Broken Compass: Supernatural Prison Story 1 (22 page)

Jessa sighed then, and a few tears sprinkled her eyes. “We almost lost you, Misch. You and our little girl. Kristoff used Lunarti oil on you. It’s this horrible demon-brewed stuff which burns through your skin and pollutes your blood. It was almost through your whole system. We had to bring you to Shanjoin, in China, to Chan, this healer Louis knows. He’s been healing you for almost a week.”

“Holy. I’ve been out for a week? I don’t … remember.”

I ripped the covers off my body and examined my leg. There were red and purplish marks up and down my thigh, ugly and scarred. I ran a hand across them and could feel the tugging of the disfigured skin.

“When Max saw your leg he lost his mind,” Jessa murmured. “Let’s just say this is not the first room you were in.”

“Where are the Compasses?” I asked, casual-like.

Jessa shifted on the chair, running a hand through her dark hair. It was a mess of tangles. “Max is asleep in the room next door. I made him get some rest a few hours ago. Had to pry him away though, and he’s going to be pissed that you woke up when he wasn’t here. He has not left your side for a week.”

Jessa reached out and grabbed my hand. “He’s going to want to tell you this, but the mate bond kicked in between you both. You’re definitely his true mate. And we all owe you the hugest apology from how we treated you in the sanctuary.”

My silly heart started fluttering then, the mate bond pressing in on me. I couldn’t believe what she was saying, and yet I felt the truth of it in my heart. In my soul.

I needed to see him, needed him here holding my hand too.

Jessa’s blue eyes were shrewdly watching me, probably waiting for me to fall apart or something, but after everything that had happened, almost losing my life and my daughter’s, a true mate bond with Maximus was the least of my worries. It was kind of a gift.

“The rest of the boys are back in Stratford. Braxton took Justice to the sanctuary. She’s going to stay there until we deal with Kristoff. He clearly wanted her for a reason.”

I sat straighter, relief flooding through me. “Thank the gods. She was so kind to me, Jess. I promised I wouldn’t leave her there, and then I passed out before I could tell anyone.”

She shook her head at me. “Most supes would have died long before anyone arrived. You did good, sister. Very good.”

I let my weary body drop back against the pillows. “Braxton must love being separated from you.”

Her laughter was brief. “Yeah, he’s not too happy about it, but he’s dealing. The boys can’t all leave for too long. Their power is needed to maintain the securities. It’s okay if they arrange something first, but right now, especially with crazy-Kristoff, they’re the only ones keeping America and Vanguard safe. They pop back and forth to check on you.”

I remembered something then, and lifting my hands I was actually surprised that no cuffs bound my wrists. Jessa followed my gaze.

“Ah yes, another nasty little surprise from that cockswabbler. Those cuffs took Louis and Tyson about eight hours to get off you and Justice. We couldn’t do anything until they were removed because your essence was tied to Kristoff and we were afraid he’d do something to hurt you worse.”

“Has anyone figured out why he had Justice there? She’s hu—”

I was cut off by a scraping at the door. We both turned to find a tiny man standing there. He was barely five feet tall, wearing a black and white, draping robe, with a cross design on one lapel. He was definitely Asian in descent, and had an older face, looking early sixties. I wondered briefly if he was human. If he was a supernatural, he was ancient.

“Nice to see you awake, my dear.” His voice was low and soothing, strumming along the wind like chords on a harp. “I wasn’t sure my skills would be enough this time, but I’m glad to see that your supernatural strength is kicking in for the final healing.”

My eyes fell to the scars on my thigh, a reminder me of how close I’d come to losing my life. I might never have seen Jessa again. Held my daughter. Known for sure I was true mate to Maximus.

So many things to live for. It was overwhelming.

Chan crossed the room to stand on the opposite side of my bed, his eyes also landing on the burned skin. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more to heal the physical wound. The oil destroyed all the skin and tissue there. This was the best I could do with the time I had. Continued healing will improve how it looks.”

With a shake of my head I lifted my eyes and let them rest on the kindly fellow. “Please, don’t apologize. This scar is nothing. As long as my baby is safe, I wouldn’t care if I wore these marks all over my body.” I reached out and grasped his hand and it was warm and dry. “Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for saving her.”

He gave my palm a squeeze before releasing me. “You’re welcome. You carry a very special child here. I was pleased that none of the oil touched her in any way. I don’t know how this miracle happened, but it was a blessing for you both.”

Whatever my wolf and I had done must have worked. We had stopped the oil from touching her. “What do you mean special child?” Most probably he meant the power of a Compass offspring, but the way he said it felt like something more.

Before he could answer there was another set of footsteps at the threshold to the white room. I felt the pull in my chest; warmth flooded my mind and body. I knew before I even looked up who it would be – Maximus Compass, in all of his beautiful glory.

I couldn’t stop from locking onto his face. He returned the gesture, zeroing in on me, eyes as black as pitch with a slight shine to them, the sort of darkness which would reflect its surroundings.

He didn’t say a word as he stalked across the room to my side, he was dressed casually, but somehow made jeans and a long-sleeved Henley look like a million bucks. By now Jessa and the healer had disappeared. They probably just left normally and I was too entranced by Maximus to notice, but it sort of felt like they’d evaporated into the air.

When the vampire was at my side, we continued to stare, the energy between us practically humming. I might have been new to the supernatural world but I had always known this was more than normal, more than a chemical attraction or infatuation on my part. This was fate. This was a soul connection. A week ago I’d have been determined to run from it, afraid I’d let this weakness cost my child, the same way Lienda’s had. Now I wasn’t so sure.

How could I ever deny him when everything in my body wanted him so badly? If it was only about me, I would not hesitate for a second to throw myself into everything he was. He was a male of worth. I knew that. Even if he’d made some really bad decisions. But I had to think about our daughter too. She deserved my full focus, especially while she was young.

I would bide my time and see how things eventuated, no rushing in.

All of my musings were cut off as Maximus sank to his knees at my side. He was so tall that even on his knees our heads were almost level with each other. “I died a thousand deaths in the past week. Every scar on your body. Every second of pain you endured.” His head dropped as something akin to shame and anguish crumbled his broad features. “I have failed you as a lover, as a friend, as a father to our child, and as a true mate. The bond kicked in when I saved you, when I used my blood to try and slow the Lunarti oil. A bond I should have always known was there, and which is my greatest joy to receive.”

I swallowed roughly. Already he was testing my resolve. His perfect words. His true sorrow. I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out and touching his temple. His eyes shot up to clash with mine. “It’s a girl, Max. We’re having a daughter.”

He froze, and then a single tear escaped from the corner of his dark eyes. I watched it trail down his face and fought the urge to lean in and catch it on my tongue. My wolf wanted me to do that, but the human side in me didn’t understand. Maximus reached out and laid a gentle hand on my stomach, which seemed to have doubled in size in the past week.

“You have blessed me beyond reckoning. We’ll be a family, Mischa. I can’t lose you again.” He took a deep breath. “I know you need time to learn to trust in us again. The true mate bond is not fully in place. I can’t hear your thoughts yet, and I believe it’s because you’re not quite ready for the connection. I can wait as long as you need. Just know that even before this bond snapped into place, I already knew I couldn’t live without you. I had already chosen you.”

He’d finally said the words I’d been waiting months to hear. He chose me. My greatest wish. He was right though, there was much we needed to overcome.

“Max…” I started slowly, carefully choosing my words. “This bond brings me great joy, but also fear. I lost myself once to you, and it hurt people I love. Now I have a daughter to worry about. I can’t lose myself again. But it’s impossible to deny this thing between us. Maybe we should just start with rebuilding our friendship.”

Some of the brown was bleeding back into his dark eyes, and I was confused for a second as a grin swept across his features. “Mischa Lebron, you and I are going to be best friends. But we’re also going to be true mates and lovers. You can run from this as long as you need. I understand why you don’t trust in us yet, but you will. I promise you that in the not very distant future you will be mine in every way.”

A snort escaped me. “Arrogant much?”

He cocked his head to the side. “I like to think of it as confidence and trust in our bond. And you don’t have to worry about our daughter. Together we’ll keep her safe. She’ll know more love than is possible to handle. No one will lay a hand on you or Agnes again.”

I fully lost it then. Laughter busted from me in a torrent of mirth and I had to hold my stomach for fear that I would go into labor. Eventually I caught my breath. “We’re not calling our daughter Agnes,” I told the twinkly-eyed vampire.

“What about Mavis? … Cecile?” His cocky grin and dimples were on full display. “I’ve been looking into human names. They have some really fun ones.”

I shook my head, and even though I knew it was a bad idea I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out and wrapping my arms around his shoulders. “Thank you for saving us. I’m really looking forward to the best friend thing.”

And I was. Maximus was my family, and this felt right.

I heard him clear his throat as he wrapped me tightly in his arms, and before I could protest he rose to his feet, pulling me from the bed and into his arms, holding me so gently, my feet dangling inches from the ground.

With his warmth and scent engulfing me, everything from the past week crashed in on me. My chest got tight and the lump in my throat was choking me as I fought to control my emotions. Squeezing my eyes as tightly as I could, I tried to stem the rising tide, but tears still slipped out and ran down my cheeks with reckless abandon. Sobs were rising with them. I tried to stop them, but the moment Maximus sensed my tears and started whispering soothing and beautiful words to me, I completely lost it.

For the first time in my life, when I fell apart someone was there to catch me. It was the most incredible feeling ever. I’d never had that, never had support. I was not alone.

Finally his words turned desperate. “Mischa. Misch … please stop crying. I cannot stand to see you in so much pain. I
will
kill Kristoff when I find him. I’ll make him suffer for every second of his time with you. He’ll be praying for death before I’m finished with him.”

Eventually my tears dried up, but I didn’t let him go. I wanted a few more moments to enjoy the warmth of his huge frame as it wrapped around me. In the human world I’d never felt particularly small or delicate, but male supes had a way of making you feel positively petite.

Maximus’ chest shook a little then and I felt his laughter. “How’re you doing with the ‘just friends’ thing? Because the line’
s getting a little blurry for me.”

I could tell he was joking. Kind of.

Then, as he pulled back and lifted a hand to wipe away the last of the wetness on my cheeks, his smile fell. Something hot flickered across his face and flared to life in his eyes. I had a second to squeak before his lips crashed down onto mine, and then I was lost in the taste and scent of the vampire, lost in the male who should have been mine from the start but was cruelly stolen from me.

I’m not sure how long we kissed. It felt like weeks. Had to be at least a few hours, because by the time his soft lips released mine I was dizzy and breathless. My head spun, and I knew that my legs would not be capable of holding me up. Which I didn’t have to worry about because he continued to hold me, with not even the slightest falter, despite the amount of time he’d been carrying my weight, baby belly squished between us.

I opened and closed my mouth as I tried to figure out what to say. I knew I should protest or something, but my brain was mush. I really just wanted to kiss him again.

Maximus dropped his forehead onto mine. “I’d say sorry, but I’m really not,” he said, and as he leaned in closer I knew he was going to kiss me again. And I wanted him to. Badly. But this was not taking it slow. I was already losing myself, and that was not okay.

I pushed at his chest, and he released me, placing me back on the bed.

“Slow, remember? I’ve already let the weakness of this bond between us crush me. I need to know I’m strong enough to be mother and mate.”

Something primal lit up in his gaze then. He liked me using the word mate. “I haven’t quite figured out how we’re true mates yet. Theories are being bandied about, but nothing concrete.”

Right! I had information to share with him.

For the second time that day I explained everything Kristoff said to me. With each revelation Maximus’ body and face hardened, he was soon very statue like. As I finished with details on his fake bond with Cardia, he let out an angry snarl and took off. He moved so fast I missed the first step and only caught the tail end. He was already out the door and all I could hear was the whoosh as he stormed away.

Jumping from the bed, I winced at some of the lingering pain in my body. Ignoring it, I waddle-ran as fast as I could, following him. The hallway outside of my room seemed to run the length of this building. There were a bunch of rooms off it, but I didn’t bother with any of them. I would have heard Maximus open a door.