Madly & the Jackal (13 page)

“I think I missed a spot,” he said softly, turning me toward the wall with the water at my side.  Instinctively, I flattened my palms against the cool acrylic and leaned in.  “Right here.” I felt Jackson hook his hand behind my knee and lift.  I sucked in a lungful of humid air as liquid heat rushed to the juncture of my thighs and throbbed there.  “And here,” he croaked, his fingers finding their way to my core.  They moved slowly in and out.  “Did I get it all?” he whispered at my ear.

“No,” I answered breathily.  “But I don’t think you can reach it that way.  I think you need to…to…”

Jackson worked magic with his skillful hands, bringing me once more to the edge of oblivion.  But before I could topple over the cliff, he whirled me around, plastering my back to the wall and his lips to my mouth.

My arms wound around his neck as he bent to lift me against him, my legs locking around his narrow waist.  In one smooth motion, he filled me, groaning into my mouth and turning my world into a hazy blur of sensation.  

He moved within me once, twice and the third time I fractured, my body flying apart in a fiery explosion of color and heat. Jackson’s smothered hiss alerted me to his impending climax just before he stiffened, driving his body deep into mine, pressing me against the shower wall and prolonging the waves of ecstasy that were still washing through me.

When our breathing had returned to normal, Jackson let my lax legs fall away from him, gently setting my feet on the floor of the tub.  We stood in each other’s arms for several more minutes, enjoying the moment, enjoying the warm water.

Finally, Jackson leaned back and grinned at me.  I grinned back.  He took one of my hands in his and turned it palm up to examine my fingertips. 

“No pruning yet,” he said, kissing each fingertip before biting my pinky.  “Time to get out, though.  My obnoxious sister awaits.”

Jackson stepped out first, giving me an unobstructed view of his spectacular butt.  Good Lord, it’s just not right that anyone should be that perfect!

Grabbing two towels, he shook one out and turned to wrap it around my shoulders, rubbing my arms briskly.  “Are you cold?”

My smile was wide and smug.  “Not in the least.”

He chuckled, the raspy sound making my stomach flutter in appreciation.  Was there a sexier man on the planet?  I doubted it.

I took the towel and dried off as I watched Jackson do the same.  He was quite fascinating to observe.  His movements were so fluid, as though he was moving in water even on dry land.  He scrubbed his head roughly, leaving his inky black hair standing in short spikes all over his scalp.  My fingers itched to smooth it.  He then quickly toweled off his chest and arms, making his way down his stomach and lower. 

Even though we’d just had sex, my mouth went dry as desert sand looking at him.  I wasn’t aware that my movements had stilled until Jackson looked up at me and quirked one raven brow.

“Stop that or we’ll never make it out of this room.”

I felt the heat flood my cheeks.  I shouldn’t have been embarrassed, but I was still a bit shy about being caught openly admiring a naked man, even if that man was my husband. 

My husband,
I thought again in wonder.  I couldn’t stop the pleased smile that pulled at the corners of my mouth.

I was loathe to put on my cold wet clothes.  However, the sodden material hanging from my limbs was just the impetus I needed to reveal our presence to Jersey.

“I guess this means it’s time to go next door,” I confessed, pulling the damp cotton away from my stomach.

Jackson pulled his own wet tee over his head and then held out his hand.  “Come on then. Let’s go wake the beast.”

CHAPTER TEN

Before taking out my keys, I tested the knob.  It turned easily.  The door was unlocked, which meant that Jersey was likely awake.  My stomach twitched nervously as I wondered if there was any chance she had heard Jackson and me in the next room.  Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open.  There was only one way to find out.

I exhaled in relief when I saw Jersey sprawled on her bed, her head listing to one side on her pillow, her hand buried limply in the near-empty bowl of popcorn. 

“You get changed and I’ll do the same.  Just come on over when you’re ready,” Jackson said loudly, walking heavily across the room to the door that adjoined our rooms.  He walked through it, winking at me over his shoulder just as he pulled it shut with a loud click.

Jersey must not have been asleep long.  Normally, it would take a series of ear-splitting explosions to wake her from her slumber, but she roused easily this time, which meant she couldn’t have been sleeping very deeply.

“You can sleep if you want to,” I said quietly as I rifled through my clothes in search of something warm, fuzzy and dry.

“No,” she croaked, sitting up and stretching her arms above her head.  “I’m hungry.  I want pizza.”

“You don’t have to stay up all night and help us just to get pizza, Jersey.”

“I know.  But it tastes so much better when accompanied by rebellion.”

“Since when is staying up all night considered rebellion in your book?  Usually it takes a minimum of a misdemeanor to earn that title.”

“Hey,” she griped dramatically.  “You and Aidan have been having all the fun.  This time, I want in.”  Sitting up, she moved the popcorn bowl.  “Now, I’m going to the bathroom then I’m ordering pizza.”

 Mouth set in a resolute line, Jersey scooted off the bed and headed out the door for the bathroom.  I used the couple minutes of privacy to change into soft fleece pajamas.  I felt warmer instantly.

When Jersey returned, she ordered two pizzas and two two-liters of Mountain Dew from our favorite Italian take-out place. 

“We have plenty of soda here,” I argued, pointing to the nearly full bottle that sat on the table next to our small microwave.

“I’ll have that finished off in no time,” Jersey said, pouring herself a tall glass as if to punctuate her statement.  “Besides, we’ll need all the help we can get to stay awake, right?”

I just shook my head and rolled my eyes.  Jersey was taking this
way
too seriously.

Jersey settled onto her bed, sipping her drink.  “So, what did you find out in the rain?  Anything interesting?”

Without saying as much, Jersey made it clear that we were going to await the pizza before meeting Jackson next door.  Although I wanted to comment, to come up with some excuse to go over sooner, I reminded myself that I could be without him for a few more minutes, even if it felt like I couldn’t.  Jersey was my best friend.  I needed to spend time with her, too.

Moving to sit beside her, I filled her in on what little and confusing information we’d gleaned from the trip into the woods.

“Kellina?  That girl is into
everything,”
Jersey said, her tone bathed in envy.  “Must be nice,” she mumbled.

“Oh, I’m sure Kellina would agree. I mean, she probably didn’t mind being possessed by a psychopath and finding out she’s a werewolf.  Nah, I’m sure she’s okay with all that, as long as she gets some excitement.”

Jersey tossed me a withering look from the corner of her eye.  “Such a smart ass.”

I grinned.  “Jersey, you ought to be happy you’re not involved in all this mess.  Seriously.  As your best friend and someone who loves you, I’m
glad
you’re not.”

Her bottom lip pooched out into a pout.  “I know, but you guys are having all the fun.”

“Fun?  You think this has been fun?” I asked incredulously.

“Well, maybe ‘fun’ is the wrong word.”

“Ya think?”

We chatted until the pizza arrived.  Jersey answered the door and paid for it.  The delivery boy looked in at me where I sat on the bed.  His smile was small and shy.  I smiled back.  I thought he looked vaguely familiar.  I figured he was one of the many students at Veritas Academy I had yet to officially meet.

  I hopped up to take the pizzas while Jersey got the drinks.  I turned toward the other door in our room, the one that adjoined Jackson’s.  At that moment, it felt more like the door that adjoined me to peace and happiness, to life and vitality, to love and wholeness, to…everything.

I knocked perfunctorily and walked into Jackson’s room.  He was sitting at his desk, reading something.  I didn’t see what.  And I didn’t care.  He had turned in his seat to face the door. In his eyes was the same relief, the same connection, the same need I knew shone from my own.  We were mates.  We weren’t meant to be apart.  It wasn’t supposed to be easy or comfortable when we were.

A slow smile curved his lips and he stood, coming to take the pizzas from my hands.  He carried them to the tiny table that sat off to one side of the small room.

“I get the bed!” Jersey shouted as she burst through the door, her arms laden with three two-liters, paper plates and napkins.

Neither Jackson nor I argued with her; that just meant we got to sit across from one another at the table, which was fine by me.

Jersey set down her load and fixed herself a plate of pizza, taking the already-opened two-liter with her to the bed.

“Don’t be shy, Jersey.  Help yourself.  Don’t wait on us,” Jackson encouraged acridly.

Jersey tossed an impervious smile over her shoulder and replied happily, “Oh, I won’t.”

Jackson shook his head and I began rearranging boxes and bottles to clear a space on the table for us to eat.  Jackson reached for a cup and I stopped him.  “I got it,” I said softly, looking meaningfully into his eyes.  He withdrew his hand and sat back to watch me as I set about fixing us drinks and plates of food. 

I felt like humming.  It was the first domestic thing I’d done for Jackson, the first meal we’d shared together as a bound couple.  From beneath my lashes, I glanced up at him.  I could see he was suppressing a smile.  I wondered if he was thinking the same thing.

When we both had cold drinks and hot pizza in front of us, I grinned up at him. My insides were bubbling with happiness.  With a crooked grin, he raised his glass and nodded, almost as though he was acknowledging that he was, indeed, thinking the same thing.

I mirrored his action and brought the soda to my lips.  Our eyes smiled at each other over the rims of our cups as we drank.  The carbonated liquid tingled on my tongue before sliding sweetly down my throat.  But then my mouth began to feel warm, an uncharacteristic sensation when drinking ice cold Mountain Dew.

I frowned and cleared my suddenly scratchy throat.  I looked down into my drink then back up at Jackson.  He licked his lips suspiciously.

The room tilted sharply to the right.  I saw Jackson attempt to come up out of his chair and catch me as I fell, but he only managed to wobble a bit before tipping over himself.  Seconds after my cheek met with the hard floor, Jackson’s alarmed face fell in front of mine.  We stared at each other for one second, two, three and then there was nothing. 

That was the last thing I remember.

********

I was cold.  So cold.  I floated in dark, unfamiliar waters, unseeing.  Something ached in my chest.  It erupted into an agonizing tearing sensation then quickly subsided into just an ache again. 

Something left me.  Was it the pain?  Was it the cold?  Was it the waters that seemed to be pinning my arms and legs, paralyzing me?  I couldn’t be sure.  As it receded, I felt an emptiness sweep in and swell inside me.  It overtook happiness like a black, consuming cloud.  It overwhelmed hope like a gaping, hungry mouth.

I wanted to struggle, but I couldn’t move.  I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t breathe.  I couldn’t see, couldn’t hear.  I could only feel.  Agony.  Desperation.  Desolation.

Panic began to set in.  It seemed I was in the company of absolute nothingness.  There was no light, no sound, no presence of any kind.  Only pain.  And hollowness.

I don’t know how long I lay suspended in that hell-like place.  Minutes, hours, years.  It felt like years.  Time dragged on in an endless loop of ever-worsening sensations.

 Finally, like a pinprick of light piercing an inky black sky, there was…something.  Although not immediately recognizable, there was no doubt it was familiar to me.  Comforting.  Welcome.  Then I realized what it was.  It was a voice.  I could hear.

“Madly, please!” the voice moaned in misery.  My reaction was delayed, but it soon registered in my head that the voice belonged to my best friend in the world.  It was Jersey.

After that, the darkness unraveled from around me like a ball of yarn.  Little by little, I woke to the world, the world not obscured by blackness. 
My
world.

With sight came the familiar face of my friend.  She was leaning over me, holding her dark flowing hair over her shoulder so it wouldn’t dangle in my face.  Tears glistened in her eyes like fat diamonds and her cheeks were wet with them.

My mind took it all in.  It took in Jersey with her golden skin and sea foam eyes.  It took in the feel of thin cotton against my skin and the smell of alcohol.  It took in the sound of machines beeping and people being paged overhead.  It took in joints that ached and muscles that felt too weak to move my tired bones.

And then it took in the one thing that made everything else cease to matter.

“Where’s Jackson?”

Although I didn’t know where he was, I knew he wasn’t near.  Of that much I was certain.  I felt cold and alone in a way I knew could be attributed to nothing else.  I was cold and alone in my soul, in the place where Jackson and his love lived.

Jersey gave me a watery smile.  “He’s at Transport.  He’s fine.”

I should’ve felt relief, and to some extent I did.  I was glad he was all right, but there was something else, something that just felt…wrong.

Why isn’t he here?  With me?

A deep sense of foreboding filled me, bringing tears to my eyes.  I squeezed them shut to keep my distress from Jersey. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked, concern evident in her voice.

“The lights are just bright.  That’s all.” 

A heavy footfall entering the room had my eyes wide open and expectant.  I felt crestfallen when I saw that it was only the doctor. 

Dr. Lance Duffy smiled as he approached the bed.  “We have to stop meeting like this, Princess.”  I attempted a smile and failed miserably.  A frown flickered across his forehead.  “Are you in pain?”

Carefully, I took stock of myself.  Although I felt a little stiff and achy, I couldn’t say that I was in any real pain.  At least not physically.  There was, however, an emotional pain that I couldn’t quite shake.

“No.  I’m just tired.  When can I go home?”

Dr. Duffy studied me closely for several long seconds before he evaded.  “What’s the last thing you remember?”

Truthfully, it was the shock of seeing Jackson land in the floor in front of me, but I didn’t tell him that.  “Something burning my mouth.”

He nodded thoughtfully.  “And that’s all?”

“Yes. Why?  What do you think happened to me?”

“I’m not certain.  Could’ve been any number of things, anything from transient aquatic hyperglycemia to marine hypothermia to acute non-fatal anaphylaxis.  It’s a bit puzzling, as all your labs are perfect.”

“So, what do we do then?”

He was slow to answer.  “Since your blood work is all good and your CT shows no head trauma after your fall, our only other option is to run more tests.  If you feel up to it, that is.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Well, I’d say we could let you go home if you give me your word to call if you feel any different.  At all.”

“You have my word, Dr. Duffy.  Really, I feel fine. I’d just like to leave as soon as possible.  There are some very important…Atlas matters I must tend to,” I said meaningfully. 

“Oh, of course, Princess.  Quickly then.”

With that, he made a few notes in my chart, smiled politely and left the room.  Thankfully, twenty-five minutes later, I was shooing Jersey out of my room so I could dress.

Outfitted in the pajamas I’d put on before dinner, I opened the door and exited into the hallway.  The two hulking Sentinels stationed on either side startled me when they sprang to attention.  A tiny squeal escaped before I could stop it.  I was jumpy.  Unsettled.

I looked from one stone-faced guard to the other.  “I’m sorry.  I’m just a little shaken.”

Both nodded.  Neither said a word.  The two simply fell in behind me when I moved toward the end of the hall to join Jersey.

“Are you gonna be all right to walk home?” Jersey asked as we headed for the elevators.

“I’m not going home,” I said, stabbing the down button with my index finger.

“Of course you are.  Where else would you go?”

“Transport,” I answered without looking at her.