Page 33 of Jackal's Pride
“Be careful,” Prudence interrupted her and peered down at her nails. “Jackal’s emotions are all over the place, but one thing is for certain.”
“What?” I asked curious about what she’d say.
“When it comes to you, he’s becoming lustful.”
That caught my attention. My eyes widened. “Really?” I might have perked up, sat straighter and all that.
Prudence’s head reared. “Try not to sound so happy.”
“I’m not,” I said too quickly.
Joy’s eyes squinted. “Hmm.”
“I just thought he was asexual.” I shrugged truthfully.
“Oh my god,” Prudence said flatly. “You are too.”
Kitty smirked. “She wants to pork the Jackal.”
Joy snickered. “Who says pork?” She waggled her brows. “She clearly wants to bone him.”
“Shh!” I hissed, then paused. “Wait.” I thought back to his reaction toward Newt the night before. So that’s what that was. “Ah-ha! He really does want to fuck me!”
“So much for being quiet.” Prudence muttered.
I stood up Superwoman style and materialized a new pair of black jeans and a tight black T-shirt on. “If you’ll excuse me, sisters, I have an entity to torture.”
“Don’t get too carried away. We need his power to finish healing the human world,” Kitty informed me, tearing into yet another Slim Jim. How many was that?
“Don’t worry, I got it under control,” I announced.
“Sure you do,” Prudence said as I opened the bedroom door wide and stepped out. Jackal was sitting on my couch. His elbows were propped against his knees as he watched my bedroom door like he was waiting for me to walk out.
“Jackal,” I started.
“It’s Jack,” he said, and I frowned. “Or did I get it wrong?”
Jack?My forehead creased as I frowned. “I’m not sure I follow.”
“You said you were going to call me Jack,” he added.
Ah.“I did.”
“Then call me Jack.” He rubbed his chin and met my gaze, appearing thoughtful. “I’m not really Jackal anymore, am I?”
He was changing again. Coming to terms with himself. I wasn’t sure if this was a good or bad thing for me. “I don’t know. You carry his power. You look and feel like him. Why aren’t you him anymore?”
His gaze flickered behind me to where my sisters stood. “How I see the world now is different. I don’t feel like the same entity.”
“You girls can leave now.” I didn’t glimpse back, expecting them to comply. Jackal deserved a little privacy. When it came to my curse, I preferred to keep the details secret. I wanted to give Jackal the same opportunity. When I sensed their presence leave, I continued, “You never got a chance to know yourself. A creature incapable of emotions is nothing at all. Now, Jack, you’re discovering who you are.” Why was I trying to educate an entity? “You may think those reactions aren’t yours, but they are.”
“I know.”
I did a double-take. “You do?”
He nodded. “Quite painfully so.” He leaned forward against his knees again like an animal waiting to strike. My guard automatically went up, and I didn’t know why. “You might be disappointed to learn that I’m starting to like what I’ve become.”
I laughed nervously—automatically reaching to tuck the hair behind my ear, but there weren’t any loose strands. Who was this awkward person in my skin? I didn’t know her. “Why?”