Page 48 of Jake

Chapter Nine

“Jesus, Quint.” Jake struggled to catch his breath. The furniture swirled around him like he was on a fucking carnival ride. He lay on the bed, still clutching Kai.

“There’s no easy way to do it, my friend. We’re here, good enough.” Quintus shrugged and walked toward the door.

“We’re here?” Jake glanced around the strange room. “Where exactly is that?”

“Mi casa es su casa.” Quintus gave a nod of his head. “Make yourself at home, mate. Sorry I couldn’t zap us back to your place, but I was runnin’ on instinct and this is home base.”

“No worries, man. Appreciate it.”

“Jonathon and his crew won’t find us here. Even if they did, Kade would kick his ass across the Mississippi before they stepped into the Quarter. Besides,” Quintus rapped on the drywall. “Got wards. No one’s getting in here tonight.”

“Like I said, good enough.” Jake smoothed the back of his hand over Kai’s cheek. “Tomorrow we’ll regroup.”

“Is she okay?” Quintus asked.

“She’s sleeping. Pulse is normal. Whatever happened to her in there…” Jake’s chest tightened as he recalled how she’d partially shifted. He’d watched in awe as she fed Jonathon to the lethal school of fish. Not once did she flinch during the brutal attack. She’d only stopped after he’d commanded her.

“You’re her master.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure what that means. The whole thing could’ve been a fluke. I’ll admit I’m turning into an Alpha. But this…what she did…” Jake sighed, recalling her strength. “Did you see her in there?”

“Oh, yeah. I saw all right. Wouldn’t want her coming after me. Your girl looks like she can bite, too. You see those choppers?” Quintus laughed.

“She looked more like a lion than a wolf…but not really. And that light thing she does? She was like a fucking glow stick. I don’t even know what the hell that was about.”

“She’s a pixiu. Powerful.”

Jake glanced to Kai’s arm. Her creamy white skin was splattered with droplets of crusty brown-colored blood. “This isn’t hers.”

“Jonathon has a shot of getting his hand back.” Quintus shrugged. “Maybe yes. Maybe no. It’s hard to tell. Some of us regenerate.”

“What the hell are you talking ‘bout?” Disgust washed across Jake’s face; his nose scrunched at the thought.

“You know, like a lizard. Cut a tail off. Grows back.”

“Now that is something I don’t need to see.”

“Leo does it.”

“You?”

“Well, yeah. It’s not like you lose an appendage every day. But you know…things can go missing.” Quintus laughed.

“Things? What sort of things?” Jake’s eyes widened as the possibilities ran through his mind. “Yeah…I don’t want to know. I’m good stopping right there in this convo.”

“Look, a guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do. You never know what can happen. Lose a finger. A foot. Hell, I’ve seen a vamp or two lose their dick.”

“Hey now.” Jake held up his hand in protest. “No. Don’t even tell me that’s happened to…”

“No worries. I’m not telling you any secrets, wolf.” Quintus laughed, turning away. “Listen, I’ve gotta get something to eat. Zapping us all back here…it takes a lot out of me. I’ll be back.”

“Hey, Quint. With Kai…if I really am her master.” Jake paused, afraid to speak the question that pinged around in his head. He’d spoken to her beast, and it listened. Whether happenstance or otherwise, she’d submitted to his command. Mate. He closed his eyes briefly and blew out a breath. It was impossible. “I just don’t get this. How the hell am I mixed up with a pixiu?”

“You know how the Goddess works. There are things we cannot explain. I can’t say your task is an easy one. Kai’s correct about one thing. Others will seek to destroy her, to steal her fortune. Until she is bonded, commanded by no other, she is most vulnerable. She needs her mate.”

“Ho, ho, hold on there,” Jake said. His eyes fell to her lips and back to Quintus. “Let’s not go throwin’ ‘round the ‘M’ word. She’s not a wolf. I’ll admit we’ve got chemistry, but that’s all that’s goin’ on.”