Firefight in Darkness (24 page)

He immediately reached down to pull his revolver from his boot. Before he could do more than point it, Blythe began firing at the snake as it escaped into the bathroom, her teeth bared like some warrior in the heat of battle. She didn’t stop until her clip ran out of ammo, and then she attempted to get to her feet to chase after Dante.

Jax raced in ahead of her into the bathroom, only to watch as Dante slithered down the drain in the bathtub and out of sight.

“WHERE IS HE?!” Blythe shrieked, stumbling into the room, her eyes huge and feral.

“Gone.” Jax grabbed her as her leg gave out, holding her back even as she continued to try and get to the tub.

“No, no, he’s not gone. He can’t be. I got him, I know I did. Damnit, Jax, let me go.” She smacked at his arm, desperate and angry and weak all at once. When he didn’t let go, she struggled, only to have him pull her against him and shudder.

“Shut up.” He had to get a hold on his breathing, had to fight against that feeling of helplessness he’d felt when he’d seen her on the floor, bleeding, her eyes on fire. “Christ, Blythe, you’re covered in blood.”

“Shit.” She glared down at her leg, the pain returning to her now that she focused on the wound. It was four neat puncture holes consistent with snake teeth, and in the struggle of the fight the blood had smeared up her entire leg and was trailed across the floor. At the moment, though, all she could think about was Dante. “God, Jax, he got away.”

She lifted her eyes to stare at him, ashamed at the tears she had to suddenly blink away. Her chest ached and her throat tightened. “I’m pretty sure I hit him, but with these stupid lead bullets it just grazed whatever part of him was solid. Damnit, I should’ve grabbed your spare gun with the liquid nitrogen bullets instead of mine, I wasn’t even thinking.”

“Blythe.” He forced her to look at him when she tried to turn away, all the anger and fear he’d felt multiplying to constrict painfully in his chest. She was trembling, more from pain and shock than terror, and he had to push aside his own fury over Dante hurting her so he could stay focused. “Lord knows I should be mad at you for trying to fight him, but I know better than to think you’d do anything else.” He tried to smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Damn right.” She said weakly, the pain consuming her now. She winced and huffed out a sharp breath. “God, this hurts.”

“Okay, darlin’, let’s get you on the bed.” He carefully lifted her into his arms, carrying her over to the bed that hadn’t been pushed off its box spring. He laid her down with a gentleness he didn’t even know he had, then reached for the towels the maid had left on the desk. As he grabbed the top one, something slipped out and fell to the floor with a soft thud. He didn’t bother to look at what it was. “Here, wrap this around the bite and let me get some soap and water. Demons don’t have venom, so it’s just a bad bite.” He pressed the towel to the wound and then swept into the bathroom for a wet towel and soap, and the first aid kit he kept in his bag. When he returned a few moments later, Blythe was on the floor, a faded leather bound book in her hands. “What the hell is that?”

She shook her head numbly as she opened it, her hands trembling. The words written on the inside cover said it all. “It’s Bristol’s diary. It fell out of the towel.”

“Okay, okay, it’s just another gift. Get back on the bed and let me bandage up your leg.” Jax took the book from her and set it on the desk, then hefted her back up onto the bed. He went to work on her leg with patience and efficiency, distracting her from the pain as she watched him. His face was drained of color, his mouth set in a determined line and his eyes cold and hard. She had the sudden urge to reach out and touch his skin, to smooth away the worry lines creasing his forehead. She wanted nothing more than to see him smile, to hear him laugh.

“Tell me a joke, cowboy.” She inhaled sharply as he applied disinfectant to the bite, but managed a shaky grin.

He looked up at her, disbelief in his eyes.

“A joke?”

“Yeah, make me laugh.” She pushed away at a tear that fell down her cheek. “God, I need to laugh right now, please.”

“Alright.” He thought about it for a moment, and when he began to speak, he heard her sigh contentedly and saw her eyes close as she listened. “So there’s a woman sitting in a small boat in the middle of a lake reading a book. Her husband had left all his fishing gear in the boat, but she didn’t mind too much. A patrol boat pulls up and a man hollers down to her. He says ‘Ma’am, I’m afraid you’re in a restricted fishing zone, I’m going to have to bring you in and fine you.’ The woman says ‘But I’m not fishing, I’m just reading a book.’ ‘Don’t matter,’ says the patrolman, ‘you have all the equipment in there, so I need to bring you in.’ So the woman, being wise as women are, says ‘Well then I’ll have to charge you with sexual assault.’ The patrolman, shocked, says ‘But I haven’t even touched you!’ and the woman just smiles and says ‘Doesn’t matter, you have all the equipment.’”

Blythe burst into laughter, collapsing back against the bed as Jax finished tying her bandage. She continued to laugh as he sat on the bed beside her, then leaned down to lay with her, a somewhat relieved smile curving his lips.

She sighed and tilted her head to look at him, her eyes wet with amusement. “That was a good one.” She smiled, and the sight of it had his gut clenching.

“Blythe.” He murmured, his hand reaching out to brush a strand of hair out of her eyes. Her smile slowly faded and her eyes sharpened with awareness. She turned and curved toward him, her hands roaming over his face, his neck, his chest.

Unable to even find words, she simply pressed her mouth to his and let herself sink in, sliding deeper until she knew she was lost. His arms came around her, pulling her closer until they were pressed tight against each other. Her mouth cruised over his, taking what she wanted but giving so much more. She felt this deep, drugging emotion course through her as he murmured her name again, and she knew it was done. It was over for her; she was caught.

She was in love with him.

“Jax…” She groaned when his tongue trailed along her neck, shuddering out a breathy laugh as she clutched at his shirt. “I lo-“

“Oh my God, Blythe!”

Her eyes flew open and she saw Capri and Rian standing in the doorway, surprise on their faces. Behind them, the hotel manager held the master key in his hand, utterly shocked as he looked at the damage to the room. Clearly somebody had come across the maid stumbling around the hallways, disoriented after having been possessed.

They sat up as Rian and Capri rushed into the room, Jax eyeing the hotel manager hesitantly. There was only so much he could say in front of humans, so he’d have to fill Rian in with code for now.

“D was here, he attacked Blythe. The drain.” He gestured with his head towards the bathroom, and from Rian’s nod he knew he was understood. “She was bit, but I bandaged it up. She’s going to be alright.”

Rian nodded again and glanced over at Capri, who was hugging Blythe and sobbing.

“He left this.” Jax reached over and grabbed the diary, handing it to Rian. “It’s Bristol’s diary.”

Rian didn’t open it, only stared at the cover for a moment before meeting eyes with Jax again. “I’m going to go straighten all this out with the hotel. Take Blythe and Capri and book us at another hotel, I don’t want them anywhere near here.” He handed the book back to Jax. “Make sure Blythe reads this as soon as possible. It may explain why Bristol was on the run, and give us a clue as to where we can find him.”

With that, Rian swept from the room, leading the hotel manager away. Jax sighed and turned to look at the women, who were sitting side by side on the bed, clutching hands tightly.

The lovely blonde and the bold redhead, he mused as he watched them. They were so different, but he supposed that was what made them such good friends. Their differences complimented each other. And it was now up to him to herd them both away to safer ground.

“Here.” He handed Blythe the diary, his expression carefully blank. “Put this in your duffle bag, and get all of your things. We’re going to another hotel, far from here. Capri, once Blythe and I have our things, we’ll run to your room to get yours, and then we’re out. Okay?”

“Whatever you say, cowboy.” Blythe got to her feet, a bit shakily, but with fresh determination in her eyes.

♦ ♦ ♦

They made it to a motel on the outskirts of Chicago, in a quaint suburb with tree lined streets. It wasn’t as grandiose as the hotel in downtown Chicago, but it seemed safe. And that, at the moment, was Jax’s number one requirement.

He paid for their taxi and the room and then carted both Blythe and Capri’s bags up the stairs to the second level of the motel, which didn’t have an elevator, the girls in his wake. Capri helped Blythe walk, even though she felt foolish and weak for needing the help.

When they reached their room, Jax unlocked the door and stepped inside, dumping the bags on the floor by the beds.

“Rian should be here in a half hour or so, he’s got to be most of the way done with the manager at the hotel by now.” He told Blythe and Capri as they followed him in and sat on one of the two queen beds.

“I hope they were able to straighten everything out.” Capri frowned as she glanced up at Jax, worry in her eyes.

His smile was kind as he turned to look at her. “Rian knows how to handle situations like this pretty well.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” She smiled back at him sweetly, then turned around to scold Blythe for itching at her bandages. The ensuing bickering had him shaking his head and chuckling.

He found Capri to be charming and considerate, and undeniably selfless. It made him happy that his friend had been able to find a girl like her, someone who believed in him wholeheartedly and would stand by his side no matter what.

Blythe would do that, too, he mused, taking a seat on the other bed to take off his shoes. Only she was more inclined to fight in the battlefield with the men versus being the support system on the home front. But that was just where the two women were so different. Capri was a lover, a comforter, a listener. Blythe was a fighter, an avenger, and a commander. He knew without even thinking twice which one he preferred.

“So the diary is your grandmother’s?” Capri asked Blythe, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Supposedly.” Blythe chewed her bottom lip worriedly. “I guess we’ll see once I read it.”

“If you don’t feel comfortable, I’m sure Jax will read it, or I will, if you want.” Capri offered. Because Blythe knew Capri meant well, she just patted her friend’s knee lightly.

“Thanks, honey, but this is my burden to bear.” She laid back against the bed and shut her eyes, exhaustion sweeping over her. It had been quite the day, that was certain, and all she wanted to do was take a nice hot shower and curl up in bed.

There was a swift knocking on the door, and they all rose to full alert mode as Jax got up to answer it. After peeking through the peep hole, he pulled open the door and greeted Rian.

“Capri and I have to go.” Rian said as he burst in, and for the first time in awhile Capri saw true worry in his eyes.

“What is it?” Panic tore through her as she jolted to her feet and rushed to him. Blythe and Jax hung back, watching tensely.

“Brogan just called me, he says something’s wrong with Nyxa. She hasn’t been eating, and she hasn’t been working or speaking to anyone. He’s worried about her. I have to go help him.” He reached out for Capri’s hand, just to touch her, to comfort her as well as himself. Then he glanced up at Jax apologetically. “I’m sorry, Jax.”

“No problem, son.” Jax nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. “Do what you have to do. We’ll take care of things from here.”

“You know where to reach me if anything changes.”

Capri went to Blythe, hugging her closely before letting go. “Be careful.”

“I know.” Blythe bit back a wave of grief as she watched her friend leave, feeling suddenly empty without her. When the door closed behind them, Jax stepped forward and immediately wrapped her in his arms.

“Want me to tell another joke?” He asked, pleased when she let out a watery laugh and tilted her head up to look at him.

“No, that’s okay.” She let out a long breath, distracted as she considered Rian’s words. “I wonder what the hell is wrong with the bitch now.”

With a snort, he turned her head so she was facing him again. “Nyxa is your mother?”

“Unfortunately.” She was unable to hide the animosity in her voice, or the instinctual sneer. “Though we both wish we weren’t related by blood. I swear, if she’s just causing dramatics for the hell of it, pulling Rian and Capri away from the mission, I’m going to throttle her.”

“I know him. He wouldn’t have left if he hadn’t thought it necessary to go.” Thoughtful, he ran his hands through her hair, then brought them down to cup her face. “You aren’t even a little bit worried about her?”

This time she snorted, one eyebrow arched crossly. “Hell no. If she’s suffering because my father cheated on her, then I’d say it’s just karma coming back to bite her in the ass. It doesn’t concern me one bit, except that her antics are now affecting our efforts in getting Dante.”

Absently, he traced his thumb over her arched brow, his eyes amused. “I love it when you get that look, darlin’. Don’t worry yourself, though, we’re almost to him. After you peruse that diary, we’ll have our heading and we’ll catch him.”

Anger properly deflated, she huffed out an annoyed breath. He had a way of diffusing her temper without dampening her spirit, something only Lucian had ever been able to do.

She glanced down at the bandage on her leg, regretting she hadn’t made as much of a mark on Dante. “The next time Dante and I meet, he won’t get off as easy.”

“But until then, it’s best for you to get some sleep. You’ve had a long day.” His eyes sharpened callously as he remembered her lying on the ground, blood smeared across her leg and on the floor. Dante would pay for that alone.

“No, not just yet.” Feeling better, and not noticing the heat in his eyes, she bit back a grin as she retreated away from him, pulling his hands gently from her face.