I pulled his arm up tighter over my shoulder to keep him steady.
“Oh, I think we can persuade her. We’ll just tell her that she either keeps quiet or we’ll just have to send a few of those zombies into her bedroom one night.” I laughed.
I expected him to reprimand me again. Maybe even call me wild and unruly for not caring about the rules in here. But I sure didn’t expect what he said next.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you know what? I think I’m starting to like your style, little fae.” Humor laced his tone and a smile squeezed in his eyes.
“Of course you are. I’m breaking the rules to help you this time. Let’s see how you feel about me tomorrow.”
“What are you doing tomorrow?” He cupped his forehead.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m going back to gold block.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Jessy
‘I don’t know who you’re looking for down in there, but you better not go back,’ he says. ‘It’s way too fucking dangerous,’ he says. ‘What if your little friend down there gets bitten by a zombie when you break the red door down?’ he says.
I just couldn’t get Drake to shut up last night in Nurse Colligan’s office. After the nurse gave him the antidote he instantly recovered. From that point on he wouldn’t stop harping on and on about why it’d be a bad idea for me to go back down to gold block, flames blazing. Of course, he couldn’t understand. I couldn’t just tell him about Michael. I couldn’t be like ‘hey, so, pretty soon I’ll be blowing this pop sickle stand and never fucking looking back.’
And no matter how much I argued with him, I had a sinking suspicion that he was right. Not about the danger. I didn’t give a damn how dangerous it was. I’d go to hell and back to save Michael.
But what if I did bring the horde of zombies down on Michael? What if I couldn’t protect him on the way out? What if he got bit and there was no nurse station around? I couldn’t exactly take him to the hospital wing in the regular branch of the prison like I did Drake. That’d just be asking for trouble.
No. This was all too risky. I needed to do something about those zombies and until I figured something out, my plan was on hold.
I went to sit down in the cafeteria to clear my head over a slice of whatever sugar packed delight I could get my hands on.
My table was the only one in here with fewer than five magicals. My eyes trailed the room. There was a string of magicals sitting on all the benches around me. They chowed down on a plethora of different foods. The most interesting of which was the green cricket lasagna. That seemed to be a crowd favorite with a slice sitting on most of the plates in the room.
I pushed the small white plate in front of me away. It was covered in the crumbs from the key lime pie I’d eaten. My eyes then returned to scanning the room.
There were creatures of every ability in here. Some had the power to control minds, others had super speed, super strength, you name it. Nowhere else in all of Dominion had a better selection of magical scoundrels than in here. So if anyone could help me with a breakout, he or she was in here. The only question was where.
“Good evening, Jessica,” a deep voice sang. It was seduction in its simplest form, with a sweetness that could easily draw unsuspecting lambs to the slaughter.
It was Alexandros, beaming at me. He came and took the empty seat next to mine. There was a questioning glint in his eyes as if he were curious for an update on my little break out plan. I did promise he could come, so it was only natural he wanted an update. Too bad the only thing new was failure.
“Hey, vampy. You’re looking well.” I turned in my seat to give him a smile.
“Finally, we cross paths again. What in the world have you been up to?” he asked, his eyes glued to mine. They were dark and bottomless with only a slight air of madness to them compared to last time we met.
I wagged a chastising finger at him.
“Nah uh, vampy. Help me out of a jam one time and now you expect to know all my secrets?”
His brows drew up in surprise and maybe even a little bit of hurt.
“We had a deal, Jessica. I helped you get the key and in exchange I’d get to come with you when you made your leave, remember?” He raised a hand and swiped it gently under my chin while shooting me a grin that made my body burn from the inside out. Just one look and I was trapped, pulled into his web.
He was the only vampire ever to truly tempt me, ever to truly make me want him. Still, I refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing that. I turned my head out of his grasp.
“Nice try, vampy, but I’m not so easily seduced. You want the hell out of this shithole? I want to know more about your mate, Ashley.”
He gave a pained expression as if he tasted something bitter and he retracted his hand.
He’d been keeping secrets from the day we met. The connection we shared came out of nowhere, it was almost otherworldly in its spontaneity and intensity. But that’s what made it so strange. Where did this connection come from? Why did I feel so close to him in such a short span of time? There was something weird going on between us. And for some reason I felt like whatever he was keeping from me had everything to do with her.
“That is still my business, Jessica. But, if you desire to know more about me so badly,” he said lowering his eyes to the swell of my breasts then leaning in to kiss me gently on the shoulder, “I would be only too happy to show you all you need to know back in your cell.”
His face was only a few inches from mine, his eyes slowly making their way back up to fix on mine. Though his eyes were dark they had a wild beauty to them. His secrets, his darkness, his mystery. It was all so intoxicating. I wanted more of him. So much more.
“Well lookey who’s finally shown up for dinner. It’s Master Alexandros and his treasure.” My gaze broke from Alexandros’s and went to the other end of the table. There were three vampires with long, straight hair that was white as snow. They approached the table grouping together like a gang.
They were all remarkably handsome, with bodies built for sex. But not a single one of them could hold a candle to Alexandros in beauty, power, or age.
“Dimitri, get lost,” Alexandros spat and the tallest of the three pouted like a scolded puppy.
“So, you ignore your legion of vampires for a fae and refuse to even let us meet her?” Dimitri bit out with a teasing smile that showed he wasn’t really upset. The three of them even seemed to be enjoying getting a rise out of Alexandros, who sat stiff as a board beside me, his fist tightening in annoyance.
“Who are these guys, vampy?”
“My followers. These three, believe it or not are the most powerful of the bunch and as you can see, the least obedient.” He cut his eye at them and they shot mischievous grins in return.
The three men took a seat at the opposite end of the table and Alexandros scowled looking like someone just stepped in his mashed potatoes.
“Vampy?” Dimitri squealed, cupping his cheeks in a look if pure delight while his companions broke out in a chorus of laugher. “Your woman calls you vampy? How cute! Maybe we’ll start calling you that from now on, Master Alexandros. Or should I say Master Vampy?”
“Only if you wish to lose your tongue and your life.” Alexandros seethed through gritted teeth.
The three men turned their sight to me with a look of utter fascination and they studied every inch of me.
“Come on, Master. She’s so cute. We just wanted to meet her,” Dimitri said.
“Okay, well the name’s Jessy. Jessy Gilcrest. Nice to meet you.” I outstretched a hand across the table in their direction and their eyes widened with intrigue at the sight of my hand.
Not a single one took my hand. They were far too busy scanning my arm, in particular, my wrist.
“What soft skin you have!” The one on the left said and he reached for my hand and pressed a kiss to it. I could feel his fingers press hard on my pulse and his eyes twinkled then. “I bet my master must
love drinking from you while you two fuck.”
“Nicholai, release her hand at once!” Alexandros growled, pulling my hand away not even trying to hide his jealousy.
“But, Master,” Nicholai pleaded. “You have been away from the orgy pile so many moons. Your people miss you and the females miss your cock. Why do you not bring your treasure to join the fun?” His eyes left Alexandros to land on me.
“What do you say, fae? Would you not share your lover and be shared yourself? Sex in the vampire orgy pile is the greatest pleasure you will ever know. To not know where your body ends and another’s begins in the greatest…”
“She is not for the pile!” Alexandros bellowed folding his arms as if to keep from strangling the man. His eyes practically glowed with jealousy now and I couldn’t say a part of me didn’t enjoy seeing Alexandros get all flustered over me.
“Sorry guys, the only thing I take in piles are pies and cakes.” I gave them a warm smile tilting my head to one side and they all seemed mesmerized by my smile.
“So then tell us, fae...” Nicholai said.
“Jessy, you can call me Jessy.” I interrupted, and their eyes shot over to Alexandros.
There eyes shifted to Alexandros as if awaiting approval to call me ‘Jessy’. He considered them for a moment before nodding.
“Wow, you sure have got them on a tight leash, haven’t you?”
“He is our master and we are proud to follow him. His power knows no rival and we are blessed to learn from him,” Dimitri said as if reading from a prepared script.
Vampires were known for their respect for hierarchy and class within their race. Vampire royalty was practically worshiped like gods. But to bring that nonsense into prison? You’d figure they’d throw those old rules out with the trash the moment they got in here.
The three vampires serenaded me with jokes and playful banter for the next half hour. At least I think they were jokes. I stopped laughing after the one about the women who lost her foot in a leech attack. Still, it was fun talking to these vampires. They were goofy, playful, and downright silly, they reminded me of my pack.
So many wonderful memories were brought back. Of times that were light and happy, just like this. Michael and I used to spend hours laughing on the couch, eating snailroni pizza and watching ‘The Hangover Returns’. Nabiri and I would have sleepovers with Rena and Lori all the time. We’d dish about hot guys all night while drowning ourselves in wine.
Back then I took those kinds of things for granted, thinking they would last forever. I never imagined I would have to fight just for the chance to see Michael or that a five-foot-thick wall would ever separate Nabiri and I.
“And did you hear the one about the Rabbit shifter and the fox?” Nicholai continued his jokes but then paused as he saw I was no longer laughing or smiling. If I looked half as sad as I felt they would have to notice something was wrong.
The smile fell from the three men’s faces and they looked at one another as if trying to figure out what was wrong.
All this joking around was really fun, but Michael was waiting for me. I needed to figure out how to keep those zombies from following me into gold block and I needed to do it fast. If I didn’t, I would never get the hell out of here.
“Fucking zombies,” I muttered under my breath and of course they all heard me. If there was one thing vampires could boast about, it was their super hearing
“What about zombies?” Alexandros pressed as the other three listened keenly.
“Well,” I said taking a big gulp. “Um, well let’s just say that a certain plan has hit a wall.” Alexandros nodded understanding just what I meant while the other three tilted their heads from side to side trying to figure out what the hell I was talking about.
“Zombies? I didn’t think zombies were allowed in the prison,” Nicholai said one brow raised.
“That’s right, on account of the fact that dead men can’t be tried for crimes,” Dimitri added in a suspicious tone.
“Well of course I know that!” I blurted out, throwing my head back.” What I meant to say was zombie-like creatures. That’s it.”
“I’ve got a zombie-like creature next to my cell and he won’t stop moaning and groaning at night. The freak has even tried to bite me more than once.”
They all gave me sympathetic stares while listening to my problem attentively. Even Alexandros played along with the act.
“Seems like you have a lecherous mummy on your hands.” Alexandros folded his arms in contemplation and his men agreed that that must be case. “I have seen him once coming out of cell block five. The bastard just would not stop harassing women. I had to give him a good talking to that day. I remember it explicitly.”
The three men gave a look of absolute disgust at the idea of a pervy mummy harassing me.
“Looks like even mummy’s aren’t dead all over,” Nicholai remarked. “We can’t just allow him to bother the boss’s woman like that, can we boys?” They shook their heads.
I liked where this was going.
“How do you suggest we handle him?” Alexandros said.
Scratch that. I fucking loved where this was going!
“Well,” Dimitri said, cupping his chin and looking up at the ceiling. “…we could go and beat the shit out of him.”
“Um, how about something a little more subtle?” I said nervously and they all shot me curious stares then.
“I mean, I enjoy handing down a piping hot ass whipping as much as the next girl. But I have to live on that block. I’d prefer not to be mauled by an angry mummy in the showers, you know?”
“Ah! I see what you mean now.” They all seemed to agree.
“What about the sandman?” Nicholai interrupted.
“Sandman? Who is that?” I asked.
“The sandman?” Nicolai continued. “You know, the type of magical who makes sleepy sand? More than a few of them have gotten themselves in trouble with the law by putting bank guards to sleep so they could rob the joint. I’ve got one of them in the next cell over from mine. He’s looney as shit but he can put that mummy of yours to sleep in a jiffy. He won’t bother you for days after that.”
“Hell yeah! I’m in.” I said a mile-wide grin forming on my face, prompting every man at the table to laugh, including Alexandros.
“Damn, Jessy. You sure want to shut up that mummy of yours,” Nicholai laughed.
Not a mummy, but I could thing of a few zombies in need of a good nap.
“You have no fucking idea. Now, where did you say I can find the sandman?”
“Hold your horses, Jessy!” Dimitri said waiving his palms. “I’ll take you right to his cell after dinner.”
My shoulders fell as the wind got knocked out of my sails. But I guess I did need to eat something before I took on those zombies again. I needed my strength, even if it meant having to eat another plate full of Pembroke’s finest slop.
“Okay,” I said resting both my arms on the table. “What are we having?”
“I’m not sure yet. It really depends,” Dimitri said.
“Depends on what?”
“What your blood type is of course.” Dimitri shot me a fiendishly fangful grin and his companions did the same, eyeing me like fresh meat from across the table.
“If anyone is taking a bite out of this woman it will be me and only me.” Alexandros swung an arm around my shoulder and pulling me into the protection of his chest.
“But, Master!” they all groaned in unison. “She’s so scrumptious looking!”
Alexandros shot daggers at them shutting them up instantly. “Just hurry and bring that crappy cafeteria blood over here and fetch a plate of something nice for Jessica while you’re at it!
“Yes, Master.” The three men sulked, scraping themselves up and scurrying over to the buffet station.
***
After eating dinner together, Alexandros, his three underlings, and I made our way over to cell block eight to meet Mr. Allen the Sandman. This cell block loo
ked similar to mine with the added bonus that the cells were almost twice the size of the cells on my block.
Coupled together with that fact, the beds were bigger and the walls of the cells were painted in a soothing olive unlike the raw concrete color of my own cell. You know, the disparity in accommodation in this prison was really starting to get to me. Why was it that some cells were drop dead glorious and others plain ugly? If Blackwater hadn’t pledged to kill me I might just have brought this issue to her attention.
Nicholai led the charge as the sandman was his neighbor. At the end of the hall, Nicolai turned to face an open cell.
“Well this is the place,” Nicholai said pointing inside the cell. I moved forward stretching my head in to look inside but before I could see inside, Alexandros seized my arm.
“Be careful, Jessica. Sandmen are known for being very unhinged. Keep a safe distance,” he warned and I tried not to laugh. He was one to talk.
“Okay.” I approached the cell and before I could turn inside, I stopped as Nicholai leaned into whisper in my ear.
“He likes olives. All sandmen love them. If he gives you any trouble. Offer him olives.”
“Olives? Seriously? Where the hell am I going to get that in here?” I whispered but apparently not low enough as a shoe came cruising out of the open cell door. Nicholai jerked back just in time to dodge the shoe.
“Who the hell is out there and what do you want?” a voice rasped from inside the cell. “You better not be selling nothing. I’m not interested!”
Okay so maybe unhinged was the polite word to describe this man. I looked at Nicholai and he gave a shrug.
I entered the cell and set my sights on the man. He stood in the center of the room with eyes hard and cold. His legs parted wide as if ready for a fight. He was about five feet tall with a gut the size of a watermelon. He was almost wider than he was tall. His face was covered in a grey beard so bushy you could hardly see his beady little eyes. Even his beard couldn’t hide his pickle like nose that stuck out of the bush like a stubby little dick. And a dick he sure was.
Escape of the Fae Page 26
