"You deceitful mongrels!" his mother shouted with outrage. "How dare you come in here and lie to us!"
"Don't drop the soap," Ian whispered. "I'll come visit you." He knew Ian was scared shitless and was using humor to tell Dorian he loved him.
That was Ian's way, and Dorian loved the guy for that.
"I'm getting a lawyer, son. Don't say a damn word to anyone," his father said as he followed them out to the car. Dorian could see the neighbors coming outside, their heads craning to see what was going on.
Maybe he'd be the one making front-page news tomorrow. Wouldn't Jayson and Cherry just love that?
"Go back inside, you nasty gawkers!" his mother yelled. "This is none of your damn business."
Dorian had never heard his mother curse before. He wasn't even sure if damn was a curse word, but she wielded it proudly and with feeling.
Go mom!
Dorian was so screwed.
He was placed into the back of the police car, nothing spectacular, no blaring sirens or flashing lights as they pulled away. If he was going to embarrass his entire family by getting arrested, they could have at least pulled out the stops and given him a grand departure.
Dorian's mind was racing. He knew his family couldn't afford a lawyer.
He didn't even know the men he was accused of killing. He did however recognize the name Marcelo. Dorian wasn't sure if Mr. Marcelo was connected to this or if it was pure coincidence that the district manager shared his last name with one of the deceased.
No, there was no way the names were just a coincidence.
But they couldn't be talking about his district manager. Hell, Miguel was getting a ride home from the guy. Mr. Marcelo couldn't be dead.
A relative maybe? But why would they accuse Dorian of the crime? He didn't even know anyone named Alexander. It could be the district manager's first name since Dorian didn't know it, but he just wasn't sure.
"Confess what you did, and maybe the DA will cut you a deal," one of the cops up front was saying. "No one will hold it against you that three animals are dead."
Dorian curled his lips in. He knew the realization that there were more than humans inhabiting the earth wasn't comforting to some. He also knew
there were hate groups popping up everywhere. But what surprised him was hearing cops talk like that. Weren't they supposed to be neutral?
"He's taking his old man's advice and shutting up," the other cop said.
"Let him get a lawyer. The guy will tell him the same thing."
Dorian wasn't listening. He had more pressing problems.
Like how to get out of this mess.
The car stopped at a red light. Dorian looked at the people walking around freely. How had he been accused of a crime he didn't commit? It was illogical. The location of where these people were murdered wasn't disclosed, but Dorian was pretty sure he wasn't anywhere near the place at the time the three were killed.
Dorian looked up in time to see the front driver and passenger door open at the same time. He gave a long blink, not believing what he was seeing.
This couldn't be happening to him.
"Come on, get out." Dorian pulled back when his door was opened and one of the masked men grabbed at him. "We don't have time to pussyfoot around. Get the fuck out."
The man grabbed Dorian's ankles and pulled him across the backseat until he was pulled up by his arm and shoved into another car. He could see the other two masked men cuffing the cops together and shoving them in the backseat of their patrol car. The police were shouting for help, but no one was around to hear them—no one except Dorian and his kidnappers.
For some odd reason, the street seemed to be deserted all of a sudden.
"What the hell are you doing?" he shouted, trying his best to get up, but the cuffs prevented him from making the transition from lying down to sitting up. It just wasn't possible with his hands cuffed behind his back.
"Lie still," one of the masked men said. "Don't make me knock you out."
Dorian wasn't sure if that wouldn't be a better option right about now.
He was going to panic. He could just feel it. "Why in the hell did you just kidnap me from a cop car?"
"Knock his ass out." It was the driver this time.
"I warned you," the man in the backseat said as he swung a fist at Dorian.
Dorian barely dodged it, but he did. The man cursed when his fist slammed into the door.
"Do I need to pull this car over?" The driver again.
"There is no fucking way a human is besting me."
Human? Shit. Dorian seemed to be ass deep in changelings lately. They weren't vampires. It was broad daylight out. "Is this Mr. Marcelo's way of starting our seven days?"
If it was, the man had some explaining to do. Not only was Dorian being arrested for three murders he didn't commit, but now he would be charged with being kidnapped from a cop car.
No, that wasn't right. They would find a way to blame this escape on him. His day wasn't going as planned.
"Mr. Marcelo? Who the fuck is that?" the one trying to knock the shit out of him asked.
"Never mind." Dorian wasn't going to divulge any information that wasn't necessary. He wasn't sure what in the hell was going on, but telling them about the changeling alpha didn't seem like the wisest move.
"Just shut him up."
Dorian was beginning to hate the driver.
"Look, just sit back and be quiet before you make me really hurt you."
Dorian decided that since he couldn't get away, sitting back and shutting up seemed the right thing to do.
And from the dent in the door, he really didn't want the guy to connect his fist with Dorian's face.