Chapter 56

Excruciating pain woke her, a familiar agony that made her think of evil red eyes and the cell she'd been shackled in.

What the hell?

The image of a cadaverous, grinning facsimile of a man faded in her mind, replaced by the blazing light of agony as her body melted back into her human self. Awash with sobs, and shaking like a leaf in a strong wind, it took her a few moments to realize arms held her, rocking her. She clutched the body that offered her comfort, anything to help dispel the nightmare. Unfortunately, her mind would give her no respite and kept replaying over and over her horrible change and then . . . the blood. Oh God, the blood.

"Jaxon!" she wailed, the realization of what she'd done making her sob anew.

"Hush, Bailey. He's going to be fine. He's a tough bugger. But what about you? Are you okay?"