“Good. She deserves to suffer,” Vasilios said, bringing his hand up to caress my cheek. “I almost lost you,” he continued in a whisper. His eyes held mine, and I saw his fear that I’d come so close to death. An unfamiliar feeling swept through me. I never imagined I’d enjoy him caring about my well-being.

  “Okay, looks like he’s gone on a bathroom break. Let’s go,” Sven said, interrupting the moment. Vasilios cast a spell over the door entry system, and I watched as buttons pressed down on their own, magically keying in the code.

  The doors slid open, and we passed through. My heart was in my throat because guards manned the area, and we could run into one at any moment. I mean, I wasn’t a real prisoner, so technically, I wasn’t really escaping. I was, however, allowing two actual prisoners to escape when I should’ve informed the warden of their plan as soon as I discovered it.

  “It’s okay. Stay behind me,” Vasilios said, sensing my anxiety.

  We reached what appeared to be a large laundry shaft. Sven pulled it open and prepared to climb in.

  “Wait, we’re going in there?” I asked apprehensively.

  “It’s a quick slide down,” Sven explained. “You’ll be landing in dirty prison guard uniforms, but I figured it was better than using the garbage chute.”

  He was right. Dirty laundry was definitely preferable to that.

  “I’ll go down first and catch you,” Vasilios said, climbing by Sven. He braced himself and then let go, disappearing down the chute. In the second it took him to reach the bottom, I prayed there was dirty laundry down there to break his fall.

  Sven and I peered down before we heard Vasilios call back up to us. “All good!”

  “You go now. I’ll follow you,” Sven said, and I climbed into the chute. Not wishing to prolong the anxiety, I quickly let my body drop, and seconds later, I crashed into Vasilios’ arms. He caught me before I could land in the laundry, and my breathing quickened when one of his hands lingered on the small of my back. His eyes went to my mouth a moment, but then he stepped away, and Sven sailed down.

  “What now?” I asked.

  “Now,” Vasilios replied, “We get the hell out of here.” He crawled to the other end of the unit and pushed open a small, rounded door. It opened into a room filled with large industrial-sized washing machines and dryers.

  “Is this the same laundry room where prisoners work?” I asked, remembering Lara saying she worked in the laundry. It was hard not to be angry when I thought of her.

  “No, this is a separate one for the guards. They have civilian workers who come in and launder their uniforms a few times a week, but most of the time, it’s empty,” Vasilios said as he went to peer through the small window on the door. “Shit,” he whispered. “There’s a bunch of guards out there.”

  “So we wait for them to clear off,” Sven replied.

  “Right, but what if they come in here,” I said just as Vasilios’s shoulders stiffened.

  “Actually, one is coming this way right now. Hide!” he urged, and before I knew it, he was pulling me inside the drum of one of the huge washing machines. I spotted Sven climb into one across from us and swiftly close the door. A second later, a guard entered the room. He was frowning, his eyes narrowed in suspicion, and I wondered if he’d heard our voices.

  He walked around the room, peering all about before stopping beside the washing machine Sven was hiding in. I shared a worried look with Vasilios before realising just how close we were. Our breaths mingled, and my attention went unexpectedly to his lips. What was wrong with me? Why was I looking at his lips?

  The guard scratched his chin, tapped the toe of his boot against the tiles then began to leave the laundry room when the worst possible thing happened.

  Somebody sneezed.

  And that somebody was me.

  19.

  The guard’s attention swung back around.

  I swore silently while shooting Vasilios an apologetic look. The guard proceeded to pull open the doors of the washing machines one by one. He was slowly approaching ours when Sven took the opportunity to fling his door open, grab the guard from behind, and lock his arm around his neck.

  Vasilios and I immediately crawled out, and I sucked in a deep breath. The oxygen had been quickly depleting in there.

  The prison guard didn’t even have the chance to grab his radio because Sven had already choked him out. He lowered him to the floor, a quizzical expression on his face as he surveyed the unconscious man.

  “Sorry I sneezed,” I said. “I think I might be allergic to whatever fabric softener they use here. Normally, I would’ve been able to stifle it.”

  “Don’t fret,” Vasilios said while he and Sven shared a look.

  “Change of plan?” Sven asked, and Vasilios shook his head.

  “He’s too small. His uniform won’t fit either of us. And what about these?” he asked, motioning to their heads. “His hat won’t cover our horns, and I need to conserve my magic for later. I can’t waste it on creating a glamour.”

  “Wait, what’s going on? Please don’t tell me you’re planning on stripping this man of his clothes so that you can wear his uniform.”

  “That is exactly what we’re telling you,” Vasilios said as his eyes wandered down my body before returning to the unconscious guard. “And we won’t be wearing the uniform. You will.”

  “What? No. Let’s just stick to whatever your original plan was.”

  “Our original plan means we’ll spend another two hours weaving our way through the prison and avoiding detection,” Sven said. “But you put on this uniform, and we can walk out the front door.”

  “What about you two?”

  “We’ll hide under this laundry,” Vasilios said, wheeling forward a cart full of unwashed uniforms. “I’m sure you’re more than strong enough to push us.”

  That was the annoying part. I was strong enough, but I still felt uneasy about stripping the poor guard of his clothing. It seemed like a violation, and I bet he never expected to be choked out by a demon vampire when he set off for his shift. Still, I wanted to get out of there fast, and that was the speediest option.

  “Fine,” I huffed. “I’ll wear the uniform, but I’m not taking it off him.”

  “You have yourself a deal,” Sven replied, already bending to undo his belt before unceremoniously yanking off the guard’s trousers. He tossed them at me, and I caught them in one hand.

  “Well,” Vasilios said, arching an eyebrow. “What are you waiting for?”

  “Turn around,” I snapped, annoyed that I had to get undressed in front of him yet again. Only now, it was tinged with something more; something I didn’t want to admit was sexual tension.

  It was the mark. It had to be. That was why I felt that way about him.

  Vasilios turned while Sven continued tossing items of clothing at me. I unbuttoned the jumpsuit and pushed it down my body before stepping out. My skin beaded when the chilly air hit me. I glanced at Vasilios, and thankfully, he still faced away from me.

  “Everything okay?” he asked, turning his head slightly. Had he sensed me looking at him?

  “Yes, I’m okay. Don’t look,” I replied.

  “People in this dimension are so odd about nudity,” Sven said, handing me the final item, a dark green hat. He kept his eyes averted, thankfully. I gathered my hair up before shoving it under the hat. My hair was my most recognisable feature, so hopefully, the hat would help shield me from being singled out. I had to pray that none of the guards who’d seen me when I arrived were on duty.

  “You can look now. I’m decent,” I said, and Vasilios turned around to survey me. He pressed his lips together, then took a step closer.

  “The tie is a little crooked,” he murmured as he reached out to straighten it. His knuckles brushed my throat while he quickly fixed the tie, and I swallowed thickly. He noticed, a brief curious expression on his face.

  Why did I have goosebumps again? Ugh, I hated myself sometimes.

  “The colour suits you,” Vasilios continued, stepping back to survey me.

  “Let’s go,” Sven said, already climbing into the laundry cart. Vasilios glanced at me one last time, reaching out to touch my shoulder. He gave it a soft squeeze. “You can do this,” he whispered.

  “I know I can,” I said, unsure why I was suddenly overcome with emotion. Maybe it was because he was putting his trust in me, and he still didn’t know the truth. He didn’t know that I wasn’t a real convict.

  They hid under a pile of dirty shirts, and I headed for the door. I opened it and entered the hallway, pushing the cart in front of me. To my relief, it was empty, and I rolled along, hoping not to bump into anyone.

  “Look for signs that point to an exit,” Vasilios whispered from beneath the pile of laundry.

  “Hush. I know what to do,” I said as I passed by what appeared to be a break room. Several guards were sitting at tables and talking amongst themselves. My pulse pounded so hard I thought it was trying to beat itself out of my chest. Thankfully, none of the guards paid me any notice.

  Then I came across a familiar area. It was the hallway I’d been marched down when I first arrived, the one that led to the tattoo room. So far, I didn’t see any exit signs, but the building was old, and most people who worked there probably knew their way around.

  That would make things a little bit more difficult.

  “What’s going on?” Vasilios whispered, peeking out from beneath the laundry. I grabbed a towel and tossed it over his head.

  “Didn’t I tell you to hush?” I asked in annoyance.

  “It’s official,” I heard him say, his words muffled. “She’s drunk on power.”

  I suppressed a grin that was immediately dissolved by the sight of Serg being escorted into the tattoo room. His gaze met mine, and my heart sank all the way into the too-big boots I wore. Those dark eyes of his glittered like he’d just stumbled upon something incredibly interesting. And he had.

  The guard told him to keep walking, and he entered the tattoo room. With the guard behind him, Serg knocked into one of the shelves holding the bespelled ink, and a pot fell off, shattering all over the guard’s boots.

  “Aw shit, man. I’m sorry. You better go clean that off fast. You’re a warlock, right? That ink is bespelled to block magic, and if it gets on you, it could take weeks for your powers to return.”

  The guard, clearly frazzled, looked about and spotted me immediately. “You!” he bellowed.

  “Yes?” I replied, my heart pounding.

  “Watch this inmate until I return. I won’t be long.”

  He hurried away, eager to get the bespelled ink off his boots, while Serg slinked toward me. “Thought you’d gone for a nap,” he said. “But this, well, this is far more interesting than a nap.” I didn’t know what to say. The words were stuck in my throat.

  Serg approached the laundry cart and pulled aside the piles of clothing. “Well, would you look at what we have here? I should’ve known the horny boys were planning an escape. You two always look like you’re conspiring about something.”

  Vasilios and Sven wore identical expressions of impatience.

  “Either shut up and return to your tattoo parlour or come with us. You’ve got two seconds to decide,” Vasilios said.

  “Oh, you better believe I’m coming with you. What’s the plan?”

  I scratched the back of my head. The guard’s hat was too tight, causing my scalp to itch. “Um …”

  “Where’s the nearest exit?” Vasilios demanded, and Serg pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “Follow me.”

  They climbed from the cart, and we hurried down a hallway lined with doors. It was nowhere near the large entrance I’d gone through when I arrived, and I briefly worried Serg might be leading us astray. Speaking of Serg, I was apprehensive about him joining our escape, especially since I still had no clue what crimes he’d committed. I could be letting some violent rapist or murderer loose on the world, one with the ability to shapeshift into an as-yet-unknown animal form.

  The part of the prison we’d entered was even older and mustier than the others. It smelled of dampness and rot, and I suspected it was rarely used. We reached a rusty metal door that had a bunch of deadbolts and locks on it. The locks looked worse for wear, and there was crystalised salt on top of the rust. That meant the sea was close. The door might lead us directly outside of the prison.

  Vasilios eyed the locks a moment before closing his eyes and casting a spell.

  While we waited for his spell to unlock the door, I turned my attention to Serg. “Are you sure about this? A life on the run isn’t for everyone.”

  “I’ve got another thirty years in this place, princess. A life on the run is fine by me.”

  “But you have power here. People respect you. On the outside, it will be different.”

  “Don’t you worry about me. I’ll be just fine. I made my living off robbing human banks, and I have a stash of money hidden safe. That’ll get me far away from here.” He paused, shooting me a small smile. “You’re welcome to join me. Just imagine it. We’ll be like Bonnie and Clyde.”

  “No, thanks,” Vasilios cut in. “She has better things to do than go into a casino with you, splash a load of cash, and immediately catch the attention of the authorities.”

  “Relax, horny boy. I’m not trying to steal your girl.” He shot me a wink. “Not unless she wants to be stolen.”

  “Call me that again, and we’ll leave you behind,” Vasilios grunted just as the door sprang open and a gust of wind practically knocked us off our feet. The door didn’t open into a dock or loading area. No, it opened almost directly into the sea. There were barely ten feet between us and the water, only a small section of rocky shore to stand on.

  Oh, there were also the magical thorns pulsing right in front of our faces and blocking us from taking a single step outside the door.

  “Okay, so this makes things a little bit trickier,” Vasilios said as he examined the magical vines.

  “Yeah, I have a feeling we aren’t going to be able to walk right through those,” Serg added.

  “Stand back, all of you. I’m going to try something.”

  Serg, Sven, and I took several steps back from the door, watching as Vasilios raised both his arms, an incantation spoken in Oreylian slipping musically from his lips before he threw his arms forward. The force of his magic was strong, and I was propelled backward, just barely avoiding landing on my arse. The thorns held strong, and Vasilios threw his arms forward again, more magic lashing at the vines to no avail.

  As I watched him, an odd humming began in my chest. My legs moved forward of their own volition as I reached out and took his hand into mine. Vasilios stared at me in confusion, his attention levelled somewhere below my chin. His eyes widened, startled. I had no idea what had him looking so distraught until I glanced down and saw the glow emanating from my chest. Vasilios let go of my hand, pulling off the tie and ripping open my shirt. I wasn’t even self-conscious about him exposing my bra because we both gasped at what we found.

  My skin was glowing. It was alive with magic, but not just any magic. It was alive with his magic and my own. Somehow, our powers had melded, the tendrils intertwining with the demon mark I possessed to create a glowing orb inside me.

  “Let’s try it together,” I whispered, reaching out to hold his hand.

  In unison, we turned. Vasilios started his incantation as we raised our arms and lashed our magic at the barrier. It popped and fizzled, fighting against the attack, but it didn’t hold. A hole broke through, round like a cigarette burn in a piece of fabric.

  “Fucking hell, you did it!” Serg exclaimed.

  “But how are we going to get to shore?” Sven questioned, ever the voice of reason. “We were supposed to access the dock to steal a boat. There’s nothing here unless we swim.”

  “Not me,” Serg said as he began stripping out of his jumpsuit. I averted my gaze and found Vasilios staring at me, his eyes alight.

  “What was that?” he whispered.

  “I have no idea. But it worked, so that’s all that matters right now.”

  He nodded, his expression full of fascination before Serg distracted us by shifting into his animal form. Now that we were outside the bounds of the magical wards, he was no longer prevented from shifting.

  “Bastard,” Sven griped as Serg’s body transformed into the biggest eagle I’d ever seen. The bird shot high up into the air, wings spread wide, and we stared at him as he flew away.

  “Not so much as a thank you,” Vasilios said in annoyance.

  “Never mind him,” I interjected. “At least he’s only a bank robber and not a murderer. We have bigger concerns, such as how we’re going to get to the mainland.”

  “There’s a spell. With these tattoos still dulling my powers somewhat, I won’t be able to cast it alone, but with both of us, it might be possible.”

  “Okay, what is it?”

  “I can create a tunnel through the water, but it will be narrow, so we’ll have to go single file. And you can’t call my name or do anything to distract and make me look back. Otherwise, the tunnel will collapse, and we’ll drown.”

  “We’re miles away from the mainland,” Sven said. “That’s a long way to walk. By the time we reach the shore, the prison guards will have realised we escaped. They’ll be waiting for us on the other side.”

  “Not if we go the long way around. We’ll climb ashore in one of the smaller villages where they’ll be less likely to be waiting.”

  “Look, it’s our only option right now, so we might as well take the chance. I doubt Serg is going to come flying back to rescue us,” I said with no small amount of sarcasm.

  “Okay, let’s do it.”

  Vasilios took my hand in his, and we climbed down the few rocks until the waves lashed our feet. My chest still glowed with barely contained power. He squeezed my hand tight and began casting the spell. For a second, I felt like my feet levitated a fraction of an inch as the waves slowly started to part. A hollow opening formed, going deep into the sea, and a wave of claustrophobia hit me. We had to go down there, and I was terrified. Sure, I could fight my way out of a tight squeeze, but my physical strength was no match for the ocean. If the magical tunnel collapsed, the three of us would drown.