Page 76 of Burn of Obsidian

Jax waited until some of the crowd passed, the lights above so bright they hurt her eyes. “How many Skulls?”

Ruhne hovered by his face. “Only the one. And we think he’s dead.”

Jax cocked his head, the silver around his irises growing. “Any Veyn?”

Thea’s entire body shook. “No,” she managed to push out.

A tic pulsed along his jaw. “Come on, we need to get moving.”

Chapter 28

Jax

Jax knew he displayed nothing of the rage he felt. It was deafening, like a violent white noise inside his head. He wasn’t used to such expressive reactions, and he was finding it hard to keep his usual air of calm.

A Skull had attacked her, which meant they were actively searching. The thought that she could be taken, and even hurt was something he couldn’t bear to imagine. He’d never understood all his brothers homicidal reactions when it came to their mates, until now.

Jax thumped his fist hard against the thick metal door, his usual patience non-existent. Even after giving Thea his jacket she shivered, her lips blue. She scowled at him when he’d taken her hand, but she hadn’t protested as he’d guided her a few streets away to the back entrance to the Drunken Beast. He needed to get her to safety, and the bar was the closest.

Waiting for the door he glanced back at her, her eyes burning with distrust. Not that he gave a shit right then.

“Seriously,” she whispered, her voice alone easing the tension along his beast. “How did you find me so easily?”

“He’s probably tracking your phone,” Ruhne said, his voice unnecessarily loud and whiny as he sat on his shoulder. “That’s what I would do.”

Jax ignored him. “If I hadn’t been tracking you, you would have been dead by now.” Her chin jerked up in defiance. “I dealt with it just fine.”

“Really?” he growled, dipping his head closer. “What about the three scouts I killed on my way to you?”

Her brows furrowed. “Scouts?”

“Small Veyn, ugly fuckers with long rat-like tails. They’re used as spies throughout the city.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. “It wasn’t that bad. I’m fine,” she said. “I had Ruhne with me.”

“Don’t involve me in your pissing contest,” Ruhne muttered.

Jax shook his head, enjoying how her eyes glistened. “Just because you got lucky once doesn’t mean it will happen again.” He watched his words sink in, her cheeks darkening with anger. Which was great, because at least it gave her some colour. “Where were you when you noticed the Skull?”

Her jaw clenched at the demand. “Camden Market. I was talking to a friend, and I saw him in the distance.”

He vibrated with a grumble. Bruises decorated the skin around her neck, light at the moment, but he knew they’d darken over the next few days. “You should have stayed at home.”

Ruhne’s wings draped over Jax’s shoulder. “That’s what I said.”

Her lips parted in reply, but before she could say anything, the door swung open.

“Oh, hello beautiful,” Sam greeted with a flirtatious grin. “J, you want to tell me why your date’s soaking wet?” He swung his blond hair over his shoulder, amber eyes flicking between them.

“I need the office,” Jax said, his hand still gripping Thea’s. “And some spare clothes.”

“Head on up.” Sam jerked his head to the side. “No one’s in tonight, and I’ll try to see what I can find.” He raised a brow toward Thea and Ruhne before moving in the opposite direction, heading back behind the bar.

Her hand tightened in his as he guided her towards the office, thankful that there was a second set of stairs that weren’t directly on the dance floor. Thea continued to tremble, every step leaving droplets of water.

Ruhne jumped as soon as they’d entered the office. “I’m going to run a perimeter check,” he said, fluttering his wings slightly. “I’ll be back.” Without another word he whizzed back down the corridor, so fast he was barely a blur of light before the door closed, silencing the noise.

Thea had moved to stand by the one-way mirrored windows. They overlooked the bar below, giving them the perfect view while remaining private. Riley’s office had become a meeting point for his brothers, the poker table still set up to the left, while the desk to the right had a pile of paperwork yet to go through.