Unexpected Shift

17

"Got it Ash." Aunt Audra winked at him and straightened her spine before extending her arms in the air. She waved them around for a couple of seconds before a baby blue light started emitting in between both her palms. Nobody seemed to be new to the phenomenon but I watched with awe. A side of my own family that I had never seen before.

The light turned brighter and purplish as the scent of burning incense filled the room before an identical crescent necklace dropped in her palms. I gasped when she turned it around and tossed it into my hands. Like I guessed, it was exactly the same as my own necklace that my mother gave me.

"You're so cool," I blurted out and the other three wolves in the room burst into laughter.

"Thank you, kiddo, now go be the cool one yourself." She grinned at me and Asher took it as the opportunity to lock the pendant at the back of my neck. "You both are going to be great."

"We're going to be great," I repeated to Asher as Samantha began to tie us up with her lips pressed together into a thin line. He smiled back at me and eventually when we looked in a condition bad enough to be considered abducted; Justin was released. There were purplish makeup stains that were made to look like wounds and little specks of fake blood were spluttered over our clothes.

"Take us to the den, no funny business," I instructed.

Justin nodded dumbly before shifting into a wolf like we had planned beforehand. He grabbed us in his wolf mouth. It did pinch a little and I knew we were safe as long as his will was bent by my blood.

"You know," Asher panted once we were in the middle of the woods. "This is really not how I thought our first night at the hideout mansion would go ,but I'm still glad you're by my side."

I laughed softly while Justin kept running to the other end of the town. We were both tied with our backs to each other and hearts beating fast from both fear and what I assumed must feel like to fall for somebody. "I ,too, didn't think our first kiss would be witnessed by Justin here."

"We can re-do things if you want," He smirked mischievously.

"Oh, God, can you please concentrate for once?" I groaned, just to hide my blushing cheeks. Of course, I wasn't going to let him flirt with me in front of a big black wolf who was taking us to a possible big fight which could prove to be lethal, but at the same time, it was refreshing.

It didn't feel like we were preparing to face another supernatural creature; it felt like we were going home after a good day out and thinking of dinner. Was this how everything with Asher felt like? Was this what it was like to have a mate bound to you for life?

Chapter Thirteen

The reality and the fear of everything that was about to happen didn't hit us until another few minutes. Till then, it was all laughs and giggles about our first times together.

However, the moment my back hit the cold marble of the lobby floor, thanks to Justin tossing us upon it, it all came back to me like a Tsunami. Justin was really starting to dig the whole pretend act even if he was under my control. The floor was really hard and cold.

"This is the vampire's den," he said. It was nothing more than just a deserted mansion very unlike what I was expecting. The word vampire always made several images of chandeliers and centuries worth of wealth pop up in my mind. Is this how they actually lived?

In cold deserted mansions with furniture gathering dust around the corners and surfaces. What a bummer, I muttered to myself. A few moments passed by and then the click-clack of boots made us all tense up. I shivered in anticipation of the next hour.

What could the consequence be? I could die?

"Oh Justin, you've done the gods' work," exclaimed a terrifyingly calm voice with a soft clap.

"T-Thank you." Justin smiled, nodding his head in acknowledgement.

I couldn't see the person he was talking to from the position I was in. Just his voice could be heard.

"Brilliant, turn her around please."

Justin untied the rope that held me and Asher back to back with each other. Soon we were both standing with our eyes locked with a skinny and tall man in his mid-thirties. There was a sinister grin on his face and his eyes were bloodshot red.

I had seen red eyes before, of course, I had. Asher himself had amber-red eyes but these were the eyes of a killer, a psycho that I saw. "I am Raven Nicholas. The Vampire King, as you might know me. It's so great to see you up close Elaine Lyca." He grins wider.

"Can't say the same for you," I mumbled spitefully.

Nicholas laughed, throwing his head back in mirth like I was the funniest person on the planet. "Hilarious darling, hilarious! I would like to chat a little more with you but there is something more important right now. Justin? Where is the necklace?"

Justin swiftly moves, just like I had instructed him to, and tugs at the chain around my neck till I whimpered.

"Well done, please let them join me for dinner. They are both our guests after all."

Everything goes according to plan as Justin roughly pushes us down on the seats around the circular table. Asher sits to my left and Raven across us on the table. I grunted in protest to make things a bit more realistic. It seemed like he was buying the whole act.

Great.

"Justin's such a brilliant kid. I wonder why your father never saw his potential." Raven clicked his tongue in what I assumed to be annoyance. "He was always at Asher's service like he'd become something else in the span of a minute. It was quite agitating for Justin too. Am I right?"

Justin nodded from behind Nicholas with a solemn expression he was instructed to wear.

"Now he's been working for me for over ten years and I believe we have a good relationship. He's a faithful one." He then placed both palms on the table and leaned forward to speak the next words into Asher's angered face. "You know, like the dogs you really are."