“Mr. Foster, how long do you think you will live in High Council custody? A day, a month, a year? Or maybe you think that somehow you will escape, or maybe a lawyer will succeed in getting the charges dropped.” Walking up to him, she ran a finger over one of his wrist shackles until she reached the bolt connecting it to the chain. Then giving it a yank, she listened to his grunt of pain, before returning to her previous position.
“If you have any of those thoughts, it is best to forget them. You were caught in the act of purchasing a wolf shifter and under our laws, it is regarded as trafficking…a crime punishable by death…and that is if you are lucky. However, it is more likely you will be sentenced to life and while some might think it is a better alternative, let me assure you it is not…especially since you will be in a paranormal prison. One option the High Council is considering is solitary confinement for the rest of your natural life. Think about it…24 hours in a cell, no one to speak to, no visitors, nothing to occupy your mind…just your thoughts. Your meals will be delivered through a slot in the door and if the guards have to enter your cell, you will be sedated first…never to know the touch of another. But this option is not the worst one you could get.”
Holding up her hand to stop him from responding, Oracle continued. “Our prisons are nothing like the prisons you previously were in. The High Council can decide to send you to a prison containing only shifters since they were the ones you targeted. There, you will be part of the general population. The only good thing about that placement is none of the inmates areable to shift into their animals; however, you will still not be safe as a human because a shifter’s strength, even in theirhumanform, can kill you easily.
“So in order to make sure you are protected, the other inmates will be informed that a human will be joining them. A series of fights will ensue with all the participants vying for a chance to own you, and the last one standing will have you as their slave. For the rest of your days, you will serve him…inallways. Of course, that is, unless someone gets jealous and decides to kill your owner. If that happens, you will be forced to serve a new one. This will go on, until your owner no longer wants you or until you can no longer serve him due to your age. Then he will sell you for whatever he can get or, if there are no takers, kick you out into the general shifter population where you will be forced to beg for food, clothing, protection, and a place to sleep until death claims you. This is what happens to humans who commit crimes in our world.
“Right now, I can see in your eyes the doubt you have, but remember, I am an Oracle. It is impossible for me to lie. I have described the future you can look forward to. You have already been found guilty in absentia at your trial since your presence was deemed too risky based on your recent behavior. Your sentence will be announced shortly. Once that happens, I will no longer be able to help you. Do you still want me to leave or do you want to learn how you can escape the bleak future I have described?”
Chapter 4
Stunned, Cain could do nothing but stare at the woman who so calmly had informed him how truly fucked he was. He didn’t doubt her; the truth was clearly reflected on her face and in the pity her eyes held for him. Besides, his gut told him something had changed in his world when the guards had stopped their daily beatings, instead, just shackling his wrists after stripping him naked. Left alone in his cell, he spent the time plotting his revenge against those who’d caught him at Arald’s in a perfectly set trap. Now, according to her, all his plans to get even with them would never become a reality. Instead, he was slated to be some prisoner’s bitch. The woman was right, death would be a helluva lot better than that.
“Mr. Foster…do you want me to leave?” Oracle asked softly.
“Why do you care what happens to me?” asked Cain.
“Because you are worth saving.”
Cain grunted. “So are a lot of men in here, but you picked me…why?”
“I did not pick you…the Fates did. They believe in you.”
“But you don’t.”
Oracle hesitated before replying, “I do not know you but the Fates are never wrong.”
“Humpf…that’s a cop-out.”
“Maybe…but it is the truth. They have found you worthy and that is all that matters.”
“Yeah, I don’t know if I agree with that, but, what the hell…go ahead…tell me how these Fates…whatever they are...are gonnasave me? Wait a minute…what’s it gonna cost me? Nobody does somethin’ for nothin’.”
“Humans are hunting paranormals…”
“I don’t know shit about that!”
Nodding her head in acknowledgement of his claim, Oracle continued, “Originally, we lived together in peaceful coexistence until greed gained a foothold with humans. That led to a movement whose sole purpose was to eradicate every paranormal from the earth. Forced into a war unwillingly, we fought back, but after terrible losses, we were forced to retreat and hide. In time, paranormals faded from human memories, giving us the time to regroup and rebuild our numbers. But, we learned our lesson well and laws were enacted forbidding any paranormal from revealing our world to a human and from then on, our world has remained a secret from humans…until recently.
“You are an example of what is occurring and while you were seeking only to buy a shifter, others are planning to do more…much more…and to prevent a full-blown war between our worlds, it has been decided by the gods and Fates that the humans who are behind it, must be stopped. And to do that, we need you…a human with a criminal background who won’t raise any red flags.”
“You want me to spy on my own kind!”
“Exactly,” Oracle said. “You will be released into the custody of Jackson Blackwood, Alpha of the Blackwood Pack. There, you will work with other members to help identify and find the leaders of this movement. Once each has been terminated or imprisoned, you will receive a full pardon, free to get on with your life.”
“What guarantee do I have I won’t be killed after I get them the information they want?”
“You have my word.”
“Huh…your word you say…and why should a pack of wolves listen to you?”
“Careful, Mr. Foster…your prejudices are showing. That ‘pack of wolves’ you are so casually maligning is the only thing standing between your freedom and a life of hell spent as our prisoner. Jackson Blackwood has more honor in his little finger than the men you are used to dealing with. More importantly, especially to you, is that he will never go against the Fates.”
Cain remained silent, considering the offer that was too good to be true. As far as he was concerned, it was a guaranteed ‘get out of jail’ card as he knew the humans who told him about the auction. And since they already knew who he was, it only meant finding and handing over their current location to the Alpha of the Blackwood Pack. Simple as shit. For the first time since he felt the click of the cuffs on his wrists, there was hope he could truly escape the world currently holding him captive. But, then he reminded himself of the number one rule that had kept him alive so far…never trust or believe anyone.
That was the real problem regarding the deal?it was too good to be true. She was playing a trick on him, getting him to lower his guard, and then she would ask for a name as a good-faith gesture. Claim they would check it out and, if he was telling the truth, then get him released. However, another thing he’d picked up during the time he was incarcerated was that no one had that kind of power except the dudes who ran the place. His eyes roamed down her body, confirming she certainly wasn’t a manand therefore couldn’t possibly have the power to do what she claimed.
“Mr. Foster…do we have a deal?”
