I was also, a bit fucking annoyed because sometimes he got to kills before I did. My future victims dead by killing themselves long before I arrived at their cell. I couldn’t blame him completely, he just showed his brand of obsession a bit different than myself. I wasn’t positive he even knew he was doing it fully because half the time he seemed in his own world. Did he realize he was killing for her? I had to imagine he did since his entire room was filled with sketches of fire and her. Abstract no doubt but very much her.
I have to admit, I had grown used to the kid despite only knowing him for half a year. I mean, I would still kill him if he fucked up but he didn’t annoy me like most people did. Well, except when he stole my kill from me.
The little seductress in front of me froze as the new batch of prisoners began to enter. Her eyes narrowed on them and I would have let loose my own growl at all the men looking at her, but it would be useless. There were three women in this goddamn place and she was friends with the other two, both of them absolute loonies.
Rebel, if I remembered her name correctly, was talking to herself while June picked at her fingernails murmuring a song. It shouldn’t fool anyone though because I had seen the pixie bite someone’s finger off and the fairy use a fork to stab a man’s eye. I wasn’t positive what they were in for but it wasn’t because of some stupid bullshit like Valentina. In a way, I was glad they were friends with her because their loyalty was unbendable. I could appreciate that.
“Have you eaten yet?” I asked her quietly as her narrowed eyes looked down at me and softened just a tiny bit. Enough to know she appreciated that I’d asked.
“I haven’t,” She stretched and I didn’t bother to hide my appraisal of her silky skin. My hands twitched to touch her and as if she knew what I wanted her arms went out to brace my shoulders as she slid off the table. My hands tightened on her waist as I breathed in her spring floral, nearly clover, scent that surrounded me.
Once she was standing, I pulled my hands back afraid I would never let go or worse I would kiss her. She spoke to the four of us, “Anyone want to join me?” I could see a small heat and amusement in her eyes, making Milo groan because it wasn’t unusual what happened on days where there were new prisoners.
Without actually waiting, she slid past both me and Milo and I turned to watch her fine ass walk towards the line and cut in front. I could hear men making comments and yelling at her but she just continued her path, a spark lighting in her eyes as the rest of the room, those who knew her, went silent. As she stepped in front of the first new inmate, everyone winced, excluding the four of us, as he put a large meaty paw on her tiny shoulders and attempted to yank her back. Valentina barely moved and instead, she turned and stepped up to look into his face.
Quiet words were exchanged and the man’s face turned redder. Finally, he grabbed her arm, shaking her, and calling her a ‘bitch’ making me see red. Yet, with all the calm in the world, Valentina’s power shimmered over her skin in a black and red wave before the man screamed out, his hand turning into cracked ash all the way up to his elbow before falling to the ground. After a moment and flicking ash from her shoulder, she smirked and turned back around, going back to gathering her breakfast.
Despite killing for her, I would never suggest the woman wasn’t capable of handling herself. She was terrifying and it made me want to fuck her senseless. She could kill me and I would find a way to come back from the dead just to breathe the same air as her. Shit. Honestly, the idea of her putting in the effort to kill me was attractive. Healthy. I know.
The room grew quiet as everyone avoided her eye contact. Sitting her cute ass on my lap, I wrapped my arms around her and Milo offered her an amused headshake.
“Today is going to be a good day,” She noted with a grin.
I hoped it would be, my victim this morning hadn’t screamed or bled as much as I would have liked.
Chapter 1
Valentina
Wicked Blaze Correctional was unlike any institution I’d had the displeasure of attending. There were an array of factors that made it so unique and I could admit, fairly, that some were to the benefit of those that were stuck here.
First, despite the horrible treatment and lack of rules, every inmate had their own private cell. They didn’t have locks on them which was a fucking problem, but when the door was closed it gave you some level of privacy. Sort of.
Each cell was maybe the size of an office, with three walls, one of them being the one with a massive metal door. In the corner there was a shower, with a drain and slanted floor so your room didn’t flood. A toilet, a sink, and a small twin bed decorated the space on the other side. I suppose it was pretty comfortable. Mine specifically had a small table and a chair that I had taken from the small reading library they have and never fucking use. What? They had a shit ton of furniture and literally no one was ever down there.
Of course all of this was no doubt an attempt to make up for the fucking fourth wall. My eyes flickered to the metal grates, long tall bars, that showed off the dark frozen landscape of realm we inhabited. You would think having such an easy escape would be dumb as fuck, right? I could easily fit through them. I wasn’t particularly small, maybe around 5’6 and had a pretty great ass, if I was going to not be humble. Which I wasn’t. I didn’t have a humble fucking bone in my body. I was lucky I had been able to maintain my figure despite the horrible food here. But anyway, the bars had enough space I could fit through them. Dumb, right? It wasn’t. Not only was it a 50 story drop, possibly more, but there was something far darker out there that no one wanted to risk getting caught up in.
Magic eaters.
Possibly the only thing I would admit to being afraid of. They floated past, their crimson forms like eerie ghostlike figures, with elongated faces and open mouths. The things of nightmares. I inhaled, shaking slightly knowing that they didn’t need a fucking excuse to slip past those bars and drain the magic from me. Slowly and painfully. Maybe that was why the rest of this horrific place seemed so unintimidating. Technically, they weren’t killing you, just removing your magic… but if you are made of magic like shifters or fae, then what is really left when they are done? I leaned back against the stone wall and wished that the night curfew hadn’t come so fast. It wasn’t like today had been an especially amazing day but it was easy to be strong when I was around Milo, Dimitri, and even my two friends. When I was alone though? It was harder. It was easier to overthink about my future or lack thereof.
Despite the pale stone grey skies and freezing temperatures, I still enjoyed being outside more than being here, if I was being honest. The realm spoke to me and as a druid I had to listen, it was nearly a compulsion. I could practically feel the pain that radiated through the very ground underneath my feet in the prison yard. It was being strangled by this place. I didn’t know how, but it made me furious and the compulsion to destroy this place was intense and nearly all-consuming at times.
Before settling on the East coast, in Earth realm’s United States of America, I traveled with my grandparents. Both my sister and I had never known our parents and had been raised by our grandparents instead. There was no mention of my parents and we never asked, assuming that there was an ugly story behind the sad look both of them often had when someone asked where my mom or dad was. I absolutely loved my grandparents and when they had passed I’d been heartbroken.