I hated to admit it, but I was surprised as I observed many of the prisoners around us. Most of them I would never have picked as a criminal. Yeah, I’d fallen into the bad habit of thinking they’d be like their stereotype. The scar-faced guy from yesterday, he’d been my idea of most supe crims. But in reality most looked just like Braxton and me: young, clean-cut, innocent – well, kind of innocent. Until you saw their eyes. Lots of dead eyes in this place. Fair bit of crazy going on too.
Braxton and I didn’t waste any time that day. We went straight to the food, although I didn’t hold out much hope that it would be any more edible. Carting my pathetic selection, Braxton behind me, I stopped at one of the empty tables. I dumped my tray down and was about to climb over the bench when someone slammed their tray down right next to me. A glance over my shoulder had Braxton a couple of steps behind me. Shit, he was too far away to help me.
I dodged the first attack, a small man throwing punches, which were simple enough to block. I even managed to connect with his face, resulting in an instant fat lip and bleeding nose. Unfortunately, the small man had a partner: a big man. A very big man. Freaking bear shifter. The hairy beast reached out and slammed his hand around my throat. I choked, and brought my hands up to fight against his grip. But before I could struggle he lifted me up off the floor and I was dangling above the ground. I couldn’t breathe, and he was squeezing hard enough that dark spots were already dancing in front of my eyes. Since he hadn’t crushed my throat immediately, he was wanting to draw it out. But why?
Between the deafening echo of my own frantic heart beats I could hear Braxton roaring, and I could see from the corner of my eye that he had at least ten men on him. He wasn’t going to reach me in time. If I wanted to be saved, I was going to have to do it myself.
“I’m very sorry about this,” said the dark-haired bear politely. His wide eyes were hard and cold, black as night. “You are just collateral damage in a war that you have no idea about. An innocent victim, punished for crimes you did not commit.”
I’d recovered my equilibrium, and despite the fact this man was exceedingly strong, I had to fight back. I lifted my body and slammed my feet into him. At the same time I used my fingers to dig into a pressure point in his hand, weakening his grip just enough for me to punch him straight in the nose. Cartilage cracked under my hand, but he didn’t drop me until I chopped his wrist. I hit him hard enough that I heard another crack and I could add two broken bones to my tally. I dropped to the ground, landing in a tangle of limbs. I gasped for breath. I couldn’t seem to get the air in there fast enough. I knew I needed to move. Sure enough, bear man recovered quickly. I rolled away as his feet came down at me. He was barefoot but the strength of his stomp could definitely crush bones.
I got to my feet. I was fast and strong. I would not let him get his hands on me again. Braxton seemed to be holding his own; there were plenty of bodies littered around him.
“Do not fight me, I don’t want you to suffer unduly,” the bear said. His nose had already stopped bleeding. He held both hands in front of him with no indication he had any pain. Fucker. “If you submit, I’ll make it quick.”
And yet he hadn’t made it quick, he’d wanted me to understand why he was killing me.
What a freakin’ gentleman.
I laughed, harsh from my painful and swollen throat. “I don’t submit to anyone,” I rasped.
He swung at me, which I saw coming from a mile away. It was easy to duck. Bears were strong but lacked speed. I spun around backwards, jumping so I could crack him in the head with my shin. I connected right at his temple area.
He shook himself out a little before tilting his head to the side and observing me closer. I’d surprised him. He charged at me, and just as I was bracing myself to dodge again, something hit the bear from the side. Braxton. Without pause the dragon shifter started to lay into him relentlessly without any kindness. He beat the other shifter until he was nothing but a bloody lump of supernatural on the floor.
The guards stepped in then and broke up the fight. Or more like wrestled Braxton off the unconscious bear. If we didn’t heal so quickly, there was no way the bear would have survived that beating. But he would live another day if he received medical attention. Although, as they carted him off, I had my doubts that that was where they were taking him.
Braxton, whose blue eyes were dark and stormy, was huffing in loud and long breaths. There were so many broken and battered bodies around us I wasn’t even sure what to think or where to look. So I focused on him. He noticed my gaze and took the two steps to my side. Reaching out, he hesitated before gently tracing a finger down my throat.
“Are you okay?” His voice was filled with death. Hard. Angry. And scary as hell.
I could only nod.
He spun away then, and taking one step, hopped up onto the bench seat and then onto the table.
“Listen up, and listen good.” His voice was powerful, and still scary. “If anyone lays a finger on Jessa, one fucking finger, I will end them. Do you understand?”