Jackal's Pride (Seven Deadly Book 2), page 16
I wasn’t aware of time, I only knew that I drove myself to this to stop the shit storm around us. I trusted the people around me to take care of everything during the seconds—minutes, or longer maybe—that I lived in agony.
Later, I didn’t know how much time had passed; I dragged my eyes open, and Jackal’s face loomed over me. I was on the ground. By the stiffness of my joints I assumed I had been convulsing on the ground like we all did when Isabella got a hold of us. As I sat up, he moved back.
I glimpsed around and groaned. “It’s over?”
“It’s over,” he said, and I glanced up.
Grabbing my head, I stood and ignored Jackal’s outstretched hand. I peered around slowly, scared to take in the aftermath of what just happened. My chest was heavy with grief as I took in the town. Or should I say had been? There was nothing left besides a few cars with humans scrambling to get out. There were also a few houses half-standing. I was sure one of them had been protected with barriers but even so, they would collapse soon. The human knew this and ran out. Signs, trees, and collapsed buildings covered the roads and grass. Prudence dropped down from the sky in front of me.
“Did any—did we save them all?” I asked.
Sadness crossed Prudence’s face and my heart broke. We tried so hard, but failed.
“We had a few close calls, and there were some injuries. The majority of the residents are fine.” She rubbed the back of her neck while her gaze swept over me. “What happened to you?”
“I got held back by something minor,” I said with my normal sass.
Her nose wrinkled, the dull expression never leaving her eyes though. “You reek of vamp.”
I stiffened but offered, “I took care of it.”
She paused a moment just to inspect me. I could never understand what Prudence was thinking, not when she rarely gave away anything in her eyes. “Good.” She briefly glanced at Jackal. No matter how hard I tried to ignore his presence or my awareness of my longing for him, I couldn’t. He was just too close. I inhaled the piney musk of him. Prudence walked away. Payne ambled between vehicles, carrying two grown men over each of his shoulders. With a huff, he laid them down against what was left of the hospital building.
Only when we thought it was over, our Reaper senses started tripping again. Another part of the human world needed us. With no time for a breath—or a sigh, we raced to where we were needed.
Chapter 20
Maureen
Breaking News:
Less than twenty hours ago, a small town in Kansas suffered a rare, multi-vortex event. The phenomenon has never been caught on camera, but one brave crew managed to record it from a safe distance.
What is a multi-vortex event? It’s one where a giant tornado has more than one funnel within it. The combined force causes the tornado to break down into smaller ones. Despite numerous warnings, the strange pattern attracted people to the town. Even more amazing is the fact that the tornadoes stayed in the area, never moving beyond the town’s limits.
Speaking to Alex, a meteorologist for Lee Station, this storm was unprecedented. “I looked it up. Never before has one town been hit ten times by a single EF-3 tornado.”
It’s unbelievable, but no lives were lost in the chaos. Yes, homes along with much of the town were destroyed. If you’d like to donate supplies, check the bottom of the screen for a phone—
Hold on, I’m getting another report! Another multi-vortex event is happening in Japan. Does Japan even get tornadoes, Alice?
Let’s show some footage of the tornadoes first, then we’ll—
A customer turned up the volume on the newscast. I was sure it had something to do with my giant ass family and their loud mouths, sitting around three small tables. We were at some steakhouse in some city, possibly New York. The truth was, I couldn’t tell you what part of the human world we were in considering there was so many places we’d been in the last twenty-four hours.
“Pass the ketchup,” August barked, shoving his burger in his mouth, biting off way more than anyone could chew.
Saving the world was exhausting. We were hungry and tired from overusing our powers.
“What the fuck, Payne?” August hissed. “Your fat-ass took all the ketchup.” I pinched my lips together to keep from laughing. There wasn’t an inch of fat on Payne, but it was somewhat relaxing hearing their usually banter after all that happened.
“August!” Mom whisper-shouted at him. I grinned as he ignored her.
“Look, there’s some on that table behind us.” Payne jerked his head back. “Grab it!” August did, smothering his fries in the red stuff with a cheesy smile, and Mom shook her head. There was no help for him or any of us as kids, I didn’t know why she tried now when we were all over a hundred years old.
“Take it easy, I need some for my steak.” Sebastian yanked the ketchup from August’s grip.
“Ew.” Kitty wrinkled her nose. “I eat everything, but ketchup on steak, Sebastian? That’s just wrong.” Kitty joined up with us after finally sensing my presence again with the rest of them. Gavin had cloaked me from them. Apparently, Dad had sent her to search for me while I was held captive.
Prudence shoved some tomatoes she didn’t want onto Kitty’s plate while Joy kept her focus on Payne. I shook my head. When would she realize he wasn’t interested?
“Isabella,” Mom began with a soft tone. “There’s no way we could have saved all these lives without you with us.”
“Death, killing, blood, gore, killing, fighting—that’s our thing—”
“Shut up, Sloth,” Barron interrupted, cutting off Sebastian’s rambling.
“I’m just saying,” Sebastian went on. “We weren’t meant to take on the weather and climate changes. You were epic, Izzie.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the two of them. They were good together. If anybody deserved love, it was Sebastian. Come to think of it, all of my siblings—even the asshole August—deserved happiness because quite frankly they were the best.
“I was, wasn’t I?” Isabella placed a giant kiss on Sebastian’s lips and resumed eating.
They were right, of course. Without Isabella, the outcome would have been heartbreaking. My respect for the witch only grew despite my iffy first impressions.
“Maureen.” I stopped mid-bite at the sound of my father’s voice. His eyes were on the windows, and I knew without a doubt what—or rather, who—he was staring at.
“Yeah?”
He crossed his arms and motioned with his head to the window. “We’re all exhausted. He must be too, yet he’s not coming inside. He’s also not leaving.”
“I don’t know what he wants,” I admitted. “He broke the collar, so I don’t have control of him anymore.”
I didn’t know why he was here. He was just sitting on the curb. My heart had this awful strange pang in it when I thought of him being out there alone, but I couldn’t ask him to come inside. Honestly, I didn’t know what to make of his lingering. It was bad enough that he helped us. Jackal’s actions confused me and made me extremely nervous. I didn’t want to think about what it all could mean.
“You didn’t order that extra shake and meal for yourself, did you?” Busted. I eyed the cheeseburger and fries I had ordered. Dad motioned with his head again, and I dropped my shoulders with a sigh.
“Can I get a to-go box and cup?” I asked the waitress when she stopped by our tables. Dad didn’t say anything else since I was doing what he wanted me to do. “I don’t know why I have to do it,” I whispered childishly, and Mom squinted her eyes and shook her head at me.
What?
I ate quickly, placed the second meal into the box and poured the shake in the cup. I eyed the chocolate cake I’d ordered before placing it in front of Isabella without saying a word as I stood. All of them grinned at me. I wasn’t stupid. I knew my family understood the way I worked. And for that I was thankful. I could show my gratitude in my own way.
Isabella better realize how thankful I was. I didn’t give up chocolate cake easily, but it was the least I could do. I didn’t bother saying goodbye.
When I stepped out of the restaurant, distress crept its way inside my chest. Seeing Jackal alone made me weird and unhappy. Lifting his head from between his knees, his sad and exhausted eyes met mine. It was at that moment I realized we were abusing his power, wearing him out. Maybe he was just hungry.
I stopped next to him and offered the chocolate milkshake and the box of food. Neither of us said a word as he gently took it from my outstretched hands, then proceeded to scarf it down without restraint.
Shifting my weight from one foot to the other, I hesitated and finally said, “What are you doing?” There was no malice in my voice—only exhaustion, confusion, and a desperate attempt to understand the whole kidnap-rescue scenario.
“I’m eating.” He didn’t lift his head, simply continued eating. I should have ordered more. Jackal had a big appetite. After all, he was a big guy.
“You know what I mean.” There was a bit of bite in my words, but my voice remained soft.
“I don’t,” he murmured, lifting the cup to his lips. I watched as the milkshake disappeared into his mouth. After he finished it, he asked, “Are you going home to rest now?”
“I am.” I ran my hand through my hair, awkwardly standing there in front of him.
What was this weirdness?
Raising my hand, I lowered a barrier around us so that humans couldn’t see us. “I can’t take this anymore!” I finally shouted, stepping back and gazing down at him. He peered up at me. “Why are you doing this? You’re freaking me out. When are you going to do it, huh?” I gestured for him to get up. “Just come at me now and get it over with.”
“What do you want me to get over?”
His calm demeanor was infuriating. I was so flustered, I couldn’t stand myself. “You said the moment you broke free from the collar, you’d kill me—hundreds of times.” I waved toward his neck. “Well, you’re collar-free. What are you going to do now, huh?”
I materialized Ben and Jerry and assumed a fighting stance.
Jackal exhaled. “I’m going to help you with the human stuff.”
“What?”
He finally stood, every bit of him dwarfing me. “The diseases…the plague… I shall help you.”
“Why?”
“Because, little monster, the one hundred and thirty-seven hearts are at peace when I’m next to you.”
“Twice you’ve called me that,” I murmured. “Just so you know, that’s a terrible nickname.”
“Little fighter then?” he pressed.
I rolled my eyes. “That’s not a good one either.”
“But, you are my little monster; you are my little fighter.” There wasn’t a hint of teasing in his words. He was being completely serious.
I glowered at him. “I’m not your little anything.” His expression was almost sad as he peered down at the empty box and cup in his hands. “There’s a garbage can over there.” I pointed to the one next to him.
Once he threw the items away, he stopped beside me. My skin prickled with awareness. His jaw was set in a firm line, his eyebrows harsher now as he gazed upon my neck. “Do you really plan to help us?” I asked carefully. He nodded. “Okay. Then you should leave my house now.”
“Why?” He didn’t sound pleased. I wasn’t sure why he was upset.
“You’ve been asleep for thousands of years. You barely know this world.” Barely know me. “It was only a couple days ago you wanted to kill me. With good reason. I’m only saying… You’re different, changing, adapting so naturally. I think maybe you should see the world you’ve slept through.”
“Maureen.” There was an urgency in his voice that frightened me. “I made you mine—you’re mine. You can’t ever make me leave.”
I scoffed. “Jack, in case you’ve forgotten, you bear my mark as well.” I loosened my shoulders and took a deep breath. “I’m one tiny piece of this world. You have emotions so, use them. Explore them.”
“I am.” He cupped the back of my neck, breathed me in as he closed his eyes, then centered them on me. “You can’t keep holding that over me. Just because I couldn’t feel before doesn’t make me ignorant now. I have eyes, and I’ve seen so much more than your beautiful dark ones have.” With those words, he released my neck and backed away. “When do you need me to come to you?”
My brain was foggy, so it took me a minute to process what he meant. I shook my head quickly. “You’re truly not going to come back to my home?” I asked to make sure I understood him right.
“I’m not,” he muttered. “I’ll keep my distance. For now. But it changes nothing.”
I wasn’t ready to figure out what Jackal wanted from me. But his words made me shiver.
“No, to whatever you’re thinking.”
“Get some rest, little monster. I’ll see you tomorrow then.” He used his portal chip and left me alone.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” said Pride after he was gone.
I faded home and when I got there, the house was…empty. Lacking Jackal’s wild essence, everything was back to normal.
No matter how tired I was, I kept thinking about my empty sofa.
Weird. Normal wasn’t the same anymore. It was…lonely.
Chapter 21
Jackal
I found myself back at the cave I’d slept in for so long. Before I slept, this was where I’d come to lay my head down during those times when I simply had no pestilence to spread, this was where I’d stay—not that I was ever sleepy
There was nothing here to greet me. It no longer snowed on the barren landscape outside, but it still covered the ground. I dropped down on the rubble, a clear reminder of the moment Maureen awakened me. Thinking of her made my chest ache. I longed to go to her, but she didn’t want me there.
I was at odds with myself. On one hand, I had claimed Maureen with my mark. She carried it on her skin for everyone to see and realize she was mine. She’d taken me inside her. No matter how much I thought about it, she belonged to me. Then there was the other newer part of me that took form the moment I’d questioned her. When the vampire took her, it burrowed deeper inside me. That part of me was seeking more than flesh. More, more, more…of her. I wasn’t sure what, but it made me understand something. I didn’t like her pain. Or her sadness. I didn’t like to see her weak or tied down by another’s hands. And I especially hated seeing the collar around her smooth skin.
All her discomforts strangely made me hurt with her.
And what I liked? The relief on her face when I saved her. I liked her cold demeanor and all the lies she spewed. I smelled her truths. They said the things she couldn’t say. Besides her warm skin, there was nothing soft about Maureen.
The newer feeling inside me rang more true. Maureen wasn’t mine. Maybe by rules, by force, but she’d never really let herself be mine. That wouldn’t happen until she gave herself to me willingly. The thought alone aroused my tired body and mind.
I needed to rest since I had to now. But I couldn’t stop thinking of her.
I wanted to take her. She was mine.
And then the voice of reason had its say.
Wait until she gave you permission.
Beast and Man.
Primal and human.
I knew which one I liked more. But did my preferences make me no different from the vampire?
She placed a collar around my neck.
But she smelled like everything I didn’t know I wanted.
She was hateful.
But she allowed a chunk of metal pierce her chest to shield a human girl during the tornadoes. There was nothing I could do to stop it, but I didn’t need to. This woman was a force on her own—so amazingly brave.
Sure, she killed without remorse in the ring. A platform where every demon went in knowing one of them would die. And why would she feel bad for collaring me? The Jackal? A killer? A plague on mankind, the very ones she was born to protect. Her shoddy external behavior balanced out the good lying deep inside. Me? The first time I’d ever done anything decent was because of the collar on my neck.
I dragged my palm across my face. I had the strange urge to run and run. My limbs itched to move. Restless. Despite being tired. How was that possible?
Maureen.
I wanted to be next to her. The thought wouldn’t leave me. Suddenly all these strange sensations overwhelmed me. My chest had a tightness, a heavy lump in it. My stomach rolled with uncertainty for all the things I didn’t know when it came to her. I wanted to go to her, be with her. The thought of anyone taking my place filled me with rage. I desired to make her mine all over again just because she was so stubborn to acknowledge that truth.
Another foreign emotion crept through me, niggling my insides with more eerie chills. My throat tightened, eyes moistened. Fear? Worry? What was this?
I just knew there would be no satisfaction until she…she wanted me too.
I rubbed her mark etched upon my chest, and I knew without a doubt I was already hers.
A rock tumbled somewhere in the distance. I detected his presence, knowing who it was before I even glanced up. “Jackal,” Grim said, stepping further into my domain.
Why would he show up here? My best guess? Just a father stopping another man’s pursuits of his daughter. If that was the reason why he was here, I would forever be at odds with him. I couldn’t stop—I didn’t want to ever go another day without seeing her.
“Where do you rest?” Grim studied the cave. I knew what he saw since I saw it too—Nothing. I stared down at the rock I sat upon. Long ago, men would exchange women for prized sheep and the promise of marriage. Sometimes they’d wed if they had coupled before marriage. I seriously doubted that’s how things worked nowadays. Besides, Maureen was no maiden. She was a spitfire—my little monster—who would only seek pleasure from me from this day forward.
But as her father stood before me, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I had nothing to offer. Grim gave a reluctant sigh and said, “I recognize your agitation.”
