Page 84 of Jackal's Pride
“Why?” His body tensed.
“Just checking to see if you’re Jack or Jackal.”
“I’m Jackal,” he assured me. He rubbed his chest absentmindedly. “I don’t feel them anymore, but I don’t feel normal. I don’t feel right.” I watched as he began studying me anew—really seeing me. I held the torch higher even though I knew he had no problems seeing in the dark. I trembled beneath his stare as his gaze raked over me. He breathed in, but he never seemed to let it out. “I feel like you’re telling me something.”
“I am,” I replied. “I’m telling you to fucking remember before I stab you with Ben and Jerry.”
“Not you,” he said quickly, then he breathed in again. “Your scent. It’s like it wants me to know it.” He grabbed his face and shook. “I don’t know what I’m talking about. I don’t even know how to explain.” He lifted his eyes and stared right through me. “Like it’s been waiting for me…” He shook his head again. “No, that’s not right. Like I’ve been waiting on it.”
I was warm down to my bones even in this cold cave. “Lift your shirt.” Then I thought about that little piece of information and smiled. “Don’t you think it’s weird that you’re wearing clothes?”
“I found it strange, but for some reason I’m not compelled to take them off,” he answered with a frown. “But why ask that?”
“The same reason why you asked yourself why you thought to keep them on.” He was still there. He might not remember, but he was right here, still so beautifully mine. “Lift your shirt,” I said again.
“Do you want me to kill you or something?” I detected no real traces of malice in his voice or his essence. “You smell of the Grim Reaper.”
“I’m his daughter.”
“He has a daughter?”
“We’ve already had this conversation.”
He finally lifted his shirt, mainly I believed for his own curiosity of what I’d do. His tent wasn’t going down anytime soon, and I had every intention of leaving him high and dry.
I didn’t hold back my grin as the orange peacock came into view, followed by my other mark that lay upon his chest. I sighed happily. “Proof that you’re mine,” I told him.
“You marked me,” he accused.
“Yep.” I turned around pretending I was heading out when really I was going to fade out of here. “I’m leaving this cold awful cave. Feel free to come begging on your hands and knees when you remember.”
Chapter 31
Maureen
WORLDWIDE NEWS!
New York City gone? A terrorist attack? A single explosion powerful enough to drop a crater in New York City?
New York City is still there, but a good chunk of it was blown to bits by…
“Why am I coming along again?” Barron grumbled as we knocked on the spooky-ass mansion where Isabella’s coven was.
“Sebastian said she wanted you with me,” I whispered.
“Who is she?”
“The covenant leader, Belinda…or Melinda.” I shrugged. “You’re fine. I need that spell.”
He took a deep breath just as the door opened for us, and Isabella greeted us. “Come on. Melinda’s been waiting on you guys.”
I peeked over at Barron. “Melinda.”He twisted his head away with a grunt, and we followed Isabella inside. “Creepy,” I said as I glimpsed around at all the weird statues and antiques. There was no way I was touching anything. No doubt most of the stuff in this mansion was crammed full of curses.
Isabella nodded. “This place is creepy. But what did you expect?” She shrugged. “We’re witches.”
“Where’s Sebastian?” I asked her.
“Human world still,” she murmured quietly, and I frowned. I wasn’t the only one missing someone. Only my someone didn’t remember me.