Jasper's Soul Mate (18+)

Chapter 14: Awakening

"Rebecca," Chace says warily. "What are you doing?"

    I take a step toward him, unknowing of when I'd gotten down from the counter. But my intentions in this moment ring through my head clear and tauntingly. Overwhelming. Violent.

    He widens his stance and stares at me, eyes growing brighter. "B, whatever the hell you're about to do, don't."

    His second command hits me like a slap to the face. It hurts—and really fucking pisses me off.

    I lunge at him with my hands, unsure of what I'm doing but knowing deep down that it's going to inflict pain. That's good enough for me.

    "B!" Chace snarls as my hands make contact with his face.

    I feel wetness beneath my fingernails and slight pain as they rake down the sides of his face. It doesn't last long. In a blur of movement, I find myself pushed against the counter with my arms pinned behind me. Chace growls threateningly in my ear.

"Rebecca, you need to calm down." His voice feeds the flames of anger. "If you do that again this won't end well for you."

The ringing in my head surges and with it my irritation. Throwing my head back and cracking into his jaw, I knock off Chace's balance.

I whip around and face his half shifted, furious stare. Once again, we're facing off and waiting for the other to react.

I don't mind making the first move.

The moment my back leaves the counter, Chace charges me as well, his sharp teeth bared and the long claws in his fingertips curled and ready to strike. An animalistic noise leaves my chest and I feel my eyes burn with anger.

All at once, Chace freezes. It's as if he hit a wall. He just stops. Teeth and claws retract and his blue eyes drain of their brightness, filling with awe.

When I collide with him he moves faster than I can and uses my momentum against me to push me onto the floor—effectively pinning me beneath his body all over again.

"Jesus Christ, B." He's growling and one of his hands are around my throat as he stares at my eyes. "I knew something was different with you."

It takes suffocating pressure on my throat for some of the rage inside me to die down. I grow slack under Chace's hold before long, and that's when he slowly removes his hand, but makes no move to get off of me. I glare.

"If you think I'm giving you an opportunity to attack me again you're fucking crazy," he snaps, wiping a side of his bleeding face with the sleeve of his jacket.

"You're still bleeding," I point out, sickly satisfied by the fact.

Chace scoffs. "Yeah, that's what happens when you get clawed."

My pulse jumps, not out of anger but confusion...and excitement? "Clawed?" I say, letting my emotions lace my words.

He gives me a long long look and then sits up, obviously still wary of another attack from me as he keeps his form coiled and tense. "Look at your hands, Rebecca."

I lift them. But I can't bring myself to look down in their direction. The excited part of me urges me to.

My hands begin to tremble and I grow frightened by the idea and possibility of what I'll see.

Clenching his jaw, Chace takes my hands and slowly holds them in front of my eyes. I wince. They're covered in blood, there's flesh beneath my nails, and where my finely trimmed ones are usually...are pointed, razor-sharp claws.

I'm not surprised nor am I frightened by the sight. Disgusted by the skin—Chace's flesh under my nails, yes.

"Are you..." It's hard to stay focused with the uncomfortable feeling of skin clogging my nail beds, worse because I know it's actual fucking flesh.