Loved by a Beast - Miranda Bridges Page 0,51
the ground has me wanting to vomit. But when the second one is secured, I can’t stop the dry heaves that grip my stomach. A chain is attached to both spikes and leads to the one on his manacles. If Jaxar tries to break free, he will shred a large portion of his wings and invite Morox to take my life.
Emotions lance through me like the blades, inflicting severe pain. Anger at my helplessness, terror of what’s to come, and great sorrow all war within me, making me crazed. In that moment I can’t decide whether to fight Morox until my last breath or just give in so that he doesn’t get any satisfaction from my fear and repulsion.
However, my time is up.
Chapter 17
After dismissing the guards, Morox strides across the room and yanks me to my feet. Even with words of protest scalding my tongue, I keep quiet as he drags me to the bed and tosses me on it. Jaxar’s accelerated breathing fills my ears, and I channel my entire focus on them, matching my breaths to his as if he’s fueling me with strength. I use it to fight Morox when he reaches for me, my husband watching all the while. Despite his silence earlier, his roars of anguish fill the air the moment Morox subdues me.
“I like the fire inside you, human,” Morox says, caging me with his body. “If you please me, I may let you live a while longer.”
Jaxar’s bellowing continues, and I raise my voice to mix with his, releasing every ounce of hate I have burning inside me. “Fuck you!”
My scream is so loud and piercing that I barely hear the cracking of bone and the tearing of flesh. Morox jerks his head toward Jaxar, and the second his eyes widen, I follow his gaze. Jaxar stands, liberated from his bonds, his face twisted with fury and pain. His wings are torn, the flaps of skin swaying as blood drips along the seams, and one of his hands is free of the manacles but hangs limply by his side. The other is raised as a growl rumbles through the room, a promise of death and violence.
I blink at the image before me, not comprehending what I’m seeing, but then it’s gone as my husband becomes a blur of movement. He secures a hold on the back of Morox’s neck, wrenching him up before sinking his fangs deep into my attacker’s throat. Now free of Morox’s body, I crawl up the bed to put distance between myself and the males, never taking my gaze off them.
Before Morox can retaliate, Jaxar yanks Morox’s head back, leaving a gaping hole behind. Blood splatters everywhere, dotting me in a warm drizzle, but all I can do is stare as Morox clings to his throat, trying to stem the crimson flowing down his torso.
“My silana will bathe in the blood of her enemies,” Jaxar says, forcing Morox to meet his gaze with a sharp tug on the back of his neck. “And she will start with you.”
Morox opens his mouth, yet only a gurgling sound is heard.
Jaxar grins, his lips curling and giving him a deranged look. Then he turns to me and simply says, “For you, Massela.”
Morox’s entire frame jerks at the invasion of Jaxar’s claws and fingers plunging into his chest. My husband’s hand and wrist are buried deep inside Morox’s body, and despite being near death, the western Boraq parts his lips in a silent scream. Jaxar retracts his fist to reveal a rounded object, no larger than a grapefruit, and I stare in shock as he unfurls his fingers to reveal Morox’s heart in his palm.
I nod at my husband, showing my acceptance of the gift, dismissing Morox’s body as it slumps backward onto the bed. Then Jaxar crushes the organ in his hand, and tiny fragments of stone slip between his fingers to sprinkle onto the corpse of our enemy.
I crawl to Jaxar and take his hand in mine. He relaxes his fingers, allowing me to grab a fistful of the pulverized rock and fling it at Morox. Then I wet my index finger and run it through the fine sediment, after which I use it to draw a horizontal line across the center of Jaxar’s forehead.
“If I am to bathe in the blood of my enemy,” I say, gesturing to the spatter on my arms and chest, “then my savior, my warrior, must do the same.”
Jaxar stares at me for a