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I grabbed him by the tusk as he swiped his clawed fingers at me and slammed his face into my knee, then started hacking with my knife. There was nothing but a red haze after that. All I could see was Jasmine, so soft and fragile, visions in my mind of what these pieces of shit wanted to do to her, and I was lost in my rage. I fought, punching and kicking, slicing and hacking until there were no demons left to kill.

Until the red haze cleared and I stood in a sea of gore and ash. Bram and Mags, with bloody knives of their own, demons with melted, bubbling flesh from Magnolia’s potions, dissolving them into nothing, scattered on the ground around us. I looked up. Jaz stood in the tree branches, eyes wide and locked on me. I didn’t know what she was thinking, but there was real fear there.

She’d seen me lose it.

And become the monster you truly are, Edward’s voice hissed.

My scars itched, my gut caught in a jagged grip, the past fusing with the present. I wanted to turn the knife on myself. I needed it.

“I won’t hurt you,” I choked out, the words tumbling from me.

She blinked down at me. “I know…I know you won’t.”

I swallowed hard and watched as she tried to climb down. I lifted my arms automatically, again, like it was my right, like the action was out of my control and driven by pure instinct. And she responded in kind, gripping my shoulders and letting me lift her down.

“Thanks,” she said as I lowered her to the ground.

I wanted to pull her in close to me so fucking badly right then. “No problem.”

Mags and Bram quickly started off again. Staying in one spot was only asking for trouble. We were close to the car, though, and as soon as Jaz reached it and got in, I took a fucking breath, then backed up several steps.

Bram raised a brow.

“The feral.” I needed to run, to work out this tension inside me. I needed some space from Jasmine because I was feeling…fuck…possessive over her in a way that was not okay.

He nodded. “Be safe.”

“What are you doing?” Jasmine said through the open window and grabbing for the door handle. “You’re going after the feral? Now?”

I held the door shut when she tried to open it, keeping her in the car. “Just some tracking. To find his den.”

“On your own? It’s too dangerous,” she said, trying to shove the door open again.

Again, I stopped her. “I’ve dealt with ferals before.”

Her lips thinned. “What about our appointment later? You can’t miss a night.”

“I won’t miss it. I’ll be there.” I took a step back when Bram started the car.

“You better be,” she said, trying to sound bossy, but all I heard was fear.

She was scared for me, and twisted fuck that I was, I liked it.

Jasmine

* * *

Ren hadn’t missed our appointment. He also hadn’t told me what happened in the forest after we drove away, and I was dying to ask. He’d been quiet when I showed up at his place. He was fresh out of the shower, smelling of soap, his hair still damp.

I cleared my throat and dipped my needle in the ink, then continued with the sigil I was working on, just below and between his shoulder blades. It was an important one. They all were, but this was a grounding sigil, one of the main anchors for the rest, and it was more intricate.

He had a really nice back, smooth, muscled, skin tan. Jesus, focus. It wasn’t easy, not when all I could think about was the way he’d looked fighting earlier, the way he’d fought those demons. You threatened our females. My heart had jumped at those words. He hadn’t meant his, of course. Just the females that were with them. Still, my stupid heart had gone a little nuts, all the same, because I was an idiot.

Goddess, he’d killed so many of them. Mags and Bram had fought as well, but they’d been more...in control. They’d worked together, cutting through the demons coming at them. Ren had hacked and snarled. His face twisted in rage.

“Did you find the feral?” I asked as I wiped away the excess ink, unable to hold it in anymore.

He was quiet for a few seconds. “I picked up his scent. Pretty sure I know where his den is. I’ll go back tomorrow.”