Embraced (The Eternal Balance #2)(60)



Azi, now in control, lifted Jax’s hand to her face, a tender gesture that incited a raging spark of jealousy in me. It wasn’t Jax really, but seeing his hands on another woman stole the air from my lungs. “But why?” he asked. “Why hide from me? Why not reveal yourself?”

Her expression darkened. She flicked a finger in my direction. “Because of that thing. Your human half is so enamored with it. It clouds your judgment and snares you with humanity. It keeps you tethered. I knew you would never take Zenak’s life. If I revealed myself to you, I would have been in danger, not only from our enemies, but from your human.”

“It is true that I struggled with my task. But the reasons are not as simple as you state.”

“Yes,” she purred, running her hand across his cheek and down to his shoulder. Skimming her nails across his arm, she said, “They are. Mate with me. Consummate our union and I will do the task for you. Once I am of royal blood, the weight will not fall on your shoulders alone. It will be my…gift to you.”

Her hands dropped to the button of Jax’s jeans, deftly slipping it through the hole. When there was no protest, she raked her fingers up his chest, across the thin material of his T-shirt. Gripping it at the neck, she ripped it like tissue paper, the remnants slipping from his shoulders and falling to the floor at their feet.

“Jax,” I cried. I wasn’t sure what scared me more. Having to watch the only man I’d ever loved have sex with another woman right in front of me, or the world-shattering chaos that would come as a result of it. “Don’t let them do this. It’s your body! Take control of it.”

Sadie howled—a vicious, angry sound—as she launched herself at me. She grabbed my wrist, squeezing so hard that I was positive my hand would pop off. “That fool Zenak gambled on the human’s love for you. But he should have known better. My lord would have never allowed harm to come to me!”

“Jax, do—”

She grabbed my chin with her free hand and squeezed, nails digging in and breaking the skin. “I’ll enjoy watching you squirm as he takes me.” She leaned closer. All I could see was the dark onyx of her irises. “And then take pleasure in the pain you feel as you die.”

Malphi jerked me across the floor and forced me down at Jax’s feet. She grabbed a handful of my hair and gave a vicious twist. “Feed, my lord. Take in her anguish and pain. Then take me and we will claim her together. The power will enable us to destroy our enemies and take our rightful place in this world and the next.”

It was Jax’s face that looked down at me, but his eyes were like Sadie’s. Solid and soulless. “Allow me to claim you. I will remain true to my word. No harm will ever come to you.” Azi lifted me off the ground. “I will make it painless.” Ebony eyes skimmed the length of my body, catching on my chest for a moment before settling on my lips. “Pleasurable, even.”

The demon leaned in and brushed the softest of kisses across my forehead. I froze, too terrified to even breathe.

“What are you doing?” Malphi bellowed. It wrenched me backward and I stumbled, falling onto the coffee table. It cracked in half. Splinters and pieces of wood littered the floor. “You owe her no mercy. Claim her by force.”

“I am fond of the human and will cause her no unnecessary pain.”

“Fond?” Malphi screamed. “You’re fond of it?”

That answered that. Apparently the demoness wasn’t the sharing type.

“I demand that you claim it. Claim it and kill it. We have no use for it.”

With each moment, she grew angrier and angrier. Her fury was terrifying, but I also saw it as a possible opportunity. Struggling to my feet, trying to push away the crushing pain from the cuff, I said, “I’ll consider it, but I have a condition.”

Azi’s eyes met mine and I suppressed a shiver. “What do you wish, Samantha Merrick?” It sighed. “Sammy…”

This was a dangerous plan, considering how Malphi reacted to even the lightest show of kindness by Azirak, but I was out of options. The cuff was close to killing me. I had moments left. I still wasn’t convinced, even if this worked, that it would save my life. Even if we managed to take Malphi down, how could I get to Chase in time?

“You won’t let me speak to Jax.” I took a step forward. “I know that. But physically, you’re him.”

“More than that,” the demon said. It followed my every move, gaze all but devouring me. “We are the same. I feel his desire as he feels mine.”

I fought a shiver and snuck a peek at Sadie… Malphi. Her lips were mashed in a thin line, and judging by her body language, there was very little keeping her from ripping out my throat. Good. “Then kiss me. You can take away the pain, make this pleasurable? Prove it. Show me.”

Fire sparked in those inky black eyes and the demon wasted no time. It crossed to me in two long strides, gathering me into Jax’s arms. The kiss was like an internal meltdown. Basic and primal. Vehement and possessive. Azirak wound Jax’s hands through my hair, fingers tangling around large sections and tugging forcefully. It murmured something inaudible, dropping Jax’s hands down to my waist for a moment before slipping them to cup my backside. A second later my legs were around his waist.

An unearthly roar shattered the room. My head snapped back, and the warmth from Jax’s body disappeared, replaced by sharp pain as Malphi dragged me backward. “You dare to take this wretched creature in front of me? Before consummating our union?”

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