Chapter 23

23

M ikhail's heart raced as he sprinted through the upper level of the unnaturally shadowy warehouse. He skidded around a corner, nearly losing his footing. He was trying to follow Sabre’s directions of where Jinx’s apartment should be, but the oppressive darkness made it nearly impossible.

The warehouse seemed to stretch endlessly before him, a labyrinth of metal and shadow. His eyes strained to pierce the gloom, searching desperately for any sign of Jinx. But the darkness seemed to swallow everything, muffling sound and consuming light. This is shadow work, he thought, scared for a whole new reason. Shadow demons were powerful with unique abilities. If Z had one working for him, they were even more screwed than before.

“Jinx!” Mikhail called out, his voice swallowed by the cavernous space. Only eerie silence answered. His heart pounding, he pressed on, blindly trying every door handle he came across. None opened.

“Jinx! Gage! Eric!” he cried once more, the desperation in his voice cutting through the thick air like a knife. The shadows seemed to mock him, swallowing his words whole and leaving nothing but a void of silence in their wake. “Where are you?” he muttered under his breath, his mind racing with possibilities. Had Jinx been captured by Z? Was she hiding, hurt, or worse? The not-knowing gnawed at him. He had to find her. He had to?—

A distant, sharp crack split the air, freezing Mikhail in his tracks and sending a jolt of fear through his veins. The unmistakable sound of gunfire echoed through the warehouse, ricocheting off metal beams and concrete walls, creating a cacophony that seemed to come from all directions at once. For a heartbeat, he stood paralysed, his mind racing to process the new danger before he sprinted towards the source of the noise, leaping down several steps at a time.

Just as he burst into the large, open area on the lower level, the shadows abruptly disappeared, and the lights came back on. He blinked, the sudden brightness hurting his eyes. He spotted Gage with an arm around Eric and hurried over to them. “Gage? Eric? What happened? Where’s Jinx?” he demanded.

Gage spun around, a pistol aimed in the centre of Mikhail’s chest.

Mikhail held up his hands. “Whoa. It’s me.”

Gage didn’t move. “How do I know that? Z can look like anyone. Including Mikhail.”

“Z?” Mikhail felt his stomach drop. “He was here? Where’s Jinx?!” he demanded again.

Eric touched his forehead, his fingertips coming away bloody. He winced before pushing gently on Gage’s arm. “Z is gone, Gage. We know that. He took Jinx,” he said, looking at Mikhail.

“No …” Mikhail breathed.

“Yes,” Gage grumbled, the muzzle of his gun now facing the floor. “And he had help. Since when is your brother in league with a shadow demon?”

Mikhail bit his lip, dread filling him. “I don’t know. I knew the shadows weren’t right when my portal opened up. But there are so few shadow demons, and I happen to know them all personally. I hoped I was wrong.”

“It was Perran,” Gage revealed with a scowl.

“Perran? He’s the head of the clan. And a damn good demon. It doesn’t make sense,” Mikhail said, looking around and feeling useless.

“I’m positive it was him. He used the shadows to trap Jinx and fight us off,” Gage explained. “Then he sucked Z, Jinx, and himself into a shadow gate. They’re gone.”

“I know where Perran lives. I’ll start there,” Mikhail said, opening up a portal immediately. But Gage stopped him before he could walk through.

“Wait one fucking minute. Where is Sabre? What about Brax? And Draven? And why the fuck would Z take Jinx in the first place? He went straight for her.”

“I fucked up,” Mikhail admitted, shame and guilt filling him. “I told Z that Jinx is my mate. And I left without Sabre. I’m sure they’re on their way here now. You can fill them in. I’m not waiting.”

Eric grabbed Mikhail’s shoulder. “You can’t go by yourself. Wait for Sabre.”

“I’m the fucking King! I can do anything I want,” he shouted, shoving Eric’s hand away.

Not wasting any more time, he stepped through the portal, closing it behind him with a thought. He knew he was being stupid. He knew he was acting irrationally. But the thought of Jinx being harmed at the hands of his brother was a literal nightmare.

He took a moment to take in his surroundings. The sun had dipped below the horizon during his mad rush through the warehouse, leaving only the moon's silvery glow to illuminate the landscape. Its pale light danced across gentle waves lapping at the shore of a deserted beach. The beach curved gracefully, hugging the base of towering cliffs that loomed ominously in the darkness. Their jagged silhouettes stood like sentinels against the sky, casting long shadows that seemed to writhe and twist with a life of their own. And that wasn’t far from the truth, he acknowledged, given the demons that claimed the area as their own.

He couldn’t see the caves that housed the shadow demons, but he knew they were there. As he sprinted across the sand, he wished he could open a portal directly into Perran’s home. But the shadows made it too easy to make a mistake and would only end up costing him more time.

When he reached the mouth of the first set of caves, he hesitated, his heart pounding. The moonlight barely penetrated the inky darkness within. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and stepped inside. As his eyes adjusted, a world of shimmering wonder gradually revealed itself in breathtaking detail. Crystalline formations encrusted the walls, their surfaces sparkling like a thousand tiny stars, casting prismatic reflections that danced and played in the faint light. Stalactites hung precariously from the ceiling like nature's own chandeliers. Under any other circumstances, he would have taken in the unique beauty wholeheartedly, but he moved as fast as he could while being stealthy.

He strained to hear any sound other than the soft drip of water and the echo of his own footsteps. The air was cool and damp, carrying a mineral tang that filled his lungs with each breath. The passageway suddenly broadened, hinting at a larger space beyond, and his heart quickened with anticipation. It opened up into a large cavern—one that showed signs of a struggle. Forgetting himself for a moment, he shouted, “Jinx!” No reply came.

Looking around, his breath caught in his throat when he spotted a dark stain glistening on the ground. Was it blood? Jinx’s blood? The dark patch gleamed in the faint light, its texture and colour horribly familiar. He reached out with a trembling hand, then hesitated as if touching it would manifest his worst fears. Slowly, he brought his fingers closer, touching the cool liquid.

It was definitely blood. Jinx’s blood. He couldn’t explain how he knew, but he was positive.

A cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he wiped it away with a shaking hand. His entire body felt like it was vibrating, every nerve on high alert. He stood up and took a step back, then another, as if distance could lessen the impact. It wasn’t a lot, not enough to be fatal. But it was proof that Jinx was hurt.

Mikhail forced himself to look around, scanning the cave for any clues. The ground was a mess with dozens of footprints in different forms and sizes. “Zagan, you fuck,” he muttered painfully.

He was about to give up and call Sabre when he spotted human footprints leading towards the exit. Spots of red blood followed them, and Mikhail took off, running back the way he came. The bloody trail eventually led him to the cliff’s edge, where he could see nothing but ocean. Spinning around, he saw someone wearing a pair of shoes headed back down to the water’s edge. But the bare footprints didn’t. They looked to go straight off the edge.

“She jumped,” Mikhail breathed, knowing Jinx must have been damn desperate to make the leap.

A shadow in the distance caught his attention, and he squinted, trying to make out what it was. It was too big to be a person or a tiger. A sandbar or a small island, perhaps? Mikhail wondered. Taking a chance, he created a portal, hoping he didn’t end up in the middle of the sea.

Bursting onto the rocky landmass, he saw Jinx immediately. She lay crumpled at the base of a huge rock, her stripey hair splayed out around her like a halo. "Jinx!" he cried, rushing to her side. He gently cradled her head in his lap, his fingers coming away sticky with blood. Angry red welts crisscrossed her pale, bare skin, and her chest rose and fell in shallow, ragged breaths. “Hold on,” he whispered.

With utmost care—there would be time to rage later—Mikhail gathered Jinx into his arms. Holding her close to his chest, he commanded a portal to open. For the first time since he’d created his first magical gateway when he was twenty and sneaking out of the palace to meet a feisty succubus demon, his power failed him. His hands tightened around Jinx’s still form, causing her to whimper.

“Come on, Mikhail. Get your shit together,” he ordered himself.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he closed his eyes and focused his energy. The air around them began to shimmer and distort, reality itself bending to his will. Motes of silvery light swirled in a widening spiral, coalescing into a shimmering oval portal. Through its translucent surface, Mikhail could make out the familiar outlines of his bedroom. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, experiencing a mild sensation of weightlessness as they passed through the boundary between spaces.

Moving quickly, he placed Jinx gently on his bed. His hands trembled as he tucked a soft blanket around her motionless form. Her skin was ashen, her breathing shallow and laboured, and blood immediately began seeping through the blanket where her thigh was. Fumbling with his phone, he saw dozens of notifications for missed calls and messages. Hitting speed dial, he bellowed the moment it was answered. “Sabre! I need you!”

“Mikhail! Where are you?!” Sabre yelled back.

“My bedroom. I have Jinx. I found her,” he said in a rush. “Hurry.”

“I’m already here,” came Sabre’s low reply, even as his bedroom door burst open. She stood framed in the doorway, her eyes blazing and twin daggers glinting in her hands. "What the fuck happened?" she demanded, scanning the room for danger. Her gaze fell on Jinx, and her eyes widened in shock. “Jinx …”

“It was Zagan. We need Draven,” Mikhail said urgently, gripping Sabre's shoulders when she moved to go to Jinx. “Get him, now.”

Sabre tore her eyes away from her friend and darted out of the room without another word. Mikhail turned back to Jinx, and he gently brushed a stray strand of white hair from her face. His lips touched her forehead in a gentle kiss as he whispered apologies over and over. This is all my fault, he thought silently.

A whine from the doorway caught his attention, and Styx padded quickly across the room. He nudged Jinx’s hand with his nose, whining once again. “I know, buddy,” Mikhail murmured. “She’ll be okay.” He wouldn’t accept anything less.

What was likely only two minutes, but felt like an hour later, Sabre burst back into the room. Draven and Brax were one step behind her. Draven’s piercing blue eyes quickly assessed the situation. "Step aside," he commanded, nudging Styx gently out of the way after giving him a gentle stroke to the head.

Mikhail reluctantly moved away from the bedside as Sabre, and his brother took up positions on either side of him. Draven placed his palms gently on Jinx's forehead and chest, closing his eyes in concentration. The room then filled with a soft, humming sound as the angel channelled his healing magic into Jinx. The red welts on Jinx's skin slowly faded away, the skin knitting back together, and the bruises disappeared.

Draven stepped back. “She will need rest, but there won’t be any lasting damage. Jinx is going to be just fine,” he declared, relief evident in his voice.

Mikhail let out a deep breath that he didn't realise he had been holding. He sank down onto the edge of his bed, feeling drained from the intense emotions of the past few hours. Having a fated mate was hard. “Thank you,” he said to Draven sincerely.

Draven nodded solemnly. “Of course.”

Brax gripped Mikhail on the back of the neck, speaking lowly into his ear. “Taking off like that was stupid. I have a thing or two to say to you, but I’m going to leave that up to my beautiful, violent partner. I’d say good luck, but I wouldn’t mean it.” He straightened, glaring down at Mikhail. “I’m not interested in losing you again so soon, brother. Use your big head next time, okay?”

Mikhail swallowed back his guilt for the hundredth time since his return and watched his brother’s broad back as he left the room, Draven and Styx following dutifully behind. He could feel Sabre’s eyes on him, practically scorching him to the marrow. He deserved her anger, he knew. But first, he needed to ask her something.

“How do you do it?” he asked, staring at Jinx’s lovely face. “How does Brax do it? How do you both stay sane when you’re in danger? Jinx and I aren’t even mated. We’re barely even friends, and I thought I would lose my mind from the fear when I found out Zagan had her.”

“It’s called trust, Mikhail,” Sabre replied. She moved until she was standing on the opposite side of the bed. “I trust Brax to look after himself, and he trusts me. As for the rest of the world, I can’t control that. If someone chooses to harm him or he’s in an accident, well, that’s not up to him or me. All I can do is trust that Brax will make the best decision for himself and me at any given moment. Because I know that man would never do anything to hurt me. You, on the other hand …” She shook her head.

Her words sliced at him like a knife. “I’m sorry.”

“Fuck!” Sabre yelled at the ceiling, gripping her hair. “Will you stop with the apologies?! Enough already! Sorry isn’t cutting it, Mikhail.”

“I know. I—” He managed to shut up before he apologised again.

Sabre hung her head for a moment before looking up. “I know you’re worried. I know you’re stressed. But you’re not allowed to get stupid. And spilling secrets and leaving your guardian behind is really fucking stupid.”

“I wasn’t thinking,” Mikhail admitted. “I just explained that.”

“Clearly! But you better start thinking. I swear, it’s been more of a clusterfuck since you returned than when you were ‘dead’,” Sabre muttered.

Mikhail’s jaw clenched so hard he feared for his teeth. “Gee, thanks.”

Sabre raised her chin. “It’s the truth. Or would you rather remain ignorant to spare your feelings?”

“I’m doing the best I can,” Mikhail spat.

“No,” Sabre responded flatly. “You’re not.”

Mikhail pointed a finger at Sabre across the bed. “Screw you, Sabre.”

“Your brother already does that.” Sabre’s comeback was whiplash fast.

Mikhail simply shook his head, remaining silent.

Sabre sighed. “I’m serious, Mikhail. Since when are you this dumb?”

“I don’t have an answer for you,” Mikhail admitted, staring down at Jinx, who looked really freaking fine against his sheets.

Sabre walked around the bed, giving him a shake. “Trust yourself. You’re the one who set all of this up. And it is working. We know who the killer is. We know why he’s killing. We know what the consequences are. We will stop him. We will win. But the only way to do it is together . No more Lone Ranger bullshit.”

“Listen to her. She’s smart.”

“Jinx!” Sabre gasped, quickly sitting on the bed and grabbing Jinx’s hand. “You’re awake.”

“I am,” Jinx confirmed, stretching. “And I feel really good. Other than being sleepy.” She looked at Mikhail. “You found me. Thank you.”

“If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have been taken in the first place.” He wasn’t willing to take any thanks for getting her out of a situation he put her in.

Jinx shook her head. “Not true at all. Z threatened Sabre’s tribe a long time ago. I’d say this was inevitable.”

“Unfortunately, you’re probably right. I’m so glad you’re okay, kiddo,” Sabre said, hugging Jinx gently.

“Not a kid,” Jinx grumbled, leaning into Sabre.

“I know,” Sabre acknowledged. She kissed the top of Jinx’s head and Mikhail could have sworn he heard her whisper, “You’re not a kid. You’re a queen.”

Jinx smiled small, shooing Sabre away. “I’m fine. Go get the others, will you? Z blabbed like a champ. I have news. But I only want to tell it once.”

“It can wait until morning. Rest,” Sabre said firmly.

When Jinx opened her mouth to argue, Mikhail stepped close. “Sabre is right. I know you’re a fierce weretiger, but you need rest. Draven’s angelic powers can only do so much. Your welfare is more important than Z’s dastardly plan.”

“Z intends to take over the world and make supernatural beings an endangered species,” Jinx pointed out.

Mikhail shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest, refusing to budge on the subject. “Like I said, you’re more important.”

“Listen to him,” Sabre bade Jinx, moving towards the door. “He knows what he’s talking about.” She pinned Mikhail with her mauve eyes. “Take care of her.”

Mikhail nodded once. “I promise.”

“Hey, I can take care of myself. I’m the one who escaped from an Ace without any help,” Jinx grumbled with a pout as Sabre shut the door behind her.

Mikhail thought she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. “You’re a warrior.”

“No need to get too excited,” Jinx said with an eye roll. “I’m still just a former sex slave and a daughter of Hype addicts.”

The knowledge of what Jinx had gone through hurt, but what hurt more were the emotions behind the words. She believed what she said. “Don’t do that. Don’t tear yourself down.”

Jinx avoided his eyes, picking at the comforter. “It’s the truth. It’s who I am. And you …” She looked around at the rich furnishings. “You’re the son of a king.”

Mikhail's brows slammed down as he marched closer to her. “Please tell me that isn’t one of your reasons for not wanting to be my mate.”

Jinx looked at him like he was a moron. “Of course it is.”

He sat down carefully on the edge of the bed with his hands clenched tight in an effort to hold back from touching her. “I already told you that you would be a fitting mate if my position allowed for it.”

Jinx shrugged one shoulder. “Sure. I heard you. That’s what you think. But it’s not what I think.”

Mikhail was flabbergasted by her logic. “Well … just … think again!” he commanded.

“It’s not that easy,” Jinx said. But at least she was smiling.

“I guess not,” he allowed, relaxing his stiff back. “If only we could control our own thoughts, huh?”

Jinx stilled, her eyes going wide. “Zagan can.”

Mikhail shook his head in confusion. “What?”

Jinx explained what she had learned about Z, and despite agreeing with Sabre to wait until the morning, he allowed Jinx to talk until her voice turned hoarse. “So, we’ve all been getting upgraded every time a member of our family is killed?” It seemed impossible, but it explained Brax’s new abilities and why a loyal shadow demon would betray the throne.

“Essentially, yes,” Jinx confirmed. “I saw it with my own eyes. It’s like he had that demon under a spell or something. Turns out, it was just Z’s new, shiny powers.”

Mikhail got up and excused himself for a moment. He walked into his ensuite and filled a glass with cold water. He took a moment to grip the edge of the sink and breathe deeply, doing his best not to lose his shit. Once he was under control, he walked out and handed Jinx the water, watching as she sipped slowly. “And he wants you to kill me?” It was beyond cruel. He couldn’t believe his brother had sunk so deep into madness.

When Jinx paled, Mikhail cursed himself for being so tactless. He took the glass from her trembling hands, placing it on the bedside table before gathering her into his arms. “I’m sorry. That was in poor taste.”

Jinx gripped his shirt, burrowing deeper into the space between his neck and shoulder as if she could hide from the terrible truth. “I won’t do it. I’ll die first.”

Pain and fear surged through Mikhail, making his heart race uncontrollably. “Don’t say that,” he snapped, his voice cracking under the strain. “Never say that, Jinx.”

She looked up at him, her eyes glistening. “It’s the truth.”

“Why?” he groaned. “Why is it the truth when you don’t want me as a mate?”

“What if Z ordered you to hurt me?” Jinx asked instead of answering his question. “How would you feel?”

“I’d throw myself off a cliff first,” was his swift response.

Her smile didn’t reach her eyes when she said, “And yet, you don’t want to mate me either.”

They were quiet for a moment, Mikhail staring down at Jinx’s small, soft hand in his. Eventually, he looked up. “We’re fucked in the head, aren’t we?”