BooksBarbecue
Back Unleashed Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Part One
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. Part Two
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. Part Three
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. Part Four
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. 35
  44. Part Five
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. Epilogue
  54. Acknowledgments
  55. About the Author
  56. Back Cover

“I haven’t forgotten,” I mutter. I fiddle with the leash at my ear, unhooking it so it dangles down my neck.

Then, I lift the beetle to the leash. But just as we are about to connect, there’s a crash against my bedroom window.

Standing outside with his face pressed against the glass is the last thing I expect to see.

It’s Jinx.

Part Two

Jinx’s Return

13

I blink, unable to believe my eyes. But as his paw taps the glass again, I’m surprised to hear an impatient voice in my head.

>>Let me in!

I rush toward the window, fumbling with the latch.

“Oh my god, Jinx! Is that really you?”

I push the frame up, cold air and my favorite baku pouring through into my room. Seeing his sleek black body, pointed ears, and mischievous face makes my heart leap into my chest. Since remembering that letting him go had been my choice, I’d resigned myself to never seeing him again.

And now, here he is.

He’s come back.

The window drops, and I open my arms to catch him in a hug. Instead, he darts forward, knocking Slick off my shoulder. They tumble to the carpeted floor, a mechanical whirlwind. Jinx, master of the baku battles, comes out on top, of course. He pins Slick beneath his paws.

“Jinx?” I say. “What’s going on?”

>>Promise me you won’t leash this annoying beetle until you’ve heard everything that I’m about to say.

“I…I promise!” I stutter out. Reluctantly, Jinx releases Slick.

To both our surprise, Slick is aggressive, flying directly toward my leash—without my permission. That scares me, and I grab him between my hands and grip him tight. I barely recognize this terrifying little bug anymore.

I stuff Slick into the pocket of my sweater and seal the zipper. Then I turn to Jinx, who is sitting on my bed, licking his paw without a care in the world, as if he hasn’t just turned everything upside down by his reappearance.

I blink, convinced each time I close my eyes that he’s going to be gone in the next millisecond.

But he’s back.

My Jinx.

“You’re here!” I exclaim.

>>And just in time. You can’t survive without me, can you?

He hops down off the bed and sashays toward me. I stretch out my hand, tentative at first, and he bumps up against my palm, rubbing his head on my fingers. Then in a bounding leap, he’s in my arms, the feel of his gentle purrs against my chest bringing tears to my eyes. “Oh Jinx, I’ve missed you!” I say, into his soft electronic fur.

>>I’ve missed you too.

He sounds as sincere as Jinx gets, but then he quickly turns serious. He slips out of my arms and sits facing me.

>>Lacey, you can’t install that update.