7: JACK

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JACK POV

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JACK POV

As Rose walks through the threshold of the house my phone buzzes. I pull it out of my pocket and glance down at the message. It's Matt.

Dude, you have a delivery from Guardian Corp. Get back here.

I exhale heavily.

So, he's told the Godmother already. That was quicker than I thought.

Rose turns in the doorway, her blonde hair swishing over her shoulder. Her brown eyes burn into mine.

"What's up? You coming?" 

"Um, nothing. Yeah...sure."

She shrugs then enters the house.

I can't follow though. I need to get back. And I don't want Rose going in there without me. I don't know what instructions will be left for me back at my room but the swiftness of the delivery tells me that the Godmother really doesn't want Rose in here.

I need to do my job.

Plus - and I try not to think it because keeping Rose safe is not my job - the Godmother may have left any number of nasty surprises in here that could harm Rose if she is alone.

I glance over my shoulder, catching sight of the nearest bush - growing by the side of the stone wall. I swiftly reach out with my hand and grab one of the spikey twigs as hard as I can, feeling the thorns sink into my skin. Crimson red blood seeps out from my closed fist.

I uncurl my fingers.

"Um...Rose," I say. "I think I need to head back."

"Yeah, OK, whatever," she says absently without looking back. "Have fun."

"Rose," I lean against the doorframe and watch as she snoops around the cobweb coated shadows of the entrance hall, "I'm injured."

She spins around and I hold up my hands so she can see the blood pouring down my left palm.

"You're not going to send me off by myself, are you? I could bleed to death," I cock my head to the side and my smile broadens. "I think you need to nurse me back to health."

An exasperated look crosses her face. Her eyes flash with irritation.

"Oh, for God's sake..."

She walks up to me and I catch her scent, sweet against the musty smell of the old house. She grabs my left wrist and pulls my hand closer to her face, observing the deep welts in my skin.

My pulse quickens at the contact of her skin against mine but I hurriedly steady it.

"How the hell did you do that?" she says, "Can I not turn my back on you for one minute?!"

"Apparently not," I say. "You're going to take my back home, right?"

An annoyed sound escapes from her lips, but she nods. She drops my wrist, leaving my arm to fall by my side, then walks past me out into the front of the house.

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