AveKim

A loud pop followed and the man took a sip from the champagne. His face twitched as he reluctantly swallowed. 

“I still don't know why the fuck you like this shit.” 

He chuckled to himself, but fell silent as reality set in. The one he longed for would never defend her drink of choice again. 

Mason set the opened bottle down among the flowers. “You don't mind if I drink from the bottle, do you?” He asked, but the memory of her doing just that was enough of an answer.

“In your defence, we still don't have any suitable glasses back at the warehouse,” he said with a huff. “Although they'd be useless anyway, since we're leaving Wayhaven now that…”

A lump formed in his throat and his eyes began to tear, mixing with the rain on his face as he collapsed. He fell to his knees and read the gravestone over and over, wondering when this endless nightmare would end. Desperately wishing it was just another bad dream.

But it wasn't. It was real. This nightmare was his new reality. 

Jade Howard, aged 31 - in memory of our beloved daughter, friend and sweetheart.

—————

Ten years later… 

The last of the sunlight cast long shadows across Wayhaven Cemetery. A fresh layer of snow crunched under Mason's shoes as he made his way to the grave he had not visited in a decade. The cold winter afternoon sent shivers down his spine. Thanks to his overly sensitive skin, Mason never enjoyed the cold. On top of his many layers of clothing, he wore a beige scarf. It wasn't an item that matched his usual attire, which consisted of dark clothes made of heavy materials, but this scarf was an exception. It belonged to her . 

When the temperature dropped, Jade Howard wore this scarf every day. Now, years later, so did Mason. The simple piece of clothing felt like a comfortable blanket, a way to be close to her. But the sweet scent of her perfume washed away with time, and now it was just another slowly fading memory.

He brought a single crimson rose and a bottle of the cheap champagne his beloved had loved so much, just as he had on his last visit. The cemetery, like Wayhaven, hadn't changed a bit in the last decade. 

“Hey, sweetheart.”

He said as he placed the flower on Jade's grave. It's the only flower there this time. The horrible sight of a lonely gravestone sent a wave of anger down Mason's spine. 

“Seems like I'm the only one who still gives a damn, eh?”

Deep down he knew that was not true, that his absence was part of the reason the grave was lonely. It wasn't his fault; Unit Bravo had been forced to leave Wayhaven shortly after Jade's death, which meant that Mason had lost his home in more ways than one. 

“It's been... a while since I've visited,” he continued, knowing damn well that it had been a decade. “I'm sorry 'bout that…” 

He leaned against Jade's gravestone and began to fiddle with the champagne bottle. He popped the cork, sending a loud bang through the cemetery. Ten years later, Mason still didn't like the taste of champagne. But she did, and that was all that mattered.

“I suppose you can blame your mother for that.” Mason sighed, a frown creasing his face. “We moved around more than ever before. You'd have liked that, I guess... Remember when you said you wanted to leave Wayhaven to explore the world? Well, it's no fucking fun without you.” 

He put the bottle down on the gravestone and took a pack of cigarettes from his studded leather jacket. “Sorry, I started smoking again,” his gut twitched with guilt as he lit one of the cigarettes and took a long drag. The smoke in his lungs temporarily numbed the feeling of frozen needles pinching his skin, but it returned as soon as he exhaled.

—————

Ten years earlier…

The sun was rising over the warehouse. As the sunlight crept over the tops of the trees, the birds began to chirp. A deer grunted somewhere in the distance, and an owl hooted in response. The forest was slowly waking up, just like the rest of Wayhaven.

Mason could tell from the clear skies that it was going to be another disturbingly hot day. He couldn't wait for autumn, or at least the rare two weeks when he was somehow able to cope with the ever-changing temperatures. 

This time, however, it was not just the weather that was bothering Mason. The number of missing Agency employees and random Wayhaven residents was worrying him. There were trappers lurking all over the city, but they always escaped whenever United Bravo got too close. And then there was the damn bird man, who would stop at nothing - not until he had her . 

A shiver ran down Mason's spine as he finally decided to light the cigarette that had been hanging from his lips for hours. 

“Oh, sorry, I didn't realise you were up here.”

He turned to the warm sound of Jade's voice. She was dressed in a revealing workout set, her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. Her cheeks were flushed and her heart was pounding. Mason was not sure if that was because he was the one causing the reaction, or if she had actually just finished a workout. 

“It's early,” he commented. “Shouldn't you be in bed, sweetheart?” 

“Couldn't sleep,” she said, sitting down beside him. “I was in the training room and tried to do a bit of sparring with Nate, but I could tell he would rather talk me through the nightmares than fight me.”  

“You should've asked me,” Mason said with a grin as he ran his eyes down Jade's toned body. Her tight gym clothes hugged her body in all the right places. “Especially with this on.”

“Oh... Um... Than -I mean... I'll keep that in mind for next time…”

Even if she had not admitted it yet, Mason knew that Jade liked his attention. It was far too easy for him to make her blush, to make her stumble over her words. It was a game between them, one he was slowly winning — although it was no longer just the game that piqued his interest.

Mason and Jade were drawn to each other like magnets. No matter what happened, every look, every touch, every conversation seemed to bring them closer together. Unfortunately, they could also push each other away with the same magnetic force. 

Mason didn't understand why, but his pheromones affected the detective when they shouldn't. The first time he used them around her, they gave her an instant migraine. It confused him at the time, but he soon realised it happened every time. The effect scared him enough to never use them again... but unfortunately, using pheromones wasn't always a choice.

Just the other day he was reminded that he wasn't always in control. Mason knew he should have cleaned his crystal sooner. Waiting just made the damn thing an unnecessary danger to himself and everyone around him. 

But leaving Jade behind for a few hours was inevitable if he wanted to clean it. Mason wasn't comfortable with that, so he put off the cleaning as long as he could. Too long.  

When Jade took him to the local antique shop, Mason broke down. The part of himself he had tried so desperately to keep hidden came out in full force. Surprisingly, he didn't regret it. It was then that he realised how the simplicity of Jade's embrace seemed to calm his hyper senses. If only for a minute, her touch could somehow replace the crystal, allowing him to stay in control and think clearly.

Clear about everything that was not her , at least. For someone who had never had any understanding of his own emotions, Jade was surely the cause of a lot of them.

Attraction. Excitement. Desire. Concern. Yearning. Despair. Worry. Fear. Trust. Anxiety. Longing. Worry. Worrying again. More longing. Always worried.

Why did everything have to be so god damn confusing?

Jade rested her head on Mason's shoulder as they both stared at the rising sun in silence. Her hand was close to his, close enough that he could feel the warmth radiating from her skin. For a while, lost in thought once again, he stared at the closeness of their hands.

The veins on her freckled hand pulsed, slightly dilated by the summer heat. He could hear her blood pumping in a steady beat, the sweet scent of it dangerously tempting.

But the temptation was dulled by Mason's concern for the woman beside him. The faded remnants of the bruises that covered her skin, inflicted by the birdman's attack, were a grim reminder of the ever-present danger.

“Maybe it's not a good idea... considering I'm still healing from the Annunaki attack and you're not exactly…” 

Mason's attention snapped back to Jade's words, unsure of what she was referring to. It took him a few moments to realise that she was still talking about her combat training. 

“I'm not exactly what?” 

Jade just looked at him uncertainly before standing up. As she stared down at her feet, he could hear her heart beat a little faster. From the way she shifted her weight from one foot to the other and swallowed nervously, he could tell she was searching for the right words. 

“I guess…” she started, but stopped to turn her back to him. “Just... maybe I shouldn't get so close to you while you're still so... confused ... about... us.”  

And then she walked away without looking back. Leaving Mason and his confusing thoughts alone.

—————

Mason took another swig from the bottle of champagne, each sip making him wish that the sparkling liquid would start to taste better in some way.

“I should've known back then,” he said, shaking his head. “Maybe in a way... I suppose I did... I imagine everyone knew except me.”

He sighed and took another sip of champagne. In the short time he had been at the cemetery, the blizzard had intensified. Mason pulled Jade's scarf tighter around his neck, trying to ignore the cold wind that pricked his skin like thousands of tiny needles. No matter what the weather was like, Jade deserved his attention. 

It didn't take much to convince Adam to take a detour to Wayhaven. After all these years, no member of Unit Bravo had really processed the detective's death. Then again, none of his teammates had loved the detective the way Mason had — he was sure of that.

“I found this,” he said as he pulled an old iPod shuffle out of his pocket. “Would you be surprised if I told you this damn thing disappeared because of Nate?”

A chuckle escaped his lips. “He thought it was some sort of early model, agency battery or something - not sure what he expected from the earphones though.”

Mason turned on the iPod, which was surprisingly still working after years of collecting dust in an Agency storage. The only reason he had found it was because he had helped Nate find something that used to be on display in their old home.

Years ago, while living in the Warehouse, Jade had lost her iPod after returning from a run. She never left the house without music and made quite a fuss about losing it. Nobody knew, or wanted to admit they knew, where it was. Now, years later, he found the damn thing in a cupboard that used to be in the living room of the Warehouse. 

“Nate just put it away because he had no idea what the hell it was,” Mason went on, shaking his head in disbelief.  “You can bet he felt guilty about it once he did.”

Mason's finger hovered over the play button, wondering what the last song Jade had listened to had been. He had never been a fan of music, at least not that he could remember, but he made an exception for Jade. 

“Funny, really…I always assumed it was Felix who stole it to put the crap he was listening to on the damn thing.”

Knowing that he could hear the music without the earphones, he pressed play.

Slow change may pull us apart when the light gets into your heart, baby — Don’t you, forget about me.

Mason's brow furrowed in a sad frown as he listened to the lyrics. Suddenly he understood them much better than the last time he had heard them: sung by a drunken Jade at Laycott’s Bar and Grill.

—————

Ten years earlier…

I’m at Laycott's Bar and Grill with Tina and Verda. If I’m not back in an hour, please come and rescue me. 

Remembering Jade's friends would have been a lot easier for Mason if he'd paid attention to them in the first place. Fortunately, there weren't that many people in her life. He soon realised that she was talking about Bobblehead and the Doctor (or whatever he was) from the Wayhaven P.D. Jade would not appreciate those nicknames, though. 

Even if she had tried to hide it from him earlier, Mason knew that she was glad that Tina had dragged her and Verda down to the local bar for a night out. Jade deserved a night of carefree fun, her life shouldn't be filled with threats and potential complications.

Surprisingly, Mason heard nothing from her that night. An hour passed slowly. And another. And another. And another. When midnight struck, Jade was still AWOL.

How long do bars actually stay open in this shithole? Mason wondered as he walked down the road towards the town square.

The forest was silent, and Mason couldn't help but wonder what dangers lurked in the shadows. There would certainly be trappers and rogue supernaturals. Werewolves. Actual wolves... no, the United Kingdom didn't have wolves... right?  

Still, Mason knew the world was dangerous, especially for a human with mutated blood and a massive trapper's bounty on her head. So. Much. Danger. He scowled, wondering when and how he had started to act so much like Adam — looking for signs of danger wasn't something he usually did. 

Jade had hugged him earlier that day. Accidentally, but it was a hug nonetheless — and Mason didn't mind. Maybe he even enjoyed it. Miraculously. No overwhelmed hyper senses, not even the tiniest fraction of pain. He just felt her warm embrace, her soft touch as she caressed his skin. The warm, spicy scent of her perfume: tobacco leaf, pink pepper, rum. The steady but loud beating of her heart acted like a soothing white noise.

Mason was so caught up in his own thoughts about Jade that he didn't even notice that he had already made it to the centre of town. Just like every other Wayhaven resident, it seemed. The town was busy, alive. Everyone had made their way to the local bar that night, and Mason soon discovered why: Karaoke.

“A round of applause for our very own Detective Howard!” 

“Oh fuck no,” 

Mason muttered to himself as he entered the bar, just as a new song began to play. He made his way through the sea of drunk and screaming people. 

This couldn't be a worse situation for a vampire with extreme hyper senses. A vampire who had now found the woman he so desperately needed and wanted to protect, standing on the bar with a microphone in one hand and a glass of champagne in the other.

“Won't you come see about me? I'll be alone, dancing, you know it, baby. Tell me your troubles and doubts giving me everything inside and out and—”

He grinned at the sight: he had never seen Jade so... carefree before. She was a terrible singer, but no one else seemed to mind as she sang the lyrics to the Simple Minds song loud and proud. 

Mason slowly approached the bar. Jade was attracting a lot of attention, which could prove dangerous. Even though he didn't feel any immediate danger, he was close by just in case.

“Mason!” 

He turned at the high-pitched call of his name. Bobblehead came running towards him, two shots of tequila in hand, and the Doctor followed close behind. 

“What are you doing here?” She asked as she pressed the shot glass into his hand. “Jade told us you hate crowds and... well, anything fun, really.” 

“She's right about that,” he replied coldly, his face twitching at the sharp and pungent scent of the drink. 

“Then drink up, buddy.” 

Figuring it was probably the only way to shut her up, Mason reluctantly agreed.

“Don't you forget about me. Don't, don't, don't, don't. Don't you forget about me.”

“She's amazing, isn't she?” Verda said, elbowing Mason to his side. “It took some convincing to get her up there, but it's been a long time since Jade has let herself go like that.”

Mason wasn't sure if he agreed with Verda's statement. Her tone was off. Way off. But the doctor was right. For probably the first time since he'd met her, Jade looked like she didn't have a care in the world. 

She let her hair down. Her silk blouse was unbuttoned much lower than usual, revealing the red lace bra she wore underneath. The alcohol made her cheeks flush a bright pink, a warm contrast to her pale complexion. Jade ran her hands through her messy blonde locks, eyes closed as she memorised the lyrics. 

“I've never seen so much desire in one look — the way you look at her could set this bar on fire.” 

Mason snapped his eyes back to Verda, who looked at him with an amused smile. The Doctor seemed to be waiting for an answer, but Mason had no intention of giving him one.

“Go Jade, Wooh! ” 

Tina's high-pitched voice snapped Jade out of her self-induced trance. She audibly gasped as her green eyes locked with Mason's grey ones. 

“As you walk on by, will you call my name?” She continued to sing, but with much less confidence than before. “As you walk on by, will you call my name?”

Mason turned to face the bartender, trying his best to ignore the burning gaze on his back. There was no need to drag Jade away from the spotlight, she may have been drunk, but she wanted to sing herself. She enjoyed the attention. It would have been selfish to take it away.

"Who knew the detective had it in her?" 

Mason's attention snapped to the other side of the bar where two men were practically drooling over Jade. He didn't like the way they were undressing her with their eyes - it was too primal. He knew that look better than anyone, but seeing it used on Jade made him boil with rage. 

“I bet you a tenner I’ll get her to suck my co—”

Mason didn't even realise how fast his feet had dragged him over. He let out a low growl that had the men turning around in an instant. 

“You got a problem, mate?” One of them snapped. 

“I bet you a tenner that you’ll lose that small cock of yours if you force yourself onto the detective,” he growled. “Get the fuck out of here.” 

“Yo man, we didn’t mean—”

“Get out.” 

Mason growled again as he rolled up his sleeves. The two men exchanged a worried look and hurried off without looking back.

“ When you walk on by… And you call my name… When you walk on by…”

—————

Mason chuckled at the memory of the bar as the song stopped. He turned off the iPod and folded the earphones neatly around it. 

“Remember how you begged me not to tell the others about the karaoke show?”

Even though Jade was having fun, she was kind of embarrassed that she had let herself go too far. Being a detective meant she couldn't have that kind of fun anymore... or so she kept telling herself. Mason didn't agree, he enjoyed seeing that wild side of her... he just wished she'd let him see it more often. In these dark days, that was the side of Jade Mason he longed for the most. 

“I can tell you now that... that…” he hesitated before continuing.

Mason took a deep breath to let the fresh, cold air enter his system. The warm comfort of Jade's scarf brought his thoughts back to him as he bent to place the iPod in front of her headstone. 

“I should have kept you close that night…”

—————

On that dreadful night…

“Is it so bad that I don't want you to go alone?” Mason snapped, a wave of anger mixed with worry washing over him. 

There was no way he was going to let Jade go to the auction alone, even if it was the most logical option. The other option was to work with her mother. In retrospect, that would have been the safest option. 

She didn't want to work with Rebecca. He understood that — she loathed the woman who dared call herself her mother. 

But it was dangerous. Far too dangerous. 

“These people want you dead, sweetheart,” his shoulders slumped and he took Jade's hands in his. “Please, please don't do this... there will be another—”

“I have to do this, Mason,” she pleaded, a single tear rolling down her cheek. “I have to try and save these poor people…” 

Mason brushed the tear from Jade's cheek and tried his best to fight the sudden urge to cry himself. He couldn't remember another time when he felt so full of emotion, so scared . At least not like this. 

“They're already lost, sweetheart.”

“Then give me a reason not to go,” she argued. “A real reason.” 

He swallowed reluctantly and stepped back. They locked eyes and Mason crossed his arms over his chest. “You know I'm…”

“I don't think you are, sunshine .”

“What do you want me to say?” He argued. “That I’m recklessly, headlessly in love with you?”

Jade copied his stance, crossing her arms over her chest and dropping her eyes to the floor. He could tell by her rapid heartbeat and sharp breathing that his words stung more painfully than a bee. 

“It’s going to be all heartbreak, sweetheart,” He snapped. “Blissfully, painful and insanity.” 

“Then why…” she murmured. 

“Do you really think I could manage without you now?” He sighed and they both fell silent. 

“Maybe I don't understand how you make me feel,” Mason said quietly, breaking his defences to take a step forward. “Fuck the auctioneer, fuck the birdman, fuck whoever…”

Mason cupped Jade's face with both hands and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Tears were now streaming from her eyes as she stared back at him. 

“Just fucking make sure you come back to me.”

“Mason…” she whispered back. 

Her hands moved to cup Mason's face and her gaze flickered between his eyes and lips. 

Mason had lost count of how many times he had tried to kiss Jade. So far, none of those attempts had been successful. He wanted to have fun and she wanted more. 

She made it very clear that she wouldn’t let anything happen between them unless he went all in — the very thing he never did or wanted to do. One night of fun and run: that was his thing. 

But meeting Jade changed everything Mason thought he knew about himself and what he wanted out of life. It turned out that he knew absolutely nothing: this woman was more confusing than the concept of life itself.

And now she stood pressed against him, her hands caressing his cheeks and her tearful eyes locked on his lips.

“Jade, I—”

Jade moved her hands to the collar of his shirt, tiptoeing and pulling Mason down towards her. Their lips were so close that Jade's breath felt hot on his lips. The warm, spicy scent of her perfume was now mixed with a hint of spearmint toothpaste. 

He leaned in carefully, giving Jade the opportunity to pull away if she wanted. But this time she didn't. 

Jade's lips brushed against his, the touch so soft that Mason wondered if it was really happening. His questions were answered when her hands moved to the nape of his neck, pulling him even closer. 

Mason wrapped his arms around Jade's waist, pulling her as close as she'd let him. He wanted to savour the moment as long as possible, fully expecting it to end as quickly as it had begun. 

But Jade had no intention of pulling away. Instead, she parted her lips to let her tongue flick across his lower lip. Mason moved his right hand to cradle her cheek, deepening the kiss that exceeded all of his expectations.

The tension that had been building between them for months finally exploded. The sparks between them shot into the sky like fireworks on New Year's Eve. They moved gently, but with so much passion. 

Mason felt completely consumed by Jade's kiss. The sound of the others arguing in the living room, the hoarse croaking of the ravens on the roof of the Warehouse and the dripping of the leaky tap in the bathroom — suddenly everything fell silent. 

Time and space froze, there was only them. 

A faint gasp left Jade as they parted. She stared at him with wide eyes, her cheeks flushed red and her heart beating faster than Mason had ever heard it. Maybe he wasn't as flustered as she was, but he was pretty sure his heart was beating just as hard.

With the brightest smile he had ever worn, he brushed his thumb across Jade's lower lip. For a moment he felt nothing but peace — but then he remembered that Jade was about to walk into a trapper's auction, risking more than just her life.

“You better get back to me tonight because, hell, I want to do that again.”

—————

A tear rolled down Mason's cheek as he thought back to the memory of the kiss he shared with Jade. 

The only kiss they had ever shared. 

Or second, if you counted the time she kissed his forehead after the trappers had almost finished him off in the sewers... fuck, of course that doesn't count.

Despite a decade passing by, Mason knew no one would ever be able to replace the affection Jade gave him. 

Still, he remembered every time their hands brushed together. Every time he stood so close to her seat that their thighs touched. Every time she smiled. Or chuckled. Or laughed. Or, rarely, cried with laughter. 

He remembered it all.

Those were the moments he ended up treasuring more than the kiss — but every time he thought of them, the happy memories were overshadowed by sadness and pain and most of all: guilt.

—————

“As promised, our final lot of the night: the blood of Ethan Murphy's vessel.”

Mason pushed his way through the crowd of supernaturals who had come to the trapper's auction. If he could, he'd beat each and every one of those assholes to such a point that the Agency would have no choice but to lock him up for good.

Ethan Murphey's vessel... that was all Jade meant to Anwir and these damned souls. Not to Mason. To him, she was everything, and he would have to do whatever it took to save her. 

There was hardly any light in the dark room, which made it easy for Mason to hide in the crowd. All eyes were on the stage at the moment, but it wouldn't be long before someone noticed that he was the only one without any gold embroidery on his dark clothes. 

“I’m sorry, are you telling me you’re trying to sell something to these people based on rumours and stories alone?” 

Mason's heart sank as he heard Jade's desperate attempt to free herself. Seconds later, the trappers gagged her mouth and the sweet, seductive smell of her blood filled the room as Anwir cut her skin to prove how powerful Jade's blood was.

“No…” 

Mason pushed harder, he had to get closer. Saving Jade was all that mattered, and knowing that every supernatural in the room was now out for her blood made that almost impossible. Everywhere he looked, people licked their lips and their eyes grew wide. 

Anwir began the auction, followed by black bidding paddles shooting into the air faster than even he could keep up with. 

He knew there was only one way to stop the bidding: join in — and win.

“And what if we’re not interested in her blood?” 

Magically enchanted lights descended upon him. The people around him began to whisper and the auctioneer stood on his toes to find his gaze, but Mason only had eyes for one.

“Why? What do you want?” Anwir had answered him, but Mason had barely heard his words.

“Every inch of her. If she’ll allow it.” 

He didn't mean it to sound like an innuendo, but the sudden whispering of people fanning themselves with their paddles made Mason seriously rethink his words. 

Still, he meant every word he said. 

And so did Jade — he knew that the moment he was finally close enough to meet her eyes. She looked terrified, though a wave of relief seemed to wash over her as she knew he was getting closer.

 “And what are you willing to give for all of her?” Anwir's voice cracked with excitement and he snapped his fingers. Without hesitation, the trappers threw Jade to the edge of the stage.

He wanted to lunge forward in anger, but instead he concentrated on her. Leaning against the edge of the stage, he gazed longingly into a pair of eyes as green as Jade's name suggested. His brow furrowed in concern as he traced the shape of her face with his index finger, then pulled the gag from her mouth before cupping her cheek. 

What am I willing to give for all of her? 

It was such a simple question, yet it was his answer that finally brought some clarity to his almost permanent state of confusion.

“More than I thought I would ever give for anyone.” 

He replied without taking his eyes off Jade, who had remained silent throughout the exchange. For a moment everyone froze, there was only them . 

“I’ll give you more for the entirety!”

A silver-eyed supernatural shuffled close, its paddle held as high in the sky as it could reach. 

It was enough for Mason to tear his eyes away from Jade. Another wave of rage ran down his spine, his fangs almost cutting his own lip before he growled: “What the fuck did you just say?”  

“I… This is an auction. The highest bidder—”

Mason lunged forward, hovering dangerously over the supernatural. "If you are the highest bidder, I can tell you exactly what will happen to you." The supernatural swallowed anxiously and hesitantly took a step back, still holding the paddle to the sky. “Drop it.”

With the stubborn supernatural out of the way, Mason returned to Jade. He could not remember if he had ever felt so worried about her.

“Wait!” The auctioneer snapped, now locking his eyes with Mason. “Don’t I know you?” 

Mason didn't have to answer the supernatural when a violent crash announced the arrival of the rest of Unit Bravo, accompanied by Unit Alpha. The Agency's presence caused immediate panic throughout the room. 

People began to rush out of the room, knocking over anything in their path. The poor bastards knew they were in the wrong, they all wanted to find a way out. 

This was the moment Mason had been waiting for, the perfect distraction to get Jade away. To get Jade to safety. The others would take care of themselves. Backup was on its way, probably already waiting outside. 

But Mason waited too long.  

The moment he turned, Jade was pressed against Anwir's chest. He pressed a sharp blade against her throat with enough force to make Jade wince in pain. 

Overwhelmed with emotion, Mason wasn't sure what to do for a second. He was angry, frightened and worried all at the same time. 

Jade's eyes grew wider than Mason had ever seen them before. A drop of red began to trickle down her neck.

“Now, I’m sure we can come to some kind of beneficial arrangement—agh!” 

Jade tried to fight back. She stomped her foot on Anwir's, trying to make him let go. But Anwir wasn't impressed and tightened his grip on the panicked woman. 

“Ethan Murphey was right, his vessel is a bit feisty …” he laughed. “It's a shame we didn't get to spend more time together.”

Mason's vision blurred as time slowed before his eyes. He was too late — pools of red running down Jade's neck as her body limped to the floor. 

In a flash, the auctioneer was gone, and Mason did everything he could to ignore the overpowering smell of her blood. He leapt onto the stage, cradling Jade in his arms and doing his best to stop the bleeding. 

She struggled to breathe, her eyes filled with panic as she stared at him. She tried to reach out to him and say another word, but then everything fell silent. 

“No... Jade, NO!”

Her eyes became misty, her hand fell to the ground... and her heart stopped beating. 

Jade Howard was dead.

—————

“I’m so fucking sorry, sweetheart…” 

Mason didn't even notice that he started to cry. Or that the snow had stopped falling. That the birds had gone completely silent. The world was as frozen as it'd been for ten years. 

“I should have…”

Guilt washed over Mason. Not just for failing to save her, but for everything. 

For treating Jade like crap for months, just because he was too stubborn to accept that he might find out he could feel something for her. How he didn't just admit that he was in—

None of it mattered anymore, there was nothing left. 

Mason let the tears stream down his face as he finished the last of the cheap champagne he had brought to his lover's grave. For once, he let himself feel everything .

It’s like he told her all those years ago: All heartbreak, blissfully painful and insanity. 

And it was all his fault. 

“Police — Hand’s up!” 

Mason was so caught up in his own feelings that he didn't even hear another person approaching. He turned on the spot and looked straight into one of the Agency's new shiny electric guns.

“Mason?” 

The gun dropped, revealing the familiar face of Bobblehead . Detective Tina Poname, also Wayhaven's current human liaison, stared back at him, eyes wide. 

Her mid-forties suited her well. Her once deep brown curls were now streaked with grey. Fine lines appeared around her eyes and mouth. The result of a lifetime of laughter, Mason guessed. 

For he didn't know the detective well, but he knew that she was always annoyingly happy... except now.

“I-I…” she stammered. “I’m sorry…” 

“It’s fine, I was—” 

“It's fine,” she cut in. “I'll understand if you need a moment.” She looked down at the empty bottle of champagne in his hand. “You wouldn't happen to have another one of those, would you?”

“No,” he shook his head. 

“It's all right... Knowing her , she appreciates the sentiment.” Tina replied with a small smile. 

Mason nodded, not sure what to say next. 

“I didn't think I'd ever see you here…” she admitted, her brow furrowed in concern. “I didn't even see you at the funeral... Nate said…”

“I was there.” He argued. “I just... I couldn't…” 

“The cigarette buds…”

Tina's eyes drifted to a tree in a dark corner of the cemetery. It was the very tree Mason had hidden behind during the funeral. It had been close enough for him to hear every word of the ceremony, but far enough away to avoid unwanted... or rather, any attention. He didn't want it. Not from Unit Bravo. Not from Rebecca. Certainly not from anyone else. 

“We got a call from a local about a suspicious person lurking around after closing,” Tina changed the subject. 

“We've had problems with... grave diggers…” She swallowed and took a deep breath. “It's the first time since... well, all of this, that the agency suspects it's supernatural.”

“A supernatural?” Mason asks, wondering how much danger there was still lurking in the shadows of Wayhaven after all these years. 

“The Agency seems to think it's an Aswang,” she continued, but paused, seemingly searching for the right way to ask her next question.

“I wonder…” She continued, pausing to take a deep breath. “Do you think Unit Bravo can help?”

Mason swallowed at the question. Part of him never wanted to return to Wayhaven, but another part felt it was his duty to stay. 

She would want him to be here. For her, he would have done it without hesitation. In a way, he felt obligated to do exactly that. 

“I guess…” Mason looked up at Tina and nodded before continuing. “Let's meet in your office in an hour. I'll call the others.”