Psychic Prison

by Veronica Agnus

  Vomit projected out of me, and I braced myself for the waves of dizziness that followed. My body was shaking uncontrollably while tears ran down my cheeks.

  I fell back on my ass, shuffling back until my back pressed against the uneven patches of earth. I curled myself into a ball, fighting for every breath I took as memories hit me rapidly.

  * * *

  "Don't touch me!"

  "You're my mate, Alisha Butterfly! You think those boys can protect you?!"

  "You're a boy, too!"

  "No, Alisha. I'm a man in comparison to your childish boys. They can't protect you the way I can. We'll take ownership of our clans and join forces. We'll overcome the Cyldrirth clan with our joined forces. We'll be king and queen and rule everyone!"

  "NO! I don't want to!"

  "You don't have a choice, my dear."

  "I don't need to listen to you! I'M a monarch! Not you!"

  "You WILL listen to me!"

  "I will not! You have no right to control me. No one does! I am my own! You of all people won't change me!"

  * * *

  The flashback shifted suddenly, hitting me with a different one.

  * * *

  "What happened that night, Lyla? Atticus won't tell me."

  "It's better you don't know, Alisha," Lyla whispered.

  "Why won't anyone tell me?"

  "It could trigger a panic attack."

  "Who cares!"

  "I care!"

  "Why do you wear clothes when we go to the pool? Or even when we're supposed to bathe together?! Mom and Dad won't tell me because of my memory loss. What am I missing?"

  "Nothing."

  "Aren't you a girl?"

  "I am!"

  "Then what's the problem?" I angrily question. "I hate this. Everyone is treating me like a little kid! I'm thirteen years old and I'll one day be one of the most powerful monarchs that will rise to the throne. You all better start taking me seriously!"

  * * *

  Another hit me like a brick.

  * * *

  "We have matching tattoos!" I beamed. "Look! Koi fish!"

  "I can see, Alisha," Atticus said with a laugh.

  "Mine are cooler." Lyla pointed to the mark on her right arm. "Mine is on the right like Alisha's!"

  "Obviously," Atticus huffed. "I'm her left-hand man, while you're her right-hand woman!"

  "Hmm. That doesn't sound as cool as left-hand man," Lyla mumbled.

  "What do you mean?! It's amazing. You know what this means?"

  "What?" Lyla asked.

  "We're mates!" I cheered. "This is the best thirteenth birthday gift ever!"

  "Even though its horribly late," Atticus reminded. "So glad you're out of the hospital."

  "We got you some cake!" Lyla pointed out. "Tiramisu!"

  "Yes!" I cheered.

  * * *

  I slumped over to the side, my consciousness fading in and out as more memories came and went. It was becoming too overwhelming for me to take, but my body reminded me of our desperate situation, and if I didn't get a move on, I'd be killed by the very man who rid me of my existence the first time.

  Dragging my body to the side, I avoided my pool of vomit and attempted to get away from whatever threat was heading my way. I was too weak to try and summon Saphire and Freya, and with how nauseous I was, every little movement was crucial to not throw up while keeping a pace towards an exit.

  Fighting to rise to my feet, I found another cliff, but it had a pool of water beneath. I wasn't sure where it led or if it was a good risk to take, but I'd just have to take my chances.

  The drop, however, was extremely high. It could break a few bones or kill me from the impact. The thought reminded me that I was a dragon. I must have wings of some sort. Even phoenixes had flaming wings, giving me two options.

  Saphire? Freya? Are you-

  A scream of agony echoed around us, and it only took me a few seconds to realize the shrieking scream came from me.

  My eyes widened to look at my chest. I noticed three long, piercing pieces of bone were protruding out of my body.

  I watched my blood begin to drop on the floor, and I slowly took in how my tattoo suddenly glowed in a lavender purple.

  * * *

  "Koi fish represent great abundance, Alisha," the deep, fatherly voice revealed. "But if you look closely, these fish are in the form of a massive dragon. Can you see it?"

  "Yes, Daddy! It's right there." I used my finger to outline the dragon's shape. "But where's the phoenix?"

  "Ah." Daddy nodded his head. "You see, the phoenix is hidden within the dragon."

  "Why?

  "Well, the legend has it that one day a dragon and phoenix were fighting. They got so riled up in their disagreement that the dragon swallowed the phoenix," he explained. "The dragon immediately regretted it, but it was too late. The phoenix was stuck in his belly. The dragon went far and wide in search of a way to save the phoenix. Their argument seemed insignificant now that the phoenix's life was at risk, and the dragon never got to admit that he actually loved the phoenix. He found the one place that could help him. A pond full of fae koi fish."

  "Fae koi fish?!" I gasped.

  "Yes. Not only do they grant prosperity and everlasting abundance to those who ask, but they're also able to grant an individual abundance in love and power," Father answered. "Sadly, the phoenix took her last breath when he arrived."

  "No!" I cried. "Daddy, that's a sad ending."

  "Ah." Father chuckled. "It hasn't ended. You see, the dragon was so distraught about losing the phoenix he loved that he cried and cried. His tears filled the pond, and the koi fish watched for days as he mourned. Thirteen days went by, and the koi fish decided this dragon truly loved this phoenix. The ashes of this phoenix never dissolved in the dragon's stomach, so he was now given a choice. They could give the phoenix an abundance of power, enough for it to rise from its ashes, but if she rose from the dead, it would kill the dragon."

  "Oh no," I whispered.

  Father nodded. "The dragon didn't hesitate, saying she deserved to live them him. They granted his wish and the phoenix he loved rose back to life, the revival killing the dragon. His body fell into the pond. As the phoenix rose up to the sky, she could see the dragon's lifeless body. She asked what had happened, and the koi fish explained what had occurred after her death. Once she had listened to everything, she mourned the dragon, revealing that she, too, loved him. They didn't see eye to eye, and she knew that her power was greater than his, but she loved the wisdom he carried, and it helped her learn something new every day. Without him, she would learn nothing more about the world, and a life without knowledge from the one she loved seemed hopeless."

  "That's so sad." I was on the verge of crying.

  "Do you know what the koi fish did?"

  "What, Daddy?"

  “After a long debate, they gathered around the dragon's body, until he was covered in koi fish. Due to their mutual love for one another, the koi fish granted the dragon a chance at life, reviving him so he could be with the phoenix. They both rejoiced to be alive and asked how they would be able to repay them."

  Father reached over to pat my mark.

  "The koi fish asked that their love be strong and that they expand their blessings by having children. The child born with the koi fish tattoo would be able to bond with two individuals, one destined to be a dragon, another destined to be a phoenix. The children would be blessed with an abundance of wisdom and power, and once every thousand years, one of the individuals will carry fae qualities to give honor to the fae koi fish that helped them."

  "That's a beautiful story, Daddy." I wiped my tears and smiled. "That means I'm special!"

  "Yes, you are. Just like Atticus and Lylashina."

  "We're a trinity!" I cheered. Father laughed. "A marked trilogy," he corrected.

  * * *

  My body was picked up from the ground. The amount of blood that left me was enough to make a little pool beneath my dangling fe
et.

  My vision was already fading, but I followed the trail of the arched bones, realizing what had stabbed me was one massive bone wing. The skeletal frame of a dragon's wing, but it was attached to a living person, and that was the man from the elevator.

  His raging eyes looked at me in pity as he shook his head and tsked.

  "All you had to do was obey me, little butterfly," he quietly said. "Bold for you to come down here and hide, but today just isn't your lucky day. It never has been whenever you die, has it?"

  He suddenly laughed and clapped his hands. "Thirteen days until your twenty-third birthday. You died previously on your thirteenth birthday. You were charged with those hideous crimes on Friday the thirteenth. I should have stabbed you thirteen times for fun."

  I couldn't speak. My eyes were growing heavier as blood dripped from my mouth and nose.

  "Do you love my wings? I got them just for you all those years ago, but then you ruined them. You burned them to the point where only bone remained. All because you wouldn't listen. I thought forcing your amnesia on you would have made you easier to claim, but that disgusting mate of yours and his sudden alliance threw me off course. It doesn't matter anymore. They can't save you now. No one can."

  His wings moved further out, taking me with them until I was dangling over the cliff. He tipped his wings, the weight of my body beginning to slide from the blood-drenched bones that struck me.

  "You had your chance, Alisha Butterfly. Multiple chances to become a supernatural marked monarch of my liking. You could have lived a long life at my feet, but alas. What's done is done."

  My body finally slid off the final piece of bone, and I began my descent to my doom. It didn't stop me from hearing his last words.

  "My name is Nedalra Havok. Remember the mate you rejected and the death you earned."

  I plunged straight into the water. The creeping sensation of death was familiar. Maybe all this time, my dreams of sinking in the deep, frigid waters wasn't a sign of the past, but a glance at the future.

  Now...that future has come to a standstill.

  TO BE CONTINUED.

  COMING SOON - July 24th, 2020:

  https://books2read.com/PSYCHICROYALTY

  COMING SOON - NOV 13TH, 2020:

  https://books2read.com/PSYCHICMONARCHY

  TURN THE PAGE TO READ A SNEAK PEEK TO

  SUPERNATURAL INMATE

  https://books2read.com/SUPERNATURALINMATE

  BLURB

  After pissing off the head of the supernatural lab, failing at befriending my fellow inmates, and pitching a temper tantrum in the underground cafeteria, it was only a matter of time before I had to do something about this whole captivity thing.

  For me, Cassandra Thorn, being born as a human, raised by an elite group of supernaturals, and struggling to reach my twentieth birthday was far more fun than this.

  Then again, anything would be.

  In this case, "this" refers to being taken against my will—kidnapped—and trapped in an underground lab for supernatural shifters. Pretty ridiculous, considering I was a mere mortal.

  Or so I was told.

  Turns out there are a lot of things I was told, not all of them true. Now a family secret has been revealed and destiny is just waiting for me to fulfill it…but I was stuck in Prison Boringville with a bunch of not-so-friendly detainees.

  Being a supernatural inmate isn’t my style, so with the very new powers bestowed upon me, I was getting my booty out of this hellhole. Unless Adonis the sexy incubus, Dominick the deadly fae master, Otis the death-seeking vampire, and Tristan the sly shapeshifter bust me out first.

  Supernatural Inmate is the first book in the Supernatural Captivity series, a Paranormal Prison Romance.

  Lingerie Shopping With My Supernatural Brothers

  "Cassandra? How long does it take you to get your ass into a pair of hipster panties? I’m going to die from starvation."

  "Stop complaining, Tristan. I was trying to concentrate!"

  "On what? Your butt?"

  "Yes! On my butt. Now shush so I can concentrate!"

  Men. Never understand the importance of having your eye on the prize.

  "What's taking our Princess of Lingerie so long?"

  I smiled at Dominick's inquiry, knowing damn well he'd join in the bickering. As long as Otis was still roaming around the five-level clothing store, I was safe to continue my detailed observation.

  "Cass is trying to determine if her ass has expanded by a centimeter." Tristan let out a long sigh. "I’m hungry. Save me."

  "You eat too much," Dominick commented. "And didn't Cass start her squat challenge like three days ago?"

  "And then ate an entire cake yesterday." Tristan’s comment made me open the door wide, the two of them turning their attention to my red-and-blue lace bra and hipster panty combo. I put my hands on my hips in defiance as I stared between the two of them.

  "Just because I started three days ago, it doesn't mean anything! Progress is progress!" I angrily emphasized before pointing at Tristan, who was sitting on a fluffy pink chair with his legs on one armrest, while the back of his head hung over the other side.

  He had a bored pout on his attractive face.

  "Also, yesterday was my birthday! I was allowed to eat cake."

  "Allowed to eat a slice of cake, my dear. Not the whole damn thing. Couldn't even save some for the four of us."

  I flicked my long brunette locks and gave them an unapologetic look.

  "I regret nothing."

  "Madness, I tell you." Tristan shook his head. "You gained weight in your thighs, by the way."

  I stood there for a full five seconds and Dominick sighed.

  "It's like you want us to die early."

  "No regrets." He shrugged. "I can shift into anything. I have the highest survival rate."

  "You know you can still die, though, right?" Dominick reminded.

  "Oh..." Tristan frowned and gave me a sheepish smile as I narrowed my eyes at him. "Thick, beautiful one. Don't kick my ass...or kill me...or punch my face. I still need to look good to ace that job interview on Monday."

  "Asshole," I huffed, and turned around to check the mirror. "I only gained half an inch. You're lucky I'm in a good mood or it would be game over for you."

  Looking at the mirror, I assessed my overall appearance and grinned.

  A little bit of thickness doesn't bother me anyway.

  Sweets were the devil when it came to making me gain weight in my thighs and hips. If not for the "Thorn metabolism" blessed to me by my biological parents, I was sure I wouldn't still fit into my size six jeans.

  Stretchy size six jeans. A girl needs room for ice cream and chocolate.

  Cassandra Thorn was written on the birth certificate left in my basket that fateful night my parents abandoned me, having decided I was too much to handle in the middle of the 2035 financial crisis period.

  Stocks for human companies plummeted as the supernatural races' soared in comparison, leaving most humans out of work in the heart of winter in New York City.

  It was at that time that supernaturals took over with a snap of their fingers and proved their superiority by fixing the chaos created by the greedy humans running the place. That simple move on the supernaturals' part left us humans with two choices: submit and work along with the supernaturals or hide and try to find a way to fix the financial crisis.

  It ended up being a fifty-fifty split, and my parents decided that finding their way back to independent financial stability was far better than working alongside any paranormal race.

  Which meant bye-bye, baby Cassandra.

  The only problem with that plan was that I, their not-so-beloved child, was human, just like them.

  Where did that leave me? Luckily, not on the harsh streets of NYC, because Everett A. Johnson with his big heart of gold took me in.

  Anyone could have done it for the bonus government paychecks, but as I grew older, I came to realize that he was genuinely a loving man
who took in shifters from struggling families or abandoned corners of the dangerous streets.

  Everett was a supernatural, just like the majority of the children he took in. As a bear shifter, he was inherently nurturing. He always said that he got the most hate when he took me in but paid no mind to the background talk. It was all rubbish to him when it came to helping someone in need.

  An outlook that could have potentially gotten him killed, but his ongoing generosity over the last few decades had earned him immunity and enough money to hire protection.

  Being in his care brought me into the circle of four supernatural powerhouses, and together, we were raised under one roof. How did the little human me survive a home with four bratty boys?

  Tantrums, chocolate, and using the puppy eyes technique as a final resort. Let's be real. No boy nor man can stand it when a woman cries.

  However, with my anger issues, all bets were off if I reached a certain point of blinding rage.

  I had an actual diagnosis for it: Blind-sighted Tantrum Syndrome. BTS for short, and I was not referring to the greatest KPOP band in history. It might have been the reason my four supernatural bros were actually frightened of me when I got mad.

  Doesn't stop them from picking on me half the time.

  "I think her butt actually got firmer, though," Dominick said. "If you look very closely, you can see a one percent difference."

  "I feel as though you keep forgetting I'm a shapeshifter, Dominick, and not a fae with supernatural eyesight." Tristan put his hands behind his head and kicked his legs up and down. "Can we go yet?"