Dragon Marked: Supernatural Prison #1 Page 4

I was rolling my eyes under my closed eyelids. Tyson loved curves of all descriptions, he was just talking his usual shit. And speaking of metabolism, my eyes flew open as the scent of food tantalized my senses. Jacob was pushing in the buffet sideboard and on it was a ton of food. Generally we ate in the large dining hall with everyone else; it was a place of bonding for the supernatural community. But on nights we didn’t want to mingle with the masses, the boys had a service that provided them with meals. My body rose off the chair of its own accord. I was angling to be first in line for food.

  “I tell you, if I can find a woman who looks at me the way Jessa looks at food, I’ll be a lucky man,” I heard Maximus murmur to Braxton.

  Masculine laughter echoed around, but I was too hungry to care. It was Italian night. Be still my beating heart.

  I started crazy muttering to myself before grabbing a plate. “Food, get over here so I can eat you.”

  Walking the length, I piled the plate high with pasta, pizza and breads. I’d be back for dessert. Crossing into the next room I sat at the dining table. It was a hand-carved masterpiece: thick dark wood, turned legs, and long bench seats on either side. It was made from one of the big red oaks that had come down in a massive storm; the colors and patterns that threaded its length were almost mesmerizing. Braxton had spent weeks painstakingly stripping it back and carving the ornate legs. Even on the odd nights when some of the Compasses ate in front of the television, I always sat at the table. And so did Braxton.

  Tonight everyone joined me. Braxton on my right and Maximus on the left. Jacob and Tyson were across from us, and our five trays were piled high enough to feed a small country. I started without words, or breathing. The food inhaled into my stomach.

  Jacob was grinning at me. “The way you eat is a work of art.”

  I flipped him off before resuming my pleasure.

  When I slowed a little I took a moment to peer across to Braxton’s tray – damn, he had meatballs – he always found food I missed in my haste. Reaching out with my fork I stabbed one. Braxton never batted an eye, he was used to me stealing from his plate.

  “Anyone else would lose an arm.” That was a mutter from Tyson.

  Braxton and I ignored him. I stole a few more bits and pieces from him, and then he finished off my lasagna and pepperoni pizza. We had a routine and there was no point messing with a good thing.

  Jacob took away the plates and was back in moments with a tray of desserts. I had my knife and fork in my hands, prepared to use them if necessary. The chocolate cake and ice cream was mine. It felt like the world held its breath just before the tray hit the wooden table, and then it was on. I dived across Braxton, kicking Maximus in the face. Jacob had jumped back. He had the lesser sweet tooth of any of us. The fight was pretty fair right up until the point Tyson’s eyes glowed gold. I leveled a finger in his direction.

  “Don’t do it, Tyson Compass.”

  Apparently I wasn’t scary enough, because the tray levitated high into the air.

  He changed his tune of course as Braxton and Maximus recovered from my surprise attack and also fixed their gazes on him.

  “Oh shit,” Tyson said. Although he didn’t really look worried.

  “Not your smartest move, wizard.” Braxton was grinning lazily. “Jessa has that look on her face. You’re about to lose an eye.”

  In reality, I was judging the distance to the tray, wondering if I could make the jump. Maybe if Maximus gave me a boost. Before I could launch off the chair, though, the plate with the cake and ice cream drifted down to rest in front of me. Tyson winked at me.

  “You’ve had a hard night, Jessa babe, the cake’s yours.” The rest of the tray lowered. “And I’d like all of my body parts to stay attached to me.” He ran a hand over his left ear.

  “It was an accident,” I protested. “As if I would on purpose cut your ear off.”

  A couple of years ago I’d been giving Tyson a haircut when someone burst into the room and startled me. Let’s just say it’s lucky we heal fast and have regenerative properties. Or he’d have been a little lopsided.

  The others divided up the remaining desserts and silence prevailed. I finished mine, one delicious bite after another. I was full, but that didn’t stop my head swinging side to side. Maximus and Braxton inched away, large arms curling around their plates in a protective manner. I huffed, leaning forward on my elbows. Another plate appeared in front of me, the caramel baked pecan pie. My second favorite. Braxton didn’t glance in my direction, but I knew it had come from him. I saw Jacob and Tyson exchange grins, but didn’t even want to know what they were thinking. First nutty bite was almost as good as sex.

  Damn, I loved food.

  Chapter 3

  The food had given me a new burst of energy, but not enough that I wanted to explore the forest. Jacob and Tyson were itching to get out and look for the fey kill spot. Jacob especially was taking this death hard. On top of that, they often searched for the prison. I didn’t really understand why the council continued to deny the men their right to view it. In a few short years they would have the responsibility of its protection. Since the council wouldn’t tell them anything, they were determined to find the prison and test its security. Considering we’d been searching on and off for about six months and hadn’t found anything yet, well, its security seemed pretty good to me.

  I stretched out on the couch again. Jacob was still musing about the dead fey.

  “I don’t understand why they didn’t announce his name.” He paced the floor. “I hate thinking I might be looking for a friend.”

  “Maybe they’ll wait until after their investigation to reveal the identity.”

  Fey and demi-fey – faeries – used to be separated from the supernatural, living in an alternate dimension of Earth in an undying land. Something happened to their world a few thousand years ago which resulted in masses of them migrating into the human world. They didn’t speak of the event and it was not safe to ask the elders. Naturally they gravitated toward our communities, fitting into the niche of supernatural creatures, though they were really the most alien, never quite adapting to the human world. The faerie lands were still there, but the assumption was that their fading magic and energy were not a fit for inhabitants any longer. Although some diehards persisted in trying to survive there.

  “Do you think the fey was from the hidden faerie lands?” I asked Jacob.

  He shrugged, pushing back strands of his white-blond hair. “Hard to know when they haven’t given any idea of who it was.” His green eyes looked reflective, like his body was here but his mind not. “I haven’t heard of anyone coming through the portal in many years.”

  I flipped open the footrest so I could stretch out. “Well, you four can go out searching, I’m totally fine right here. I’m gonna nap and watch a movie.” It wasn’t late but I felt like relaxing. I wouldn’t call it moping. Wolves do not mope.

  The other three looked at Braxton. “She speaks truth. She’s fine with us heading out to patrol.”

  Maximus lifted my chin so he could meet my eyes. “Okay, keep your cell on you and make sure you call us if anyone bothers you.”

  I pulled my face free and waved them away. “Guys, I’m fine. Stop worrying like four hulking mothers.”

  With laughter and a few elbows they finally tumbled out the door. But not before Maximus waved his phone at me again. Reluctantly, I pulled myself up to search for the cell. I’d left it at their place earlier and had no idea where it had ended up. I wasn’t a big fan of technology, I was an outdoors girl, but I had a phone at the insistence of my father. It took me a while, but eventually I found it wedged behind the sofa. Sliding my finger across the screen I laughed at the first text which flashed at me.

  Maximus: When you finally find your phone behind the sofa, let me know you’re all good.

  He missed nothing. I quickly text back. I’m fine.

  The second text was from my father.

  Jonathon: We need to talk and I’d like
you to meet Mischa. Find me in the morning, I’ll be in the dining hall for breakfast.

  I hesitated over the keypad before replying. See you in the morning.

  I wanted to say more, but didn’t trust my emotions right now. I did love my father and he deserved a chance to explain this mess. I hoped he knew better than to invite mother dearest along, otherwise the dining hall would get a front row seat to a bitch fight. And I’d bring more than claws. After making sure it wasn’t on silent, I threw the phone aside again and, reaching over the end of the chair, grabbed the pillow and blanket that was draped across there. The original, and in my opinion best, Transformers movie was playing on the huge flat screen. I snuggled down and enjoyed a few minutes before my lids started to get heavy.

  A loud knock rang through the house, startling me from my comfortable slumber. Ignoring it, I squashed my face further into the pillow. Whoever it was could come back later. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with any of the women. But of course the knock continued, over and over until I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

  Stumbling on the blanket, I got to my feet and crossed the room in a few angry strides. I slammed open the door. My mouth opened, preparing to blast the shit out of whichever desperate girl was outside. Sure, I could have had more sympathy for the women who thought they’d finally be the one to tame a Compass, but their weakness annoyed me. Maybe I’d change my tune if I ever found myself in love. But I doubted it.

  I froze as I came face to face with a pair of green eyes which sat atop a small, straight nose and full rosy-red lips. Nose and lips exactly the same as mine.

  Mischa stood there, more fire on her face than I’d seen in the hall. She was scowling, another thing we had in common. Closing my mouth, I took a moment to examine her up close. We were eerily similar, and yet not identical. I had the smallest smattering of freckles across my ivory skin. Hers was clear of any marks. Her eyes were a little wider-spaced than mine, forehead a little smaller. But all in all there was no denying our familial relationship.

  I opened my mouth but she spoke first. “Jonathon told me where you were, don’t be mad at him. I badgered him until he broke.” I doubted that, her power was nothing on his. He was trying to get us together. “All the years I dreamed of meeting you, I somehow thought it would go differently.” Despite the bite, her voice was soft, sweeter than mine had ever sounded. And why the hell had she been privileged enough to know of my existence?

  The way she continued to lower her eyes as she spoke told me everything. She had not been raised in a pack, she did not know anything of dominance. She was unknowingly giving me the upper hand in our relationship. I opened my mouth to say something. I actually didn’t know what would come out, so we both looked a little surprised when I said, “Do you want to come in?”

  She nodded, her fine black brows drawing together as she stepped around me and into the Compass home. I shut the door firmly behind her and led the way into the living room. We sat facing each other, a three foot gap separating us.

  “So you knew about me?”

  She stared at her hands as she twined them over and over. “Yes, Mom always told me I had a sister, that we’d had to leave for both of our safety, but that I’d meet her again someday.”

  Well, damn mother dearest seemed to be a hell of a lot more honest than Dad had been with me. Although his last words to me seemed to indicate he’d been in the dark as much as I was.

  She was still speaking: “I’ve been alone a lot of my life, and I always imagined the fun of having a sister and a friend. Of course, I was like ten at the time, but it has stayed with me.”

  I pushed my hair behind my ears. “Until a few hours ago I had no idea you existed.” I pulled my gaze from her eerily familiar features. I kept wondering if I did the same little things that Mischa did, like chewing the corner of my bottom lip when I was upset, or wrinkling my nose to stop tears. “Why have you returned now? What did you do about shifting if you had no pack?”

  Shifters could change at will, and only had a mild call from the full moon. But we still needed to free our animals regularly. If we didn’t, they would force the change on us.

  She shrugged. “I’ve never shifted. I knew about you as my sister, but not as a shifter. Mom decided to wait until we were almost here to inform me that our new town was full of supernatural creatures.” A short laugh escaped her and she was doing that lip biting thing again. “And that I was a part-time wolf. Let’s just say I was a tad disbelieving … right up until we crossed that magical border.”

  I leaned further back into the soft cushions. She had to have been spelled to prevent her shift. I opened my senses, allowed the wolf to rise to the surface a little. I knew my eyes had changed by the way she shrank back from me.

  “Don’t move,” I warned her. “I won’t hurt you.”

  With my increased senses I noticed the energy binding her body. It was heavy especially over her chest. I could scent no wolf on her, I’d have thought she was a regular human if she wasn’t coated in magical protection.

  I tucked my wolf away again. “You’ve been spelled to suppress your wolf and hide your shifter energy. Is Dad … Jonathon … going to lift that from you?”

  “I don’t know.” She dropped her head in her hand, her voice thin. “I’m not sure how to process all of this. I’m a shifter … what does that even mean? I don’t understand why we didn’t grow up together.” I could tell she was crying a little. Shit, I was terrible with sympathy. Shifters love touch, it’s comforting to us. I wondered if she’d received much over the years. I decided to treat her as I would a hurting pack member.

  I leaned in close and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Dropping my head into the crook of her neck and shoulder, I breathed deeply, hoping she’d act on instinct and do the same. Instead she freaked out, shrieking and diving away from me. I landed on all fours on the floor, low growls rumbling in my chest. It took me a few moments to calm.

  “What the hell were you doing?” She was still shrieking. I resisted the urge to punch her out and quiet that racket. I have sensitive hearing and her shrieking was grating. Lucky for her I didn’t act on my instincts. I simply picked myself up and sat back on the chair.

  “Touch and scent are comforting between shifters,” I bit out through clenched teeth. “Especially wolves.” I massaged my temple. Not enough sleep and too much stress was giving me a headache. “I was trying to be nice.” Last goddamn time too.

  She studied me for a few seconds, before tears pricked her eyes again. “I’m so sorry, you must think I’m a mess.” I kind of did, but knew better than to say anything. “I just have no idea of this world. I’m not sure I’m cut out for this life.” She slouched next to me, closer than last time.

  Her reaction was the reason we didn’t interact with humans. They couldn’t handle the supernatural, they needed their world ordered, and we went against their laws of nature.

  She was still talking. I forced myself to pay attention to her.

  “So … you never leave this town?”

  My head tilted to the side as I examined her. “Some do, the hunters who search for the criminals, others who take jobs in different communities, but most of us never leave.” I shrugged. “It’s not that bad. We have about four hundred hectares of forest that we use to run in and hide the–” I broke off. Was she supposed to know about the prison?

  “Vanguard … the supernatural prison.” She nodded her head, as if pleased she finally knew something. “Mom hinted it was something about this jail that forced her to flee with me when we were babies.”

  I got a strange punch-in-the-chest feeling whenever she mentioned our mother. I was so not ready to explore that emotion. I changed the subject. “What are humans like?”

  I was curious. We had human studies twice a week, and I watched television. On paper I knew all about them, but had never met one. It struck me that despite her naivety to the supernatural world, she would be a hell of a lot more knowledgeable about the rest of America. She
’d been out, traveling around, going to normal school. Sometimes I longed to spread my wings and fly – I know, weird analogy for a wolf shifter. Stratford for all its wonder was still a cage.

  She scrunched her forehead like I’d asked the stupidest question ever, although the tears had at least stopped. “Well, humans are just … normal.”

  I sighed, and was proud of the fact I didn’t growl at her. If my question was stupid, her answer was even more so. Apparently she wasn’t finished though.

  “There are so many different types, funny, petty, cruel, evil, sweet, and honorable. I’ve never had many friends – we moved around a lot – but there are great people in the human world. I’ve loved, lost, had fights and more fun than I’d ever dreamed I could.” She was studying her hands again. “And through all of my experiences, I still always felt different, living on the outside a little.” She met my gaze. “Guess I finally know why.”

  Humans sounded like supernaturals, just with shorter, more fragile lives. We had plenty of drama here also, but maybe not on such a grand scale. We were more patient. Say if we wanted to exact revenge, well, sometimes that could take ten years to play itself out. We had a lot longer to think it through.

  “Can you tell me about your world?” she asked, as she studied her fingers. It looked as if she didn’t care, but I knew better. I could see the slight tremble of her hands.

  As if they’d been timing their entrance, the front door slammed open.

  Maximus’ voice led the way. “Jessa, you okay?” There was a dark warning in his tone.

  The four of them prowled their way into the living room. Judging from their expressions, they’d come in here expecting the worst. I guessed they’d heard voices and wondered who else was in their home. The room seemed smaller as they moved into a semi-circle around my back, towering over me and Mischa. She looked a combination of freaked out and awed as she shrank back, her gaze drifting between their four faces.

  “Guys, meet Mischa, my sister.” Yeah, I was acknowledging the relationship. Seemed stupid not to. As far as I knew she was just as much a victim of our parents as I was.