Jax (Immortals of New Orleans Book 7) (37 page)

“Leave her alone,” Avery spat at the cloud of dust that began to take form.

Katrina coughed, fine particulates drifting up into the air. She stretched the edge of her t-shirt over her nose and mouth, using it as a mask. Flecks of light danced, a human shape constructing itself before their eyes.

“So nice of you to join us, Kitty Kat,” it cackled.

Mick.
Katrina’s stomach clenched, nausea setting in as she realized what was happening. The warlock spun in a circle, holding his palms upward; bolts of electricity fired up toward the ceiling, causing rocks to tumble down onto them. Shirtless and barefoot, he wore only black slacks.

“You should see the look on your face.” Mick slowed his pace, spewing maniacal laughter. Abruptly, he went quiet and faced Avery, his eyes blazing in anger. “This is none of your concern.”

“You promised. You said you wouldn’t hurt her.” As if she were drunk, Avery’s footing slipped, weaving as she walked toward Samantha.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Katrina screamed at him.

As Mick set his sights on the females, Jax and Jake attacked. The warlock whispered, flinging his hands toward them, causing a mesh of silver netting to fall from above. Both wolves shifted to their human forms, groaning as they attempted to dislodge the web of toxic metal. Katrina’s heart dropped as Jax struggled. He shook his head at her, warning her off. In response to his command, she stayed put.

Samantha released a blood-curdling screech, and Katrina focused on the witch. The baby’s head was exposed, crowning the birth canal; the child would be born any minute.

“Sam, I need you to push,” Katrina told her in a gentle tone of voice, forced to ignore her mate’s capture.

“That’s right, push, push away, witch,” Mick hissed, hovering above them.

“Stay away from us,” Katrina ordered, giving him a brief glare.

“There was a time I was happy partying in the bars, fucking whoever I wanted,” he pondered, pacing back and forth. “But Ilsbeth, she helped me see the light.”

“Don’t touch her,” Jax grunted, weakened from the silver.

“You see, the greedy little bitch had to have Dimitri. Yeah, he fucked her good, all right. She couldn’t stop talking about him.” Mick paused to pick up a sharp rock and hurled it at Jake. “What she saw in him, I’ll never know. You wolves are so self-righteous with your pack mentality. The challenges. Submission. The brutality of it all. So uncivilized.” He sighed and rolled his eyes, continuing. “Ilsbeth always wanted what she couldn’t have. She couldn’t handle the fact that he’d find his mate. She was desperate. Pathetic.”

“That’s it, Sam. Don’t hold your breath. Take a breath and blow it out. You’ve got this.” Katrina tried to ignore his oration, but she’d always known this had been tied to Ilsbeth.

“But to steal magick from wolves,” Mick kicked Jax in the stomach, pleased as the Alpha spat blood, “it’s not very simple. No, no, no. One must find alternatives to spells. In my defense, she asked for my assistance. She needed a very special kind of ingredient to kill Dimitri’s wolf. So you see…. demons, they can be very useful at times.”

Katrina concentrated on the baby as her shoulders breached.

“It’s interesting, that saying, ‘be careful what you wish for’. Ilsbeth got what she wanted. She almost was successful too. But I’ve always been one to make the most of a party. Of course the demon wanted something from me in return. A vessel. But I’m no fool. I’d never let that happen. I didn’t need another master, and demons don’t exactly take orders from witches. They can, however, be tricked into teaching us their secrets. Ah….what I learned to do…” He laughed and danced in celebration. “I have learned how to transform myself. Others, too. Sometimes it’s an illusion, sometimes it’s as real as I’m standing here. The vampire,” he pressed a palm to the glass cell and gave a depraved smile, “she was my first. It was so easy to steal her magick. The demon taught me well. Little experiments here and there. I was even able to turn little Avery here into a human, to have her do my bidding. She always enjoyed the fine art of torture. The last time she came for you. Ah, how she loved to hear you scream. Too bad she’s been such a disappointment as of late.”

“Ilsbeth caught you.” Jax clawed at the netting, scraping a section away from his arm.

“Perhaps. But she started it all. I did what she asked. She got what she wanted. Dimitri. The thing is, she didn’t care for my methods. When I showed her all that could be done here,” Mick gestured to Dominique, “she wasn’t as enamored with what I’d created, my transformation. So you can imagine when she saw Katrina. That day, oh, the lecture she gave. I suspect that’s when she gave you a slice of her magick. She retreated into the boring purist bullshit she loved so much. A sly little spell, I’ll give her that. That ring she gave you…”

“Belongs to me,” Katrina retorted.

“Not for long, my dear. How I do wish I could have taken it from you in New Orleans, but her magick is strong. Ilsbeth cursed it.”

“Protected it,” Jax countered.

“You say tomato, I say fucking bitch…blah, blah, blah,” he trilled. “Clever priestess. You would have known if I’d tried to steal it. I could feel Ilsbeth’s vibe all over it. So of course, I imparted wisdom that day. Because I’m helpful like that. And the filthy animals you are, you think only of sex…the bonding. It’s like training dogs.”

“Why let us bond? You knew it would strengthen me,” Katrina asked.

“The demon, let’s not speak its name, shall we? Its energy…it feels
so
good.” Mick ran his fingers down his chest, waggling his shoulders in a delightful shiver. “You know what it’s like, don’t you, Kitty Kat? Because I put a little of it in you. Took me a few times of capturing you before I realized how to perfect my magick. But I’ve had one tiny problem. It’s like a beer tap. Tap on. Tap off. Well, I suppose it didn’t work as well as I planned, because even though you sucked magick from the Alpha, it leaked like piss. But seeing you with your Alphas…ah, all the pieces came together. Your leak has stopped, hasn’t it?”

Katrina turned her head, averting her gaze. She wouldn’t give him the gratification of telling him that what he’d suggested had worked.

“No need to answer. I can already feel it.”

“She’s almost here.” Katrina blinked, eyeing Mick out of her peripheral vision as he approached from behind.

“But the wolves, shifting into an animal is quite difficult. It takes a great deal of magick. Alpha magick. It’s not easy to kidnap and keep an Alpha, as proved the case with Jax. But Katrina? You’ve been so easy to catch. Like a little fishy, I capture and release, capture and release. The only trouble is…ah, Katrina, these past couple of years…must you have been so difficult?”

Mick yanked her braid, jerking her head backward so he could glare into her eyes. The stinging pain to her scalp came swiftly. Her eyes widened in disgust as his lips crushed on hers. The stench of his rancid breath rushed into her nostrils, the sour taste of him choking her as he forced his tongue into her mouth. She shoved at his chin with the heel of her hand, thrusting him away, but not before his teeth bit at her lip, drawing blood. She thought to use the ring to slash at him but Samantha wailed, diverting her attention.

“Get your fucking hands off of her,” Jax growled, his body half freed.

Mick’s evil laughter echoed in her ears, and she willed herself not to cry. Unwilling to give him the satisfaction of her tears, Katrina spat iron-tinged saliva onto the dirt, and focused on her task, carefully guiding the baby into the world.

“Don’t worry, Kitty Kat. You’ll die soon enough. I think, maybe I’ll fuck you first. After seeing your little display at the club, I’ve got some plans for you. That’s right, you know I’m good at the torture. I was very satisfied up until recently.” He cast an ugly stare at Avery, who clutched at the wall for support. “I can think of at least a half dozen things I’d like to do with that pussy of yours before I kill you.” Mick glared at Katrina, his eager eyes watching as the witch labored. “I’ve always planned on killing you, but then sometimes a plan comes together perfectly. My dear Samantha, you’re ripening for me. Birthing a first witch. So I thought ‘why just take Katrina and the Alphas when I can kill the child and take her magick too?’”

“Don’t listen to him, Sam,” Katrina said, her voice strong and calm. She’d die before allowing this asshole to take the child.

Samantha quietly chanted as she pushed.

“Your spells won’t work here, witch. The only reason I taped that pretty little mouth shut was so I didn’t have to hear you cry.” He sniffed. “After tonight, I will have all the magick I ever needed to be able to shift into a wolf. A true wolf, not just their human form. Whenever I want, wherever I want, I will run as beast. Taking over the packs will be a challenge but as I teach other worthy mages, it will happen. Humans. Vampires. Witches. Wolves. There will be no domain that is not under my control.”

“You’ll never get away with it.” Jax struggled for freedom, his legs twitching.

“Let’s see.” Mick tilted his head and held two fingers to his temple. “I’ve located a very special wolf. The daughter, sister and mate of an Alpha. I’ve stolen her magick…learned how to siphon it and store it. Now, I’ve captured two Alphas and a witch. I’m able to transform into multiple beings at once.”

In a flash, seven men appeared. All different ages and races, their eyes empty orbs, black pits.
Demons.
He snapped his fingers and they dissipated. Katrina fought the bile that rushed up her throat. The beings that had tortured her were all part of Mick.

“That’s right, Kat. I’ve become very powerful.”

“Neat trick, asshole, but tonight you’re going to die,” Jax yelled, attempting to redirect his focus away from Katrina.

Samantha gave a final guttural scream, and Katrina eased the baby into her arms, tears streaming down her face. In the midst of evil, the child’s newfound magick thrummed, the innocence in her energy rushing through her skin.

“You did it, Sam. Oh Goddess, she’s so beautiful.” Katrina cleared the infant’s mouth with her fingers, and she began to cry for her mother.

As she leaned to put the newborn into Samantha’s outstretched arms, Mick stomped toward them. Katrina quickly rested the child onto the witch’s chest, and moved to place herself in front of them. Fumbling with the ring, she never took her eyes off of Mick. She flicked at the latch and released the small lancet.
You want me, bastard? Come closer.

Unexpectedly, Avery ran to Mick and shoved at him with her palms. “No. You promised to leave the baby alone. You swore, just the wolves. Just the wolves!”

Katrina screamed as Mick transformed into the scaly creature she’d witnessed under the docks. Its shiny bladed tail whizzed through the air, slicing straight through Avery’s frail neck. Her head whirled across the cavern, blood spraying in a circular motion. The sanguine flecks splattered across Katrina’s cheek.

Her eyes widened in amazement as the ancient vampire flashed into view. Katrina jumped to her feet and tore off her jacket, waving it at Mick. Diverting the creature’s attention, she lured it toward her, its clawed feet scraping the rocks.

“About fucking time,” Jax grumbled.

“Sorry, amico.” Quintus reached for the silver netting with his gloved hands and shoved it aside, freeing Jax and then Jake. “Wasn’t a picnic getting in here. Lucky for you I’m smooth with the ladies.”

“Fuck,” the Alpha breathed and promptly shifted, needing to clear the poison from his system.

“Well, yes. Fucking is usually how it’s done, but sometimes I can just ask nicely. Some witches can be quite friendly,” the vampire quipped.

“Hey, over here, asshole,” Katrina yelled at Mick. Slicing the blade down her hand, she concealed the pain. She fingered the gem until it flipped open and smeared the white powdery substance inside over her palms and the knife.

The creature turned its head, realizing the Alpha had been freed. Its tail whipped toward the wolves, and Katrina seized the moment, lunging at its back. Wrapping her legs around the creature, she held tight and brought the ring to its neck. The small but deadly lancet carved through the rough scales like a laser. Katrina slid the ring off her finger, embedding it deep into the beast’s throat. It screeched in pain and bucked at the intrusion, flinging her into the air. She landed on the dirt with a thud. Her lungs burned as she shook off the shock, but was given no reprieve as it lunged for her.

Jax leapt onto the demon, his jaws lodging into its neck, tearing at its flesh. It retaliated, scoring the Alpha’s back with its talons. Jax howled in pain but refused to let it attack Katrina. Jake struggled to embed his fangs in its legs, and it whipped its tail at the wolf’s paw, forcing him to release.

Katrina screamed in horror as its razor sharp tail slashed past Jake, narrowly missing his neck. The savage beast hissed as the poison took hold. Wheezing and spurting blood, it swung its tail at Katrina. Although she’d partially shifted, it caught her torso, slicing its blade clean through her abdomen.

Struck by the searing demon, she stumbled back onto the rocks and fell to the ground. Her magick leaked out with her blood, and she surrendered, helpless to fight as Mick siphoned her essence away. Despite the demon’s attempt to heal itself with her energy, it continued to thrash, its form shifting from beast to man and back to beast once again. Lying immobile, Katrina blinked, watching in fascination as the creature squealed in agony. Splintering, it crumbled into hundreds of pieces, falling into the pit. She smiled as Jax’s familiar blue eyes came into view.

“Kat, baby. No, don’t leave me…I need you. I love you. Please Goddess, no,” she heard him tell her.

Don’t cry, my Alpha
, she thought, his tears warming her face. With no discernible spirit inside her wolf, Katrina submitted to the inevitable. Death beckoned, its peaceful blanket embracing her in its arms.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Final words, she would never regret giving her life for her Alpha, for the child. As the light called for her, she prayed Jax would find love again.