Page 40 of In the Monster's Wake
Cullenwascute.He looked a bit more human than Kester, and even though he had fangs, he didn’t have as many of them as Kester.He also didn’t use them to scare people.In fact, he kept his lips pressed together so that no one would see them.One of his eyes was hidden behind his floppy dark hair, and there was a hint of red that glinted in the visible eye in the right light.He was shorter than Kester and thinner, but Jasper was pretty sure that he had his father’s chicken feet.There was something about the way he wore his shoes and moved his legs.
Jasper didn’t care.It wasn’t the chicken feet that made Kester a monster.It was what he did to people.
“Do we really care what Kester meant?”Archie asked as he walked into the living room carrying two plates.
He held one out to Cullen, who only hesitated for a second before grabbing it.Jasper moved more slowly, knowing his body would be in pain tomorrow.He’d been knocked down a few times tonight, and he was starting to feel it.
He was glad for the pasta that Archie had cooked.He was hungry, and he’d never enjoyed cooking, especially not for himself.He was happy he wouldn’t have to go home and find something to eat.
Archie vanished into the kitchen, but he was back with Jasper seconds later, carrying his own plate.He sat on the couch armrest as if he couldn’t bear to be far away from Jasper.That was fine with Jasper, who allowed himself to lean against him.
They hadn’t talked about what they were to each other or about what they were doing.Jasper knew that he liked Archie, and he was pretty sure that Archie liked him, but it might not be enough.They had more important things to focus on than whether or not they were boyfriends, though.
“I think we should care about what Kester said,” Jasper said.“It could explain why he’s so interested in me.”
“Even if it explains it, I don’t think it’s going to change anything.For some reason, Kester finds you intriguing.That’s enough for me to kill him,” Archie offered.
Cullen made a little sound that had both Jasper and Archie turn toward him.For a second, he looked like he might throw his plate at their faces and run, but instead, he clutched it closer and shoveled more pasta into his mouth.
“Why is he after you?”Archie asked.
Cullen froze.“I don’t know.”
“I think that’s a lie.”
“It’s not.I never knew my father, but my mother told me about him.Even without meeting him, I knew that I should stay as far away from him as I could, and I was right.He’s horrible.”
That was one way to describe Kester, but he wasn’t just horrible.He was a murderer and a monster in all the senses of the word.
“Is that what you did?”Jasper asked.
“I tried.My mother passed away a few months ago.It wasn’t easy, but I was working through things when he appeared.He grabbed me one night.I don’t know why, but he seemed curious about me.”Cullen shook his head.“I didn’t ask him questions.I don’t know why he’s trying to find me, and I don’t care.I ran as soon as I could, and I’ve been running ever since.”
There was no way to know what Kester wanted or what was going on in his mind.They could only guess, but maybe Archie was right, and it didn’t matter.Whatdidmatter was Kester’s actions, and he was looking for Cullen while also being intrigued by Jasper.He always did what he wanted, which meant he wouldn’t stop until he found Cullen and did whatever he had planned to Jasper.
“We’ll help you,” Jasper promised.
Archie grunted.“Don’t make promises you don’t know you can keep.”
“I’m going to do my best to keep this one.”
“I know that, but we have no idea why Kester is after Cullen or what he wants from you.I don’t like going into any situation in the dark, but especially not something like this.We need to know more.”
Jasper poked at Archie’s arm.“You were the one saying that it doesn’t matter.”
“It probably doesn’t, but maybe knowing why Kester is so intrigued by you will help.Maybe if we understand his motive, we’ll be able to find him.”
And if they found him, they could fight him, and hopefully, defeat him.Jasper had an inkling that would be the only way to be free of the monster, and he didn’t fancy spending half of his life looking behind himself.
He couldn’t afford not to do anything about Kester, not only because the monster was terrorizing the city.Jasper needed Kester dead for his own good.
He just wasn’t sure how to make that happen.
* * * *
ARCHIBALD WAS CURIOUSabout Cullen, but he didn’t think he would’ve gotten any answers out of him.Jasper had a way with people that helped them relax and got them to talk about themselves.
It should be the other way around.Jasper had killed monsters for a living, while Archibald helped them.He should be used to talking to people and getting answers out of them, but instead, Jasper was doing it.
