“No, I covered you in time. That’s why I’m walking around in boxers and a fucking uniform shirt and tie. You’re welcome.” I grin a little, my eyes dancing as she lets out a long sigh of relief. “Now, let’s get him back so we don’t draw anymore negative attention to ourselves before we get you out of here. Okay?”
“Okay. I trust you, Oriel,” she says softly. “Take me to the lion and we’ll see if I can tame him.”
Oh, if only she knew how ironic that statement is.
Born Under A Bad Sign
Kit/Kat
My body is aching and my brain is muzzy, but Oriel said I have to help calm Jasper or everything is going to explode. I’m not sure why that’s happening or how I’m going to do this, but I can’t refuse to try. Blinking as my vision comes into better focus, I see the chaos around us as he moves closer to the Prince’s back, and shock floods my veins.
What in the fuck happened between now and the last moment I remember looking at those nasty assholes?
Oriel’s lips press to my ear. “Don’t worry about the rest of this shit; it will be fine. Just keep your energy focused on Jas.”
I lick my dry lips, pushing away the feeling of dread lodged in my gut as the screams of agony echo off the high ceilings. Blowing out a slow breath, I close my eyes for a moment to compartmentalize, but they pop open immediately when a thought occurs to me. “Where is Dottie?” I croak in panic. “You don’t have her!”
The crow demon stops and looks down at me again. “You’re right, little shadow, I don’t. There was a lot going on when this all went sideways, but the last time I saw her, you’d told her to scram and get out of the line of fire. She’s a smart girl; I’m sure she did exactly what you told her. Familiars are good like that—at least,that’s what I’ve been told.”
Trembling a little as my concern battles with my brain, I nod. “I know I can’t do anything right now, but once we get Jasper… whatever… we have to find her.Promise me, O.”
His expression is both gentle and sincere as he replies, “I promise. For now, though, we have to avert disaster, okay?”
I don’t know why he’s so damn certainIam the one who’s going to save us, but I have to try—no one’s ever had faith in me like this before.
Nodding, I wait for him to inch closer to the raging dragon and the bloody mess in front of him. Once we’re within hearing range for my less-than-powerful voice, I say, “Jasper. Jasper, listen to me.”
Nothing happens, and my hands shake as the fear that I’m going to fail everyone tries to wrestle me into an episode. Suddenly, the energy that was pushing at my skin earlier rears its head again, this time the red and black meet a deep purple that worms its way into the mix as if it’s always been there. They all shove at one another, and I squeeze my eyes shut, internally yelling at whatever this is to fucking stop like the energy is a bunch of recalcitrant toddlers. To my surprise, they stop when pain slices through me, as if taking notice that something is wrong.
“You can do this, KK,” I hear Oriel murmur from what sounds far away. “Take control and use that to get his attention.”
Easier said than done, my guy. I don’t even know what the hell is going on inside me, much less how to wrangle it.
I ignore the physical issues that precede an attack and the voices of doubt in my mind that normally help it manifest at his words. If this demon thinks I have the strength to figure this out, maybe I do. After all, I’ve survived a shit ton of nastiness before and I can do it again. This year has been hard, but it’s shown me Icanheal, and I owe it to the guys and myself to stay on that path. So, I suck in a shaky breath and yell at the battling prisms of energy again.
Only this time, they seem to really listen.
The pause gives me time to let in hope—something I rarely do—and I use it to push another command to the power. I ask it to help me convince the prince to shift back, to regain his control, and most of all, tohearme. Babbling for a few seconds, I finally trail off when the three opposing forces seem to stop fighting one another and pay attention to my words. Then, something crazy happens… they bundle together like a magical DNA strand.
By Lucifer’s sweaty nutsack, I think I’ve got it.
Opening my eyes again, I look at the prince’s back, then my voice comes out stronger than before. “Jasper Eversore, you self-centered fucknugget,listen to me!”
The room goes silent almost immediately, and I feel panic creep in. Before it can take hold, I speak again. “Turn around and look, you jackass.”
Insulting the infuriated dragon demon isn’t thebestplan, I’ll admit, but in times of uncertainty, you gotta go with what feels right. Telling Jasper he’s a fucking douchebag has worked the entire time I’ve been in Hell, and I will not stop now just because he’s gone loco. If I’m going to lasso all this shit, I have to be me, and Kat Camponella is the only person who gives the Prince of Hell as much shit as he throws out.
Hopefully, I don’tdiedoing it…
Luckily for me, the dragon/demon/humanoid version of Jasper is angry or amused enough to turn around and rest his slitted eyes on me as I rest in O’s arms. His lip hitches in a sneer, but I can see past that to what’s really got him spinning out of control—fear. It’s not the human part of him, I don’t think, and maybe not even the demon. Thedragonis upset, and lashing out as violently as it can to resolve the problem the way it knows best. That’s why he’s not listening to anyone, and it’s why he isn’t making the logical decisions he makes more often than not.
“Jasper, look at me. See me. I’m begging you to get control of it.” The reptilian eyes study me closely, roaming over every inch of me as I hold on to his brother. “Out of anyone, Iunderstandthis reaction. The primal part of you is in protection mode—it has to make certain that you and everything you care about are safe. It hungers for vengeance against those who harmed or sought to harm those things. It wants to destroy everyone who allowed the bad things to happen.”
Oriel’s arms tighten on me, and I swallow hard as I draw on those damn colored strands for the strength to continue on this path in public. I don’t even like admitting this shit to my fucking therapist, but the dragon isn’t tearing everyone to pieces right now, so I have to continue.
“That part of you is right—it shouldn’t let shit like that happen and itshouldbe able to take the pound of flesh it desires. Because itknowsin its gullet that no one will avenge this wrong with the ferocity and equivalence that it demands.” I suck on my lower lip, biting it with my teeth to feel the sting for a second. The slight pain helps me focus again and push away my own fear before it gets a hold on me. “The truth is,nothingcan actually make wrongslike that balance out. You can only take what petty revenge you can and the rest is about making sure it doesn’t happen again. Iknowthat and I think you do, too.”
Tilting his head, Jasper moves close enough to lean in and sniff me curiously. I want to pull away because I’m not quite comfortable enough to be this damn intimate with the prince yet, but I can’t. Something in my brain is shouting that I need to let him figure out that the immediate danger is over or he won’t be able to wrest control from the animal inside. A skinny, long as hell, forked tongue flicks out as if tasting the air, and I’m reminded of X doing something similar in his cobra form.
