Consuming Fire

Chapter 86

The fire blazed in her. The kiss made everything in her world pause. And even though she did not love Jack the way she had loved Eli and now loved Will, there was a strong connection between them that she'd never realized was there before. And it was warmth at its most vulnerable, warmth that drowned his darkness like sunlight through the cracks of a very dark and lonely place.

When she broke away, Jack was Jack again. Just like that. The black veins faded completely. His body shrunk again and his soul peered through at her, as if waking up from a very long sleep. He released her, looking horrified at himself.

"Hunter-" he began in a soft tone drowned in guilt. Hunter was so stunned that it worked, she found herself speechless. She could only throw her arms around his neck and thank Will's higher power God that Jack had defeated his demon.

"You did it," she half whispered, half sobbed.

"You did it," he said. "I couldn't have done this without you. I can't-"

Hunter seized up and suddenly, she was being hoisted into the air like a rag doll, wrenched from Jack's arms.

"Hunter!"

Pain tore through her body. She was dizzy and didn't know what was happening. Fire spurted from her hands and blasted against the walls of the White House. She screamed so loudly that she could hear nothing else.

Then she looked across the room and saw one of the soldiers stalking to them with his arm raised. He was covered in dust from the explosion, limping on his right leg. Hunter was so confused she could hardly speak.

"You bitch!" he shouted at her.

"Let her go!" screamed Jack.

"You ruined EVERYTHING!"

Then the soldier quivered and shook and screamed and suddenly, he was Mikayla.

"How the hell-" Hunter stopped herself when she saw Jack's body start to ripple in rage again. "Jack, NO!"

He turned to her. There was darkness in his eyes once more. He had to leave.

"Run Jack," she said.

The warehouse flashed in her mind, only this time it wasn't because she had to face Mikayla that she needed him to leave, it was because she didn't think she had the strength to pull him from the darkness again.

But Jack wouldn't hear it. "Not this time Hunter," he said. "I won't lose control. I promise. I won't let myself hurt you again."

"Jack, she'll kill-"

Mikayla screamed and waved her arm at Jack, whose body fell sideways and his head hit a slab of concrete. Jack tried to get up again but she held him down.

"You don't know what you just did," she snarled. "Jet was the only person in my life I cared about. YOU DESTROYED THE MAN I LOVE!"

Jack looked at her but did not move. Either he didn't want to let the darkness take over or he just couldn't get up.

Then, his eyes widened. He choked on air, his hands scraping the stone he was pressed against as if that would help him breathe. And just like Jet, Jack's body seized up and blood started to bubble from his mouth.

"Feel that?" Mikayla smiled as she twisted her hand. "That's your spine stabbing your lungs over and over."

"NO!" Hunter screamed, tears blinding her eyes. "Mikayla, STOP!"

But she didn't. And a second later, Jack's mouth opened and a great clump of red burst from his throat. It spilled down his chest and he lay against the slab of concrete with his eyes open wide.