Page 104 of Burn of Obsidian

‘Fire on lower floors isn’t contained.’ Static buzzed from the guard’s radio, the speaker struggling above the alarms. ‘Active terrorists. Code black.’

“Jesus Christ,” the guard muttered, reaching for his radio. “Front entrance has been secured…”

Jax shoved past him, Lucifer a heavy presence at his back.

“What are you doing?” the guard growled after them. “You need to get out of here before – ”

The ground trembled, vibrating violently, followed by a loud bang. The doors to the stairs opened with a blast, flames roaring into the atrium to fight against the sprinklers.

“Luce, you able to drift me to another floor?” Jax shouted above the noise. Water drowned his face, soaking through his clothes instantly.

“I can’t drift unless I can picture it.” Lucifer shook his head, loose hair sticking to his slick skin. “Through here!” He pressed his fingers between the gap of the lift, manually opening the thick metal safety doors.

Jax poked his head over the dark shaft, smoke rising in a black cloud from the levels below.

Lucifer looked above. “The lift is stuck.

Ayden’s ward was on a higher floor, except Jax felt a tug, a small sliver of warmth that had Thunder pressing at his skin.

Without hesitation he jumped, bending his knees when he landed.

The air shifted, a glint of silver as a blade was aimed at his head. Jax twisted, the knife barely missing his shoulder.

“Fucking Lesser,” Lucifer grunted, catching the Skull’s arm and bending until bone pierced through. The Skull didn’t utter a sound, his hand going limp as the knife fell to the floor with a clatter. “Go,” Lucifer growled. “I’ll deal with this.”

Jax let Thunder guide him forward, rushing through the corridors with a sense of urgency. The ceiling creaked above him, cracks forming as flames roared and weakened the surrounding structure. Much of the area was already destroyed, with blackened husks left of the people who hadn’t escaped in time. Jax didn’t let himself linger on the distorted bodies, his heart beating violently against his ribs.

“Thea!” he called above the crackling and popping.

Turning a corner, Jax found a Skull standing in the flames, disturbingly still. His skin bubbled, slowly blackening against the heat before splitting to reveal the muscles beneath.

It was only when Jax stepped closer did he react, the skin of his face gone beyond recognition. There was nothing behind his eyes. No sense of pain, or even awareness. It was as if Jax was already staring at a corpse, the body taking longer than the soul to realise.

The Skull moved, an indestructible soldier that couldn’t feel pain, and followed his instructions without fault. Even with his feet seized to the floor, flames embracing his legs, he still tried to reach out.

Skulls were created by a power exchange, and even with binding their souls to their bodies with the chalice, Gideon couldn’t force their bodies to survive. They were nothing but puppets, and any remnants of the human or Breed was long gone. Even his aura, which usually was a weakened version of his master’s, was depleted.

He was disposable, and when he fell, Gideon would happily create another soldier.

Jax heard an intense whine, the ceiling above quivering. The sprinklers creaked, water spitting and turning to steam as it lost against the flames.

“Thea!” He raced through a set of double doors, the wood splintered into pieces at the impact.

Awareness rippled across his chi, dark and familiar, that had his blood turning to ice in his veins. Thea was nearby, but she wasn’t alone.

“Jax?”

He followed her voice, her eyes widening when he finally reached her. She knelt on the floor, skin pale and covered in grime. Thunder itched to be released, hackles rising. Tendrils of black magic tainted the area, coating his tongue in a toxic fur.

“Thea…”

The temperature ignited at his back, and throwing himself forward, he pushed Thea to the ground at the first rumble, the ceiling collapsing around them with a crash. He used his body, protecting her as debris pelted them at all sides. Weight after weight fell, followed by a cloud of dust that choked them both.

“No, no, no!” Thea coughed, trying to get up from beneath him. She touched his face, tears cleaning a line down her cheeks. “You have to go!”

Jax struggled to draw a breath, and trying to stand, he failed.

Thea touched his shoulder, fingers coming away red. “Please,” she croaked, gently pushing at whatever had pinned him. “Before he comes – ”

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