Page 36 of Eternal Sacrifice
“Don’t you fucking die, Jax,” she commanded, and I could feel it through the mate bond. She was giving the order directly to my soul and sending the celestials a brazen fuck you.
I felt the air around us changing. Increasing in size despite the walls of the room remaining the same. The pressure built and weighed down on my already heavy body, and I lost the fight to keep my eyes open.
“Stay with me, Jax,” I heard her plead.
Her voice ripped into my heart and soul like tethering hooks. I fought against the darkness that tried to drag me under. It felt like swimming through the depths of a void. Not knowing which way is up or down.
“Don’t give up, Jax.”
It was her voice guiding me, telling me which way.
“We haven’t had enough time.” This time, her voice sounded defeated. As if she was no longer begging me to fight, but pleading with the celestials. Her words were meant for fate.
“I’m coming, babe,”I shouted the words into her mind, unsure if they would reach her from this place. But it didn’t matter. I would fight death itself for the chance to have more time.
A part of my mind’s eye brought her face front and center. She was smiling, her teeth showing and genuine joy in her eyes. Next, I saw those same eyes looking up at me. I used the hooks she had left in my soul, powered by my unwavering love for her, and pulled myself back into my body.
Pain encompassed me the moment I settled into my skin. I drew in a deep, gasping breath as I opened my eyes.
Mor gasped, looming above me. The blood-red color now spread across her eyes in a thick band like a macabre veil.
I was lying on my back, the dagger removed, but each pull of air took all my strength to manage.
“It’s all going to be fine. We killed her, Jax. Lilith’s dead. It’s over. Just rest,”she said into my mind.
My head relaxed on the floor, but I didn’t dare close my eyes.
“You really scared us there for a minute, mate.” Jace appeared like a warped mirror; only my reflection could use a good shave.
“What happened?” I croaked out, finding my throat dry and scratchy.
“Cole saved the day,” Jace said. Despite witnessing it himself, it was almost like he still didn’t believe it.
“I called for him mentally,” Mor added. “He arrived right as you collapsed. He distracted Lilith while this gold light swirled around the room. It was crazy. Like fairy lights caught in a tornado.” She looked past me as if lost in her memory. The black of her eyes slowly retreated, bringing back the emerald green I saw shining in my memories.
“Lucifer willed us his power in case of his death,” Jasper said, coming into view. Strands of his dark hair were twisted around his horns, but he otherwise looked okay.
I faintly saw green behind Jasper and recognized it as Justice.
Thank fuck, we all made it.
I sent up a silent prayer of thanks to whatever power allowed me a second chance. “How did I survive?”
“She missed your heart,” Mor said. Her eyes welled with renewed tears.
I didn’t want to force her to endure any more pain from reliving the memories while they still bled from her.
“Who killed Lilith?”
“I did.” Jasper’s low voice seemed to force the stones beneath us to tremble. “We all have Lucifer’s power now. I ripped her soul from her body and tore it apart between my palms.”
“You fractured her?”
He nodded his head solemnly. Jasper didn’t like the idea of purposefully fracturing a soul. It meant a one-way trip into the veil. No one really knew what happened to fractured celestial souls, but most assume they wound up stuck in the veil as well.
“What happens now?” Mor asked, addressing the entire pack.
“I don’t think anyone knows the answer to that question yet, Fox.” Justice looked at Mor with a softness in his eyes. He was handling her like she was fragile.
