Page 71 of Imprisoned with the Vampire King

His visits were usually short, and he always had more meetings to run to.

He brought River and Jazz over together one evening to look at the map, and point out any flaws I'd missed. It was awkward, but neither of them found anything. That made me feel slightly better about the many snags in the original magic.

They all also contributed to the list of innocents who needed to be freed from the prison. I knew almost everyone on the list, and made an online quiz for myself to learn the faces of everyone I didn't know.

When I talked to all of them about it, I made sure it sounded like I wouldn't be ready to go get them out for a while. But honestly, it wouldn't take that much power to do it. Not now that I had so much more magic.

When Jazz and River left, Dante left with them.

I tried not to feel any way about it, but I didn't really succeed.

I found myself missing him when he was gone, even though I didn't want to admit it.

My bed was too big, and too empty.

My house was the same.

Even my studio was a little too quiet.

Maybe I was finally getting tired of being alone.

After sixteen nights of exhausting my magic, I was ready to make my trip into the penitentiary for the rest of the innocents.

And to see what shape the existing magic was in. That part was especially important, since I hadn't really been able to do it when I was in prison with Dante.

I waited until it was late enough at night that I was sure Dante would be asleep, just to buy myself time to get to the prison before he realized what I was doing.

We hadn't seen each other much, and we definitely hadn't talked much, but he was protective enough that I knew he wouldn't be cool with me going into the penitentiary alone.

I also needed to do it when the prisoners were locked in their cells, obviously. That was going to be my excuse when he lost his shit about the situation.

I drained my premade latte on the drive there. A pack of them was always delivered with my groceries, courtesy of a certain vampire, even though he was also bringing me fancy lattes.

So, I was wired with both sugar and caffeine when I struggled my way through the lobby with a massive wagon Dante had unknowingly purchased, loaded with a mountain of plates.

I tossed my keys to the people at the front desk on my way past them again. They waved, and I waved back.

Dante's sleep-heavy voice rolled through the bond as I neared the elevator, making me grimace. "Why am I getting alerts that you left the house in the middle of the night again?"

"Probably because I left the house in the middle of the night again."

"Where did you go this time?" He sounded tired, but not angry. Not yet, anyway. That would definitely come. "Did you remember your wallet?"

"I'm going back into the penitentiary tonight. It's just a little rescue mission. I'll be in and out in an hour or two."

An hour or two was a lie. It would be at least three or four.

"What?" His tone grew sharper. "Alone? Not a fucking chance."

"Not alone. I brought a hundred ceramic plates."

"No. Not happening," he snarled.

"Please get out of my head so I can focus." I hoped that asking politely would help my case, but doubted it.

"Wait for me to get there. I'm getting in my car right now."

"That's not necessary. It should be fast and easy." I hit the button to call the elevator.