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 know how much you wanted it. I’m so—”

“Don’t apologize. Nobody’s even seen Monica Chan for weeks.”

Pain spikes in my head at the mention of Monica’s name, and I wince. Tobias’s eyes widen with concern, but I shake my head. “I’m okay. I just want to get out of this hospital bed.”

“It will be good to have you back. Things can go back to normal now, can’t they?”

My mind shows me images of security panther bakus with snarling, snapping jaws; of Carter Smith with an ax to grind; of Jinx running away from me through the hallways of Moncha HQ. If that’s what normal is, then maybe I don’t want it. Despite everything, I smile weakly at Tobias. “Let’s hope so.”

There’s a noise by the door, and we both look up. Mom has returned, a backpack slung over her shoulders. “I spoke to the doctor outside, Lacey. They still don’t know the exact cause of your blackouts and memory loss, but as long as we keep an eye on you and take it easy, I can bring you home.”

“Thank goodness! I can’t wait to get back and see Jinx,” I say, my smile broadening.

Mom and Tobias exchange a look.

“What is it?” I ask, crossing my arms over my stomach. I have a bad feeling about this.

“Honey? I don’t know how to tell you…”

As she’s talking, it hits me in a rush.

Jinx is gone.

3

The elevator ride up to our apartment seems interminable, stopping at almost every floor. Petal flutters around Mom’s head.

“Petal, did you turn the heat on?” she asks. “Lights on as well. I want it to be as welcoming as possible for when we get back.”

I know Mom is saying this for my benefit, reminding me that I’m home. But even the thought of being in my own bed with all my things around me doesn’t feel quite right, knowing Jinx won’t be there. My companion. My best friend.

I miss having his voice in my head. Our telepathic communication had become so normal to me but was so not how other people communicated with their bakus. Jinx was special. He didn’t obey my commands, but he was always there when I needed him.

Now he’s gone.

On the ride home, Mom had filled me in a bit more about my hospital stay. The doctors weren’t able to find any sort of adequate explanation for my coma. All they knew was whenever I woke up, something would pull me back into a dark sleep. Something that affected my short-term memory.

In the meantime, they treated me for hypothermia, and the something else seemed to pass on its own, with time. They said I’d powered my way through it.