Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

The next morning, Jaron knew he was going to come off as desperate, but he couldn't help himself. Before he knew it, he was standing outside the Rubyville nightclub, just after first light.

He tried to rationalize his behavior to himself. He had to see Keegan before work, right? To see if he had any new information on the kidnapping case that Apollo would want to know about.

Deep down, though, Jaron knew that wasn't why he was here. He just wanted to see his mate after spending a whole night away.

Stupidly, he still hadn't asked Keegan for his number, so he found himself in front of closed doors again. This time, though, when he rang the doorbell, someone let him in quickly. The vampires were still cleaning up the bar area inside and hadn't gone to sleep yet.

The vampire who greeted him first, a short man with pale blond hair, eyed him up and down curiously. "You Keegan's dragon?"

"Yup, that's him," someone called from the back.

Jaron turned to the sound of that voice to spot Mordyn. This morning, his hair was a shade of blue that reminded Jaron of midnight storms.

Jaron met him at the bar. "Hey."

Mordyn smiled at him while putting away a rag he'd used to wipe down the bar counter. "You here for our seer?"

"Maybe I just wanted a drink," Jaron suggested, trying to appear more casual than he felt. "You know, hair of the dog and all that."

Mordyn fixed him with a look. "I'm an empath."

Well, fuck. Jaron might as well stop trying to appear anything less than desperate then. "I came to check on Keegan," he admitted. "Figured I'd try to catch you before you all turn into bats and hang from the rafters for the day."

"We don't have anyone here who can turn into a bat," Mordyn said. "We've always got a few crows hanging around, but I know you're not here for those."

"No. Could you show me to Keegan's room?"

"I would," Mordyn said, "but that's not where he is."

Jaron's heart sank. Did Keegan leave? Was he trying to avoid Jaron again?

Had Jaron pushed too hard last time?

Mordyn turned around and motioned for Jaron to follow him down the stairs.

So Keegan hadn't left the building. That was good, right?

"Where are you taking me?"

Mordyn grinned and held a finger to his lips as if he wanted to tell Jaron to be quiet.

Jaron wasn't sure what that was about, but he shut up and followed Mordyn down another corridor. At the end of it, Mordyn carefully opened a door that led into a room that resembled a small library. He nodded to Jaron, and then he left.

Jaron spotted Keegan hunched over a book, dead to the world, the scarf Jaron had given him still wrapped around his shoulders. The vampire's chest rose and fell with the slow, steady rhythm of sleep. He must have worked himself into exhaustion until his body had finally given out.

Jaron approached slowly, trying not to startle Keegan now that he was finally getting some rest. He pulled out a chair next to Keegan and sat down, taking a moment to just observe his mate. Keegan's hair fell over his face, obscuring his features, but even in sleep, his brows were wrinkled.

"If only you didn't think you had to tackle everything by yourself," Jaron whispered, not loud enough to wake the vampire.

This might not be the most restful break for him, but at least it was something.

It wasn't fair, really, how much weight Keegan had to carry just because he could see what others couldn't.

Jaron used to dream of being powerful when he was small, so that people would stop making fun of him, but maybe great power wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

Maybe Keegan had gotten both their share.

Jaron's gaze drifted to the books stacked next to his vampire, all about the various workings of fate. There was a piece of paper under Keegan's right hand as well, with a few almost unintelligible words scribbled on it. Jaron leaned closer, trying to make out what Keegan had written before sleep had claimed him.

It looked as if Keegan had stopped mid-writing, just after the words, 'fate demands sacrifice.'

A cold shiver went down Jaron's spine.

What was that supposed to mean?

What kind of sacrifice was fate demanding of Keegan? Of them?

He reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from Keegan's face, tucking it behind his ear, tempted to demand an answer from his mate. Keegan stirred slightly at the touch but didn't wake.

Jaron's heart clenched. He wished he could take away whatever burden Keegan was carrying, whatever vision was haunting him.

"Can't you live in the present with me?" he whispered, his fingers tracing the edge of the blue scarf he'd given Keegan the day before.

Keegan blinked one sleepy eye open. "Jaron?" He yawned.

Jaron hesitated. Part of him wanted to tell his mate to go back to sleep, to get the rest he so obviously needed. But another part of him couldn't ignore the ominous words scrawled on the paper beneath Keegan's hand.

"Keegan, what's this about?" Jaron asked softly, tapping the note. "What do you mean, 'fate demands sacrifice?'"

Keegan shook his head as if trying to clear the cobwebs of sleep from his mind. He sat up straighter, rubbing at his eyes. "I've been trying to find a way to change what I saw. Our fate."

Everything inside of Jaron drew tight. "And?" he made himself ask.

Keegan met his gaze, his expression grim. "It can't be done without sacrifice."

"What kind of sacrifice?" Jaron demanded.

He'd do anything for Keegan.

Well, almost…

He wasn't going to kill another person so he could be happy with his mate.

The way Keegan looked at him, though, he got the feeling that was exactly what they would need to do if they wanted to change their fate.

"There's got to be another way," Jaron said before Keegan could even speak the words.

Would the vampire seriously consider it? Sacrificing someone?

"There isn't another way," Keegan said.

"There has to be," Jaron insisted. "I'll help you find it."

Keegan fixed him with a look. "If this is too much for you maybe you should rethink dating a vampire."

"Are we dating now?"

"Isn't that what you want?"

"I want so much more than that."

Keegan's features darkened. "All the more reason for you to reconsider."

"I won't," Jaron said firmly.

Keegan looked at him for a long moment, then he shook his head. "You really are too persistent for your own good."

"It's one of my best qualities," Jaron said. "Along with my dashing good looks and charming personality, of course."

"Of course," Keegan said drily.

Jaron glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed. He wasn't prepared to let this topic go, but he knew he had to get to work. Apollo was counting on him, and they had a kidnapper to catch.

"I have to head into the office," Jaron said reluctantly, standing up from his chair. "Don't sacrifice anything or anyone while I'm gone."

Keegan's hand shot out, grabbing Jaron's wrist before he could take a step. "Wait."

Jaron looked down at his mate, raising an eyebrow. "What is it?"

Keegan let go of Jaron's wrist and grabbed a piece of paper, scribbling something down quickly. "I worked on this before I started my research," he said, handing the paper to Jaron. "It's an updated list of potential victims. I'm sure I got the right names this time."

Jaron scanned the list, his heart sinking at the thought of more people being taken. He looked back at Keegan, trying to muster up a smile. "But nothing is ever written in stone, right?" he asked, hoping Keegan would catch the subtle reference to their own fate.

Keegan's expression remained impassive, though, and he didn't take the bait. "Just be careful out there," he said instead.

Jaron nodded, folding the paper and tucking it into his pocket. He turned to leave, but then paused, looking back at Keegan. "Hey, before I go, can I get your number?"

Keegan hesitated for a moment, then held out his hand. "Give me your phone."

Jaron handed it over, watching as Keegan typed his number into Jaron's contacts. When he was done, Keegan passed the phone back.

"There," he said. "Now you can reach me whenever you need to."

Jaron grinned, feeling a little thrill at the idea of being able to contact his vampire whenever he wanted. Oh, the dirty messages he could text him, the pictures he could send… He quickly typed on his display, and a second later, Keegan's phone buzzed in his pants.

"And now you have my number, too," he said.

Keegan pulled out his phone and looked at the text Jaron had sent: "Get some sleep. I'll see you in your dreams ;)"

Keegan rolled his eyes, but Jaron caught the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"I'll be back tonight," Jaron promised. "We can tackle this fate thing together, okay? Two heads are better than one and all that."

Keegan sighed. "I don't know if-"

"Nope," Jaron interrupted, holding up a hand. "No arguments. I'm helping, and that's final."

Keegan looked like he wanted to protest again, but then he just shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "Your mind really is just as unchangeable as fate, huh?"

"Damn right," Jaron said. He reached out, brushing his fingers along Keegan's cheek. "Do get some rest, okay? I will be back tonight."

Keegan leaned into the touch for a moment before pulling away. "I'll try," he said, but Jaron had a feeling that Keegan wouldn't take his advice.

Jaron rested a hand on Keegan's shoulder. "Want a snack before I go?" Maybe some blood would help his vampire feel better.

Keegan's sharp gaze settled on Jaron's neck in a way that made something warm unfold in Jaron's gut. Ultimately, though, he shook his head. "I can't seem to drink from you without seeing visions of us."

"What kind of visions?"

Keegan smiled faintly. "Happy ones."

Those words made all the rest of Jaron light up too. "Sounds like a good thing to me."

Keegan's expression changed to one of longing, but only for a split second, then he averted his gaze. "Makes it difficult to focus on anything else," he said. "And I need to focus on finding a way to make that future possible."

Jaron couldn't argue with that. It tugged at his heart, Keegan's determination to make them possible.

"I'll see you tonight," he said, but he wasn't going to leave without a kiss. He leaned down to press a quick peck to Keegan's lips, suppressing the dragon inside of him that demanded more than that.

One day he'd get that. Maybe even tonight.

He'd try, anyway.

Keegan reached for another book after Jaron left, but the letters quickly swam before his eyes. Fatigue weighed on him, a dull ache behind his forehead. He squinted and rubbed at his temples, frustration bubbling up. A sigh escaped him. His mind kept drifting back to Jaron.

He shouldn't have mentioned the sacrifice. Jaron wasn't the kind of person who could stomach that kind of thing. Underneath all his attitude, he was too sweet, too kind. He needed to be protected from the cruelty of their fate, not burdened with it.

Too late for that now.

Jaron wasn't going to forget what Keegan had told him so carelessly.

Biting back a sigh, Keegan made himself focus on the book in front of him again. Maybe it would tell him something to solve his issue.

The words blurred, though, after only a little while. His head nodded forward, eyes closing of their own volition. Sleep crept in.

He wasn't surprised to dream of Jaron.

In the dream, Jaron stood in an alley, his posture tense and defensive, wings spread as if he wanted to make himself appear bigger. He wasn't alone; a young mortal girl clung to his side, her eyes wide with terror. A figure Keegan didn't recognize lurked at the alley's entrance. A mage? They were murmuring incantations that sounded more than a little threatening.

Jaron said something to the mortal and then placed himself between her and the mage. His normally cocky expression hardened into one of fierce determination while the girl pressed herself against the wall, trying to make herself as small as possible.

The mage at the mouth of the alley raised both hands, eyes glowing a pale, eerie blue. They chanted quickly, their voice growing louder with each syllable.

Keegan couldn't make out the words, but he got their intent. He wanted to shout for Jaron to get out of there, but the dream held him as a helpless observer.

The air around the mage crystallized, frost spreading rapidly on the brick walls and grounding into icy spikes. With a sweeping gesture, shards of ice launched toward Jaron. He covered the girl with his body, taking the full brunt of the attack.

He grunted, staggering as the ice tore into him. Blood bloomed across his hoodie, dark crimson. Keegan wanted to scream, but no sound left his mouth. Visions flickered rapidly in his mind—different ways this fight could go down.

Jaron falling to his knees, his skin frozen and his breath rattling.

Jaron getting a hit in, but paying for it with blood, pain, and broken bones.

Jaron dying.

No.

No!

The images faded to black before the worst one came to pass. When the darkness receded, Keegan found himself back in the little library where he'd fallen asleep, his mind calculating Jaron's odds as if on autopilot.

How high was the chance that Jaron would die?

Low, very low.

So low, in fact, that if Jaron had been anyone else, Keegan would have dismissed the dream outright as an insignificant possibility. But he couldn't do it.

Even if Jaron didn't die, he would almost certainly get hurt.

That wasn't something Keegan could tolerate.

He pushed himself up from the chair, his muscles stiff from the uncomfortable position he'd fallen asleep in. He paced the room, his mind racing as he tried to figure out what to do. The sun was up, which meant he couldn't personally go to help Jaron. If he stepped outside, he would burn.

But he had to do something. He couldn't just let Jaron walk into danger like that.

If he called Jaron and told him what he'd seen, would Jaron trust him enough to abandon his mission? Keegan stopped in his tracks, trying to predict Jaron's reaction to such a call. He reached for his power, but pain lanced through his head, making him wince. He pushed anyway, gritting his teeth against the agony. This was too important.

Visions flashed through his mind, each one a different possibility. In some, Jaron listened to him and turned back. In others, he brushed off Keegan's concerns and kept going. And in a few, he got angry at Keegan for trying to interfere.

Keegan pulled himself out of the visions, his head throbbing with a blinding headache. He staggered, catching himself on the edge of the table. It took a moment for the pain to recede enough for him to think clearly again.

He could hardly make out the words said in his visions, but he got the gist—and an idea what to say to Jaron.

He pulled out his phone and dialed Jaron's number, his fingers shaking slightly. It rang once, twice, three times before Jaron picked up.

"Keegan?" Jaron's voice came through the speaker, sounding surprised but pleased. "What's up?"

Keegan took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "I need you to come here," he said.

"Miss me already?"

"Yes," Keegan made himself say. "I think I'm ready to tell you about what I saw, about our fate."

On the other end of the line, Jaron was stunned into silence. Clearly, he hadn't expected that.

Which was why this approach might just work. If Keegan had just told him that something bad might happen to him at work… Jaron would have insisted that a certain amount of risk was part of the job and that he couldn't make someone else take the fall for him.

Keegan didn't care about anyone else, though.

He only wanted Jaron safe.

"You'll tell me?" Jaron asked.

"Yes."

"After I'm done here?"

"No," Keegan said. "It has to be now. Come here as soon as you can."

"But I'm at work."

"Find a reason to get out of work. You're smart. You'll think of something."

Jaron was silent for a moment. Keegan pictured his foot tapping on the ground as he thought. "You're serious," he said after a moment.

"Very serious."

"Why now?"

"There's no time to explain. Please, Jaron, trust me on this."

There was a beat of hesitation, then a heavy sigh filtered through the speaker. "Fine," Jaron conceded. "I'll think of something and be there as fast as I can."

Relief flooded Keegan, followed swiftly by a pang of guilt. He was manipulating Jaron—for his own good, but still. Surely this wasn't how one was supposed to behave in a relationship. Keegan couldn't say. He'd never been in one before.

"Thank you," he said into the phone.

He heard the shuffle of movement on the other end as Jaron prepared to leave work. "You owe me one hell of an explanation," Jaron warned before hanging up.

Keegan ended the call and placed the phone down on the table. He dragged a hand through his hair and sank back into his chair.

The crisis he'd dreamed of had been averted, but who was going to take the fall in Jaron's place?