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It was similar to her setup, and as she studied the huge monitors, it saddened her to see the red zones spreading to nearly every country and region on the planet.
Things were about as bad as they could get.
“It makes you wonder.”
She didn’t need to turn her head to know that Julian stood at her side. Her nostrils flared, and his subtle scents tingled along her nerves as she took him into her lungs.
She couldn’t fight it anymore.
The man was her mate whether she wanted him or not. It didn’t mean she had to like it, but it did mean she had a choice. She could give in to the crazy notions banging around inside her head, the ones that told her to take him once more, to claim him and use him for pleasure. Or she could deny the need and live in misery.
He didn’t want her. Not for life. She knew that, but still . . .
Jaden gave herself a mental shake. She knew it was her animal making noise. She was on the edge and riding the cusp of heat. It would pass. She gritted her teeth. She’d just have to deal.
Christ, it would help if he didn’t smell so damn good.
“Sorry?” she asked, glad that she sounded in control even if the butterflies were having a field day in her stomach.
Julian nodded toward the monitors. “It makes you wonder how long it will take for the entire world to become one hot red zone.”
A chill swept across her skin, and Jaden shivered. “It won’t take long.” She shook her head and looked up at him. “So we better get this right and get it done.” Her gaze swung back to the monitors. “Or this will be nothing but a solid mass of crimson.”
A few moments of silence passed. She cleared her throat. “Where are the others?”
Julian shrugged his shoulders. “I was waiting for you.”
She tried not to show how surprised she was at his words but seriously doubted she’d been successful. Why would he wait for her? She felt a jolt of pleasure, which was silly, considering that it was, in reality, a small gesture.
But to Jaden it was huge.
“This way.” Jagger nodded toward a corridor to their right. She and Julian followed, and they trekked down the hall until they came to a door that required extra security measures. She waited patiently as Jagger activated the mechanism, and once the door slid open, they all stepped through into yet another world entirely.
Jaden wrinkled her nose as the subtle stench of magick greeted her. It was tinged with a hint of darkness, and she was puzzled by the signature as she continued to follow Jagger through a series of checkpoints.
She wasn’t familiar with it but recognized the potency of the energy in the air. Someone down here was practicing powerful magick, and it wasn’t all good.
They stopped in front of a door, and it was opened almost immediately. Jagger and Skye entered, then Jaden followed suit, with Julian close behind.
Her eyes were immediately drawn to the far end of the large room. Inside a glass-encased prison a man stood. His arms and feet were bound to the post in the center, and his face grinned wickedly as he stared out at them all.
There was blood on the floor, and she could tell he’d been tortured, his body showed obvious signs.
“Who the hell is that?” she asked, striding forward.
“His name is Tom,” Jaxon said.
“Tom?” she asked, her tone biting. “Who the hell is Tom?”
Julian was at Jaden’s side, and they both walked the last few steps until they stood near the secured room.
The man on the inside continued to stare at them with a crazed expression gripping his features. His eyes seemed unfocused, and Jaden whispered, “Can he see us?”
“No.” Jagger angled up alongside her. “He knows we’re here, but he can’t see anything other than his own stinking reflection.”
“Who is he?” Julian asked.
“He’s one of Cormac O’Hara’s soldiers, otherworld and definitely demon influenced.”
