Page 15 of Jackal's Pride
Jackal’s harsh voice made me groan. I had forgotten about him while chasing after Octo. Jackal hadn’t left my side at all since yesterday. Normally, I liked being the one that got underneath someone’s skin, not the other way around. I had to lock him out of the bathroom of my own home just to pee. I didn’t know what he did when I slept, but I made a point of pretending his persistent presence didn’t bother me. Sadly, we both knew it did. Let him be miserable all he wanted. I slept fine knowing if he tried to do anything to me, the necklace would prevent it.
Who was I kidding? It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours, and I wanted to strangle him. I preferred my privacy, and now I had this giant, naked supernatural caveman—who resembled a sexy underwear model more than a Neanderthal—following me everywhere.
I don’t care. I don’t care.
Giving in wasn’t my style. In a battle of who gave in first, it wouldn’t be me. Not because I was hellbent on winning. No. I blamed the curse. It truly changed me, making me so different from my siblings. Theirs made them react in sometimes unpredictable ways. Mine changed my entire personality. The curse left me lost, unsure of myself, with nothing but pride.
An image of me holding Joy as a newborn filtered through my mind. The smile on Mom’s lips as she trusted me with her, even going as far as walking out of the room.Dependable. Loving.The words faded just as Joy grabbed my finger with her tiny fist and that emotion left me just as the images did.
I lied. I knew who I would have been like. That was why I was left with a giant hole inside me—where all my good should have been.
I blinked and turned to face Jackal. “Are Reapers dying?” he asked me.
Fighting Octo and reliving jaded memories left me uneasy, and that made me hostile. “We’re not going anywhere. Might as well get that out of your head.”
“Actually, it makes sense.” He nodded like he was figuring something out. “When the end is here, there’d be no point for the Grim Reaper or any of his Reapers so it’s only natural that you guys would fade away.” When I said nothing, he added. “I’m right, aren’t I?”
“Do you enjoy staying up my ass?” I asked as I strode over to him.
“I think I would know if I wasinsomeone’s ass.” Despite his words though, something in his persona changed like saying and thinking ass was some unsolved mystery. He completely stiffened up as his slow, gawking gaze ran up my long legs. Now he was staring at my hips with a bewildered expression. His Adam’s apple bobbed with his hard swallow. Intriguing. As much as I wanted to say I had him figured out, I couldn’t.
Wanting to push further, I arched an eyebrow as I jutted my hips out. “Speaking of ass, it’s been a long time since you’ve had any.”
His eyes widened. At that moment, I swore I heard his heart pick up speed. No, it was more than one heartbeat. I stared at his chest as he stepped back. “I’m an entity. The Jackal—that’s not something I’m meant to do.”
Now, I was surprised. My mouth dropped. “No… You mean you haven’t…not ever?” My words had me staring at his crotch. The man was the most gorgeous creature I’d ever seen, and that was the truth. I had no problems admitting it. I might not like his personality but his looks…
“I am aware of sex. I’ve seen plenty of it. What’s confusing to me is why you’re shocked I haven’t had it? I assure you I’m not interested in breeding.”
Breeding?Yep. There were a lot of words he might not know but that word was a clear giveaway to how long he’d been asleep.
I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. “It’s nothing. I mean, it’s not a big deal. Plenty of people don’t like sex.” It was a damned shame he wasn’t a sexual creature when he was built like one. I refused to let myself peekdownas my thoughts ran rampant.
“Your heart beat is louder than all of mine,” he acknowledged.
“What?” I almost sputtered which wasn’t like me, then I pinched my eyebrows together. “All of mine?”
Just as I asked, Jackal’s stomach growled. He grabbed it, glancing down at himself almost like he was confused by it.
“Sounds like you haven’t eaten since you’re staying up my ass.” I saw that he was about to question my words again when I added, “You’re hungry.”
“Hungry?” His stomach growled again.
“I guess it’s been a long time since you’ve eaten.”
“I don’t eat,” he said. “At least I didn’t.” His hand slid up from his abdomen and rested on his chest again. “So this is hunger?”
“Wait? You’ve never been hungry before?”
He shook his head. “No. I killed a lot in wolf form. Blood coated my tongue many times, and yet I’ve never had the desire to eat. Never had this gnawing in my stomach before—the strange ache for something.”
I scrunched up my nose at the vivid detail. “Ew.” I shook my head. “You should go eat and leave me alone.”
His eyes swept over me. “Like you let me be when you stormed into my cave and collared me?” His stomach growled again. “I should try eating.”
Why was he staring at me like he was waiting for me to feed him?
“What?” I barked. “Go eat.”