Christian briefly appeared in the open doorway and regarded me for a moment before steering his attention away.
“Don’t get any bright ideas, Vamp,” the cop warned him.
Christian’s gaze drifted down. “Do you have a holster for those too?”
Barnes was either holding impalement wood or a brass set of balls.
“There has been a misunderstanding,” Viktor said, doing a magnificent job at keeping his cool. “She was merely following my orders. One of our young ones disappeared with a boy. Not acceptable. Raven was only bringing her safely back to me. Come outside. You can speak with her yourself.”
“I don’t like to get involved in personal affairs,” Barnes replied. “Everyone’s got an excuse. But around here, I’ve gotta keep the peace. I can’t afford to have the locals exposed to your shenanigans. You and I both know that the higher authority wouldn’t approve, or in this case, the Mageri. She can either serve out her sentence, or I can call the Mageri and ask whatthey’dlike me to do with her.”
My eyes rounded, and I vehemently shook my head at Christian. I’d rather do my time than be handed over to the Mageri. While Viktor had secured my position with Keystone, the Mageri still scared me. They held absolute power. What would they do if they found out I was a crossbreed? What would they do if they found out about my past crimes?
Christian folded his arms. “Can we not make this worth your time? I’m sure it’ll cost precious taxpayer dollars to feed and care for this one. We can work something out.”
“I don’t feed my prisoners, so it ain’t costing taxpayers jack shit. And you better think twice about bribing an officer of the law, especially one assigned this post by the higher authority. I want the names of all of you so I can report it to my contact.”
“This is not necessary,” Viktor insisted. “I will call someone and settle this matter.”
“Are you trying to outrank me?” Barnes asked in a huff. “My contact keeps your info in case you decide to bust your friend out of here. If that door is open when I return later, I’ll know who did it. It doesn’t matter who your connections are. She broke the law, and I represent the higher authority out here. Iamthe law.”
I watched Christian narrow his eyes.
“Like it or not, this is how we keep the locals in line.”
“Aye, but we’re not local,” Christian pointed out.
Barnes appeared in front of Christian’s face and didn’t look away. “I don’t care if you’re passing through. If you’re not smart enough to respect the laws in one town, what’s to stop you from breaking them everywhere you go? Better your friend learn now what’s permissible. She might wind up in another small town that isn’t so forgiving.”
“Is there no bail?” Viktor inquired. “We will be more than happy to face any sentencing or punishment. I can provide you with our names and information, but can you release her on bail and schedule a hearing or sentencing date?”
Barnes turned sharply and groomed his mustache. “She stays. We don’t have any hotels in town, but seeing as you have an RV, you shouldn’t have a problem sticking around until her sentence is served.”
Christian dropped his arms to his sides and clenched his fists. “And how long is that?”
“Fifteen days.”
“Without food?”
“Yep. You’re lucky I don’t put a stunner in her, but she’s been cooperative. As long as she stays that way, I won’t have to take drastic measures to keep her subdued.”
“Can we see her?” Viktor asked, the disappointment in his voice thinly veiled. “Please allow us a chance to speak with her.”
“Be my guest.”
Viktor and Christian shuffled into the dark room and approached the bars.
I couldn’t look him in the eye. “Viktor, I’m so sorry. I thought that guy was kidnapping her, and there wasn’t time to do anything else.”
“Hewaskidnapping her, but not against will. Claude was using bathroom when girl escaped.”
Despite his cool façade, Viktor was upset. He was dropping words from his sentences left and right.
Viktor took a calming breath and shook his head. “Had you not chased her down, it would be Claude in here instead of you. I am not letting children out of sight again. If not external dangers, we have to worry about children running away. Children become afraid when moving locations, but I did not sense they would be a problem.”
“So her boyfriend, what happened to him?” I asked.
“You’re not the only prisoner,” Christian replied coolly. “We can’t let the arseface go free.”
