Dragon Marked_ Supernatural Prison #1(23)

Boys are mean.

I reluctantly parted with his coffee and was rewarded with heaven in a glass.

“Forget sex, I’ll just have hot chocolate,” I moaned again.

“Keep eating chocolate like that and sex will be the last thing anyone wants from you, fatty.”

Giselda Krass, BEF, strolled past my table. She was tall and that anorexic-looking skinny, which I found unnatural and repulsive. With her long red hair and deathly pale skin, I had a sneaky suspicion that she was one of the dangerous magic users, those who dabbled in the darker side.

She was sneering so prominently I couldn’t help but laugh loudly. “I know you’re confused, Krass, considering you weigh about the same as an eight year old with the curves to match, but I have hips and boobs.” I tapped my chin. “Who knows, it might happen for you one day too.”

With a huff and glare, she stormed past with the rest of her witchy coven of evil cows.

Tyson clenched his jaw. “Giselda’s friggin’ creepy. And she stinks of death.”

I tightened my fist around my fork. “If she starts talking about animal sacrifices again, I’m going to kill her.” Shifters didn’t take too kindly to the disrespect of any species. We shared a soul with our animals and rejoiced in their intelligence and beauty.

The three of us were quiet as we finished our breakfast. The boys let me pick bits and pieces off their plates. They knew it was easier than fighting with me. In the end they’d finish my leftovers. If there were any.

I glanced up from my tub of yogurt as the chair across from me scraped. Maximus stood there with a pale-faced Mischa beside him.

“Look who I found,” he said, before pulling out a chair for her.

She set her tray down. My eyes widened as I took in the dismal selection. There were only like … five things on her plate, and one was granola.

“Where’s the rest of your food?” I asked.

She shrugged as she sat. “I don’t eat much for breakfast.”

I’m sorry, what? Who was this crazy lady? Breakfast was the most important meal of the day, closely followed by lunch and dinner and three or four snacks in between.

Tyson’s dimples appeared as he smiled. “Are you sure they’re sisters?”

I ignored him. “Where’s Jake?” I asked Maximus.

I was a little worried about him. He was taking the fey death very personally. I didn’t want him going off half-cocked trying to find the killer.

“He’s over at the council table,” Maximus said. “Trying to get some more information out of them.”

That reminded me. “We need to have a chat with a troll today too.”

Mischa’s green eyes widened as she glanced around the room. My words seemed to have reminded her of Stratford’s various inhabitants. Many of whom did not appear even close to human. Because they weren’t. Today was her first full day in the community. It must have been a little overwhelming.

I closed my eyes then as a sweep of power washed over me. My father had arrived and he wasn’t alone. Rumbles were trying to burst from my chest, but I forced myself to stay calm. After a few rounds of counting to ten I could even open my eyes and pretend the new arrivals weren’t there. From the corner of my vision I was locked in on everything that was happening. I wrinkled my nose when Lienda took the seat next to Mischa, laying her delicate fingers onto my sister’s shoulder. Jonathon took the chair beside her. They were both nursing coffee, but I’m guessing they would’ve had breakfast hours ago.

Lienda swept her gaze around the table. “I’m very happy to see you all eating together,” she said. “I appreciate you helping Mischa adjust to her new life.” Not that I was looking at her, but it was hard not to notice that the woman had really weird eyes, like they couldn’t make up their mind. One minute they looked blue, the next green.

Her long blond hair was stylishly cut, in layers with a sweeping side fringe. She looked young, early twenties, but we all did until we reached at least a hundred years of age, and then we looked about thirty in human years. It was a slow aging process. I wanted to stare at Lienda, examine every tiny detail of the mother I’d never known. I forced myself to stare at my hands instead.

No one at the table said anything. The Compasses were not giving her particularly friendly glances.

“I know this is difficult, Jessa.” Jonathon’s voice was even, but there was something under the calm tone. I scented the air. It was very subtle; he was nervous. “But you need to hear the entire story before you judge either of our actions. Lienda and I made the decision together, there were no other options.”