Page 136 of Blood and Reign

Someone up there was looking out for us, because after today the sick fuck would no longer terrorize Luka’s nightmares, or anyone else’s, for that matter. Even if I have to rip his black heart out with my bare hands.

I move over to the small room and try to listen out for anything but there’s no window and the damn thing is fucking soundproof. Something I’m regretting right about now.

Jax and Axel are right beside it, doing the same thing. Worry slashed across both their faces.

Jax starts pacing before he shakes his head, heading straight for the door. “Fuck it, I can’t wait any longer.”

Axel blocks him, standing in front of it. “Give him another minute.” But Jax has reached his limit, he snarls at him getting up in Axel’s face. “He’s had enough fucking time.”

“Calm down.” I pull him back from Axel and release some of my alpha power.

Axel remains patient with him, not taking it personally. He understands how on edge Jax is right now. We all do.

Axel crosses his arm, leaning back against the door. “He’s tied and chained to a fucking chair. Thatthingis going nowhere.”

Jax glares at him, picking up his pacing once again. “That doesn’t mean he can’t escape. He could get inside Luka’s head. He’s done it before.”

Rion walks over. “We won’t let him.”

“I just want to check on him.” Jax frowns, the tone in his voice pleading.

I share a look with Rion before nodding to Jax. Axel steps aside as Jax reaches for the handle.

But the door opens and Luka steps out, splatters of blood on his hands, knuckles, and top. One sniff and I know none of it is his.

I look into his eyes and realize it’s not Luka but his wolf in charge. I glance behind him, finding Cillian’s slumped form. He’s out cold, his face barely visible from the beating Luka gave him and it makes me fucking proud, even if it was Luka’s wolf who did it.

They’re both working together now, so that means Luka was also in on this.

Luka takes back over but instead of fear or pain in his eyes, all I see is…relief. He smirks at us. “The fucker is still alive…”

The tightness in my chest eases at the lightness on his face.

Rion glances over his shoulder, a savage smile on his face. “Barely…”

“Good.” Jax chuckles in twisted delight as he goes to his brother and pulls him into a hug.

Axel turns and narrows his eyes on Cillian’s slumped form. “I say we all get a shot at him.”

I’m not against the idea, but Cillian deserves something a little…more.

“I might have a better idea.” I share a look with Rion.

A couple of portals were already back up and running in the Underworld, with one specially designed for us. Thanks to our involvement in saving it, we could come and go as we please. We all just had to stay the fuck away from the core.

Which I was more than happy to do.

Jax narrows his eyes. “We’re listening.”

“Do you remember what Soren said when we were in the Prison realm? There are some demons that cannot be destroyed for fear of upsetting the balance. But they still need to be fed…” I glance over at Cillian’s limp form, a slow smirk sliding across my face. “…and being fed on by a demon will make sure they’re never reborn again.”

Meaning we’ll never have to see or hear about this vile piece of shit ever again.

Axel chuckles in delight as the fucker behind us starts to wake, a moan on his lips. Before I get a chance to blink, Jax rushes forward and slams his fists into Cillian’s face a few times before pulling back and slamming his foot into the end of the chair, toppling it over with Cillian in it.

Cillian flies backward, smacking his head into the ground, knocking him out once more. Jax turns and saunters back to us, a smile on his face.

“Now you can take him.”

---