Mills & Boon : Seducing The Jackal by Seressia Glass Read Free Book Online Page B

Daughter of Isis was
responsible for Asharet’s death, Aya would have known and done something about
it.
    Tia rubbed her forehead with her palms in sudden fatigue and
frustration. “I don’t know anyone capable of that. I don’t think Aya does,
either.”
    “Think, Tia! Think of all the Daughters that you know. One of
them has to know more about the night of blood. Someone, one of the survivors,
had to have seen something, or have suspicions of who would want Asharet
destroyed!”
    “I don’t know, Marcus, all right? I don’t know!”
    They stared at each other for an electrified moment. Finally,
Markus scrubbed a hand over his head. “I’m sorry. I’ve spent centuries on this
mystery, coming close but never getting answers. The Lost Ones have gained in
strength and numbers while the Sons of Anubis are threatened now more than ever.
Even if I can’t defeat the undead once and for all, it would end the conflict
with the Daughters of Isis and return us to being the allies we once were.”
    Sincerity rang in every word he spoke and Tia found herself
wavering, wanting to believe him, wanting to trust him. Wanting to do anything
to erase the pain and weariness that tarnished his golden eyes.
    “I’ll talk to my grandmother,” she offered. “I’ll take your
message to the Elder Sisters and the circle. If the threat is as great as you
say, it would be stupid for our people to keep being at each other’s
throats.”
    His expression lightened. “I didn’t think Isis witches like you
existed anymore.”
    “I’m not all that special.” Bitterness filled her mouth. “As
far as my circle is concerned, I failed to live up to my promise or my
potential. Nobody begged me to stay when I left. Even Grandmother Aya thought it
was a good idea to go. The Elders might not let me speak to the full coven.”
    His touch to her shoulder surprised her. So did the compassion
in his eyes. “Their loss is the jackals’ gain. You promised to help my people
and you have lived up to that potential. Maybe it was the will of the gods, you
leaving your circle. After all, if you were still with your coven, you wouldn’t
be here now.”
    She arched a brow at him. “And that’s supposed to be a good
thing?”
    At least he had the good grace to look chagrinned, even if he
didn’t mean it. “For the record, I’m sorry I didn’t offer you the choice to help
us.”
    Her heart did another flip in her chest. “For the record, I
don’t know if I would have agreed to come with you or not,” she confessed,
something loosening inside her.
    He smiled. “I would have taken you anyway. In this case
especially, the ends justify the means. Still, it would have been gentlemanly to
have offered.”
    It was so ridiculous she had to laugh, though her laughter
quickly disintegrated into a jaw-cracking yawn. With a full belly and restored
magic, sleep now asserted its hold. “Nice to know there’s a gentleman inside
there somewhere. I feel so much better now.” She yawned again as she crawled
beneath the covers.
    “Talk about being gentlemanly.” He shook his head in
self-disgust. “You needed sleep.”
    “I needed the food and the sex more.” She slid down deeper into
the bed, her eyes sliding closed. Egyptian cotton sheets atop a mattress that
molded to her body threatened to pull her under immediately. “But, yeah, it’s
catching up to me.”
    “Then get some rest. I’ll come back in a few hours and we can
start the healing rituals for Alonso and Rashon again.”
    “Come back?” she echoed, blinking at him. “Isn’t this your
room?”
    “It is.” He proved it by grabbing a pair of jeans out of a
dresser drawer.
    “Why don’t you stay?” At his surprised glance, she held up her
hands. “I promise not to kill you in your sleep.”
    “As if.” He tossed the jeans onto the dresser. “Even if you
did, you’d still have to get past the jackals guarding the hall, and we’re all
trained to grieve later, avenge now, no matter