Dragon Marked_ Supernatural Prison #1(10)

Jonathon’s blue eyes softened. “We need to talk about Mischa. There are reasons we didn’t know of her.”

What? He hadn’t known of her either. Lienda was so going down when I got my hands on her. I had noticed my father’s words were deliberately mysterious. Which was annoying, but I understood. This wasn’t the best place to be airing dirty family laundry. Too many here who would use it against us.

“It’s best if you leave and calm down, but make sure you find me in the morning.” He held my gaze until I nodded, lowering my eyes just slightly.

“I love you, Jessa,” he said as he turned and stormed out the door in a wave of power.

He was probably going to find Mischa and make sure she was okay. Damn sister taking my father already. Sure, I’d pushed him away, but that wasn’t the point. I didn’t like to share.

Tears were still burning a trail all the way from my gut up through my throat, and were trying to force themselves free from my eyes. I refused to cry in front of the council members. Those bastards would destroy me if they scented weakness. I turned and followed my father’s path from the building. Stepping out into the cooling air I saw no sign of the alpha wolf. He’d disappeared fast, even for him. Many of the supernatural races were milling around the fountain. Curious faces turned in my direction, but none were game to ask anything of me. I moved through a group of tiny fluttering pixies, their firelight shining up and down the street.

Footsteps sounded first and then Braxton’s arm came around me, his scent enveloping me. “Come on, Jess, let’s go to our place.” And just like that, all of the curious faces were suddenly busy doing something else.

“Dammit, it’s not fair,” I growled. “Your dragon has them all cowering like rabbits.” One of the weaker shifter animals. “Why is it that no one shows my wolf her due respect?”

He laughed. “It might be a dog eat dog world, but ... a dragon eats everyone.”

He made a fair point, but still.

“You better have food,” I said as my stomach grumbled again.

The rest of the Compasses fell in beside us and we made our way through the streets of Stratford. There was no need to rush, besides my want for food; it wasn’t a very long walk to their house. The boys lived on their own near the edge of the forest line. Their parents loved them but had kicked them out not too long after they came into their race powers. They’d had a little trouble putting up with the long trail of women drifting in and out of their friendly sons’ rooms.

It was to be expected, supernaturals were hot-blooded, highly sexual beings. I had similar trouble with my father, who refused to realize his little girl was all grown up, but thankfully my sexual escapades were fewer than the boys’, and they usually took place outside of my family home. Whether supernatural or human, I got the feeling parents were always parents and they didn’t want to see their babies smacking nasties with someone.

With that in mind, I gave my usual warning. “If I’m staying over tonight, please, please try and keep your ladies out of my room.” I had, more than once, woken to their extras climbing into bed with me. Of course one swift wolf bite to the ass took care of the problem, but really … wrong on so many levels.

Maximus swung me onto his shoulders. “Tonight we’re all yours, Jessa babe.” The vampire was so tall I swear the air was thinner up there. He rounded out the last little section of free land and as he moved up onto the massive wraparound deck of their house, he dropped me to my feet.

“You better mean all mine in a completely non-sexual, unkinky way, Max.” I knew all about vamps and their freaky sex requests. “I have stamina but the four of you might possibly kill me.”

Tyson and Jacob started snorting out their laughter, and before I knew it a plethora of sharing suggestions were being tossed around.

“I’m going to miss you two,” I said. There would be bloodshed soon if they didn’t shut up.

Braxton moved then, and before I could blink had the two brothers locked in under his muscled arms. “You two have six seconds to stop talking or you’re going to stop breathing.”

Called it.

We walked across the front deck. Their house was a huge dwelling. The boys had built it together using blood, sweat and a bit of magic. I noticed that one of their black Range Rovers was parked out the front, probably still there from last week when Jacob had headed out of Stratford to help the other fey round up a few imps which had been causing trouble in New York City. Most families had cars but they were only used to leave town or if there was a call for a mass evacuation. Within Stratford, we walked everywhere.