“OH, GOD.” THE WORDS SCORCHED my throat as the strangled cry emerged the second I saw him. I tried to wrench free of Drake, but he jerked me back. “Rebirth to my Ink first, then I will allow you to heal him.”
I held back the tears that threatened to fall and make me into the weak little girl who broke under the man who now held me in his grasp. But I wasn’t that little girl anymore. I’d fought to keep my secret hidden. I’d fought to stay alive and now I was fighting for Jasper’s life. That was more powerful than the nightmares of six years with Drake.
I raised my chin and met his red flashing eyes. “No, Drake. I heal him first.”
He hissed revealing his fangs and looking scary as hell, but I refused to waver, knowing our one chance was if I could get to Jasper first.
I thought I’d be more terrified of him, but I wasn’t. He was a pitiful disgrace to the Scars and what they stood for. There was no honor in him and he was weak. He used vampires and a little girl to get him here. He was a monster who destroyed others in order to make himself feel better.
I didn’t dare look over at Jasper again. I needed Drake to believe he had no choice here. If he thought for one second I would break, he’d kill Jasper and take me away and wait until I gave in and drank his blood. But I knew Drake. He wouldn’t want to wait. He wanted his Ink alive now and that was what I was banking on.
Finally, Drake nodded and his hand slowly slid from my arm. I took a step toward Jasper when Drake grabbed me by the back of the neck, his fingers squeezing as he pulled me into him so hard I slammed into his chest. “Remember who you belong to, Breanna. Don’t do anything foolish.”
I knew exactly what he was saying. I was not to touch Jasper except to heal his wound. “I belong to no one, Drake. I’m your prisoner.” I shoved at his arm, gritting my teeth as the pressure on my neck increased before he let me go.
It took everything I had to walk slowly and steadily toward Jasper when all I wanted to do was run and throw my arms around him. My heart thumped erratically, and my blood rushed through my body like a torrential rainstorm.
I knew the Scars had to be looking for me by now and I planned on it. I hadn’t known at the time how I’d get away from Guise, but when we went into the hotel bar to wait for Xamien and Waleron and hopefully Holden, I knew it had to be then or I’d never have a chance. I waited ten minutes and even that was a struggle as I kept glancing at the clock up above the bar. I had an hour before Drake blew up the house Jasper was in. And there was no question in my mind he’d do it. He had nothing to lose if I didn’t show up.
Luckily, Guise was a Visionary and not a Reflector because I was betting no shield I put around my emotions could stop what I was feeling from being read. This meant I had to leave before Xamien arrived. He’d see right through me and know what I was up to.
My opportunity came when the waitress asked if we needed anything in French. She switched to English when neither of us answered her. She looked me up and down, frowned then glared at Guise who glowered back. I was a mess and suspected I had more than a few cuts and scrapes from our mad run through the bush.
She offered her hand. “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up. Men.” She shook her head, her lips pursed together as she sneered at Guise. “It’s always the hot ones who are such assholes.”
Guise snorted and stood when I did. “Where are you going?”
“I’m calling the police if you don’t behave yourself,” the waitress, I glanced at her name tag, Vee, said. “Your girl here has dirt and cuts all over her. You want to explain to the police what happened to her?”
Guise’s scowl grew fierce, but he sat back down. “Don’t go far. We’re leaving the second they get here.”
The waitress flicked her hair over her shoulder and then tugged me to the washroom in the far corner of the bar. It wasn’t that difficult to get rid of the waitress saying I needed some time alone and then she smiled as if in understanding. I waited a few seconds and then peeked out the door and saw her serving a couple at the bar. Guise was on his phone. I snuck out in the shadows of the hall and went out the back fire exit door.
Then I ran. I suspected Guise and the others would track me pretty damn quickly to the house, but I just needed enough time to do what I had to.
And now . . . seeing Jasper again, I knew I did the right thing. I could do this. I had to. I wanted to.
The beam Jasper was chained to stood from floor to ceiling and was thick and solid. I’d need to find a way to undo the chains. Not now, Drake would be watching everything I did but when the time was right . . . after I killed him.
There was a good chance that I couldn’t. That my plan would fail, but this was the only way to try and save Jasper. Drake would’ve killed him if he had a hint of any Scars with me.
I stopped in front of Jasper, our eyes having never left one another since I began to make the ten agonizing steps toward him. “Sunshine.”
I pursed my lips and frowned, hoping he understood what I was saying. Drake was an ancient Scar and I’d learned to barricade him from my thoughts, but now he was also vampire and he might be able to intercept our telepathy. I couldn’t take the chance that he’d hear us. I just hoped Jasper would understand what I was doing.
My instinct was to scream and cry and hold him in my arms, but if I did, it would destroy all I had to do in order to save us both.
I couldn’t tell him I believed him. That I trusted him.
I put one hand on his left shoulder as if to steady myself and slid it back slightly, so my fingers were touching his shoulder blade. His brows drew together and his body stiffened, but he didn’t say anything. I called to my healing ability and put my other hand on his chest just below his heart.
I shifted all my healing to his shoulder, instead of his chest. Jasper must have felt it because his breath quickened and his eyes widened with surprise.
I closed my eyes when the images hit me and I saw it all. Jasper hung by his wrists from a tree, the tips of his toes just able to touch the ground. He had chains wrapped around his shoulder to keep him from calling to his Ink and there were bruises all over his body, yet he wasn’t bleeding or wounded. The stars shone down on his naked skin as he trembled so violently the chains rattled.
There was a ravaged expression on his face, rage pulsating through him as he hung helpless to the elements. I moved a little closer to him as I heard the screams of the girl echoing in his mind. The little girl’s screams that were tearing him apart as he dangled, unable to do anything but listen to her.
His sister. Beth.
The images came quicker like a movie played in fast forward and I weakened, just as Jasper had with each day they left him there. His body began shutting down and then . . . his Ink. Its strangled cries begged to be released from the chains the vampires had thrown over the tattoo to keep it trapped.
But it was locked in his body as he grew weaker.
I heard Drake’s footsteps walk toward us and knew if he came close enough, he’d notice the wound on Jasper’s chest hadn’t been healed and my hand on his shoulder was the only one burning with heat.
I had to take the chance Drake couldn’t hear us. I needed Jasper’s help. I moved both my hands to his shoulder blade and used everything I had to bring his Ink back to life. I had seconds. “Rise. He needs you. Breathe.” An Ink couldn’t be called upon if the Scar was wounded. But I could. At least I think I could. I communicated with my mother’s Ink many times. If I brought Jasper’s back to life, then I could call to it without him.
The burning in my hands was so intense it was as if I was holding them in the flames of a fire. But I’d couldn’t stop. I’d never stop. “Jasper, what’s your Ink’s name? I need to call to it.”
“Baby, what are you doing? My Ink . . . he can’t . . . he can’t come to form when I’m wounded.”
“By you he can’t. But I can call him. Jasper, there’s no time, tell me. Now.”
I knew Drake was behind me and then . . . he hauled me backward so hard I fell on my ass. I heard Jasper’s roar and the chains as he struggled to break free.
“Groar. It’s Groar.” He stopped moving and I saw him close his eyes and knew he was trying to help me call Groar to life.
I had no choice. I needed to say the words aloud as they were more effective than telepathically. “Rise Groar. Jasper needs you. Live and fight for him. Protect him.”
“What did you do?” Drake grabbed me by the hair and I winced as he pulled me to my feet. “You bitch.” He raised his fist and I braced for the pain, knowing if he knocked me out, our chance was lost. Jasper’s Ink would be sluggish and even worse was that it would weaken Jasper further.
But his fist never connected as something crashed into the both of us. I landed hard on my side and I was dazed for a second before I looked for Drake. He was on his back with a snarling wild boar-like monster, with silver skin covered in tattoos, on top of him. There was blood splattered all over Drake. I scrambled toward them and saw the damage the Ink had done with its first leap. Its razor-blade horns were covered in Drake’s blood that had penetrated his chest.
But he’d heal. He was a half-vampire and within minutes, he’d heal again. Drake grabbed the Ink by the horns and as soon as he did, his palms bled as they cut into him. Ignoring the damage, Drake tossed Groar across the room. There was loud squeal as he hit the wall and fell on his side and then he was on his hooves again and tearing for him.
I scrambled to my feet and ran for Drake at the same time
“Max. No.” Jasper’s words were lost to me as Groar leapt on Drake again but this time Drake was ready and dove to the right and then whirled around and grabbed Groar’s leg and yanked so hard I heard the crack as the bones broke.
But Ink’s never gave up and that was what I depended on. Groar would fight until death or until his master called him back.
Saliva foamed at the corners of Groar’s mouth as he panted several times. Then he made a deep screeching growl, spun on his hooves and tackled Drake to the floor, his fangs going for his throat. Drake held him off, with his hands pushing on the thick neck.
I dove for them and pressed my hands onto Drake’s chest as Groar pinned him to the floor. I didn’t have long. There was no question Drake would win against the Ink; physically he was stronger and faster. My advantage had been surprise, but all I needed were a few minutes.
I called to my ability and my hands heated. I was dislodged for a second as they flipped to the side and Groar used his horn to carve a five-inch long gouge in Drake’s cheek.
“I’ll kill him,” Drake shouted. “You’ll wish you were dead, Breanna. You’ll beg me for it and I’ll never kill you.”
I glanced back at Jasper and he was watching me. God, he was pale and could barely keep his head up. He had to call his Ink back before it drained all his strength. My hands burned as I pressed them as hard as I could into Drake’s chest, but instead of healing, I did the opposite. I drained him of everything living.
“What are you doing?” His voice was a whisper as I took all that he had. His heart slowed as I bore down on him. Drake’s hands slipped away from Groar’s neck and then his eyes rolled in the back of his head.
I stopped blood flowing through his veins. His organs from functioning and then . . . lastly . . . I stole the air from his lungs. Lungs I’d healed for six years.
Drake’s sudden harsh, cruel laugh with his last breath sent cold shivers through me. His eyes flashed open and they met mine for a brief second as he said, “He will die with me anyway. Remember your house, Breanna. He will burn just like your mother.”
Jasper’s Ink jammed his horn into Drake’s neck at the same time as his heart hesitated and then . . .
Nothing.
I collapsed to the side, my body trembling and cold, even my hands were freezing. I couldn’t stop; I had to get to Jasper. I crawled to my feet, staggered and fell to my knees. “Go to him,” I said to Groar. The boar with its broad shoulders and heavy weight walked past me, blood dripping from its horns to leave droplets on the floor along its path. He then leapt into the air toward Jasper, following the bright string of light that bound them. The beam of light dwindled as it merged with Jasper again and I saw his body jerk at the impact.
“Jasper.” I scrambled to my feet again and ran to him, collapsing against his chest, arms wrapping around his neck. “Jasper.”
His eyes were closed and he was freezing cold. His heart was so faint I had to press my ear to his chest in order to hear the slow, irregular beats. “Hold on, baby.”
I put my hands on his wound but they remained cold. They weren’t warming. They weren’t heating up. “Oh, God,” I cried as I pressed them harder into the wound. “Please. Please.”
I choked back the sobs as I focused and tried to re-awaken my healing, but I’d used all I had in me to take Drake’s life and I was too weak.
“No,” I sobbed as I desperately tried to bring heat into him. There was a spark, like a match being stroked and his heart began to beat stronger as a flicker of heat began in my palms. “Come on, Jasper. Fight with me.”
He groaned and I pushed further, forcing my body to transfer my heat into him. “Baby.” His haggard whisper strengthened my resolve and I pushed more and more until he raised his head and his eyes flickered open.
“Stop,” he said. “Fuck, stop.” He strained against the chains. “You’ll die. Max, it’s too much. Stop.”
My heart slowed and staggered as the coldness I took from him leaked into me, but I’d never stop. Not until we left here together.
Suddenly, a loud boom from upstairs vibrated through the room and I fell backward. Dust and debris crumbled from the ceiling as the house groaned under the pressure. I looked at Jasper and his face was contorted in agony at the sound. Being weak, he was unable to tone down his ability.
I climbed to my feet then ran for the door. “Max,” he called.
Another loud bang as if furniture was falling. I threw open the door and the instant I did, I smelled the pungent smell of smoke and heard the distinct crackling of fire.
“Max, get the fuck out of here. The ceiling is going to cave in.”
I ran to Drake’s body and searched through his pockets and found his phone. It flashed the clock screen.
“Oh, God.” He killed his vampire followers upstairs just to make certain Jasper didn’t escape. That he’d burn here, just like my mother and Talde. And he would if we didn’t get out soon. The house would either collapse on top of us or the smoke would suffocate us.
I ran back to Jasper and tried to undo the chains. “Jasper. I . . . I can’t undo them.” Panic gripped me and my breathing quickened, making me lightheaded. I had to calm down. We’d get out together. We’d make it. The Scars had to know I was gone and then they’d see the fire and come for us.
“A gun. Something,” I said and ran to Drake’s body, quickly searching for any kind of weapon to break through the lock. “There has to be . . .”
“No,” Jasper said. “He was never planning on letting me go, Max.”
“No. No.” I shook my head as I yanked off Drake’s boots looking for a knife—anything. “He wouldn’t do that.”
But I knew that was exactly what he’d planned. That was why I knew I had to try and kill him. What I hadn’t anticipated was being unable to get Jasper out of the chains.
“Max, come here.” It was his calm, steady voice that drew me from my frantic searching. “Come here.”
I pushed up and then ran to him, my arms wrapping around his neck as I pressed my lips to his. “There has to be a way.”
He pulled back and I stroked his cheek. “You killed him. You stopped him, angel.”
“We did,” I corrected. “We have to find a way to get you out of here.”
“I want you to listen to me, Max.” He tilted his head down and looked at me while I cupped his face in my hands. The grey in his eyes wrapped me in its intensity as he waited until I calmed my breathing and my eyes were steady on his.
“Good girl.” He quirked a half-smile and then it was gone and I knew. I knew what was coming. “My heart is yours, sunshine.” My own heart crashed through its protective cage and dropped into my stomach. “Never knew I had one until you. It lost its beat a long time ago when I lost myself. I never thought it would beat again—until you.”
“Jasper. No.” I knew why he was saying this and I shook my head. “No. I don’t want it. I don’t want it without you.” I clutched at his shirt, tears staining my cheeks as I pleaded with him.
He grunted and his muscles flexed. I frantically reached around again to try and undo the chains on his wrists. I choked on the sob catching in my throat. “Help me. Help me. Your Ink. Groar can—”
“Baby,” Jasper whispered.
I ignored him, yanking on the chains, desperation blurring the reality of what I was doing. I had to get him free.
“Baby, stop.”
“No. Fuck you, Jasper. Fuck you. You don’t get to give up.”
“I need you to look at me, Max.” I clawed at his trapped wrists until he added, “Please.”
My trembling hands slid down his stretched arms and away from the chains that were going to break us; tear us apart before we were even brought together. I shifted so I was standing in front of him again, ignoring the escalating sounds of the crackling and banging upstairs.
“I can’t,” I said. Because the second my eyes hit his chin, I had to close them. I couldn’t look at what I knew I’d see.
“Yeah, you can. Because it’s all I have left.”
Oh, God, the pain crushing my chest was so debilitating I had to grab hold of him to stay upright.
“Look at me so I can see the stars in your eyes. Going to take them with me, angel.”
I collapsed at his feet, my hands on the floor, my curtain of hair hiding the anguish in my face as reality hit me. There was no escape for him and I was helpless to save him.
“You going to give me your eyes, sunshine? Because fuck, I don’t want to die without seeing them again.”
I crawled back up him, my legs vibrating so badly I needed to use him to keep myself standing. I raised my chin and then my blurred, tear-filled eyes slid up his body, past his chin, his nose and then . . .
We locked. And it stole my breath and stilled my heart.
This was what it was about. This was why anyone would go through suffering because on the other side was this . . . the encompassing brilliance of what Jasper and I shared. It was us merging, with that one look and becoming one.
“That’s it, baby. Fuck, you’re beautiful. I’m so proud of you.” He cocked a half-smile and from the wince after, I knew it was painful for him to give me that. I traced his lips with my fingers as the tears continued to stream down my cheeks. “Max. I need you to get out of here. Take Drake’s shirt and put it over your head, stay low and run. Use your telepathy to try and reach the others. You have to go before it’s too late.”
But I was too weak to use my telepathy and I wouldn’t leave Jasper. Never. I wasn’t scared to die; I was scared to walk away.
“No. I won’t leave you.” I stood on my tiptoes and curled my hands around his neck and then kissed him. His groan vibrated beneath my mouth and I deepened the kiss, my tongue tasting, my need so intense it was like I was unable to breathe without him.
“Max. Go,” Jasper mumbled when I refused to let him go. “Fuck,” he grunted and tore his head to the side to break us apart. “Get out of here. Give me that. Let me die knowing you’re safe.”
“I’m not safe. I’ll never be safe without you. You’re my safe, Jasper. Don’t you see that?” I flinched as his eyes hardened. No. No. I gagged on the tears, the sobs, the clenching pain that had my heart in its hand and squeezed until I felt as if it burst and I was drowning inside from my own blood.
“Do this for me. Jesus. I can’t watch you die. Don’t make me. You’re free, Max. You’re finally free of him.”
But I couldn’t give him that. I wouldn’t. I’d lived my whole life locked away doing what I had to in order to protect everyone. Now, I was doing what I wanted and I’d never leave him. Never.
I pulled away from him and this time when I met his eyes, I raised my chin and refused to falter under his determined harsh expression that he was using to try to get me to do what he wanted.
“I’m not leaving you.”
We stared at one another for a few seconds, both unwavering. It was Jasper that broke first and it was him sighing. Then every muscle relaxed as he hung, accepting what he couldn’t fight. “Come here, baby,” he whispered.
I buckled into him and it was at that moment I felt as if I took his heart and he took mine. Because every day I suffered in Drake’s hands, every day I hid away, it was all worth it for this moment, knowing that Jasper was mine. That he was giving the pieces of him that had scattered into the wind so many years ago.
I’d caught each one and brought them back and now they were mine. He was mine and I was his.
“Fuck, you’re stubborn.” His voice was a ragged whisper and I heard the tinge of fear. “But I love you, Max. I fuckin’ love you.”
I pressed my forehead against his chest, his heart still thumping strong and steady despite the walls that crumbled around us. It was getting closer. The heat burning my back and the smoke leaking beneath the door to make a light fog in the room.
“I love you. I love you. I love you,” I said as there was a sudden crash of what sounded like parts of the roof.
“Jesus, Max.” I knew he must have heard the fear in my voice. But it wasn’t fear of dying; I’d always accepted that. What I was scared of was us not dying at the same time. Of holding him dead in my arms or him seeing me being burned alive.
Jasper kissed my forehead. “Don’t look, okay. Kiss me, baby. Just kiss me and we’ll go together.”
I jerked as the door burst open and the inferno of smoke and heat filled the room. I slammed my mouth down on his and kissed him with all I had left. Because this was all either of us had.
I kept my eyes closed, ignoring the agony of the heat burning my back, the smoke filling my lungs with each breath that was Jasper’s and mine together.
But my kiss ended too fast as I struggled to breathe and my hands slipped from his neck as I coughed violently. No. No.
Suddenly I was yanked away and a cry escaped my lungs, not knowing what happened until a wet cloth came over my nose and mouth and I saw the cold ice-blue eyes of Waleron.
Then Xamien came up beside us and something else. An Ink. A brilliant light linked the black shadow of a massive beast to Xamien. It was transparent except for the mouth, eyes and claws that glowed bright turquoise. It had to be over seven-feet tall with faded grey markings all over the black shadowed form. Xamien took me from Waleron then spoke to his Ink.
“The chains, Grief.” The Ink moved like the wind and shifted past us. It snarled and razor sharp fangs emerged. It lowered its head and clamped down on the chains around Jasper. Within seconds, they fell to the ground.
Waleron grabbed the now unconscious Jasper around the waist as he collapsed and threw him over his shoulder. I reached out to Xamien’s Ink, no longer hiding what I’d been forced to for ten years. “Thank you, Grief,” I whispered to the Ink in my mind.
His glowing eyes darted in my direction and then he tilted his head to the side as if he was trying to ascertain whether he heard me or not. After a few seconds, Grief bowed his head to me then swept across the floor and merged back with Xamien.
We made it out of the basement just as the ceiling gave way.