“That, I’m afraid, will cost you.” I put my arm around her. “A few drinks, perhaps?”
“You mentioned something about a witch in your message. That’s Haley, I presume?”
“Yes,” I said. “She’s a blood witch. She has business in the city.”
“She must be the reason you’re not tearing off my clothes. Not that I’m jealous or anything. Just need to make sure I’m not losing my sparkle.”
I laughed. For all our years of flirting, Gem and I never actually hooked up.
“Pretty sure you could never lose your sparkle,” I said.
“Good answer. Now come on—I’ve got you all set up. A place not far from your old digs. You ready to be back?”
Back. In Amaranth City.
In the place where at least a third of the population wanted me dead, another third would definitely sell me out to the first group if the price was right, and the last third would be more than happy to stand on the sidelines with some beer and popcorn to watch the slaughter.
I took a deep breath and nodded.
“Ready as ever, Gem. Lead the way.”
23
HALEY
It was no conscious decision on my part—I simply ran. Ran like my life depended on it, my heart close to bursting, my lips still icy from the demon’s kiss.
The moment we’d come together, I felt it, like a fist punching right through my chest and yanking all my worst fears to the surface. They’d flashed before my eyes—losing my sisters. Getting trapped in Midnight. Watching Elian die. Flashbacks to the prison compound the hunters had trapped me in. Shit from my childhood—from before I was adopted—I wanted to leave in a fucking graveyard.
The more distance I put between us, the better I felt. When the chill finally subsided, I stopped to catch my breath in the woods, hands on my knees, eyes shut tight. I hadn’t gone far—I could still see glimpses of the silvery-white field through the trees.
No Jax, though. Maybe he’d decided to give me some space.
I wasn’t sure exactly how it worked—how much of it Jax could control—but kissing him seemed to unleash it all. Logically, I wasn’t scared ofhim—not really. I’d simply reacted to the images of my own fears shoved in my face. But in that moment, it’d all felt so real.
I opened my eyes and stood up. My hands were still trembling.
Fucking demon.
A twig snapped, and I glanced up to see Jax slowly approaching, our packs slung over his shoulder. His face was unreadable.
“I tried to warn you,” he said, stepping closer.
I crossed my arms over my chest and took a step back, still fighting off a shiver. “You could’ve been a little more specific.”
“Would you have even believed me? Would it have stopped you?”
Heat pooled between my thighs—another reaction. Purely instinctual. Purely…fuck.
Horror-movie slideshow notwithstanding, that kiss had been…
I blew out a breath, forcing away the memories of his hot mouth. The smoky taste. The fire that had raged inside me when he’d finally given in and…
No.
I couldn’t go back there. Not in my mind. Not in my reality.
Didn’t matter how sexy he was or how damn fine he’d tasted. Kissing demons in the dark was far too fucking dangerous.
