Jasper moaned softly as he woke up. Kisses being pressed to the back of his neck and down his spine. He shifted to give Elison more room, enjoying the feel of the man's large hands on his skin. In the days since Jasper had given into his carnal urges and slept with Elison he had discovered many things about the man's tastes in bed. The demon had a romantic streak and enjoyed teasing Jasper. He also was very hot. His skin always seemed to be at an almost scalding temperature while they were joined, and Jasper loved every second of it.
"Come on sweetheart," Elison purred, the rumble moving through Jasper and distinctly to one area of his body. "No time for playing this morning. It's cleaning day."
"Can't it wait another few moments?" Jasper pouted, arching up and pressing his bottom up against Elison teasingly, the demon's hands holding his hips.
"Oh I wish it could," Elison groaned, "But John wants us up and about. Leo and Justice has cleared everyone out and breakfast is waiting for us."
"What time is it?" Jasper frowned at that information.
"10 am," Elison murmured, letting go of Jasper. Leaving a distinctly cold feeling behind as his warmth left Jasper feeling unsatisfied. "We slept in. We need to go help clean," Elison said sheepishly, by the sounds of movement getting dressed.
"No, you need to go help clean. I need to sit still and not do anything," Jasper sighed, his boner gone. "If John's rearranging the building then why do we need to clean?" He asked darkly, turning over and sitting up unhappily.
"Because otherwise, we'd have to clean the new layout instead. Easier to clean while it's small," Elison reasoned sounding amused. "Come on. Up you get," He ordered, hands grabbing Jaspers hand and pulling him up out of the bed.
Jasper grumbled but let Elison dress him reluctantly. Sneaking kisses as Elison was pressed close. The final thing which Elison put on him was his watch, and somehow that felt like the most imitate part of it all. How Elison's nails felt scraping on the skin of his wrist as he put it on. It felt heavy somehow, but Jaspar knew it wasn't. It was the weight of something far more sinister that he was feeling.
"You let him get away and there are consequences for that," Calder murmured, cleaning his pistol. "You were his keeper and now you must pay the price. It is not acceptable to run away from those who own you. Any last words?"
"I was loyal!" Elison snarled.
"You were. I'm sorry you failed such an important duty," Calder said almost sadly before placing the gun between Elison's eyes and shooting. "Goodbye." Elison's body collapsed to the ground with a heavy thunk. "I know you can see this Jaspar," Calder hummed. "You have until the 12th to return, or you can simply not run at all and this will not have to happen. Your decision."
The scene shifted to the forest on fire and a monster on the ground as Maria bled out. The car exploding behind them and the monster shielding the injured warden. The other warden, Tim was passed out on the floor to the side. The monster looked up at him with green eyes and reached towards him but couldn't catch him.
"You will come with me," the monster thundered, the voice familiar but too distorted for Jaspar to pick out. The smoke surrounding them was almost too thick for Jaspar to breathe for a moment. "You will come with me or I will make your life hell."
"Come on, can't leave them waiting," Jasper said tiredly as he pulled himself from the visions which had been cycling in his mind since he had first seen them. He was no longer truly sure if he was having those two scenes repeating in the veil or if it was just his mind showing them to him over and over again. It was almost maddening. They had shifted and expanded since the original visions and Jaspar did not know if the new parts were real or his imagination. Either way, he had a choice to make and one to make fast.
"Are you feeling ok, Jas?" Elison commented, his hand resting on Jaspar's forehead. "You look pale."
"To be fair I haven't been outside for how long? I'm bound to be a bit pasty," Jaspar chuckled darkly, knocking Elison's hand off his forehead and kissing his knuckles. "I'm fine, Elison. No different to any other day," he promised, not exactly lying. Another day under Lord Calder's and John's control. Another day trapped in the Rook and feeling his sanity slowly drain from himself.
"Ok," Elison murmured, squeezing his hand gently before leading the way out of their shared room.
He didn't regret sleeping with Elison. Not at all, the demon was making things somehow more tolerable but Jaspar did not love Elison. Jaspar was pretty sure Elison knew that too. They had a partnership, not a relationship. Sleeping with the demon had not been enough to make Jaspar's desire to escape fade. John's recent attempts at making a more solid and binding deal with him had only increased the desire to escape. Jaspar had managed to hold him off until they knew more about how his ability could be used and how often he would be able to give readings.
Jaspar was clinging to whatever plan Justice had cooked up to get him out of there before John got him to shake his hand in a deal. Then he would be trapped. His parents had kept him away from the supernatural but they had taught him some things about the world. They hadn't taught him not to say thank you but they had taught him that a deal with any creature was binding. To break a deal was a crime with a punishment without mercy. Jaspar needed to escape before making a deal.
"Good morning sleeping beauty," Leo said loudly as they entered the bar area sounding cheerful as ever. "Did Elison wear you out?" he teased lewdly, kissing Jaspar's cheek as he took Jaspar from Elison and sat him down a table. It had only taken one time for the Rook patrons and bartenders to know Jaspar was now fucking with Elison. Even if Elison hadn't been more possessive of him, Jaspar apparently now stunk of Elison to the creatures with a stronger smell. Didn't seem to stop people like Donny flirting with him though.
"Shut up Leo. Did you manage to get some last night?" Jaspar asked bemused, finding the sandwiches which were in front of him and biting into it. The taste of bacon with brown sauce and mushrooms made him moan. The Rook may have served the same dishes on a rotation but Jaspar was most fond of the bacon sandwiches at breakfast.
Leo let out a low groan of pleasure. "Kostas Asterion. He's a merc like Oct but he's minotaur descended. Which means he had the most lovely pair of horns to grip on to," he said lewdly, Jaspar able to feel Leo wriggling his hips at the memory. "It was fantastic," he said with a big grin in his voice.
"Minotaur descended?" Jaspar frowned.
"You know, the Greek minotaur story? Apparently, he was quite a lover and while he did eat some of the humans sacrificed to him, he left some of his more adventurous lovers alive. Not too strange for supernaturals of Greek heritage to be minotaur descended. Horns, very strong and hung," Leo purred. "Apparently the having a bullhead disappeared after a few generations," he mused idly.
"Right," Jaspar nodded calmly, still not quite used to how Leo talked about his lovers but learning a lot more about the world he was in as a consequence. Leo had no qualms about talking about his lovers and their heritage.
"Kostas is a good brawler, not so much a thinker," Elison commented from next to them. "Didn't realise you went for jocks," he said jokingly.
"Please. Jocks are good for a good night's fuck. They don't get emotional about it and Kosta has some nice muscles," Leo said, sounding like he was going to start drooling at any moment. "Seriously Jaspar, he is so nice and big."
"Size queen," Jaspar snickered, finishing off his sandwich. Leo had a big for men with big muscles. And horns, Leo had been bemoaning the fact he hadn't been with anyone with big enough horns to cling too barely two days ago. Somehow Jaspar did not think it was a coincidence that all of a sudden there was someone who suited what Leo was in the mood for in the Rook. Whether it was John or one of the regulars giving Leo a gift, someone had clearly set that up for Leo.
"Guilty as charged," Leo laughed happily.
"Moving away from Leo's one night stand, Elison can you start piling the furniture? John wants it in the circle's he's drawn," Justice said sounding sleepy and vaguely unimpressed with the story. "We can listen to Leo's antics anytime."
"Aw, sweetie. I love you really," Leo drawled. Justice made a noise as Leo apparently hugged him suddenly. "Rather have you in my bed than Kostas any day," he hummed.
"Leo!" Justice grumbled unhappily. "Get off me you, nymph!" Jaspar listened as the two men play fought, Justice gave up the facade of unhappiness at some point and was laughing with Leo. Jaspar smiled enjoying hearing them be happy. WIth their jobs, it was rare he got to listen to them just be them. Normally they were too busy doing their jobs.
"Circle?" Jaspar asked Elison, pressing their sides together as the bartenders had some fun.
"John's chalked a white circle in the room with what looks to be an outline for the rest of the pentagram," Elison explained, a finger tracing a circular pattern on Jaspar's forearm. "Looks like he going to be using powerful magic to refresh the warding."
"Well, he is moving the inside of the building around too. Must be tiresome to affect reality," Jaspar reasoned.
"Not as much as you'd think," Elison said dryly. "The Rook isn't that big and I can't imagine he wants to make it too much bigger. The wards are there for a reason after all."
"Yes, they are," John's voice filled the room agreeing through eh sounded unimpressed with what he was seeing. "Leon and Justice this is not the time for you to be playing. Stop slacking and get back to work or I will get my whip," he ordered fiercely.
"Yes, sir," both men said sounding guilty and embarrassed.
Jasper scowled. He really didn't like it when John did things like that. All Leo and Justice did was work. Leo, in some ways, did double time as he entertained the patrons in the evening. A hand patted his shoulder and John's scent washed over him as the fae kissed his cheek.
"And you can stop that face, right now," John warned. "I have a job for you."
"I'm blind. Not sure cleaning would work very well," Jasper said tightly, but not moving from the fae's grasp.
"True," John agreed. "But this is something different. I've been reading up on true seers and I've discovered something interesting. But it does mean you need to learn tarot so," John placed something in Jasper's hands.
Jasper frowned feeling the device. "earphones and a phone?" He asked hesitantly.
"Well, you can hardly read up on the meanings of the cards, can you?" John said dryly. "Elison will set the tracks up for you and you can listen to the explanations."
"Ok," Jasper said slowly. "Is tarot reading even possible for a blind person?"
"Might be easier actually. Less things to distract you. Elison will learn the name of the cards and be your assistant so you know what's been drawn," John said calmly, clearly pleased Jasper wasn't questioning this.
"Will I now?" Elison said sounding bemused. "Demons and tarot don't tend to mix," he warned.
"They do now," John chuckled.