Broken Compass: Supernatural Prison Story 1 Read Online Free PDF Page B

no time for anyone to get to know her. I barely fucking knew her. But that didn’t allow him the right to disrespect our bond.
    “You only fight me because you know I speak truth,” Braxton grit out as he elbowed me sharply across the jaw.
    Beyond words, I jumped to my feet and kneed him straight into his side, cracking more than one rib in the process. Arrogant shifter, thinks he knows everything . Gold was bleeding into his eyes now and I knew the dragon was hovering just beneath the surface. Bring it on. I had enough aggression that we could be fighting this out for a month.
    My head snapped back as he landed a solid blow; my cheek throbbed and I was pretty sure my jaw was dislocated. Still, that didn’t stop me from smashing him in the gut, and swinging around to clip him in the right side, breaking another few ribs.
    Braxton was an unmatched fighter; he was not coming at me full force yet. But I had many years of training and knew how to hold my own with any supe. Eventually, though, as my anger faded out, the sharp ring of truth in his statement settled into my mind, taking root in a way that told me I would have to consider his words. Otherwise the thoughts would drive me insane.
    Both of us were sprawled on the ground, breathing heavy. My body ached in about twenty different places, and even with advanced healing and blood I’d be feeling this tomorrow.
    Words tumbled out: “How is it possible that there were so many signs of the bond? What other explanation could there be? We were true mates.”
    Braxton seemed to consider his next words carefully. “Having felt a true mate bond now, I believe you were missing something essential. Even with those other signs. When you talked to me about the coldness between you … the way you didn’t need to touch her … the way you didn’t like many of the fundamental parts of her personality. There is no way the fates would have gifted you a mate so incompatible to you.”
    I had spoken in some length to Braxton on the issues Cardia and I faced during our very short mateship. At first everything had been as expected. A strong attraction. A blood compatibility. But then this weird space, which had always been between us, started to grow, little negatives which colored the relationship. It was too damn soon for the honeymoon period to wear off. That could take decades for supernatural mates. If it ever happened at all.
    Still, I had to offer some sort of explanation. “Maybe our bond was different because it’s vampire and not shifter.”
    There was no denying that a certain level of ruthlessness existed in my race. Practical and methodical we were. Designed to be warriors. To fight without remorse. We were one of the more battle ready of the races.
    Braxton laughed, and then groaned. I’d definitely nailed his ribs. He deserved it though. “We’ve seen plenty of vampire mate bonds, Max. It’s as strong as for shifters.”
    I’d been grasping. We both knew it. “It’s too late to find out now. Cardia’s dead, and the dead reveal no secrets.”
    Braxton lifted his head and fixed a hard glare on me. “The fact that you can even mention your mate’s name and the word dead in the same sentence, tells you everything, bro.”
    Clenching both of my fists, the shaking in my arms intensified. “I’m so fucked up. I shouldn’t even be here, I shouldn’t be able to exist without Cardia, and yet the pain eases more every day. I want answers.”
    Neither of us moved then, both staring into the forests around us. The leaves above us were thick enough that the area was heavily shaded; the undergrowth was also thick. A scent drifted across the wind and my body instantly reacted. Damn. I wasn’t emotionally prepared to deal with this.
    I couldn’t stop myself from turning to find her, Mischa, frozen on the edge of the forest, her eyes darting across the scene of our fight. The area around us was ripped and plowed as we’d pummeled each other into the ground.
    Her scent