DEATH (The Justice Cycle Book 1) J Kiefer (ebook reader .txt) 📖

Before long, it settled into the Shogun’s stiff open palm, and its glow ceased. The weapon rested there in the familiar hand that had wielded it for so long. After a while, it began to contort and melt until it had fashioned itself into a new form, that of a small golden locket with a large blood-red gem at its center.

Here it would rest until another who was worthy of the call would come to claim it. It could sense that the new bearer was near. It would not have long to wait. It never did, because the cycle which had begun at the fashioning of the universe itself would continue until the last light of that universe faded away.

Twelve

Dana awoke with a start. Someone was gently shaking her and whispering her name. The face that hovered over her was Steve’s, and she groaned and placed one hand over her eyes hoping he would go away.

“What time is it?” she asked groggily.

“Five thirty,” he said with a yawn. “I made you some coffee, hope you like it strong.”

She started to sit up and felt Jared stir slightly from the movement. It was then that the events of last night came flooding back to her with amazing clarity. She could not remember what time it had been when she finally fell asleep, but she knew that it must have been late.

“I heard your alarm going off in your room and after about ten minutes of it, I realized you weren’t in there to turn it off,” he whispered as he helped her up. “I thought that you might appreciate the wake-up call.”

“Thanks,” she replied, looking back down at Jared. It touched her that he had stayed with her all night. She was loath to let the moment go, so she just stood there silently gazing at him.

Steve put the cup of coffee on the end table, slipped out of the room and back to bed.

It was late and she had to start getting ready for work, so she bent down and gently kissed Jared on the cheek. “Maybe someday you will love me as much as I love you,” she whispered.

Jared stirred as she spoke, and he opened his eyes and stared at her dazed. “Jasmine?” he asked, confused.

“No,” she replied, her voice cracking. “It’s Dana. You stayed at my house last night, remember? It’s about five thirty and I have to go to work. I’ll tell the lieutenant that you are sick or something. You stay here and get some rest.”

She dashed for the door before she finished with her last sentence, wiping away the tears that now flowed freely down her face.

“Wait! Can’t you stay with me?” he called to her. “I don’t want to be alone right now.”

She ignored him, too choked up to speak, and quickly made her way down the hallway to her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Sobbing uncontrollably, she slumped to the ground and pulled her legs up to her chest, hugging them close.

When she’d heard him say Jasmine’s name, it had shattered her perfect moment, breaking her heart. She had no one to blame but herself and she knew it. He had come to her as a friend, not a lover, and she had set herself up to be hurt.

“Get ahold of yourself, girl,” she scolded herself. “You have a job to get ready for, and you don’t have time to do this right now.”

After a few calming breaths, she got changed and made her way into the bathroom to prepare for the day.

Jared awoke to the irritating sound of a phone ringing. His eyes were red and swollen from crying and he wasn’t sure where he was. He felt like he had a hangover. It was then that he remembered everything from last night and he sighed deeply.

“Dana,” he said dreamily to himself. She seemed upset before and he hoped everything had turned out okay. Jared wondered what could have made her so upset. He could not come up with anything offhand, so he returned to his brooding. The phone continued to ring and after a few minutes of ignoring it, whoever it was hung up.

He walked out into the kitchen, yawning and stretching away the stiffness. He opened the refrigerator door and peered in, looking for anything edible. Nothing looked good, and he didn’t feel like eating anyway, so he closed the door, deciding to skip breakfast. Well, at least what he thought was breakfast, anyway. He wasn’t entirely sure what time it was.

The clock on the microwave told him that it was nine o’clock and he wondered if Jasmine had tried to call him. If she had tried his cell phone, she would have received no answer and probably would have been infuriated. His cell was still in his car at the Number Six restaurant, so he had no way of checking to see if she had called. He wondered if she’d tried to call his parents as well, but he didn’t want to bother them.

Who was he kidding? According to Joe, she had left the restaurant with some other guy. The last thing that she would likely do is call him right now. He had to talk to her, and he had to do it right now. In a panic, he picked up Dana’s home phone and dialed the number to Jasmine’s cell. It rang until her voice mail picked up and he left a heartfelt message telling her to call him.

A call to her parents revealed that she had left for New York City with her new friend. They felt sorry for Jared but said that they had promised not to tell him where she was staying in the city. He did manage to get the name of the guy she was with, though. Vladimir Durgala. He was apparently a diplomat of some kind and had stopped in Binghamton on his way back to the city.

Jared slammed the phone