worse than ever.
I scream as High Council Woman Laveau brands the top of each of my hands, sealing my fate as Inmate D64901 once again. With a burst of bright light, she disappears and I fall to the floor, my whole body giving up.
“Fuck my life,” I whisper, pulling my knees to my chest. “Fuck this all.”
Something bangs on the doorframe. “Get up and dressed, inmate,” CO Rover says, returning into view.
I ignore him and try to force the world away.
He clomps forward. “Get the hell up or your ass will start off the night in the pits.”
“I don’t care,” I snap, not turning to look at him.
“Last chance, Inmate D64901.” He kicks my back with his boot, pushing me over.
I grind my teeth. “Fuck you.”
Pain explodes through me, stealing my vision.
The world disappears.
***
My head throbs, and blood drips down my forehead. Biting my bottom lip, I suppress my groan. If I make a sound, the bastard CO might hurt me again. I don’t know what I was expecting besides this power-tripping beast man to force me into compliance with violence.
And it feels a million times worse than my arrival with the Drekis as my guards. I can’t explain it, but I wasn’t afraid of them as much as I should’ve been. Maybe it was my mate bond twisting my head and heart, knowing that we belonged together. My sexual attraction to them made things easier.
But with CO Rover? Fuck that shit. From the look of him, all he’s capable of is saying ‘yes, ma’am’ to High Council Woman Laveau. Guys like him are only made of muscles and shit for brains.
The best I can hope for is that he stays true to his threat and tosses me in an isolation pit. At least then I can mentally prepare myself for this bullshit. With the Drekis, they were confused and angry. They wanted revenge for the death of their friend, but our mate bond muddled everything. I don’t have that kind of protection now. This asshole can decide to teach me a lesson and throw me to the—
Sirens ring through the air, sending shooting pain behind my eyes. CO Rover grunts and spins around, slamming his hands to a metal door. My hazy vision makes it nearly impossible to see, and I heave, my insides threatening to come out. The alarm continues to blare. Static crackles across my skin, and the chains around my wrists warm, growing hotter and hotter by the second.
“Shit,” CO Rover says, tossing me to the ground.
Wind whips through my hair, stirring up the scent of dirt and something subtly tangy, like lemons or oranges, definitely citrus.
“Inmate D64901, don’t move while I take off your restraints. I’m going to need you to cross the prison yard and wait by the door to Cellblock S. Can you manage that, or do I have to lock you to the damn fence?” Something rattles, and CO Rover proceeds to unlock the magic restraints around my wrists.
I try to respond, but my dry tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
Locking his hands under my arms, CO Rover hoists me to my feet. I wobble on my shaking legs, trying to orient myself to what the hell is happening. CO Rover gets in my face and meets my gaze, his strange, diamond shaped pupils growing in size under his intensity.
“Did you hear me, inmate? Straight across the yard and to the entrance to Cellblock S. A guard will let you in. Now go!” His hot breath slaps my face, and he spins me around and shoves his hand into my back.
My legs fall out from under me, and I hit my knees to the dirt, my body begging me to give up and lie down. Pain radiates from my heart and to the rest of me, my caged dragon wailing in grief. CO Rover charges away from me, not waiting to see if I get up or not, and I can’t stop the blip of fear from tightening my chest.
“Get up. Get up. Get the fuck up,” I command myself, trying to pep-talk my body into obeying. There is no one on my side out here. I can’t expect a guard to save my ass if something happens...and the growing fear inside me, my human rationale, senses something dark and dangerous lurking nearby. It’s the same feeling of being followed in a dark parking lot. The same feeling of dread that screams I might die any second.
A shadow moves in the corner of my vision, and I dig my fingers into the dirt, clawing as much as I can into the palm of my hand. My thoughts war with each other on what to do. A part of me wants to let the asshole now stalking me know that I see him and won’t go down without a fight. Another part of me says that kind of shit doesn’t work, and I should pretend I don’t notice the fucker creeping toward me from the wall. Surprise might be the only thing on my side.
Groaning, I roll to my side, acting as if I’m struggling to get to my feet. I don’t know if it’s my sheer will to survive or my angry need to kick some asshole in the balls, but my body listens to my mind, doing what I beg of it. The soft shuffle of footsteps calms my heart instead of sending it plummeting out of me. I half expect the shadow to turn into someone familiar, someone who can protect me, but I realize I react the way I do because my mates must feel me. They must know that I could really use their strength right now, so they give me everything they can. It’s what pushes me to get to my knees. To prepare to fight.
One footstep. Two. Three. The inmate moving through the shadows closes the space, sneaking up on me.
Something bangs from behind me, and I cringe at my body startling. I jerk my attention to the closed door CO Rover abandoned me to run through. A single bulb illuminates soft light along the wall. My shadow looks impossibly long, tall, and broad, and I don’t have
to turn back toward the prison yard to know the bastard made the noise to distract me.
I wiggle my fingers, feeling the roughness of the dirt rubbing against my palm. It’s not exactly the best weapon, but it’s the only one I have.
Fingers lock into my hair and jerk me around. Screeching in pain, I throw the dirt in the inmate’s face. The shock of seeing the vampire baring his capped teeth freezes my moves. I can’t ever fucking get over what they do to criminal blood suckers.
“Looks like the cat left me a lizard snack,” the vampire says, jerking my head back, forcing me to look at him. “I’m not usually one for spicy, but they don’t let the fae out with us.”
Is he for real?
“You’re sexy enough to overlook the smokiness, even with that black eye.” Swiping his thumb across my forehead, he smears the blood from getting clobbered with a magical baton from my skin. Popping his finger into his mouth, he licks the coagulating sticky liquid. “So what do you say? Let me feed on you and you can live. Fight me, and I’ll—”
Jerking my fist forward, I attempt to punch him in his cock. The fucker hops back and yanks my hair. He slams his palm between my shoulder blades, winding me, and I gag and cough, the only air managing to fill my lungs being contaminated with dirt.
The vampire pins me down, yanking my arms behind my back. His strangely citrusy breath consumes my senses. This douchebag probably watched CO Rover throw me down.
“I wasn’t supposed to kill you, but you’ve pissed me off, Drakovich. They said you’d be compliant. Scared of your own damn shadow.” Shifting my hair, he pushes his chest into my back.
I should’ve known. Fuck.
Lazlo probably set me up, knowing that I could use the information of him trying to break open the gateway to the Mortal World against him.
“Aren’t you going to plead with me? Ask me who put the bounty on you?” he asks, shaking me in annoyance.
“Why should I? I already fucking know,” I snap. I should threaten him that my mates will come for him if he tries anything. I should beg for my life. But damn this all to hell. I just want to knock this guy off me and extract his fangs for even considering threatening me.
“Because—”
Bashing my head back, I manage to smash into his face because of his closeness. Pain erupts from my scalp as his teeth sink into me from the force. The sensation of my blood dripping to my neck kicks my ass in gear, and I alligator roll, knocking him off me. My stunt surprises the vampire so much so that all he can do is lick my blood from his lips. I scramble in his direction, scooping up another fistful of dirt.
Climbing on top of him, I shove the soil into his eyes. A deep, guttural noise escapes his throat, and he gnashes his jaws like he can reach me and tear my throat out. I swing my fist and sucker punch him in the nose and then the throat, using the moves Maddox helped fine-tune over the last few weeks.
My anger gives me the strength to fight. I fight with everything inside me—with the power of two dragon clans swelling in my very soul, yearning to break free—and show this bitey bastard that I’m not some little defenseless animal for him to prey on. I’m a wild, untamable dragon, and I will devour him whole.
“Daed eb tiv shum nus!” a velvety, husky voice shouts into the night.
Bright power engulfs me and the vampire, setting the world around us aglow as if the sun rises from the horizon only to fall to the ground. I expect to explode. I expect agony to leave me defenseless.
The vampire shrieks, the noise at such a high pitch, I’m sure all of Magaelorum can hear him. Wavy light zigzags across his body, turning his skin red.
His head explodes, sending guts spraying in my face.
I blink and freeze, not expecting this nastiness, and now I’m afraid I’m next.
“My dear pet.” Lazlo’s familiar voice trickles through my mind as my throat tightens. “It seems you owe me a debt for saving your life.”
I throw myself off of the dead vampire and swipe the guts from my face. Rage sizzles through me, threatening to ignite the fire of a thousand dragon clans to incinerate this asshole. The tops of my hands burn, the brands glowing red, fighting to suppress my inner beast. I’ve never wanted to murder anyone so much in my life.
“Like hell I do. I didn’t ask for your help, especially because you’re the asshole who convinced this guy to hurt me.” I shove my hands to the dirt, pushing to my feet. Running won’t get me anywhere, but I damn well will try to get away from Lazlo. If he kidnaps me, my mates may never find me again. At least if I manage to stay here, I have a fighting chance.
“Calm down, my beautiful beast. I’d never hurt the one bound to serve me, but you have put us in a terrible position. I mean, this wretched place again? Haven’t you had enough? Your service to me will be far better than this,” Lazlo says, waving his hand around.
He steps closer, the blue light of his power flickering in his eyes. I shuffle backward, keeping space between us. I wish I wasn’t so afraid to take my eyes off him, because I can’t see if any threats come from behind me. But right now? Lazlo is my biggest threat. Another vampire is like a tiny dog compared to the monster lurking beneath his elegant, tailored suit façade.
“Stay back. I’m not serving you or anyone,” I say.
“You would rather stay locked up rather than learn to fight the power that put you here in the first place? Smarten up, my beautiful dragon. You cannot want to see your life go to waste, and for what? Moral standards? Fear of consequence? You murdered my coven brother, yet here I am, ready to forgive you, so save the bullshit. Give me your hands.” Gathering light in his palms, he stalks me, picking up his pace. “This will only hurt a bit, but you’ve left me no choice.”
Something inside me snaps, and burning heat floods through me, washing away the cold dread. Fire ignites in my hands, and I throw it at Lazlo, catching him off guard. I have no idea how the hell I manage to summon my power, but I don’t think about it long.
Gathering my bravery, I blast more dragon fire at Lazlo and then spin and run.
Lazlo shouts a spell, and blue light flashes over the prison yard. A few dozen vampires shield their eyes, confused by the glow. Other inmates shout, ones I can’t tell what species they are, but I ignore them and rush toward Cellblock S.
Cold electricity zaps my feet out from under me, and I skid across the ground and collide into the brick wall of the building.
I didn’t make it. I can’t believe this shit.
Power blinds me, and pain follows.
I scream until someone slaps a muter on me. Thrashing my body, I fight with everything in me, setting the world ablaze. I’ll fight until I have nothing left. Until I am nothing.
“Emat eht teab yi ki ta!” a feminine voice shouts.
My fire consumes the world around me.
It consumes me.
Chapter 21
Hope
“FUCK, KITTEN. SHIT.” WARM HANDS slide under me as Kash lifts my cold body from the dirt. He shifts my hair from my face and releases a deep growl. “Who did this? I’m going to kill the bastard.”
“Let me see her. I can help.” Ambrose’s voice whispers through the air of the dark pit.
Blinking, I try to clear my vision. Ambrose’s green magic stings my eyes. I have no idea how long I’ve been in here, maybe days, but the time no longer matters with the closeness of these three and their familiarity.
“Careful, Ambrose. We can’t disturb the magical shield any more than we have. Nova’s tough. She’ll be okay.” Tiernan completes their circle around me, gently touching his warm finger to my cheek, drawing a soft line under my eye. “Isn’t that right? My brother doesn’t call you firecracker for nothing.”
I lick my sore lips, trying to moisten my mouth. “H-Hey,” I manage to say, the word barely a puff of breath. It’s all my brain allows.
Kash’s eyebrows lower over his gorgeous hazel eyes, but he holds his smile like he’s afraid frowning might hurt me worse than I am. “Hey, kitten. You thirsty? Can I
help you drink something and then kiss the hell out of you?”
I smirk and bob my head, the sweetness of Kash’s voice filling me up with the hope stolen from me by this situation. I could kiss Ambrose for his stellar magical abilities and for bringing him here. Hell, I’m about to kiss all three of them. I’m so happy.
Kash raises an eyebrow. “I can’t hear your thoughts, so I need you to tell me what you’re thinking. That warmth you filled me with—fuck I need more.”
Blush crawls up my cheeks, my body going haywire. Tugging a flask from his jacket, Kash offers me a sip of water. I snatch the container from him and chug it, the cool liquid ridding my mouth of the never-ending dirt from sleeping in this hole.
Tiernan caresses my arm, testing my reaction. I slow down and lick my lips. His green eyes search mine and travel to my mouth. He wants to kiss me as badly as Kash does. If only my stomach didn’t roar like the beast caged inside me. All three of them narrow their eyes on my belly, and I clutch my stomach in embarrassment. I can’t remember the last time I’ve eaten. During my last stay here, I was served raw meat that I wouldn’t eat. But this time, I’ve been offered nothing. I’ve seen no one since...fuck. My head throbs with thoughts of Lazlo.
Ambrose rubs his hands together and whispers something under his breath. My stomach clenches at the sight of the banana materializing between his palms. No one has a chance to react as I lunge at Ambrose from Kash’s arms, tackling him to the ground. Tearing the peel away, I shove the banana into my mouth, barely even chewing the thing. It’s like my wild nature possesses me, turning me into a beast. And fuck.
Ambrose’s eyes widen. “Princess, my fates.”
Tiernan releases a strange, deep, sexy noise from his throat like the cross between a moan and a hum. “Did she just deep throat that thing?” he asks Kash, his voice a mixture of awe and amusement.
Kash chuckles and drops to his knees next to me. “Our mate has many incomparable talents.”