The downstairs of the Rook was dark. There were a few of the morning regulars in but they were quiet in respect for the group of people on the floor in front of the fireplace. Maria had claimed the area when she had arrived back with Nathan the night before. Leo and Justice not fighting the decision but instead passing her the supply of downstairs pillows and blankets so she could make a nest. A few of the regulars had even curled up on the edges of the thing.
Maria lay in the centre of the cuddle pile, with Nathan in her arms. Tim was on her other side with currently Oct pressed against him. Oct snoring slightly as he slept, his hand holding on to Tim's waist. The other side of Nathan was Leo with Jaspar curled into him. Elison bracketing him. Nadiam was sleeping on the edge of the pile, next to a regular with Justice looking at them all longingly but loyally doing his job and serving the awake customers.
In summary, it was a strange sight to come into the Rook to see. They all looked peaceful and mostly in one piece. There were a few bruises and bandages shattered about them but no one was seriously hurt. There was a strange smell in the air, however. Sweat from the bodies being pushed together and rotting eggs from dragon shifters in the mix.
Jaspar stirred, sitting up and clicking his shoulders. Elison grumbled but reached up and pulled Jaspar back into his arms. Jaspar groaned unhappily. "Elison," he moaned softly. "I need the toilet," he complained, elbowing the demon in the ribs.
"Wait another few moments. John's upstairs," Elison murmured into his ear.
Wincing Jaspar turned over and hugged Elison, burying his head under the demon's chin. Waiting was possibly a better idea. Jaspar wasn't sure he wanted to be alone with John after the events of the previous night. He had no doubt John was going to try to reap as many benefits as possible from the chaos. Nathan likely now would be at his mercy, Bill certainly was and Jaspar was suddenly in a lot more debt to dangerous people. Delaying the announcements of these facts was futile but at that moment Jaspar just wanted to be in Elison's arms.
"You're safe and everyone good is alive," Elison murmured softly into Jaspar's hair.
"Fran's dead," Jaspar said softly, sadness strong in his tone. "And a man is falling to pieces with guilt that he couldn't control his inner monster and that no one could stop it. Werewolves couldn't stop him."
"The wolves were small fries. It is a shame what happened to them but they weren't particularly strong Jaspar. We'll sort everything out, don't worry. You just, you just will have to use those powers of yours to gain some favours in your direction," Elison shrugged lightly. "I'll talk to John and Calder and we will get something set up. They won't want someone so dangerous in the city anyway."
"And Fran?" Jaspar whispered.
"Wasn't your fault," Oct grumbled from his spot, having woken up. "Precautions were made and they failed. You can't feel guilty for her, Jaspar. We don't yet if those visions of yours are fixed or not. All we know is that woman died this time. You didn't see the wolves however, things were changed, even if the overall result is the same."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Jaspar asked dryly, his chest feeling like it was almost throbbing.
"No. It is just a fact," Oct said firmly.
"Things changed. They aren't fixed. We just need to take better measures next time," Maria added with a touch of growl in her voice.
"I agree, Warden," John said having entered the room, looking at them all bemused with a wrinkled nose. "Warden Maria, Warden Tim, your help last night was appreciated but I must now ask you to return to your homes and shower. You both stink," he said bluntly, lavender filling the room to mask the smell of unwashed dragon-shifters.
"Sorry, we're dragons," Tim said darkly but got up out of the pile, shoving Oct of him. Oct mocked pouted but winked at the shifter. Tim shivered with a look a disgust and moved over to the pile of coats. Oct grinned and put his hands behind his head, John raising an eyebrow at the behaviour.
"I'm aware of your species Warden Timothy but you are stinking the place out. Have you not been trained to mask your scent like most dragon shifters?" John asked without trying to mask the insult.
"John," Maria hissed.
"Like you bother," Tim shot back, glaring darkly at the city lord with a look of equally undisguised hate.
"You are in my house, Warden. I can smell how I want. Plus flowers rarely make people want to throw up. Rotting eggs is foul. Go home and shower. I doubt you have anything meaningful to add to the next conversations other than do-gooder foolery," John retorted, his eyes glowing red and his voice echoing slightly with a feral growl as his powers flowed through him. His whip materialised in his hands and the patrons were had been resting on the edges of the sleeping pile shifted away from him.
Jaspar shivered and pressed closer to Elison. Images of dragons and wolves having a standoff filling his mind. Elison hummed gently and rocked him gently.
"John, Tim," Maria growled herself, standing up and glaring unimpressed at them both. "You are scaring the younglings," she warned, her own powers adding to mix which was spirling almost visibly in the air. Leo was sitting up with Nathan behind him, Oct having shifted so he was slightly in front of them.
Tim flinched and looked at the young human men in their midst. All who belonged to John and none he could save at that moment in time with how much power was flowing around the fae. "You are an evil bastard," Tim snarled, but he picked up his coat and left, slamming the door as he did so.
John snorted and the power build-up faded. "My apologies. That man really pisses me off," he grumbled, twisting the leather whip in his hands. "Warden, I need to speak to my people alone but I would appreciate it if you come and speak to me later," he said calmly.
"Of course," Maria said with obvious reluctance. She glanced over at Nathan and grimaced but picked up her coat. "Goodbye, young one. Good luck. You're going to need it," she said sadly, reaching over and ruffling Nathan's silver hair gently not quite meeting his eyes. He nodded softly, looking over at John with fear clear in his eyes. She exhaled before walking out the door, grabbing John's hand as she passed him and tugging him outside with her.
The fae let her drag him outside, pleased to see that Tim had already stormed off somewhere so they were alone on the early morning street. It was still foggy outside and Maria quickly pulled her coat on tightly as a cold wind blew through the city. There was a strange feeling in the air and even John felt the unease.
"John," Maria murmured.
"Maria?" John asked with fake curiosity as to why she had pulled him outside.
"Are you going to make me ask the question?" she sighed, running a hand through her now slightly greasy hair and patting her pockets for any reminding cigarettes. She found one but John plucked it from her hands and snapped it in half. "Hey," she complained unimpressed.
"It is not good for you to smoke," John scolded before his blinking as he realised who he was talking too. "Sorry. I know you're not mine," he added quietly, looking over his shoulder back at the rook. That was a half lie. Maria was his but in a different way to Justice or even people like Oct. He had no real right to tell her what she could and could not do. "You want to know what I have planned for Nathan?"
"Have I saved him for nothing?" Maria asked seriously, crossing her arms in front of her. More to shield herself from the wind then look intimidating. The feel of Nathan shaking in her arms had awakened a part of her maternal nature. She didn't want the human boy to suffer.
"The worse part? The brothel for a few months like the rest of my boys and girls but I'm not planning on leaving him there," John said simply.
"So you are planning to enslave him then," Maria sighed tiredly, looking very weak at that moment. "He's seventeen," she pleaded softly.
"He's a week away from being of age," John shot back. "He's old enough." He paused, looking at Maria again, not missing the bags under her eyes or the greyness of her skin. She desperately needed a day off. "I want him to join Justice and Leo working at the Rook. The brothel would only be to train him and make him understand his situation," he said trying to reassure her. "I'll set his cost high so it will be unlikely he will actually serve anyone."
"You mean so you can break him and make him into what you want," Maria said bitterly. She looked away from the Rook, knowing better than to try to talk John out of this. "Where will he stay until he is old enough?" she asked softly.
"Not here but not in the brothel either. I'll put him in the middle house until the day after his birthday," John said calmly. "They will be getting some new stock in again soon."
"Lord Calder found a replacement for the butcher?" Maria growled, her tired eyes flaring angrily, looking ready to go hunt down whoever the new person was.
"Yes, the brat did. Maria, the black market was already starting to source from non-approved sellers. We must remain in control of it," John said seriously. "It's not a pleasant business but it could be far worse if we did not regulate it. Calder had no choice but to find a replacement."
Maria took a deep breath and nodded. "I know," she grumbled unhappily. "Doesn't mean I have to like it. Any of it," she closed her eyes for a moment. "Let me know when Nathan is back at the Rook and try to keep his time at the brothel to a minimum. None of this is his fault."
"It's never anyone's fault," John said warily. "It's just a bad roll of fate."
"And one, you will happily take advantage off," Maria snapped but deflating again. "I'm going to go shower and sleep. You can keep things quiet today for me as payment for saving Nathan's life," she stated firmly. "See you later John."
"Rest well, Maria. I'll keep things quiet," John nodded slowly, reaching forward. Maria looked at his hand unhappily but took it and let John pull her close for a hug. John kissed her cheek softly before letting her go again. She turned and quickly disappeared into the fog. John watched her go, internally smiling. His control over the Warden was growing.
John walked back in the Rook to a much nicer smell and everyone eating breakfast. Jasper was keeping close to Elison and Oct was distracting Nathan unsuccessfully. The young man was fragile at this moment and John knew he was going to break the kid now even more but it had to be done. He was no longer free and had to be taught his place.