“What?”
“I’d chuck you out my cell, cold and naked like the trouble making fae you are.”
“I think you're forgetting just one part,” I turned my head to meet his gaze and leaned my head in so close that that I could feel his warm breath on my lips. “If you want me between your sheets so badly, you’ll have to catch me first.”
With a power twist, I broke free of his hold, and spun on my heels. Before he could register what had happened, I charged around him and jolted through the cell door. His eyes shot to me as I stood right outside his cell. He stormed in my direction but before he could leave his cell, I slammed the door shut, locking him inside. If looks could kill, the look he was giving me would have ended me.
“Vile, wicked woman!” He roared, stretching his arms out from between the bars of his cell. Untamed furry beamed in the gold of his eyes. Just then a pair of leathery wings sprang from his back with thunderous fury as claws sprang from his fingertips, turning his hands into deadly weapons. “Open this door!”
He could transform that much even with the poisons? Impressive. All the more reason I was never opening that fucking door.
“Nah, I think I like you better that way.” I said pulling the com device from behind my back to dangle in front of him, like a big juicy steak in front of a hungry alligator.
He scowled at me.
“Ok, Fae Girl. I get that you're new around here so I will give you one shot to make this right before you dig yourself a hole so deep your grandkids will taste dirt. Open this door now!”
“Ahhh, that’s an idea. A valid one and I respect that. But here’s another idea. How about I take this com device of yours and you go fuck yourself? Eh Dragon Boy? Sound like a plan?”
He yelled at the top of his lungs in bitter frustration as I turned, trying with all his might to break the bars. But they were too thick and didn’t move an inch.
Without another word, I turned away from him and merrily skipped my way back down the hall.
Everything was going according to plan. All I had to do now was call Nabiri and find out where my shiso was. Then I’d get Michael, and we’d both be moonwalking out the front door before anyone could so much as catch a whiff of my plans.
And do you know why I knew my plans would work? Because I always got what I wanted. Come hell or high water, when someone I loved was on the line, I always helped them out of trouble. And I’d like to see any dragon shifter, screw faced warden, or even Hades himself try to stop me.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Jessy
Pembroke Penitentiary was the home of the nastiest burger you’ve ever had crawl down your throat. But they were famous for something else too, the worst phone reception in Dominion. I mean what the hell?
I had the phone all night and still no luck getting a call through. I needed to get outside into the dome if I wanted to call home. I thought it would be impossible because they’d only just let us out yesterday. But, as I left my cell after the morning wake-up call, what did I hear? Turned out today was my lucky day.
Over the prison intercom Blackwater’s voice rang loud and clear. She spoke words so sweet my heart nearly stopped.
“Attention dirtbags. I repeat, attention dirtbags. You're all starting to stink up the place way too much for me to stand. So today will be another greenhouse day. After breakfast, get ready and make your way to the greenhouse immediately.”
Now was my perfect chance to make a call out under the dome. There would be a signal and tons of places to speak in private.
I left my cell, skipping breakfast to make my way over to the greenhouse. Once inside, I entered the forest after making sure nobody was following me. The last thing I wanted was that greedy dragon sneaking up on me in the trees and stealing back his com device. Sure, I stole it first but two wrongs didn’t make a right.
I sped through the thick green foliage, batting leaves and branches out of my face as I went. The deeper and more secluded the place the better. The air smelled of freshly watered grass and sunshine.
As I progressed, the trees began thinning a bit and the walk through became way more manageable, almost like a walk through a park. I even took a minute to enjoy the wild azaleas that sprung up at the base of some of the trees.
It amazed me that something so colorful and pure could exist in a place this chaotic. It gave me hope that one day soon Michael and I would be free just like these flowers.
Up ahead the trees cleared up entirely and a wide lake came into view. It peaked out just behind the last couple of trees in front of me.
The water sparkled under the sunlight, it even looked clear and fresh enough to drink from. I eyed the bank of the lake as I slowly approached the water. Interesting, you’d figure an attraction this picturesque would attract a crowd but as I perused the area, there wasn’t a soul around. There was just me and the sound of the wind blowing over the cool liquid.
My eyes roamed the water’s surface and every inch of my body quaked to just jump in and wash my troubles away.
But instead, I turned and started for a tree near the bank a few feet away. It had the thickest trunk I’d ever seen with big brown roots that ran straight through to the water.
Settling in a shady spot on the grass under the tree, I pulled the com device from my pocket. From my other pocket I pulled a small piece of parchment I’d sneaked into the prison. Security to enter was pretty brutal. If you wanted to sneak something in it had to fit somewhere that the sun didn’t shine if you know what I mean.
This special parchment contained all the secret codes necessary to contact my pack on the outside. This was only for emergencies and was heavily encrypted. The codes were constantly changing for security purposes, and we enchanted the parchment to update the codes as they changed.
After reading the code I needed from the parchment, I entered the ‘30970’ into the com device and pressed it to my ear. After a few rings, the call connected, and a voice roared from the speaker.
“Listen here you dirty grifter! I paid you your sixty cunia for one of your so-called indestructible vibrators. A full three weeks have passed and there’s still nothing in the mail! If I did business like you crooks-“
“Nabiri!” I interrupted. She paused before saying, “Oh my Gods! Alpha, is that you? I can’t believe it! When are you coming home? Have you found Michael yet? Do you have any idea how worried we’ve all been here, waiting to hear if you’re dead or alive?”
“It’ll take more than Pembroke Penitentiary to take me out, Nabiri. But it is great to hear your voice. Gods, I’ve missed you.”
I really did. Nabiri was more than just my beta, she’d been my best friend for as long as I could remember.
She was heiress to the Nakahara shipping conglomerate. Her family’s company was the shining jewel of fae enterprise, the only true competition to a vampire monopoly of the sea transport industry.
Needless to say, she was no stranger to assassination attempts by the vampire competition. Nabiri was one tough cookie. Her water elemental magic was the stuff of legend and her left hook the stuff of nightmares.
“Sorry I have little time, hun.” I said, “I have an emergency. I went to cell twelve and could you believe those harpies didn’t drop off the goods?”
She gasped.
“Alpha I- I- I don’t know the words.” Worry laced her every word and then I heard her teeth grind together as if she were half ready to kill someone. “I’m calling those shit-head harpies and raising hell over this. Just wait a second. I’ll get right back to you.”
Then I heard the chime of numbers being pressed on another phone coming from her end. After a brief ring, someone picked up. At the top of her lungs Nabiri yelled to whoever was on the line, “where’s the damn shiso, Paul? Call Henrietta and find out what the hell those crack for brains harpies think they're doing.”
“Just a minute, alpha. I’ll soon have word on the shiso.” She said to me while seeming to wait for the person on the other phone to do some
research.
While she waited she continued talking to me, “but in the meantime, how’s it looking in there?”
“Like hell warmed up, served with a big side of crap salad. They block our magic with some power sucking poison. And if that wasn’t bad enough, they’ve shipped Michael deep underground to a special prison block. I need a special keycard to get to him so I haven’t been able to contact him yet.”
Saying it out loud somehow made it feel more real than it did before. A hollowness echoed through my chest as I wondered if I would ever get to Michael.
“Oh damn. Things are never as easy as we hope. But chin up, Alpha! If anyone can get Michael back, it’s you. We’re all rooting for you and we’re already planning a big welcome home party for you guys with cake and everything.”
“Key lime pie included?”
“The biggest damn key lime pie in Dominion. Then for the after party, we’ll all go on the most ridiculously dangerous, over the top heist you can think of!”
“Heist, you say?” I murmured, my interest peaked.
“Mm hm, Damion’s had his heart set on robbing the Greendale Litchi’s mansion in Monaco. Word on the street is that he’s just made off with sixteen million cunia worth of leprechaun gold.
“Leprechaun gold!” I sang, unable to hide the excitement in my voice. “Don’t you dare go in without me, you hear me, Nabiri? I’d kill for an excellent heist right now.”
“Wait, hold on Alpha.” she said, and then there were a few moments of silence. She seemed to be listening to whoever was on the other line.
“Okay, so the harpies are saying they couldn’t leave it in cell block one because there was too much surveillance. They’re telling me they hid it in your cell under your bed the day after you arrived.”
I held my hand over my head and gave out a chuckle.
“Under my bed the entire time? Really? Those sneaky little harpies.”
So, I’d just ruffled an insane dragon shifter’s scales all for nothing? Fantastic. Let’s just hope he didn’t hold too much of a grudge when I return his com device.
“So anyway.” Nabiri’s voice took on an air of seriousness I’d seldom heard in her before. “Take care of yourself in there. They don’t call Pembroke the ‘Fortress of Doom’ for nothing. Getting in is easy but getting out is next to imposs....”
“Nothing’s impossible when I’m on the case.” I interrupted reassuringly, and she went on to reply. I think she was saying something about making sure I was eating and sleeping enough, but didn’t register much of what she said. My attention diverted by a rustling sound behind me. The noise continued behind me and my back tensed, my every muscle readying for battle.
I didn’t know who it was, but I was sensing some major predator vibes.
“Nabi, I’m going to have to talk to you another time.” Ignoring her words of protest, I hung up. Then slowly and cautious I swung around.
Oh, my Gods!
Glaring down at me like the grim reaper himself was an enormous silver haired wolf. He could make a bear look tiny with claws the size of daggers, teeth so long you could feel them rip you in two just from looking. He towered high, his body a fortress of feral power from where he stood a few feet away from me.
He trained his eyes on me as he bared his fangs in challenge, his hind legs stiffening as if readying to pounce.
I rose my palms, and balls of ferocious flames formed in my hands. He wasn’t the only one who’d be throwing threats today and if he was looking for a fight then game fucking on.
“Listen wolf, don’t come a step closer or…” but before I could finish, the beast sprang for me at hyper-speed. Before I even knew what was happening the beast tackled me to the ground and my back met the grass with a hard impact.
I expected to feel its teeth next, or even its claws, but I sure as hell never expected this.
“Stop licking me!” I laughed, trying to bat it away as the wolf licked my neck and face like a greyhound thrilled to see its owner. “I said cut it out.”
Just when I thought he couldn’t possibly cover me in any more wolf saliva than I already was, the licking stopped.
The beast looked at me from its perch on my belly. Its silver eyes twinkled and shone like precious stones. I was in awe of his beauty, every part of him shone from his eyes to his fur that nestled between us like a carpet.
Pressing his mighty paws to the ground he pushed away from me and took two steps back. Just when I thought it was about to turn tail and run back into the forest it did something even more surprising. It transformed.
Suddenly its silver fur evaporated into thin air, taking its claws and fangs along with it. Now all that remained was a very naked, and very handsome Jamie Watkins.
I rose to my feet and my stunned expression met his equally surprised one. His face pink as roses.
“My apologies, Jessy.” He laughed, squeezing the back of his neck with this palm in embarrassment. “I never meant to frighten you.”
“And the licking?” I asked, folding my arms, a smile forming on my face.
“What can I say? My wolf really likes you. I told him to stop, but it was like trying to talk sense into a child.”
Jamie was even more impressive naked than I imagined. But I didn’t dare look an inch lower than his torso, not with how intensely he was looking at me.
His eyes devoured me from head to toe, and warm desire rose within me, causing me to shiver under his gaze. Jamie was gorgeous. Had I not just seen him shift, I’d think he was secretly an angel. It also didn’t help that his wolfish grin was so charming and innocent. How could anyone call this sweetheart of a wolf the grim reaper? Why were so many prisoners afraid of him?
“I have something for you, but you have to close your eyes.” He said.
“Something for me?” I asked quizzically, closing my eyes. Could you believe I actually felt excited? This was just like the game we’d played as kids. The only difference being there was nothing childish about the man in front of me.
I felt the squeeze of Jamie’s hand firmly wrapping around my shoulder when he said the word, ‘open.’
I opened my eyes to the sight of something I hadn’t seen in years.
“Are those… angel roses?” I whispered in awe.
Jamie held six long stem roses, blue as the ocean. They glistened under the midday sun and smelled like heaven. I took them in hand, unable to mask the joy that now lit up my face.
He’d given these to me once as kids. A rarer flower didn’t exist in all Dominion, they were almost impossible to find. He had to have searched days for them. It meant so much to me back then and even more to me now. He still cared for me.
“Trying to butter me up Jamie?”
“Yeah, call me corny but I believe that no woman as beautiful as you should ever have to go without flowers.”
I could tell he meant it too, the way he was looking at me right now was so full of longing.
“You know, when you and Michael ran away, it was hard for me to accept for a while. I was happy you got away from those awful parents of yours, but damn if I didn’t miss you. I think in a way I just mourned your absence.”
Pain rose in his eyes, and he reached down to hold my free hand in his.
“Back then we made so many plans for when we grew up, when we were strong enough to be on our own, strong enough to forge our own path in the world. But it took you leaving for me to realize that you were my strength. Even as kids, you were always so strong.”
“Me?” I scoffed. If only he knew of the scars I still carried from back then. No matter how much wealth I accrued, no matter how many alphas I gave a beat down to, deep down I’d always have a hollow space inside. A small vestige of weakness was still there, one that would never leave me and may even one day swallow me whole.
“I never wanted to leave you, Jamie. I relished the day I left that hellish mansion behind, but you… I’ll always regret leaving you behind.” A tear pricked in my eyes, as old wounds slowly ripped op
en.
“Ancient history, Jess.” He said, pressing a thumb to my cheek to wipe away the tear. I turned my head slightly to land my eyes on the water. It splashed playfully against the bank. It looked cool and so refreshing.
“Jamie do you remember when we used to swim in the creek?”
He nodded.
“And how I used to kick your ass in a splash fight?”
“I seem to recall it a bit differently,” he laughed, boyishly giving a shrug.
“Well, why don’t we just see about that?” I gave him a playful shove in the chest and ran for the water. There was something about being around Jamie that made me want to relive the good old days.
I stripped my clothes, tossing them on the ground next to Drake’s com device. Then without looking back at Jamie, I dove headfirst into the water.
The cool water caressed my bare flesh. It wasn’t icy cold; it was just right, and it felt amazing. It brought me back to a time all those years ago, when it was just me, Michael and Jamie. Back then we had to grasp at any fragile wisp of freedom we could. When we played, it was the stuff of dreams, the only sweet memory of my childhood, the only reason I didn’t break into a million pieces.
I swam a few feet out and whipped around to scan the banks for Jamie.
A lot of grass and trees stretched out before me but where the hell was Jamie? He wasn’t on land and I didn’t see him in the water either. Where the hell did that wolf run off to?
“What did you say about you kicking my ass at a splash fight?” Jamie spoke from behind me. I jumped, not expecting him to sneak up on me from behind.
I turned to face him and without warning he drove several hard waves of water barreling in my direction with a few powerful swashes of his arms. He laughed hysterically while doing it as if he really were a little boy again.
“Hey!” I cried, trying to dodge his attack unsuccessfully. The water pelted my face like a tsunami making my eyes water.
Escape of the Fae Page 13
