Page 15 of Medusa

“I asked you that.”

“Nothing illegal, as far as I know.” Jaden rolled out of bed, his thigh muscles protesting their use, and stripped out of his shirt. “I’ll get to the bottom of this.” He chose a fresh shirt and yanked it on, doing up the buttons as he thumped down the stairs.

“Mister Jaden McKellen?” one of the cops greeted him. “We need to ask you a few questions about your activities last night.”

“Sure thing. What seems to be the problem, Officer?” Jaden sat on the couch opposite the two men in uniform. He noticed his brothers were hiding in the kitchen, pretending not to listen.

“After you left Valhalla’s Throne, where did you go?”

“I came right back here to drop my gear and grab dinner,” Jaden said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “My oldest brother and I got in a fight and I went back to the strip. I went to DeLux Cafe and ended up stuck in that speed dating thing that Eve and Aphrodite run. Halfway through, a woman and I snuck out because she was hungry. We made it to ButterNut Bakery right before it closed. We ate in a park.”

“What time was that?”

“Around eight.”

“Hmm.” The officer writing notes flipped back through his book. “I think we’re going to have to bring you down to the station.”

“Why? For skipping out on speed dating?” Jaden fought to keep his temper under control.

“Several witnesses heard you threaten to kill Pollux Begrond yesterday at Valhalla’s Throne,” the other officer said.

Jaden felt sick. “Pollux is dead?”

The officers stared at him grimly.

“What happened?”

“We can’t divulge information about an active crime investigation,” Note-taker said sharply. “Are you going to come with us willingly or are we going to have to arrest you?”

“I’ll come with you willingly. I’m innocent.” Jaden met his brothers’ wide eyes, hoping they believed him.

The trip to the station was brief and silent. The officers, because it was their job. Jaden, because he didn’t want to say anything that might implicate himself further.

He was brought to a room with a table and two chairs. He was told to sit and wait.

“Would it be possible to get a coffee?” Jaden asked. “I didn’t get a chance for breakfast this morning.”

“We’ll see.” They left him standing just inside the door.

Jaden looked around curiously. The table was simple, with a pair of metal loops to handcuff someone to it. The chairs were sturdy metal. Beyond that, there was a camera in the corner, which he gave a cheeky wave to, and a large mirror on one wall.

He took a good look at himself; he had obvious sex hair sticking up in all directions and the bruise on his eye was purpling nicely. He was tempted to encourage its healing, but worried that might make him look guilty.

More guilty?

I shouldn’t have threatened Pollux.

I can’t believe he’s gone.

To force his mind off it, he decided to go through his morning workout routine. He started off with sit-ups, the concrete floor hurting his spine until he thickened the skin over it with dragon scale.

He was proud that he managed to keep control over the minor transformation of his body. Augustine had been goading him to practice his shifting more often, but Jaden didn’t like the memories it brought back. The ones of being hunted, driven from their home, desperate to find a way to hide until the world was more accepting of their kind. A witch had hidden them, put them in stasis, until a massive earthquake had shaken them awake. They’d lived in Purgatory ever since.

Augustine had ventured into the human world multiple times, even before he’d found his mate over half a year ago. He had told his brothers that the humans didn’t notice him when he was in dragon form, that he could walk down the beach and nobody cared.

Jaden found that hard to believe.

How could anyone miss a giant purple dragon?

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