Winged Dagger

A Memory Not Yet Made

A man with hair as black as mine and eyes just as dark walked with me down the road. But his smile was one of the gentlest I had ever seen in my entire life. Jasper pointed to the sky, showing me how Mars was the brightest in the sky that night, and he spoke of the Roman God with a reverence I didn't expect. He told me he was sorry that we had to run so late at night.

I laughed, and took his hand, telling him that as long as I was with him, everything would be alright. A knife hung on Jasper's belt, the companion to the one hidden in my own pocket. Jasper's eyes widened as he looked around, the way a frightened cat would if it had heard something it couldn't see. His grip on my arm tightened.

"Jasper... and I see this is your little sister, Jasmine, wasn't it?"

A man walked out of the shadows, a dagger in his hand, an owl with both wings raised carved on the hilt.

Jasper pulled me behind him. "Daniel. I thought I handed in my resignation form."

"You don't resign from our office, Jasper. You either work, or you die."

"Jaz?" I whispered, the hairs on the back of my neck raising uncomfortably.

"You'll be safe, I promise," he whispered back.

"And I see Jasmine didn't even know the nature of the work you did. But you must have taught her something you learned from us, didn't you?" he asked, his eyes falling to the dagger I pulled out of my pocket.

Jasper began muttering under his breath, which I first thought were curses, but no, there was something old, something ancient about them, but Jasper had the look of someone who had given up. A flash of silver, and a dagger was embedded into Jasper's chest. I couldn't even scream as he fell. I watched the light leave his eyes, before I looked up at Daniel, who stared as if it weren't a life he had taken. He turned to me as if I were his next prey, and rage and reckless maddening filled me. The rest was a blur, and I could feel blood on my own clothes, pain where a knife was in my stomach. My consciousness faded.

Someone spoke to me, a voice that appeared out of everywhere and nowhere. "What do you want?"

"Jasper."

"He is the price paid for me to be here. Ask for something else, doll."

"Live. I want to live."

"You cannot survive in this timeline. Your existence ends here."

"I don't care," I muttered.

I sensed a hint of amusement in his voice. "Very well. Come with me, and we will find a time to live in."

"The price?"

"You are bound to me, and I to you."

"What's your name?"

"I am Asura, a Prince of Hell."

                                *

I woke up to see a cat lying on my chest, amusement in his eyes. "Asura."

'You remember. How do you feel?'

"Dead."

'You did die once, so that may be accurate.'

"You're awake," said Arthur, entering the room with two cups in hand. Asura hopped off me, letting me get up. Leaving one cup on the table, he handed me the other. "Coffee for me, and hot chocolate for you."

"Thanks."

"You look like you have something to say," he said as he wiped my lower eyelid with a finger. It hadn't occurred to me that I had been crying as I dreamt.

Arthur pulled up a chair next to his bed, and in-between sips of hot chocolate, I told him everything I could remember.

"I see," he said. "I think that fills in many holes. But how did Daniel come here? You made a deal with the devil—" he gestured to Asura "—but what about him?"

Arthur and I both looked at Asura, who swished his tails. "You know how Kiyomi came here by accident?"

"Yeah," I said. "You mean this was a coincidence?"

Asura nodded, and I sighed. "Talk about luck."

Arthur ruffled my hair as he took my empty cup away.

I lost myself in my thoughts. We now knew who he was, but there was no telling why he was murdering and who his next victim would be. If he had been pulled here against his will, he would be searching for a way back. Despite the threat in his letter, he wouldn't be stupid enough to target the mansion. If only there was a pattern I could trace, but there was information I needed to do that.

"Arthur?"

"Yes love?"

"Could you draw me a neighborhood map of where the victims were attacked?"

Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly at my request, and I held my breath. "And what might you want with that?"

"I just..." I faltered, searching for an excuse. "I wanted to know where they happened because they might happen there again?" I said hopefully.

Arthur placed a hand on either side of me, caging me in. I felt like a trapped rabbit. "Really?" And not because you wanted to see if you could predict his next move?" I looked away, and Arthur drew back. "No."

Knowing there was no point arguing, I simply sighed.

Sebastian walked in. "Mina, could you help out a little with breakfast?"

I nodded. Tightening my bandages, I stuck a tongue out at Arthur and followed Sebastian down to the kitchen, throwing a hello to Jean who was engaged in conversation with Isaac. Isaac nodded to me, before avoiding my gaze.

I was too lost in thought to analyze that, for I was already forming another plan in my head. I was given some time off in the afternoon, and I snuck out of the mansion, leaving no note of my whereabouts. Asura tagged along, and we headed into the city, the sun still high in the sky.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

The carriage deposited us in front of the police, and I hopped down the carriage, Asura a step behind.

I stepped in front of an officer, who looked rather familiar. "Hello, sir."

He looked up from his coffee cup. "Hello, mademoiselle." He looked around as if expecting to see someone else there. "There's a serial killer on the loose. You shouldn't be wandering around alone."

Asura swished his tails with indignation, probably at not being considered a companion.

"Speaking of the murders, I was wondering if I could get a map drawn of where they took place."

He set his coffee cup down. "And what might you want with that?"

"To see if I could find the best places to avoid," I said, deciding to stick with the story I had told Arthur. "It would be safer."

He considered that, but then shook his head. "My apologies. I'm afraid I can't do that."

Asura hissed and I sighed, wondering if I really had to stoop so low. Glancing at the ring on his hand, I asked, "Does your wife know you have a mistress?"

The blood drained from his face. "How...?"

I smiled. "About that map..."

He drew it up for me without another word.

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