Chapter 35:
Moving Forward
Jasmine had never felt better than she did currently. She could still feel Nick's touch against her skin. Still taste him upon her lips. She had been thoroughly satisfied, yet she still craved for more. It was a never-ending desire.
Of course, she knew that now was not the time for such things. Nick had asked her to help someone watch over Aiden. She was curious about who he trusted enough to do such a thing. After all, he was incredibly protective of his son. Something Jasmine knew very well.
She was a little amused to discover that it was another woman. A Vampire named Vanessa. It was incredibly easy for Jasmine to tell that there was something...familiar about the woman. Perhaps it was because her powers as a Succubus had improved to an incredible decree, but the moment that Nick's name was uttered from Jasmine's lips, she felt the woman react in a way that reminded Jasmine of herself.
This woman liked Nick, but it was...confused. She was unsure and a little apprehensive. It wouldn't be in Jasmine's nature if she didn't tease her. Nick quickly caught on, however, spoiling her fun. It wasn't like Jasmine was jealous...okay, maybe she was a little, but more so she saw Vanessa as adorable.
They were a fledgling when it came to their feelings for Nick, and Jasmine felt not only a little territorial, but protective of him. She didn't realize that these feelings of hers were amplified by the mark that had since burned itself deep within her heart. No longer did it glow upon her skin but had seared itself within her.
Jasmine had always been insecure about her feelings for Nick, feeling as if they were doomed to fail. She had never imagined they would have spent all those days and nights exploring each other's bodies. Just thinking about it sent her into a euphoric daze. So, you could forgive her if she was a little...possessive. Treasuring such a precious union.
However, it wasn't like Jasmine felt threatened. In fact, she was more than willing to share Nick. After all, she would have to once he saved his wife, Calli. She knew where she stood, and anyone who wished to stand by his side had to prove themselves, just as she had. She'd give everything to him, and she expected the same of anyone else.
After Nick had berated her for teasing Vanessa, she had gotten to know her over the next couple of days. To her surprise, she actually liked the woman. She was an incredibly intelligent, keen woman who commanded her people with authority and respect. The only time she cracked was when Nick checked in.
She would see the message on her phone and immediately grew flustered. She hid it well when in public, but anytime she thought she was alone, it was obvious how incredibly happy she was to hear from him. She was eager to please, much like Jasmine herself. How could she not find such a woman adorable when she reminded her so much of herself?
In fact, it was because of Nick that they had bonded so easily. Jasmine would still tease her, but nothing malicious. Vanessa would listen with rapt attention to anything Jasmine said about Nick. It made Jasmine wonder if that's how she looked whenever Nick's mother gave her information about him as well. The thought was...embarrassing.
"Really?" Vanessa asked incredulously, "He can't cook?"
"Well, it's not like he can't..." Jasmine stated with a little hesitation, "It's more like he shouldn't. I'll tell you though, he makes some mean eggs. They're delicious."
"You've eaten with him?" her eyes widened, and her tone was in awe, "From what you've said, that's living quite dangerously."
"Heh, he gets by," Jasmine chuckled, watching Vanessa with muted delighted.
"Honestly..." Vanessa sighed dreamily, her mind elsewhere, "It's kind of cute, isn't it? You know he's at least tried cooking before. I wonder if the Queen ever had to stop him from starting a fire..."
"Oh, he has," Jasmine confirmed, "He knows his limits, but he's stubborn. I've had to stop him from burning down the kitchen before."
Vanessa looked at her with a little bit of jealousy, though it wasn't malicious. More like she wished she could have been there as well. Though, Vanessa did pout a bit because Jasmine was bragging.
"Rub it in," Vanessa rolled her eyes, "You already know I...well, I admire him."
"Is that all?" Jasmine smirked teasingly, a light blush appearing on Vanessa's face.
"W-Well...I don't know," Vanessa sighed in frustration, "I-"
Both of them went silent, not because of the conversation they were having, but rather...they sensed something. They had been hanging out on the roof of the Eeastend Care Home, enjoying some drinks and food while talking. Vanessa's Vampires patrolled the area and watched from certain vantage points, but suddenly...it was too quiet.
"You feel that?" Jasmine asked, standing slowly and looking out over the area.
"Yeah," Vanessa nodded, joining her in surveying their surroundings, "You don't really think...?"
"At this point..." Jasmine glanced at her solemnly, "I wouldn't put it past them."
Vanessa radioed in her patrols as Jasmine walked towards the edge of the room. Something felt off towards the park nearby. Eastend Care Home had a large park where its patients could take strolls with their attendants or be pushed in wheelchairs to enjoy the fresh air. It was surrounded, much like the rest of the facility, by a brick wall and protected on top by pointed metal bars.
Beyond these walls was another, much larger park. Jasmine's eyes turned towards the roads of Eastend and other buildings nearby. There was something that Jasmine noticed. There wasn't a single person nearby.
Usually, there were always a few people walking by on the sidewalks or a car that would pass by every once in a while. The Eastend Care Home was in more of a quiet part of Eastend, but not so quiet that there would be nothing. Taking a deep breath, Jasmine expanded her senses just like Nick had taught her.
What she found wasn't good. The reason why everything went silent, is because a large veil had been placed over the area. Its energy was...malevolent. Just as she felt it, the sky began to swirl and turn a dark, sickly green. Clenching her jaw, Jasmine released her powers and awakened her true form.
There had been a few changes over the past couple of days, or however long it had been since she had cemented her union with Nick. Her horns had sprouted another set, changing what used to be a circlet into more of a crown upon her head. A smaller set of wings sprouted from her back, and she had learned how to cover herself in a natural armor like scales.
"Damn," Vanessa's exclaimed from behind her, sounding impressed, "That's one hell of a look you got there. You know what's going on?"
Glancing back at Vanessa, Jasmine saw that she had dropped her own glamour and exuded a deadly predatorial nature. Her features were sharper and her eyes keen, glowing with an inner crimson light. Her jet-black hair had completely turned a dark shade of red. Her ears became like an Elves, and her teeth, especially her canines grew longer and sharp.
Along with these changes, her hands had become like claws. The way she held herself was incredibly confident, floating above the ground ever so slightly. She was a terrifyingly regal presence. Jasmine approved.
"A veil was placed over the area," Jasmine motioned to the sky, "As you can see. There's an added effect to trap us inside. Were you able to get ahold of Nick?"
"...No," Vanessa shook her head, a grim expression on her face, "Though, I was able to gather my people. They're converging here now."
She motioned to the quick moving shadows which gathered on the roof and on the grounds below. They all looked vigilant and in their Vampiric forms. There were many different kinds. Some with longer limbs, others with leech-like faces. Some were horrifying, others a little more elegant.
"I'll try to reach him," Jasmine told her, her tone growing serious, "He trusted you for a reason, Vanessa. So, I will too. Get to Aiden and if the staff haven't realized it yet, inform them of what's happening."
Vanessa smiled gratefully, though in her current form it was a little intimidating. Turning into a shadowy mist, Vanessa left the roof and quickly made her way inside. Jasmine took out her phone and saw that there was still a signal. She breathed a sigh of relief, thankful for those modifications that Corvus and Nick had done to it before she had left.
Just as she was about to call Nick, as the dial tone rang, her eyes flicked towards the park in horrified surprise. Barreling down on them was a horde of plant-like corpses. Vines, bark, and other plant-like matter melded with the decaying flesh of both mortals and Fae alike. It wasn't appropriate to call them Zombies, because there were Fae that held such a name, but to mortal standards...that's exactly what they were.
"Come on, Nick..." Jasmine urged as she heard the phone ring for the third time, "Pick up the damn phone..."
Whatever those abominations were, they were getting closer now. Jasmine watched as the Vampires ran to defend the wall. They flew above with might leaps and sent streaks of blood tearing into the rotting flesh. The first wave fell, but it wasn't enough.
The corpses merged with each other, and in a horrifyingly disgusting display, flung themselves like some kind of flesh projectile into the compound. Only...they never reached. A shimmering barrier blocked them before they combusted and turned to ash. Jasmine had heard this place was protected, but it was the first time she saw it in action.
The impact rattled the shield which was now in full view. The entirety of the Eastend Care Home was surrounded by this protection, but it wouldn't last. The creatures were bashing themselves against it, even as they died, more and more joined them. Jasmine could feel the barrier weakening.
Finally, the phone picked up and a familiar voice answered.
"Jasmine?" Nick inquired, and from his tone she could sense that he already knew something wasn't right.
"You need to get to Eastend," Jasmine told him, gathering her a swirling mass of fire above her as she saw the horde continue its barrage.
Raising her free hand towards the ball of fire, she motioned forward, sending it towards the creatures where it exploded in a blaze of destruction. Scores of those abominations were incinerated, but they still kept coming. Even ignoring the burning ground upon which her fire had exploded.
They didn't care if they burned or not. They simply trampled upon the ones that fell, putting out the flames with their dead. Clenching her jaw, she sent three more careening towards them as she finished her conversation with Nick.
"Now, Nick," Jasmine said with urgency.
"Already on my way," Nick assured her, "Hold on for as long as possible."
With that, the connection was severed and Jasmine, putting her phone away, joined the fray in full. Whatever, or whoever, within New Dawn that was behind this had made a grave mistake. Jasmine was no longer who she was before. With ruby flames, she was filled with power and a determination to not let a single one of these vile creatures in.
-----
Sometimes, I wish the gut feelings I had were wrong. New Dawn constantly outdid themselves with the sheer audacity of their actions. I had already sensed that something was off when there was a pull in my heart. It felt heavy...wrong. As you know, my heart is connected to my son, Aiden.
This was a foreboding sign, and as such, I dropped the investigation into Julien and began heading towards Eastend. That's when I received the call. I could hear it, the fighting in the background and the urgency in Jasmine's voice. If New Dawn wished to provoke me, they had done so.
A power flooded through me, fueled by a conviction so deeply imbedded within my soul, that the world rippled around me. They would not touch my son. In a way, I felt a little guilty. I didn't have a good way to keep him hidden. To keep him safe.
Eastend Care Home was one of the few places that could provide him what he needed. He was a target, but I didn't have a choice. Until recently, I had been weak. You may not understand it, but the power I wielded now was not like what I used to wield.
Horizon and the Faeland's bent to my will and Eastend came into view as I stepped between the hidden passages which connected them. New Dawn had always been careful, but now they were desperate. Most likely spurned by my resurgence and disappearance of Julia. I expected them to try something, but to go directly after my son?
Well, I was glad I had followed the feeling in my gut, placing Jasmine and Vanessa as guards for Aiden. Part of me was glad for this opportunity. New Dawn knew I was alive. They knew I was attacking their infrastructure and getting closer to their heart. So, they were going after mine.
The reason I was glad for this open attack against me was simple. I wanted them to know how inferior they were. How fucked they were. I would unleash hell upon them and show them that they were not going to escape.
I wanted them to know that the King had returned, and he was cleaning house. I had sent them warnings before. Planted the seeds of fear within their hearts. Now, it was time to harvest them.
I appeared in Eastend to see the veil that surrounded the care home. It was a trivial thing to bypass as I simply walked forward, and upon contact, it gave way before shattering. Immediately, I felt the essence of the veil and captured it, turning it on itself. The veil rippled out, changing the sickly green swirling in the sky into a calmer, more quiet midnight blue from which twinkling stars danced.
It was something I did countless times before, but now it was more fluid. Natural. As if it were breathing, and just as easily as breathing, I followed the captured essence back to its source. Ruby flames met my eyes as scores of creatures made of rotting flesh and plants burned away. They came from one I was very familiar with. Jasmine.
She was amidst a score of these vile, shambling things fighting against the tide with several Vampires by her side. The barrier of the Eastend Care Home was broken, and the bricks and steel of the wall around the compound had fallen in several areas. They were being overrun, but holding them off admirably.
A few Vampires had fallen, for I could feel their fading essences disappear to be reborn once more, now that their bond with reality had been cemented with their loyalty to me. For now, they were holding them off, but without that barrier and the wall in place, they wouldn't hold them for long. I could feel the pull in my heart, knowing that several of those things got free.
Raising my hand, I whispered words of strength from deep within me. With eyes glowing brightly of amber, a flash of light exuded from me and pushed the creatures back past the wall. A wave of my hand and the barrier was repaired. Jasmine caught her breath, eyes turning towards me. Her gaze brightened as she saw me, thankful that I was here.
"Nick!" Jasmine flew over the corpses around her and landed before me, "I'm sorry, a few of them got past us, but Vanessa should-"
Placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, I gave it a reassuring squeeze. I could hear the panic in her voice, but everything was alright. Turning my head towards the third floor of the building with a soft smile.
"I know," I told her, returning my attention back, "You did well. Go, make sure the building is secure. I'll deal with the rest."
Jasmine looked a little relieved, yet still worried. The Vampires were already rushing back towards the building in haste. She placed her hand over mine on her shoulder and gave it a tender squeeze.
"I'll get better, I promise," she said with conviction, but she had done more than enough, "It's my first actual fight after-"
Swiftly, I shifted my hand from her shoulder to her face, pulling her into an affectionate, yet firm kiss. I had to shut her up somehow, and I was honestly quite proud of her. She had no reason to doubt herself. I left her breathless, pulling away after a moment of silence.
"Relax, Jasmine," I whispered with a soothing tone, "Go. Give Vanessa some backup, though...I don't think she'll need it. The staff will need help cleaning up though."
Jasmine blinked a couple times, completely out of it from the kiss.
"Y-Yeah, yeah..." Jasmine came back to reality, nodding with a confident, dazzling smile, "I'll take care of things here. Go kick their ass."
Giving her a wry, coy smile, I moved past her and towards the hordes which uselessly threw themselves against the newly erected barrier. As Jasmine took flight towards the care facility, I simply walked past the barrier, over the rubble of the wall, and into the thick of it.
I already had an idea of who was behind this among those within the New Dawn. Donning the Mantle of King, it's starry leafy shawl and horned crown acted as a deterrent even to the dead. My mere presence caused them to instinctively back away. Alive or dead, plant or stone. All knew who ruled this world.
Casting a cold gaze upon those forced to do the bidding of the Dark Druid, Alan Thicket, I dismissed them with a simple word.
"Return."
Upon the final utterance, each one turned to mulch and sank into the ground. I casually walked among the hordes who all backed down, bowing before me before meeting a similar fate as the rest. The smile upon my face was devilishly tranquil. I knew that none could touch me and that I was in control.
I had never felt so calm when something so very precious to me was in danger. I knew that they would not touch Aiden, and I knew that those who dare tried would meet their end today. I was the calm of the storm. All around them the winds howled, but within...it was a sea of calm.
I wanted into the park, towards the source of the essence I felt upon entering the veil. The plant life gave way, allowing me free passage as I walked directly towards the source. They had to have sensed they were trapped, for as I made my way forward, a swirling mass of thorned vines created a protective circle over a specific area of the park. It was almost cute that they thought this would help them.
I took a moment to gauge the situation. The Dark Druid, Alan Thicket, arrived in this park and summoned his minions. The undead creatures which he had most likely amassed over the years. It was a desecration to life itself and the sanctity of death. It wasn't like I was exactly a model citizen for morality, but even I knew that desecrating the dead in vile rituals was wrong.
To infuse them with plants and control them in some amalgamation mimicking life...it was sickening. That's not to say I didn't believe in bringing back the dead. It was, to an extent after all, what I was trying to do. Calli was still alive, though it was true that I killed her. Life and Death were not always so linear for Fae.
Mortals, however, it was very cut and dry. Unless in the unique case of my parents, which I was still coming to terms with. What Alan Thicket was doing with the corpses of both Mortal and Fae alike went against both of their natures. Fae couldn't move on and Mortals couldn't rest easy with his modifications. The way he controlled them had trapped not only the body, but their spirit as well. Their very essence.
It was a sickening puppetry. They had lived in torment until I released them. Freed them back to their proper places. They returned to the earth and their souls and bodies were released.
There was a reason they called Alan "The Dark Druid" and now I knew why. It made me angry to imagine the lives of my people being used in such a disgusting way. Looking upon the thorned vines, I commanded them to give way, and give way they did. Though, the one inside attempted to wrest control of them, only to fail miserably.
I expected a little more from someone with the audacity to attack my son.
"New Dawn must really underestimate me," I mused, walking unhindered through the vines towards Alan, "Then again, I guess they did send someone I might have struggled with before."
Alan was a human-looking man with dark circles under his eyes and unruly brown hair. He had a wild look to him, his green eyes glowing as he struggled to control the plants who refused to attack me. Wearing robes made of animal furs and what I could only assume was the skin of Fae and Mortal alike.
To think, this was the man who had tried courting Regina. I now understood why she talked about him with such disgust. His pale skin looked to have never seen the sun, despite being a Druid. How did Gaia ever allow such a man to gain even a fraction of her power?
Druids were Fae and Mortals who had tapped into, and been changed by, the power of Nature itself. Bits of leaves grew from his hair, and vines entwined around his body like flesh itself.
"Osran..." Alan spit the name with vitriol, "What have you done to my precious plants?"
"Your plants?" I scoffed, smirking in amusement, "They were never yours. Julia wondered the same thing, you know."
I took several purposeful steps towards him, and the coward that he was, took several steps back from me. However, he quickly found his way blocked by the very plants he so cherished. Growling to himself, he glared at me in defiance.
"This changes nothing!" he shouted, "If only you stayed in your lane, then we wouldn't have-"
"Silence," I said, and vines lashed out to grasp him.
They held in place and gagged his mouth. He struggled, fuming as his words became nothing but incoherent gurgles.
"Alan..." I spoke calmly, silently ordering the vines to bring him to me, and there he was leveraged in front of me, "Did you really think this would go your way?"
I clicked my tongue, shaking my head in feigned disappointment.
"You took my wife from me," a menacing tranquility echoed in my words, "Forced my hand. You and the rest of New Dawn. If you think your death will be easy, you're mistaken."
Alan's defiance flickered for a moment, breaking into uncertainty. He was trying his best to hide his fear, but before me, he now knew just how fucked he was. I stood with the Mantle of King. Authority and power exuding from me.
"However, I am not without mercy," I tilted my head, appraising him with a cool gaze, "Answer my questions honestly, and perhaps I'll make it a little less painful."
I smirked wickedly, whispering an imperceptible word as a golden rune appeared beneath him. He grimaced, knowing exactly what it was. If he lied to me, I would know. Slowly, he realized the position he was in and the defiance in his eyes broke away and was replaced by undiluted fear. Behind me, the vines closed in around us with a solemn finality.
Alan Thicket would not leave this place alive, but first, he would spill everything he knew.
-----
I got all I could from Alan, bastard that he was. To his credit, he held out longer than I expected. His unnatural constitution, bolstered by the stolen powers of Gaia, was to thank for that. He was like a parasite; living off of what he could siphon.
The things he told me made my blood boil and skin crawl. Though, I was satisfied with his answers...and his screams. I did wish I could do it all again, for Alan was one of the main focal points of the ritual from all those years ago. This leech...he had helped New Dawn tap into the power of Gaia and turn it in an unnatural way. He had been one piece to the puzzle, and now he was no more. His knowledge was now mine.
I took a moment to let all of this sink in. Alan's part in the ritual was to manipulate and channel the Forces of Nature, yet he did so in an extremely perverse, twisted way. He took life and created death, and not just any kind of death. The type of death that kept you just barely living.
You felt the pain of being drained of your life, yet unable to die. You were nothing but a battery for the ritual, and when it was over, he took them and created those...things. I would not do such a thing to gain what I needed, but now I had an idea of how the corruption, and the ritual came into being. Unfortunately, Alan didn't know much about the rest of the ritual.
He had only focused on his part. He didn't care about the rest, so long as he got his little toys, and a world in which he could play on the cusp of life and death. I took great pleasure in erasing his existence from this world. What he told me he did to those poor creatures...I shiver just thinking about it and wish I could expunge it from my mind.
There was something else that Alan told me which was useful. Besides him, there were three others involved within the ritual. I even got their names:
Lady Sanguine, who I had been going after before Alan attacked my son. Her real name was Catherine Woodsong, and just like Regina thought, she was a Siren. I would find out soon just what part she had to play in everything.
The second person was a man named Luxan. Like Harrison, he was a Titan. According to Alan, he recalled hearing something about his blood when in relation to the ritual. I could piece two and two together to theorize, if not determine, that he was most likely the catalyst of the entire ritual. Through him, they were able to force Callista to become the conduit which ushered in the Corruption and subsequent Cataclysm.
Finally, a name that I had a feeling would come up again. Crowley. According to Alan, he orchestrated everything, but as for what he did for the ritual...he didn't know. If it was the Crowley that I knew, then I looked forward to meeting him again. In fact, I relished the thought.
If it was the same Crowley that I knew, and he truly was behind all of this, then I had quite the score to settle with him. I wouldn't stop until I had him by the throat and tore him apart piece by piece. For now, I'd have to take solace in the fact that Alan was dead, and my son was unharmed.
I knew this, because I would have felt something otherwise. That, and I trusted and believed in Vanessa. While she wasn't awakened to her blood like Jasmine, she was resourceful and skilled. With Jasmine backing her up, Aiden would remain safe. I returned to them, seeing the aftermath of the attack.
The Eastend Care Home was relatively untouched, save for a few of the creatures which had made it past Jasmine. Thankfully, the patients were safe, having been put into a protective slumber by the staff and the whole facility locked down. By the time I returned, the lockdown had been lifted and all the patients were being kept asleep.
They had mortal patients among them, and so had to ease them into waking while the walls were repaired. Since the patients here were all terminally ill, it would be easy to pass today off as simply a day they were particularly tired. I was grateful that the staff here were so competent.
As I found my way to Aiden's room, I saw a sight that warmed my heart. Jasmine was helping Vanessa clean up some of the husks of the dead creatures. They looked to be getting along well, and when they saw me, both of their expressions brightened.
"Nick!" Jasmine was the first to rush towards me, embracing me firmly, "I was beginning to get worried."
Vanessa was just as happy to see me, if not a little nervous and shy. The moment she saw me, she went to rush forward to greet me, but Jasmine beat her to it. This made her a little reticent and hold herself back. It gave her time to compose herself, bowing with elegance towards me.
"I greet Your Majesty," Vanessa said formally, causing me to roll my eyes.
"Really, you two?" I sighed, returning Jasmine's hug as I shook my head, "One is worried about me, even though they know I'd be fine, and the other is being way too formal. Please, just call me Nick, or Osran, Lady Vanessa."
Jasmine looked up at me with a coy, knowing gaze, of which I promptly ignored. Vanessa smiled in amusement, narrowing her eyes at me with playful annoyance.
"Only when you drop formalities, Sir," Vanessa's smile became softer as she dropped her expression to one a little more relaxed, "But, honestly, we were both worried. I know you're strong, but..."
"That doesn't mean people won't worry," Jasmine added, poking her finger into my cheek as she made a pouting face, "So, let us worry about you."
"Okay, okay," I chuckled, raising my hands in defeat, "I didn't know I was coming back to get attacked from both sides."
"Not attacked. Just...reminded," Jasmine smiled lovingly, glancing over at Vanessa, "Isn't that right?"
"Hmm? Oh, uh, yeah," Vanessa looked away shyly, obviously unsure how to react, though her smile didn't elude me.
Leaning in, Jasmine's lips brushed my ear.
"Isn't she just adorable?" Jasmine whispered inquiringly, "Where were you hiding her?"
I gave Jasmine a hesitatingly amused glance, a feeling a dread beginning to fill my stomach.
"I wasn't," I replied quietly, full of suspicion, "What are you planning?"
"Nothing," Jasmine responded nonchalantly, though I believed none of it, "We're getting along, just as you asked."
"Right, well..." I looked towards Vanessa and smiled warmly, "You two did well. Especially you, Vanessa. Thank you for keeping my son safe."
"Oh!" Vanessa's eyes widened before her expression softened, "You're welcome, though you don't need to thank me. It was my honor...Nick."
Suddenly, Jasmine bounded from my arms towards Vanessa. Placing her hands onto her shoulders, she leaned in and whispered something into Vanessa's ear. This caused Vanessa to blush a bright red before furtively glancing at me with a shy half-smile. Narrowing my eyes at Jasmine, she had a large grin on her face, pretending to be innocent.
"...Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" I groaned, shaking my head as I wondered what she had said to her, "I regret teaching you how to hide your words..."
"Yeah, well, you did, so ha!" Jasmine stuck her tongue out at me before embracing Vanessa as if they were the best of friends.
I had taught her how to mask her words from people trying to listen in either through mundane or magical means, and while I could have still heard her, I respected her privacy. Sighing, I could only shake my head before I composed myself.
"I know you've been watching him, Vanessa, but..." I said tenderly, offering my hand to her, "I don't think you've actually met him, have you?"
Jasmine watched me with that playfully mischievous and knowing gaze of hers.
"No...I haven't," Vanessa responded, completely oblivious to Jasmine's expression, "I didn't think it appropriate unless I absolutely had to. The two Nurses are with him now."
"Well, then let me introduce you," I continued to offer my hand to her, "If you are to be his guard, you should at least meet him. It was rude of me to not introduce you."
"O-Oh!" Vanessa hesitantly took my hand at the urging of Jasmine, "Uhm, if that's alright with you, then it would be my honor."
"Enough of the honor thing, Vanessa," I chuckled, grasping her hand gently, "You've earned my trust."
Jasmine watched me guide her to the room, and inside I was greeted by Sara and Angela who were watching over Aiden's vitals. I had to stop Vanessa from bowing her head, for she was not here as a simple subject of the Faelands, but the one who had, without hesitation, protected my son from those creatures. Every single one that had gotten past Jasmine, she had fought alone.
"I'd like to ask you both to continue watching over Aiden," I told Vanessa and Jasmine, "I know that with you two by his side, I don't have to worry about him while I take down New Dawn."
Vanessa looked to Jasmine hesitantly, as if she was looking for permission. It was adorable how she looked to Jasmine for guidance, but I hoped to hear her answer, and Jasmine knew this.
"Go on," Jasmine urged, hands on her shoulders, "He's talking to you, don't look at me."
"But-" Vanessa began, but seeing that Jasmine wasn't budging, she simply sighed in resignation and shook her head with smile, "Very well. You know my answer. I'll guard him with my life. You've no need to worry about that."
"I know, and that's why I leave him in your care," I placed a firm, grateful hand upon the top of her head, then one on Jasmine's as well, "Both of you. Thank you."
Jasmine blushed under my touch, and a light pink entered Vanessa's face as well. I was truly grateful to have learned how to trust again. No matter how strong I was, it meant nothing if I continued to live as I had all this time. I had to rebuild the life that was taken from me.
"You've nothing to worry about, Nick," Jasmine assured me, hugging Vanessa to her, "We'll do our very best, and get to know each other better. Isn't that right, Vanessa?"
"...Yeah, I think I'd like that," Vanessa's smile was warm, though something about seeing the two of them get along caused the sense of dread I felt earlier to rise once more.
I'm sure nothing could go wrong in them getting closer to each other...right? I knew that I wasn't naive enough to believe my own words, but I also wasn't naive enough to say anything about it. I just had to accept that whatever happened between them, and whatever Jasmine chose to tell her...I had no control over.
However, I did have control over Jasmine herself, should she step out of line, but I trust her. Besides, she likes me taking control. So, honestly, I might just be falling into her very hands. She really was like Calli. They all knew how to get what they wanted from me.
It was pleasantly irksome. I tried not to think of how outmatched I would be once all of this was over. But then again, at that point, I probably wouldn't complain...much.
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