39. Jax

Chapter 39

Jax

L ucifer released Jax as soon as they'd drifted, the hospital in chaos around them.

"What the fuck?" Lucy asked, shouting above the screams. Hordes of people were being escorted, police taping off the entrance.

Jax called to the bond, but it was even more strangled than usual. Something was wrong. "She's not here," he said, scanning the crowds.

"She must be inside." Lucy followed as they pushed through the panicked crowd. Smoke billowed, darkening the sky.

"The Entrance is closed!" a security guard screeched. "Can you not see the hospital is being evacuated?"

"What's happened?" Jax asked, his tone much calmer than he was. Harper had explained Thea's father had taken a turn for the worse, and he was asked to meet her at the hospital as soon as he could. He expected to be met with a distraught mate, not a fucking disaster.

Inside, the atrium was empty, water spraying from the sprinklers high on the ceiling.

‘Fire on lower floors isn't contained.' Static buzzed from the guard's radio, the speaker struggling above the alarms. ‘Active terrorists. Code black.'

"Jesus Christ," the guard muttered, reaching for his radio. "Front entrance has been secured…"

Jax shoved past him, Lucifer a heavy presence at his back.

"What are you doing?" the guard growled after them. "You need to get out of here before – "

The ground trembled, vibrating violently, followed by a loud bang. The doors to the stairs opened with a blast, flames roaring into the atrium to fight against the sprinklers.

"Luce, you able to drift me to another floor?" Jax shouted above the noise. Water drowned his face, soaking through his clothes instantly.

"I can't drift unless I can picture it." Lucifer shook his head, loose hair sticking to his slick skin. "Through here!" He pressed his fingers between the gap of the lift, manually opening the thick metal safety doors.

Jax poked his head over the dark shaft, smoke rising in a black cloud from the levels below.

Lucifer looked above. "The lift is stuck.

Ayden's ward was on a higher floor, except Jax felt a tug, a small sliver of warmth that had Thunder pressing at his skin.

Without hesitation he jumped, bending his knees when he landed.

The air shifted, a glint of silver as a blade was aimed at his head. Jax twisted, the knife barely missing his shoulder.

"Fucking Lesser," Lucifer grunted, catching the Skull's arm and bending until bone pierced through. The Skull didn't utter a sound, his hand going limp as the knife fell to the floor with a clatter. "Go," Lucifer growled. "I'll deal with this."

Jax let Thunder guide him forward, rushing through the corridors with a sense of urgency. The ceiling creaked above him, cracks forming as flames roared and weakened the surrounding structure. Much of the area was already destroyed, with blackened husks left of the people who hadn't escaped in time. Jax didn't let himself linger on the distorted bodies, his heart beating violently against his ribs.

"Thea!" he called above the crackling and popping.

Turning a corner, Jax found a Skull standing in the flames, disturbingly still. His skin bubbled, slowly blackening against the heat before splitting to reveal the muscles beneath.

It was only when Jax stepped closer did he react, the skin of his face gone beyond recognition. There was nothing behind his eyes. No sense of pain, or even awareness. It was as if Jax was already staring at a corpse, the body taking longer than the soul to realise.

The Skull moved, an indestructible soldier that couldn't feel pain, and followed his instructions without fault. Even with his feet seized to the floor, flames embracing his legs, he still tried to reach out.

Skulls were created by a power exchange, and even with binding their souls to their bodies with the chalice, Gideon couldn't force their bodies to survive. They were nothing but puppets, and any remnants of the human or Breed was long gone. Even his aura, which usually was a weakened version of his master's, was depleted.

He was disposable, and when he fell, Gideon would happily create another soldier.

Jax heard an intense whine, the ceiling above quivering. The sprinklers creaked, water spitting and turning to steam as it lost against the flames.

"Thea!" He raced through a set of double doors, the wood splintered into pieces at the impact.

Awareness rippled across his chi, dark and familiar, that had his blood turning to ice in his veins. Thea was nearby, but she wasn't alone.

"Jax?"

He followed her voice, her eyes widening when he finally reached her. She knelt on the floor, skin pale and covered in grime. Thunder itched to be released, hackles rising. Tendrils of black magic tainted the area, coating his tongue in a toxic fur.

"Thea…"

The temperature ignited at his back, and throwing himself forward, he pushed Thea to the ground at the first rumble, the ceiling collapsing around them with a crash. He used his body, protecting her as debris pelted them at all sides. Weight after weight fell, followed by a cloud of dust that choked them both.

"No, no, no!" Thea coughed, trying to get up from beneath him. She touched his face, tears cleaning a line down her cheeks. "You have to go!"

Jax struggled to draw a breath, and trying to stand, he failed.

Thea touched his shoulder, fingers coming away red. "Please," she croaked, gently pushing at whatever had pinned him. "Before he comes – "

Thea screamed, her body yanked from beneath him.

"A Guardian, how unexpected," Gideon commented calmly, gripping a thrashing Thea by her hair. "The Fates bless me."

"He wants the last page." She cried out when Gideon pulled her tightly against him. "But I don't have it."

Last? Fuck.

Jax placed his palms flat on the floor and pushed up. His shoulder screamed, pain radiating across his upper back and through the centre of his chest .

Half the ceiling had fallen against his back, something sharp piercing his lung.

Gideon caressed Thea's jaw, smearing the blood that dripped freely from her hairline. "I don't believe you."

Jax's arms trembled, the pain excruciating as he slowly pulled himself free.

"Stay," Gideon snapped.

Hands landed on his shoulders, keeping him impaled.

"Please, he's hurt!" Thea begged, clawing against the hold.

Jax concentrated on breathing, each breath a struggle, and it was only Thunder's presence that kept him conscious. He needed to shift, but he couldn't while pinned.

Where the fuck is Lucifer?

"Now, isn't this interesting?" Gideon's smile was cruel, his eyes darting over Jax's shoulder. "Why does a common thief care so much about a Guardian?"

"It's okay," he said, his lungs burning with every inhale. "You're going to be okay."

Gideon arched her back, wrapping her silver strands into one fist. "We shall see."

Approaching, he dragged Thea with him. Jax lifted his chin, making no sound when Gideon pulled the metal pipe from his shoulder. The pain was piercing, followed by a dull ache which left his lungs feeling heavy, tight.

KILL HIM, Thunder roared, trying and failing to shift into his form. They'd been too badly hurt, his body needing time to recover.

Gideon wrenched Thea's head to the side. "Where's my document?"

"I don't have it."

Jax kept his expression empty, attention trained on the Daemon. He couldn't do anything, not without risking Thea .

Gideon laughed, and up close Jax could make out the darkened veins beneath his ashen skin. With a nod, something touched his neck, the sharp edge cutting at his skin.

"Wait!" Thea cried out.

"Don't," Jax rasped, his eyes burning when they met hers. Don't do it.

His life wasn't worth it.

"I'll get it," she said, head shaking gently. "I'll get you the page."

Gideon released his grip, her palms slicing open when she caught her fall. Jax went to reach for her, but the blade sliced deeper.

Fuck!

Gideon rolled his shoulders. "I'll believe it when I see it. Until then…"

The blade was removed from Jax's neck, only to be replaced by something thick and heavy. He allowed it to click into place, not moving an inch even as it seared against his skin.

"Twenty-four hours," Gideon continued, reaching down and forcing Jax up until they were the same height. "Bring me the document, or I'll make sure your mate suffers for all of eternity."