''I hoped you would give me the answers,'' Daniel said.
Jason sipped his coffee to save himself time. It was cold. The time for friendly conversation was over. He took a look at his old friend. The man standing before him, had tanned skin from being under the desert sun. Wrinkles began to form from squinting his eyes. Where the glove made of leather, from which he had skinned with his own hands from a living man, ended; his skin was the pink color of a newly healed wound. Daniel now had scars that Jason did not know. He wear black because blood stains were not visible at black clothes. Did he think blood would be spilled tonight? Or was he always wearing black now? Jason didn't know.
His professional smile was gone. He was staring at Jason blankly. Was he looking at the wound that Jason's sweater collar could not hide? Was he thinking what had changed in his friend during their time apart like Jason did? There was no expression on his face. It wasn't a mask he wear. He just didn't feel anything. It was even more dangerous than his gentle smile. When he was called to the stage to get a medal, when the headman of the village thanked him for saving them from the monsters, when pretty girls confess their feelings to him, he would smile. But Jason had seen this expression while he burying the hunters they lost. He saw this expression when they had to decide whether to leave their friend's corpses to feed the animals or to burn them.
As soon as he thought about it, he realized that he was lying to Daniel, albeit involuntarily. The only reason he preferred to live in the city wasn't that he did not want to be far from the sea. He looked into Daniel's expressionless eyes. Was he thinking Jason betrayed him by leaving him alone in the hunts? 'No. This is nothing but my guilt.' He finished his cold coffee in one go. Zack was right. There was no need to waste caffeine. ''If you tell what you know, I'll tell you what I know.''
''It seems fair. Why don't you start?'' Jason knew it wasn't his friend who said this. They were two hunters who bargaining for information.
''Because,'' he said to speak out the obvious truth, ''You came to me.'' Jason wondered if his own face was as expressionless as Daniel's.
Nothing lightened the room other than the star light and moon light seeping through the glass door that led to the balcony. Artificial lights were seen as an insult to the gods and goddesses of the night. This was not a common rule, but... The choice of the neighborhood was obvious. It wasn't a problem for Jason. Many hunters had tricks for night vision. Jason was born gifted. There were spells etched into Daniel's body for night vision and much more. Tattoos and stamps. He had offered to do it to Jason too. Jason kindly refused.
Daniel smiled, ''You are right.'' Jason didn't feel like he won for some reason. The smile did not reach the brown eyes that Jason knew would be hazel in sunlight. ''Unfortunately, all I know is secondhand and I haven't had time to research. I've been looking for you since I came to the city.'' Great, Jason was feeling even more guilty now.
''What is the reason to worry about me?'' Jason was still holding the empty coffee cup, not knowing where to put his hands. He was afraid that his hands would tremble or find an other way to betray him. But maybe it was his caution that betrayed him. He put down the coffee cup.
''When the troubling cobra shape shifter gang was largely cleared, they dismissed half of the hunters at the area.'' He grabbed his injured wrist with his other hand. The pink wound was new, very new. Jason forced himself not to ask how he was hurt. ''Hoping to benefit from the blessings of civilization I had reached a settlement built around an oasis. I was enjoying my hot meal at a tavern, then I heard the news of a 'massacre'.'' He followed Jason's gaze down to his injured hand and removed his glove. The pink skin, not having time to tan, was ending up in his palm.
''I didn't care. Massacres were happening every day all over the world. Then a lady, ah, I had the chance to have a nice talk with said that there was a rumor among the shape shifters lately. They were afraid that a big hunt would begin and they were running away from the city. Some even said it was already started.'' As he spoke, he was peeling the scabbed wound of his hand. When he finally managed to bleed his hand, Jason handed the man a napkin. ''I thought I would know if something like that happened.''
''You should stay away from prostitutes, Daniel. I don't want you to be infected.''
An amused expression appeared on his face. ''There are no dinners in the middle of the desert where you can meet lovely ladies. I have needs.''
''I know a hunter who got the shape shifter virus from the lady he had the chance to have a nice talk with.''
''You are lying.'' Daniel's expression had not changed.
Jason just smiled, ''What happened after that?''
''It was the blacksmith that I went to overhaul my equipment that made me nervous. He asked if I was getting ready to participate in a city wide hunt.'' His hand had stopped bleeding. He crumpled the napkin in his hand and put it in his pocket. ''With a little research, I learned that you are in charge of the district. I thought you would have called me if something like that happened. I came to check.''
'Not because he doesn't trust me. He just doesn't want his blood to fall into the hands of a witch. He's just being careful. I would do the same.' But this thought did not relieve the pain in Jason's heart. ''So you came to check.''
Daniel nodded. ''I could not find that the so-called massacre, the gathered hunters, or you. What is happening here?''
Jason sighed. He hadn't learned anything useful, but Daniel's presence was sufficient. Information wouldn't pull you from a snowy cliff. Jason told Daniel everything. Everything except Viv. She was a personal issue too.