Jake
Walking out of Jasmine’s apartment was the only way to prevent myself from saying something I didn’t mean. It was the only way to protect what we have, knowing that by leaving, I potentially put everything we’ve developed over the past few weeks at risk.
It’s been a week of not talking to Jasmine, of ignoring every text, and I still don’t have a clue what to do. I’ve been walking through the forests nonstop. I’ve only found two demons, both of whom disappeared through a door before I could reach them. Then those doors disappeared as well.
The bond is uneasy, on the verge of fraying, especially we solidified our connection. My wolf doesn’t understand what’s going on and why we won’t see our mate, regardless of everything that’s happened.
Silas hasn’t given me a deadline yet, but I can feel it coming.
Every check-in is strained and cut short when I tell him I found nothing.
There hasn’t been any more talk about the Council, and I don’t want to push him on it.
He’s my best friend, so I know him being quiet is only because of the stress the entire northern pack puts on him.
Still, it makes me realize how lonely my days can get.
And even more so now, without Jasmine filling up space, I’m left waking up in an empty hotel room and ending up with dead ends for this job. To make matters worse, any time I think about the conversation I had with Liam, I get so fucking mad at myself for not talking to Jasmine more.
But what do I do now? It’s too late to go back on everything, and at the end of the day, she needs to earn my trust back. Right?
I’ve been at the library all afternoon, yet nothing I read about gets me any closer to finding a demon. Silas let me know there have been fewer sightings of them in the area but asked me to tell him if anything changes.
I wonder if I can call the Underworld like Jasmine did? Maybe instead of finding Liam, I could find Marisole? I don’t know how it all works, but I decide to pull out my phone and text Hunter anyway. It doesn’t hurt to talk to someone, at least.
It’s a risk pulling him and his wife into this, but I’ll only do it if he’s okay with it.
An hour later, I find myself sitting at one end of a table while Hunter and his wife are at the other.
When I arrived, Hunter brought me back to this room, which is where his wife does most of her services.
It’s a windowless room with a dark red circular rug and a light wooden circular table on top.
Around the table sit four black velvet chairs.
“Okay, so let me get this straight.” Hunter leans over the table, resting both arms in front of him. “Jasmine is a demon?”
“Half demon,” I correct.
Hunter laughs. “Oh, this is funny. And she’s the same one who came here?” He glances at Rebecca.
“Same one.”
“You have to promise you won’t say anything,” I say, lacing a threat into my tone.
Hunter’s wife shakes her head. “Never. We protect those who can’t protect themselves.”
I nod my thanks.
“Honestly,” she continues. “I wish she would have come back. I think we’d be good friends. Can you tell her that? To stop by and say hello?”
“Well…” I tuck my lower lip, averting my gaze to the ground for a moment to gather my strength for what’s to come. “We aren’t talking currently and that’s why I’m here.”
“How can we help?”
“I want to call the Underworld.”
“Oh.” Hunter’s wife’s eyes go wide. “Okay. Do you know who you’re trying to contact? I can’t send a beacon to the Underworld without having a target.”
“Um, I was hoping you might remember the person Jasmine tried to call. It’s her sister. That’s who I need to talk to.”
“Calling the Underworld again isn’t something I was prepared to do.” She looks at Hunter with wary eyes, like she’s secretly begging him to chime in.
Hunter sighs and turns his attention to me. “If she’s able to reach the Underworld with a call, which is already asking for a lot, it puts us at risk for a demon to portal here.”
“I’ll call my alpha and get a few wolves stationed for protection.”
Hunter and Rebecca exchange a few silent looks, but I’m happy when they end with her nodding.
“Yes, okay,” she says. “Go call your alpha to confirm, then we can get started.”
Silas picks up on the first ring.
“What’s wrong?”
I respond, “Nothing. I need a favor.”
“Give me a sec.”
I tap my foot on the ground as I wait for Silas. He’s likely telling Junie, then making his way to his office or a room with a door to talk to me in private.
“Okay,” Silas says. The sound of a door clicking comes through the phone. “Tell me.”
Here goes nothing.
“I need two wolves stationed at a spell shop.”
“Did something happen?”
“No.” I drop my head toward my chest. “I’m…” I pause, not sure how to tell him without telling him. We don’t lie to our alpha, and although I don’t consider this lying, I’m greatly omitting the truth. “Do you trust me?”
“With my life.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “Then I’m asking you to trust me.”
A beat of silence, then, “Done. I’ll make sure two can be there within the hour. Send me the address.”
Silas hangs up, then I return to the room where Hunter and his wife are sitting.
“We good?” Hunter asks.
“Two wolves will be here within the hour.”
Rebecca smiles. “Perfect. Let’s get started, shall we? Here’s hoping we reach the right person.”
She dims the lights and asks us all to close our eyes. I’m skeptical, of course, but I do as she says. I’m still upset at Jasmine, and know I could talk to her, but I want to come to my own conclusions before we chat next.
“Do you remember—”
“Yes,” Rebecca interjects, cutting me off. “Keep your eyes closed until you hear a voice.”
I remain silent for what feels like an hour. The room is eerily quiet, and I nearly open my eyes when a rush of wind almost blows me off my chair. I have to reach for the table in front of me to remain seated.
“This is going to be good.” A different female voice enters the room.
My eyes fly open and Rebecca nods at me that I’m all clear to talk.
“Who are we speaking to?” I ask.
“You contacted me. Shouldn’t I know who’s infiltrated my mind?”
My wolf is threatening to growl at her tone. “This is Jake.”
“Jake? Werewolf Jake?”
“Um, yes?” I ask, confused. Hunter doesn’t seem to have a clue, either, based on his expression.
“What did you do to Jasmine? I swear to god that I’ll slice your balls off and feed them to the demon dogs.”
“Is that really a…” I trail off as I look across the table at Rebecca and see her nod. I scoff and shake my head. “She’s fine. Great, actually. Marisole, is it?”
“The one and only. Now, tell me why you contacted me, and be quick about it.”
I don’t know much about Marisole because I haven’t had the time to talk to Jasmine about our families, but from this short conversation, I can tell how much Jasmine means to her.
And having only talked with one other demon before, it’s still taking some getting used to, because their emotions aren’t like ours. Sure, I can tell she’s worried, but it’s not the same as someone who feels the dread, the sorrow, the sadness.
After I fill her in on why I’m here, the visit with Liam, and what happened between Jasmine and me, Marisole groans. “You’re such a fucking idiot.”
“Me? What? Nothing about Liam?”
“Oh, I know Liam is alive. He’s under dear old dad’s thumb, though, so not much to do to save him right now.”
“Why didn’t you—”
“I’ve barely talked to Jasmine in ten years. Ten years. Okay? You think I’m going to waste the few minutes I have talking to her telling her about Liam? It’s not good news. Being dead would have been better. Can we fix this thing with you and Jasmine now? Or do you have something else dumb to ask?”
“I—” I’m flabbergasted. “No.”
“Great. So, when will you see her next?”
“I don’t know.”
She scoffs. “What do you mean you don’t know? You didn’t make plans to chat about everything?”
“Well, no. I needed time.”
“Time for fucking what, Jake? Jasmine is at risk of being killed at any moment and you need time?”
I grip the table. “We’re enemies, Marisole.”
“You and Jasmine are enemies?”
“No, not us. You know what I mean.”
“I have a minute left before I have to go, otherwise I’ll be questioned for being so silent.”
“Where are you? Can you come here?”
“No. I’m in my father’s meeting room. They’re talking about Jasmine. You must find her. Help her.”
“How? What can I do?”
“She needs to make a bargain with our dad.”
“Okay…What kind of bargain? What could a god want?”
“Ah, point for you, lover boy. She wants to offer him a spot on the Council.”
“But…demons don’t have a spot on the Council…Wait…how is she going to do that?”
“Help her figure it out.”
Help her…But would she let me? The bond delivered her to me for a reason, fate intervening in the most mysterious ways. I have to find her.
“Wait, Marisole—”
“She’s gone,” Rebecca says.
I slump forward in my chair, palming the back of my neck.
“Do you know what you’re going to do?” Hunter asks.
I meet his gaze and shrug. “Should I? I don’t know how that was helpful.”
He raises his brows. “Are you forgetting the thing about the bargain?”
I sigh. “No, but that’s impossible. She doesn’t know anyone…Wait…” I spring up and pace, mumbling some ideas until Hunter begs I share them with the room.
“More secrets, okay?”
Hunter and Rebecca nod.
“The werewolf spot on the Council will be mine if I’m able to rid this area of the demons. It’s meant to be a test.”
“So, you could vouch for her?” Hunter asks.
“How? I don’t know how I’d even go about this.
I’d have to loop my alpha in. He’d have to be in on the plan.
I don’t even know what it means to bargain with a god.
And what if he denies the bargain?” I pace the room, throwing my arms out every which way as I think through the various terrible scenarios. “Fuck, I need to find Jasmine.”
Hunter gives me a thumbs up, and says, “Go, man. Get your gir—”
I’m out the door before Hunter can finish his sentence. My feet hit the pavement, and I’m running toward Jasmine. I can’t be late. I sprint harder.