Page 40

“Who is this?”

“Come back,” I hissed, clutching my head as I bowed forward.

“Bastien? How the—What the fuck is going on—” The voice became unintelligible.

My human! My gums burned, prompting my fangs to burst free. I clenched my hand, shattering the device as the madness overtook me once again.

THIRTEEN

catalina

“Please,”the crack in his voice forced me back to the present. Jax’s voice wouldn’t let me rest. I wanted to shout at him, but I just had no energy for it. Couldn’t he leave me in peace? “I beg you, Kitten,wake up.”

The desperation coating his voice ripped me to the surface and I fought to open my heavy eyelids. At this angle, with my chin lolling closer to my chest, my gaze fell on Imogen near the door. She stood frozen.

She suddenly moved to the end of the bed.

“You beg a human?” Imogen hissed. “You lower yourself to one?” Her infuriated gaze was on Jax.

“Let her go,” he responded.

“You beg?” she spat. “Youbegged this maggot?” She appeared at my bedside. A fist flew at my face.

My nose cracked and blood flooded my mouth. Tears came like a torrent, and I cried out. Using my non broken leg, I tried to scoot back, but she grabbed my foot and crunched it in her fist.

My scream came soundlessly, and everything faded.

“Kitten,” Jax shouted from somewhere much too far away.

I must have lost consciousness for a second. Pressure settled over my chest.

“How could they want a worthless human?” Her poisonous words didn’t even touch me. I was already floating away. Pressure on my chest made it difficult to breathe.

I forced my eyes open to find Imogen sitting on my chest. Her eyes glinted with a frightening sheen. I choked on blood even as it leaked from the corner of my mouth.

“Jax, tell her she’s worthless.” Another slap that made my ears ring. Vomit rose again.

“She’s worthless,” he gritted out.

“Don’t be cute, Jaxon.” She hissed and gripped my chin, forcing my neck to twist to the side. “Tell your little human.”

His wide eyes flicked side to side like pinned prey.

“You are worthless.” The words sounded ripped from him.

“That no one could want her,” she continued.

“No one could want you.” Even though it wasn’t him, my agonized brain just felt pain. Tears spilled from the corners of my eyes.

Her clawed hands wrapped around my throat and her other one yanked the top of my hair, so my head straightened.

“I want to see life flee your eyes.”

Her hand joined the one around my neck and her fingers pushed into sensitive skin, cutting off my oxygen.

“Imogen,” Jax snarled. “Let her go. I’ll do as you wi?—”

“Quiet.” He shut up at her order.