Caged by Her Dragons (The Inmate of the Dreki Dragons Book 1) Read online

  I glance in the guy’s direction, blush crawling up my face.

  The world falls out from under my feet, and Maddox dangles me on the crook of his elbow like a doll. He stomps his way through the room and then to another and another, not allowing me to look around. We reach a barred door leading into a dark hallway, but Maddox turns and pushes a door open with his shoulder. He kicks it closed and swings me up to slam my back into the wall of what looks like some sort of office.

  He huffs a few warm breaths in my face. “Never, and I mean never, use that name again. I’m CO to you, Nova.”

  His eyes burn with the orange glow, his glower smoldering over me. My name sounds so sexy coming from him that I can’t stop myself from sucking my lip between my teeth. It’ll either drive him crazy or piss him off. Either way, I hope I get to him. Fucker.

  “You mean Inmate D64901.” I know I should keep my mouth shut, but a part of me wants to test him and show him that I’ve dealt with a damn hot-headed man of a boss for a while. I put my life at risk every night since joining Galaxy Gold’s. There is no safety in a traveling stunt show like that. “CO.”

  Punching the wall near my shoulder, he sends flecks of stone to the floor with his strength. “Shut your fucking mouth and listen to me. You were damn lucky that wasn’t my cellblock, or your life sentence would’ve turned into the death sentence half the High Council thought you deserved.”

  I crack under his words, unable to stop my mouth from frowning. “You mean you, not the whatever council. You wanted me dead.”

  “What I want is answers,” he mutters, pulling away.

  The empty space he leaves in front of me grows cold, making me shiver. Something strange flickers in his hard gaze. Sorrow? Grief? I’m not sure. But it prods at me, drawing me from my place against the wall. Why in the world do I feel the need to comfort the asshole who spent all day screaming in my face? The douche who wouldn’t believe a word I said? The one responsible for me being here? Because for a split second, I understand. He lost someone close to him. Whatever evidence they found points to me. Would I believe me if our positions were changed? I don’t know.

  If only my movement didn’t destroy that soft flicker in his eyes that made him look like a lost man rather than the asshole who acts tough to fulfill whatever expectations he thinks he must meet. The absence of emotions and his sudden roughness, the way he grabs my arm and yanks me toward the door, screams at me that trying to get him to listen to me or believe anything I say is a lost cause. The only thing I can expect from this intimidating, hard-ass man is a whole lot of torment.

  Guiding me to the next door with the letter S engraved on a placard on the wall, Maddox nudges me through without following. “Go to the CO in the supervision office and get your assigned cell and provisions.”

  And like that, he slams the gate closed and disappears.

  I touch my hand to the barred door, nearly begging him to come back, but a shock crackles through me. I jump away and clutch my hands, the brand marks stinging worse than a baton smacking my ass.

  A soft whistle echoes through the air from behind me, and I stiffen at the sound of footsteps. It doesn’t take me more than a second to realize this place is nothing like home or any prison I’ve seen on TV. For one, it’s full of creatures I still can’t believe are real. And two, it’s co-ed. I’m not sure which one is worse. Considering I’m not a real criminal, and I’m attractive enough, number two might be far worse in this moment.

  A hand touches my shoulder, and I panic, my heart crashing against my ribcage. A thousand horrible thoughts flit through my mind. I prepare to fight.

  “Well, look at you, sweet thing. Fresh meat—”

  Spinning around, I perform a high kick, clocking an old man in the side of his head. He stumbles toward me, falling right into my bent knee. He howls in pain, landing on his side while clutching his junk.

  I’ve never been so thankful for the self-defense classes my aunt signed me up for at the local fight gym. My aunt said it was the least she could do to protect me from my mother’s mistakes. Mistakes I don’t want to think about. The instructor even gave me extra lessons because of my aunt. He used to always tease me about how my graceful alterations to the moves would leave any attacker in complete shock to take them down. I think he might’ve been right.

  “Mmm, I like them feisty,” someone comments, tightening a knot in my stomach.

  I tense and get my feet into their proper place to keep my balance. “And I like forcing assholes to their knees.”

  A few guys laugh and someone claps. I nearly take a bow before catching myself. This isn’t a damn performance. What is wrong with me? Apparently I still thrive on applause, no matter how low it comes.

  Silence draws through the cellblock, and I jerk my attention to the rest of the room for the first time. I brace myself to see a ton of hideous monsters, but everyone looks normal—at least as normal as one can look within the magical walls of this penitentiary. By the overgrowth of facial hair and some seriously other hairy extremities, I doubt they get razors here, and all these people are a bit beastly, not like the fae or vampires.

  Mostly men sit at the metal tables, consuming disgusting raw meat. All the women I can see sit together at one table in the back, eating with their hands, but none of them look up in my direction. Whether that’s good or bad—ah hell. They have their own prison clique, and I’m not sure if I’m prison bitch material, not that I’d want to be.

  “Hey, kitten. Retract those claws or you’ll spend your first day in your cage.” The husky voice comes from across the room. A few inmates grumble at the threat, but I would gladly hide in a cell. “Be a good kitty-cat and slink your ass over here.”

  I inhale a few short breaths, trying to get my nerves under control. I regret the gesture as the air permeates with a foul smell. Just the sight of the inmates’ bloody meal grosses me out. If that’s the only option, I won’t last here.

  “Now.” Kash stands on the top step leading into an enclosed office with window walls to get a view of the main room of the cellblock.

  Someone meows and hisses from a nearby table, but I refuse to give the fuckhead any attention. Straightening the front of my jumpsuit like it matters, I cross the room to where Kash trains his gaze on me. Our eyes meet, and something about him captures my attention so much so that I can’t get myself to look away. Neither does he. And now this staring match tests the both of us to see who breaks first.

  “Let’s make things simple, shall we?” Kash says, pressing his lips together. “Because from what I gather, you’ve managed to avoid Magaelorum Law until now.”

  “I haven’t avoided anything. This crazy-ass fucking world is not common knowledge on Earth. Where exactly is this place anyway? Another planet? I know you came for me from the damn sky.” My curiosity gets the best of me as I snap. The fact that no one cares to listen to me—or to explain anything to me for that matter—has me on the verge of a breakdown.

  Kash tips his head back with a roar of a laugh. “That’s cute of you to even suggest we’re even on the same plane, kitty-cat.”

  “Wait, what?” I raise my eyebrows. He’s serious. Really-fucking-serious. I don’t even know how to respond.

  “Enough questions, inmate.” Kash closes the space completely and holds out a stack of items he picks up from a wall compartment. “You refused to cooperate with CO Dreki, so any and all questions you have can screw off with all the fucks I don’t give for you.”

  Except maybe the good fuck he wants to give to me. I see him checking me out. I’m not naïve to the lustful looks from men. I perform in tiny costumes, stretching my body into difficult positions. I know plenty of men fantasize about me. I’ve been told as much. Galaxy is always first to boast how Star and I bring sexy to the stage, being his little moneymakers.

  A buzzer sounds through the air, making me cringe. All of the inmates suddenly get up from the tables and line up to dump their bloody plates into a bin. Two inmates remain nearby with j
anitorial equipment to clean up after whatever the hell meal this is. I haven’t seen a single clock and can’t figure out what time it is.

  “All right, kitten. Time to see your new home,” Kash says, pushing past me. “You’re in the cell that gives me the perfect view. Say goodbye to your privacy.”

  Great. “Does watching women go to the bathroom turn you on, CO? Is that why?” I cross my arms over my chest. If he thinks the lack of privacy will bother me, he’s wrong. I lived in an RV with three men and Star.

  He doesn’t respond to my quip or motion for me to follow him, but he doesn’t have to because someone growls from nearby. I can’t stop my legs from dragging me behind him to stay within his shadow like it’ll somehow hide me. I have to jog to keep up with his long strides and consider grabbing onto the back of his uniform to let him drag me instead. We skip the staircase that takes us to the second level, and he leads the way to the last barred door nearest what looks like another office.

  My gaze darts to the open door, and I catch sight of Rowan sitting at a desk with his legs up. He looks like one of the lazy cops from movies, just kicking back and watching something that’s clearly not the video feeds from security. Naked breasts, followed by a crotch shot, lights up the screen. My heart jumps in my chest, spotting him catching me looking. He cocks his eyebrow and winks at me. I can’t help thinking about the whole strip down. He obviously can’t help himself either, because I swear I catch a damn smirk crossing his gorgeous face a second before his eyes glow with firelight.

  Rowan distracts me so much with the naughty gesture he does with two fingers that I don’t realize Kash stops in his tracks. I crash into his back, knocking the breath from my chest as I collide into the wall of muscle he creates. A hot hand locks around my wrist, yanking me forward to stop me from falling on my ass. I stumble right into Kash’s body. Locking my free arm around him, I hug him to steady myself, practically clinging on for dear life. My hand squishes between us, and I flatten my palm against the even thrum of his heartbeat picking up.

  And my damn body refuses to pull away. A strange buzzing sensation washes through me, and I lose myself in his hazel eyes, the same beautiful color as Rowan’s.

  “Kitten, step away or you’ll find your ass on the ground. One nice gesture toward a damn murderer is all you’ll ever get.” Kash flares his nostrils, his chest puffing against my hand, pressing harder to me.

  “I’m not a murderer,” I say, risking my limb by smacking my palm to his taut pec before hiding it behind my back. I feel the burn of Rowan’s gaze penetrating the side of my face as he listens, and I turn to give him a second look. “I swear. I don’t know what the hell kind of proof you have, but it wasn’t me. I didn’t even know witches or warlocks or whatever existed. Whatever the hell you are either. Or anyone here for that matter. I’m human. I don’t belong here.”

  “You’re not,” Kash snaps.

  “Then what the hell am I?” I ask, throwing my arms out. “You keep calling me a cat. Is that it? Because I’m damn sure I’d know.” Shifting on my bare feet, I look at Rowan. “Or am I deer? You called me doe eyes. So which of those things am I?”

  Kash greets me with silence. He swivels to glance at Rowan. He wears the same indecipherable expression.

  “Tell me,” I say, anger rising in me. “Tell me what kind of creature you think I am.”

  Again, neither of them responds.

  “It’s because they don’t know, you enchanting woman. They only call you prey names because it’s what they hope for. Someone they can boss around with them being at the top of the predatory chain.” The voice comes from within the cell we stand near. I hadn’t realized someone was inside, lying on the bottom bed of the bunk. The young guy twitches his fingers at me. He’s scrawny compared to Kash and Rowan, but something about his smile makes him cute. “Now why don’t you leave the COs alone and come in here and get settled. I’ll gladly try to answer your questions if you promise not to punch me for making any sudden movements. And you don’t have to worry. I can’t bite.”

  He says he can’t bite, not that he doesn’t. Usually, I’d laugh something like that off, because people joke like that, but he’s not human if he’s here, and he probably means the words he says. I shift on my feet to look to Kash to see what to do. He stares at the guy in the cell for so long that I have to clear my throat to draw his attention to me.

  “I’m staying with a man?” I finally ask. I can’t believe this. It was one thing knowing the guards would watch me, but this guy is a stranger. He might be friendly, but I don’t know what got him behind bars. For all I know, he could be like the warlocks from Rhett’s bar. “This is so messed up. You can’t do this.”

  “Red, those lionesses will tear you up and spit you out if you are assigned to share a cell with them. Their pride allows no outsiders, and you don’t even seem like you’re from this realm.” The guy sits up on his bed.

  I glower at the side of Kash’s face since he still doesn’t look at me. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell everyone. This is a mistake.”

  The guy graces me with a smile, turning him from cute to sexy. “Well, you can tell me all you want. I’ll listen. I feel rather lucky to get a doll like you as a cellmate. This could be a lot of fun.”

  Kash suddenly reacts and grabs my arm, yanking me away from the cell. He pushes me against the wall, sandwiching me to it with his whole body. Every muscle of his ripples against me, sending my heart racing. Boots clomp nearby, and I listen to the guy’s cell door open. A deep growl reverberates through my bones. The guttural sound that escapes from Rowan’s throat as he drags the guy out of the cell freaks me out just a bit.

  “Inmate D64876, you are being relocated to cell twenty,” Rowan informs the guy.

  “Of course I am.” The guy chuckles. “Careful, CO. I might start to believe you like that gorgeous woman. What would the warden think?”

  “CO Dreki, take him to the pits,” Kash says, putting an inch of space between our bodies.

  The man grumbles under his breath but doesn’t fight. I manage to shift a few inches to get a clear view of Rowan grabbing him by the collar. The guy tightens his jaw and jerks his neck to look back at me.

  “I’ll find you when I can, Sky Dancer. Don’t let these asses push you into submission. You are not theirs,” the guy says.

  My eyes widen at his reference to my job. “How did you know?”

  “I knew your m—”

  Rowan slaps his hand over the guy’s mouth and drags him away. I try to dodge around Kash’s huge form, but he blocks me with his arm and herds me toward the open cell. I stumble inside and twist on my feet to look at him. He stands tall, watching me watch him as the door slides shut.

  Anger washes over me, and I rush forward and link my fingers around the bars. “You’re an ass!”

  Kash scowls at me, closing the distance. He laces his big fingers around mine to prevent me from moving away. A zap of electricity sparks between us, sending my hair floating with static. Kash’s eyes devour me. He puckers his brows, flaring his nostrils.

  And then he leans in super close.

  My body gets trapped in his gravitational pull, and I mirror his movements, standing on my tiptoes to erase the distance between us. I lick my lips at the same time he swallows, sending his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. I prepare for him to kiss me, to grab the back of my head to keep me in place to do so. I suddenly yearn for it, crave it, feel as if I’ll explode if I don’t experience the sensation of our lips caressing together.

  “Let’s get one thing straight, Nova,” he whispers, his soft voice like a feather-light kiss to my mouth. “I have one job, and one job only. To ensure you don’t ever see the outside world again. You will pay for your crimes.”

  I exhale a breath, my heart racing in overdrive. His words weren’t what I expected or wanted to hear. I fucking should’ve known better. Clearly, this strange attraction is all in my head, my mind still begging for this nightmare to turn into the b
est fantasy of my life.

  “I’m innocent,” I manage to say.

  He releases my hands and steps back. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re not. And now your life is mine. Understand? You’re mine.”

  I don’t get the chance to respond. Kash spins on his heels and disappears, leaving me alone and breathless in this dank cell.

  Fuck this prison life.

  Chapter 6

  Prison Life

  I’M GOING CRAZY.

  I have no idea how much time has passed, but it has been long enough for the buzzer to blare. I stand at my cell door, waiting for the bars to open, but to my dismay, it remains closed. The muffled voices of the other inmates trickle from the main room of the cellblock. I can’t get a good view from the hall apart from a round mirror that allows the guards to see behind them as they walk.

  After doing a few body lifts, using the bars as support and treating them like one of the set pieces on Galaxy’s stage, I practice my floor routine as best as I can in the small space. I don’t know what else to do. I can’t just forget my life outside of this cell so quickly. I have hope that this is all some crazy hallucination, and I’ll wake up and have to prepare for the next show.

  If Kash didn’t come stomping down the hallway, I could pretend a little while longer. With one glare, he shatters my hope to pieces. It crashes onto the floor with the plate of bloody meat he drops through a slot without waiting for me to try to catch it. Juice splashes over my bare feet, and I jump back.

  “Ew, what the fuck,” I say, kicking my foot to get the cool drops off.

  “Eat up, kitten. You’re going to need your strength for your duties today.” Kash’s lips twitch with his words.

  “My duties?” I remember Maddox mentioning that I’d be put to work. Who knew I’d actually want to? Why the hell am I excited?

  “I’m to assess your capabilities.” He remains expressionless with his arms crossed over his broad chest. I trail my gaze from his pristine boots and up his muscular body. I stop at his collar, noticing the edge of a tattoo peeking out on his neck.