Darkblood Prison - G.K. DeRosa Page 0,5
“If your boyfriend ever lets you out of his sight, maybe we can hang out during Happy Hour.”
Boyfriend? I nearly choked on my spit.
Talon tensed beside me, and Hayden and Dallas broke into a chuckle on the opposite side of the table. Stupid supernatural hearing. I spun around and shot them the finger. “I thought you guys had enough to talk about on your own. Keep your nosey ears out of my conversations.”
“Sorry,” Valeria mouthed.
I shook my head, suppressing an eye roll. “Don’t worry about it. And yes, I’d love to hang out sometime.”
“Great, how about tomorrow?”
“She’ll get back to you.” Talon rose, and his thumb and index finger closed around my bicep. “Azara’s got a busy schedule.”
I tried to wiggle free from his hold, but like his temper it was unbending and merciless. “I guess I’ll be going now.” I waved at the two cute pixies as Talon practically dragged me through the mess hall.
As soon as the door to the cafeteria slammed shut, I whirled on him. “What the hell was that about? You already control every part of my life, why can’t I have one girl friend?”
“You can’t have any friends until I run a background check on them first. Are you still having memory problems, or do you have a death wish? It won’t take Thax long to discover we were in his castle, and when he does, it’ll be open season on Azara.”
I wrapped my arms around my middle and bit down on the flare of panic his words incited. I had to be strong if I wanted to survive this. Fake it till you make it, right?
He must have seen the flicker of fear I tried so desperately to hide because the harsh set of his jaw softened. “And anyway, you actually do have somewhere to be tomorrow.”
My brow arched. “I do?”
“You’re meeting with the SIA first thing in the morning.”
Chapter Three
“Thanks for coming so quick, GG.” I pulled my grandpa, who’d actually appeared in his true form, into a hug and nearly knocked down a tower of boxes. I had to remember to thank Flix for giving me the key to his secret office. It was the perfect place to meet with my warlock gramps without drawing too much attention.
Logan arranged the meeting and covered for me with my overprotective bodyguard and his brothers. This conversation had to be held in private.
Garrix eyed the storage room, and his mouth screwed into a pout. “I still cannot believe you choose to remain in this hovel.”
“I already told you, I need to figure this out. If I’d left when you wanted, I never would’ve discovered that I may not be responsible for ending all those lives.” I mean I was responsible, but maybe someone had made me do it. My money was on the demon at the bar—he probably spiked my drink which was why I’d lost control.
He clucked his teeth, and a rueful smile curled his lips. “Always the do-gooder, just like your mother.”
“I wouldn’t go that far, GG.”
He chuckled, and his hand reached out to pinch my cheek. Something he used to do all the time when I was a kid. I hated it. But today, it reminded me of home and much happier times. “All right, then little princess, why have I been summoned?”
“Well, since your ten-day deadline is quickly approaching and we still haven’t figured out the Thax and Delacroix situation, we’ve come up with an alternative plan instead of you spilling to Mom and Dad.”
He quirked a light brow, and his cerulean irises lit up. “I’m listening…”
“Talon thinks he can get me into the SIA. So instead of staying here for ten years, he’d work out a deal where I worked for them for a shorter time period and then I’d get released.”
“An agent for those stuffy bureaucrats? What would you have to do exactly?”
“Oh, you know, basic superhero stuff. Just like my parents.”
He rolled his eyes and grunted. “You see, I wasn’t wrong. Always a do-gooder.”
“GG, it’s a good deal. By working with the SIA, I can get the information we need about Thax so we can finally figure out what he wants with me.”
“It still sounds dangerous, Azara.”
“Better than staying here.”
“Touché.” He grimaced as he scanned the crowded room, cobwebs lining the dusty corners. “You’re sure this is what you want?”
I nodded.
“And this doesn’t have anything to do with that dragon you’re bonded to, does it?”
My eyes nearly popped out of my head. “What? How did you know?”
His