A dark blur barreled by me with such force, it knocked me on my butt. I hit the cement floor with a smack and my towel came loose. As I scrambled to wrap it around my chest, the bathroom door jerked open and a pissed-off dragon lurched toward me.
“Azara, are you okay?” Silver irises bored into mine before dipping to my chest.
I hiked the towel up and tucked it under my armpits as heat spread over my cheeks. “Yeah, I’m fine. Someone just ran out of the bathroom.”
“I saw. Or rather, I didn’t.” He ticked his thumb toward the doorway. “Vander went after her but whoever it was, was fast—supernaturally fast.”
“Which should be impossible since everyone’s wearing these bad boys.” I lifted my wrist, showcasing my pretty metal bangle.
“Right.” He offered his hand and pulled me up. Deep lines furrowed his brow, and the tendon in his jaw fluttered like a mad hornet.
“You think it had something to do with Thax?”
Molten steel surged through his irises, nearly blotting out his pupils. “I don’t know. But I will find out.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Thank the gods.” I pressed the small vial to my lips and guzzled it down. Fiona’s replacement potion helped a little, but Logan had assured me my grandfather’s tonic would be much more potent.
GG eyed me as I placed the empty container on the warden’s desk. Logan had given us free rein over his office. Either he was starting to trust me, or my grandfather really was as badass as I’d heard.
“The effects aren’t immediate, but with each dose, the magic should begin to counteract the poison Thax has been feeding you for the past three months.”
A flicker of hope swirled through my chest, and my pulse picked up. I wanted to remember more than anything. Having stories recounted wasn’t the same. They were just stories, not my life. I didn’t think I could stand hearing the guys chuckle about one more funny anecdote of when I first arrived at Darkblood.
“Azara?” My grandfather’s voice pulled me from my dark musings.
“Hmm?”
“Are you all right?” He stepped closer and placed his hands on my shoulders.
“I will be once my memories are back.”
His eyes narrowed, and his lips tightened into a frown. “Remember that not all lost memories are good ones. I know how upset you were when you lost control at the Fae club which landed you here in the first place. What you learn about your time with Thax may not be pleasant.”
But it was fun. The thought flew across my mind, and my she-demon chuckled. A pit the size of The Hole sank to the bottom of my gut.
“Keep her in check,” my grandfather warned. “I am all for you getting in touch with your inner demon, but I know you.” His index finger hovered over the left side of my chest. “You have a heart exactly like your mother’s and despite succumbing to your urges being perfectly normal, it will haunt you in the long run.”
I nodded slowly. I wasn’t sure how, but I knew he was right.
He pinched my cheek and despite the irritating gesture, my heart doubled in size.
“Thanks for getting this potion to me so quickly, GG.” The nickname felt odd yet familiar on my lips.
“The sooner we have you back to normal the better. I’m not sure how much longer I can keep the truth from your parents.” His expression softened, the hard lines ingrained in his face relaxing. “They love you more than anything, Azara. I never should’ve let you continue with this farce. If they knew about any of this, they would’ve roasted my hide and served me to the gria demons.”
“I miss them.” The words popped out of my mouth without thinking. How could I miss someone I didn’t even know?
He pulled me into a hug, and his familiar charred scent filled my nostrils. Unexpected emotion clogged my throat, and I swallowed down the hard lump. “They miss you too, princess.” He released me and held me out to arm’s length. “You be strong; this will all be over soon. And if there’s anything else I can do for you, let me know. I have no problem making a little visit to the dark lord of the Underworld. Your dragon friend isn’t the only one who can protect you.”
My brows slammed together. “Talon?”
“Yes, the one who looks at you like a lost puppy dog.”
A rueful chuckle slipped through my lips. “I think you’ve got that wrong, GG. He seems to want nothing to do with me.”
My grandfather shook his head and waved a nonchalant hand. “Give the man time, Azara. Dragons are notoriously prideful creatures.” He dipped his head and pressed his lips to my forehead. “You’re too good for him anyway.”
“Thanks, GG.”
“Now, I’m sorry, but I must run. Don’t forget to take the potion twice a day every day until it stops refilling itself. When the magic has run its course, you’ll know.”
A dark cloud of smoke curled around his legs as soon as the last word was out. It climbed up his body until he was enveloped in darkness. “Goodbye, my princess.” His words lingered in the air long after he’d disappeared, filling the emptiness inside me.
I sank into the warden’s couch, stroking the supple leather as hot tears welled in my eyes. I had to pull myself together before returning to my cell. The last thing I needed was the other inmates thinking I was weak.
Sweeping the tears away, I grabbed the vial from Logan’s desk and tucked it into my jumpsuit. It should refill itself by tonight when it was time for my next dose. I wished I could fast forward time and have my memories back already.
I trudged to the door, yanked it open and ran into a wall. Of flesh.
“Steady there.” Talon’s hands hooked around my waist as I teetered back. The heat from his fingers seeped through the stiff material of my jumpsuit and sent my heart into overdrive.
I glanced up to meet twin pools of molten silver. Our eyes locked, and everything else around us stood still. His mesmerizing irises captured me, nearly swallowing me whole. I suddenly knew what my prey felt like. An impossibly long minute later, Talon lowered his gaze, releasing his hold over me.
I slumped back and gripped the doorframe. “Why do you make me feel like that?”
Talon’s eyes widened. “Like what?” His rough voice sparked a swirl of heat in my gut.
“Like you’re the only thing that matters.”
Silver flames lit up his irises, and his lips curved into a rueful grin. “Because maybe at some point I was.”
“But not anymore?”
“I don’t know yet.” He turned on his heel, but my hand shot out without my approval.
My fingers wrapped around his thick bicep, barely encircling half of it. “Please, stay.”
He spun around so fast he was nothing but a dark blur. His lips brushed mine so quickly I was sure I’d imagined it.
And then he was gone.
Talon’s warm lips ghosted over mine as I tossed and turned on the hard mattress. I’d returned to our cell, but the mysterious dragon had vanished. In fact, both of my cellies were surprisingly missing.
Since my return, I hadn’t been left alone once or at least not that I knew of. The murmur of approaching voices stopped my fidgeting, and I pulled the crappy blanket over my head. Our cell door whooshed open, and I held my breath.