A Midsummer Night's Scream (The Dulcie O'Neil Series Book 7) (6 page)

“Sure thing,” Sam said while nodding. “Oh, and Dulce?”

I stopped walking, turning to face her again. “Yeah?”

“Be careful, okay?”

I smiled at her warmly and nodded, feeling suddenly extra grateful that she was such a good friend. She was definitely one-of-a-kind. “I will,” I said as I turned back around, wondering what type of person Jax Rochefort could be.

###

One thing I could say about Jax was that he was definitely a Loki. Even though I wouldn’t have said he looked like Knight, they both shared similar physical features. Jax was about as tall as Knight and maybe even as broad. Lokis generally gave people the impression of power; they were intimidating, both in height and breadth, but that’s because they were bred for their superhuman strength.

But where Knight had a certain roguish appearance, owing to the shadow of stubble on his cheeks and jaw, Jax just looked scruffy—like he hadn’t had a shower or a shave in who knew how long? His hair was longish on top and a deep chestnut color. It looked like a good haircut at some point in the past, but now it had grown out and no longer had style. The top section reached the tips of his ears, and the bottom was shorter, but uneven. A brown beard covered half his face. But neither his sloppy haircut nor his unkempt beard could mask the fact that Jax Rochefort was very handsome. And even worse, he carried himself in such a way that hinted that he was very aware it.

And that was just as well. If there was anything I couldn’t tolerate in men, or women for that matter, it was narcissism.

“Why don’t you two go out and take a break for a few?” I said to the two guards, Ernie and Judah, who had been with Knight when he came through the portal. Having taken their posts on either side of Jax’s cell and refusing to utter a single word, they looked like beefeaters for the Queen. All they lacked were those tall, black, furry hats. Wally was sound asleep in his chair at the end of the hallway, snoring.

“Many apologies, but we have to man our posts,” the one nearer me answered. I had a feeling he was probably Judah, only because the other guy had a country bumpkin sort of look to him and “Judah” didn’t exactly strike me as a yokel sort of name.

I could hear the weres in their cells at the front of the hallway. They were talking amongst themselves, no doubt, wondering who their newest cell mate was. And the pixie was blatantly staring at us which didn’t come as much of a surprise considering pixies are, by nature, damn nosy.

“It appears the lady would appreciate some alone time with me, boys,” Jax announced with a sly smile. He stood up from his cot and lumbered over, wrapping his fingers around the prison rails. The shackles around his ankles had been removed, but remained around his wrists. When he was directly in front of me, I had to crank my neck to look up at him, he was so tall.

“Why is he still cuffed?” I asked the guard nearest me.

The guy shrugged as if the answer were obvious. “Can’t trust him.”

I wondered what there really was to trust when the guy was behind iron bars, but I didn’t have to ask. Jax answered for me.

“Ah, yes, of course, no one can trust me as I’m a Loki and, therefore, the strongest they come.” He laughed acidly and then wrapped his hands around the bar directly in front of him, pretending to pull it apart. “Perhaps I could even bust right through these cuffs and pull these bars apart before any of you can say ‘oh, fuck.’”

I couldn’t help my smile, but a millisecond later I forcefully banished it because I didn’t want Jax to think I found him entertaining. When his attention moved from me to the guard, his smile dropped.

“Apparently I need to repeat myself. The lady said she wants some time with me alone, Barney Fife, so I’d appreciate it if you’d appease her.”

“We got our orders,” the guard to Jax’s right said in a gruff tone, the one I guessed was Ernie. With his Southern twang and poor grammar, I thought the name “Ernie” suited him perfectly. Well, so would Barney Fife, for that matter.

“Now you’re taking your orders from me,” I announced, throwing my hands on my hips to let them know there was no room for argument. I had lots of questions for Jax and the sneaking suspicion he’d be more likely to give me the answers I sought if he didn’t have a crowd.

“With all due respect, ma’am,” Judah started, but I immediately shook my head.

“Don’t ‘ma’am’ me! I’m the head of this branch of the ANC, meaning, I make the rules,” I snapped, taking turns glaring at both of them. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Wally waking up. He jerked a couple of times and rubbed his eyes before focusing on the guards and me for a few seconds. Then he hopped to his feet, but not before stifling a yawn.

Note to self, you need to write Wally up for falling asleep on the job, yet again,
I told myself.
Freaking gnomes…

“Dulce, you good?” Wally asked in a deep voice.

“I’m fine,” I replied without bothering to look at him. Instead, my attention was fastened on Judah. I figured he was the guard in charge. But maybe that was just because he appeared to be more intelligent than Ernie. “I was just informing these two that I want some alone time with the prisoner.”

“And I was informing her that we are under strict rules from Vander to stay where we are,” Judah interjected, his attention never leaving my face.

“Not only am I in charge of this office,” I started, narrowing my eyes at him, “but I’m also Vander’s girlfriend.” Truth be told, I didn’t want to play that card, but I couldn’t really see any other way around it. Jax made a whooping snort of a laugh and slapped his thigh with his mitt-like hand as he continued to chuckle. I ignored him, as did everyone else in the room. “So unless you want me to call him right now, and report that you aren’t obeying a word I’m saying, I suggest you vacate the premises, and pronto!”

Judah paused for a couple of seconds before he glanced down at Wally, who had already made his way up to me. Standing beside me, all five feet of him, he said, “I’d listen to the lady,” before nodding. “She’s telling the truth; and she’s got one hell of a temper!”

Judah paused another few seconds before he glanced at Ernie and then turned back to face me. “How long do you need?” he asked.

“Twenty minutes,” I answered while continuing to stare him down. He just nodded as the two of them started up the hallway. A wave of relief washed over me.

“I’m feeling a piss and a coffee break comin’ up for me,” Wally announced, his way of exiting politely. He offered me a quick grin, which revealed yellow, uneven teeth. They actually resembled unpopped kernels of popcorn.

“Thanks, Wally,” I said to his retreating back. When I returned my attention to Jax, I found him staring at me unabashedly.

“We finally find ourselves alone,” he said, with another suggestive smile. I was more than sure that seductive expression had landed him more than a few bedmates. Well, that is, until he got locked up.

“You can cut the Casanova crap with me,” I announced matter-of-factly. “There’s zero chance that I’ll let you out of here.”

He threw his head back and chuckled heartily. “You do have a temper, don’t you? Yosemite Sam wasn’t lying.”

Yosemite Sam was actually a pretty perfect nickname for Wally, considering how short he was, not to mention his flaming orange long hair and beard. But, regardless of the humor that image evoked, I wasn’t interested in funny conversations. I had crucial information I had to squeeze out of Jax, and that was the only purpose for my visit. “I want to know why you turned yourself in to the ANC,” I stated, studying him pointedly.

“Well, you certainly go straight for the jugular, don’t you?” His eyes settled on my bust for a few seconds. I could tell it was a ploy; he was trying to make me uncomfortable.

“Answer the question.”

“I already have.” His eyes found mine again and he purposely yawned. “Go ask your boyfriend.”

“Unfortunately, for both of us, he isn’t here right now,” I responded in a steely tone.

“Unfortunately?” he asked with a mock laugh. “Speak for yourself.” Another suggestive smile appeared on his mouth. “I gotta admit, doll, I prefer it just the two of us.” He studied me for a few seconds. “I believe in quality time.”

“Enough of the sexual innuendo,” I warned him, trying to keep my temper under control, because if he knew he could get to me, he’d just keep doing it.

“I apologize,” he said with a pout. “I just can’t help it when you’re so damned sexy.”

“Close your eyes then and try to pretend I’m a man.”

Jax chuckled and shook his head. “Too late, madam, the truth has already been exposed.” Then he sighed like it was a shame as he studied me for a few more seconds. “You’re a fairy …”

“Not important,” I answered, and then figured I was just wasting my time. He wasn’t going to give me any answers because he was too busy flirting with me. And I had no patience for someone who wasn’t going to respect me. Spinning around on the ball of my foot, I started down the hallway.

“That’s it?” Jax called out behind me. “That wasn’t twenty minutes!”

“I’m not in the business of wasting my time,” I responded over my shoulder, not bothering to slow down.

“I turned myself in because I wanted out!” he called after me. I stopped walking, but didn’t turn around. Instead, I allowed him to continue talking. “I figured, with a new regime coming into power, now was as good a time as any to get out; so I turned myself in.”

“And you pled for immunity in the bargain?” I asked, turning around to face him. I didn’t take any steps closer though. I still wasn’t sure if he were truly cooperating or not.

He nodded. “That I did.”

“What about money? Relocation?” I asked, eyeing him narrowly. Of course, I could have gotten this information from Knight, but I wanted to hear it from Jax first. I planned to cross-reference his answers later.

“I didn’t ask for anything, other than protection.”

“What is the name of your operation?” I inquired, committing all of this information to memory. After our little interview, I’d be sure to write down everything he told me. That way, I couldn’t forget any of it later.

“Crossbones,” he answered stiffly.

I couldn’t mask my surprise. Crossbones was the name of one of the larger underground potion operations in the Netherworld. They were probably right at the top of the list when it came to exporting the illegal stuff and distributing it on the Earthly plane.

“Turning yourself in was a pretty gutsy move,” I played along, taking a few steps nearer him. “Apparently, you pissed a lot of people off.”

“Of course, I did,” he agreed with a nod. His smile seemed almost boyish due to the deep dimples on either side of his lips. “But you already knew that—it’s the exact reason I’m standing here having this conversation with you.”

“Because you wouldn’t be safe in the Netherworld,” I finished for him.

“If I were still in the Netherworld, I’d be dead by now.”

I raised my brows, but didn’t comment. Instead, I took the five or so steps that still separated us until we were soon facing each other, only the prison rails separating us. “So why did you want out?”

“Because crime doesn’t pay?” he asked with a sidelong grin.

“Cute,” I answered with obvious disdain. “But what’s the real reason?”

“Can’t a guy just ask for a change of scenery?”

“It’s not that simple,” I replied as I shook my head. “You’re willing to risk death, or something even worse, by acting as an informant?”

“Isn’t that pretty apparent by now?” he asked with a chortle. “But, damn, I have to admit: if I’d known how many hits I’d have out on me, I would have seriously reconsidered my decision.”

“You still haven’t told me exactly why you
made
the decision.”

He shrugged. “You’re obviously looking for an answer besides the one I’m giving you. But the one I’m giving you is the
truth
. I got tired of being a thug. And taking orders to kill people I didn’t even know.”

“You take orders?” I nearly interrupted him, finding this information interesting because I wasn’t sure where he fell on the food chain.

“Everyone takes orders,” he corrected me with another smug smile. That was ironic, considering he was the one standing behind bars and wearing chains.

“I was under the impression that you were at the top of the ladder?” I asked, fishing for information even though I wasn’t under any impressions where Jax was concerned. Sometimes, though, it was better to play the part of uninformed.

“Everyone takes orders from someone,” Jax repeated, this time, more slowly.

“So you had a boss?” Truthfully, I was disappointed. Why? Because that meant more work for us. Our main goal was always to get the biggest fish. Silly me for thinking he was exactly that.

“Yes,” he answered, eyeing me with interest. “How long have you and Vander been together?”

“I’m the one asking questions here. You’re not interrogating me,” I snapped.

“Oh. Is this an interrogation?” he rebutted with practiced charm. “And here I thought we were just having a casual, albeit mundane, conversation.”

“Who is your boss?”

“I’m afraid that information cannot be disclosed.”