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...
"That's... hopeful," Jaspar said, audibly forcing himself to be optimistic about the situation. "Thank the gods that John put that charm in the wards."
"That's all we can ask for," Leo chuckled, the exhaustion in his voice getting more apparent with every moment. "Bill might not want to wake up after this," he breathed.
A chill went down Jaspar's back at the implication. Bill had been saved in John's pub. John would claim Bill's soul if he was saved. A debt Bill would never be able to free himself from. Even scarier John could possibly still claim the beast tamer's soul even if he wasn't saved. Chances were Bill belonged to John now.
"What will John do to him?" Jaspar said slowly, almost scared to ask but needing to know the answer. Bill was hurt because of him. It had been his favour which had put Bill at risk. Bill was no pretty young man. Just what did John do with people he couldn't use to attract customers to his establishments?
"I don't know," Leo breathed softly. "Bill's not John's typical type but John did say something which suggested he had a plan for if Bill became his."
There was silence for a moment as both men considered that. Finally, Jaspar felt another question niggle at the back of his neck. "Leo? You said Donny gave Oct his car. Where did Oct go?" Jaspar asked frowning. Oct was reacting strangely to Nathan. From everything Jaspar had learned, the demon shouldn't care what happened to the human boy at all but Oct always seemed to be the one playing hero when Nathan was in trouble.
"To find Maria," Leo commented softly. "She's not answering her phone. Not unusual when she's doing something off the clock. We don't have Warden Tim or Warden Isaac's mobile numbers."
"She's guarding the dock so Fran doesn't die," Jaspar murmured, his heart aching as the face of Fran went through it again. "What time is it?" he asked, gripping his forearms tightly. How much longer did Fran and Nathan have?
"Just gone ten," Leo said. "Who's Fran?"
"The woman in my vision. The one I had in Elison's arms which proved I was still a seer. I had flash just now of her. She's working late doing paperwork. She has a pet cat she wants to go home to see..." Jaspar trailed off sniffing as emotion ran through him. They might have to pick between Nathan and Fran. Jaspar felt tears run down his cheek but he wiped them away. He wasn't a teenage girl, he was a man. He couldn't burst into tears every time the prospect of death appeared. Especially if all his visions from now on were going to be about death.
Even as he was telling himself this, the faces of Nathan and Fran filled his mind, along with the almost certain feeling that one of those souls was going to die in a horrific way. Both faces twisted into the looks of pain as he remembered how they died. Jaspar breathed heavily. It was almost too much to bear the thought off.
"Jaspar!" Leo yelled, jolting Jaspar out of his thoughts, "Listen to me!"
"I'm listening. Sorry," Jaspar breathed, pressing his forehead against the wooden door.
"Mari doesn't have to leave her post. We just need the numbers of the other Wardens so we can get their help," Leo said firmly. "Everyone will survive this Jaspar. We will make sure of it."
"I pray to the gods you are right Leo," Jaspar smiled weakly before moving back to the bed and curling up in the blankets. He didn't want anyone to die that night.
Another flash filled his mind. This time of a man Jaspar didn't know crying in a bathroom, curled up next to a vivid green bathtub. The bathroom was dirty and looked like a low rent hotel bathroom. The man had blood on his ripped clothes but wasn't injured as far as Jaspar could tell. Just distressed and not looking up. In the mirror, there was a monster laughing.
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Elison growled angrily as he checked the final crematorium on his list. No one had found any sign of Nathan or where the men were planning on burning him. All they could find was cold furnaces, closed for the night on Calder's orders. Calder was on a date and leaving his aid, Peter and his second, Brenton to help. Neither was much use without Calder. Peter knew where everything was but couldn't command and Brenton could command but was dumb as rocks.
"Peter," Elison snapped as the man answered his phone. "Have you got any news?"
"No, Elison," Peter admitted sounding frustrated and slightly angry. "I can't find anything. I've had people check the crematoriums, the incinerators, the slaughterhouses, old buildings that would have used it for central heating... Nothing," he exhaled. "There had got to be something I am missing!"
"Well, you better think about it quick. We are running out of time," Elison growled, not willing to admit he wouldn't have even thought about the last opinion. Then something itched at the back of his neck. "What about closed down slaughterhouses?" he asked, knowing several had gone out of business in recent years due to the bad trade.
"They would have shown up on the list," Peter said slowly. "Unless they were built after... Let me do a search," Peter commented, Elison could hear the man typing over the phone. "Four new options. I'll send you the addresses."
