Page 43 of Visions of You
The door swung open shortly after that, revealing a disheveled Keegan. Jaron's heart stuttered at the sight of him.Even with his red hair sticking up at odd angles, he was still the sexiest vampire Jaron had ever seen. But the lack of sleep was apparent as well.
Keegan's gaze flicked to Jaron, and he let out a heavy sigh. He reached out, grabbed Jaron by the arm, and tugged him into the room, shutting the door behind them.
"What are you doing back here so soon?" Keegan asked, his voice rough with exhaustion. "You're aware that most vampires are asleep at this hour, right?"
"I'm surprised you even know what hour it is," Jaron murmured absentmindedly while he took in the state of Keegan's room. Star charts were strewn across the floor, interspersed with loose papers covered in scribbled notes. It looked like the workspace of a mad scientist.
"What's all this?" Jaron asked, gesturing to the chaos.
Keegan rubbed his face. "I've been trying to find a way to prevent the future I've seen."
Jaron's brow furrowed with concern. "Did you get any rest since I left here?"
Keegan shrugged. "They say 'you can sleep when you're dead,' not when you're undead. No vampire's ever died due to lack of sleep."
"So vampires don't need rest?" Jaron asked with a note of obvious sarcasm.
"What I need is answers," Keegan countered.
Jaron reached out, his fingers brushing against Keegan's arm. "I'm sure you will find them. But not like this. Not by running yourself into the ground."
Keegan pulled away from Jaron's touch. "You don't understand. Every time I close my eyes, I see it. I see you…"
He trailed off, his jaw clenching.
"See me what?" Jaron prompted gently.
Keegan shook his head. "It doesn't matter. What matters is finding a way to stop it."
Jaron watched as Keegan's eyes darted around the room, as if the answers he sought might be scribbled in the margins of his own frantic notes. He needed to know what Keegan had seen, needed to understand how they could avoid that future.
"It does matter," Jaron insisted. "Tell me what you've seen in your visions."
"No." Keegan took a firm stance. "Telling you would alter the future in ways I can't predict. It's dangerous."
Jaron huffed in frustration. "Is that why the predicted kidnapping victims were wrong?"
Keegan shot him a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"
"Someone not on your list was kidnapped," Jaron explained with a twinge of dread. "Apollo is wondering…"
"Wondering what?" Keegan pressed.
"If you did it on purpose."
Keegan's gaze bored into Jaron for a few seconds, then he asked, "What do you think?"
Jaron tried not to squirm under Keegan's intense scrutiny. He had nothing to hide, and yet it felt like the vampire was taking him apart with his eyes. "I don't think you did it on purpose."
"So you think I fucked up?"
This wasn't fair. Jaron couldn't win no matter what reply he gave.
After another second, though, Keegan released him from his examination with a soft smile, making Jaron feel like he had passed some sort of test. "You're not wrong to think I can fail," Keegan said. "Though I'll admit I didn't expect to be wrong about the victims. I'm not scheming or plotting anything right now."
'Not plotting anythingright now.' That said a lot about the vampire.
Jaron chose not to focus on it.
