I could tell I was still in shock. I was thinking way too clearly not to be. My mind was also going on really weird tangents which meant I was probably going to cry myself to sleep later and then not eat for days on end. That’s how I dealt with grief, which was kind of weird because I barely knew Jack.
Kabita was pulling me away from Jack’s body, whispering words that weren’t quite making sense. Either I was in worse shape than I thought, which I doubted, or it was a spell.
“Don’t you pull that voodoo shit with me,” I snapped at her. Anger surged up to take the place of shock.
“It’s not voodoo and you know it,” she snapped right back. “It’s just a spell to make you feel better.”
“I don’t care what it is; I don’t want to feel better.” God I was being such a child. I knew very well the difference between vodun and witchcraft; I just wanted to piss Kabita off. Nothing pisses off a witch more than calling her spells voodoo. I was actually OK with pissing Kabita off right then.
She sighed and there was a lot of sadness behind it. “I’m sorry, Morgan. I’m really sorry. I honestly thought he was going to kill you. If I’d realized … I’m sorry.” Moonlight turned her into shadow, but I felt her sorrow just the same. Sorrow for me, not for Jack.
I closed my eyes. Woulda, shoulda, coulda. “Yeah, I know.” I pulled my arm out of her grasp and knelt back down on the grass next to Jack’s body. The moonlight shimmered on his skin and turned his hair black. I ran my fingers through the heavy silkiness of it, cool in the night air. I leaned down to press my lips against his one last time and nearly had a heart attack.
His eyes flew open. His mouth moved, like he was trying to talk and then his body arched off the ground as he drew in a gasping breath, lungs heaving. Coughs wracked his body as he struggled to breathe.
“Jack? Jack!” It was like his body was relearning to breathe. I grabbed him and rolled him on his side in the recovery position. Hooray for first aid training. He seemed to breathe a little easier.
He was dead. I’d seen him die. I’d bloody well held him in my arms while he died. Kabita had driven a stake through his heart, for fuck’s sake. Nobody came back from that.
I pulled out one of my knives and sliced open his shirt so I could see his back. Where there should have been a gaping hole was smooth, flawless skin marred only by a rough coat of dried blood. I ran my fingers over the warm silk of his back. He was perfect. Not even a scar to show where the stake had gone in. We were both still covered in blood; there’d been a lot of it, but no marks.
As his breathing eased, I helped him sit up, using my body to brace him. Kabita was staring at both of us with her mouth hanging open. I couldn’t blame her.
I brushed his hair out of his face and stared into his eyes. He stared back. Neither of us said a word, but I knew it was him. It was Jack. He’d been dead a minute ago, his soul, spirit, whatever gone. I didn’t doubt that for a second.
“Jack, what the hell just happened?” My voice was a little husky from all the crying.
“I died.”
“No shit. But you are very much alive now.”
“Yes.”
I glared at him. Honestly the man needed a good smack alongside the head. “Now would be a really good time to explain.”
He sighed and winced a little. I frowned. “Do you still hurt?”
“A little. It will pass.” He gave me one of those manly brave smiles that men gave you when they’re badly hurt but trying to be all macho. Men were so weird. They got a paper cut and acted like they were dying, but a true injury and they tried to play the big, brave hero.
“Uh, huh. I’m sure. I still want an explanation.” I almost didn’t care, I was so glad he was alive, but the Hunter in me needed to know.
“My fate is tied to the amulet. I am its Keeper, its Guardian, and I will remain so until the true owner of the amulet is found.”
I didn’t get it. This was all starting to sound a bit weird and mystical to me. “This has to do with that stupid amulet? What do you mean, ‘true owner’?”
“It’s a long story,” he shook his head. He pulled out of my arms and staggered to his feet. He swayed a moment then gathered himself together. He stretched a little, testing the skin and muscles as though to make sure they still held together.
I sighed. He obviously wasn’t ready to share, but we were beyond the point of secrets and half-truths. “Fine. I’m taking you home. But, Jack, when we get there, you are going to tell me everything. Understand? Everything.” I guess I must have looked pretty stubborn because he finally nodded in agreement.