Tenants and Tyrants (Book 5 of The Warden series) (13 page)

Ethan turned around to look at her. He felt like his pleasant bedtime story had just turned into a horror movie. Annette looked sad at having to tell him the truth. “Wow, so not so much like the phoenix, but more like a praying mantis?”

Annette nodded. “I’m sorry, they are such beautiful, miraculous animals, but…they are animals.”

“So even if you let them mate, you would never be able to get more dragons, just different versions of the same dragons.”

“Correct,” she said rubbing the back of her neck under the hood, “So, we just don’t breed them.”

“They live forever?” Ethan verified.

“Yes, forever. Or at least well over five hundred years. We know enough to tell their age and our oldest dragons are 650 years old. There is some speculation, that breeding will become necessary at some point, but so far we haven’t had a reason to. The dragons are healthy, and for the most part they prefer their solitary lifestyle.”

Ethan wondered if she was an advocate for or against breeding. “If they can’t reproduce multiple times, how did they ever come to be eight, and not just two.”

“Oh,” Annette shook her head and headed back to her alter. “Now you’re just getting into the chicken and the egg. All we have is theories: random quadruplets, orgy mating, and a whole slew of things I don’t waste my time arguing with, because no one is ever going to try it anyway.”

Ethan chuckled at the frustration she got even from the mention of the theories, let alone what she might have felt sitting between two bickering biologists or animal behaviorists. “Okay, so getting back to my original question. What do you use the blood for?”

“If the saliva is a cure-all, than the blood is a magical primer. Everything I do is enhanced by the blood. Without the blood, I’m just a religious hack. With the blood I can tap into natural and magical forces. I draw on that power and do…essentially whatever I will it to do.”

“But…you’re a good witch right?” Ethan smiled tersely.

She came around the table again and planted a sincere motherly kiss on his forehead, which he readily leaned in for. “I am an Earth goddess witch.” The way she said it, he expected the candles in the room to flicker against an unseen breeze, but they didn’t. “I tap into the energy that the Mother Earth uses to grow and nourish the plants and animals. However, I can also tap into the volatile energies that create storms, earthquakes, and volcanoes. This energy doesn’t have to be used for evil, but it is power and I can’t honestly say that I’ve never held a grudge before.”

“How powerful are you?” Ethan couldn’t help asking.

“I have no power what so ever. But the Earth is the largest source of coalescent energy outside of the universe and you’d have to be a god to tap into that. I’m just a witch, a witch with very good connections. And as you know, the most dangerous trait for anyone is who you know.”

“So, I should keep you on my good side.”

Annette smiled broadly and pinched his cheeks. “Oh, honey, I’m already your biggest fan. As long as you keep Danato happy, you’ll keep me happy.”

Ethan grimaced at that stipulation. “How happy?”

18

After Cori and Nevia got the werewolves situated in the guest quarters on the north side of the prison, they headed back inside via the back entrance. Cori waited until they were inside the prison, free from chattering teeth and deafening wind gusts, before speaking.

“Do you mind telling me what that was all about?” she asked as they headed through the lines of useful and useless storage closets. Nevia rubbed her gloved hands together, and shivered relentlessly. Cori hadn’t really thought about it, but somewhere along the line she had become immune to the cold. It still sucked, but she wasn’t as traumatized by it.

“I’m sorry Cori, I was wrong to imply your coworkers were being overly protective of you. They were right to want you away from those women.” They continued, turning past the prop room.

“I know they’re dangerous. I’m not stupid. I don’t think Leona would actually hurt me.”

“Cori,” Nevia shook her head as they headed by the gym. Cori caught a glimpse of the famous Annette. Ethan was watching her sprinkle rose petals all around the dragon. Penelope for the most part seemed to be content, albeit fascinated by the little red spots that were appearing around her. “I know what you think those women think of you, but you’re wrong. I can see you respect their feminine ideals and strength. You probably assume they see a kindred spirit in you.”

“Yeah, sort of,” Cori thought that sounded about right.

“They don’t.” Nevia stopped in the front foyer to give her a stern, but sympathetic gaze.
“I don’t mean to insult you, or disappoint you, but I feel obligated to protect you, and prepare your emotions. They think of you as a chew toy.”

Cori quirked a smile and crossed her arms already prepared to dismiss the statement, but she quickly remembered how intuitive Nevia was. She had never viewed Leona as anything but her arch enemy, but somehow hearing this was hurtful. She thought they at least respected each other as enemies. “I don’t really know what you mean by that. Do they want to kill me?”

“No, they want to torment you. They want to manipulate you. I don’t know what happened between you and Leona, but whatever it was, your interpretation and hers are completely different. Those women do not view you as a friend or an enemy. You are entertainment for them and that is all.”

Cori felt so stupid. She thought she could be considered a rival to fem-wolves. It was like she just found out that the only reason the cool kids were hanging out with her, was so they could pour pigs blood on her at a school dance. Unfortunately, she didn’t have any cool powers to take revenge on them.

“I’m sorry, Cori,” Nevia apologized again.

“I don’t know why I’m so bothered by it?” She said trying to find something else to do with her hands.

“Fem-wolves are notorious bitches,” Nevia said flatly like any good girlfriend would. Cori was now pretty sure that she liked Nevia professionally, and socially. “You are one of the unfortunate few that can’t block out their hypnotic abilities.”

“Ethan said they have no particular seduction skills.”

“It’s not magical; it’s just a soothing voice, strong smell, and the right combination of look and touch. It is rare to be affected as much as you are, but it’s nothing against you.”

Cori could hear the defense in her voice. “They consider me weak. They think I’m a weak minded human that they can manipulate.” She could hear herself saying it, and it just sounded like she was saying, “the sky is blue.”
No shit Sherlock!
Of course these women thought she was weak. Of course they had no respect for her. Of course they thought she was pathetic.

“Fortunately, you live in a prison with many talented psychics.” Nevia interrupted her internal dejection. “That one that helped Ethan. Mezula. She could put a simple hypnotic suggestion in to block their influence. Like I said, theirs isn’t magical, so it’s easily overridden.”

“That’s a good idea, but Mezula and I don’t really socialize.”

“Almost any reader could do it, if you can trust them not to mess with anything else.”

“I think I can find one,” Cori said with confidence. “How do you know all this anyway?”

“I’ve been doing a lot of research since…I got hired. I don’t like surprises.”

“Nothing surprises me anymore,” Cori said flatly.

19

Daniel sat with Heaton on the palettes waiting for the truck to arrive. The doc manager had been giving them both a nasty glare, but Daniel lowered his tinted glasses to show him who had the better chance at winning a staring contest. He wasn’t in the habit of flaunting his eyes for the upper hand, but he didn’t appreciate Heaton being lumped in with that glower.

Heaton had at least eased off the cigarettes when it was just the two of them. Unfortunately, that did prove that he was only smoking to hide his emotions from Nevia. Considering they usually didn’t need a third party to interpret for them, it was disappointing that he felt he needed to hide anything from anyone.

“Were you serious the other night…about transferring?” Daniel asked hoping he was being casual enough not to set off a temper tantrum.

“I don’t know,” Heaton said without actually looking at him. “I was just talking. I think about stuff. I don’t always think it through before I act on it.”

Daniel looked around to see if anyone was going to observe if the conversation went a little sappy. “What’s up with you, Heaton?
Is
it Nevia? Cause say the word and she’s gone.”

Heaton scoffed. “She’s the bloodhound, dude. You guys have put more transmorphs in this prison in the last three months, than we have in four years. Not to mention you’re totally besotted with her.”

“So, what…no, I’m not… Look, say the word and the bird is out.”

Heaton shook his head. “She’s good, Daniel. She’s really good. And yes, you are.”

Daniel looked over his friend. “Do you have a thing for her?” Heaton didn’t react. He kept looking at his shoes with interest. “Do you?”

Heaton looked up at him and shook his head. He looked frustrated, but too tired to get mad. “It’s nothing to do with her, Daniel. It’s barely got anything to do with you. I just don’t know if I can be your partner anymore.”

“That’s got every fecking thing to do with me.” Daniel resisted the urge to use volume. “You’re like a brother to me Heaton.”

Heaton shook his head. “I’m not trying to fuck up your life. I’m just trying to get me back in control of mine.”

“I don’t except that as an answer.”

“Well, you’re going to have to,” Heaton said with a little more volume. “Let’s just forget this, please. We’ve got more important things to deal with.”

“Not to me,” Daniel grumbled and slipped off the palettes to stretch his legs. “When you remember that I’m your best friend, be sure to catch me up on whatever screw is loose up there to think you couldn’t just be honest with me.”

Heaton rolled his eyes, but the sound of the truck pulling in distracted them both from the semi-heartfelt conversation. Daniel headed up the platform to help unload the passengers within.

Danato had warned them both that what was inside was top secret. So, no one, not even Ethan and Cori, were to know about it. When Daniel asked why they were allowed to see it, he said it wasn’t a secret for them.

The garage door opened just as Heaton came up to stand beside him. “Shouldn’t there be a drum roll for this,” he said crossing his arms. Daniel chuckled, thankful that Heaton would always be able to joke with him, even if their friendship and partnership was struggling.

The dock manager opened the back of the truck and Daniel raised his eyebrows. He and Heaton exchanged looks before returning there gaze to the drum set sitting before them in the truck.

20

Cori smiled as she came through the long line of grappling vampires. She hadn’t been to see Cleos in months and she was happy to have a legitimate excuse to do so. Despite the smile on her face though, she had butterflies in her belly.

She and Cleos had not parted on great terms. She had basically given up seeing him in order to focus on her marriage. He had conceded to this in order to keep her happy, but he was also a little sore that she had insisted he tell her the truth regarding the actions that got him incarcerated.

His refusal to give her a reason to forgive him changed everything for her. She could have forgiven him for eating her less noticeable memories. She could have forgiven him his crimes if it were done for any reason other than sadism. What she couldn’t forgive was him purposely hiding the truth so she wouldn’t be able to forgive him.

She stepped in front of the glass wall that was Cleos’s containment. The sound proof cell required that she activate an intercom that was not too dissimilar to those at apartment buildings, only you didn’t have to keep pushing the button to speak.

Coming before the glass she could see Cleos inside reading in dimmed light. The yellow glow outside of his cell was harsh and fluorescent. The bluish tint inside of his cell looked tranquil, almost romantic. She was always impressed that he looked at home in his cell. When she visited, she felt like she was disturbing him, and should apologize.

For once, his chestnut hair was actually pulled back, but only loosely. He had always looked pale and gaunt to her, but he looked more so today. She wondered if that had anything to do with her, but she decided she was just being egocentric.

Cleos put down his book and slipped over to the glass wall. He tickled his goatee as he looked her up and down, in that almost sexual way. He settled on her face and leaned against the window. At first she thought he might refuse her visit, but a smirk perked up on his lips.

She mimicked that smirk and pushed the white button on the little box. “Hi,” she said immediately wishing she had something witty to say right behind it, but she didn’t.

“Hello,” he said using a deeper voice than his own. “So, the ex-lovers endure their first awkward meeting after the breakup.”