Released (The Eternal Balance #3)(6)

The demon slowed its pace, stopped, and turned to me. It was still grinning, and that made me uneasy. “Do not worry about the plan,” it said. “You have a part to play.”

“A part to play?” I repeated. I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of that. “Meaning?”

“Gather your things.” It began walking again and disappeared into the shadows ahead. From the darkness I heard it add, “We are going to the edge of the world.”

…

Azirak wouldn’t answer any of my questions. Obviously we weren’t going to the edge of the world, but a little info wouldn’t have hurt. Like what was my part in all this?

The demon had given me barely ten minutes to get my things together before demanding that we leave. I had to bite my tongue and remind myself that I was doing this for Jax, that seeing this thing through would get me closer to getting him back. Spending time in close quarters with Azi was necessary.

I slung my duffle bag over my shoulder and followed Azirak out the front door. “So, now what?” I said, locking up the house. “Because wherever your super special items are, something tells me we won’t get to them by walking.”

“Are you not related to the human female in the next house?”

I glanced across the way at my Aunt Kelly’s house. Stark white siding with perfectly trimmed holly hedges lining the entire driveway. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“She has a vehicle, does she not?”

“Um, yeah. But I don’t see how—” Then I understood what it was getting at. I threw up my hands and backed away a step. “No way in hell. Forget the fact that I refuse to ask that woman for a favor, she’d never let me take the car. She just traded up for a brand new Explorer. She thinks I’m a horrible driver.”

Jax’s head tilted sideways, and the demon studied me from beneath his hooded lids. “I do not understand the problem. She has a vehicle. You need one. Simply take it. You are more than capable. It is the way of nature. The strong take what they need from the weak.”

“Take it?” I squealed. The demon was obviously blocking out Jax’s memories of my aunt. “From Kelly? Um, no.”

Azirak let out an exasperated sigh. It was so like Jax that I almost forgot who—or what, rather—I was dealing with. But when the demon stalked forward, unceremoniously nudging me out of its way, it all came rushing back.

“Don’t you dare,” I spat, hurrying to catch up as the thing directed Jax’s body toward Kelly’s house. Azirak used his long legs to its advantage, maintaining a significant enough lead to land square on my aunt’s doorstep with time to pound on the door before I could stop it.

It was pointless, but I tried anyway. Twisting and grabbing and—I even sank to a new low—hair pulling. I was desperate, but no matter what I did, Azirak was unfazed. The demon stood its ground, and my attempts to dislodge it from Kelly’s porch barely jostled the hair on Jax’s head.

There was a commotion inside, and a few moments later, Kelly stumbled to the door. Her long brown hair in rollers, and a pink polka dot bathrobe tied around her waist, she blinked several times, gaze bouncing from Jax to me. “Samantha? What are—”

“Give me the keys to your vehicle,” Azirak demanded.

Kelly glared at him then turned to me. “Are you two drunk? I—”

Azi lashed out, and with Jax’s booted foot, kicked the door open. Kelly gasped as the demon pushed its way inside. It stopped in the center of the room, Jax’s hand extended and palm turned up. “The keys. Now. I will not ask you again.”

My aunt’s face turned an amazing shade of scarlet. Really. It was impressive. Then again, Kelly always did have a flair for the dramatic. When I brought home my first fairly dismal report card, she fainted after a lengthy speech on how I was wasting my time and would never get into a good college.

I was ten.

She clutched her robe tighter and stepped from the doorway. “First you corrupt my niece, and now you’re robbing me?” Arms folded, Kelly shook her head. “No. It’s time someone stood up to you, Jax Flynn. You’ve been a thorn in the side of this family for far too long, and I’ve had enough.”

I sighed and rolled my eyes. “We just need to borrow the car.”

“No. This ends now, Samantha.” Kelly bravely darted forward, grabbed me by the wrist, and dragged me close. With a determined nod, she said, “You’re moving back in with me.”

I opened my mouth to protest—and to remind her that I wasn’t a child anymore—but never got the chance. Azi moved across the room in a flash, and before I could even take a breath, pulled me to its side. “If you ever lay a finger on Samantha Merrick again, I will flay you from head to toe and feed your remains to the dogs.”

Kelly’s mouth fell open and a small sound escaped her lips. For the first time in as long as I could remember, it wasn’t an act.

“I can smell your fear,” the demon said. Jax’s lips twisted into a cruel grin, and Azi maneuvered his body closer to Kelly. It took a deep breath and let go of a small sigh of contentment. “You have no idea how alluring it is. I wonder…” Jax’s arm shot out as the demon grabbed Kelly around the throat.

“Whoa!” I lunged forward. This was tanking south. Fast. “No need for that.”