I get the job done and still make it to Phoenix’s evening performance. The last appointment didn’t want to let me go and the fucking pill made me last way longer than I wanted to, but I’m here and semi-coherent. I doze during a piece that doesn’t have Phoenix, but then she’s out there the rest of the night and I sit on the edge of my seat.
I can’t get her face and her tears out of my head. I don’t like...caring. Caring is the opposite of not giving a fuck, which is what I do best. I wait for her, timing when she should be ready to leave for the after-party. She doesn’t take as long as I expect, and when she walks out, she’s dressed like she’s ready for practice, not a party. I duck into one of the unused rooms until she’s down the hall and then follow her out of the building.
She’s already made me aware of a couple of things I’m ashamed of, stalking her right up at the top of them. But when she walks to what I assume is her building, I think maybe she’s just exhausted and needs a night off. I lean against the side of the wall, feeling like an idiot. Ah well. I needed a good excuse to skip the party. I’m about to find a ride to the compound when a car comes barreling out of the parking garage.
“A thief and a reckless driver.” I shake my head.
I hold my wrist up and a cab finds me within seconds.
“Sir…” My security detail comes running after me.
“Not tonight, fuckers!” I hop into the cab, knowing there will be hell to pay for this later.
“Follow that car, please,” I say quietly.
Eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror, but the woman doesn’t speak. I message Yvonne that I won’t need her until the next morning. It’s not uncommon for me to spend the night at a party. But my security will be irate...unless they’re already following. The longer we drive, the more this feels like a bad idea. I don’t want Phoenix on the Society’s radar more than she already is. A pregnancy with someone as high profile as Phoenix would have them coming in their proverbial pants.
I nearly tell the woman to turn around, but at this point, I’m too curious. It’s an hour before Phoenix slows her car and pulls into a driveway. I tap the glass.
“Let me out here, please.” It’s too dark to see much, but it looks like a house is tucked behind the trees.
She stops right then, not going even an inch closer. Obedient, I’ll give her that.
“Shall I wait?” she asks.
“No, thank you.” I give her a hefty tip and step out into the brisk night. I wait until she’s driven off before walking toward the house.
I’m two hundred feet from the door when I hear the distinct sound of the safety sliding off of a gun.
“Don’t move.”
I let out a stream of curses under my breath and then hear Phoenix’s voice.
“Jackal?” Her soft voice sounds so innocent, when she is really the spawn of Satan.
“Yes, it’s fucking Jackal,” I spit. “Put the fucking gun down.”
A blinding light shines in my face and I squeeze my eyes shut, seeing spots. When I open them, Phoenix is lowering a shotgun.
“Where did you get that thing?”
“Keep your voice down,” she says, right in my ear. “It belonged to my grandfather.”
“Who do we have here?” Another voice says softly. “I thought I recognized that simpering voice…”
The hair on the back of my neck stands up. “Gwen?” I hiss.
Gwen has an identical shotgun pointed at me, but unlike Phoenix, she doesn’t lower it. I can’t believe I’m staring at the tiny figure of Gwen Allison. Before I can say a word, Phoenix grabs me by the arm and shines the light toward the house. Gwen follows behind us.
“This is fucked,” I say. “We’re all fucked.”
TWELVE
PHOENIX
Female Komodo dragons get pregnant without men.
It smells like rain in the kitchen. I lean over the sink, pushing the window open and glancing at Jackal. He watches me, unblinking with his warm molasses eyes, and I feel violated. With Jackal here I’m a visitor in my own kitchen, all gangly and gawky. I still picture my grandfather standing in the same spot Jackal is standing now, his silver hair thick and windblown from being outside. He always seemed larger than life, the smell of him filling up the room. He smelled like cut grass, coffee, and Vicks VapoRub. Jackal, both arms folded across his chest, is a giant in comparison to my grandfather. And he smells like...I don’t know…notVicks. I sniff the air around him.