Buttercup (Spell Library #10) - Helen Scott Page 0,31

here. I just didn't like it.

When I tried to turn back it was like there was a fight raging inside me, sphinx vs. man. I knew who would win eventually, and it wasn't the man. With a sigh, I took a step toward the prison and the tension in me eased. It only took a few minutes for me to get to the prison, get inside, and head down to my sister's cell. Was it technically against the rules? Yes. Did I care? No. Well, okay, slightly, but talking to Shani was more important.

I stepped up to the small barred window in the steel door. She was curled up on her bed, the orange jumpsuit sleeves tied around her waist with just a sports bra on top. My sister had never cared what people thought of how she dressed, and it seemed that was still true, even in prison. Sure, I'd seen her before, but it was always from far away when she was being transported here or there or allowed out of her cell for an hour. I'd never approached her, never talked to her. I mean, what was there to say? You're messed up in the head. You killed innocent people, innocent vampires. Our parents would be rolling in their graves at the thought of what you've done. Or that I was sorry I was the one who called it in, that I was the one who had her sent to prison.

"Brother, you shouldn't be down here, not if you want to keep your job," my sister said, her voice sounding hollow as it traveled through the thick metal door to where I stood on the other side.

She wouldn't hurt me, I knew that. It was the one line she would never cross. Being this deep in the prison hurt though. Without the protection of my uniform I could feel every spell the prison had laced through the walls, bars, ceilings, and floors. There were a lot of them, especially here in the maximum security area. I could hear the strain in her voice like someone who was beyond tired, someone who was exhausted from constantly fighting.

"I wanted to see you." I paused, and we both knew there was more, so she waited, and I eventually added. "I found my mate."

Shani was up and at the bars so quickly it surprised me, and it was only at the last moment that I stopped myself from taking a step back. Her once bright eyes were dull, the spirit fading from them. Her hair had lost that sheen it always had that I knew from previous coworkers made them jealous, and her skin was pale verging on pasty. She was a shadow of the sister I'd known.

"You did? Please tell me it's another sphinx," she breathed.

It was like a punch to the gut. Of course, that was the first thing she was concerned with. Not whether or not I was happy, but if I could help save our species. I shook my head. "She's part siren," I replied leaving out the succubus part. Shani had issues with vampires because they killed our parents, I understood that, but I couldn't help but be wary of announcing that my mate was half demon.

"A half-breed?" Shani sounded disgusted as she pushed away from the door.

"I wanted you to be happy for me. I've found my mate, it's what we both dreamed of as we were growing up."

"Yeah, but I figured our mates would be sphinxes! I'm glad you're content to let our species wither and die, but I wouldn't be. Not that I'll ever get the chance now I'm locked in here." She threw her hands out gesturing to the walls surrounding her. She could almost touch the two walls opposite each other at the same time. The space was small, and combined with the spells, I was sure her sphinx was dying inside her. It made my heart break. My own sphinx cried out inside me for the loss of his sister.

"You did that to yourself," I said.

"No, you did that to me. You could have helped me, brother. Instead you betrayed your only family. Maybe this mate of yours should hear from someone that you're not to be trusted, that you'll betray her at the first chance you get." Shani was yelling by the end, and each word was a lash across my heart, one I deserved.

"I won't betray her. She's not a murderer."

"And what if one day she hurts someone?"

I