Released (The Eternal Balance #3)(19)

“You are quiet,” Azi said. We’d been driving for about two and a half hours now. “He has been quiet, as well.”

“Jax.” It wasn’t a question. I mean, who the hell else would it have been talking about? But the sound of his name on my lips was a small bit of comfort.

“You still cling to senseless hope. I can hear it in your tone.”

“I have to keep hoping.” I hated how small I sounded. How even I heard the defeat in my voice. “Otherwise there’s no point to any of this.”

“Suit yourself. But it is wasted energy.”

I bit down hard on my tongue. What I wanted was to argue. What did a demon know about the human spirit? It couldn’t comprehend the depths of devotion people could have toward one another. “Have you ever cared about them? The humans whose lives you screw up?”

“I don’t understand your question.”

The response was basic, but I couldn’t help noticing the way Jax’s body shifted, almost uncomfortably, and Azi leaned it farther away. “Sure you do. It’s simple, really. Do you care? Do you give a shit? Do you feel even an inkling of guilt for stealing these people’s lives? I get that you’re impressed with Jax, but what about the others?”

“The others,” it repeated. “You do not see your species clearly. Humans are inferior. They are fragile and break easily. They are weak minded and in so many cases value foolish things. I will admit this particular human intrigues me. The strength of his will and purity of his emotion for you is by far the most potent I have felt in all my years on this plane. But the others? The answer is no. I do not care. They were insignificant and fleeting. A means to an end.”

The rage that boiled up in my gut threatened to blow my head apart. I had to maintain all my focus on keeping the truck between the lines on the road.

“I admit to feeling differently about this human. About you.” From the corner of my eye, I could see it looking at me. “It changes nothing, however. The eventual outcome was put into motion the moment I was born into this body. Even if I wanted to, there is no shifting the path we must take.”

I thought I detected a note of regret, but I had to remind myself that it was Jax’s voice I was hearing. I was pinning a familiar emotion to it, probably to make myself feel better about the situation.

“You’re wrong,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. A normal person probably wouldn’t have heard me, but I knew Azi could. “About all of it. You’re wrong.”

…

It was just before dawn, and we were just three hours from the park. Azi and I hadn’t spoken since it had deemed us all worthless piles of skin and bones. My anger had abated—a little—leaving me physically and mentally exhausted.

“I imagine the park does not open for some time,” it said, breaking the silence.

“Probably.”

“Then may I suggest you find a place to sleep for several hours?”

“You might, but I’d ignore you.”

“He wishes you to rest.”

I gritted my teeth and blew out slowly to gain control over my temper. “Does he? Well, then, let him tell me himself.”

“If you do not pull the vehicle off the road, I will be forced to make you.”

I snorted. “Make me? How the hell—”

Before I knew what was happening, Jax’s hand grabbed the wheel. With a brutal jerk to the right, the truck cut sideways, across two lanes of traffic. The sound of squealing tires and blaring horns filled the air as I slammed the brake, and a foul burning-rubber smell filled my nose. When the truck finally came to a stop, we were just past a break in the guardrail—thank God—and several yards into an open field.

For a moment I couldn’t move. Hell, I could barely breathe. My hands, white and shaking, were clamped so tightly that there was a noticeable vibration in the steering wheel.

“I know they probably don’t have cars in hell, but what the f*ck!” I exhaled and let go of the wheel. “If you want me dead, there are simpler ways to go about it.”

“I wish the opposite. It is detrimental for your body to go without sleep. I am taking care of you, as per my agreement with my human.”

“Agreement?” This kept getting better and better. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“He wishes for me to keep you safe.”

I balked. For a second I had no idea what to say. Of course Jax would want me to be safe, but I couldn’t help feeling that by asking Azi to watch out for me, he’d given up. “I can keep myself safe.”

“You are capable. For a human. However, your disregard for natural body functions is troubling. Sleep is necessary for your kind.”

“And where would you like me to sleep? Last time I checked, we didn’t have money for a hotel.”

“Sleep in the truck. There is adequate room in the backseat.”

“I’d rather sleep on the hood.”

“Go to sleep,” the demon said with eerie calm. It twisted Jax’s body toward me and leaned in close. “Now. Or you won’t like what I’ll do.”

My response was simple, “No.”

Azi was quiet for a moment. I was tempted to pull the truck back onto the road and pretend the whole thing never happened, but just as I went to grab the wheel, it said, “I will return him to you.”