Page 99 of Burn of Obsidian
Thea snorted, the laugh more of an undignified cackle. “You should probably go, I need to catch up with Molly, anyway.”
Turning the water off, Jax left her with a kiss that had her heart racing once again.
“Go,” she said, having to push him away. “I’ll come find you.”
Thea waited for him to leave, hearing drawers opening as he threw on clothes before the distinctive sound of the door closing. It gave her a moment to calm down, the warmth of their mating bond spreading through her chest. Rubbing a hand across her heart, she strangled the connection, despite finding comfort in it.
She hadn’t decided what she wanted. Sex was one thing, even out of this world sex. An undivorceable marriage was something else entirely.
She caught a flash of white in the mirror, Thea turning to check out the soggy bandage on her side. The wound beneath twinged, and only now could she feel its dull ache.
Unlike other Fae, her healing abilities were marginally better than a human, meaning it would take a while for the wound to close. Except the one on her shoulder already looked weeks old. Fingering the edge, she stared at her reflection, her lips swollen and skin flushed. Her hair was more silver than pink, the charm about to expire. Reaching for her toe, she pulled it off, settling it on the glass shelf. Her natural hair glistened, even when wet.
It was beautiful, but it reminded her of what she was: a leech. Looking away, she grabbed a towel before searching for her phone, finding it beside the pink pillow. Flipping through the contacts she found Molly, and when her sister didn’t answer, she tried her mum. Same result.
She heard a gentle knock, followed by a familiar voice. “Hey.”
Thea clutched at her towel, throwing her phone back on the bed before facing her friend with a grin. “Did you know I accidentally made you my owner when I let you borrow my bracelet?”
Harper closed the space, crushing her into a hug. “Your pixie just told me. I’d be more annoyed, except that bracelet saved my life. I suppose you want it back?”
Harper pulled the thin silvery rope from her wrist. The bead fractured from when she’d used it. But as soon as it slipped off her fingers, the bead popped, the crack repairing in a flash of white.
The rope around her own wrist warmed, and finally Thea was able to remove it. Which just left Jax’s slim bands, the fucking things. She’d grown so used to their weight that she’d forgotten to make him remove them.
“So,” Harper began. “Want to talk about it?”
“Nope.” Thea pursed her lips, adding an extra pop to the P.
“I distinctly remember you calling him unpleasant names.” Harper’s perfectly shaped brow rose.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Thea lied. “I’m a huge fan of his – ” Don’t say dick. “ – personality.”
Harper eyed her. “Sure.”
Swallowing her laughter, she gestured for Harper to stay. “Give me a minute,” she said over her shoulder, returning to the bathroom to find her clothes exactly where she’d left them. Without other options, she threw them back on, fingering the hole in the shirt.
For years, she had known Roach, and Thea would have called her a friend. Years of shared memories, and it had only taken Roach seconds to destroy it.
“Thea.” Harper appeared at the threshold, eyes saddened. “You need to take this.” She held out Thea’s phone, the screen showing a new message.
The words blurred, panic building until wild magic swarmed. “I’ve got to go,” she said, the words barely a whisper.
Chapter 37
Jax
Thea had tightened the mating bond, the loss of the warmth causing Thunder to pace.
“Are you able to read it?” Riley asked, seemingly unaware of Jax’s struggle.
He’d already read what he could on the plane, but without the rest, the text meant nothing. “The pages interconnect, and as they’re separate, whatever instructions there are, are incomplete. Gideon has one, and Cassiel has the other.”
Xander leaned back in his chair, seated to the right of Riley. “Cassiel’s suddenly become uncontactable.”
WHERE’S MATE? Thunder asked, pressing for control Jax wouldn’t give.
Riley looked up from the page. “Before or after Gideon made a direct threat to the Council?”