3. Jasmine
JASMINE
“Okay, how’s Bruce?” Katrina asks. She’s one of my only friends in Fernhollow, even though we don’t hang out much outside of work.
“He’ll be back to bouncing around the house in no time,” I say with a forced smile, shutting the latch on the rabbit’s cage.
“His family will love to know that. Little Marie was so worried he’d need a wheelchair.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “No, just a slight bruise on his leg that’s making him a little uncomfortable. No vet needed for this.”
Katrina takes the cage and calls the family to let them know their animal is ready for pickup. Then she turns to me. “That’s the last of the animals today. I’ll stay and wait for them if you want to head out.”
“You sure?” I ask to be nice, even though I’m anxious to leave.
“I’m sure. I don’t think I’ve seen you sit down at all today.”
“Fair point. Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow, yes?”
She nods, then places a hand on my arm. “Is everything okay?”
“Um, yeah? Why? Have I been grouchy today?” My answer comes too quickly, but I do my best to give Katrina my attention.
“Well, now that you mention it…” We both laugh as I push her away in jest. “No, you’re just…I don’t know, it’s like your mind is elsewhere.”
“Oh.” My mind flashes to bones snapping, shadows surrounding me, black dust in the air. I shake my head to rid myself of the memories from yesterday. “Yeah, I’m okay.” I do my best to smile, forcing the mask to hide the guilt eating me up.
The truth is, if I hadn’t killed him, he would have killed me. Maybe not immediately, but he would have hauled me to the Underworld, and that’s basically the same thing. In either scenario, I’d lose my autonomy.
“Let’s do dinner soon?” I ask.
Katrina nods. “I’d like that.”
I place my paperwork from the day on the front desk for her to file, then head out the front door to go home. Luckily, my apartment is right above the vet, so after a long day, all I have to do is walk around the building to reach my door.
My routine is the same most days. It helps keep my brain occupied with what I can control, rather than spiraling over what’s happening around me. My legs twitch to run, to feel the ground beneath my feet, to have every step bring me closer to forgetting about what’s happening around me.
I quickly change out of my scrubs into a matching black workout set, then head out the door toward the forest. My feet ache as I walk toward a different trailhead from yesterday, but I force myself to quicken my pace into a slow jog.
It’s like I’m pushing through a dense cloud of fog, petrified of more demons.
I don’t want to cower away from the fight ahead, but my mind screams at me to re-think my normal.
It was na?ve of me to assume lying low would work.
I made my bargain with Marisole as a last resort, when we had no time to comprehend the consequences of our actions.
A slice of our hands, a bargain uttered, then a quick escape.
I’ll never forget the ache on her face, the single tear falling down her cheek as I looked behind me one last time before stepping into a portal.
That was the only time I saw her emit an emotion.
Suddenly, my body flies forward. My feet catch me. Fuck. My mind is so muddy that I’m forgetting all the damn roots on this trail. I pick back up my speed, determined to let the breeze from the ocean clear my thoughts like burning sage to cleanse a room.
While my mind rabbit-holes into various solutions on how I can contact Marisole to help me figure out what to do, gooseflesh lines my arm. I don’t know how long I’ve been running, but it hasn’t been more than twenty minutes.
A branch breaks.
“Not again,” I groan as I come to a stop.
My muscles are still stiff from yesterday.
If I call on my shadows to protect me, it’ll alert the Underworld.
Every time, like a beacon, they will be aware of my location.
Using it yesterday already put a closer target on my back.
Fernhollow doesn’t need additional danger, not if I can avoid it.
Another branch breaks. It’s closer this time.
My shadows push against my skin, asking me to guard myself from danger.
For a few minutes, I sense nothing other than the creatures inhabiting the forest. When I close my eyes and use my magic, I only feel the ground shift from animals meant to be here or from roots growing. There could be someone here to kill me and there’s little I can do to stop it.
Demons are coming after me, and I have to stop assuming my problems will go away if I hide in my apartment. No routine will save me, not when my father is determined to have anyone with his blood under his thumb. He’s not there to protect, only control.
I slowly turn in a circle, reaching out with my magic to sense from all directions. Trees waving in the wind, waves crashing against the cliffs…
A third branch breaks, and this time, it’s behind me.
I whip my body around, snapping my eyes open. My hands are spread in front of me, my fingers beginning to darken with my magic.
That is, until I lock eyes with the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. My shadows slink back, ready to be used if needed.
Ignoring that he tripped over a branch and is currently on the ground, I try to sense if he’s a threat and my chest lightens when it’s clear he isn’t a demon.
His skin is rich brown, as if he’s been kissed by the sun. He wears a gold chain around his neck, and as I watch it dangling, I reach up to grasp my gold necklace. Mine is used to open a portal to the Underworld. His? A fashion statement.
His dark gold eyes meet mine, and, as if he’s reading my thoughts, his lips curve into a torturous smile, revealing his sharp canines.
A werewolf.
I gasp and take a step back, but I end up tripping over a large rock. Gravity is gone, and I’m falling backward.
Except, I don’t hit the ground.
Large, strong arms wrap around my torso and my shoulders.
I stare up into the stranger’s eyes, and a thin string snaps between us.
If I were human, and not a demon with a glamour, I might attribute this feeling of hope and anticipation to a serendipitous meeting.
But I’m not. I’m the enemy species of shifters, and this thin string between us?
That’s the mate bond.