Page 59 of Witches Be Damned

We barely said a word as Talon and I crossed the portal to Guardian’s prison in Broken Hill, near where I’d visited days earlier with Raze to burn the bone witch’s femur. Perhaps luck might finally be on our side with the curse gone. Time to find out.

Sentries met us at the gateway and thanked Talon and dismissed him, rudely dragging me away with a mumbled goodbye to the Darnax. They processed me, forcing me through the security scans, searching for weapons and finding nothing. Then they marched me to the medical bay for a physical assessment that lasted an hour, followed by a two-hour psychological evaluation.

Dr. Anders grilled me with hard questions. Why didn’t I return with my team? Where did I go? How did I get away? A cover story I fed her. To make it appear real, I summoned my distress from my kidnapping at the hands of the vampires to deliver the performance of my life. Not easy when I found it hard to lie to save myself. She recorded my official story to be compiled for the warden and my file.

I crossed one leg over the other and bounced my foot, eager to get the hell out of there and reunite with my men. I wondered if they were forewarned of my return. Heck, I even wanted to hug my father, let him know I was okay.

Tor texted that everything was fine, and I wanted to believe him, but he might have said that to not let me worry. I imagined Knoxe beside himself with worry. Dad probably murdering someone for answers about my disappearance. Pascal’s anxiety getting the better of him. Tor regretting me leaving the prison and getting kidnapped. Selena possibly blaming herself. All of it made me sick to the stomach.

“That must have been very hard on you,” Dr. Anders said, her voice sympathetic and comforting.

“It was.” I picked at lint balls on my sweatpants.

“I’m going to administer some sedatives to help you sleep tonight.” She went to a locked cabinet by the wall and removed a plastic container of drugs. “Take two of these with water before bed.”

She handed them to me and returned to her desk, marking the medications she dispensed on my file.

“Thank you, Doctor.” I dropped them into my top pocket and stood, assuming I was dismissed.

“I want you back every day to meet with me,” she called out to me as my palm connected with the handle of her door.

“Sure, Doc,” I said and left.

Outside her office, the warden waited for me, looking impatient. “Welcome back, Miss Nomical.”

Welcome. Ha. What a joke. Welcome to Hell, more like it.

“We’re glad to have you back.” His smarmy voice made me shiver.

Glad to have his asset back. Glad he had one more soldier to send out to recover the escaped prisoners. Glad he didn’t have grounds to free my team and me until all fugitives were apprehended.

“Let me take you back to your cell.” He gestured for me to walk with him. “You have several people waiting for you.”

For the first time in hours, my spirits lifted, and I bounced on my tiptoes, eager to get back to Cell Ward A with my three men and father.

CHAPTER 20 - ASTRA

Three men waited for me at the gate, fingers gripping the bars, knuckles white, expressions ready to tear off the door to get to me. Tor rested sideways in his wheelchair, his mouth lifting into a grin like he just defeated the most badass villain. Knoxe’s harsh expression softened into a smile, and Pascal’s gaze didn’t move from mine.

Dad lingered behind them, tossing what looked like a button or coin, and slamming it on the back of his hand. Twitchy, he always needed something to keep his hands busy, usually a knife on a mission, or something non-lethal within the prison.

My heart reformed into its shape and started beating again after the bulldozer crushed it. I waved at the four of them and hurried my steps, fire pulsing in my blood, burning away the iciness of a broken heart.

Hands reached through the grate as the warden and I came to a stop, waiting for security to buzz us through. I brushed their fingertips quickly and retracted my arm when the door rolled open. New nerves crackled to life in my belly, aching for their touch and kiss.

My men muscled for position to reach me first. Pascal got the prime spot at the front, Knoxe the side, and Dad waited in the queue.

“Sharing is caring P-man.” Tor jostled for position and hugged my leg.

I snorted out a laugh and a sob at how good they felt. Solid, warm, protective, and loving. My hands didn’t stop roaming their chests, arms, and faces, and likewise, they stroked me in return.

Knoxe checked me over with his fierce gaze. “Are you hurt?” Such a question from my protective man.

“I’m fine,” I reassured him before he turned into the human equivalent of Raze’s feral beast. “Just some bruises.”

Aaliyah left them to convince the prison authorities of my story, and they slowly lightened in color each day.

“Settle in tonight, Miss Nomical,” the warden interrupted. “Take the next few days off. Attend your psychological appointments and be ready for a mission come Saturday.”

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