Page 88 of Tainted Gifts
"You stupid, ignorant ass!" I scream, scolding the emergent hybrid that just tried to kill Jase. "Have you lost your mind?"
Jase stands, ignoring his wounded side as he shrugs me off. He glares at Kellan, knowing now he can lock him up for striking the commander.
Kellan's eyes are dripping venom as his teeth grind together. Apparently he just saw us. I'm fucking glad he saw. Now I don't have to try and explain it.
"Aria, you might want to step back," Jase murmurs smoothly, not rattled at all by the blow.
He should be bleeding profusely or he should be dead. That strike was meant to do more than leave a mere flesh wound.
I refuse to budge, and instead, I place myself between them before this gets out of hand. Kellan has yet to say a word, but I don't care what he has to say.
"Stop, Kellan. Just leave us alone. You don't fucking own me and you never will," I grumble, holding my hand up to keep him from nearing.
He doesn't even meet my gaze or acknowledge my command. His eyes stay intensely focused on Jase and Jase alone. Jase returns the seething fury, acknowledging only the hybrid who is out for blood.
"You fucking knew she couldn't be touched, and yet you did it. You couldn't stand the thought of her being able to survive without you, so you prolonged her pain to gain an edge. That shit could get her killed. You're a selfish, manipulative son of a bitch just like all of your kind!"
Jase laughs, finding this amusing all of the sudden. "My kind? You don't know the first thing about my kind, but I'll educate you if you continue to push me." His tone turns more threatening toward the end, his fury back and his sardonic amusement gone. "I haven't done anything at all to impend her healing process, so go fuck yourself," he says, refusing to grip his side that is still bleeding.
He won't show weakness right now, and I'm worried this is far from over.
"Oh, you're right about that," Jase says, a wicked grin spreading as he responds to my unspoken fret.
Please don't do this. Not here. Not in front of everyone. He's an emergent hybrid. He's scorned and dangerous right now. He could kill you without meaning to.
Jase ignores my inner panic, and I start preparing myself, praying my gifts don't fail me for once when this goes bad.
"Don't," Jase murmurs softly, pushing me back and fixing me with a slighted gaze.
Kellan smirks, his eyes full of sheer hatred as he takes a cheap shot with a right uppercut, blindsiding Jase and cracking his jaw before sending him sailing backwards.
I screech, but Jase is back before I have time to react, his fist connecting with the powerful hybrid's stomach, forcing Kellan to double over, and giving Jase the opportunity to slam his knee into his face.
Kellan drops hard to the ground, blood spewing freely. I'm forced to step back to avoid the spray. I sure as fuck don't want Kellan's blood in my mouth.
"Please stop," I cry out uselessly.
Others start to gather around as the boys exchange blows like savage creatures - only not the sort of savage we're used to. An admiral pulls his gun, pointing it at Kellan.
"Touch the commander again, and I'll blow your brains out."
Kellan laughs, spitting his blood out while taking a step back. "Figures you'd call in your hounds," he mocks, his antagonistic nature shining clearly.
Jase smirks, wiping his own blood away, and then he holds a hand up. "I've got this. No one touches him but me. Right now, I'm not the commander."
Damn it, Jase. He's stronger! Stop acting like an idiot and bow out!
He ignores me, his pride not allowing him to back down like he damn well knows he should.
Kellan glows with delight, loving the fact Jase just temporarily denounced his title for this fight, meaning no consequences for any damage he inflicts past this point. Shit!
Jase's body sails again after the purple slithers strike with too much force. A shriek escapes me, and the officials grow restless, finding it hard not to defend their commander as they've been trained to do for centuries.
Jase is stupid. This is stupid. He can't fight a level twelve hybrid, and I'm not going to watch him get his ass slain and do nothing about it.
I start to unleash anything that will come out, but my heartbeat echoes in my ears when I see Kellan's eyes grow wide. He's stunned, shocked, and completely caught of guard by the massive ball of fire that strikes him in the gut and sends him flying backwards, knocking him into the side of a sad, lonely building that turns to dust when his body slams into it, exploding the blocks of concrete on impact.
Everyone is stunned into silence. Jase stands, a wry smirk playing, and he goes for blood. Another ball of fire is released, collapsing what remains of the building, and forcing a cry of pain from Kellan. The emergent hybrid tries to climb free from the rubble, but he stops half way out, unable to go farther with so many injuries.
