here.”
Talon inched closer and lifted his nose in the air. He inhaled a deep breath, and a scowl twisted his mouth. “Ugh, of course.” He grunted. “You’re part human?”
I popped my hands on my hips and shot him a narrowed glare. “Yeah, so?”
“Do you know anything about Darkblood Prison?”
I slowly shook my head.
“Once you’re here, you’ve already lost any chance of a trial.”
Hayden nodded. “Yup, it’s kind of like that human game, Monopoly. You don’t pass Go, you don’t collect two hundred dollars. It’s just straight to jail…”
Hot tears pricked at the back of my eyes, but I blinked them away. There was no way I’d survive this if I cried my first day. I trudged back to my bed and sank into the mattress, the jagged springs digging into my butt.
“Call Actaeon,” Talon insisted. “She can’t stay in here with us. So help me, Skarson, I’ll rip her head off myself if you don’t.”
I slapped my hand over my mouth to keep the gasp from slipping out. How did I end up with this psycho? Glancing up at the C.O. for help, a chill settled through my bones. He was smiling.
“That’s what we were counting on, Talon.” He winked and strode off.
I almost jumped up to beg the guard to come back, but I planted my feet and forced myself to stay calm. There was no way he could actually kill me, right? And why would he want to anyway?
Talon stalked by and leapt up to the top bunk.
I’d like to say I didn’t flinch as he passed, but that would be a total lie. The guy was huge and scary AF. But for now, we were stuck together, and if I wanted to make it out of this big misunderstanding alive, I needed to keep my head down and lay low.
Hayden sauntered past me, turned around and pulled his pants down. A perfectly sculpted butt filled my vision. My jaw dropped.
It wasn’t until the trickle of water reached my eardrums that I unfroze and averted my gaze. Oh, my gods. He was peeing!
A few endless moments later, Hayden pulled his khaki pants up and strode to his bed. It was only then that my gaze settled on the metal urinal carved into the wall. I crossed my legs as dread bubbled up in my gut. How the hell was I supposed to pee?
“Next time a little warning would be nice,” I muttered.
Either he didn’t hear me, or he didn’t care. My bet was the latter. I lay back on the bed and propped my head on the lumpy pillow. Closing my eyes, I searched my mind once again for the series of events that had landed me here. Nothing. The last thing I remembered was dancing with those two Fae at the club. It was like a gigantic void had been left where my memories once were.
Blowing out a breath, I sat up once again and twisted a lock of dark hair around my fingers. How long had I been in here? Half a day? A whole day? I stood up and paced the length of the clear barrier. The hum of electricity whirred over the glass surface. That must have been what had zapped Talon earlier.
The cell across from ours was empty. Too bad. At least I’d have something to look at.
“Quit pacing,” Talon growled.
I glanced up and met fiery silver orbs. I chomped down on my lower lip to keep the nasty retort from slipping out. I’d never been very good at keeping my mouth shut, but maybe, just maybe, this was the time to start.
Or not.
“What the hell did I do to you?” I seared him with my own narrowed glare.
The big guy jumped off the top bunk, and the ground shook below my feet. Shitzu.
“T, chill. She’s just a girl.” Hayden slapped his arm across his friend’s broad chest and held him back.
“She’s not just anything, man.” Talon broke free of his hold and climbed up the ladder once again.
I settled back down on my bed and twiddled my thumbs. After an uncomfortably long silence, I resolved I needed to set things straight with my new roommates. They were both pretty big and scary, and the right kind of friends to have in a place like this. Steeling my nerves, I pushed myself off the mattress and crept toward the bunkbed. Talon lay face down, his mountainous frame dwarfing the small bed. Hayden lifted his gaze from the book he was reading as I