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Nero texts me back almost immediately and I decide to just keep my phone out. I look at their message and smirk

Oh, really? Do I get a little preview before I get home? ;) I ask them.

”Are you hungry?” I ask Avery. ”We can stop and pick up whatever you want to hold you over until supper,” I offer.

Avery nods eagerly and I chuckle, telling him to pick the place.

It proved fruitful. It was a pair of Lamia. Avery and I tracked them down to an apartment building in the supernatural district. They're dead and the Detective will put up with my company for another day. He seemed disappointed you weren't there, though.”

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I peek around the room before I fully emerge from my cocoon and tiptoe into the bedroom next to Caden’s. I grin when I see the shopping goods have been placed in here already. Rubbing my hands mischievously, I go to find one of the paper bags holding the items from the intimates store we went to and send a picture of me just holding it to Caden.

There’s your sneak peek ;) I send with the picture before I go back into his room to burrow again. Once I’m enveloped by his scent again, I read his next text.

I hope you passed on my love for the detective - next time you should do a handstand and see how he reacts c:<

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Nic and I split off into separate directions to get to the bottom of my vision. I wander closer to the temple, acknowledging the workers and the worshippers. I wish Caden were here to help me translate some of what they are saying.

I end up in the temple and I’m wandering about when I see pictures of weddings. I admire some of them and their colours. A keeper of the temple notices and comes over. “Stunning, aren’t they? It’s a shame we haven’t had any weddings in a while.”

I look over at the keeper, curiosity plain on my face. ”That is a shame. It’s a beautiful location. Was there a new temple that opened up?” I asked, thinking of the logical answer. The gentleman shakes his head, looking forlorn.

“No. There just haven’t been as many people coming together within the community. This temple sees more tourists than any other these days. The fountain seems to still get a lot of attention though, despite the repairs.”

I latch onto this information quickly and turn to face the man. ”Repairs? How recent?” He looks at me perplexed before answering.

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Nero sent me a picture of a bag from a store that is a purveyor of lingerie. I stare at the photo, waiting for it to move and reveal what’s in the bag, but of course, nothing happens.

Tease.

Avery pulls into a BBQ joint and jumps out of the car seconds after parking and shuts off the ignition. I shake my head, amused and get out of the car to follow him inside.

I’ll have to give that a try next time. I’m sure he’ll enjoy it as much as I do. I follow Avery inside and decide to get something as well. Of course, Avery orders a mountain of food for himself, and I just shake my head before I pay.

I’m feeding Avery for a job well done, and then we will be home. I miss you.

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While on my way to ask some more questions, I overhear a couple workers chatting about the recent repairs. “I don’t know what exactly it is, but the fountain hasn’t felt the same since.”

“We haven’t received many worshippers lately either.”

“You guys had repairs recently?” I ask, invading their conversation with a sheepish smile. “Sorry to interrupt, I just heard stories about this temple before I visited today and am curious.”

One of them shakes their head. “It’s no problem! We recently had some repairs done that included the fountain, but we used a new contractor since our usual didn’t have a free schedule to come by this time.”

“Mr. Singh is an expert craftsman that visits a lot of temples like ours specifically to repair the fountains and recently there’s been a lot of places that have asked him for help.”

“Were you able to find another craftsman?” They both shake their heads.

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I giggle at Caden’s simple response of ‘tease’, choosing to just laugh react it rather than replying. I’ll make sure that the next time I do one, I’m wearing a skirt c;< His last message gives me pause, not because of how the pup was being fed, but the three little words at the end of it.

I peek out from under the blankets so that there’s some light on my face so I can take a selfie. I make a funny face and snap the picture before I send it. I miss you too

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Thankfully there are photos of what the fountain used to look like and what it looks like now. I snap pictures of these with my phone, but while I have them in person I peer closely to see what looks different. After that, I wander back to the fountain. I wasn’t even sure where Nic was in the chaos of tourists, I just felt drawn to look back at the fountain. I took some photos this time from all angles, thinking I might be able to go online and find what might be missing.

I walk around the fountain several times, taking photos or just looking before I find a bench nearby to sit on and I start comparing photos.

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I reread Nero’s message probably eight times before Avery waves his hand in front of me. ”If you don’t start eating, I’m going to round the corner and keep eating yours,” Avery warns me.

I look down to see Avery is halfway through his meal, which is big enough for three. I chuckle and set my phone down. ”Now now, no need to have a fight in the middle of this fine restaurant.”

Avery grins at me before resuming his meal. It always astounded me how much a werewolf could eat. I was glad the eating hearts thing wasn't normal. That was just the wolves who went feral or weren’t raised properly. Still, Avery has a pulled pork sandwich, three racks of ribs, several coleslaws and an entire plate of fries that he is just devouring. Absentmindly, I take a picture and send it to Nero.

And he’ll still eat this much or more for supper.

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The works give me the number and name of both the expert craftsman and the one they had to use as a last resort. The one they had used for repairs this time around wasn’t a specialty craftsman nor did he have the experience from India that Mr Singh has.

I thank both of them for the information before I make my way back to the fountain. I don’t know where Cass is, but logically it makes sense to head to the fountain since it’s what we’re investigating. I grin lopsidedly when I find Cass on a bench near it.

Hoping she won’t attack me, I creep up behind her while she’s focused on her phone and place my hands over her eyes. “Guess who?”

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I smile and shake my head. Avery sure could pack it away, that’s for sure. We should have a contest to see who could eat the most before the other one gives up. I send. It’s probably the lack of soul, but I’m a bottomless pit when it comes to food and drink. I just don’t particularly see the need to eat if it’s unnecessary.

In my mind, I can just see large banquet tables full of food as Avery and I race to finish. The imagery makes me laugh as I go back into my cocoon. I hear some mews and peek out long enough to let Luci and Mika under the blanket with me. Both are purring and I suspect they might have missed me.

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My vision becomes temporarily impeded and I startle, only to be comforted by the familiar voice of Nic. A smile tugs at my lips, relishing the temporary loss of sight that heightens my other senses. Nic's touch is surprisingly gentle and smells like soap and the faint scent of sanitizer. His voice hides a deep rumble underneath his cheerful tenor. I keep my eyes shut, even as Nic’s hands shield them, mulling over his question.

”Hmm, Uncle Jerry?” I joke, referencing the pizza place we were at earlier.

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You two will eat me out of house and home, I tease, although they wouldn’t definitely eat me out of house and home, at least.
I set my phone down to concentrate on my meal so we could leave and I could return to Nero. I very much want to see what’s in that bag, and I want to know how their day with Kimiko went.

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I let out a bark of laughter, not expecting that answer. “You know, I was a little hurt he didn’t come out to greet us during lunch.” I say with a grin, glad that her reaction went this well and I once again had not been cursed by this woman.

I glance down at her phone, seeing photos of the fountain pulled up. I let my hands fall to her shoulders and squeeze them gently, massaging them a little before just resting them there. “Looks like you might have found something though?” I ask.

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Don’t tempt me I reply before taking the time to go through the phone and find things I can do with it. When Caden stops replying, I decide to download something called TikTok and get sucked into watching clips without end.

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I laugh while Nic’s voice tickles my ear as he speaks. I can feel my stomach drop from the close contact and laughter in his voice. Thankfully, he is behind me, so he can’t see how red my face is, probably from his contact. I focused on the question he asked me, and I nodded.

”It seems temple numbers dropped off after the fountain and the temple underwent some repairs. Even the number of marriages at the temple has dropped off. I guess the fountain is also a symbol for one of the Hindu gods of love and fertility. I’ve been comparing before and after photos to see what has changed. What did you find?” I ask and finally turn my head to the side to look at Nic. I didn’t realize how close he was to me, so I swallowed, returning to look at my phone.

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We eventually make it through our meal and head for home. Along the way, I bring up Kimiko to Avery again. He sighs but listens to me. ”Maybe hang around the house a little more while I interact with her. You might feel more comfortable around her if you do that like you have with Nero, and I’ve known them for even less.”

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Resisting the urge to ask how ‘my little tomato’ is feeling when Cass blushes, I kiss her head. Then I focus on what she has to say, entranced just by the sound of her voice. Nodding along, I’m happy to hear that we both learned about the repairs. I move to sit by Cass when she finishes talking.

Pulling up my notes on my phone, I go over what I was able to learn. “I heard about the repairs as well. Apparently they usually have the fountain repairs done by Nadin Singh - a craftsman that studied in India before moving to the states, but he wasn’t available this time and they were worried about the fountain going into disarray. So they hired this general contractor, John Scott. Some of the workers here at the temple are concerned that since they hired someone not familiar with the customs of everything that something could have happened during the repairs. I got both Mr Singh and Mr Scott’s phone numbers if we wanted to follow up with them.”

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Over pacing in my room, I head out to Caden’s living room to wait for him and Avery to get home. I even message Caden to see how much longer it’ll be. Hey, when are you getting back? XX I hope it’s just a misunderstanding, but I’m pretty sure Nero is stronger than we know and I want to make sure Caden is aptly warned.

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I lean over to follow along with Nic’s notes while he speaks. I grin when he says he got phone numbers. ”How did you manage to get their phone numbers?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me there.

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My phone buzzes, and I look down, expecting to see a message from Nero, but it’s from Kiki.

About twenty, why? Is everything okay?

I resume my conversation with Avery about work out plans and starting a new routine. Apparently, he wants to start tomorrow with Nic, who is coming. I reluctantly agree, knowing I need to get back onto a routine despite having Nero.

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I grin back. “I asked if Mr. Singh might have any knowledge regarding Chinese fountains and since they didn’t know if he did, they gave me Mr. Scott’s just in case.” I say, pretty proud that I managed this.

“You see, I’m really charming.” I wink at Cass before I send her the contacts through a text message.

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One of the videos I find says something silly about couple goals or something. I send the clip to Caden with a simple message of us? Before I go back to my scrolling.

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Oh, yeah, everything’s fine, was just wondering when you two would regale us with your presence again. XX

Instead of choosing to wait in the living room, I head back to Caden’s side of the house and to his music room to pick up the cello again.

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I grin at Nic and his charm. I shake my head at him, a twinkle of joy in my eyes. ”I just don’t see it,” I say, goading him on.

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Awe, I knew you cared about me ;) I sent off to Kimiko before I got another incoming message. I watched the video Nero sent me and shook my head at the fact they discovered TikTok.

The video makes me smile, though, and I text them back right away Yes

I slip my phone away, and ten minutes later, Avery and I are pulling up the driveway. He parks out front, and I tell him just to leave it for now. ”Come inside. Kiki wants to see me. You can test your newfound patience,” I tease him.

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Glaring playfully, I muss up her hair. “One day they might find a cure for blindness.” I tease, booping her on the nose.

“So, what’s next? Were you able to notice any differences?”

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I grin at his response. Almost home?

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Completing my warm ups, I was now on to playing some of the more complicated pieces I knew, which were a bit aggressive on the bow strokes, but I wanted to release some tension in myself. I have so many questions that I want answers to, but one person refused to talk to me about it, literally ran away from me, and the other person loved them.

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I bat Nic’s hand away, but I have to pull my hair out of the ponytail. I run my finger through my hair a couple of times before I pick my phone back up.

I nod and pull up two photos that I flip back and forth between. I zoom in as I talk and explain. ”I think it’s missing a stone. It’s very subtle and easy to miss if you don’t know to look for it. Honestly, if it has been a long time since the fountain was restored, those alive might not even realize it was there or what it means. I’m guessing the stone is straight from India and was blessed and suggested by an astrologist to use in this specific fountain.”

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Maybe ;) I text Nero as I walk through the front door.

I put my phone away and walk into the living room, Avery sulking behind me. I don’t see Kimiko anywhere, but my supernatural hearing directs me towards the music room. She must have left the door open a bit if I could hear her.

I make my way down the hallway, the music growing louder the closer we get. I frown as I listen to the music, something is clearly bothering her. I open the door more as I reach the room and step inside, Avery following along behind me.

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“It sounds like something our Mr. Singh would have noticed, but Mr. Scott wouldn’t.” I say with a nod, watching as she flips between the photos. Standing back up, I look around at the floor like I will find this missing stone just laying there.

“I wonder if maybe while the contractor was draining the fountain that it could’ve been sucked up by the pump he would use to do so.”

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I stop playing when I see Caden enter and try to keep my expression neutral when I see Avery’s joined as well. “You asked a demon to move in with you??” I whisper in a hiss, not wanting to yell it. Setting the cello down, I put my hands on my hips as I stand.

“Do you know they have demons that answer to them? Nero isn’t some low rank nobody, Caden.” I wait for an answer, not wanting to assume he’s a complete idiot. I’m just worried for him.

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So, you’re already home then? I wait a bit before I carefully climb out of the bed, picking up the cats as I go. I guess I deserve him teasing me with all the pranks I pull on him.

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”Or he stole it,” I said and leaned forward on the bench. I didn’t trust very many people, so I usually jumped to the worst conclusions. However, this time, it seemed logical that they could have stolen it.

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Kimiko immediately confronts me, her voice laced with a hint of anger that she's struggling to suppress. Her eyes, usually warm and inviting, now hold a glint of frustration. I listen intently to her and her information, my hands clasped behind my back in a show of openness. I nod, my expression neutral but my mind racing with thoughts on what actually happened today. Why didn't Nero mention anything?

”I am aware,” I say. My phone buzzes but I don’t reach for it.

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The tension in the room spikes slightly, and I shift to walk back out, but Caden turns his head slightly.

”Stay, Avery. You will be spending time with Nero as well; you should be kept abreast of any concerns.” I swallow and nod. I glance at Kimiko, praying she lets this go before I take a seat.

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I glance back at Cassie. “You think so?” I ask. I’ve seen the bad in people, sure. The kid who’s fallen down the stairs for the fifth time this year, the man with bruises who just has a bossy girlfriend - I see these patients often in my hospital.

But I typically try to stay optimistic in these kinds of situations.

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I’m aware?? I silently count to 10 in French and take a deep breath. “I’m just worried about you. Sometimes you think a little too much with your dick.” I cringe at myself for wording it like that, but it’s no secret that Caden is a bit of a playboy

“They asked me for advice on if they should move in with you or not.” I say, feeling my ears burn. “I don’t see you for years and suddenly everything about your romantic life has changed.” Clenching my fists, I look at the ground.

I don’t know how to explain it well, but I’m worried that he’s making a mistake and that it’ll come back to bite him on the ass and I’ll lose the second most important person in my life.

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I make it down the stairs, my feet softly padding on the floor. I can hear voices from down the hall and I creep quietly down to eavesdrop. Kiki makes a comment about Caden thinking with his dick and I shoot my eyebrows up in interest.

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I nod and stand beside Nic. I look at the fountain, watching the water from the statue’s vase into the pool. ”I do, which means we have a decision to make,” I say and turn to look at Nic. ”Do we hand this over to the police, or do we take it on ourselves.”

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I cock my head to the side when she calls me out on my sex life. Several different options pop into my mind of what I could say, one being cruel towards her but I refrain.

”As you say, you haven’t seen me in years, and people can change. I’ve been around for three hundred years, Kimiko. Three hundred years with only one serious relationship that almost had me married for life. I think it’s high time I found someone else that makes me feel like settling down, don’t you? I can assure you that I am aware of Nero’s activities in hell, and if I have to remind you how many villages I burned down and how many people I’ve killed out of cold blood, I will. I am no saint and neither are they, and I am fine with that.”

I could understand her concern and protective nature over me, as I was the same as her. Despite our intimate history, Kimiko was like a sister to me, and I would kill anyone who harmed her or give any of her significant others the talk as well, but it was ultimately her life, and we lived very long, lonely lives.

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I raise an eyebrow“The same police who thought my dad murdered my mom?” My dad had finally told me that the detective had let slip they had thought my dad was a suspect.

“No offense to them, but I think we’d have better odds of solving this.” What’s the worst that could happen? We find out the contractor is a thief? It didn’t seem like too dangerous of a mission to go on together.

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I take this chance to walk in and Kiki starts, not expecting me to be here. I give an awkward wave while trying to hold the cats. My ears and cheeks feel warm from how Caden defended me, but I try to ignore that. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but…” I look over at Caden and smile sheepishly.

“I might have been struggling to make a decision on your offer.” I see Avery sitting awkwardly and struggle to keep the smirk off my face. The poor puppy…

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I close my eyes, jaw clenched at how quickly this had escalated. “I’m sorry, I overstepped.” I finally mumble. “I know you an take care of yourself, I just got so worried when I saw the other demons at Nero’s place.”

“That’s fair - demons are nasty little things after all.” Nero chirps. I flush with shame at their comment.