Free Embraced (Eternal Balance) by Jus Accardo Page B

balance. Keeping things even. Every happiness must be balanced out by suffering. Each failure must be countered by a win. It is the only way to keep the world spinning.” He fixed his gaze on me, expression grim. “Being kept away from Sam, from having her in your life the way you want, makes you suffer. Your suffering maintains the balance of something else. It’s a never ending string of events. In order for you to get what you want, someone else must lose.”
    “Right now I don’t give a shit about balance. We need that cuff off her. If killing this demon is the way to do it, then I’m for it.”
    But apparently Azi wasn’t.
    A series of flashes, frenzied and intense, nearly brought me to my knees. I stumbled back, hands reaching for the car to steady myself as I forced the air back into my lungs.
    “Jax?” Sam’s voice was a beacon, pulling me from the fog.
    Heckle came to stand in front of me. His somber expression, the way his brows knitted together to form a deep V, made me edgy. “I take it Azirak isn’t happy about the target?”
    There was only one reason Azirak wouldn’t be happy about the target. “Malphi is from Azi’s faction, isn’t it?”
    “I’m afraid so. The demon you’re after is Azirak’s second in command.” Heckle paused. “Its…intended.”
    Sam frowned. “Intended what?”
    “Fuck.” The walls felt like they were closing in. Another series of flashes, this time involving the dark female figure I’d seen back at the house. My skin prickled, nerve endings igniting like the sun. The breath shot from my lungs. “Malphi is Azirak’s mate, isn’t it?”
    Heckle only shrugged. “I told you there were complications…”

Chapter Eight
    Sam
    “W hat about the cuff?” I sucked in a breath, refusing to meet Jax’s stare. He hadn’t taken his eyes off me, and despite the buzzy feeling of anger still simmering beneath the surface, I wanted to reach out and touch him. If I could just feel his skin beneath my fingers, everything would be all right. “You don’t think Azi will let us kill Malphi?”
    Heckle frowned. “To be honest, I’m not sure.”
    “That’s not helpful,” I ground out, taking another deep breath. The urge to lunge forward and shake Heckle until he gave us something useful was almost overwhelming. Was this how Jax felt all the time, walking around with a storm brewing just beneath the surface? How the hell did he do it?
    Jax clenched his fists. “We need to find Malphi and get Chase to remove the cuff. If that means beheading the demon, then so be it. Do you have any suggestions on where we should start?”
    “That’s easier said than done, I’m afraid. Demon pairings are strong. It’s ingrained in their nature. Even ones that haven’t been consummated yet. I have doubts that Azirak will allow you to kill Malphi—and I am betting Chase knows that. This is a win for him either way. If you fail, he can use the cuff to bargain for Sam’s power. If you succeed, then he doesn’t have Malphi to deal with.”
    I shifted, pulling the sleeves of my shirt down over my fingertips. There was a sudden chill in the air. “Why is he so worried about Malphi?”
    “She is the mate of his sworn enemy. A motivated one, at that. Jax has already refused to kill Chase once. Malphi will not suffer the same attack of conscience. As long as Jax remains in control of Azi, its mate is the greatest threat to Zenak.”
    I didn’t like the expression on Jax’s face. His eyes had glassed over, lips hitched up just a hair. I’d seen it a hundred times, each time the demon communicated with him. After a moment he blinked, jaw clenched tight. “We need to get the cuff off on our own.”
    “Azi?” I tried to keep the fear from my voice, but I failed. Whatever it was that the demon had shown him, it’d shaken Jax.
    “I’m worried Heckle is right,” he snarled. There was frustration in his eyes, but also the smallest hint of doubt. Of defeat. If Azi truly wanted to prevent