I dragged my palm roughly over my face to frown up at him. Crap. Of all the times for this. What is now Johnny?
“I know you haven’t been feeling well, Alpha, but it’s really important.”
“Out with it then.” I fanned my hand impatiently.
“Word is going around that father- I-I mean Hades is assembling an army so he can get to Jessica. He knows that she’s under your and Alexandros’s protection.”
“An army? Seriously?”
Hades was never one to do anything half assed, but assemble an entire army to go after one person? He must really be serious which spelled trouble for me, a fuck ton of it.
“Not the best news.” I rose, head held high in a show of confidence. “But we hold the demon monopoly in here. King of the underworld or not the other races of magicals would not be quick to follow him in any great numbers.”
Johnny dropped, a pained expression twisting his face. Then in an almost groan he said, “That’s just it. The demons have been restless. Everyone is afraid of him and as demons, they're being targeted by Hades more than any other group to join his ranks. A few of have even taken him up on his offer and more are bound to follow in the upcoming days.”
“Those traitorous bastards!” I sprang to my feet and drove my foot down on the floor so hard the ground shook for a moment. Johnny took a step from me, his legs trembling as he gazed into my eyes which drew wide with rage. I clenched my teeth so hard I tasted the sourness of blood. “They can go and fuck themselves with poison ivy for all I care! But if they think they’re going after Jessy, then they have another thing coming.”
Menace poured from my every word and I meant it too. Who ever dared to go after Jessy, he could have been in my pack for years, I would rip him in two without so much as sparing a thought.
“What are we going to do now?”
My eyes froze on his and after taking a moment to consider my next move I said, “Come, I need to see Jessy.”
Leaving her unattended would have been a fool’s move. From the moment Hades had thrown his hat into the arena and decided to take that bitch of a warden up on her offer, I’d had eyes on her twenty-four seven. She couldn’t so much as take a step out of her cell without at least five of my men on her like white on rice. They monitored her from the shadows and made sure she was always okay.
I’d been informed she hadn’t left her room for the day yet and this was just perfect for me. The shit was about to hit the fan and we needed to talk pronto. All the better it be in private than in a room full of magicals, any number of whom would secretly be working for Hades.
The open bars of her cell stood before me. The bars were mostly silver like all the other cells on this block. But hers had a bit of rust lining a few of them. Just a few steps closer and I could be able to see into the cell. So why couldn’t I move any closer?
I just stood outside eyeing the rusty bars as if that’s what I came to see. I couldn’t just take a step inside, no matter how much I wanted to. Not after how hard I’d tried to stay away from her. Not after I’d so adamantly denied myself the joy of her presence.
But most of all I couldn’t go in there because the moment I did, I knew I could never keep myself from her again.
“Eherm, Alpha. Are you going in?” Johnny rested a gentle hand on my shoulder pulling me out of my own mind. I gave a nod and strode through the cell doors and into the unknown.
She stood beside her bed, bent over as if fixing something to the underside of her matrass. A sleeping charm maybe? Her ass was high in the air, plump and round just like I remembered. God how I yearned to feel her against me again.
I took a step closer and her back straightened, her eyes popping open in surprise. She turned to face me and the moment her eyes hit me she shot me a look so savagely mean I felt it in the pit of my soul.
“I’d ask you what you were up to but I was enjoying the view way too much.”
“You son of a bitch! How dare you just waltz in here after you’ve been avoiding me? Hmm?”
I open my mouth to speak and she held up a silencing finger, resting her hand at her waist.
“You think I’m stupid? Think I didn’t know you’ve been avoiding me? Think you can hit it and quit it, and that I’d still greet you with a smile when you came back?”
She balled her fists at her sides super tight, as if it took every bit of her willpower not to punch my damn face in.
Even with the rage that turned to fire in her eyes, she trembled before me like a deer fawn who’d lost its mother. I’d hurt her feelings, hurt them worse than she could say. I was damned if I stayed away from her and damned if I didn’t. I never wanted to hurt her. I only ever wanted to keep her safe.
I took a hard swallow and narrowed the distance between us. I swung my arm around her waist, pulling her into my chest. She bared her teeth as if she thought she had fangs. She then opened her mouth, seeming fully ready to bite my arm. I cupped her jaw holding her back to her visible annoyance.
“Listen. There’s no place in Dominion I would rather be than by your side. But there are reasons why I’ve chosen to stay away from you.”
“Reasons?” Disbelief laced her words, but how could I tell her I was keeping my distance so I didn’t corrupt her light and bring her down into my darkness? I would sooner die than allow her light to be tainted by me.
She struggled against me, pressing her hand at my chest trying to push away, but I kept my hold of her.
“Just know that I did it to protect you. That’s all I care about now. Which is exactly why I’m here,” I insisted. “Hades is on the move. He’s gathering men so he can come after you. And trust me when I say he doesn’t make idle threats. When he comes, he doesn’t go home without a dead body in his sack.”
“Hades can go shove it. I’m not afraid of him. Besides, he’ll soon be a distant memory for me.”
“What are you talking about? He’s not going anywhere, sugar lips. This is how it’s going to be from now on. Until we can find a way to deal with our Hades problem, you and I are going to be closer than an ass and a bench. You got that? From today on, I’ll be your personal protector whenever you’re not in your cell.”
Her jaw opened wide and she drew her head back quickly.
“My own personal protector? And I bet this has nothing to do with the hard and heavy meat log that’s stabbing its way into my belly right now?” Sarcasm threaded her voice.
The air caught in my throat and I coughed. Fuck! Even at a time like this, my body only had one thing on its mind. Fucking the dangerously sexy little fae in front of me. But could I blame it? Every inch of her was perfection. From her flowing pink hair to those sexy curvy thighs. I needed to control myself more around her. Too bad that was easier said than done.
I released my grip from around her waist and leaned in to press both my hands against her cheeks, sandwiching her face with my eyes hard on hers.
“Look, I’m not going to lie to you. I want to fuck that tight pussy of yours till you’re worn out and sweaty. Till your throat is hoarse from screaming my name too many times. I want to fuck you till your pussy is so fucking wet, battered and bruised from my cock you’ll never want another man inside you again.” I caught my breath. “But right now, we’ve got bigger problems. So, just be quiet and let me keep you safe, okay?”
She just stood there looking deep into my eyes as if searching for something hidden there. A lie? The truth? I didn’t know. All I knew was that my dreams didn’t do her beautiful eyes justice.
Those big green eyes of her were a gift from the gods, a masterpiece that I could get lost in all day. The more I learned their fiery shimmer, the more I learned of myself.
My head drew closer to hers, as if moving on its own accord, irresistibly drawn to the sweet temptation of her lips.
Our lips met for a kiss and her sweet scent filled my lungs. Roses, pine needles and heaven. After a few passionate moments, she drew back slightly, and I grabbed her by the back of the head pulling he
r lips back to crush against mine. She struggled against me for a few moments before falling into the kiss, before surrendering to my mouth devouring hers.
Just having her near me made my world feel alive and new. She stole all dread and doom from the air, replacing it with a hope I hadn’t known in years.
Her lips parted, allowing me greater entrance to her mouth. She returned my kiss tit for tat, tongue clashing with mine over and over again. Her hands traced my biceps then wrapped around them giving them a nice long squeeze. God I loved the feel of her soft hands on me.
My tongue plunged deeper inside her mouth, exploring, tasting, savoring every flavor. She took her pleasure from me as she pleased, and I took mine from her. This felt so right, so perfect. I couldn’t resist this for years let alone the rest of my life.
Though, as much as I wanted her, I knew I had to find a way to bear her loss eventually. But right now, right now, I needed her and she needed me. I couldn't just walk away.
A buzzing noise filled the cell block, spilling into the cell. Not now, anytime but now. It was the prison intercom and that annoyance Blackwater again. Couldn’t she have waited a few minutes?
Our lips parted and our eyes met as a string of saliva stretched between our lust reddened lips. There wasn’t the smallest bit of anger in the way she looked at me. A slight smile tugged at her cheek.
The buzzing ended and Blackwater began her announcement. “Attention, dirt bags. I repeat, attention, dirt bags! Today is your lucky day.” She cleared her throat. “In recognition of Merlin’s one hundred and fiftieth birthday we will be having a greenhouse day today. Despite the fact that you have already received the allotted greenhouse time for this week, you’ve been given today as a bonus. Everyone report to the greenhouse immediately.”
With a series of hisses and pops the transmission ended. Our eyes still glued to one another, a million and one emotions seemed to twinkle and twirl deep within them. She felt something for me too, I was sure of it. The idea that she felt for me what I felt for her lit a fire in my chest I wished would never go out.
“Well, you heard the lady. We best be off.” She shot me a wink.
“Wait, what's your hurry?” I inched her a step closer to the bed and stopping me mid-stride the bang of metal against metal exploded in the air.
My body flew around to see a guard slamming a nightstick into the cell door.
“Get a move on, inmates.” His eyes hard on us killed the mood and his ugly mug wasn’t doing my erection any favors either.
I turned back to face her. “To the greenhouse then?”
She gave a nod, rolling her eyes at the guard.
And just like that we both left the security of her cell to venture out into the uncertainty of the greenhouse. Hades would no doubt be in there with only the gods knew how many men at his beck and call. I was never one to back down from a challenge and I sure as fuck wasn’t going to start now. With my men and Jessy at my side, we would be ready for anything that power hungry monster could throw at us.
And if he tried to hurt just one hair on her head, I’d teach his royal bastardness just why they call me the Demon Lord of Pembroke Penitentiary, and that was a promise.
***
Fresh sunlight filtered in through the glass dome as it always did, illuminating the vast forest that stretched on for several miles. Teams of prisoners poured in through the entrance to the greenhouse, as they always did. The shifters shifted into their animal forms before stampeding their way into the trees.
Everything in here was as it always was, except for one thing. As I stood in the grassy clearing on the outskirts of the forest, Jessy was right here beside me. Not on the other side of the prison, not out of my reach, but right here beside me.
I outstretched a hand to block the light from burning my eyes. I didn’t much care for the sunlight that now ripped into me like an arrow hitting a bullseye. But even a demon like myself needed a chance to release his powers to the fullest and let the darkness loose, or it might just consume me whole. Besides, I would burn all day willingly if I did it with her.
“Alpha, we’ll secure a perimeter,” Johnny said from behind me and I gave a nod. He and twelve of my other men walked off in order to secure the area from Hades and his men.
The thud of Jessy’s leather jacket hitting the grass at my feet caught my attention. “Hey, what do you think you’re doing over there?”
Only her thin top and pants remained on her but she didn’t seem like she would be taking off anymore clothes. Before I could give a sigh of relief, she tilted her head back and set her sights to the sky. A mischievous little grin lit up her face. She was up to something and I didn’t like it one bit.
“Hey, I don’t know what you're up to. But just remember Hades wants your head on a pike. So no funny business.” I folded my arms glancing down at her like a principal would a delinquent student.
“Don’t you want to have a little fun with me?” She cupped her hands together behind her back and her breasts popped up high in her top.”
“Umm fun?” I asked without even trying to hide my surprise. “Didn’t you hear your life is in danger? What fun could we have in here?”
“I didn’t take you for a coward. Besides, whether or not we have a little fun, it won’t stop Hades from coming after me.”
“Hmmm. What type of fun?” My eyes scanned the area for prying eyes and I cupped my chin considering her.
“Welllllll, I haven’t gone flying in ages and today seems like such a perfect day and…..”
“No!” I cut her off bluntly.
Flying? Was she crazy? Flying? The gift of flight was one of the few things both fae and demons shared. But it was way too dangerous.
“We can’t just go fluttering around in the sky while there’s a hit out on you, be reasonable.” I stretched my arms in her direction. I touched her elbow and she jerked it away.
“Listen, demon, I get that you’re only trying to keep me safe, but where could be safer than the sky? The sky is the last place anyone would be looking for me and you know it. Come on, you do have demon wings don’t you? You can keep me safe up there, and we can have some much-needed fun. What do you say?”
She just stood there, looking at me with a cute little pout, trying to look all adorable. Not that she needed to try. She was just too cute, fluttering her lashes at me. She could charm me over a cliff with those eyes of hers.
I gave out a pained groan. “Fine.”
“Yayyyy!” She bounced up and down like a cheerleader.
Typical fae, always itching to sprout those pretty little fairy wings of theirs and fly off somewhere. In the olden days, a fae’s entire body was no bigger than a bird, but even now, as their species has evolved to resemble humans, they still yearn for flight just as their ancestors had.
I gripped her arm and shot her a deadly stare. “Don’t celebrate just yet. We’ll only fly for a little while. Thirty minutes at the most and when I say its time to land, we land. Got it?”
“Mhmm.” She nodded at me, the look in her eyes almost dazed as if every word I said went in one ear and came out the other.
She really was a fae of many faces. One minute she was a dangerous pack alpha and street fighter, the next she was a sweet girl who just wanted to have a little fun. I liked getting to know her quirks and I wonder how she’d surprise me next.
“You really worry too much. You know that? If Hades wants a piece of me he’s welcome to come and get it. I’m not afraid of him and I sure as hell am not hiding from him.”
“Oh, is that right? Weren’t you the one who asked for my protection?” I rose a curious brow and cupped both her arms in my hands.
“I can handle one king of the underworld. It’s the entire prison I couldn’t handle. That’s where you come in.” She tilted her head down and gazed up at me from under her lashes. She pressed the point of her index to the tip of my nose and rubbed it in.
“Listen, demon, let's just get one thing straight. If you want to
play with a big girl, you’ll have to learn that big girls never play by anyone else’s rules but their own.”
With that a pair of majestic pink wings sprouted from her back. So large they eclipsed the sun, they shimmered with a neon sort of glint.
I took a step back from her, my eyes feasting on the sight. I’d never seen fae wings this close before and if I had, something told me they wouldn’t have been this lovely.
They looked almost like butterfly wings, but they were thicker, and far more beautiful, like something out of a dream. The wings began a slow flap that sent the air rushing all around us.
“Don’t keep me waiting!” She bent her knees and pushed off from the ground. And with a hearty flap of her wings, she launched herself high into the air like a rocket.
I stood my eyes fixed on her as my feet were planted to the ground. She twirled, whirled, and swirled through the sky like the ballerina of my dreams. But there was power in the strength of her flaps. She was a born alpha through and through, one with the sky and the air itself.
Such a defiant fae. When I spoke teams of male and female demons obeyed. When I said jump, they said how high, but never her. She only marched to the beat of her own drum without a care in the world. Were it another woman I would have been annoyed. But not this sky dancer. It only made me want her all the more.
She glanced down at me from her perch in the sky. She waved a hand in welcome, and shot me a look that said if I didn’t join her soon she’d break my legs. She wanted me up there with her and I wanted to join her.
The pressure of my dark energy ebbed and expanded within me. Summoning demon wings took a lot of power and concentration. A warm tingle radiated along my spine, coursing through my entire back. It wasn’t painful, but not pleasant either.
Escape of the Fae Page 20
