Dragon Marked_ Supernatural Prison #1(65)

Mischa nodded, scooting closer to me. “Yes, we’ll face the punishment.”

Power was scooting through the forest now. I could feel the five races mingling, which was the mark of the leaders. The group stepped into view. There was at least ten of them now, with the council and the guards who had detained us. The Compasses moved in front of us, leaving only small gaps between each of them, effectively blocking us from the group.

“How did you all know we were back so fast?” I asked their broad backs.

Maximus swung his head and found my gaze. “Ty had an alert set up for you.”

“The council did the same, but mine’s bigger … I mean faster.” Tyson definitely had a grin on his face, I could hear it in his voice. Cocky mage.

“Why did you come in dragon mode?” I asked Braxton’s broad, bare back. “And what was with the flame?”

He didn’t answer me, his gaze firmly locked on the council. I peered around his side and was relieved to see Jonathon front and center, Lienda at his side.

Tyson distracted me. “Braxton’s been in his flaming dragon form since the doorway shut without you and Mischa.”

The last part was muttered, his voice low and strained. I had caused them a lot of stress with my little stunt. No doubts they’d try to exact some form of punishment at a later date.

Kristoff edged his way forward to speak. “Jessa and Mischa of the Lebron wolf shifters.”

My mom and my twin had dropped Jackson and went by Lebron now. They were officially part of the family.

“You are charged with infiltrating Vanguard, the American supernatural prison. You will be escorted to the prison now and there will be a trial in seven days.”

I stepped forward, nudging my way through the Compasses. Braxton reached out and captured my arm, preventing me moving further forward than that. Actually, he was trying to shift me behind his back, but I wasn’t budging.

“Mischa only came in to stop me,” I said. No reason we both had to go down. “She is innocent of this charge.”

“Jessa!” my father’s bellow was loud and filled with power. “Do not say one more thing.”

I shut my mouth because I knew when he meant business.

Jonathon faced his fellow council members. “Lienda and I need a minute with our daughters before anything is decided. You’ve outvoted me on their imprisonment, but I would like to ask a few questions before they’re taken.”

No one but Kristoff objected to this, so our parents crossed the space between us. When he reached my side Jonathon enclosed me in a hug. We stepped back behind the Compass line of men. He then pulled Lienda and Mischa in with his other arm. We were a Lebron puppy pile.

“What happened?” Jonathon’s voice was so low I could barely hear him.

I swallowed my angry tears. “There’s a secret room in Vanguard filled with … babies … kids, every age and race. It was disgusting.” I spat the last part. “We were going back in to save them.”

“Are they dragon marked?” he asked, close to my face.

I shook out my hair. “I don’t know, I didn’t see any marks, but we were only in there for a moment.”

Lienda had her face clenched so hard, her nails were cutting into her cheeks. “We can’t let them go into the prison, Jon. They will be targeted.”

Mischa paled. “Kristoff said the same thing … why are we going to be targeted?”

Our parents seemed to be doing some loud, rapid breathing exercise, so I answered for her. “Dad was the wolf-pack alpha long before he became council leader. He’s been instrumental in imprisoning a lot of criminals that are in Vanguard. It won’t take long before the shifters scent us and know we are Lebrons. Then they’re going to find us and exact their revenge.”

I’d already resigned myself to this fate, but poor Mischa looked as if I’d punched her in the face.

“We’re dead,” she murmured.

“I won’t let that happen,” Jonathon said. “I have some pull with the guards, I’ll make sure they look after you.”

We all knew they couldn’t stay on our asses all day and night. Eventually they’d have to step away, or lose concentration for a few minutes, and that’s when we’d be hit. We might only be in there for seven days – I had no doubts they’d make the charges disappear at the trial – but seven full days could be an awful long time.

Braxton got right into my personal space then. “I won’t let this happen. I will be dead and buried before you end up in that prison.”

I reached out and rested my head against his right biceps. I could feel the strength beneath my cheek, and the vibration of his anger as it trilled through him.