A Guardian Angel-in-training. A soul-eating djinn. A werewolf ex-convict torn between love and vengeance. More than a heart hangs in the balance.
Season 1 of Into the Wild Dark
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Wrongfully-convicted Jack Slobodnik wants his life back. Four years...
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Ch. 11: Sunny's Wings
August 18 | Night
Scrunched in the lotus position, I fumbled with the net of my attention and strove to let my thoughts flow through it like water. Unfortunately, big fish ideas kept getting in the way. Be like water. Like water. Earbuds piped the voice of a hypnotist directly into my ears, and I should have been better at following his mellow instructions. I focused on my breathing, the steady inhale held for three counts and huffed out for six.
However, a shark of emotion swamped the boat of my awareness, and I found myself thinking about Mal's fingers grazing the nape of my neck in the upscale clothiers, her whispered speech warming my earlobe. I pictured Jack's grin when I realized he was standing there, privy to the coy back-and-forth between the djinn and me. Had he appeared ruffled? No, although I had spent my day perusing books on human nature and knew that he should have.
Every description of romance had admonished against getting involved with the love interests of a friend. Regardless of what Jack said about her simply being his lawyer, it was obvious he had something kinky going on with Mal. Depending on the depth of their flirtationship, she and I having an intimate conversation could even be considered disloyalty.
I didn't want to be disloyal. Only, I couldn't keep this body from responding. It was bad enough that I had chemistry with Jack. My attraction to Mal hit me like a semi-truck. It seemed amoral, given what I was.
And meditation wasn't helping one wit.
Grumbling, I snatched out the earbuds and launched to my feet. There was someone at the door, and I could tell by the shadow slanting across the blinds of my kitchen window that it was Jack. I shoved my face in my palms. Was it too much to pray that he thought I wasn't home and just went away? I dropped my hands and opened the door. The streetlight blinded me. He was silhouette against it like a cutout of Adonis.
"Hey, there. You need something?" Smiling was labor.
As he let himself in, Jack slit his eyes and peered at me sideways. "You okay? You look like shit. Got a headache? Fever? There's a virus going around."
"No, I'm–" The back of his hand checked my forehead before I could stop him. Closing my eyes in resignation, I gently pushed his hand away. "I'm fine, really. I was resting."
"Ah, Taekwondo practice kicking your ass. Come here." He pulled me into a hug and rubbed the base of my skull. I let myself be held while his rumbling laughter tickled my chest. "Those little buggers can be insistent, can't they? I wanted to show you the gift Mal gave me last night, but now I'm sorry I interrupted your sleep."
"It's not the kids. It's something going on with work, but I wasn't sleeping. I was-I was trying to meditate."
Jack framed my face to study me. Somehow the innocent perusal thickened into something more. He slowly licked his lips as his gaze dropped to my mouth. I swear I didn't intend to follow his tongue. He leaned in by degrees. I held my breath. Before the kiss connected, I spun away.
