Chapter 30
Jase froze, the world narrowing to that second in time. His niece’s head dropped back as her jugular sprayed blood. Way too much blood.
Malco tossed her across the room and lunged.
Jase registered the sound of Janie hitting the far wall before Malco plowed into his stomach, throwing them both against the rock. Shards ripped down, cutting into his face and neck. Rage he had no intention of controlling roared through him, tightening his hands into fists. The first punch shot into Malco’s solar plexus, and Jase aimed for the stone behind him.
Malco exhaled, slapping both hands against Jase’s ears.
Brenna yelled Janie’s name and scrambled to the prone woman.
It was too late. Everything in Jase knew it was way too late for Janie. His heart hurt. How was he going to tell Talen his daughter was dead? And Cara?
The demon grabbed Jase’s still ringing ears, pressing in while leaning down and keeping his gaze. The black eyes swirled to purple, and the demon chanted in Latin. Words Jase had never heard before.
Pressure compounded behind Jase’s eyes. His arms went slack. Nails poked holes in his brain, and a sucking sound filled his ears. Lights flashed, and his stomach revolted. Then blackness covered his vision.
The room tilted, and he dropped to his knees. Blind and helpless.
Brenna’s anguished cry filtered through the pain. “Janie,” Brenna yelled. “God, wake up.”
There was no waking up for Janie Belle Kayrs. Jase stopped fighting the pain and blindness. He’d trained for this moment, and if it was his last, he’d go out swinging. There was no way on earth he’d allow Janie’s killer to breathe for one more day.
Losing himself, losing any humanity he’d tried to keep, he allowed the pain to turn him into the creature they’d wanted. His eyes flashed open, and the nails in his mind slid away.
Malco’s eyes widened.
Jase smiled and punched straight up into the demon’s groin. Malco released him, leaning over with a pained
Straddling his enemy, Jase punched both fists into Malco’s face. His breath centered, his mind cleared, and he battered bones and flesh almost rhythmically. Blood flew into his cheeks, burning like cigarette ashes. Malco tried to punch back, and Jase himself levered up, bringing his knees down on the demon’s biceps with a force that broke bones.
Malco cried out in pain, his skull shattering.
Jase grunted, panting with the effort, his torso straining as each punch landed harder. He’d been training for five years for this moment, and yet he felt nothing. The demon’s skull crushed into bits beneath his hands, the man losing consciousness.
“Damn it, Jase,” Brenna yelled.
He kept hitting, the sound of flesh hitting wet flesh surrounding him.
“Jase?” She yelled louder.
He slowly turned his head, not halting his motions. His witch held her hands over Janie’s throat, blood coating them.
She stretched and kicked his knife toward him. Green fire danced along her arms and through her hair. “Finish him and get over here.”
The knife tumbled end over end toward him, finally landing near his foot. Blood coated his palm, and the handle slipped from his grasp when he reached for it. Stopping his movements, he wiped his hand down his chest. Grabbing the knife, he lifted it over his head and plunged the blade into Malco’s throat. The demon didn’t even move. Jase twisted both ways until the head was severed. Staggering to his feet, he kicked Malco’s head across the room.
Then he turned and lurched toward Brenna.
She had both hands over Janie’s throat, but it was too late. Janie’s blue eyes stared sightlessly at the ceiling, her body lax in death.
Reaching Brenna, he placed a hand on her shoulder. “Let her go, Bren.” Fire burned his palm, and he released her.
She turned her head, tears in her eyes. “Jane can’t be dead.” “She is,” Jase said woodenly. “Now get up. We have to get out of here.”
Brenna slowly leaned back, her hands sliding to her knees. “Do something.”
“There’s nothing to do.” He ignored the burn and hauled Brenna to her feet. They had mere minutes until midnight. “There’s still fighting going on, and we have to get you topside before the solstice. Let’s go.”
Brenna pivoted and grabbed his shirt with both hands. “You don’t get to go numb. Not now and not here.” Her palms scorched through his bloody T-shirt to burn his chest.
He shrugged her off, his mind wanting to clear. With a low growl, he shoved all emotion back down. “Move.”
She stepped back, blood on her face, her eyes wide with tears. “No. Janie’s dead, but we’re not leaving her.”
They had to go. If Brenna would only leave with Janie, then he’d have to carry his niece out. He bent and slid both hands under Janie’s still body.
That one touch destroyed him.
Memories flashed through him so quickly, he dropped again to his knees. The first time he’d met her—she’d only been four years old. Big blue eyes, wild hair, so fragile and breakable, he’d been scared to death to touch her. Yet she hadn’t given him a choice. She’d launched her tiny body at him, fully expecting and trusting he’d catch her. And he did. Then she’d patted both small hands against his face and smiled, showing a gap in her front teeth.
From that second on, she’d been family. A girl he’d protected as she’d grown into a woman he’d trained.
But it hadn’t been enough. Not nearly enough.
He’d failed.
Sorrow burst through him with a gale’s force, and tears welled in his eyes. They flowed unchecked down his face, mixing with blood and dirt. He hadn’t wanted to feel this—he hadn’t wanted to feel anything. As he looked down at her delicate bone structure, he finally broke.
The rock walls morphed into faces around him. Faces he’d spent so much time with years ago. They shook their heads, eyes sad and full of recriminations. He’d let the demons win. They’d killed Janie, and they’d won.
He’d lost.
Brenna tried to cool the fire along her skin, reaching out to rub Jase’s shaking shoulders. His grief popped the oxygen and made the air too heavy to breathe. The rocks rumbled around them, pieces falling down. They really did have to get aboveground.
She could feel the moon rise.
The power of the comet as it careened by the earth.
Power undulated around her, through her, trying to get in. She held it at bay. Barely. “Jase?” she forced out.
He didn’t move. His head was down, his eyes slowly closing. Damn it. Allowing him to stay numb would’ve ruined him for all time—she knew that. But this? Maybe this was worse. Her heart broke for him. For the entire Kayrs family.
Flames danced on her skin in colors of aqua and green. She stepped away from Jase to keep him from being burned. Energy rippled through her veins, through her muscles, to vibrate along her flesh.
Entrancing and intriguing, the power tempted her.
God, it tempted her.
But she couldn’t contain so much by herself—not after a decade of weakness. Even so, she touched the pendant around her neck. Could she beat the virus?
