Kate’s gone and Mack’s acting weird. I chose to believe he wasn’t hiding something, but that it was guilt eating at him. Either way, I was frustrated. The more I thought about Tonbo’s proposal, the better it sounded to me. What could be the harm in accessing Sammy’s memories? That wouldn’t be like summoning her, so there should be no real risk. I’d used these very arguments with Blake after dinner, and he’d shot them all down.
He couldn’t understand why I wanted to know what Sammy had done. He wouldn’t even agree to ask Jaxon more about me. He felt it wouldn’t help anything and would only cause me more pain. What did he know? It then led to me telling Blake in the middle of Tonbo’s gardens that I was done with other people deciding what was best for me. Even with him assuring me that was not at all what he was trying to do, at that moment, my irritation won out. I cringed at the memory of storming off, telling him I needed a night alone, to sort things out. I grunted at the irony of using Sammy’s very words from the note.
Now, lying in my bed alone, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to throw something across the room or apologize. Other than when I’d accused him of being the monster, Blake and I had never quarreled like this before.
I glanced at my bed. The paper lay there, almost mocking me. The words themselves weren’t notable, other than sounding like they were written by a professor, but something called to me in them. I flipped over on to my stomach and read each sentence over again. Was Sammy leaving this note just for Tonbo’s eyes? Or could there be a message in there for me too? It seemed strange our penmanship would be so different. I guess I thought it’d look at least a little bit like mine, messy and childlike. Instead, her tight cursive seemed oddly out of place.
A soft knock broke my concentration. I quickly refolded the note and stuffed it into my pocket again. Even though it was past ten, I hadn’t changed my clothes. I wiped my eyes, trying to hide the fact I’d been crying.
“Come in.” I called, standing up. I figured it’d be Blake. Maybe he decided it was time we talked again. I wasn’t sure where my feelings were. Would I be the one to say sorry first?
Mack’s head appeared through the doorframe. “You sure? It’s me.”
“Oh.” I cleared my throat, and then forced a grin, “Yes, of course.” It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see Mack, but my heart was pretty torn up over my argument with Blake.
He shuffled in, his eyes never leaving my face. Not sure what else to do, I sat back down on my bed. Mack didn’t hesitate to sit right next to me. Good. I wasn’t in the mood for him to mope. I cringed. I’m the mopey one tonight.
“So what’s going on?” he asked, bumping me with his shoulder.
“I’d rather not talk about Blake right now,” I blurted, surprised he was here to play mediator in couple’s therapy.
“I don’t mean with Blake. With you. Why do you want to access Sammy’s memories so bad?”
I glanced over at him, realizing what would come with Sammy’s memories. Lots of personal time with Mack. I felt my flush face. That wasn’t the reason I wanted to remember. Was it?
“I don’t know. I just can’t shake this feeling that whatever Sammy and Kate started when they changed me isn’t over.”
Mack flinched at my words, but he recovered quickly. “I don’t think Sammy had any plans other than becoming a damsel. At least, Kate didn’t tell me anything else.”
“Well, not to be rude, Mack, but Sammy and Kate didn’t always clue you in on their plans.”
Mack relented with a tight laugh. “Can’t argue with that.”
“Don’t you find it odd that Kate just happens to be missing now? Even Tonbo’s wondering if Sammy had something to do with the ancients’ abductions. He wants to talk to her, for crying out loud.”
Mack grunted. “I think Tonbo’s a curious man. He enjoys getting information wherever he can. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s why he wants to talk to Sammy. Just to see if he can do it.”
I stared at Mack. “Are you serious? That’s messed up.”
He shrugged. “Maybe it is. I don’t know. The line between right and wrong blurred years ago for me.”
I didn’t want him to ponder his own statement. Whenever he remembered the cabin events, he shut down on me. I couldn’t have him do that tonight.
“I feel like something happened when she left Tonbo’s theater that night,” I said, directing the conversation back.
“What makes you think that? The note said she just went home.”
“Yeah, but when you and I showed up that day, my mom acted like that was the first time she’d seen me,” I pointed out.
“Yeah, you’re right. But as a damsel in camo, Sammy could have easily stayed off your mom’s radar if she’d wanted to.”
“Exactly. So what was she up to? She left the theater, and then I woke up in Jaxon’s cave. Aren’t you curious to know what she did during that time?”
Mack sighed. “Actually, I’d rather not think about it.”
“Because you know I’m right. Sammy can’t be trusted.”
He glanced over, but he didn’t say anything.
“What’s driving me crazy is the fact that the only ways I know how to figure this out Blake won’t even consider.”
“You mean with the hypnotizing?”
“Yes, or even talking to Jaxon.”
“Well, seeing Jaxon isn’t a good idea.”
“Yeah, I know, he still craves me.” I couldn’t help the eye roll.
“No, Samantha. I don’t think you really understand what that means.” Mack’s expression turned serious. “Blake’s right on this one. Dragons, and especially bugs, never miss their target… like ever.”
I stared at him. “What do you mean?”
“Dragonflies can predict where the target will be. They don’t have to chase it down. They just calculate where to intercept it. Truthfully, that’s probably how Jaxon got you so easily. He just bid his time, predicted your movements, and struck when you were most vulnerable.”
My eyes widened. “So does that mean I can do the same thing too?”
He frowned. “Yes, you could. If you worked on developing that sense.”
“You make it sound like it’s a bad thing.”
“Well, let’s just say it wasn’t by accident the Germans wanted to create a super army out of half-dragonfly men. If dragonflies were even three feet tall, they’d rule the planet.”
I wrinkled my nose. “That sounds pretty far-fetched.”
“No. It’s true. They’re hunters with a ninety-five-percent kill accuracy. To give you an idea of how insane that is, sharks only kill half of what they chase.” Goose bumps shot up my arms. “Which brings up the whole issue of why changing everyone into Dragon Fae could prove fatal to mankind pretty darn quick,” Mack continued.
“Like Kory wants to,” I said.
“Yep. For the most part, dragons and damsels have learned to control their desires enough to live with it. But bugs don’t have the same filter as us since they were the crude beginning. Jaxon was given DNA from one of those first monsters; he can’t control it, Samantha. You can’t blame Blake for not jumping up and down to dangle you as bait in front of his brother.”
“But that’s just it; Jaxon could’ve easily killed me. He had lots of chances. I was unconscious in his lair, for crying out loud. If the desire to hunt and kill is so uncontrollable, then how come he didn’t?”
Mack seemed like he didn’t like the answer, but he said it anyway. “Because Jaxon kept the bug from killing you, because he knew how much you meant to his brother.”
“Exactly.”
“Okay. Let’s say you do talk to Jaxon, what do you think you’ll even learn? I mean, he’ll probably just tell you where he found you. How does that help?”
“I already know where he found me. A few miles away from my home. But I’m guessing he probably hunted me for a while, maybe tracked me while I was Sammy. He could tell me a lot more than you think.”
“Hmmm…” Mack seemed unconvinced. “Has Blake asked Jaxon about all that?”
“No. He won’t ask Jaxon about me anymore, and it’s driving me crazy.”
“Wonder why?” Mack asked, more to himself.
“Assuming Sammy wrote the truth in her note, and she did go home, she made sure my parents didn’t see me,” I said, changing the subject. I didn’t want to think about Blake right now. It just made me mad all over again.
“Which isn’t hard to do,” Mack agreed.
“True. But I’m wondering if maybe Jocelyn saw her.”
“Jocelyn?” Mack asked, his brows lifting up. “Why do you think that?”
I sighed. “My dad told me they were good friends before. For the past few weeks, Jocelyn won’t stop giving me the cold shoulder. The only thing I can figure is maybe Sammy did something to tick her off. Maybe Sammy saw Jocelyn when she went home. Maybe something bad happened between them. I just wish I knew what was wrong with her.”
Mack’s eyes widened, and then he glanced away. Maybe he knows something.
“What?” I asked, forcing him to look at me by dragging his chin around.
He reached up, wrapping his fingers around mine long enough to set my hand back in my own lap. I wasn’t sure why when he let my hand go, or why I felt a weird sense of loss.
“You’re right about Jocelyn and Sammy being close. Maybe Jocelyn’s treating you bad because she’s upset that…” He hesitated.
“That Sammy’s gone?” I offered. “I thought about that too, but how would she know she’s gone? How do any of us know she’s really gone?”
“Good point.”
“I’m wondering if maybe Jocelyn saw Sammy in the damsel form. Maybe that’s why she’s freaking out when she sees me now.”
“Hmm, you might be right.”
“What do you mean?” I hung on his every word.
“Once Sammy saw me as a dragon, she asked a lot of questions. I ended up telling her about Blake. How he saved you and loved you, but he still wouldn’t change you. I even told her about Kory and how he and Blake parted ways. Sammy knew about Kate before she actually met her at the island. She knew a lot about the Dragon Fae world before you ever became a part of it.”
I nodded along. None of this was shocking news to me.
“So maybe she told Jocelyn all about it too,” he finished.