Page 2 of Burn of Obsidian

Because she was his mate.

She just didn’t know it yet.

Chapter 1

Jax

FOUR MONTHS LATER

Ahot spray of blood coated Jax’s skin, the droplets obscene against his bare arms. His knuckles ached from how hard he’d connected them to the Skull’s cheek, but he knew the pain wouldn’t last. Neither would the cuts or bruises he’d received only twenty-four hours prior. He was built to destroy, and a healing ability better than any other Breed was one of the better side-effects of his curse.

Well, if you could call anything from his curse a perk. Increased strength, durability, and healing sounded cool. Except that after one-hundred years he was to be dragged down to Hell to be a fallen angel’s personal bitch. Unless he found a mate.

Good thing he’d found her, even if he couldn’t have her just yet.

There was a muffled sound, one caught by the thick tape of the man currently bound to a metal hook in the centre of the Vault’s basement. It wasn’t a sound of pain, even as Jax’s knuckles connected to the side of his head once more. It was more like the sound of air escaping, a natural thing his prey had no control of.

The thwack echoed around the surrounding concrete, and Jax savoured the burst of heat as more blood sprayed on him. He knew it was strange to anchor himself to something so morbid, but he needed to feel something – anything. It reminded him that he existed. That he had a purpose, even if it was to beat the shit out of someone no longer human.

Metal on metal screeched, the chain scraping against the hook. Jax had hung the man high enough that his toes only brushed the floor. It put all his weight on his wrists and shoulders, both of which were currently dislocated.

“This is a waste of time. We should be out hunting rather than playing with one of Gideon’s toys,” Kace grunted. “He’s not going to tell us shit.”

His brother paced like a trapped animal, rage pricking at the beast that shared Jax’s soul. It was itchy, his beast surging to the forefront to steal sight through his eyes. It gave everything a slightly more detailed edge, to the point even the dust in the air glistened.

Jax tried to reel his beast back slightly. It didn’t work, but as they were in agreement that they must remain the man, he was confident he wouldn’t accidentally shift… Probably.

Although, if the guy hanging wasn’t scared by three large men with sharp knives and blunt knuckles, maybe he’d piss himself at Jax’s more terrifying shape.

KILL? his beast growled.

Jax wasn’t sure if it was the same with his brothers, but when his beast actually formed clear, coherent words rather than just a feeling, he liked to be unnecessarily loud.

EAT?

Kace whipped his head toward him, a slight metallic sheen across his irises.

“I’m not going to kill and eat him,” Jax said with a sigh, his brother clearly having picked up on his beast’s thoughts. He shouldn’t have heard anything, Jax’s mental shields are usually like steel. Except he hadn’t slept in almost five days.

“You’re projecting,” Kace said, his own beast on edge. He felt everything to the extreme, a man who craved violence and blood like oxygen – impulsive. Jax was the opposite, someone who felt very little – numb. He didn’t care for anything but his brothers, and if it wasn’t for them, he’d have given up on simply existing long ago.

EAT? The growl rumbled between his ears. WE EAT NOW?

No, Jax replied, knowing his facial expression didn’t portray his frustration. We’re not going to eat him.

Claws prickled beneath his fingertips, but his beast retreated with a huff.

“Be nice to watch someone else be chewed on for a change,” Lucifer said, picking at the black nail varnish on his fingers. He stood by the stairs, having not participated in any of the torturing. Apparently he was wearing a new T-shirt, and didn’t want to get blood on it.

Jax clicked his neck. “We all know you’ll be jealous.”

“What? It’s nice to be wanted.” Lucifer smirked, but remained where he was.

They’d only been in the basement for a few hours, after leaving the man in his own shit and piss for close to twelve. But he had neither said a single thing, nor had he flinched. Not when Kace removed every fingernail from his hands and his feet, or when Jax pinned his kneecaps with carefully placed blades.

Jax ripped off the tape, the glue taking some of the skin with it. “We’re going to try this once more,” he said, keeping his tone glacial. “Where can we find Gideon?”

No response, not that he really expected anything. But it was still vexing, especially when there was intelligence in the man’s eyes – an awareness of his surroundings.