Darkblood Prison: Demon On A Dime (Supernatural Prison Squad Series Book 1) Page 8

  The warden’s office was dark just like the rest of the ominous fortress. Oak siding lined the obsidian walls and soared above on the rafters. Stacks of files and folders littered the large desk, along with a cumbersome computer that reminded me of ones I’d seen in the human world back before the new millennium. A leather sofa sat against the wall, a pillow tossed to the side and a blanket crumpled on the floor.

  “Sorry for the mess,” Logan said as he ushered me to a chair in front of the desk. “I’m just getting acquainted with my new position.”

  I lowered myself into the seat, and for the first time since I’d arrived here, felt at ease. “When did you start?”

  “Um, about five days ago.” He folded his big body into the seat across from me.

  “The same day I got here?”

  He nodded. “I really am sorry I didn’t find you sooner. As you heard, I had a little incident with one of the inmates.” His fingers trailed over his flat stomach.

  “Delacroix Balthier? What happened?”

  “I see you’ve already heard of him.”

  “I’ve heard he runs this place—except for the Triad, I guess. I still haven’t quite figured that part out.”

  “You and me both, kid.” He sat up straighter and his granite eyes met mine. “I can tell you this much, stay away from him. He’s as ruthless as they come.”

  I shrugged. “He’s been pretty nice to me.”

  Logan’s eyes popped, silver swirling through the dark gray. “Whatever he’s offered you to join him, don’t take it, Azara. That demon’s trouble of the worst kind. I was sent here to fix all the damage he’s caused.”

  I gulped as thoughts of the deal I’d struck with him gnawed at the back of my mind. At least he’d come through on his word and gotten me in to see the warden. It could end up being worth it.

  “Azara?” His pinched expression told me he must have said my name more than once. “You haven’t agreed to join him and his demon minions have you?”

  A pang of annoyance swirled in my gut. It must have shown on my face because his lips pressed into a tight line.

  “I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant.”

  “Because I’m a demon, just like him. A terrible soul-sucking one apparently.”

  A frown carved into his face, hardening it like stone. “It’s true then?”

  “I have no idea, Logan. I can’t remember a damn thing from that night.” My throat closed up, and I swallowed hard. “I was hoping you knew,” I finally choked out. “That’s why I had Delacroix arrange this meeting.”

  The warden’s platinum brows slammed together. “Delacroix did not arrange this meeting. As I mentioned, I saw you the day I arrived. I’ve been searching for you ever since.” His hand slid over the back of his neck, and he glanced down at the floor. “That bastard demon had one of his thugs stab me with a spelled blade. It took me days to heal so I’ve been holed up in here since I arrived. I searched the prison records for your file, but there was nothing. I almost called Ryder a hundred times, but what could I say? We didn’t leave things off on the best note, and I couldn’t simply ask if his daughter had been imprisoned.”

  “Thank the gods you didn’t.” I exhaled a sharp breath. “They have no idea I’m here. Can you please help me keep it that way? Emi must be going nuts searching for me. Maybe you could send a message her way telling her I’m training with you or something?”

  His mouth contorted into a frown. “I don’t like it, Azara.”

  “Please, Logan. I’d rather die than let my family find out the truth.”

  He said nothing, but his lips pressed into a thin line.

  My mind ran through his earlier words and I refocused on the beginning part. “Wait, so Delacroix didn’t come through for me?” Maybe I wouldn’t owe him after all.

  Logan leaned closer and squeezed my hands between his. “Whatever you’ve promised Delacroix, I’ll get you out of it. I swear.”

  “How? You’re the warden, and I’m just a prisoner locked up tight in my little cell.”

  “Not for long.”

  A splash of hope streaked through my insides before the crushing weight of guilt smashed it to bits. “Do you even know what I did?”

  His head dipped slowly.

  “So, what Delacroix told me is true? I soul-sucked an entire Fae village and some SIA agent?”

  “According to the file Actaeon just sent me, yes.”

  “I belong here then.”

  He shook his head, his wide jaw softening. “No, you don’t, Azara. You are nothing like the monsters locked up in this prison.”

  Hot tears stung my eyes as emotion clogged my throat. “You don’t even know me, Logan. You haven’t seen me since I was like ten.”

  “But I know your parents. And more importantly, I know your father. He struggled with his demon for years, but he conquered it and so will you. You just need help and you won’t get that here.” He stood and circled around to his desk. Bending down to type something on the computer, he scribbled something on a notepad. “I’ll contact my friends at the SIA. I’ll find a way to get you released and sent to rehab. Are you sure I can’t call your parents?”

  “No!” I leapt out of the chair and slammed my palms on the desk. “Please, Logan, you can’t tell them. Gods, my parents were like superheroes. I’m the villain in this story.”

  “No, you’re not, Azara. You simply need to learn to control your abilities. You have no idea of the power running through your veins. Your parents—” He cut himself off as his eyes landed on my demon mark. My sleeve must have lifted when I’d hit the desk. He rounded the desk once again and moved closer. “Can I see that?” He pointed at the faintly glowing triangle.

  “Sure.” I shrugged. Why was everyone so curious about my family mark?

  He ran his index finger over the symbol, and a swirl of heat danced across my flesh. I winced but managed not to pull back. “What?” I finally asked when he said nothing, but a vein across his forehead began to pulsate.

  “Nothing.”

  The clench of his jaw and furrow of his brow told another story. I pushed the questions to the back of my mind for now. I had enough to deal with. “Look, I just want to serve my time and get out of here. Maybe I can work on controlling my powers while I’m at it.”

  “Ten years is a long time, Azara. You’ll be a grown woman by the time you get out.”

  “Ten years?” I shrieked.

  “You’re lucky that’s all you got. The Fae king showed unusual mercy.” Again, his brows knitted and that vein in his forehead popped.

  “Is it too late to reconsider your earlier offer?” Maybe I could serve my time in a less hellish hell hole.

  “Don’t worry, Azara, I’ll get you out of here somehow. I promise. You don’t belong in this place.”

  “How do you know that?”

  He ticked his head at my cuff. “Because that thing doesn’t work in here. You could have attacked me at any time, but you didn’t.”

  I gaped up at him. I hadn’t felt a single urge to suck out his soul. “You really trust me?”

  He nodded and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Of course, I do. You’re going to be fine, Azara. Nothing will happen to you now that I’m here.” He trudged over to his desk and pulled something shiny from his drawer. “Give me your hand.”

  I extended the arm he’d dipped his head toward. Taking my hand, he flipped my wrist and ran the metal tool over the underside of my cuff. The metal heated for a second and a spray of tingles skimmed my flesh. I resisted the urge to jerk my hand back, not that it hurt; it was more like hitting your funny bone.

  “Now you have access to this level. If you ever need me, just come by my office, and I’ll do my best to come down and see you as much as I can.”

  “No offense, Logan, but I don’t think that’s such a good idea. Being chummy with the warden isn’t exactly going to help my situation.”

  He smirked. “True. Looks like we both have a lot to learn here at Darkblood.�
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  “Let’s just hope we survive our first week.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “How do you know the new warden anyway?” Dallas threw me side eye from across the table, pointing his plastic spork at me.

  I glared at Hayden. The big mouth angel must have shared Logan’s visit with his Triad vampire brother. I shoveled another spoonful of pudding in my mouth to buy some time. Being the warden’s special friend couldn’t possibly be good for my prison cred. “He worked with my parents once.”

  “How very vague.” The vampire smirked.

  Talon’s gaze lifted from the brown slop on his plate. He hadn’t said a word to me since I returned to our cell yesterday after my meeting with the warden. Logan promised he’d get me reassigned to new quarters but throwing me in with the other Underworlders didn’t exactly seem like an upgrade. Luckily, he agreed with me. He promised he’d work on it and get back to me soon.

  Meanwhile, I had to figure out my little Delacroix problem. He hadn’t come through on arranging the meeting with the warden—I’d done that all by myself. But he had given me the low down on my arrest. So, did I still owe him?

  I stirred the thick, beige concoction, and my stomach churned.

  “Is your dad in the GGC or SIA?” Talon barely spared me a glance as he spoke.

  My brow quirked. “Huh?”

  “Gargoyle Guardian Council or Supernatural Intelligence Agency?” He said the names slowly, punctuating each word with sarcasm.

  “I knew the second one.” I rolled my eyes.

  “So SIA then?”

  Craptabulous. Totally stepped into that one. “Former.” I lowered my voice and ticked my head at the tables full of inmates surrounding us. Talon hated me, but I hoped he didn’t want me dead and having a father in the SIA couldn’t be looked upon favorably in here.

  His dark brows furrowed, and his gaze dropped down to his food.

  “That bodes well for us that the new warden was SIA,” said Dallas.

  “Unless Delacroix’s already gotten to him.” Talon glanced across the room, and I followed his line of sight to the hellus demon and his tableful of creepy disciples.

  “He hasn’t,” I blurted.

  Talon clucked his tongue, shaking his head.

  “How can you be so sure, pumpkin?” Hayden nudged my elbow, and the pudding dribbled off my spoon.

  Dropping the plastic utensil, I pushed my lunch tray away. “Because he warned me away from the demon mobster and Logan’s a decent guy.”

  Talon’s luminous eyes flickered to mine, and I already knew what the sullen dragon was thinking. I was surprised he hadn’t called me out on my visit to Block Eight in front of the three amigos yet.

  “Is that why you’re still in our cell instead of the demon block?” Talon barked.

  I shrugged. “I guess. Believe me, it’s not by choice.”

  Hayden chuckled. “Believe me, pumpkin, you could do way worse than us.”

  “I’ve got room.” Dallas’s tongue flicked over his pointy incisors.

  “See, case in point.” The fallen angel’s bright eyes danced in mirth as his vamp buddy flipped him the finger.

  I opened my mouth to put in my two cents when something landed in my hair. I shot up and searched my tangled locks, and a crumpled piece of paper fell from my messy bun. What the…?

  A tall female sauntered by, swinging her hips to an imaginary beat. The three males’ heads swiveled in her direction, and she shot them a playful wink before sashaying across the mess hall.

  “Ooh, siren…” Dallas hissed as his tongue swept over his lips.

  Instinctively, my gaze spun toward Delacroix’s table—in the exact path she was moving toward. The demon’s head dipped to the paper in my fist, and a trickle of sweat snaked down my back.

  Uncrumpling the paper under the table, I stared at the messy black scribbles and my heart froze.

  Time to pay up.

  Shitzu.

  Delacroix’s dark gaze bored into the side of my head, but I refused to look up. Meeting his eyes would only confirm I’d read his note, and I was not ready for that. What kind of favor would I owe this guy? And would he force me to choose his side once my debt was repaid?

  “What’s Delacroix looking at?” Hayden ducked down and whispered to his brothers.

  “Probably at whatever just landed in one thirty-eight’s hair,” Talon growled.

  So much for being slick.

  “Little demon, are you keeping something from us?” A ring of crimson illuminated Dallas’s obsidian irises.

  I clenched my hands in my lap, but before I could drop the wadded-up note, Talon stretched across the table and his hand dipped between my legs.

  “Hey!” I screeched as his fingers grazed the insides of my thighs. Squirming to avoid his wandering digits, I balled up the paper in one hand and tried to fight him off with the other.

  “Give it to me,” Talon growled, his eyes smoldering as he hovered over me.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Over the dragon’s broad shoulder, I caught Hayden and Dallas watching, their lips quirked in amusement.

  Planting his palms in front of my tray, he soared over the table. My heart leapt up my throat as the wall of muscle hurtled toward me, and I jerked backward. My chair flew out from under me, the screech of metal against cement ringing out across the mess hall. I smacked the floor hard, and all the air whooshed out of my lungs. Son of a beezer demon! I lay flat on the ground my arms splayed out to my sides as the room fell silent.

  A hulking shadow blotted out the soaring rafters, and I squeezed my eyes shut. I could feel him as he neared, Talon’s minty breath and mountain fresh scent swirling inches from my nose. My lungs constricted and this time, it wasn’t because of the jarring hit I’d taken. “Next time just give it to me when I ask,” he snarled. I hazarded a quick peek between slitted lids and his lips were only inches from mine. He held my gaze for an impossibly long moment before straightening. Big fingers pried my fist open and yanked out the note.

  The tendon in Talon’s jaw went haywire as he scanned the crumpled paper.

  “What’s up, T?” Hayden stood and moved to his friend’s side before offering me a hand up.

  I refused the angel’s chivalrous motion and pushed myself off the floor. I could already feel the dozens of eyes drilling into me. I could practically hear them smacking their lips… fresh meat, fresh meat.

  Once I was up, Talon’s big hand wrapped around mine and hauled me back to my chair. He pushed me down, and my tender tailbone smacked the hard plastic. “Ouch!” I hissed through clenched teeth.

  “What the hell is this, Azara?” His silver irises burned a gunmetal gray. “What do you owe Delacroix?”

  It was the first time he’d called me by my real name and as frightening as the expression carved into his stony face was, it sounded like heaven from his lips. Chasing away the stupid thought, I pinned my arms across my chest. “It’s none of your business!” I shouted.

  Silvery flames ignited across dark orbs, and his pupils narrowed to slits.

  “Chill, T.” Hayden’s hand landed on Talon’s shoulder and he drew in a slow breath, his eyes returning to their human shape.

  I released a breath and stood, tired of this interrogation and hoping to sneak out of here while everyone gossiped about our little argument. I moved about a foot toward the door, and two steel bands wrapped around my waist.

  “Talon!” I screeched as the big brute hauled me over his shoulder. I kicked and punched his back, but I was hurting myself more than him. The stupid dragon was more beast than man.

  As Talon approached the exit, a few of Delacroix’s men that I recognized from the other day, closed ranks. I immediately stopped squirming as Talon’s body tensed beneath me.

  Hayden and Dallas shot toward us, their dark shadows whipping by in a blur. In my position over Talon’s shoulder, I couldn’t make out a thing. I was certain of one thing though, the amassing crowd was ge
tting a front and center view of my butt.

  Delacroix might not have joined the showdown, but from the assortment of animalistic growls and snarls, a bunch of his henchmen had come in his place.

  “We got this, T.” Hayden grabbed Talon’s shoulder and shoved him toward the door out the mess hall as he and Dallas controlled the growing crowd.

  Right before we crossed the threshold, I lifted my head and met Delacroix’s ominous glare from across the room. He waggled a clawed finger at me, and ice shot through my insides. “Go, go, go,” I whisper-hissed as I dangled down Talon’s back.

  The guard on the other side of the door didn’t move a muscle as we zipped past him, even though the uproar was only growing behind us.

  I couldn’t quite make out the male while hanging upside down, but I assumed it was the same guy from the other day. Or maybe it wasn’t, and Delacroix just had that many C.O.s under his thumb.

  Talon darted down the corridors, a throaty growl reverberating his chest when we passed curious inmates.

  “You can put me down now.” I smacked his back with my palm and regretted it immediately.

  “No,” he barked.

  “Seriously?”

  “You’ve proven you cannot be left to your own devices so now you’ll have to answer to me.”

  Anger rushed my veins, and my temples throbbed, pounding out a ragged staccato across my forehead. Or maybe the mad migraine was from hanging upside down for too long.

  We finally reached our cell, and Talon swept his palm over the scanner. The door slid closed behind us, and he tossed me onto my bed. I hit the slim mattress with an oomph, the sharp springs sinking into my ribs. “Dammit, Talon!”

  I pushed up and whirled around to find the immense dragon looming over my bed. “Tell me what you owe Delacroix now.”

  “Only if you tell me why you care.”

  He shoved his fingers through his hair, and a dark tendril fell over his forehead. My fingers itched to reach out and sweep it back. Azara, what is wrong with you? I mentally thrashed my lusty inner demon.