Dragon 7 Chapter 7 (Patreon)

I wasn’t exactly sure how to get to the prison, but when we turned off the highway onto a smaller country road, I was fairly certain we weren’t headed in that direction. “Where are we going?”

“Going to fang out now?” Carl taunted me. “Do it. I’d love an excuse to do something about this. We are going to put you in a holding cell while we get a trial set up. Given that you are wanted for murder, there will be no bail.” The car jostled as it went down a gravel road and a large concrete block of a building came into view with an even larger chain link fence wrapped around one side of it.

“My lawyer will get me out. Why even waste the time bringing me here?” I crossed my arms and stayed strong. A prison didn’t worry me at all. It wasn’t like I was at the bottom of the food chain. I’d probably eat a prison alive.

But I was annoyed that these two men were taking up my free time. I liked to use my free time to play in my hoard with my women.

Reminded of my hoard, I realized Yev’s egg was coming soon. I’d shred these men before they made me miss that. And if I didn’t, I was fairly certain Yev would shred them, followed by me.

“They might be able to get you out of it, but unfortunately the system is super backed up. Even if we file the paperwork today, the earliest court date we are going to get is 6 months from now. And that assumes everything goes smoothly.” Norton grinned at me over the seat. “You are a fanger; that much is clear. If you want to pick a fight, we can have a go. But know even those big bad alpha wolves can’t handle me. What are you some sort of weresnake?” He scoffed and muttered ‘dragon king’ under his breath.

I couldn’t help but smirk. “Yeah? You are delusional enough that you think you are fighting werewolves? Let’s get this over with. I want my goddamn phone call.”

“Sure. You can talk to the ones inside.” Carl pulled the car to a stop and got out. “Oh, and please feel free to try and run. We have cameras pointed at us. I’d love to show the bureau that you are a fanger. Get one of those pictures and post it all the way up the chain. Then we’ll roll everyone we have out on you and your family.”

I stepped out of the vehicle and rolled my shoulders, keeping my spine straight. “You talk a lot. If you don’t mind, I’d love to get checked in. Sooner that happens, sooner I’ll be out.”

They walked me up to the front gates. The gates slid open and closed behind us before the next gate opened up.

I looked around. The security was decent; it might even handle a vamp. But it sure as shit wouldn’t hold a dragon. Not much would.

I could snap my cuffs and leave whenever I wanted. The problem was doing it without furthering their case. Paranormals were trying to lay low, and I didn’t want to be the one to out the secret.

Right now Norton and a few goons had it out for us. I didn’t need them to get a video of me shifting and pass it around the bureau. But if he was going after ‘fangers’, I wondered how far reaching their little paranormal hate group went.

An old guard saw me coming in. “Welcome to prison.”

“I’m awaiting trial, so at the moment I’m more of a guest.” I replied.

“Sure buddy. That’s what they all say.” The old guard shuffled over to a cloth cart and pulled out an orange uniform. “Best get in these. Those are nice threads. We don’t often get fancy people in here.”

I knocked Norton’s hand off my arm. “Where’s the bathroom to change?”

“You’re looking at it. Better get over your desire for privacy. There’s none of that here.” The old guard’s eyes raked over me. “We have to make sure you don’t bring anything in.”

I rolled my eyes and started taking off my tux, stripping down to my boxers. “Good?”

The guard was fixated on my two bracers. “Is that gold?”

“No. Brass.” I lied. Goldie was still on my arm, and the elemental was quite attention grabbing.

“Those come off too. Can’t bring in any metal. Didn’t have a phone on him?” The guard looked over my shoulder, addressing the two FBI agents.

No, my phone was in a spatial pocket in one of my bracers. I’d use it the second I had some privacy.

“Guess not. Probably had his assistant holding it.” Carl snorted. “Take the bracers off.”

I slipped Goldie off, although I could feel it sticking to my skin a little. I stuffed it between my suit jacket and pants.

The old guard watched it carefully, but the idea of him trying to take Goldie was laughable. Pretty sure she’d come back to me regardless.

“The other one too.” Norton pointed at it.

“It doesn’t come off.” I replied, tapping where the two fangs were hooked into my skin.

“It’ll come off.” The guard said. “We get all sorts of piercings out.” He grabbed it and jerked.

The fangs tugged at my skin and it hurt, but they didn’t budge. It was almost like they were rooted all the way to my bones.

“Move. I’ll get it.” Norton came over, his eyes pouring out gray smoke as he activated whatever power Iapetus had blessed him with.

Under my bracer, I shifted my skin to scales and my bones to denser dragon bones. I was ready for his attack; I wouldn’t move.

He jerked it, and I stumbled. The FBI agent had put far more power into that jerk than I had expected.

Despite his thin frame, he was at least as strong as my human form with dragon strength.

“Hold him.” Norton barked at Carl, who grabbed my shoulder.

Norton pulled and pulled. It felt like a giant was trying to rip my arm off, but the bracer stayed glued to me. “Cut it off.”

The old guard nodded and stepped away, coming back with a bolt cutter. “Every now and then someone comes with a really weird piercing.” He slipped it under the edge of my bracer and tried to squeeze as hard as he could, but nothing happened.

Norton was getting impatient. He knocked the guard aside, taking the bolt cutter and using his exceptional strength. The bolt cutter halves slipped and the jaw of the bolt cutter broke apart. The FBI agent was panting.

“Maybe we just leave it on him? Doesn’t look sharp.” The old guard seemed to want to be done with the situation.

“Fine. Everything else is evidence.” Norton said.

The old guard looked at the pile containing Goldie wistfully.

“My ugly uniform? I’d like to get clothed.” I held out my hand.

“Sure. You’re a big guy. Here’s a triple X.” He handed the uniform to me and I put on the shirt. It was like wearing a bag, but it at least covered my stomach. After the shirt, I put on the pants, bouncing around as I got my legs through.

I made sure to land myself on top of my folded up suit.

I tried not to smile as I felt Goldie slide up my pant leg. I fed the elemental a small bit of mana, using it to guide her up to my bicep.

The clothes I could care less about. I’m sure they were nice, but Goldie was mine.

“Fine. Are we done?” Norton scowled at the guard.

My stomach growled as if to answer him. The food at the gallery really hadn’t been enough.

“Yep. We’ll get him booked in. Good news. The last group is having dinner, so you’ll get to meet some new pals.” The old man hustled me through a door and into more concrete lined halls. “You should fit right in. But be careful of Loaf. He likes to pick on the new ones, especially during meals.” The old guard cackled.

I’d read at one point that having power over another person changed how you viewed them. It was called the Stanford Experiment.

Based on the way the guards looked at me, I could believe it. It was certainly a stark contrast to where I’d just been, with Jadelyn on my arm.

“When do I get my phone call?” I asked the old guard.

“Talk to a guard tomorrow. We don’t have time to bring you to the front for a phone call now.” He waved away my request, and I had a feeling that I wasn’t going to get my phone call.

Every door buzzed open as I was led deeper into the prison. After a number of checkpoints, we eventually reached an area the guards didn’t seem to enter.

“That way to the right is the mess hall. Enjoy your stay.” The old guard cracked up at his own joke.

I walked down the hall and spotted the mess hall. The room had plastic observation windows cut into its side.

Stepping in, the guards noticed me, but they didn’t react beyond scowling at me threateningly.

The food line had several guys in hair nets doling out of metal trays. They were wearing orange, clearly prisoners themselves..

“Hello.” A friendlier than I expected prisoner greeted me. “You’re new here.”

“Just rolled in. Awaiting trial. Hopefully I roll out just as fast.” I smiled and brought my tray up for him to fill.

He plopped down mashed potatoes before dropping a small piece of unidentifiable meat onto the tray. It didn’t look particularly appealing, but I was certainly hungry enough to eat it.

“Yeah. See Riko over there?” He nodded at a tan man sitting at the table. “Been here two months waiting trial. Steve, three months. Greg—“

“It’s okay. I’d like a little hope.” I stopped him.

“Suit yourself. Get comfy is all I’m saying.” He moved with me down the line and gave me some boiled carrots and then some jello.

“Is everything mushy here?” I frowned at the carrots in particular. They were definitely overcooked.

“Eh.” He made a funny face. “They are pretty invested in preventing us from making shivs.”

“Wait, the carrots? People have made shivs from carrots?” I was shocked.

He just shrugged, and I also realized there were no eating utensils. Fuck, I had to use my hands.

When I turned away from the line with my plate of food, I was suddenly taken back to highschool again.

Everybody was hunched over with their group, taking up as much space as possible at the tables to make me choose somewhere else.

But I wasn’t in much of a socializing mood anyway. I picked the end of a table that was unoccupied to eat on my own.

I sat down and took the piece of meat, devouring it immediately.

I could feel a shift in the prisoners around me as a large meathead stood up from across the hall and walked over towards me. He left behind a tray that seemed to be overflowing with food.

His intentions were pretty clear.

I spun in my seat to face him. “Hello, you wouldn’t happen to be Loaf, would you?”

“What’s it to you?” The big man grunted, and I got a whiff of him.

I cursed. The dude was a fucking troll. Not a swamp troll, so maybe a mountain. Either way, he stank.

“I think I’d like your food.” My stomach growled again.

Prisoners around me laughed, and the guards joined in.

“Funny.” Loaf threw a punch and I caught it, pretending to struggle just enough to be believable. The surprise on his face was meme worthy.

I twisted his fist and plowed him into the floor before picking up my tray and taking a big scoop of my mashed potatoes. I mixed it into the carrots and stuffed it all in my mouth before heading over to his tray.

If they were going to house a dragon, they were going to feed one.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Loaf was getting back to his feet, dumb enough to go at me again. His regeneration had made him brash. He wasn’t used to real consequences.

“Loaf, you don’t want to do this.” I told him as I nearly reached his tray of food.

Loaf roared as he charged me, dropping his shoulder.

A year ago I would have been scared, but Morgana’s training kicked in. I grabbed Loaf’s shoulder and rolled with his charge, using his own momentum to throw him onto a table, snapping it in half.

Apparently that much violence was the line. The guards moved, slapping their nightsticks to their full length. One held a live taser, threatening me with it.

I scooped up handfuls of Loaf’s food, stuffing it in my mouth before getting down on my knees and putting my hands behind my head. “Sorry. I’m just really hungry.” I swallowed everything. I had no doubt I wouldn’t be getting enough food to feed a dragon unless I got a little creative.

I waited for them to tase me, surprised when they didn’t. I was glad I didn’t have to try to act my way through that one; I wasn’t a very good actor.

“Solitary for you. First day and you’re breaking tables? You need to be taught a lesson.” A guard sneered at me, and I saw the gray smoke in his eyes.

Fucking hell.

Just how far had Iaepetus’ reach spread?

The guard grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the mess hall.

Four guys were trying to get Loaf out of the table he’d crashed into, and it made me smirk. The fucking troll tried to pick a fight with a dragon.

I kept my senses as I strolled past others, but the rest of the place wasn’t paranormal as far as I could tell. But at least solitary would be nice and private for me to use my phone.

The guard was rough with me, but it didn’t bother me at all. Two more guards joined him and we went through a door that caught my attention, because there were security cameras in every corner for a while down the hallway. But as soon as we went past that door, the cameras were suspiciously absent.

“No cameras here?” I joked.

“Nope. We don’t want to record the screams of those in solitary. It can drive people a little crazy.” A guard chuckled. “You’re new. Causing trouble on the first day?”

“I’m awaiting trial. Still innocent. That Meatloaf picked a fight with me.” I sounded bored, even to myself.

“Sure you are.” Another guard laughed and they pushed me past a heavy metal door with a slot in it.

The door slammed closed behind me before several bolts fell into place.

I sniffed and wrinkled my nose. The room stank of anxiety ridden occupants.

But the bed and toilet were clean, which was more than I’d expected.

I sat down on the bed, the heavily used springs giving to my weight. I adjusted slightly, shifting my back to the door I’d come through just in case one of them looked through the slot.

Pulling my phone out, I grinned in victory.

Only for my smile to falter as it kept searching for signal. Fuck. Tapping out a message, I tried to send something to Jadelyn telling her what had happened but it returned an error message instead.

Grumbling, I put it down, I could keep trying.

I trusted Jadelyn was doing everything in her power, but I couldn’t know if she’d even locate where I was for a while.

Something about this all stank.

I needed to find my own way out.

Muttering under my breath, a spark jumped from my pointer finger to my thumb. I focused and muttered again, trying to get it to spark to life further away from me.

If I could work on my spell casting to cast at a distance or even without words, I’d be able to cause enough problems to stir up an opportunity for escape.

They’d temporarily caged me, but I was the king of dragons. I was the top of the food chain and I didn’t intend to let them forget it.