Jaspar spent most of his life hiding because of his power. He should have listened to the warning not to go to the dark side of the city he was visiting but what's life without a little excitement? In this city, a little excitement can get you into...
Elison grinned but followed John out of the room and down the hallway into Justice's room. John let out a sigh and sat down on the wooden chair, his happy demeanour draining into a frankly annoyed one. John did not like having to dance to other people's rules.
"The brat went through some effort for this," John commented darkly, looking over at the bed where the photo was sitting innocently where it had been left hours before. "It's one thing to find the wanted poster but she's enchanted it to look as good as the original. That's not a cheap charm for someone you barely know."
"You were kind to let him keep it," Elison said picking up the photo and looking at it more closely. Justice was grinning with his brother and sister, the badge on his chest declaring him to be eighteen. Elison had likely kidnapped him hours after the photo had been taken. It was almost hard to look at. How happy and hopeful Justice at been, how excited for the future. Then he had stolen it all away so someone else with more money could have that chance instead.
"You mean I had no choice," John growled darkly, his eyes turning slightly redder. "With how Justice is at the moment, if I had tried to take this from him, it would have meant he would hate me," John scowled. "I don't blame Maria for this. She is not the sort to go searching through old wanted posters for no reason. Something is playing with me and I don't like it. I don't want Justice to run away me."
"I doubt..."
"Don't doubt Elison. It's a possibility. Between Justice and that Warden Tim, soon something big is going to happen and people are going to get hurt in the process," John growled. "Sometimes I don't understand the do-gooders. Things aren't brilliant, but they can be so much worse."
"You put the hit out on Tim didn't you," Elison said with some form of realisation. He hadn't realised just how much dislike John had for the dragon shifter.
"Though a few contacts," John nodded. "Warden Maria has an unknown connection to the man and I don't want her doing anything stupid in revenge for his death," he growled. "We have enough issues without having to retrain a new warden," John grumbled. "The attempt failed anyway and she brought him here of all places," John shook his head in disbelieve.
"It's hard to find this place, I doubt he'll come back. Plus the two were being chased and he was injured. I think Maria may have used her sight anyway. Have you see her recently?" Elison asked. As Maria had told Jaspar earlier, dragon shifters could also see through the veil but unlike seers, it did come with a cost on their own life force. "She's not looking well."
"This is true. If only she would let Tim die. Then we would be able to put more effort into keeping things down to give her a break," John grimaced. "Silly woman."
Oops! Această imagine nu respectă Ghidul de Conținut. Pentru a continua publicarea, te rugăm să înlături imaginea sau să încarci o altă imagine.
Jaspar had not enjoyed waking up to a show about how much power John had over Justice. The idea that Justice had to say thank you to the man just for being allowed to keep a photo of his family was almost sickening to Jaspar. Justice pressed his forehead against Jaspar's stomach, clinging tightly to the other man, looking for comfort Jaspar could tell. Justice was more self-aware than he had had first given the man credit for.
"You shouldn't have had to say thank you to him," Jaspar murmured. "You shouldn't have to say thank you for being allowed a photo of your family."
Justice tightened his grip for a moment and nodded. "This is the world we live in," he murmured softly. "My life belongs to John until the moment he frees me from the contract. I have no right to anything but that he gives me," Justice snorted softly. "It is easier to accept and move with the flow than try to fight it."
"I'm picking that up," Jaspar whispered. "That doesn't make it right. Just to accept this all." His voice was physically pained and Justice could hear more than just frustration at the lives they now had to live.
"You are starting to have feelings for Elison," Justice murmured, having watched him over the week they had been together. Elison had spent the entire time looking after Jaspar and teasing him gently. Hugs, kisses and holding him when he cried, Elison was not actually a bad person to be around. It was just that... It was just that he had ruined both of their lives.
Jaspar tensed at the suggestion. "He cut out my eyes. Or close enough," Jaspar whispered.
"In this world, that excuse is going to wear thin fast," Justice said sadly. "He took my leg too by that standard. Hate him if you want." Justice shrugged almost helplessly. "Our situations were very different. You were chosen for no other reason than you happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was literally hunted down for my leg."
There was a moment of silence as Jaspar took those words in, wondering whether he should press for more details or not. "Justice?" he asked softly, not about to push on a topic which Justice didn't want to talk about.
"Lord Calder's son needed a leg. A leg with the same skin tone as his and blood type, AB negative. Did you know less than 1% of the world's population has it and the statistics drop dramatically with those with African heritage? Then Elison was put on the job. His demon sniffed me out. I was just eighteen. I was at my eighteenth birthday party when I was taken. Just legal under the rules," Justice paused, his entire body shivering despite the warmth of the covers they were under. "It wasn't easy afterwards. Not only had I lost my lost and my future, they wouldn't let me go home despite living in the city."
"How do you not hate them," Jaspar asked disbelievingly.
Justice made an uncertain sound. "Not my personality type, I guess," the man chuckled bitterly, making Jaspar doubt those words. "Elison was just doing a job and that's exactly how he sees it. It's why he will never truly say and mean the words 'I'm sorry' for your eyes. He separates the job from everything else, even if it causes him pain outside of the job," Justice's lips twitched upwards, Jaspar feeling it against his skin. "Some of the locators are considerably more sadistic with their victims. Elison, well you know. He's a sweetheart when he's not being a jerk or doing his job."
"I guess," Jaspar breathed, unwilling to admit it out loud. Admit the idea that he was starting to feel attracted to the man. "But he was the one who found you."
"Yeah, but not the one who stopped me seeing my family again or sold me on a slave contract," Justice pointed out. "That was Calder and the administrators at the middle house. Thank your gods that you did not end up there. Lord Calder had reason to keep you happy and well. On paper, the middle house is a good idea but in practice," he trailed off, thinking back to his own experiences.
"How old are you Justice?" Jaspar asked softly.
"Twenty-six in a few weeks. This nightmare has been seven years for me," Justice chuckled darkly. "I won't let it get to eight."
"What do you think I should do?" Jaspar breathed, sensing the man had a plan but with Elison and John in danger of coming back any second, he wasn't going to ask the details.
"About Elison? Have fun with him," Justice chuckled. "You have the power there, Jaspar. He can't touch you sexually without permission. Either hold the grudge and fall headfirst into this world or learn how to stay above it all."
Jaspar nodded, curling around Justice a little more. The two men silent as they enjoyed just having another body close that had never harmed them. Many thoughts flying through their minds. Most importantly for Jaspar, if Justice had a plan to get out, would it be possible for him to backpack on it or would his blindness only slow them down?
