Darkblood Prison - G.K. DeRosa Page 0,73

up for me, I probably deserved.

I was the biggest monster in here.

A stabbing pain lanced into my side, and I gasped. Mother effer! Clutching my lower abdomen, I rolled over on the bed as sweltering heat torched my middle. I peeked out from under the covers and scanned the room. The guys weren’t back yet. I gritted through the pain, sucking in ragged breaths. Then as quickly as it had come on, the phantom pang disappeared. I lifted my tank top and gently ran my fingers over my ribcage. Nothing. Not a mark on me.

What the blazes?

I settled back under the covers and closed my eyes. Great, now I’m hallucinating. I must have fallen back asleep because an irritating voice woke me from a restless slumber.

“Azara, you can’t hide out under the covers forever.” Flix tugged at the blanket over my head, but I clutched onto it for dear life. “Is this just because Delacroix is out of the Hole?”

Oh great, as if things weren’t bad enough now the psycho demon was free. “No,” I muttered. I couldn’t exactly tell my pixie friend that I’d killed Talon’s SIA best friend without compromising the dragon’s identity.

“Then what’s got you in such a slump?”

I was so depressed I couldn’t even think of a good lie. I hadn’t said a word to Talon since the night before, and he hadn’t even spared a glance in my direction. I’d skipped breakfast and lunch, and now my insides were eating themselves. My belly rumbled as if echoing my thoughts, and Flix chuckled.

“Now I know something’s wrong if you haven’t eaten. Do you want me to get you something from the Supe Mart? You can owe me for next time.”

My stomach perked up and I almost said yes, but then guilt slammed into me sucking the hunger away and replacing it with a giant knot. “Nah, I’m not hungry.”

The uneasiness swirling through my middle reminded me of the crazy ghost pains I’d felt earlier. Or had that all been a bad dream?

Flix huffed and sank into the mattress beside me. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong, or do I have to drag it out of you?” When I didn’t respond, he continued. “Does this have something to do with the fact that your dragon shadow is nowhere to be found?”

My gut clenched and a throng of killer bees took flight, battering my insides. I wished Talon had never given me his blood and had just let me die. Not only did I have to deal with my own lusty emotions, I now could feel his—the fury, pain, confusion. It was too much.

“I don’t know where he is.” And I don’t care. Liar, the little voice in my head whispered.

“That’s not what I asked, kid. I was inquiring if he was the cause of your foul mood and my guess is a big fat yes.” He smirked, and I wanted to wipe the smug smile off his cute little pixie face.

“It doesn’t matter anyway.”

“Then get up. Let’s go to Sandrene’s and get something yummy.” He tugged on my hand, but my fingers slipped right through his.

I couldn’t shake this gnawing ache in my gut, and I wasn’t sure it was only hunger. “I can’t. Even if I wanted to. You know I can’t go anywhere without Talon or one of the other guys.”

“Ugh, what a curse. To have three hot guys following you around like puppy dogs at all times.” He winked and shot up to his feet. “One day you’ll have to tell me how you scored that sweet gig.”

“I already told you, Logan is an old family friend.”

“Ummhmm.”

I had to get Flix off this topic ASAP. As much as I hated lying to my one friend at Darkblood, I couldn’t let word get out about who I was. My parents had given up their lives in Azar to protect me.

Thundering footfalls jerked my head through the glass walls to the hallway.

“What the hades?” Flix darted to the door just as it slid open.

My heart plummeted to my toes when Hayden and Dallas crossed the threshold with a bloody Talon slung between them. “Oh my gods! What happened?” I jumped up so the guys could drop the barely conscious dragon on my bed.

Hayden gently lay Talon on the mattress, the crappy springs squeaking at his substantial weight. The guys removed his shirt and revealed his shredded torso. A sharp gasp escaped through my clenched teeth. Dallas hovered near the bed, his usually playful eyes