Page 41 of A Spark in the Ash

Jaxon pauses, and it looks like he’s considering it, but I can still feel the temperature of his skin spiking and then slowly falling. He’s still struggling for control.

And it’s not because of me, because he’s the one who pulled me into his lap.

“Nah, but thanks for the offer,” he says, his voice cold.

The look in Vivian’s eyes hardens, and they slide from her son over to my face.

She blames me for this. That much is very obvious.

“Fine,” she says. “But I expect you back after two weeks ready to make up for lost time.”

Jaxon stares her down. “We’ll see.”

Vivian’s eyes snap back to her son, and her jaw clenches. I have to wonder now: has Jaxon ever defied his mother before? From her expression, I think the answer is probably no.

“I’ll remind you that your duty is to this family,” she says, managing to maintain her cool control over her voice. “And that just because you have a new love interest in your life, it doesn’t mean that blood should be forgotten.”

Jaxon looks…angry, like, so angry he could rip Vivian’s face off. “Actually, my duty is to my wife and myself, and doing whatever is best forourfamily. So, if you’d like to keep me around, maybe it’s time to loosen the claws a little bit,Mother.”

I don’t understand the coldness in his tone when he says her name.

“You need to remember your place, brother,” Blake jumps in. “Just because this little tramp rolled in—”

“Don’t you dare speak about her!” Jaxon barks, and suddenly he’s so hot, I jump up from his lap, trying not to get burned. Jaxon climbs to his feet and takes two aggressive steps toward his brother. “This has nothing to do with Serena.”

Jaxon spins around, glaring death at his mother. “What has changed has nothing to do with my wife, so don’t you dare start thinking you’re going to do anything about it.”

The anger roiling through Jaxon makes his entire frame tremble. He looks…like a bomb, just waiting to go off.

“Serena and I need a moment,” Jaxon says, glaring at each of his family members. “We’ll be back in a few minutes. And I expect you all to keep your shit to yourselves from here on out.”

Without another word, he reaches for my hand. His skin is still wildly hot, but I don’t pull away. He leads me to the door, and out.

“Jaxon,” I say as soon as it’s closed behind us. “What—”

But he looks back and presses a finger over his lips and shakes his head. He picks up his pace, practically dragging me down the hallway. We stop at his door and he enters the code. His movements grow faster, more frantic, and his hands are shaking so bad he can barely hit the right numbers.

It clicks, and he pushes himself inside.

And the second he’s in, he bursts into flames and light.

I swear under my breath and step inside, immediately closing the door behind me.

I haven’t seen him burn this bright or hot since the day after he manifested. I have to raise a hand up to block the light from my eyes. I rush across the room, pulling the blackout curtains closed, because I have no doubt that anyone can see the light he’s shining from anywhere on the Strip.

I turn, and Jaxon starts pacing the length of the room. A frustrated, angry growl rips from his throat. His hands rise up to his hair, his fingers lacing into it.

“What the hell is going on?” I ask, trying not to panic. “Is it…is it me? You’ve done so well the past few days. I thought we were passed—”

“It’s my mother,” Jaxon growls out loudly as he suddenly stops. He breathes hard, his shoulders rising and falling with his ragged breath. He stares at the wall, in the direction of her penthouse. “She’s possessed.”

Everything in me chills and all of my organs sink to the floor.

Six long seconds of silence stretch on after the revelation.

“And she’s not simply possessed,” Jaxon says. His voice shakes. Shakes with anger. With shock. With every ounce of his self-control. “She’s embraced the dusk.”

Every curse I know rips through my brain in a wave.

---