‘No, sir,’ replied Raven. ‘Just another Pirate wanting to stand in the presence of the great Raven.’
Judd scoffed, then mocked a bow. ‘Well,you arethe last of your kind. It’ll be a shame when you’re dead. When will that be? Oh, yeah, two years’ time. Looking forward to the show.’
‘Move along, Judd.’ Mr Lackly shoved his arm. ‘Else have your breakfast in the pillory.’
Judd raised his palms in submission. ‘I was just joining the queue, sir.’
‘Then join at the back.’ Mr Lackly moved him away, then called to Raven. ‘And you hurry and get your food and sit down. And if I see you kissing Wynter in here one more time, you can go straight to a dark cell.’
Raven quirked his lips at Judd. ‘It’s all right, sir, I was saving my kisses forhim. He needs more love in his life, poor little human.’
Judd stuck up his middle finger. ‘You can kiss my ass, bird boy.’
‘And you can both keep quiet,’ said Mr Lackly. ‘Last warning.’
Scarlen sat next to Dionne, who had her mouth slightly gaping at Raven, clearly a fan.
‘I’d risk a week in a dark cell to kiss him. Or her.’
Scarlen shushed her as Wynter joined their table.
‘Sorry about that. Just Judd swinging his balls. He’s from Borough Mids, and he causes problems with us because he hates northerners. He says he hates southerners as well, but it doesn’t stop him having sex with any willing in here.’
‘He looks angry.’ Scarlen dared to glance his way for all but a second.
‘He always looks that way.’ Wynter started eating her cereal as though nothing much had occurred. ‘He’s the Pirates leader. Got a tattoo of an anchor on his right shoulder to prove the fact. Give him time, he’ll make sure you see it. Everyone has to know he’s a Pirate. Dickhead, more like.’
Dionne gently nudged Scarlen. ‘The male Flames have their flame tattoos beside their right eye. They don’t have to strip off to let everyone know who they are.’ She grinned into her spoon. ‘Mind, I’m not opposed to Judd removing his top. Not exactly hard on the eye.’
‘I felt his chest once,’ said Elbar, joining them. ‘He asked me to. He can be kind of weird like that, but, hey, I still got a kick out of it.’
Scarlen went to peep once more but met menacing silver eyes instead as Bear stood in the aisle between the Green and Amber sides.
Judd rose from his chair, raising a finger. ‘Now all the leaders are here, I’m going to make a claim.’
‘Shit,’ mumbled Dionne, causing nerves to rattle in Scarlen.
‘What?’ she whispered.
The leader of the Flames gazed up from his toast. ‘You ain’t claiming shit.’
Judd sneered his way. ‘Rules are rules, Varklee.’
Varklee’s stern blue eyes practically stabbed his rival with the venom of a thousand snakes as he grunted to a stand.
‘As long as it’s not Scarlen Smithson,’ said Bear, looking only at her.
What the fuck!
Judd frowned. ‘Says who?’
‘I claimed her last night.’
All eyes were on Scarlen, and she had no idea what was going on.
‘Nod,’ whispered Dionne without moving her mouth.
But Scarlen was frozen, even her heart had stopped beating.
