Page 82 of Jagged Souls
The guilt over wishing that I didn’t even stay with Leno as he died now.
That I left him to run to my wife.
Even though by the looks of this place, I know I would have just died. There are over twenty dead werewolves here, two monsters, and way too many spiders to count. I would have been torn apart in seconds.
But I would’ve been here.
She would’ve seen me at least trying to get her back…
“Come on,” Khalid says as Maddox shudders in his arms. “Let’s finish here so we can go home.”
Home…
Home is where Micha is.
And she is not at the Shadow house.
Twenty-One
HIM
We arrive back at the house in solemn silence.
The place feels empty. Hollow. Everyone’s exhausted, but no one wants to sleep.
“Krypto!” Louise shouts from somewhere further inside, and a split second later, a missile of red fur, big ears, and a wagging tail comes streaking towards us.
Maddox drops to his knees, fresh tears on his cheeks, his arms open. The dog barrels into him, and my brother holds him tight, but he can’t get him to stay still. The dog’s too ecstatic over our return. He bashes into our legs, moving us aside so he can find Leno. He jumps between us, barking and shaking his entire backside in excitement.
Leno often plays –playedhide and seek with him…
It was a bit unfair, but Krypto loved it.
“He’s made a full recovery, Leno,” Louise says brightly as she walks down the hallway, followed by Micha’s sister and Khalid’s girl.
The reaper runs to hiskira, his master, the love of his life who owns all his reasons for breathing. Then he’s gathering her in his arms and kissing her, taking comfort from her, basking in the knowledge that she is safe.
I look away, the punch of envy in my stomach making me sick. That is the reunion I should be having with my wife.
“Shit,” Louise says softly. She knows Leno would’ve been the first through the door to get to his dog.
“Where’s Micha?” Lou asks as she stops in front of me, her neck craning around me, trying to see who’s holding her sister. Her heart beats a million miles an hour as hope wrestles in the pores of her skin.
Maddox reaches for Krypto again with a little sob, but the dog bounces away, sniffing the air, searching for our brother. He barks, tired with the game of hide and seek. He just wants to see him come home.
“I’m sorry, Lou,” I tell her, my throat tight, my words thick. “Antonio transported her away before we could get to her.”
“I fucked up the summoning,” Maddox says as he stands, his own guilt hitting him as hard as mine. Tears run down his cheeks without shame.
She shakes her head as she turns to him. “But you told him it was for me, right?” Denial and panic seeps into her eyes.
“Yes. And he helped us, but then another demon – the Prince of Rage came through too, and he dragged him back to Halzaja.”
“What? No. No, you’re lying.”
“I’m sorry –”
“No!”
