26. Jax

Chapter 26

Jax

J ax ignored the throbbing along his thigh, the sutures he'd spent the last hour doing more of an annoyance than anything. He didn't give a shit whether the slash re-opened, knowing it would heal eventually and without evidence. Scars were something he and his brothers didn't have to concern themselves with due to the curse. Their restorative abilities were able to repair wounds that would kill almost anyone else. The only downside was the need to re-tattoo the glyphs over fresh skin once healed.

Previous scars and injuries disappeared as soon as they were bound to their beasts. Everything but Jax's face, which was caused by a hound's claw and then sealed with venom. It had been a freak accident that should have killed him as a child, but somehow he'd survived. Only to be cast aside by his mother for being even more broken. But at that point, Jax was well and truly cold. Uncaring. Fucking numb.

It was his brothers that helped him find peace with his past. Bonding to them just as much as he was forced to bond with his beast. They were the ones that talked him away from the edge, reminding him he existed – that he wasn't a ghost .

Jax stretched his leg, feeling the stitches pull against his skin. Gritting his teeth, he stretched once more, making sure the muscle could withstand the movement.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Kace asked as he sat beside him. "You look like shit."

"My turn to teach," he replied, watching the kids move into their next stance. They varied in age, starting from around five to seventeen or so. A few looked over, their gazes skirting away quickly once they noticed him observing.

Kace grunted, the sound low. "You're in no fucking state to teach."

By day, the Vault was a shady as fuck business where Kace earned money beating the shit out of people, and in the evening, it became a safe place for the kids on the streets. They came from all over the city to learn self-defence, to eat, or to just hide from whatever horrors were waiting for them back at home.

Within the walls of the Vault, the kids were safe, and many of the Guardians took turns helping Kace, and the humans who ran it.

"You're on the edge," Kace continued, reaching over to grip Jax's jaw. "Wanna tell me why your eyes are lined in silver?"

Jax jerked away with a growl, jumping to his feet. He needed a distraction, and Kace was someone who dominated the cage fighting scene. Which wasn't a surprise considering he grew up fighting for his life on the Pits.

"Just shut up and hit me."

He'd left Thea because he didn't trust himself. He wasn't sure if he was going to shift again, or take her up against the wall until she screamed his name.

Fuck.

She should never have kissed him, because before she was simply a flame to his moth – beautiful, alluring, and dangerous. But now she was a drug. An addiction he could still taste across his lips. He'd needed to leave before he scared her with the force of his obsession. For years, he'd simply existed, and now he didn't know if he would survive without her laughter and light spreading warmth through his frozen heart.

Kace shook his head, his torso bare and training trousers tight to his skin. "Did you sleep?"

"Fuck off, K." Jax was dressed identically, allowing the kids to see every movement without any obstructions. It wasn't about fighting one another, each Guardian different in their style. It was about learning to defend within their ability, and then running. Because in reality, they were still children, and the monsters that hurt them were much stronger.

Kace snarled. "Careful what you – "

"Hey, are you guys ready?" Eva asked, walking over with a little girl clamped onto her hand. "They're getting impatient."

The little girl hid behind, peeking around Eva's arm slightly. Her eyes were a light blue, surrounded by darkened bruises. Jax's lungs tightened at the sight, and Eva noticed the change, offering him a gentle smile.

‘If she smiles at you like that again, I'll break your fucking legs,' came Kace's growl.

Jax kept his expression blank, simply nodding to Eva and the little girl. Eva may anchor Kace's rage, but he was still the most unstable out of them all.

"We'll be right there," Kace said aloud, his face softening when he turned to his mate.

Her eyes glittered as she stepped back, darker than they were supposed to be as hunger took its toll. Kace tracked her across the room, not leaving even when she took her place amongst the kids. They'd all taken a seat along the benches, their little voices hushed as they waited with anticipation.

Jax shoved Kace to the side as he took his position at the front.

Kace grinned, the sight feral as he moved to stand opposite. ‘Let's get this over with. My mate needs feeding.'

Jax clicked his neck before rolling the ache from his shoulders. He'd walked in on Kace feeding Eva once, so he knew it wasn't the feeding part Kace was looking forward to.

‘Your beast's riding you hard,' Kace said, keeping the mental connection. ‘Harder than usual.'

‘I'm dealing with it.' Jax widened his stance, his thigh screaming at the movement. Kace's eyes narrowed as if he could sense it, but Jax knew his expression revealed nothing. They were all trained to hide pain, to ignore it. His thigh was no different.

‘Your beast is pushing you to complete the bond.' Kace impatiently pushed at his mind. ‘Trust me, the pressure will release once it's done.'

Jax growled, wanting to fight. He may be stronger than Kace, but his brother was a fraction of a second quicker. Their natural styles were very different, Kace more manic and Jax more defined. But Kace had been fighting since he was a kid, which made him fun as fuck to fight against because he never held back.

Kace pursed his lips, irises shifting to silver as he lifted his fists. ‘Ready?'

Jax didn't bother with a reply, already hitting out and allowing himself to get lost in the movements. The first half was practised, going through different ways in which to defend against certain attacks. But it wasn't long until their movement became faster, their hits harder as the training became a scrap. Jax fought with practised precision, planning each movement like a game of chess. He could usually predict his opponent's next move, making sure he was always ahead. His brother, on the other hand, fought solely with instinct. It made him unpredictable when fighting, which made him the perfect person to spar with.

‘You're favouring your right leg,' Kace commented, his fist hitting like a fucking train to the side of Jax's face.

He'd felt a stitch pop, and this time he was pretty confident the wound had reopened. ‘Took down a Class C hound yesterday.'

Kace pulled his next punch at the last second, and Jax used it to his advantage. Using his forearm he tried to pin Kace, except his brother had other ideas. Using the heel of his foot he kicked Jax's thigh, causing his entire leg to collapse.

Jax's palm slapped against the cool wooden floor, teeth barred as Kace glared down at him.

‘ Stay down, J.'

Except Jax was already up, ignoring the pain to kick out hard enough Kace stumbled back. Blood roared between his ears, but even with that he heard the door. Jax stilled, Kace turning at the same time towards the entrance. A shadow stood in the doorway, clapping slowly.

"Impressive," Cassiel said, stepping forward. His gaze danced across the room, sweeping across the kids before settling on Jax. "I've never quite seen anything like it."

Kace's chest heaved with a breath, blood coating his cheek from where the skin had split. "Hunter," he whispered, his ward appearing by his side. "Take the others and Eva to the back."

Hunter snarled, his jaguar flashing in his irises. "I can help," he said with as much attitude as any fifteen-year-old. "I've been training and – "

"Protect her for me," Kace interrupted, nodding to Eva who had already stood, fangs bared at the Councilman .

Cassiel raised a brow, his wings held high above his shoulders. He made no move toward her or the children, who were quickly moved to the back. Jax cocked his head, able to hear the young ones feared whimperers, and the older ones preparing to defend.

"You're not welcome here," Kace called louder, placing himself in front of the doorway that separated the back quarters to the cages.

"I'm here to speak with the mutt." Cassiel smiled, but it wasn't friendly. Two more celestrials stood by his side, dressed as warriors.

Kace snarled, the sound cutting off when Jax placed a hand on his shoulder. ‘You sure about this?' he asked privately.

Jax nodded, waiting until Kace had taken a step back before turning fully to Cassiel. The celestrial was a large man, made larger with his copper wings held tight to his back. His blond hair was styled, his appearance of an esteemed councilman matching his sharp suit. He looked very out of place with the scratched wood and metal linked cages of the Vault.

"Who was your mother?" Cassiel asked, stretching his wings out slightly. "I'm aware druids can only create males, which means you must have received your celestrial genes from your mother. So, who is she?"

"Druids can create females," he corrected. It was incredibly rare; however, the females did not become druids, taking the characteristics and Breed of the mother.

"Fascinating, but I don't have a care for druids." Cassiel closed the gap, feathers rustling as he adjusted them. "No, I'm talking about your celestrial blood. It's strong, for a mutt."

"I don't remember my mother." Which was true to an extent. He didn't remember her name, only her face. "She means nothing to me."

"She must have been strong for you to hold such a high rank, even with your… incapacities. Not many celestrials leave our home realm, unless she was a Fallen."

"Is there a point to this?"

Cassiel smirked. "At our last meeting, you mentioned the Calicem Animarum. "

Jax pursed his lips. "Gideon has it."

Cassiel turned, brushing his fingertips along some of the links to the closest cage. His fingers came away covered in wax, there to protect the Fae that entered. "It has only recently come to my attention that it existed within this realm, having been stolen a long time ago from Aetherna. It was thought to be lost."

Jax remained silent, watching as Cassiel studied every inch of the Vault. He moved away from the cage, now running his fingers along the metal lattice of the betting office. The sound it made was gentle, echoing in the empty room.

"Gideon may have the chalice, but it's incomplete without the instructions. But you already knew that, didn't you, mutt?"

Jax simply crossed his arms, glancing over at the two warriors before returning to the councilman. "Why are you here?"

Cassiel cocked his head, studying Jax with a frown. "You shouldn't exist."

Jax raised a brow. "How so?"

"Celestrials are born into ranks, much like Fae with their high and low caste. Only a handful of ranks have the ability to read ancient codex. Even less to write it. It's an inherited skill, gifted down generations. There have been no cases of half-breeds , and yet you stand here with the energy of only the top savants. A Sage, no less."

Jax wasn't aware the ability wasn't common amongst celestrials. It was the only thing that kept him sane growing up, reading his mother's books. Some were printed, but most were handwritten in her neat curlicue.

"Gideon's hunting the pages," he said, needing to know how much Cassiel knew. "We believe he already has one."

"Yes, well, he's after the power the chalice could unlock." Cassiel nodded. "Even if he had all three pages, he still wouldn't be able to solve its secret without assistance."

"We can't allow him the chance."

"Of course not." Cassiel's glare was dark, edged with threat. It was the first time Jax saw the warrior beneath his cool exterior. "My fellow council members seem concerned about his power, but alas Gideon will never hold all three of the pages. I've made sure of it." His wings snapped against his back, fast enough it created a draft. "However, even with a single page, he could strengthen the chalice's connection. He just needs someone to decipher it."

Jax stilled, allowing the councilman to sweep closer.

"The Council may be too insouciant regarding the threat, but I am not." Cassiel stopped an inch or so between them, Jax only marginally taller. "The Guardians have been nothing but a disappointment, becoming a hazard to the integrity of the Council."

"We don't give a shit about the Council."

"Clearly, which is a concern." Cassiel sneered. "I've come to inform you that if the Guardians fail, you will all be destroyed."

"Try it." Jax felt a threat vibrate his throat, knowing his eyes had shifted to silver.

KILL? Thunder snapped his jaws inside his mind, adding pressure beneath his skin .

Not yet.

"Take this as your only warning. The chalice is an ancient celestrial relic, not an artefact thought lost. Yet the Daemon king holds it." Cassiel held Jax's gaze, his irises the same copper as his wings. "Find and destroy him before I have to intervene. An Archangel may have created you, mutt, but I can end you just as easily."