My eyes drifted across to where Braxton was against the wall, Tyson slouched next to him. Blood rushed to my face as mental images of yesterday afternoon flashed across my mind.
After leaving the training building, Braxton and I had decided to take a run through the forest. He had a lot of energy to work off. We’d stayed in human form, holding hands, enjoying the closeness. In the center of the forest area we’d run across a massive waterfall which descended down to a lake. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Right up until Braxton stripped off his clothes and dived into the water.
After many moments of staring and drooling, I’d eventually gotten naked and joined. Which of course, quickly turned to touching, heating the lake to hot tub temperatures. Two hours later I’d been satisfied, and wrinkly. Braxton was skilled in many ways. I wanted to ask him where he learned his art, but I was afraid I’d hunt the bitch down and kill her. I’d thank her first of course, and then I’d have to rip her face off. It was just one of those things.
Especially if she taught him that thing he did with his tongue.
I had to squeeze my legs together even thinking back to the image of his dark hair parked firmly between my thighs and the way he–
“Are you blushing, Jessa babe?” asked Jacob. My thoughts came to a screeching halt. The fey had a knowing look on his face. He went back to humming under his breath. Smug bastard.
I punched him. “I’m not blushing, just suffocating. You’re all oversized.”
I was grateful when Louis’s voice filled the room. “Did you know Mischa’s new best friends, the twins, were born the same year at the Four?” He directed his words toward Jonathon.
My father’s expression was serious as he leaned forward in his chair. “So, if that set of quads and twins were born on the same year, and my twins and the Compasses were born the same year – there has to be a connection.”
Yep, all twelve of us were connected to the dragon king – on opposite sides of course, but connected nonetheless. It was too big a coincidence to ignore.
“Jess, we need you to try and keep things under control in Krakov,” Jonathon said. “Clearly the twins have some sort of special means of infiltrating the prisons. For all of the breakouts, there was not a single trace they were ever there.”
It was really annoying that we might be giving the fruit twins any advantage this close to the “rise of the king.” It worried me what this weapon was.
“What do you want me to do about Mischa? If things go to shit in there, I need a way to get both of us out.”
I was locked into this friggin’ scheme because of Mischa, but I wouldn’t leave her to the mercy of those bitches.
Jonathon sat up straighter, even though he was already as rigid as an army sergeant. “Braxton, Louis, and I will be there, inside the walls. I’ve set us up through the legitimate channels, arranging an official tour with the lead guard. This is common when a council leader arrives in another prison territory. We will get to you if you need us. The other Compasses will stay here in the sanctuary, to make sure everybody is safe should anything go wrong.”
Jacob’s voice was as hard as diamond. “We should be there. Jessa is our responsibility to keep safe.” Tyson joined him in protest.
Maximus nodded, a little less vocal. He had a mate to guard now, so I couldn’t be the vampire’s only priority.
“I’ll protect her,” Braxton said. “If too many of us show up, it will create suspicion.”
Maximus finally said: “If things go to shit – if Jessa is in trouble – do not hesitate to get us. I expect to be informed immediately.”
Louis and Braxton both nodded, and an exchange of hard glares seemed to seal this male bonding moment. I sat a little straighter … so we had a cover story, but how was I going to be able to SOS them if things went asshole up?
Which they were sure to.
Louis was standing in the doorway like the purple-eyed magic man he was. Somehow I just knew he was going to be the key to this being a success.
Sure enough, the grin which spread across his face was my first indication that he was about to reveal the brilliant plan. “I will place a spell on you, somewhere concealed. Touch it and speak the activation words, and we will come for you.”
Sometimes it was obvious how very lucky we were to have Louis on our side. For more than one reason it was a fortunate day when he decided that instead of killing me as a baby, he would big brother me.
“Is it a tracker?” I wanted to know the exact specifications of the spell he would place on me.
Louis nodded. “Yes, I’ll be able to track you, and once you activate the spell I can hear what is going on also. So try not to scream too loudly, I’m already going a little deaf in my old age.”
I had no idea how old Louis actually was. He looked late twenties, so a few hundred years at least. I wiggled my way out of the depths of the couch, past the long limbs pinning me down. Maximus reached out and cupped one of his hands under my butt and basically threw me across the room. I stumbled only once before regaining my footing. Lucky I had supernatural reflexes, or I’d probably be facedown with my teeth through my lip.
I arched my eyebrows at him. “Thank you for that, asshulk. Maybe next time a little less oomph.”
Laughter rang out from various places around the room.
Jacob was the loudest. “Asshulk…” He snorted. “She totally nailed you.”
Maximus’ long arm swung around and clipped the fey right up the side of the head, knocking him completely out of his chair. Which did nothing to halt his snorting chuckles – though they were a little quieter to avoid a second smack from the muscled vampire.