Page 52 of Jackal's Pride

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 aremylittle monster; you aremylittle 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 othernewerpart 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…ofher. 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.