Page 36 of In the Monster's Wake
Something needed to break, and Jasper was afraid it would be Kester’s next victim.Archie had told him everything he and Braith had found out about the poor monster who’d been torn apart the other night, but Jasper wouldn’t be surprised if Kester had even more victims they still didn’t know about.They didn’t even know why he was in the city.Until they did, they probably wouldn’t be able to stop him.
The first two buildings were empty except for pigeons and rats.There wasn’t much to see in either beyond trash.Jasper wrinkled his nose as they left the second one.“I’ll be happy if I never have to go into an abandoned building again.”
“I thought hunters were used to that.”
“Maybe I was once, but I haven’t been a hunter in years, remember?Poking around abandoned buildings that smell of piss and mold isn’t one of the things I miss about the job.”
“Is thereanythingyou actually miss about being a hunter?”
Archie gestured at Jasper to step into the third building.Jasper walked in after rolling his eyes.“Why would I miss anything about being a hunter?”
“I don’t know.That’s why I asked.”
“No, there’s nothing I miss about having to spend half of my night outside in the cold, hunting monsters who didn’t do anything.I would’ve said working with Corey and Kerry, but I live with them now.”
“You know, I never thought I’d like a hunter, but you’re all right.”
“Technically, you don’t like a hunter.I’m not one.”
Archie snickered.Jasper opened his mouth to tell him to fuck off, but movement caught his attention.It was probably a rat, but he turned to check as someone threw themselves at him.They pushed him against the wall, and he hit it hard.His head bounced off it, making him cry out.
Archie was already reaching for Jasper, but Jasper waved at him to go after his attacker.“I’ll be fine,” he said, sucking in a breath.
Archie only hesitated for a second.Jasper pointed at the back of whoever was running away, relieved when Archie finally moved.He understood why Archie wanted to stick around and check on him, but this might be their one chance to find Kester.The person who’d pushed Archie wasn’t the monster they were looking for, but they might have information.
Or they might just be a homeless person who was terrified and wanted to be left alone.There was only one way to find out, and hopefully, Archie would manage to stop them and talk to them.
Jasper didn’t like feeling vulnerable.He sucked in a breath, then forced himself to get to his feet.The hit hadn’t been that hard, but it had been enough to knock the breath out of his lungs, and his head ached in the spot where it had hit the wall.He really was out of shape as a hunter, wasn’t he?He hadn’t cared before this mess had started, but maybe he should start training a bit harder.He wouldn’t be able to do anything against Kester if he didn’t.
“He shouldn’t have left you alone.”
Jasper froze.He wasn’t even sure he was breathing.A shiver ran down his spine, and even though he knew he should be moving, he was afraid to.He doubted that Kester was like a T-Rex.He could probably see Jasper even though he wasn’t moving.The problem was that Jasper’s brain refused to order his body to run.
Would it help?Jasper didn’t think so.
He knew that Kester had been following him on and off.He could feel it when it happened, and while it gave him the creeps, he hadn’t done anything about it.If Kester was talking to him now, he had a reason to.It probably wasn’t a good reason, at least not to Jasper, but Kester didn’t think like anyone Jasper had ever met.He certainly didn’t think like a human, hunter or not.
Jasper turned slowly.If he wasn’t going to run, he was going to try to take advantage of the situation.He didn’t think Kester wanted to kill him, not yet anyway.He was talking to him, and there had to be a reason for that.
Kester looked worse than he had when they’d met at the park.His jacket was dirty with dark splotches that could only be blood, and it took everything Jasper had not to throw up.He wasn’t usually squeamish, but it wasn’t only the sight of blood.It was knowing how it got there and what Kester had done.He hadn’t seen pictures, but the news had described the condition of Kester’s most recent victim in gory detail.
“Why?”Jasper asked.
Kester cocked his head.It was creepy.“Why what?”
“Why are you doing all of this?”
Kester was silent for a second before he shrugged.“Because I can.”
“What are you looking for?”
“My son.”
Jasper blinked.He hadn’t actually expected an answer, and he wasn’t sure what to make of it.“Your son?”
“He’s in the city.He’s hiding from me.”
Well, fuck.Jasper would be hiding from Kester if he were his son, too.
