Embraced (The Eternal Balance #2)(52)

Jax chuckled and looked up, and all the air rushed from my lungs. “She’s willing to let me do whatever I want…” He bent his head and took a chunk of the skin on her neck between his teeth. Horrified, I watched as he bit down and pulled, tearing the flesh.

Sadie laughed and arched her back as the blood flowed freely from her wounds. “Oh, baby. You know just how I like it.”

Wrong. This was wrong in so many ways. Little things began to creep up on me. The club, previously spotless and empty, had a dilapidated look. Around the edge of the dance floor there were boxes piled halfway to the ceiling, stacked next to shelving units and old lawn equipment. The pristine tile beneath our feet dulled and lost its color, springing spider web cracks in places I knew there were none.

Jax stood, shoving Sadie away from him, and made his way back to me. “Say the word,” he whispered against my ear. “Allow me to claim you, and I’ll get rid of the witch.” He pressed himself close, but something was different now. He’d lost his warmth. Instead of the inferno he’d been only moments ago, all passionate and wanting, his body felt cold. Dead, almost. One hand wrapped around my waist, forearm grazing bare skin, while the other wrapped loosely around my neck from behind.

I tried to pull away, but he held brutally tight. Panic rose in my throat, and I screamed as the rest of the illusion peeled away to reveal the basement. I was shoved forward and I stumbled, landing hard on my knees across the room.

“Bitch,” the angel spat. She sighed and nodded toward the stairs. There was a shadow standing at the top. “Time for plan B.”





Chapter Twenty-Three


Jax


Ranook lived on the outskirts of Harlow, a few blocks from the police station. Tazari, the demon I’d found at the Inferno, called to say we were on our way. I’d overheard the conversation. While Tazari wasn’t enthused, Ranook sounded excited. The return of the prodigal leader was something they’d been working toward.

The apartment building was one of the better ones in this part of town. Working elevator and functioning locks on the entry door—it was heaven compared to some of the shit holes I’d stayed in over the years. But when you had a tendency toward violence, things had a way of getting done. And from the smell, the entire building was inhabited by demons.

There were no humans in this place. Like the Inferno, it was strictly a demonic destination. That was fine. Less collateral damage should something go wrong. I felt zero guilt taking down a demon to feed. The way I saw it, dealing with them was a public service. One I was more than willing to provide.

“This way,” Tazari said, leading me toward the elevator.

I grabbed its arm as it pushed the up button. “No.” I could take the demon down with both hands tied behind my back, but that didn’t mean I wanted to be trapped in a steel cage with it. For all I knew, there were a half dozen others waiting to ambush me. I nodded to the stairs. “We will take the stairs.” I almost added you dirty f*cker but caught myself at the last minute. They had to believe I was Azirak.

If Tazari was pissed, it didn’t show. With a curt nod the demon climbed the stairs, annoyingly slow, as I followed behind until we reached Ranook’s apartment on the fourth floor.

“Fair warning,” I said as it raised its hand to knock. “I will rip you apart if this is a trick.”

The demon bowed its head. “No trick, my lord. But be warned. Not all our faction will be pleased to see you after…”

“After the human let Zenak go free?” I finished.

He nodded. “Yes.”

“And you? How do you feel about me?”

The demon shifted from foot to foot, nervous. It didn’t answer.

“I take it you’re not thrilled to see me, then?” As I spoke, Azirak rumbled, angry. It bled into the air around me, pulling at the edge of my control. My limbs were moving before I gave it much thought. I grabbed the demon around the neck and slammed it up against the door. “I am your leader.” The words came from Azi, but also from me. My demon felt betrayed by this minion’s lack of respect, and I, in turn, felt it as well. “Your general. You dare show me disrespect?”

The demon’s eyes widened, like it was seeing me for the first time. I’d have to try harder. Obviously I hadn’t been selling demonic overlord hard enough. It sputtered, hands coming up to loosen my grip.

I pulled back and slammed it against the door again. “Do not test me, Tazari. I think you’ll find me far less merciful than I used to be.”

The door opened and I let the demon fall back into the apartment. It hit the floor then stumbled up and away, as far out of my reach as it could go. Azi was satisfied by this. I liked it, too. The feeling of power was heady, and as I leveled my gaze at it, I swear the lesser demon trembled in fear.

“Azirak,” a tall demon said, stepping up to the door. It held out its hand. “I am Ranook.”

The instinct was to take its hand, but Azi didn’t want me to. Ranook was no friend. “I know who you are.”

“Forgive me.” It withdrew the hand, unaffected by the slight. “Tazari says you are looking for me. What can I do for you?”

The question pissed Azi off. A flash bombarded my mind. Two large figures, inhuman and distorted, on a battlefield. They faced off each other as war raged all around them. Azirak and Ranook. A rush of memory and I knew the demon had challenged mine for leadership once. The coup had failed, but things were never the same. Azi didn’t trust his clan mate.