1 - The Prisoners arrival

SOFIA

The bus rolled towards what I believed was my impending doom. My new home for the unforeseeable future.

A prison for wild beasts and creatures.

The massive structure loomed ahead, green ivy covered over the grey stone walls, the tiny windows had bars over them. This looked like something right out of a horror movie. The place was high-walled, barricaded by barbed wire that was laced with enchanted spells which weren’t easy for creatures to breakthrough.

Goosebumps rose over my flesh as I wondered what was going to happen to me once I was locked inside that prison. The rumors about this place were enough to give anyone nightmares.

Dark Water prison was known for holding some of the most dangerous and ruthless prisoners around the world, including but not limited to convicted Dragons, Werewolves, Shapeshifters, Vampires, and Witches.

Worst of all, I was sentenced to ten years in that place.

I didn’t know how I was going to survive for two minutes let alone ten years.

I would mind my own business and keep my head down. No matter what anyone said to me, I wasn’t going to react to anybody.

There was news that they had captured an Alpha with a notorious reputation for being one of the most wanted criminals in the world of creatures. He seemed to be causing trouble inside the prison, and I remembered reading in the newspaper about him and thinking to myself how bad it would be to live in that place. The irony of that situation was hilarious because a month later, I ended up there.

I would make some trustworthy friends and try to stay out of the savage crowd. Rumor has it that women and men were all kept together.

This was one of the worst places I could have ended up in.

The bus passed through huge iron gates and the only sound inside the bus was the clanking of the chains and the handcuffs around our wrists and legs.

I glanced around myself and noticed three other inmates riding in the bus with me. A creature sat in the front seat, her hair was long, fair as snow, and pointy elongated ears showing through her hair. She also possessed wings, intricate and beautiful as she was. Sensing something, she turned in her seat to look at me.

I couldn’t help but stare at her. Those were a pair of prettiest grey eyes I’d ever seen. There was just something about her that one couldn’t help but feel mesmerized by.

A snap of fingers broke the trance.

“Don’t stare at her.” A voice warned from the seat behind me.

I spun halfway around to look at a girl who seemed to be of my age, early twenties. A she-wolf no doubt. I wondered what her story was.

“She traps people in her snare.” She elaborated, “That’s what fae fairies are good at. Inside the prison, her mind games won’t work but out here, I can’t say much. I’m Danny by the way. You’re the Russian vampire who stole blood bags from the hospital you worked at, right? Pleased to meet you.”

“Same here, I guess? What did you do?” I blurted out.

“Oh, I wiped out a group of werewolf hunters.” She said casually like she’d just dropped a few biscuits in her tea.

I could smell the blood on her and if I touched her, I was positive I’d see whatever that she’d done.

My gaze fell on the other members of the bus ride.

She sensed my question. “That tall guy in the back is Jake. He’s a giant.”

“His head is almost touching the roof of the bus,” I whispered.

She laughed as if we were in some conspiracy together, besties for life.

Jake was super tall and no wonder it was because of his troll genes. Rough features, big body, large hands that could punch through a wall without any problem. He fixed me with a cold stare that had me turning to face the front.

“So, what did he do?” I asked.

“He crushed a man below his feet and he believes it was a mistake, I mean that’s what I heard. Jake had just walked out to buy food and didn’t see the man until it was too late.”

The bus suddenly came to a halt and the automatic doors opened.

A man in a blue uniform climbed the bus. Green and silver scales covered half of his face. His yellow snake eyes rested on me, an evil smile stretching his lips.

“He’s a shapeshifter, don’t look into his eyes,” Danny told me.

“Alright inmates, welcome to Dark Water Prison. Line up outside.”

The minute I stepped out of the bus and heard the sounds of rowdy dangerous creatures surrounding me, I wished I’d gone back to yesterday and never stolen those blood-bags no matter how tempting it had been.

I would rather starve to death.

Uneasiness crept inside me so I looked up only to stare straight at a shirtless inmate inside a cell looking straight at me with unnerving interest. He had dark hair, mesmerizing golden eyes, and a strong chiseled jawline.

My breath hitched in my throat as I felt the intensity he was staring at me with.

And then something happened, he blinked and with an unseen force, I dropped down on my knees onto the floor.

It struck me as sure as a bolt of lightning.

He was undoubtedly the notorious Alpha.

I could hear his words whisper into my ear.

You’ll be mine soon.