Page 80 of Hidden Sacrifice
“Unless you want to lick my nasty pulverized chest, just get me back to Hell and a few pints of blood.” I coughed, spitting up a good deal of blood. I had to get it out somehow. I moved to sit up, but Mor’s hand on my shoulder gently stopped me.
“I don’t mind,” she said, slowly pushing me back to the ground.
Slow heat rippled across my skin but did not burn me as she removed my shirt. I felt the cool brush of her fingertips outlining the damaged area before I felt the hot wet heat of her mouth on me. Every swipe of her tongue helped the skin heal up as new skin formed, creating a band-aid of sorts. It would take the insides longer to heal back together, but it was better than the gaping wound there. She looked up from my chest, her mouth and chin covered in blood as she smiled at her job well done.
“Let’s go find the others, Darling,” I said, bringing my hand to her hair and stroking my fingers through it.
“Jasper and Justice took Jax back to Hell in a hurry. He took the biggest hit in the house and wasn’t awake. We weren’t sure who was injured worse, so they hurried back with him while Ryan and all of them stayed here to help me with you.” She looked off to the side, and when I turned my head, I noticed that we hadn’t been alone.
“Fachnan fucked you up,” Ryan said with a nod. It almost felt like approval.
“I’m guessing Fachnan escaped?” I grumbled, moving to sit up. Mor scrambled up and off me.
Disappointed faces surrounded me as Zebadiah reached a hand down to help me up. I took it with thanks, my chest screaming out in protest as I was hauled to my feet.
No one ran for the portal. Instead, everyone walked with me at a slow pace. “Just carry me, Zebadiah, and get it over with,” I said, looking at the giant demon with all the muscles.
His returned smile was full of wicked delight as he happily picked me up and whisked us away back to Hell. Zebadiah dropped me off in front of our hunting cabin before they took off back to theirs to regroup and heal.
Walking in the front door, I was nervous about what I would find. The place was empty.
“Back in the bedroom,” Mor whispered, and I felt a sensation of dread wash over me. There was something about the way she said it; it reminded me of a voice you use when trying not to disturb the dead.
Mor went first, and I followed along behind numbly. I knew that Jax would be fine. After all, he was a demon, and now we were back in Hell. His body could be healed no matter the injury. But some other part of me screamed to watch out for him.
Jax lay in the bed, all alone. The sheets were tucked neatly under his arms, folded across his chest like a lazy mummy. His eyes were closed. He must not be conscious because if he were, Justice wouldn’t have gotten away with placing stuffed animals having sex on the mattress all around him.
I noticed an illusion; I pushed through to reveal his appearance. His skin was charred black and falling off his bones in some areas. Half of his face seemed to melt away as one eye socket sat empty.
“Does she know how bad it is?”I whispered into Justice’s mind, my eyes flicking to Mor as she stood cradled in Jasper’s arms.
Justice shook his headnosharply.
“Let’s let sleeping beauty get some rest,”I suggested, moving for the door. We needed to talk about what the fuck happened out there. And I needed Mor to get out of here before she sensed the illusion and looked at him like that.
We all piled into the nest room, wordlessly cuddling up on the floor. Mor laid chest to chest with Jasper as they whispered. Justice turned to face me as I laid flat on my back, looking up to the weathered wood of the ceiling.
“Guessing you had the necklace on during the fight, or else we might have lost you today,” Justice muttered.
“I’m thankful I’m not laid up in the bed beside him, healing from his wounds.” I scratched at my chest from the itching deep inside me. It was a good sign but one of the most annoying. “How long does he have?”
“Oh, a couple of hours for most of it. Eye reconstruction will take a little longer depending on his power levels.”
“Darling?” I said, looking over Justice. Mor turned in Jasper’s hold to look over at me, noticing Justice’s position and smiling. “When Jax wakes up, make sure to give him a power boost. It doesn’t bother me.”
CHAPTER27
MORRIGAN
Ihad let Justice and the others believe I hadn’t noticed the illusion on Jax the moment I walked into the room. Between my calming shield and my mental mantra,he’s in Hell now; he will heal;I managed to pull off some semblance of control.But inside, the rage was starting to bubble over. Rage at whatever demon was responsible for hurting Jax and Jace.
I pretended to fall asleep in Jasper’s arms as we cuddled together in the nest, letting Jax lie in the middle of our enormous bed entirely alone. My mind constantly replayed the images of Jax’s charred face and the gaping wound in Jace’s chest.
I didn’t say anything when Justice got up silently from the pile. Jace instinctually moved closer to me in his sleep. Once I was tucked away underneath him and Jasper, fitful bouts of nightmares plagued me. Images of Jax’s burnt body with half his face melted off joined in with the memories from the veil. Circling in my head as faint whispers floated on an imaginary breeze. The images and stories swirled in my mind as the smell of burning flesh filled my nose. I woke to gasp for air, and Jasper rolled over as if I needed more breathing space. Light snores emanated from him as his back moved in the steady rhythm of his breathing. His tail curled around him protectively.
“Fox.”
I turned toward the doorway, finding it open just a crack. The white of Justice’s hair seemed reflective, shining like a beacon, visible in the small strip of space. Turning into shadow so as not to disturb anyone else, I met Justice on the other side of the door.
