Page 75 of Jackal's Pride
“I don’t believe this shit,” August said in undisguised horror. His eyes were round as he grimaced.
“Does this mean he can’t hurt her then?” Barron glared. “Or that we can’t hurt him when he hurts her?”
I wasn’t sure what the three of them were yelling about so I peered down at the spot I was still rubbing. My eyes widened. Wait—did I see something orange? I lifted my shirt to see what was peeking out above my waistband. A peacock?
Peacock.
It dawned on me. This was just like Maureen’s curse mark. How would I have it now? It obviously meant something by the three of them bickering over it. “What does it mean?”
“It means,” August stepped over, patting me, “you’re not allowed to sneak out on my sister ever.” He briefly smirked and then his gaze became menacing. His grip tightened, and a bone shifted. August eased up on his hold before my shoulder snapped. “It won’t be good for you if you do.”
“I don’t care if you’re immortal. I’ll just kill you a thousand times over if you make her cry.” Barron added with a glare. Did he have a different expression?
“Chill, you two. Jesus,” Sebastian hissed then glanced at me. “Izzie got my mark the same way you got Maureen’s. It means you two are definitely feeling something for one another.”
“Oh, fuck,” August groaned, dropping his hand. I refused to rub my shoulder even though I wanted to. He had a brutal grip.
“It wouldn’t exist if it didn’t mean something,” Sebastian scoffed. “You can view the mark however you want. For me, it only proved what I already felt when I saw Izzie. She’s my eternal witch. The only one I want for the rest of my life. Sometimes it even lets us hear each other’s thoughts when we—”
“Another reason the mark is horrendous.” August interrupted, shaking his head and shuddering. “I’d stab myself in the chest repeatedly before I’d allow some woman inside my head. You do realize we’re immortal, right? That mark is pledging you to her forever.”
“This is a confirmation that Maureen feels the same as I do?” I asked, finally understanding what they said.
After all the bitterness that hit me while seeing this village, I experienced warmth again—warmth from Maureen. She didn’t have to be here. Just knowing that we were knitted together—fated through time—made my heart soar like it had wings.
Sebastian smiled. “Yep.”
“I don’t deserve her,” I told them truthfully. “But I’d search the world for her if I had to.” Unable to help myself, I lifted my shirt all the way up and revealed Maureen’s mark for them to see. “I already belonged to her long before she marked me twice.”
Sebastian chuckled while August muttered. “Please don’t tell me he’s bragging about being claimed by our little sister?”
I grinned at the peacock.
“He is,” said Barron. “Go on then. Let’s get this over with so we can get you home to your owner.”
Sebastian couldn’t stop cackling.
“I want her. And I like it even more that she wants me back. Why is it amusing?” I was no longer smiling. Sebastian’s reaction confused me.
“You better more than want her,” Barron warned me, his red essence flaring out slightly.
“She’s mine, and I’m hers,” I went on undisturbed.
“Keep going,” August told me. “You’re missing the most important part.”
It seemed like I was supposed to say something more by their expectant stares. And I felt like I was failing at it. “What else do you want me to say?”
I shrugged my shoulders and closed my eyes without waiting for a response. “All right,” I said returning my focus on what needed to be done. I mentally started seeing the number of humans around me so that I could spread my plague to each of them.
Not even ten seconds went by before Sebastian asked, “What? Are you meditating?”
I exhaled, cracking open one eye. “Can you heal these people?”
“Uh… no,” he mused, shooing his hands in the air. “Continue.”
Closing my eye again, I focused on the task. It never took long, but what it did take was bits and pieces of my energy.
Somebody whistled. “Pretty cool.” It was Sebastian again.