by C. R. Jane
We were alone... if you excluded the prisoners in their cells. Which I did.
On silent steps, I closed the distance between us, and within several strides, I called to my beast once more. Sweat dripped down my back.
He suddenly paused in front of a cell and reached for the keys on his belt. Yep, down here, everything was old school; seeing as this was the old part of Nightmare Penitentiary. Without even looking my way, Nick pressed the key into the keyhole. This was my chance.
But instead of just a sliver of my beast, the demon shoved out of me with a vengeance; I stood no chance this time. I clenched my teeth, shuddering on the spot. My skin split, making way for fur as horns started to push out of my temples, hurting like a bitch.
Panic struck just as hard and fast, seeing there were cameras at the end of the hallway.
So, I lunged forward, slamming into Nick's back, both of us bursting into the cell.
The woman inside the room screamed at our explosive entrance. The sound was music to my ears as I fought to not lose complete control of the beast. I trembled with the inner fight. All the while, Nick groaned and bucked beneath me.
I rolled quickly to my feet, and when Nick looked at me as he got up, his expression paled. "Who the fuck are you?"
My mouth opened, but only a guttural growl escaped. What caught my attention, though, wasn't the terrified woman cowering in the corner or even Nick looking ready to bolt from the room. It was the way his chest was glowing bright blue through his clothes, right in the center, looking like he’d swallowed a huge metal key.
Fuck yes!
I forgot everything else then and loosened my hold on my demon, whispering to him to get the key from Nick’s chest.
And then I leapt forward. The corners of my eyes darkened and suddenly I lost all sensation of my body, and watched the events as if I were sitting on the sideline.
Nick went down so fast... he never stood a chance. The woman kept screaming out of pure shock. But my guess was that Nick was coming in here for more than a friendly visit, so he deserved what he got.
The attack was vicious, and I wished more than anything I could be more involved. I'd always hated Nick, and I felt no pity for his demise, not when it stopped his assaults on women and when it got me the key I needed to help Selena. She was my priority over everything else.
My demon slashed Nick’s throat first to silence his screams. Blood splattered everywhere. Then he shoved a clawed hand into his chest, breaking ribs. Next thing I knew, the beast wrenched an ancient-looking skeleton key out of the fucker’s chest cavity. Blood and bits of flesh slid off the magical artifact, and I smiled on the inside that I’d found it.
The beast opened his mouth and inhaled deeply, drawing into him... into us, Nick's soul. It was a wisp, barely noticeable, and looked like a thread of mist. It felt like the most incredible warmth sliding through our body, rejuvenating every inch of us.
In the next moment, I was turning toward the female prisoner crouched in the corner, tears streaming down her cheeks. That familiar hunger rose through me again, the one that belonged to the demon.
Panic flared, curling around my insides, knowing where this was going. I thrust forward before he could fight back, slipping back into the driver’s seat. My body convulsed as the fur and horns receded.
But the bastard fought within me, my whole body shuddering as it tried to take me over once more.
“Not this time,” I growled, and rapidly drove him to the darkest recesses of my mind.
I pushed myself to my feet and wiped the blood off my face with my sleeve. Tucking the key into the front pocket of my pants, I glanced down to the mess on my shirt. “Shit!” I hastily unbuttoned it. My hands shaking as my demonic side continued to push relentlessly. I gritted my teeth, tensing all over, trying to hold him back. I turned my shirt inside out, and put it back on...it looked dirty this way, but not bloody, and in the dimly lit corridors no one would know, right?
Turning to the crying girl, I said, "Shut the door and I'll return to clean this mess. I promise I won't hurt you."
She nodded, shaking. "I-I p-promise I won't say a thing."
With my demon still fighting me for release, I darted out of the room, kicked the door shut behind me, and sprinted down the hallway. I kept bumping into the wall each time the beast shoved against me. He was pissed that I stopped him from feeding. Greedy fucker. One soul wasn't enough, apparently.
Keeping to the shadows, I kept running, planning on returning to my room, but only when I looked up did I realize I'd gone in the opposite direction and ended up at Selena's cell.
Alaric, the beast growled in my mind. With that single word a storm of jealousy flared to life in my body; along with thoughts of what he was doing in that room with her. Kissing her. Fucking her. Fire clawed at my chest, or was that my demon?
Fuck, I couldn't tell anymore, but my legs never stopped moving. I had to stop Alaric... I had to stop myself.
Bursting into Selena's prison cell, I skidded to a stop at the end of the bed. I was sucking in heavy breaths, sweat dripping down my back, yet all I felt was a raging fury within me. Striking me so hard and fast that I stumbled on my feet.
Selena was on her feet, coming to me, her expression petrified. Alaric was at her back, pulling her away from me.
He wants her all for himself, my beast growled in my mind.
I shuddered, holding myself back while every fiber in my body screamed that I just had to make Alaric pay already. Every breath was a struggle, my heart thundering in my chest.
Seething, I shook myself. Get a hold of yourself.
“Keon, get the fuck out of here,” Alaric snarled, facing me, not backing down.
Something inside me snapped, and I went for him. Unbearable anger steamrolling through me.
I collided with him, shoving my hands into his chest, sending him back. He stumbled to catch himself when a small hand pressed to my chest.
“Stop!”
I looked down at Selena, felt her hand trembling, and saw terror in her eyes. But she never backed down.
“I’m here for you, Keon. Please don’t do this. Just listen to my voice.”
She was all I heard, nothing else. All I sensed was the warmth of her hands now on my shoulders, sliding up my neck; and holding the sides of my head.
“I’m here for you. Come back to me, Keon.” Her voice quivered, and she leaned in close.
A shadow fell over us. “Selena,” Alaric warned.
I jutted my head up, a snarl rolling out of my throat, my lips peeling back for him to back away.
“I’ve got this,” Selena yelled, never taking her eyes off me.
When I refocused on her, my world seemed to melt away. The room blurred, and only the two of us existed. Her mouth moved, and I heard her voice telling me to calm down.
That sweet voice was a song in my ears, and it made me forget everything else. It wasn't just me she affected so thoroughly, but my beast, too. I sensed him soften within me, withdrawing. I had known my demon found himself drawn to Selena. It wasn't just me who saw her as mine, but he did as well. Here I was ready to spill Alaric's blood. I was dangerous as fuck, and she didn't fear me but cared for my wellbeing.
If there was ever a moment when my defenses weakened, it was now. My world depended on her, my life entwined with hers. She was everything to me, so how could I ever not bow down to her.
The beast’s hunger swallowed me, but he knew she wasn't to be harmed. I held onto Selena, well aware she depended on me. My legs gave out, and I dropped to my knees before her. She looked me in the eye and leaned in to kiss me, our mouths clashing. Our worlds united, and I forgot everything but the softness of her lips, the warmth of her arms, the promise of her love.
Only when she broke our kiss did I realize that I could no longer sense the heavy darkness in my veins. My beast had subsided without a battle with my beauty, our beauty.
"How are you feeling?" she asked while running a hand over my brow, pushing bac
k loose strands of hair. "You had me scared there for a moment."
"I'm feeling better than I have in a long time," I answered, unsure whether or not that had anything to do with the soul the demon had just consumed; or that I still floated on the ambrosia of having someone as beautiful as Selena who loved me. I'd lived without love my whole fucked up life, so this was new and absolutely everything I'd ever wanted. I’d fight the devil himself to keep Selena by my side.
"About fucking time," Alaric mumbled.
I got to my feet and turned to Alaric. For too long, I'd wanted nothing more than to take him down for being near Selena, but I'd seen the way he stared at her like she meant the world to him. Fuck, I understood that feeling so well that it choked me. "Thanks for keeping her safe while I was gone."
Instead of a jerky response, he gave me a nod, an accepting gesture that said more than words. It told me that, like me, he was ready to accept that Selena was too important for either of us to ever give her up. If she wanted us all, then we'd make this somehow work.
I stuck my hand into the front pocket of my pants and pulled out the key. I uncurled my fingers, and presented it to them. “One down, one to go.”
Chapter 11
Selena
I looked up at Seth. My gorgeous fae who stood in front of me, grasping my hands in his. It hurt my heart with each passing day to know he kept getting beaten, that we were apart, but the potion from Nova had eased his pain, which meant everything to me.
After Keon had found the key, it finally felt like we were making progress, that maybe we’d find this magical stone the Warden wanted. I should be shouting with excitement, yet part of me struggled to celebrate just yet when I’d been beaten down so many times that I forgot what it felt like to win for a change.
“Why do you look so upset?” Seth asked.
I shook my head instantly, my thoughts spinning. “How can I be sad when I’m around you?” I reassured him and glanced outside the door of Seth’s cell to where Keon stood guard. But our time was limited. Keon was taking a huge risk letting me visit Seth without the Warden’s consent. I stared back into Seth’s eyes, my heart beating faster, the ache of wanting him free from his punishment echoing in my mind. “We don’t have much time.”
"What's going on?"
"We found the key," I explained, smiling, and when his mouth curled into a grin, I beamed on the inside. I lived off seeing him happy, which was why I knew I'd fallen so hard for him. I cared so much for him that it physically hurt.
Seth tucked my hair behind an ear, saying, "That's fantastic. We're halfway there." I told him about the fun Keon had in tracking down the key and how incredibly well it had been concealed in a guard's chest.
"That's rather clever," he mused.
I then leaned into his touch, moving closer to him, my heartbeat drumming faster with a desperate need to drag him to his bed, where we could chat and kiss and laugh for hours. Where things felt normal, except nothing in my life was even close to normal, now was it?
"Except, we now need to find the scroll case to open with the key, and Alaric suggested you may know where we can find it. It's magical, so I guess you're the most magical of us all." I shrugged, feeling silly assuming he'd know all things relating to enchantments, but it wasn't like the rest of us knew.
His lips pinched to the side as his gaze drifted upward while he thought. All I could do was lose myself in how beautiful he was, how I winced internally at seeing the red welts across his arms and his neck from the whippings. How I knew, despite how bad they looked, he no longer felt the agony.
But behind his eyes, there was a darkness, like even he knew it was a temporary fix. Like me, he must struggle to believe that after so much, a happy ending was impossible. Except, I couldn't keep thinking that way, and I couldn't allow Seth to resign to it either.
"A dragon," he finally said, breaking me from my thoughts. "I haven't heard any word of a scroll case, but I did once learn that the best place to hide something in Nightmare Penitentiary to never be found was in the dragon's lair deep down in the pit."
My words didn't come at first. Yeah, of course, there'd be dragons in here, why not when every other kind of creature existed? But dealing with one was a terrifying prospect. "Are you sure?" I asked.
“Back in my realm, scrolls were used to carry important documents. As such, they were elaborately decorated with gold, gemstones, and the king's seal. The case itself was highly prized for the wealth that went into it, so where else would someone conceal such a valuable item that wouldn't be easy to hide?"
"With a dragon," I murmured back. "It makes sense, I guess, but shit, a dragon?" My voice climbed a bit too high, drawing Keon's attention as he glanced over his shoulder at us. I met his gaze, and he gave me a quick nod that said, hurry.
Seth dragged me closer and whispered, "Dragons are deadly but can be lured to sleep if you can find a way to do so. I couldn't bear it if anything were to happen to you, so let one of the other guys carry out this mission, understand."
"I don't want any of them to get hurt either."
His lip pinched, but he kissed my brow. "They are more experienced in dealing with monsters, and when a dragon turns, there will be nothing that can stop it. Maybe Keon can aid in getting me out to help execute the mission."
I was at a loss for what to say. The fear in his words scared me... if the dragon terrified him, then was this a death mission for anyone who tried it?
Keon, Alaric, and Laz swirled in my mind. Putting them in front of such danger for the chance to gain more time to be together scared me. They didn't have to risk their lives, but they would insist on it, just as Seth would if given the chance to escape his prison cell.
"I can't have you harmed," Seth told me, his lips finding mine. I kissed him back desperately, like somehow I'd find the answer in his passion. In truth, I gripped onto his arms, wanting to forget the constant danger and instead discover more about Seth, let him claim me over and over.
He kissed with desire, with dominance, with a reminder that I was his. I shuddered at my growing desire, at the thought of him stripping me and climbing on top of me, his weight pressing our bodies together, skin to skin. Just the thought of having him pushing inside of me, spreading my legs, giving myself completely to him made my entire body flutter.
"I miss you so much," I whispered against his mouth.
"Selena, we gotta go, now!" Urgency speared through Keon's words.
I pulled back from Seth, our kiss broken, my heart stinging each time we parted. "I'll be back as soon as I can," I said. Yet my hands remained flush against his powerful chest, as I wasn’t ready to part from him. Something in his eyes glinted, reminding me of the brightest stars in the night sky.
"Be safe, my love," he said as he clasped my hand and brought it to his mouth. "I already miss you."
I was breathless, not wanting to go, but when Keon called my name again, I moved from Seth and ran out of his cell. Keon made quick work of shutting the door just as another guard marched in our direction.
"What are you doing here?" he snarled at Keon.
"I'm returning her to her room." Keon didn't wait for a response, but grabbed my arm and hauled me alongside him down the hallway. Once we were out of sight of the other guard, Keon dragged me down a side passage filled with shadows. "Did I hear Seth say a dragon?"
I nodded. "Do you know where they keep it?"
"Yes, but everyone, including the guards, are terrified of it. It's locked up in a pit that's been blocked off. The only way the Warden has kept it under control was to place a mountain of treasure down there with the beast."
His words raced through my mind as I pictured a dragon sitting on a pile of gold, watching for anyone who came to steal it.
"Seth said we need to put it to sleep, and I know someone who can help us with that," I finally said.
"Then we go there now."
I looked at him, my mind trying to work out where Nova's cell was located, seeing as I had never ac
tually been to it. So, I told Keon everything I knew about her and he closed his eyes. When they sprung open, he nodded. "Sector 5D. We keep a few of the magic folk there together."
Next thing I knew, we were speeding through the prison, along hallways, shoving past inmates, and in no time we stopped outside an empty cell. It didn't look much different to mine. Cramped with a cot and toilet in the back, a few books and clothes scattered on a thin shelf, and sad looking. Everything had that depressing feeling.
"She's not here, so we wait?" I suggested.
"Are you looking for me?" Nova’s soft voice asked from behind us almost instantly. I spun around, as did Keon, and we found her, chewing gum, wearing a black tank top and orange overalls rolled down to her waist.
"I have a favor to ask," I said instantly.
She glanced over to Keon in his uniform, blinking at him, seeming unsure what to make of his presence. "You’re one of her lovers, right?" she asked brazenly, staring at Keon, her question taking me by surprise.
"Yes, he’s with me," I confirmed. "You can trust him. We just need your help with something."
“Selena is everything to me,” Keon interjected to make his point, which came with an underlying threat that she better not try anything.
"Okay, let's talk inside." She lifted her chin to her cell, and we filed into the tiny space.
"What's going on?" she asked, keeping her eyes trained on Keon. I didn't blame her for not trusting guards. Most of them were assholes, but I was starting to think that wasn’t the reason why she looked at him so intensely. "I've heard some weird shit about you, man," she said to him. "It's hard to tell if it's made up to make people scared of you, or real."