Dragon Fate

by Juniper Hart

  “Whatever I did, whatever—”

  “George, shut up.” He said it conversationally, but judging by the look on the man’s face, he may as well have screamed it, shifting into his own supernatural form.

  Titus wrinkled his nose and picked up another stone, biding his time for full effect. In truth, he was seething inside, knowing that this man almost cost Bella everything. If Anders had not called him with a warning about what George Vander had and was about to publish in the Cape Times, Cape Town’s leading news source, Bella would be in jail, awaiting trial until kingdom come.

  But Titus was not one to allow his emotions show, no matter how much he wanted to crush the skull of the weasel sitting beside him.

  I’m forbidden to kill him anyway, he thought with some regret. Besides, killing was not really his own style, though he knew some of his brothers would be up to the task. Even Anders would have no problem ending this piece of shit if given a chance.

  “I understand you have taken some pictures of my houseguest,” Titus offered after George fell into a blubbering mess of tears. “I would like them, please.”

  The young man turned his auburn head sideways and peered up at Titus as if he was crazy.

  “Th-that’s what this is about?” he choked. “The pictures of Arabella Pinot?”

  Titus nodded. “I’m glad we’re on the same page,” he smiled, clapping the sweaty reporter on the shoulder. “I understand you have been smart enough not to publish them.”

  George gaped at him.

  “After the fire in my apartment following a warning not to, I thought it was best to heed the advice!” he snapped furiously. “That was you!”

  Titus shook his head.

  “I had nothing to do with the fire or threats,” he answered. That’s half true. Anders took care of that for me. “Where are the pictures now?”

  “I don’t have them! They burned with my computer!”

  “I think you’re lying.”

  George’s complexion was as clear as a glass of fresh water. “I swear to God!”

  Titus sighed heavily.

  “Here’s what’s going to happen, George—may I call you George?” The terrified man nodded reluctantly, visibly swallowing in fear. “If the pictures you took of Ms. Pinot outside my office end up anywhere in the public eye, you are going to have a lot more to worry about than just a crispy apartment. Do you understand?”

  George bobbed his head again. “I swear, Mr. Williams, if I had known that you wanted to keep her out of the public eye, I wouldn’t have ever taken the pictures! B-but how did you know about them?”

  Titus snickered. “My dear boy, I am Titus Williams. I own one of the biggest technology companies in the world. No one can start a webcam without my knowing it.” Except for Skylar Vernon, he thought bitterly. He’s apparently able to do anything he damn well pleases.

  Titus found himself wondering how Bella was doing back at the compound. He turned to leave, almost as if he had forgotten that George was still there.

  “Mr. Williams…”

  Titus glanced over his shoulder. “Yes?”

  “I—you don’t have to worry,” George gasped. “I never saw the dragon.”

  Titus blinked at him. “George, I think you might need to take a little break. You’re starting to sound a little bit mad. Can you imagine what people will say if you tell them that you think you’re seeing dragons?”

  He didn’t give George a chance to respond, running off along the extension to transform before his eyes.

  I hope he takes what I said seriously, Titus thought, his gigantic frame soaring through the high clouds. If the police happened to see Bella out of the compound, or if the board got wind of an accused hacker inside headquarters, the results could be disastrous. They would be disastrous.

  Titus was already doing a balancing act with Trina and Kamil, who still didn’t know that Skylar Vernon was responsible for the hack. How did Titus know he could trust them? For all he knew, one of them had called the press to snap pictures of Bella to get her thrown back in jail. For all he knew, one of them could be working with Skylar.

  It was his own fault—he should never have brought Bella with him to the office that day, but he hadn’t been thinking clearly.

  It’s hard to think clearly when your reincarnated lover is staring at you with those incredible eyes, he thought.

  Outward in the ocean, Titus swept down, his claws grasping at the caps. He parted his massive jaws, allowing the salty air to filter through his throat before rising back into the sky and making his way home. Landing near the English maze, he hurried toward the garage where he had left Bella a few hours earlier.

  Of course, he had not told her the real reason for his trip to Port Elizabeth. She had enough to worry about with knowing that she had almost been caught violating the terms of her bail.

  And even if I could have brought her with me, Titus thought, our meeting would not have been nearly as effective without the ability for Anders and me to scare him with our shift.

  As he entered the garage, he saw her seated exactly where he had left her late in the morning.

  “Have you had anything to eat?” he demanded.

  “One of the others contacted me,” Bella told him without preamble. “Look.”

  He peered over her shoulder and read the exchange. It meant nothing to him.

  “Are those song lyrics?” he asked, suddenly cluing in, and she nodded.

  “That’s how we communicate general ideas.”

  Titus leaned against the desk, folding his arms across his chest. “Explain it to me.”

  Bella sighed. “It’s like… well, let’s say I wanted to ask you if we’re having chicken for dinner tonight,” she offered lamely.

  He simply eyed her. “Chicken for dinner?” he repeated, and she grunted in exasperation.

  “It’s just an example!” she insisted. “Work with me.”

  “Okay.”

  “I would type, ‘the bird is the word.’ And if you wanted chicken, you’d answer with some lyric from the song ‘Yes’ or something. But it always has to be in a lyric form so it could mean anything to anyone reading. Know what I mean? It can’t be used against us.”

  Titus nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing. “It’s ridiculous, but… what if things get misconstrued?”

  “Think of it like learning another language with someone,” Bella explained. “You and I might be off the mark at first, but over time, we learn how the other one communicates. It’s our own language, and we know other members of our tribes.”

  “I see. So what does all this mean, then? Did your friend tell you anything useful?”

  “He says he got out of the country, but you’re right,” she answered. “He doesn’t trust me. I don’t know if that’s because he’s with Skylar or because I got arrested.”

  “What did he say?” Titus asked.

  Bella sighed again. “Nothing. He’s not responding to me, but I tracked his IP server to England. I’m fairly sure that’s where he is.”

  “Do you think Skylar is with him?” Titus pressed.

  “I don’t know!” she almost yelled, and he sensed the frustration in her tone. “I’ve been sitting here for three days, and we’re no closer to figuring out where that bastard is than we were before!”

  Titus crouched down and dropped his hands to her knees, squeezing them reassuringly.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he told her comfortingly. “We have time. You just have to keep reaching out and see what happens.” Bella shifted her eyes away, and he felt a spark of nervousness. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” she said quickly. “I just…” She glanced down. “I feel like he’ll move his plan ahead if he knows we’re together.”

  “Because he’s worried you’ll track him?”

  “Because he thinks he owns me,” she blurted out.

  Titus’ smoky eyes flashed with anger.

  “Don’t worry about him,” he told her earnestly, reaching up
to tenderly cup her face. “You’re safe here. I’m not going to let anything or anyone touch you. Okay?”

  Bella nodded, her eyes meeting his. “I trust you,” she replied, and he could see she was being sincere. “I still can’t help but worry about—”

  The door to the garage burst open, and Marta stood, gasping for breath.

  “SAPS is at the gate, Tito,” she panted. “They’re here to take Arabella back into custody.”

  Titus lurched to his feet, shaking his head. “What? No! They can’t! On what grounds?”

  Marta shook her head. “They have a warrant to re-arrest her.”

  “Come on,” Titus said, grabbing Bella’s hand. “We’re going to get you out of here.”

  But Bella refused to budge, tears glistening in her eyes.

  “No,” she whispered. “I can’t.”

  “You can!” he growled, pulling her up. “I can find you a safe house—”

  “No, Titus, I can’t run anymore,” she said. “If I’m not here when they come in, you’ll be in trouble, too. I have to go with them.”

  “Bella, I don’t care about me!” Titus roared. “I care about you!”

  “And I care about you,” she breathed, choking back the emotion in her voice. “I can’t let you throw away your future because of me.”

  “Bella—”

  She held up her hand and turned toward Marta, who gazed at them with woeful eyes.

  “It’s over,” she whispered. “You’ve done everything you can to help me, but I need to go back and wait for my trial now.”

  Titus opened his mouth to protest again, but Bella had already stridden toward the door, her back stiff and proud.

  And at that moment, he realized that, as much as she was like his long-lost love, Arabella Pinot was very different.

  Isabella ran away. Arabella is willing to face her fears.

  Titus knew he would do everything in his power to get her back.

  And to make Skylar Vernon pay.

  14

  “Orange is the New Black” did not prepare me for this.

  Ara kept her eyes low to the ground, terrified that she would catch the attention of any given inmate at precisely the wrong time. Netflix may not have taught her about the realities of prison, but common sense dictated that she shut up and not make any trouble.

  No matter what, Ara reasoned, I’m sure it will find its way to me one way or another.

  Upon being taken back into custody, she had not been brought back to the jail at the precinct. Instead, she had been brought directly to St. Albans in Port Elizabeth.

  She was sure that Titus had followed them all the way back, but Ara knew that even with his standing and good name, he was not above the law. Especially not when Captain Jansen was so determined to keep her locked up.

  The pinched face cop was the first familiar face Ara saw when she had been processed in the prison.

  “Did you enjoy your little taste of freedom?” Camille Jansen asked, a slightly mocking expression on her lips. “Too bad your rich boyfriend can’t buy you out of this little pickle you’re in after all, huh?”

  Ara wasn’t sure which was more offensive to her: the fact that Jansen believed she was trying to buy her freedom, or that she had referred to Titus as her boyfriend.

  He’s so much more than that, Ara thought defensively, but she said nothing, staring at a scratch on the metal table before her.

  “Don’t say a word!” Titus told her as she was led away in handcuffs. “Anders will be here to sort this all out. You’ll be back here in no time. Just stay strong.”

  Ara was not so sure. She found it hard to believe that they would have taken her in without just cause, knowing how important Titus was. They wouldn’t risk angering him by being impulsive.

  If they didn’t have anything solid, she thought, they would not have let me remain free for a week. At the same time, she wondered why the captain hadn’t hauled her back in after her unauthorized trip to the Williams Tech headquarters. Why would she bide her time when she obviously wanted me under lock and key?

  Another terrifying thought occurred to Ara: what if they were monitoring her internet activity and saw she was talking to Jasper? Had she inadvertently lead them to him?

  She wondered if that would be such a bad thing. After all, Skylar might be with him, and they could both be conspiring to take down Titus’ company in some way.

  All this uncertainty was overwhelming.

  Skylar planned it this way, Ara thought bitterly. He wanted us all to turn against one another by keeping us in the dark. The left hand had no idea what the right hand was doing. How can I know that Jasper or the others didn’t know what Skylar had planned all along? Maybe you were just meant to be the scapegoat all along while they are off planning another heist somewhere.

  It was a sickening thought, and Ara didn’t want to believe such a thing could be possible, but she no longer knew what to think. All she knew for sure was that she knew nothing.

  Except that she trusted Titus. Somehow, she knew that.

  “Move it along, fresh meat,” someone hissed in her ear, and Ara turned, forgetting her “no eye contact” rule. A huge dark-haired woman leered at her, a mouthful of gold teeth enhancing an already sinister smile. Quickly, Ara darted her eyes back and shuffled through the cafeteria line, allowing for the workers to slap inedible slop onto the pea green plastic tray in her hands. “Fresh meat, fresh meat,” the woman taunted her in a low voice. “I hear you got yourself a rich dick to sit on.”

  Ara whirled, shocked at the crude statement.

  Keep moving! a voice in her head yelled. Don’t engage!

  She turned back and shuffled away, hoping to leave the huge woman in her wake, but her nervousness must have been palpable. As she made her way to an unoccupied table near one of the guards, the inmate followed her, grinning obscenely.

  “You a prude? Can’t talk about it?” she chortled, flopping unceremoniously onto the bench across from Ara. “You a virgin? I can help you with that.”

  Ara glanced at the corrections officer for help, but the guard turned away deliberately, leaving the women alone.

  Every woman for herself in here, I guess, Ara thought with some bitterness. What else is new?

  “You mute?” Ara refused to raise her eyes, silently hoping the obnoxious woman would disappear, even though she knew that her prayers would not be answered. “I’m talking to you!”

  The obese woman slammed her fists onto the bolted down table, but the impact still managed to shake the trays.

  “You’re stuck up, huh? I can loosen that cork out of your ass,” she spat, rising abruptly. Before she could move, another voice joined the conversation.

  “Inga, you’re wanted in the laundry.”

  Ara did not want to raise her eyes, lest she catch the irate prisoner’s attention… but that voice… it was so familiar…

  No, she thought, biting on her lower lip. It can’t be. If she had been caught, too, I would’ve heard about it!

  “I’m eating,” Inga said. The tray flew across the table, and Ara gasped, her eyes darting upward as she gaped at the skinny brunette towering over her tormentor.

  “Not anymore, you’re not,” she jeered, crossing her arms over her chest. “Any other concerns?”

  Inga scowled menacingly. “I’m busy!” she snapped.

  “You must also be deaf,” the newcomer snarled. “I said you’re needed in the laundry!”

  Inga ambled to her feet and glared at them both.

  “This isn’t over, nunu,” Inga promised, sucking air in between her teeth. “You and I are gonna help each other out. You’ll see.”

  “Inga, you need to leave—now!”

  The overweight woman rose, still staring at Ara, but the strawberry blonde was too busy gaping at her savior and barely noticed as Inga shuffled off, muttering obscenities under her breath.

  The slender brunette watched to ensure that the other woman disappeared before turning her attention to
Ara. “Ara,” she sighed. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Emma!” Ara choked, wanting to throw her arms around the girl, but nothing about Emma’s posture seemed to encourage the action.

  “I heard you cut a deal with the prosecutor and got sent home,” the dark-haired woman whispered, slipping onto the seat Inga had just claimed. “I didn’t expect to see you until trial.”

  “What?” Ara gasped. “I never cut a deal!”

  Emma studied her face closely. “I guess not, or you wouldn’t be in here, but I saw you leaving the courthouse with Titus Williams on the news.”

  “He posted my bail for me, yes,” Ara said, nodding her head. “It’s a long story. But you? I didn’t know you’d been caught! What happened?”

  “Hey! The mess is for eating, not gossiping!” The guard who had left her to be accosted by Inga suddenly returned, slapping her baton against the table as she eyed the pair suspiciously. “What happened to your tray, Krueger?”

  Emma shrugged nonchalantly. “I dropped it,” she replied pleasantly. “I’m sharing with the new girl.”

  The officer scowled. “No. No food for you. Get back to your work detail.”

  Ara looked at Emma desperately, but the older woman was already on her feet.

  “See you later, Pinot,” Emma called, turning away, and Ara was left with a sense of loss as she watched her friend walk away.

  If Emma was arrested and I didn’t know about it, she thought, who else has been caught? Is that why I’m here again? Because someone ratted on all of us?

  Ara wished that she could speak to Emma more, but her former associate had already left the cafeteria. Swallowing the lump of fear in her throat, she timidly looked around the half-filled hall, wondering how she would ever get used to living a life behind bars—a life away from Titus when she had just found him.

  You should be grateful for the time you were able to spend with him, she reminded herself, slowly turning her eyes back to the slop on her tray. Aside from a piece of bread, nothing else was identifiable, and it had nothing to do with the cultural difference; the food was inedible.