Demonic Regime

Chapter 22: Old Folks Home (Jax)

I didn't feel the same. "So about shifting, how do you do it?"

Aden sat up tall. "You have to focus and pull the energy you felt during your first moon into your center." He pressed a hand to his chest.

I nodded. "Is it hard?"

"It takes some practice to figure it out the first time."

Taking a deep breath, I sat up and closed my eyes. "Bring the energy back into my center?"

"Yep, pull it back into your chest."

I focused on finding this mysterious energy. I opened my eyes and gave him a sheepish look.

Aden let out a deep breath. "No one gets it the first time, sweetheart."

***

(Jed)

Hide tightened the rope around my wrists so it dug into my skin.

"Do you really need to do that?" said Cat. "It's not like Red is dangerous."

"I don't need him trying to make a run for it." Hide patted my cheek and stood.

"His feet are still healing." She motioned to me. "How far do you think he'll get?"

Hide leaned in close to Cat's face. "Far enough." He turned sharply and headed for the exit. "Get him up and into the truck. Let's get the hell out of here. Axil knows. As of right now, we're being hunted."

I swallowed hard and rose up on my knees. My feet still ached.

"Let's go." Coyote grabbed my arm.

Air rushed from my lungs the moment my feet touched the ground.

"Come on. It ain't that bad."

Cat shoved him back. "Go outside with Hide. You're not helping at all." She looped her arms around my chest. "Pix, grab his feet."

"I can walk, really." I tried to get on my feet. I clenched my jaw to stay quiet when they rubbed against the ground. They could carry me. Now was not the time to act tough.

Cat lifted my upper half while Pix grabbed my legs. The two carried me out into the back of a truck with a back row seating.

Hide laughed at them. "Women, you're too soft on him Kitty-Cat. If that kid's mate catches up with us, I doubt Red is going to convince Axil to go soft on you."

"Shut up." She helped me maneuvered into the middle seat. "Red's human. I'm going to continue treating him as one." Climbing into the back, she slammed the door.

Pix sat on the other side while Coyote and Hide were in the front. Hide started the truck and we started down the dirt road. I let out a shaky breath and tried to ease some of the tension around my wrist.

Shaking her head, Cat reached over and untied my hands.

"Fucking hell," breathed Hide. "If you get us killed."

"What the hell is he going to do? Jump out of a moving vehicle? He can't walk. His feet are blistered. He's sitting here in his underwear. Really, Hide, tell me how Red is such a threat?"

I kept my head down and rubbed my wrists.

"Women," breathed Hide. "Tie him back up when we get there. Got it?"

"Fine." Cat shoved her knee up against the back of Hide's seat.

Pix leaned forward. "Where are we going?"

"Houston," said Coyote. "The heart of what's left of us humans."

***

(Jax)