Claiming the Jackal by Seressia Glass Read Free Book Online Page A

smile. “You feel it, too?”
    Rana nodded. “I couldn’t concentrate on work. Something is wrong or about to be wrong. I prepared the infirmary, just in case.”
    Worry lined Tia’s features, making her seem older than Rana knew her to be. “Markus is in the communication room, in contact with both patrols. He’ll let us know if there’s anything to be concerned about. For now, I could really use a distraction. Tell me about you and the captain of the guard.”
    A flush crept up Rana’s cheeks. “There’s nothing much to tell.”
    “Really?” Tia’s eyes twinkled. “That bedchamber may be soundproof, but the infirmary isn’t. Neither is the kitchen.”
    “Blessed Anubis.” She rubbed at her forehead. She wasn’t keeping her relationship with Hector a secret, but she wasn’t sure if it was something she wanted to share, something he wanted to share. “Hector and I are...enjoying each other’s company.”
    It was the truth even if it didn’t convey the depth of connection she had with the captain. Anytime her thoughts weren’t on her work, they were on him. She enjoyed him so much that the idea of not being with him filled her with panic that brought on bouts of cold sweat.
    Tia studied her. “So things aren’t serious between you two?”
    Rana couldn’t answer that without lying, and Tia would know it for a lie the moment the words left her lips. She tried for deflection instead. “How can it be serious? I’m an Isis witch, not a jackal.”
    That cold dose of reality cramped her stomach. She knew enough about Hector to know that he had little care for Daughters of Isis, and even less trust. It was why she had yet to tell him about her bloodline. Not only would it end their relationship, whatever sort of relationship it was, but it would also end her time here at the jackal compound. Her mission to stop Amansuanan was too important to jeopardize, not when her experiments had finally yielded some results she could take to Markus.
    Markus chose that moment to race down the hall. “We have injured incoming,” he announced. Rana could feel his magic streaming from him, filling the main area. In moments the community house would be flooded with jackals. “At least one is severely injured, and one, Derek, is missing. When the injured are attended to, I’ll take Hector and some of the other guards back out to find him.”
    “Markus.” Worry clouded Tia’s features as she took her mate’s hands.
    “He’s my responsibility. I have to bring him home.”
    “Of course.”
    Rana cleared her throat of the sudden relief of knowing that Hector wasn’t missing or gravely injured. “With your permission, I’ll go ready the infirmary”
    “Thank you, Rana.” Markus nodded. “The other priestesses who helped you before have been called. They’ll be down shortly.”
    “Yes, sir.” Rana quickly retreated downstairs to don her scrubs. The three priestesses who’d helped her with previous medical emergencies entered the infirmary and she quickly directed them to prepare, standing ready at each bed.
    No sooner had they gotten into position than the infirmary erupted into chaos. She swung into action as the first jackals were brought in, ascertaining severity of injuries. Pushing everything else aside, she sank into the flow of healing, using magical and mundane means. She had no idea how long she worked as she directed the other priestesses’ healing abilities in an all-out effort to save the jackal warriors.
    Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t save the young jackal. The only thing she could do for him was make his final moments comfortable and be with him as Anubis claimed him.
    Silence filled the infirmary as she withdrew her magic. Several guards took up what space there was around the beds, with mates sitting beside a couple of the injured men. She blinked back tears as she pulled the sheet up over the fallen jackal and called his time of death. Even though she’d lost patients before,