Soul Betrayed (11 page)

“Nothing,” she said softly.

“I’ll see you downstairs,” I said, turning back to the mirror, checking my appearance one last time.

Gemma hovered in the doorway still but I pretended not to see her.

When we arrived at the market, I palmed Gemma off on Tristan. He was the most polite man I knew and he doted on my family. He appreciated my need for space as well.

Tristan’s lips brushed over mine. “I will see you soon?”

“Yes, yes,” I said distracted. I went to the first table I saw and absently touched a jeweled necklace.

“Do you see something you like?”

My head snapped up at an older woman on the other side of the table. “Just looking,” I said, smiling. My eyes wandered to the nearby tables.

My family had disappeared from view but I made my way around the other side of the table on the outskirts of the market, just in case they still lingered.

I traveled down the row closest to the buildings nearby. I would go to all of the vendors today, I would have to see him at one of them. I opened my purse and took out the owl trinket that he had given me, making a wish on it as I did each week.

“Hello.”

I turned to the alley in between two buildings, my heart blossoming in my chest. The dark-haired man was there leaning against the brick wall. I stood still. I noticed his outfit was similar to the one he’d worn the first time I saw him. It was an odd combination of black pants and a short sleeved shirt. Normally families dressed up for the fair, most going to church before coming down for the afternoon.

The aisle started to fill up. I moved out of the way of other patrons, bringing me closer to him. Deep down I knew it was wrong to feel attraction to this man, especially since I was to be married soon, but I couldn’t help myself. We had a strange connection. I felt as if I’d known him for years, yet we’d barely spoken. A feeling I’d only read about in books.

“I’m Maggie,” I said putting out my hand.

He smirked and took my hand, pulling me closer to him.

My heart skittered.

“Jackson.”

“I haven’t seen you at the market for a few weeks,” I said, hoping I didn’t sound as if I had been keeping track of him.

Jackson smiled, avoiding my eyes. “I’ve been busy.”

“Thank you for the owl,” I offered. I hadn’t realized I still held it in my hand. I twisted my body pretending to look around at the crowd and slipped it into my purse. “You didn’t have to.”

“I told you, I didn’t. It was a gift from Mr. Black.”

I smiled and nodded. “I’ll be sure to thank him.”

We were silent for a few seconds. He seemed distracted as he had been last time I saw him. “Where is your family?”

“I don’t—” His voice caught. His eyes widened. “I really should be going.” He started to move past me but I touched his arm.

We both looked at the spot where we were connected. I swore his breath caught in his throat because his chest didn’t move while mine felt as if it had a hummingbird caged inside.

“Maggie,” he said, tentatively touching my hand with his fingers. “I shouldn’t be here.”

“Are you married?” I blurted, immediately regretting it.

He smiled sadly. “No.”

I didn’t know why I was relieved, I wasn’t far away from my own nuptials. Everything about Jackson confused me.

He took my hands in his. They were cool to the touch. “I need to go now, but I promise we will see each other again soon.”

His voice faded away along with the memory. My life after meeting Jackson rapidly flickered in front of me like a movie on a projector. Our secret relationship built into something more. Each day had been filled with discussions about my future as a Prognatum. The prospect seemed exciting and dangerous, making my life seem dull in comparison.

Every moment was downloaded into my head bringing with it the emotional and physical feelings with it. Our connection had been deeper than anything I could have imagined with Tristan. As I thought of Tristan the memories slowed down until one of them played out in real time.

“What are you staring at?” I asked Jackson. He leaned against the counter, his arms casually crossed in front of him. We were in the kitchen, it was late. Most of our time together was stolen, cloaked by the guise of insomnia or needing a snack before bed.

“You,” he said, a smirk touching his lips.

I rolled my eyes, not giving away the butterflies in my stomach. I ripped a piece of bread from the loaf and chewed on it. “Want some?” I knew he ate sometimes but I figured because of his After status that he didn’t need food. There was so much I still needed to learn and I was excited that he would be the one to teach me.

His head snapped to the side. “Someone is coming.”

I shrugged. “Just go invisible.”

Jackson’s face tightened. He appeared next to me and grabbed my arm, pulling me into the pantry. He muffled my surprise by putting his hand over my mouth. I gasped under his touch, his warm hand sent sparks throughout me.

His mouth moved closer to my face. “I’m sorry, Mags,” Jackson whispered. “They were—” The door to the kitchen opened. I looked through the slits in the wooden pantry door and saw Tristan.

I turned to Jackson, frowning. “For what? He’s just—”

The kitchen door opened again and Gemma entered the room in her shift. I prepared myself for her terrified squeal—surely she didn’t know Tristan was in there.

But Tristan’s face lit up as he scooped her into his arms. They stood together for a few moments, embracing each other.

I leaned closer to the door, blinking several times. My breathing slowed as Tristan kissed the top of her head. The small gesture struck something inside me. I wanted to turn away but I couldn’t tear my gaze away from my sister and husband together.

Gemma smiled, her eyes closed and her cheek against his chest. My husband’s chest. I clenched my jaw.

“Now that she is with child, we have to stop this,” Gemma said in a hushed voice.

“I know,” Tristan said. “But she’s been distant. Different than she used to be.”

“She never wanted this,” Gemma admitted.

Her words betrayed me. That was something I had told her when I was younger. How dare she use them against me. I avoided looking at Jackson who was still as a statue. Tristan wasn’t lying about me being different but he would be too if he was a Prognatum. This world and the next had opened up for me and he would die someday when I wouldn’t.

“I wish your father would have chosen you for me,” Tristan said, his lips brushing hers.

Gemma leaned her head back and accepted his kiss.

My chest tightened and I stepped back from the door, unable to believe what I was seeing. I bumped into Jackson who in turn accidentally brushed against the shelves, moving against a few jars of jam. They clinked together and I turned around, holding them in place.

Tristan and Gemma jumped back from each other and stared at the pantry.

“Hello?” Tristan called.

I cursed under my breath.

Jackson disappeared. My eyes darted around the pantry looking for a place to hide. How would I explain being in here? They would have to know I saw them.

Something moved outside the kitchen door. Both of them jumped, turning toward the sound. Tristan gave Gemma a quick kiss and darted from the room. She reached for the loaf of bread I had been eating and ripped a piece off, biting into it as if she had been innocently eating it the whole time. My stomach churned. She stared at the door. Her red hair was disheveled from bed and kissing my husband. I had the urge to burst from my hiding spot and rip a chunk of it out of her head. She’d had everything she ever wanted, now she was taking more. She had her pick yet she chose the one thing I had.

But you have Jackson now.

That didn’t mean they could betray me.

Jackson appeared next to me. “That was close.”

I was silent as Gemma finished up, brushing her fingers together. Heaven forbid she had crumbs on her delicate skin. She took one last look around the room and left the kitchen the same way that Tristan had. Would they meet again tonight?

“Are you alright?” Jackson touched my arm.

I inhaled deeply, nodding. “I’m fine.”

“I didn’t want to upset you,” he said.

I scratched my cheek absently. “You knew about this?”

“Yes. But only just recently,” he said quickly. “When I found out you were pregnant I didn’t want to upset you.”

I pursed my lips. “I understand.”

He opened his mouth to say something but I touched my fingertip to his lips. “At least I know they will be happy when I am gone.” I turned to the pantry door, opening it. I shoved down the surge of rage that boiled through my veins.

I fell out of the onslaught of memories sucking in air as if I hadn’t breathed in twenty minutes. Tinny staccato sounds pummeled the space around me. I raised myself up and a hand clamped down on my arm. I yelped. The world moved sharply and I lost my balance, nearly slamming my face against the seat in front of me.

Ally righted the car as I realized where I was. “A little warning next time.”

I panted, taking in short gasps of air, attempting to calm my rattled nerves. The stifling heat from inside of me slowly vanished. Jackson had known about Tristan and Gemma but he protected me from the information. Not because I couldn’t handle it but because he wanted what was best for me. If I hadn’t been in the kitchen that night I would probably have never known. Then maybe I wouldn’t have killed them. As it was with most memories, I couldn’t exactly pinpoint all of them but with Jackson each memory was vivid with tangled thoughts that made my heart race.

The windshield wipers were at full speed against the pounding rain which did nothing to help my dizziness. We were on the same highway we’d traveled on earlier that day. Outside, the trees whipped by as the car accelerated.

I reached up and touched my pounding head. “Why are we going so fast?”

“They found us,” Cooper said, his expression hardening. Leaning over the divider he helped me sit up.

I jerked away from his touch.

A grimace turned his lips downward.

I rubbed a hand over my face. “What’s going on?”

“You passed out.” Cooper turned away from me. “They found us at the house.”

He failed to call Jackson by name. The thought of Jackson rustled deep inside of me and I turned around in my seat. A car was keeping a close distance behind, but enough to not hit us. Even though I couldn’t see him, I could feel him. “Stop the car.” I couldn’t keep the grin from my voice.

“Are you insane?” Ally said. “You’re human now, remember? No sword or transporting to protect you.”

The twisted memories of my life and after life melded together and even though Jackson had been the love of my life I knew I had everything I needed to prove my father wrong and actually make a difference. And a deeper need to see and touch Jackson again overwhelmed me.

I leaned between the two front seats. “If you don’t take me back, we might not get another chance like this. Father doesn’t trust me but I’m the only one that they want. Jack—They know I am with you. Maybe it if looks like I am being held against my will, they can trust me.”

Cooper’s jaw clenched. “We need more time.”

My humanity was quickly closing over my soul. I couldn’t think of a single reason not to be near Jackson. “Time for what? They have Jamie and they killed her friend. Who knows if she is next? I can’t just sit here when I am this close.”

Ally glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “What do you want to do, Cooper?”

His jaw clenched, but he shook his head. “Drive,” he ordered Ally.

I clasped my hands together to keep them from shaking. “You’re just as bad as my father.”

The headlights from the car behind us came up quickly, blinding me through the rearview mirror. I sat back in my seat. “I can do this.”

Cooper turned around. “I know you can do this but we need to follow protocol. There is a plan in place and we need to follow it to have the best chance.”

My fingernails dug into the fabric of the seat and I took in quick breaths, feeling as if the car was closing in around me. I had to get out of there. Jackson would protect me, he always had. It only took our shared memories for me to see that. I was now armed with the tools that could bring him back to our side. Taking a deep breath I opened the car door. The road moved quickly past us.

Ally slammed on the brakes and we skidded across the slick pavement. “Why is the door open?”

“Don’t stop!” Cooper yelled, reaching back to grab my arm.

“I’m going,” I said, willing him to understand.

His grip tightened. “Stop.”

The car screeched to a dead stop. “What are you—?” Ally asked.

“Her not you!” Cooper’s grip loosened just enough for me to slide my arm out of his hold.

One of my legs dangled out of the car. “I have Jamie’s phone. Use it to find me. I will be fine.”

“Maggie—” Cooper said in a quiet voice, pleading with me.

But just as Ally accelerated, I jumped.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

My foot caught on the lip of the door and I tumbled onto the concrete. Ally stopped the car again. The sleeves of my jacket rose and gravel and debris dug into my arms and I cried out. Cooper appeared at my side, his sword sheathed and lifted me to my feet.

“Cooper,” I breathed through the searing pain.

“Are you okay?”

Shoving my rain-soaked hair off my face I checked out my arm. “I’m fine—”It wasn’t as bad as I thought, the jacket had protected most of it, but I could feel blood pooling under the fabric. A biting wind chilled me to the bone and my teeth started to chatter, reminding me of Jamie’s tic. I had to make sure she was safe at the very least.