Ruined (The Eternal Balance #1)(79)
Despite my best efforts, I screamed. I wobbled sideways, sliding from atop the large rock, and crumbled to the ground in a rush of pain. The world went dark for a minute, and when I could breathe again, I looked up. Chase, the demon still in control, was looming above me with a sadistic grin.
“You were never good enough for him,” it said with a laugh.
“Fuck you,” I spat through the pain. Silence. I wouldn’t cry out again. Wouldn’t give it the satisfaction.
“I’m the demon. I’m the human. You’re not understanding. We’re one.”
“Aww,” I said, forcing a smile. Involuntary tears welled as I swallowed back a painful whimper. “A cute demonic couple.”
He hauled me from the ground by a handful of hair. That time I couldn’t help it. I screamed. The sound bounced off the mountain and echoed into the valley. “That’s more like it,” it said, pushing me against one of the trees with enough force to shake some leaves loose.
Bending close, it closed its eyes and inhaled deeply, smiling. “We each have our favorite emotions. Azirak’s are rage and pain. Wholly unpleasant. They leave a sweet taste behind. Lust, however, is tart. Like lemons. Refreshing. The pleasures of the flesh are where my interests lie. It’s how I will feed.” Right hand falling to Chase’s belt, it slipped the buckle and undid the first button of his jeans.
My heart stuttered, skipping a beat before hammering into hyperdrive. I had to get away. Because the alternative…? No. I bent forward, pretending to accept my fate. When the demon laughed, I struck. Kicking off the ground, I brought my right knee up as hard as possible. The connection it made was both satisfying—the bastard screamed in agony—and sickening because I felt it too. He teetered back and I doubled over and stumbled away, gasping for air.
Something latched onto my ankle, and in a rush of dirt and air, I was on the ground and Chase was on my back. “Little bitch,” it spat. Now its voice was different. Less human. It grabbed my arms and twisted, pinning them.
“Enough.” Jax boomed. I twisted, and in the fading sunlight, he was there. Standing at the mouth of the fort, trench coat flapping in the wind like a superhero’s cape. Larger than life, he was a mix of myth and magic made flesh and blood.
I wouldn’t let him sacrifice himself.
“I wasn’t sure you’d show.”
“I’d never leave Sammy to die.” Jax stepped over a fallen tree, into the mouth of the fort, eyes never leaving mine. “Get off of her.” The command left no room for argument. “Now.”
“Despite her less-than-friendly attitude, I’ll keep my word. She’ll be safe. I promise.” The pressure on my back disappeared, and Chase dragged me up. His voice was normal now. The demon was gone.
“You word means shit to me,” Jax snapped, stopping a few feet from his brother. “I want a minute to say good-bye.”
A plan. He had to have a plan. The Jax I knew would never just give up. He’d be smart enough to know that if he died, I would never be free.
Chase shrugged and stepped back. “Don’t see what it could hurt. She can’t leave, and if you make a move I don’t like, I’ll plunge a knife right into my heart.”
“I’d never risk it,” Jax replied.
“And that’s exactly why we’re here, big brother. Because you were never willing to take the risk.”
“No,” Jax said. There was a sad ring to his voice. How had we all ended up here? A few months ago my world was normal. Sure, Jax was gone, and Rick would have been sick either way, but there were no demons. No witches. No gate to hell swinging on rusted hinges. Life was simple. Now? I couldn’t imagine anything more complicated. “We’re here because you were.”
Chase looked like he wanted to say something more, but simply nodded. “You have your good-bye. I won’t leave the area, but I will walk away. That’s all Zenak will let me do.”
“It will have to be enough.”
Jax waited until his brother turned away to start forward.
“This is crazy. You can’t do this,” I whispered. Not that I cared if Chase heard. What was he going to do, stab himself again? Head rush another tree? That wouldn’t be as bad as watching him kill Jax.
“Sammy,” he said, taking my face into his hands. There was something in it. It was smooth and cool with a slight point at the top. “I’m doing what I need to do.” As he spoke, he slid the hand, and the thing beneath it, down my cheek and over my shoulder. From there, he skimmed my arm and ended by wrapping his fingers through mine. With a single squeeze, he took his hand back, leaving me with the small object. With a pointed stare, he gave a slight nod to my pocket. Whatever it was, he wanted me to hide it.
Ha! I knew it. A plan. Sniffling, I stuffed both hands into my pockets. “There has to be another way,” I said, keeping the charade going. No telling what Chase would do if he thought something was up.
“I wish there was.” He pulled way and slowly mouthed, “This might hurt. But when I make my move, I need you to run.”
I shook my head. “I can’t. He—”
His eyes darkened. The middle of each iris turned black, leaving only a thin line around the edge gray. “Trust me, Samantha Merrick.”
He pulled away, eyes reverting to gray, and I let my head fall forward so that our foreheads rested together. “There’s stuff I want to say…” I wasn’t acting anymore. What if something happened and he was killed? What if we both were? I’d told him how I felt, but there was so much more to it than short, simple words.