Page 21 of Visions of You

Keegan took a deep breath as he waited for the other vampire to pick up. Iskander responded shortly after the third ring. "Keegan," he said, his voice even but strained. It sounded as if he expected Keegan to have more bad news for him. "Why are you calling?"

"To see how you're doing. I know about Holly," Keegan said, getting straight to the point. He hated how often his friends thought he existed to spread doom and gloom, but he couldn't fault them for it. The faster he dispersed the notion, the better. "How are you and Rhyme holding up?"

There was a pause, and Keegan could picture Iskander running a hand through his short black hair. "It's been rough," he admitted. "Rhyme is beside himself with worry. They fought so hard for their freedom."

Keegan grimaced. Holly and Rhyme had both been blood-slaves. For one of them to be kidnapped again after they'd finally escaped that life…

It was beyond cruel.

"I'm so sorry," he said softly. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Actually," Iskander said, "Apollo will come by in the morning. He might have use for a seer's help in this case."

Keegan hesitated. He could look into the case, but he hated to use his powers that way, as if everything he saw was definite. When he wasn't well connected to the people whose futures he tried to see, the results were often lackluster. "I don't know," he said slowly. "I would need Altair's permission to aid an organization other than our coven with talents."

"Altair wouldn't have a problem with this," Iskander said. "This concerns Rhyme's children and Rhyme is part of our coven through me."

Iskander had a point there. It was a loose interpretation of coven, but not one Altair would squabble with.

Still, this all felt too convenient. As if fate really wanted him to meet Jaron today.

But what else could he do?

Deny his help to Iskander?

That wasn't really an option either.

"Okay," he said finally. "I'll come over."

"Thank you," Iskander said as if Keegan was doing this solely to help him and Rhyme. Keegan would do everything he could to support his friend and solve this mystery.

But there was another riddle he wanted to solve along the way.

The puzzle of his own fate.

Keegan arrived at Iskander's place just before the sun rose. Iskander had left the door ajar for him after he'd rung the bell downstairs, and as Keegan stepped through the doorway, he saw him sitting on the couch, his arm wrapped around Rhyme's shoulders. Rhyme looked pale and drawn, his eyes red-rimmed from crying.

A mug of tea sat on the small table in front of them and the scent of chamomille hung in the air.

Iskander looked at Keegan. "Thank you for coming."

Keegan nodded, moving to sit in a chair across from them. "Of course. I'm so sorry about Holly."

Rhyme lifted his head, his gaze meeting Keegan's. "Did you see this coming?" he asked, his voice hoarse. "With your future sight?"

Keegan wasn't sure if Rhyme meant to make his question sound like an accusation or if that was Keegan's own paranoia. Too often, people blamed him when things went wrong, as if he should have the absolute power to prevent every bad thing from happening ever.

"I didn't see anything about this," he said. It wasn't the full truth, because now that this was happening, a few things he'd seen started to make sense. Disconnected visions he hadn't been able to piece together before.

Sometimes he connected the dots too late to warn anyone.

Rhyme scowled. "It's not fair," he complained angrily. "Why Holly? What did she do to deserve this?"

Keegan wished he had an answer, but he didn't. He didn't know Holly, but he was sure the mortal hadn't done anything that warranted this kind of fate. "I promise," he said, "I'll doeverything in my power to make sure that your friend and the others are found and brought home safely."

Rhyme nodded grimly.

They talked for a little longer, Keegan doing his best to reassure Rhyme and Iskander that he would use his powers to figure out who was behind this.