The next day was strange to say the least. When I got up Jasper was already away and eating cereal.
I sat down at the table to join him and we started to talk like we had before his death. I was so happy to see that nothing had changed about my boy, my little Jasper, but something nagged at the back of my mind. Jasper had been killed, and
while I loved having him back someone had to pay for what they did.
Later that night Jasper and I went to visit Morrigan and her
daughter. The kids watched TV while I talked to Morrigan.
while I loved having him back someone had to pay for what they did.
Later that night Jasper and I went to visit Morrigan and her
daughter. The kids watched TV while I talked to Morrigan.
“I am so sorry it didn’t completely work. You must have been so scared!” Morrigan pulled me in for a hug. I hugged her back for a moment, I needed a hug.
“It’s okay, he is back. Just blue.” I laughed lightly as I backed away. I had been trying to accept his state all day.
“How long do you have with him?” Morrigan whispered to me, below human hearing.
“I don’t know which is what makes what I am going to ask you so hard.” I looked down at my feet.
“Anything, what is it?” Morrigan said, jumping to find out how
she could help me.
“I am going to start investigating Jasper’s murder.” Morrigan’s eyes widen for just a moment.
“I won’t be around here much longer, I know this is going to take some traveling. So I was hoping you would be willing to take care of Jasper while I was gone.” I dropped my shoulders when she didn’t answer right away. I knew it was a lot to ask.
“Of course. But the best way to make this work will be to get a joint apartment, so we can all live there until you leave. That way it will feel like home to both of our children.” She smiled.
I examined her face, here I thought the pause meant no, but she was thinking of how to best make it work. She really would be the best person to care for Jasper. I pulled her in for a quick hug and we both went to tell the children together. They didn’t seem to care either way.
she could help me.
“I am going to start investigating Jasper’s murder.” Morrigan’s eyes widen for just a moment.
“I won’t be around here much longer, I know this is going to take some traveling. So I was hoping you would be willing to take care of Jasper while I was gone.” I dropped my shoulders when she didn’t answer right away. I knew it was a lot to ask.
“Of course. But the best way to make this work will be to get a joint apartment, so we can all live there until you leave. That way it will feel like home to both of our children.” She smiled.
I examined her face, here I thought the pause meant no, but she was thinking of how to best make it work. She really would be the best person to care for Jasper. I pulled her in for a quick hug and we both went to tell the children together. They didn’t seem to care either way.
The apartment we got was small, the kids had to share a room but we tried to make it seem like separate spaces and Morrigan and I were sleeping on bunk beds in the living room.
But it was all we needed.
Thankfully everyone seemed to get along in the small space,
including the cats.
Jasper started school and Belisama seemed more than happy to help him make some friends.
While Morrigan did most of the caring for the kids, I was out
doing research.
I spent a lot of time at the library reading up on ancient curses, using Jasper’s information as a guide. One local name continued to pop up. Buster Round.
It seemed strange to me that a man like Buster could be caught up in any of this. I had seen him around at the bars and he had never really come off as the type to have secrets. But according to my research, he knew things.
I hunted Buster down outside one of the local bars. I didn’t feel like sneaking around so I just asked him bluntly.
“What do you know about ancient Egyptian poisons?” I
asked.
“What?” He seemed shock for a moment but when I didn’t give in to the façade he did, “Okay, I don’t know much.”
He looked around us quickly.
“One was used to kill my son, tell me what you know.”
I was starting to growl, I could hear it.
“Okay, my family is from Egypt. My great, great grandparents came here with an Egyptian Princess. They were hiding her from the war, but she and my family never returned. But I know she would have passed down her knowledge of poison and magic to her kin otherwise her soul cannot pass to the next life.” He slowly stepped away, I knew he was hiding something.
“What else do you know?” I hissed showing more than enough fang.
“The Princess had a child, a girl. They have all had girls until now. The current, and possibly last, heir is Stella Striker.” He looked at his feet.
“Thank you.” I said kindly, he really had helped. But all he could do was nod and walk away quickly.
I knew I had to be careful with this, Stella was well connected. I could not just flash some fang. I decided some real investigation work was needed.
“What do you know about ancient Egyptian poisons?” I
asked.
“What?” He seemed shock for a moment but when I didn’t give in to the façade he did, “Okay, I don’t know much.”
He looked around us quickly.
“One was used to kill my son, tell me what you know.”
I was starting to growl, I could hear it.
“Okay, my family is from Egypt. My great, great grandparents came here with an Egyptian Princess. They were hiding her from the war, but she and my family never returned. But I know she would have passed down her knowledge of poison and magic to her kin otherwise her soul cannot pass to the next life.” He slowly stepped away, I knew he was hiding something.
“What else do you know?” I hissed showing more than enough fang.
“The Princess had a child, a girl. They have all had girls until now. The current, and possibly last, heir is Stella Striker.” He looked at his feet.
“Thank you.” I said kindly, he really had helped. But all he could do was nod and walk away quickly.
I knew I had to be careful with this, Stella was well connected. I could not just flash some fang. I decided some real investigation work was needed.
After finding out where she lived I spent a day or so following
her, watching her actions. Trying to figure out the best way to get her to talk. It seemed clear that talking was not an issue for her. She would tell her friends anything, but only her friends.
I decided that was just what I needed to become.
So I went through her mail, invite after invite to fancy parties. She agreed to go to one that night at the Vampire lounge, a place that I would fit in. It was perfect.
That night I went to the Plasma Lounge. I waited till Stella was alone and caught her right outside the bathroom. After a quick introduction I launched into a conversation about fashion. From my stalking her I knew her likes and dislikes so we seemed to match up quickly. Once she opened up about her dreams to have a baby girl I decided to start the conversation I wanted.
“A little girl huh? Is that so you can pass on your princess status.” I whispered.
“How did you know that,” she seemed almost happy I did, “my husband doesn’t believe me but it’s true. I know things.” She winked.
“I know, and I need your help. It’s about my son.” I placed my hand on her shoulder in case she wanted to leave, but she just smiled.
“Anything for a child.”
I was a bit shocked by this, I was not expecting this to work so well.
“My son was poisoned with an ancient Egyptian curse of sorts. I need to know who did it.” I looked her in the eye while I searched her mind.
“I can’t help you. But I know who can.” She said politely.
“No need, you have helped enough.” I gave her a hug and left the bar.
She stared after me confused but she had told me all I needed to know in a thought. Stella had two sisters.
When I got home Morrigan was still up.
“A little girl huh? Is that so you can pass on your princess status.” I whispered.
“How did you know that,” she seemed almost happy I did, “my husband doesn’t believe me but it’s true. I know things.” She winked.
“I know, and I need your help. It’s about my son.” I placed my hand on her shoulder in case she wanted to leave, but she just smiled.
“Anything for a child.”
I was a bit shocked by this, I was not expecting this to work so well.
“My son was poisoned with an ancient Egyptian curse of sorts. I need to know who did it.” I looked her in the eye while I searched her mind.
“I can’t help you. But I know who can.” She said politely.
“No need, you have helped enough.” I gave her a hug and left the bar.
She stared after me confused but she had told me all I needed to know in a thought. Stella had two sisters.
When I got home Morrigan was still up.
I changed in to my pjs then grabbed us both some Plasma juice.
"Morrigan, I need to leave.” I said looking at the table.
“I know. Don’t worry about Jasper he will be fine.” She smiled and sipped some plasma. Sometimes being connected to her made things so much easier but it also let me know she wanted more details.
“Stella is one of three sisters. Two of her sisters have returned to Egypt. If anyone knows who killed Jasper its one of them.” I looked up at her.
“Sounds like you’re going to Egypt. You need to tell Jasper.” Her voice showed that she could feel my pain. The idea of leaving him,
right after he was returned to me stung but there was no other way. I could not rip him from the semi-normal life he just got back. He needed to stay here and I needed to go. I just nodded.
The next afternoon I was packed and ready to go. But before I left I sat Jasper down to talk.
"Morrigan, I need to leave.” I said looking at the table.
“I know. Don’t worry about Jasper he will be fine.” She smiled and sipped some plasma. Sometimes being connected to her made things so much easier but it also let me know she wanted more details.
“Stella is one of three sisters. Two of her sisters have returned to Egypt. If anyone knows who killed Jasper its one of them.” I looked up at her.
“Sounds like you’re going to Egypt. You need to tell Jasper.” Her voice showed that she could feel my pain. The idea of leaving him,
right after he was returned to me stung but there was no other way. I could not rip him from the semi-normal life he just got back. He needed to stay here and I needed to go. I just nodded.
The next afternoon I was packed and ready to go. But before I left I sat Jasper down to talk.
“Jasper, I love you. You know that right.” I asked watching his face across the table.
“I know Mom, I love you too.” He smiled strangely at me, like he
thought I might be losing my mind.
“Good. I need to leave for a while.” His smile creased into concern. “I need to go to Egypt, for some research. I don’t know how long it will be, but Morrigan is going to take care of you and you can call me whenever you need to.” I smiled weakly in
an attempt to comfort him.
“You’re trying to find my killer aren’t you? The walls are thinner than you think.” He looked up with a pout on his face. I just nodded. I tried to avoid bringing up his death at any time, but he knew. He remembered that.
Jasper stood up and went to the coat rack. I watched him go, trying to memorized everything about him. He grabbed my coat and hat and placed them on the table. I stood up and put them on. Once I was buttoned he pulled me in for a hug. I kissed the top of his head, taking in his scent.
“Be careful.” He whispered as he pulled away from the hug. Then he went into his room.
As I walked passed his door I could hear his soft sniffling as he attempted not to cry. It took everything inside me to not break down and do the same.
I met Morrigan at the door. She gave me a quick hug and told me not to worry. Then she disappeared into the kids room to comfort my son.
“I know Mom, I love you too.” He smiled strangely at me, like he
thought I might be losing my mind.
“Good. I need to leave for a while.” His smile creased into concern. “I need to go to Egypt, for some research. I don’t know how long it will be, but Morrigan is going to take care of you and you can call me whenever you need to.” I smiled weakly in
an attempt to comfort him.
“You’re trying to find my killer aren’t you? The walls are thinner than you think.” He looked up with a pout on his face. I just nodded. I tried to avoid bringing up his death at any time, but he knew. He remembered that.
Jasper stood up and went to the coat rack. I watched him go, trying to memorized everything about him. He grabbed my coat and hat and placed them on the table. I stood up and put them on. Once I was buttoned he pulled me in for a hug. I kissed the top of his head, taking in his scent.
“Be careful.” He whispered as he pulled away from the hug. Then he went into his room.
As I walked passed his door I could hear his soft sniffling as he attempted not to cry. It took everything inside me to not break down and do the same.
I met Morrigan at the door. She gave me a quick hug and told me not to worry. Then she disappeared into the kids room to comfort my son.
I braced myself and walked out the door. Egypt here I come.
RSS Feed