ELLIOT

Six days they’ve been chasing that fucking ring, only to lose it shortly after finding it three times over. Last night was the closest we ever got. Austin was in possession of it for five hours and on a flight back from Tahiti; when they had to reroute empty handed. Today, Tally found some information that finally gave me hope. To stop the ring from moving, you must wear it. She stumbled upon a partial text, and now I can only hope.

Amanda has made the witch agree to see Joleen after her poker tournament, which has extended three days longer than expected. As it turns out witches don’t buy into prophecies, they see the situation as a minimal concern, at best, and poker trumps the issue. This alone strengthens my negative feelings toward the lot.

Jolene is… existing. She’s in a depressed state and it's affecting me to the very marrow of my bones. Her appetite is nonexistent. She sleeps most of the day and stays in my room constantly. Every day I check on her, ok fine. The multiple times a day I check on her, she's either sleeping or staring off into space. I, on the other hand, have gotten very little sleep and spend most of my time with Tally doing research. Tally's advice is giving Jolene time. I feel bad for the kid; she got a pretty shitty deal to, and she's taken it really well, aside from her first episode; understandably, but it wouldn’t surprise me if she has a trick up her sleeve.

I'm ready to haul her off somewhere and play house until the world comes crashing down around us. I guess that’s the darker side of me. The side that’s selfish and wants that little slice of heaven. I know what's right, but the way things are going, I'm having a hard time sticking to the plan. It's not patience I'm battling, it’s the urges. Like fighting instinct; not an easy task. Every time I've attempted to talk to her, she's been distant and cold. What happened to the passion we shared just days ago? The woman I watched, who took every meticulous detail of her life into her own hands. I'd take her desperation to feel over her slow death any day. It's like she's completely given up.

Today I'm done waiting! I don’t care what I have to do to get her to fight. I'm going to figure it the fuck out.

I get up from the couch and exit the library, taking the stairs two at a time and stopping just outside my door. Judging by the silence, I can picture her looking out the window in her emotionless state. Part of me wonders if it’s sloth inside her that is making her lay down and wait and that just makes me all the more determined. Lifting my hand to knock, I think better of it and open the door. I've tried nice, it doesn’t work. She’s exactly how I expected her and it pisses me off how predictive she's become. This is not the woman I knew. I want her to fight for life... for us. Jolene slowly turns her head to look at me, then directs the vacant stare back out the window.

“Why don’t you just check out now? You might as well since you’ve completely given up already.” I spit the words out and they cause me physical pain.

“I thought about it but I'm afraid that may bring the evil inside me to the surface.” she responds with crystal clear honesty and a part of me dies from the sad truth of it.

“So that’s it? You're not even going to fight? Just lay down your body and soul for the taking.”

Her head snaps back around, her eyes focus on mine and narrow. My first glimpse of hope sparks a new strength inside me, and I continue to goad her.

“I never pegged you as weak... I guess I was wrong.” my tone is snide. I see the moment it gets under her skin, and I almost jump for joy.

Jolene stands up, coming toward me, and I have to bite my lip to stop the smile that tries to surface. The key to her strength is anger and I'll exploit it to the extreme if it’s the only way to save her. I don’t even care if she hates me for it.

“You have no idea what you're talking about!”

It’s the most emotion she's shown in a week. Her cheeks are flushed, her hands are fisted, and she's breathing heavily. This is the strength she needs.

“I know what I see, and you might as well roll out the welcome mat and hand over the reins. You are a perfect example of a waste of space.”

“Fuck you!” she plants a good one, aiming for my nose I think, but comes up short and gets me square on the lips. I feel my teeth cut into the tender flesh. If I was human, I'm sure I'd be bleeding profusely at the moment and the progress makes me giddy. Jolene looks like she's ready to give me another, and my lips quirk upward.

“That's what's going to save you, Jolene. Whatever you're feeling right now, hold on to it and use it.”

She steps away and retreats inside her head. I silently panic, afraid she's going to revert back to fear or acceptance.

“I can't... if I hold hope for a different outcome, the uncertainty kills me. It literally hurts... I know my odds.”

Stepping closer, I breathe in her scent and risk touching her shoulder. Just that simple contact is like balm, calming me. I feel so close to getting through to her.

“Do you? So, you’ve been through this before?” I ask skeptically.

Jolene turns fully facing me now, and I take in her beautiful features. She steals my breath with her round grey eyes and rose-colored lips against creamy soft skin. She looks like a painting.

“You don’t know what it means to be a witch. Our ways are foreign to you. When you 're told something by an elder, it's never wrong.”

Touching her cheek is like skimming across a rose petal, and I find I can’t pull my hand away. I was supposed to talk to her, help her. At the moment I feel like helping myself and I know I’m a bastard for it.

“We have something like that too and sometimes the outcome is askew. So, I'll ask you again. You know this from experience or because you were told?”

I see the moment she begins to question her foresight. That’s all I need, is to plant a seed of doubt. If I know Jolene like I think I do, that seed will flourish into a deep-rooted tree.

“Mathilda told me. It’s something I’ve believed since I drew my first spell.”

She doesn’t sound so sure this time. The wheels are turning in her head as I give her another slight push.

“We all know how trustworthy Mathilda turned out to be.” I say it in the best sarcastic voice I can muster as I hide my tented pants behind the desk. If I don’t get out of here soon, I’m going to destroy my good intentions.

“Why do you even bother? I rejected you and if this prophecy comes to light, my happiness holds no bearing on the outcome.”

Ah, sweet progress. She said if not when. I lean in to make sure she looks into my eyes. I don’t want her second guessing a word I say.

“I truly believe you could beat him, Jolene, and I'm going to do everything in my power to even the odds. As for your rejection... I didn’t believe a damn word and I still don’t.”

Her brows climb her forehead, mouth dropping open and I chuckle at her reaction. Jolene schools her features, and I see a glimpse of the carefree woman she used to be.

“Your ego is charming.”

My chuckle becomes a full-blown laugh.

“I never thought I'd welcome sarcasm from a woman, but when it comes from you Jolene; I believe I would take anything you're willing to give... no questions asked.”

I insinuate her earlier plea. I know she's recalling the day she asked me to take her because I am, too. When her eyes drop to my lips before scanning the rest of my body, I'm strung tighter than a bow and her obvious interest is making me feel impulsive or, in her words, pushy. Screw my promise. I don’t care if she doesn’t love me, I'm a man for Christ sakes, I should only care about the logistics. The moment I'm about to pounce, she utters something that jars me.

“I lied to you.”

What? I try to make sense of the rushed-out words. The topic feels way off subject, but before I can connect the dots and wonder what she's lied about, her lips press against mine...

I feel like screaming from the rooftops, thanking the gods, buying a fucking lottery ticket. Jolene rivers made a move. Then it dawns on me she does have feelings for me. That’s what she meant. I knew it. She pulls back slowly and her eyes flutter open. I wait patiently, even though I'm dying to taste her. The soft brush of her lips was a tease to my senses.

“Do you still like me that way?”

Like her that way? I put my fist to my mouth to cover my laugh; I know she would take it the wrong way. Like is far from what I feel. Live for maybe, need to survive definitely. She has no idea what she means to me.

“I will never stop liking you, Jolene.”

She blushes and smiles widely, adverting her gaze. I find her shy demeanor all the more becoming and it drives me hard to glimpse her out of control, with pleasure being her only goal. That look of pure ecstasy is seared in my memory.

Jolene looks up at me from her spot on the windowsill, and her eyes ask permission. I hold my breath awaiting her next bold move. She stands up and I lean back, gripping the desk to keep my paws from grasping her. Her delicate hands rest on my shoulders as she places me between her thighs. The heat of her body penetrates past the layer of clothing between us her scent envelopes me and she fills my vision. In this moment, I'm in heaven.