Page 58 of Jackal's Pride

My mouth was stretched to my ears. I couldn’t stop the warmth flowing through my chest. I was here with her, and that was all I wanted.

Sadly, she was clothed when she returned. She draped her dark hair across one shoulder and approached the bed looking younger than she should have. That wasn’t quite right. She looked vibrant,glowing. Good thing I was lying on my belly hiding my cock. She didn’t deny me, but there was only so much a small body could endure.

That was when it hit me. I wasn’t who I was days ago. Death was no longer my obsession. Instead, I soughther.

Speaking of death…

Remembering that she wasa Reaper—born from a family destined to die out when the human world did. The harrowing thought put a damper on my Iust. I stared up at her. The way she crawled on her knees and laid next to me, blanketing us in the strange awkwardness she created around me, and I was overcome with grief about an inevitable future. One Maureen and her family was trying to fight.

“Where did you sleep last night?” Her voice was hoarse from all of her moaning and screaming.

She’s going to die.I could lose her. I already knew this, but the longer I gazed at her chapped and bruised lips, the more I thought about her end. The worse it got until slowly, one after another the one hundred and thirty-seven hearts flared to life inside me. They’d been quiet for too long. They made up for it as every haunted beat grew more urgent. I rolled over, gripping my chest, and stared up at the dark ceiling. I couldn’t bear to see any part of her right now.

“Jack.” She rushed forward, her hand sliding over mine. “Are you okay?” She placed her head on my chest and gasped. “I hear so many...”

“Please.” I pushed her away gently despite my pain. “I need distance.” I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed, avoiding eye contact with Maureen. But I still sensed her and could still taste her on my tongue. Her scent hung around me like a noose around my neck.

“Why are they hurting you now?” Was that worry I sensed in her voice?

“Jack,” her voice was far away.

Suddenly the scenery changed. This wasn’t her bedroom. It was nothing. A void. Total darkness. People were fighting. No, not people… Reapers. There Maureen stood several feet in front of me. Grief clung to her tear-stricken eyes as she screamed for someone. Her sadness washed over me like waves, and I ran, and ran, but could never reach her. Only she was right there. Never moving. Just screaming and crying. I couldn’t get to her. Why couldn’t I get to her? One by one, her family around her faded away. I couldn’t save them. I thought I called her name finally because she turned, found me, and reached out for me. With her outstretched hands, tears sliding down her cheeks, she whispered my name sadly. Her dark gaze was shimmering with love and grief.She’s leaving me. No!She still craved me,us, but her hand faded away first. More tears. I screamed her name. But like she was destined to, she stood before me and faded away, one piece of her at a time.

“Jack!” She shook me. “Jack!”

Yes, the hearts fed me pain along with the images. I didn’t understand why? Was it punishment? A warning of what could or would happen? Was it my punishment to lose her?

As much as I might deserve a comeuppance, all I could think of as they fed me these vivid visuals was one word——never.

When it became more insistent, her urgent screams all the more haunted and real ringing in my ears, I cupped my ears wishing to wash it all away.

The hearts were cruel. But they also gave me the ability to want Maureen.

What a beautiful agony.

____

Maureen

He was screaming. My heart kicked into overdrive. The anguish tore from his throat, shaking me to the core. I shook and shook him until he dropped his hands from his head and finally saw me on my knees in front of him. Then he did the unexpected and wrapped his giant arms around me. My head settled into the nook of his neck, and I felt his shudders. Just as quickly as it happened Jackal pulled away. He stood.

Something deep and heavy filled his eyes as he said, “Come on. Take me to the next city.”

“It’s only been a few hours.” I stood and faced him. “You were in pain just now. You haven’t had enough—”

His hand snaked out and grabbed mine. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”

There was no denying the agony in his eyes. The hearts must want this from him. Who was I to tell him no when he was saving the humans? I took him to the first city. He got it done in no time and rushed me to the next destination with that same urgency in his expression. It wasn’t hard to find a place that needed his healing.

“What is it?” I asked him at our third stop. Jackal gazed at me like I was his tormenter. Like I was the cause of all his misery.

And I hated it.

Dropping his head, he sighed. “Take us to the next one.”

“Jack,” I muttered. “As much as I want you out here doing this, you’re exhausted. You haven’t even fully recovered from a few hours ago.” It was true that entities recovered quickly. We hardly needed sleep or food. We could do without both for a while, but only if we weren’t using our powers. And Jackal was using his to the max for a reason I couldn’t possibly understand. He’d gone from wanting to kill me to helping save the world in a matter of days.

I didn’t think he could cope with all these new changes emotion brought him.