Page 108 of Primal Bonds

Corban pushed Jace toward the ladder. “Down there.”

“Jace?” Evie peered up at him, her eyes huge.

“Coming, angel.” Jace started down the ladder, but his hands and feet felt like they belonged to some other man. His foot slipped off the rung and he tumbled the rest of the way down, banging his head against the side of the ladder before hitting the earth floor with a jarring thud.

He wavered for a moment and then crumpled to the ground.

The next thing he knew, Evie was running her hands over him, her breath coming in jagged sobs. He wanted to reassure her, but he couldn’t speak or even open his eyes, his whole being focused on simply breathing.

“Oh, God.” Evie patted his face. “Please don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead.”

Behind his eyes, the darkness shifted. He slit his lids. Evie was crouched next to him, her scent filling his head and bringing a measure of calm. On the other side of the small space, Tyrus and Corban were speaking in undertones, and he could hear Kane on the surface pacing agitatedly back and forth near the entrance.

The cat peeled its lip. Attack. Kill. Claws scored Jace from the inside.

Not yet, he told it.

The jaguar subsided, tail twitching angrily. It hadn’t given up, and Jace agreed. To save Evie, he’d shift even if it killed him, but first he needed more intel.

“Jace?” Cool fingers touched his cheek. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” He moistened dry lips. “You?”

A jerky nod. “I’m fine. And you’re going to be okay. Just hang on, got it?”

He forced his lids to open more fully. “Okay.”

Evie’s shoulders slumped in relief. She dragged off her T-shirt, leaving her clad only in a bra and pants, and dabbed at the blood on his throat and chest. Tyrus loomed behind her, watching them with avid eyes. Sick bastard.

Fresh blood welled from the wound on Jace’s throat; the fall must have ripped it open even further. Evie wadded up the shirt and pressed it to the wound. “Heal yourself, damn you.”

He pointed at his chest where his quartz should be. “Can’t.”

“They took it?” Evie twisted to glare up at Corban. Her eyes lit on the quartz and she lunged for it, but he jerked it away and backhanded her across the face. She stumbled and made a hurt sound that was like a blade to Jace’s heart, but came right back up.

Jace grabbed her arm. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.” She pressed a hand to her cheek and he realized she was holding the other hand to her stomach, favoring it. It was red and swollen.

Fury blazed through Jace. He shook with the need to take down both men. That they dared hurt his mate. But on its heels came a cold-eyed determination. He would bide his time, and wait for his chance—and then all three men would die.

“It’s okay,” he told Evie again and mouthed, “Trust me.”

She removed her hand from her face and gave a short nod.

Corban turned back to Tyrus. “Give me the diamonds. I’m outta here.”

The night fae’s gaze raked over Jace. “He’s damaged. I’ll be fortunate if he lasts the day.”

Evie snarled and Jace tightened his grip on her.

“Nothing in the contract said how long you get to play with him,” returned Corban. “He’s here, and my part is done. You’ve got his woman, anyway—that will make it even sweeter. Now, my payment?”

Tyrus tossed a small black pouch at Corban. He snatched it in mid-air and checked the contents. He frowned. “There’s one extra.” He removed a glittering stone from the bag and thrust it at Tyrus. “Don’t play your fucking fae games with me. You’ll pay what we agreed—no more and no less.”

The night fae regarded him coolly. “Consider it an advance.”

“For what?”

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