Chapter 331

“Wait, I can’t go yet!” I gasp, laughing, delighted that this is working out as I planned. “I’m still alive!” I turn to Jesse, buzzing with happiness and energy. “Want to take me out, cousin?”

“You’re insane,” Jesse murmurs, but he sighs and reaches down to take one of my pistols off the ground. “But yes, cousin, nothing would give me more pleasure.”

I gasp dramatically as Jesse raises the gun and gives me a steady shot in the shoulder. I gasp, stumbling back, pretending to be grievously wounded. But then I’m laughing, dashing forward and taking Jackson’s hand as he snarls and pulls me to his side.

“This really is crazy,” he murmurs, beaming down at me as Jesse turns towards his shocked troops and starts to shout out orders. “There’s going to be hell to pay for this.”

“I said I wasn’t going into battle without you,” I reply, stepping close and smiling up at him. I shrug. “They should have listened.”

“Oh, get out of here, you ghosts,” Tony says, laughing and giving me a little shove. “The rest of us have work to do.”

“Don’t lose!” Jackson calls, tugging me with him as he turns away towards the check-point at the back of the base. “Follow the plan – it’s a good one – you should –“

“Go on, McClintock!” Jesse shouts. I turn for a second to see him grinning at us, waving as we go. “I’m in charge now!”

“They’re doomed,” Jackson murmurs as I turn back to him and we head through the woods.

“Oh, who cares,” I sigh, pressing myself closer to his side than I probably should. “Let’s go hang out.”

About thirty minutes later we’re back at the school after a fairly awkward helicopter ride with Blythe and two more Cadets I don’t know. Blythe just gaped at me as Jackson and I climbed into the helicopter, clearly not understanding what the hell my motives were in taking him out only to die so soon.

But I just glared at him right back and don’t say a word, remembering what he said about Juniper. Mind to mind, I passed Jackson the information about what Blythe said. Jackson went rigid and then turned a ferocious snarl Blythe’s way, ready to rip him to pieces.

It gave me a great deal of pleasure to see each and every drop of blood drain out of Blythe’s face.

But that pleasure quickly drains from me as we disembark the helicopter and Jackson and I go our own way, because I still have a great deal more to do today.

Well, tonight. Today I imagine the people I want to have important conversations with will be busy with the Games. But still, there’s a great deal to prepare for tonight.

Jackson walks quietly at my side during our traverse through the castle and back to our room. But when we get inside, he quietly takes my hand and turns me to him.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Ari?” he asks, frowning down into my face. “I could have helped you with this.”

“It was mine to do, Jacks,” I say, raising my chin and squeezing his hand. “I kind of needed this to not be a Team Sinclair sort of thing. I needed it to be mine.”

He raises an eyebrow at me. “But aren’t we a team? You and me?”

I step close to him, looking quietly up into his face. “We are,” I say, meaning it with my whole heart. “But when you and I are a team, Jacks…I think sometimes people just see you, and don’t notice lil ole me standing there at your side.”

He growls a little at the idea. “Only fools would make that mistake,” he says, raising a hand to my cheek.

“Yeah, well,” I say with a sigh. “World is full of a lot of fools.”

“And you’ve thought about the consequences of this?” he asks quietly. “The Captain is going to flip. At best you’re going to lose your status as his little pet sniper, his favorite student. At worse, you’ll get kicked out of school.”

I take another step closer, wrapping my arms around his waist, resting my chin on his chest as I look up at him. “I won’t get kicked out of school.”

“How do you know that?” he murmurs, knocking my cap off and stroking a hand over my braided hair.

“Nepotism,” I say with a grin.

He laughs, short, and shakes his head. “You’re very confident, Sinclair.”

“It’s what I tried to say last night, Jacks,” I whisper, my face falling into more serious lines. “We’re not just…students playing games anymore, not really. We’re prepping for actual war – and considering what we can do when we’re together, they shouldn’t be training us separately. It’s a waste of time. And if they won’t listen to me when I say that – I’ll make them listen.”

“Bold little fire sprite,” Jackson murmurs, gazing down at me, his support clear in his expression as well as down our bond. “I hope you’re right.”

“You’re in trouble too, you know,” I say, grinning up at him. “You didn’t have to leave. You could have shot me first – I’d have let you.”

“And turn down the opportunity to hang out with you all afternoon?” he says, raising an eyebrow at me. “As well as make a very bold statement to the authorities that my allegiances are to the Princess and her alone?”

I grin at Jackson and he shakes his head.

“No way, tiny,” he murmurs, bending slightly to press a kiss to my forehead. “I wasn’t missing this.”

I laugh and reach my arms up, emitting a little squeak of demand, and Jackson laughs, immediately picking me up and turning me in a circle as I wrap my arms around his neck, burying my face against his shoulder and hugging him quite tight. And even as he holds me close and I let warmth and happiness flood me, I know that it’s short-lived.

Jackson is right - that I’ve got a storm of trouble coming my way quite soon. Still, until it does? I’m going to enjoy every bit of rest and relaxation that I’ve got.

“Come on,” Jackson says with a little sigh, carrying me to the couch and then putting me down on my feet when we get there. “Are you hungry? You should eat – and then we have work to do. We’ve got to plan out what you’re going to say to the Captain, because he’s going to walk in here in a complete rage and –“

“Oh, I’ve already done all that,” I say with a little yawn, stretching my arms over my head.

He goes a bit still, frowning at me. “When did you do that?”

“Last night,” I say, waving a hand at him, dismissing the point. Honestly, I’ve got all of that planned. “I think I have other priorities this afternoon.”

Jackson just stares at me like I’m insane – again – but I just smile and fold my hands behind my back, turning sharply on my heel and heading for the bathroom.

“Okay,” Jackson sighs, sitting down on the couch. “I’ll be out here when you’re ready.”

I don’t say anything. Instead I just quietly go into the bathroom and step to the side, leaving the door open. I turn on the shower to a nice steamy setting and unbraid my hair. Then I strip off all of my clothes, starting with my boots and leaving everything in a piled heap in the corner.

Taking a deep, happy breath in anticipation of the way the water is going to feel against my skin, I step beneath the rainfall shower head and tilt my head back, instantly drenched and loving the feel of it on my face.

As I do that, I send a little pulse of want down the bond to Jacks. Just a tiny thing. A nudge. An invitation.

A few moments later, I hear his footsteps at the door and I turn around.

I step forward a little so that the water only hits my back, taking a moment to wipe my face so that I can see him standing there, staring at me, a little shocked.

I take a moment then as my heart begins to pound and I bite my lip. “Well?” I say, the word soft as I give a little shrug. “Are you coming in?”

My mate growls, the sound resonant and possessive in his chest.

And then he steps into the room and starts to strip off his clothes in turn.