Darkblood Prison - G.K. DeRosa Page 0,11

followed by the click of a lock. Opening the door, he motioned for me to enter first.

I held my breath as I crossed the threshold into a small reception area with generic beige walls and a few framed landscapes. A woman stood up from the mahogany desk in the corner and approached us with a tight smile, her severe bun angling her cat eyes.

“Agent one thirty-eight, nice to see you again.”

I nearly choked on my spit. I’d forgotten Talon’s secret agent number was the same as the numerals assigned to me at Darkblood. Coincidence or fate?

“You too, Ymelia.”

The middle-aged assistant’s eyes gave me a quick once over before her lips pressed into a thin line like she’d smelled something foul. “Director Maxim is waiting for you; you can go on in.” She motioned to the door adjacent to her desk, and Talon strode forward.

I trailed a few steps behind him, not overly eager to meet this Maxim guy.

Talon held the door open as I trudged into the director’s office. A blast of chilly air shot over my body as I entered, and I thanked my lucky stars I’d kept the long-sleeve shirt on.

Brilliant citrine eyes glanced up, fixing on mine the second we approached. A low growl cut through the silence, and the director slammed closed the book splayed across his expansive desk. Beads of sweat snaked down my back as those penetrating irises drilled into me.

I had to suppress the urge to squirm.

“Thanks for meeting with us today, Maxim.” Talon nodded at the hulking tiger shifter behind the desk.

“Only for you, Talon.” He gave me a once over again, his nostrils flaring, and then his lips twisted into a scowl. “I don’t sense any magic on her.”

My dragon bodyguard cleared his throat. “As I mentioned during our conversation, we’re working on accessing it as we speak. The little that I’ve seen is beyond impressive. She’d give Ella a run for her money.”

Ella? My ears perked up.

Maxim’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Interesting.” The director drummed his big fingers on the desk, his scrutinizing gaze still following my every move. I’d barely been able to breathe since we’d walked in. And I’d thought Talon was intimidating. This guy would make Delacroix weak in the knees. “What you’re asking is highly unorthodox. We haven’t resorted to recruiting prisoners in years, not since”—his eyes flicked to Talon then dropped to his desk before refocusing back on me—“it’s been a while.”

“I know, and I wouldn’t recommend it if I didn’t truly believe Azara was worth it.”

My heart flip-flopped at his unexpected words.

“Besides being powerful, she could be our way in to finally dismantling Delacroix’s hold at Darkblood Prison. He seems to be working with Thax, and if we can eliminate the warlord’s assistance from the outside, the hellus demon would be ousted as reigning mob boss.”

“What does she have to do with it?” Again, that laser sharp gaze bored into me, evacuating all the air from my lungs.

“The Gargoyle Guardian Council is working on the connection, and the guys and I are assisting where we can from the inside.”

“Good.” He pointed his thick finger at Talon. “Maintaining your cover is of the utmost importance. Don’t you forget that. We’ve come too far to start over now.”

“Yes, sir.” Talon folded his arms across his chest, and I had to suppress the urge to lean into him. My legs felt like jelly after the dragon flight, and this guy hadn’t even offered us a seat.

“You mentioned you believed Azara was innocent of the crimes charged against her?”

Talon nodded, his eyes glued to the floor.

He really thinks I’m innocent? That was news.

“Very well, Talon. I’ll take your word on it and hope your gut is correct. One more thing before we submit Azara through the preliminary interview.”

Interview? I gulped, and my fingernails dug into my palms.

“What’s that?”

“I heard about Vander, of course.”

Talon tensed beside me. The tendon in his jaw locked, and every muscle in his body tightened. Not only could I feel it, but I could actually see the strain in his neck and shoulders. “Yes, great news,” he mumbled.

He leaned against the desk and steepled his fingers, sitting forward. “I know how close you two are, and I can only imagine your desire to see him back home safe. However, I trust you will follow the appropriate protocols and not jeopardize everything we’ve worked for in one rash moment.”

“Of course not, sir,” he gritted out.

“Good.” Maxim straightened and pivoted his dark gaze to me. “Now, little