nods quickly, her fingers wiping tears as fast as they fall. “Yeah.”
“Who is this Chuck?” Gunnar asks, moving toward Maddie.
“Back off,” Jacky says.
Gunnar snorts. “No one tells me what to do, Three.”
“Jacky, asshole,” he corrects without fear of reprisal and Beth's eyes close.
“Jacky,” Jeb begins, “we'll figure out this situation better if you're not using every bit of profanity you possess.”
A crooked smile flashes across his face. “I'm not even warmed up yet, Merrick.”
Kennet chuckles. “The boy has a point. Bloodlings are the natural enemies of Reflectives. He's taken blood from a female under our care.” Kennet plants his feet apart, folding his arms, and gives Slade a hard stare. “Explain what's going on, Bloodling.”
“Yeah, park it for awhile guys and expound on your unwanted presence.” Jacky flops down on a recliner, spinning it in a single revolution.
“Jacky,” Maddie says, “quit it.”
Jacky pops up again and walks the short distance to Maddie. He grabs her arm and shakes her slightly. “Nah. These guys need their feet held to the fire, as my pop would say.”
“Take your hands from the female, Three.”
Jacky looks at Gunnar and Jeb intervenes. “They are both from Three. Madeline and Jacky have known each other since they were younglings.”
“He cannot touch her.”
Jacky grins. “Yʼknow, you're sure owning a lot of shit that's not yours. Back off.”
Gunnar moves in a blur of pearl-gray air rushing past Jeb.
Then he's got Jacky by the throat.
Maddie screams and steps between them, putting her palms on Gunnar's chest. “Please, I love him—Jacky's all the family I have.”
Gunnar hisses, dropping Jacky, who lands on his ass for the second time, hands at his throat.
Gunnar grips Maddie against his chest. “Don't hurt him—please,” she repeats.
Gunnar's hand moves below her hair, kneading her nape softly. “For you I will abstain.”
“What's going on, Jeb?” Beth asks.
Jeb moves toward her and away from the couple forming before his eyes.
“What is this complication, Merrick?” Kennet asks, looking between Gunnar and Maddie then at Slade.
Jeb takes Beth's hand, and a low growl parts Slade's lips. Jeb gives him a sharp look.
“I think,” Jeb says slowly, “that we have two Bloodlings that are here for a purpose, and Maddie's been caught in some kind of blood magic.”
Jacky coughs. “I think it's a shit ton more than that, Merrick. Did you hear the big doofus?” He hitches his jaw toward Slade. “He said that Maddie was this other slack jaw's.”
“What is a ʻslack jaw’?” Gunnar asks, his eyes pinning Jacky to the floor.
Beth groans.
“Don't explain, Jacky,” Jeb says.
“A dumb ass,” Jacky answers, smirking.
“Jacky,” Maddie says, “I'm begging you—stop egging him on.”
“No begging, small one,” Gunnar says, stroking a finger underneath her chin. “You beg to no one.”
Jacky snorts. “You don't know Maddie, chump. All you needed right then was a quick bite.” Jacky snaps his teeth together several times, and both Gunnar and Slade glare at him. “And Maddie was conveniently here. No, she's just some—no offense, man—blood whore for you. And when another chick comes along with the yum factor, Maddie will be a throwaway. And dude, she doesn't need your brand of noise.”
Beth moves with the speed of calculation, slapping her father's face so hard it rocks back. “You're a liar. Jacky's right.”
Maddie cries out.
Jeb moves in as Gunnar grabs her wrist. “I am Bloodling. We are many things, but deceit at the expense of a defenseless female is not one of them.”
A shrill whistle pierces the tense tangle of limbs and rage-filled gazes. All eyes move to Kennet.
His fingers drop from his lips. “I understand this is a huge mess. But what we really need to consider is all the Reflectives coming to collect Beth.”
Jeb looks at Kennet, leaking a rough exhale. He nods. Kennet's right.
“Who is coming to take Beth?” Slade asks, his eyebrows gone low over glittering obsidian eyes.
“You don't need an explanation, Bloodling. She is my claimed soul mate. I am the only male who needs to understand Beth's future.”
Beth blanches, and Jeb winces at his own words, however true they are.
Slade's lips curl. “Yes, and has she claimed you as well, Reflective?”
Jeb squares off with Slade, hearing Beth's sigh.
“Jeb,” Beth says, touching his arm. Softening instantly at her touch, he flicks his eyes at her. “This isn't helping. Posturing is delaying. Kennet is trying to tell us to formulate a plan. Now.”
She turns to Slade. “How much did you hear when you took me from The Cause Headquarters courtyard?”
Slade lifts his shoulders and Beth looks at Gunnar. “Nothing, we came upon you, and