Ironshot wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin when he saw a servant come into the room to gather his dishes and dropped it down on top. She gathered it all quickly and exited the room without a word.
“It’s interesting to know you still need food,” he observed once we were alone again.
“I was surprised when I figured that out too,” I replied.
There was an art to telling lies effectively. If you mixed truth in with the lies, they seemed more honest, more believable. I didn’t underestimate Michael Ironshot’s intelligence but if there was one thing I was skilled in, it was self preservation. I would tell him some truths about me when he asked questions, but I wouldn’t be honest for all of them. I couldn’t. Too many lives depended on what I told him and whether or not he would believe me.
“There are few things I can’t eat or drink now, coffee being one of them.”
“How awful. I don’t think I could survive without coffee.”
I chuckled. “It was hard at first but I’ve gotten used to it. I don’t need caffeine anyway.”
“Ah, yes. Blood. Vampires are very interesting creatures. And you, my darling, are the most interesting creature I’ve ever met.”
And there it was. He wanted to study me before he ended my existence.
“Well, I don’t know if I’d call myself interesting. Different, for sure.” I feigned embarrassment at his sentiment and glanced down at my lap.
“Oh, but you are special! I’d love to learn more about you!”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know how much you can learn with my dragon and vampire sides suppressed and my caster side gone completely. The only thing that’s remained constant in the last day is my thirst for blood. Other than that, I’m as ordinary as a human.”
“I had heard you lost your magic but I’m not sure that I believe it.” He looked at me skeptically and reached across the table’s surface. “Give me your arm.”
I did as he commanded and waited for him to see for himself. Several seconds passed before his mouth turned down in a frown and he released me, putting his hands in his lap like a petulant child. He was such an odd man. Then his eyes went from sad to dark in a split second.
“Tomorrow,” he told me, “you will go to my lab and you will cooperate with every instruction you are given. If you don’t, I will make you suffer in ways you can’t even imagine. Do you understand, Emelia?”
I nodded my head even though I knew I wouldn’t. I couldn’t.
I had so many questions. I thought he’d be happy to learn I didn’t have access to all three species. But I was learning he was far from predictable, that was what made him so dangerous.
“I need to prepare.” He rose from his seat and ordered for me to do the same. “Kenny, Harris,” the two guard walked into the room when they heard their names called and waited for their instructions, “put our guest in the cell next to her mate’s and bring her something else to wear.”
He looked down at my sports bra and leggings in disgust and walked out of the door, leaving me in the care of my jailors. Assholes one and two grabbed my arms as they usually did and pushed me back toward the basement, this time without comment.
They walked me past my previous cell and threw me into the one right next to Ronan’s. My caster mate sat quietly on his mattress the entire time, eyes watching closely for any abuse the guards might throw my way. It wasn’t like he could do much from his position, but I appreciated it anyway.
Harris and Kenny locked the cell door and left the basement much like the way we entered it; silently. I was grateful for it. After my brief interaction with Ironshot, I needed to get my head on straight, not have to deal with their disdain. He confused me in ways I couldn’t even describe and I knew that was what he was going for.
“What did they do?” Ronan asked, his tone full of concern.
“Nothing.” It was true and yet, so much had happened. “I’m fine. He wants to study me now. Observations start tomorrow. Said he needed to prepare.”
“Fuck.” Ronan rubbed his hand over his face as he cursed out loud.
He knew better than me what that would be exactly. He was at one time a part of the very Council that had imprisoned us both.
“Ronan, you don’t still work for Michael Ironshot and the Supernatural Council, do you? I mean… shit.”
I was having trouble asking him the question without sounding like a completely horrible person. He’d obviously gone through Hell since he was imprisoned, but I needed to know if he still believed the things the Council, namely Michael Ironshot, still believed.
“You mean, do I still want to take over the world?”
His jaw ticked, annoyed he needed to answer but he should have known I’d have doubts. After all, he tried to capture me because of his job the very first time we met.
I nodded my head.
“No, Millie, I don’t. I don’t want the whole world to know my name anymore. Just you.”
He flopped down on the mattress and rolled over, showing me his back.
“Ronan, I’m…”
The door at the top of the stairs opened and tweedle dee and tweedle dum marched down into the basement. Kenny threw a set of scrubs into my cell while Harris dropped another bag of blood and something else wrapped up in a napkin on the other side of the bars, just out of reach.
He laughed evilly before they both stomped back upstairs. Ronan didn’t move.
Sighing, I looked at the scrubs but decided to eat before putting them on in case things got messy. That was if I could reach it.
I lay on the ground and stretched my arm as far
