by G. K. DeRosa
“Why would Thax care about me?”
Hayden ticked his head at the mark on my arm which had started to glow. “My guess is that it has something to do with that pretty little tattoo that allows you to wield magic in this place.”
I rubbed my hand over the purple sigil. I’d asked my parents about the mark when I was in grade school and Becky Sue Whitmore had called me a tattooed freak. Had they lied to me?
Hayden rose, unfolding his long legs. “Stay here, I’m going to the warden’s to give him the update and get a hold of Talon.”
“Tread lightly, my friend,” Dallas called out over his shoulder.
As soon as the door closed behind the angel, I turned to my vamp bodyguard. “Who’s Vander?”
He shook his head. “You gotta talk to Talon about that, precious.”
I grunted. “Yeah, because he’s super chatty about his personal life.”
“He might be more open to you now. You’d be surprised.” He smirked and leaned back on my bed.
I popped my hands on my hips and loomed down at the grinning fool. “I’m really tired of you guys keeping secrets from me.”
“It’s not my secret to share, little demon. But I’ll tell you the same thing I just told Hayden, tread lightly with the big man if you do bring it up.”
“Why is it such a big deal?”
“Vander was a good friend, and he’s gone now.”
A few hours later, Talon stalked back into our cell, the deep scowl carved into his jaw more pronounced than usual. I steeled my nerve as he passed my bed without even a passing glance in my direction. I’d resolved to talk to him about that scorching kiss, and his foul mood wouldn’t stop me.
I opened my mouth to allow the words I’d been practicing for the past few hours to tumble out, but Talon beat me to it.
“Out, Hayden,” he barked.
The angel lifted his nose from the girly magazine and cocked a brow. “Excuse me?”
“I need to talk to Azara. Alone. So go read your softcore porn in one of the boneyard sheds.”
The angel slowly stood, muttering through his clenched teeth. He moved in slow motion grabbing a few magazines, a bottle of water, and some snacks. I bit back the urge to laugh as Talon started tapping his foot.
When Hayden finally reached the door, he turned back with a lazy smile. “I’ll be in Dallas’s room if you need me.”
I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me or the surly dragon so I murmured a quick thanks and folded my hands in my lap. Talon paced in front of my bed, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. His claws extended and retracted with each lap, and a storm of anxiety started to brew in my belly.
When he didn’t speak for the longest minute ever, I scooted to the edge of the bed and swallowed down the sense of impending doom. “What’s up? And where have you been for the past two days?”
He stopped short and whirled at me, his pupils narrow reptilian slits. “That’s what your main concern is? We just found out that Thax, the warlord of the sixth realm of the Underworld wants something from you, most likely enlisted Delacroix to get it, and you’re asking me where I was?”
“Gods, what a drama king!” Okay, okay. That did sound pretty bad, but I couldn’t show fear, right?
Talon erased the space between us, his warm breath spilling over my face as his eyes drilled into mine. “You think this is a joke?” he snarled. His hands clamped around my cheeks, and he forced my eyes to his. “You’re so new to this world and your abilities that you have no idea what real power is. You parade around this prison swinging your hips and tossing your dark hair and with that smartass attitude…” He paused and pressed his lips together. “You’re going to get yourself killed and take more innocents with you. Just like that night—”
My jaw hung loose, and it was all I could do to keep it from falling. “That’s really what you think of me?”
His expression hardened, ice glazing over his silver irises.
“I’m not some irresponsible child running around with my head half-cocked.”
A vein pulsed across Talon’s forehead as his face reddened. “That’s exactly how you’re acting! You get here, Hayden warns you off Delacroix and instead, you go straight to him. You get attacked by a powerful demon, thrown in the boneyard and just keep going. You make some half-ass deal with Thax which sends you right into the maw of the lion again. You almost died for gods’ sakes. If I hadn’t—” He spun around and started pacing again. “You sure as hell aren’t making this easy for me, Azara. Whatever these powers are that you have, you have no control over. You can’t rely on them to get you out of trouble. And if Thax wants you, you’re in a hell of a lot of trouble. Delacroix is a kitten compared to the dark lord.”
His words pounded into my head like a jackhammer. He didn’t even know the worst part—that Thax had tricked the devil himself to get to me. But I didn’t want to go there… not yet. And especially not after he’d hurled insults at me. The fear morphed into anger, and I clawed onto it for dear life.
“What about you? You and your brothers have been lying to me from day one. I only went to see Delacroix to get some answers. If you’d been straight with me from the beginning I never would’ve ended up in this mess. You hate me one minute and then you kiss me and disappear for days.” There, I said it.
His blazing eyes locked on mine with a laser-like intensity that burned all the way down to my toes.
Crap, crap, crap. Quick, take it back!
Talon stalked toward me, his biceps twitching, every muscle on his perfect body like stone. I shrank back on the bed as unbridled fury roiled off him in waves. This was so not how I’d planned this discussion to go. He leapt on the mattress and the springs whined in protest. His nostrils flared as he stalked closer on hands and knees, a predatory gleam in his eye.
I hit the metal bedframe and the cold wall behind it. “I’m sorry,” I sputtered, the fire in his reptilian eyes shredding my insides. More than that, the closer he got, the more feelings radiated from his hulking frame. And it wasn’t just anger. A tangle of shame, desire, and pain weighed down the air between us.
A whirlwind of emotions tugged at my core, the foreign sentiments invading and intertwining with my own. Something indecipherable flashed across Talon’s glistening silver orbs as he hovered a few inches from my face.
“What is this?” I mumbled, my hand reaching for his scruffy cheek unbidden.
He leaned into my touch for a second before pulling away, a growl resonating in his throat. He jerked back and ended up on the opposite side of the bed and huffed out a breath. “My dragon… my blood…”
I raised a confused brow. “What about your dragon and your blood?”
“When Delacroix’s demon guard attacked you, I gave Fiona my blood to create the antidote to the poison. Draconis demons are like the antitheses of dragon shifters, so our blood is the only known cure.”
“Oh. Well, geez, thanks. How come no one told me?”
“Because sometimes there are side effects of dragon blood sharing. Especially on half-bloods. I hoped it wouldn’t happen so it would be a moot point. But it seems as if my dragon has misinterpreted the situation.”
“What does that mean?”
He shook his head and stared down at the floor. His lower lip jutted out and the most intense urge to bite it rocked through me. What the hades? My pulse skyrocketed. I had a feeling I knew where he was going with this, but I forced the words out anyway. “What side effects, Talon?”
“Unwanted sexual feelings.”
A lump the size of a gaga bird’s egg formed in my throat. I swallowed hard, but I couldn’t chase it away. “I haven’t had any, um, of those…” I cut myself off as heat crawled up my neck and diffused along my cheeks.
“No? Then why’d you kiss me back?”
Because I wanted to, you stupid jackdragon. I bit my tongue, keeping my thoughts to myself. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it was only because of his sparkly dragon blood. And because he was a grad
e-A prime hunk of dragon meat. I wanted to smack myself.
“Then why did you give me your blood if you knew that could happen? I know how much you hate me so this must be your worst nightmare.”
“It is.” The shadow of a smile hitched up the corner of his lip. “I couldn’t let you die; you were my charge and I’d never fail you like that. And I wouldn’t allow you to be tied to one of the dragon inmates locked up in here. There was no other option.”
The anger coiling in my gut waned. That was actually pretty decent of him. “Wait, what do you mean tied? How long does this last?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know from personal experience, but I’ve heard it varies, depending on the purity of the blood and the interaction with the donor.” He paused, snagging his full lower lip between his teeth, and my core tightened. He muttered a curse as if unsure he should say whatever came next. “I know you’re new to all this so you should know that for dragons sharing blood is a big deal. That’s why my inner beast has been a little out of control.”
I would’ve been less surprised if he’d slapped me. I chewed on the inside of my cheek, considering. “Well, thanks then. I appreciate what you did for me. I guess I owe you a few thank yous for all the times you’ve saved my butt.”
He nodded and stretched out his legs, the tense set of his shoulders relaxing. “It’s my job.”
Right. He’d never let me forget that.
We sat like that for a while, the uneasy silence growing into a comfortable one. My eyelids even began to droop at one point. I unfolded my legs and accidentally brushed his thigh with my bare toes.
A rumble echoed through his massive chest, and he shifted uncomfortably. I jumped up at the same time he stood and smacked right into him. His arms came around my waist to steady me, and my gaze locked on the wall of man in front of me. I couldn’t meet his eyes, not with the infinitesimal space between us and the mad thumping of my heart set off by a mere touch.
Craptabulous, he was right about the blood.
As if echoing my thoughts, Talon muttered a curse as his arms tightened around me. His hands clamped on my hips, and he drew me flush against him.
“Talon…” I mumbled as heat ignited in my lower half. He’d just finished telling me this wasn’t real. This crazy attraction was just because of his invading dragon blood running rampant through my veins.
His head dipped, and his breath rustled through my hair. All I had to do was tilt my chin up, and I’d meet his lips. Every nerve in my body screamed at me to do it. But I couldn’t. This was way too effed up. Talon hated me…
A flash of clarity snuck through the lusty haze, and I dragged the words out. “Who’s Vander?”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Talon’s arms went limp, the fire radiating around us snuffed out with an icy bucket of water. He jerked back, and hard lines cut into his handsome face. “Don’t say his name,” he whispered.
“Why not?”
“Don’t say it, inmate!” he snarled, the vein in his forehead throbbing in overtime.
I moved closer, and he staggered back. “Please, Talon. I need to know.” My mind whirled back to the night I was brought in. To the guard saying I’d killed one of their own. And Delacroix mentioning there’d been an SIA agent trying to take me in. I choked down the knot of emotion in my throat and searched Talon’s frosty gaze. “Did I kill him?”
Talon’s scowl wavered, a hint of emotion tugging his lips. His jaw clenched down, and his expression hardened. “Yeah, you did. When you went out on that soul-sucking joy ride, you killed my best friend.”
My stomach bottomed out, and a wave of nausea crept up my throat. My knees wobbled, and my hand shot out to reach for the wall just in time.
Talon stared straight ahead, unmoving. An icy mask froze his chiseled features, his eyes refusing to meet mine.
“I’m so sorry, Talon.”
“Don’t.” He lifted his palm, cutting me off. Then he spun on his heel and marched toward the door.
“Please, Talon, don’t go. I’m so sorry. I don’t remember anything about that night.” I raced after him, but he slipped through the doorway, and it slid closed behind him. “Wait!” I banged on the door and cursed when I realized he’d locked me in. Damned SIA agent with unfettered access.
I slid down to the floor, my heart heavy and emotions drained. Hot tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. With all the commotion in the past few weeks, I’d succeeded in ignoring why I was in here in the first place. It was easy to forget when your memories of the most terrible day of your life had vanished. But they hadn’t, not really. Not to the friends and family of all the ones I’d killed.
Burying my head in my hands, I let the wall I’d built since I’d arrived crumble. A waterfall of tears flowed, my chest wracked with unrestrained sobs. Whatever horrible end Thax had cooked up for me, I probably deserved.
I was the biggest monster in here.
A stabbing pain lanced into my side, and I gasped. Mother effer! Clutching my lower abdomen, I rolled over on the bed as sweltering heat torched my middle. I peeked out from under the covers and scanned the room. The guys weren’t back yet. I gritted through the pain, sucking in ragged breaths. Then as quickly as it had come on, the phantom pang disappeared. I lifted my tank top and gently ran my fingers over my ribcage. Nothing. Not a mark on me.
What the blazes?
I settled back under the covers and closed my eyes. Great, now I’m hallucinating. I must have fallen back asleep because an irritating voice woke me from a restless slumber.
“Azara, you can’t hide out under the covers forever.” Flix tugged at the blanket over my head, but I clutched onto it for dear life. “Is this just because Delacroix is out of the Hole?”
Oh great, as if things weren’t bad enough now the psycho demon was free. “No,” I muttered. I couldn’t exactly tell my pixie friend that I’d killed Talon’s SIA best friend without compromising the dragon’s identity.
“Then what’s got you in such a slump?”
I was so depressed I couldn’t even think of a good lie. I hadn’t said a word to Talon since the night before, and he hadn’t even spared a glance in my direction. I’d skipped breakfast and lunch, and now my insides were eating themselves. My belly rumbled as if echoing my thoughts, and Flix chuckled.
“Now I know something’s wrong if you haven’t eaten. Do you want me to get you something from the Supe Mart? You can owe me for next time.”
My stomach perked up and I almost said yes, but then guilt slammed into me sucking the hunger away and replacing it with a giant knot. “Nah, I’m not hungry.”
The uneasiness swirling through my middle reminded me of the crazy ghost pains I’d felt earlier. Or had that all been a bad dream?
Flix huffed and sank into the mattress beside me. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong, or do I have to drag it out of you?” When I didn’t respond, he continued. “Does this have something to do with the fact that your dragon shadow is nowhere to be found?”
My gut clenched and a throng of killer bees took flight, battering my insides. I wished Talon had never given me his blood and had just let me die. Not only did I have to deal with my own lusty emotions, I now could feel his—the fury, pain, confusion. It was too much.
“I don’t know where he is.” And I don’t care. Liar, the little voice in my head whispered.
“That’s not what I asked, kid. I was inquiring if he was the cause of your foul mood and my guess is a big fat yes.” He smirked, and I wanted to wipe the smug smile off his cute little pixie face.
“It doesn’t matter anyway.”
“Then get up. Let’s go to Sandrene’s and get something yummy.” He tugged on my hand, but my fingers slipped right through his.
I couldn’t shake this gnawing ache in my gut, and I wasn’t sure it was only hunger. “I can’t. Even if I wanted to. You know I can’t go anywhere without Talon or one of the other guys.”
“Ugh, what a curse. To have three hot guys foll
owing you around like puppy dogs at all times.” He winked and shot up to his feet. “One day you’ll have to tell me how you scored that sweet gig.”
“I already told you, Logan is an old family friend.”
“Ummhmm.”
I had to get Flix off this topic ASAP. As much as I hated lying to my one friend at Darkblood, I couldn’t let word get out about who I was. My parents had given up their lives in Azar to protect me.
Thundering footfalls jerked my head through the glass walls to the hallway.
“What the hades?” Flix darted to the door just as it slid open.
My heart plummeted to my toes when Hayden and Dallas crossed the threshold with a bloody Talon slung between them. “Oh my gods! What happened?” I jumped up so the guys could drop the barely conscious dragon on my bed.
Hayden gently lay Talon on the mattress, the crappy springs squeaking at his substantial weight. The guys removed his shirt and revealed his shredded torso. A sharp gasp escaped through my clenched teeth. Dallas hovered near the bed, his usually playful eyes shadowed in darkness.
“Is someone going to tell me what happened?” My frantic gaze bounced from the angel to the vampire and back.
“Flix, get out,” Dallas snapped. In all the commotion, I’d completely forgotten about the pixie hiding out in the corner.
I glanced over my shoulder and nodded. “I’m sorry, I’ll catch up with you later.”
His lips thinned, but with a dip of his head, he trudged out of our cell.
The moment he was gone, Dallas bent down and reached under my bed. A click sounded and the glass quadrant of our cell went dark. “Done.” He nodded at Hayden then threw his hands up dramatically as he paced the side of the bed. “The stubborn fool went to confront Delacroix.”
“By himself,” Hayden hissed.
“About me?”
The vampire nodded. “Who else?”