Fated

Chapter 19

They all met at the Rainforest Cafe, chatting and enjoying the children’s surprised giggles at each animal noise and their eyes widening as the lights flickered. Wrapping up and paying for their meal, they headed back to the hotel. As they were walking up, Chase invited Asher to sit and hang out while they situated for the ride home the following morning.

Alashia, needing a couple of extra small bags for storage reasons, headed down to the desk to ask if they had any extra lying around.

“You gonna kiss her before we go?” Chase asked him bluntly, wrangling Daniel into his pajamas.

“Do you honestly want me to?” Asher responded, a bit taken aback by Chase.

“I think you should. Give her something to remember you by.”

“I’ll think about it,” Asher offered, and honestly, it was all he did, waiting for an opportunity to present itself.

The family was all packed and would be leaving first thing in the morning, much to Asher’s relief. The sooner they left, the safer they would be. They all tucked the boys into bed, said their good nights, and stood by the door.

“Alashia, you should walk Asher to his room,” Chase said, shoving the two lightly out the door.

They glanced at each other, perplexed as to why Chase was so eager to push the two together. Nonetheless, Alashia walked with Asher towards his room.

“Thank you... for everything. Minerva, keeping Lance safe, the ice cream.” Alashia looked up at him, nervously biting her lip.

“You are very welcome. I actually have one more thing for you.” Asher pulled a small white box with a bow out of his pocket. “I saw this and thought of you.”

Alashia blinked back in complete surprise but accepted the box. When she opened it, it was a charm anklet. There was a small Fort Niagara lighthouse on it, a sea lion, and a railroad piece, along with a kiss. “Thank you,” she looked up at him and got on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Instead, he turned his head slightly and captured her lips. The shocks were just like from her dream, and she reveled in the kiss. When he moved to deepen it, she opened to him, leaning in more for his warmth. The shocks spread through her entire body and she felt like the electricity running through her would send a power surge knocking out the lights.

Just as the thought entered her mind, several of the light bulbs around them made a loud buzzing sound, the lights growing brighter, before bursting. Glass spread around the pair, startling them into parting.

On a nervous chuckle, Alashia whispered, “I was just thinking how that kiss would cause a power surge.”

Asher stared at her for a second too long, causing her to feel insecure. Finally, he chuckled awkwardly, “I’m sorry, it just caught me off guard.” He kissed her gently, again on the lips, “I gave Chase my number. I will be heading home in two weeks. Can I put the anklet on you before we part ways?”

She smiled at him and nodded. Taking off her boot and lifting her pant leg up slightly, he put the anklet on her. He nipped his fingertip quickly while she was glancing away in embarrassment, sealing the anklet on her with his blood to complete the spell. “Beautiful,” he murmured.

They spent a silent moment gazing at each other before he went into his room and she headed back toward hers. The moment he was in the safety of his hotel room, he looked at Minerva. “She exploded the lights when we kissed,” he murmured. She just nodded.

“I felt it. Her power is actually manifestation. We needed to place the magical blocker Asher. I’m sorry. I still need to look into it more, and until then it’s safer.”

“I’m betraying her, Minerva.”

Minerva took his hand in hers and looked him in the eye. “You are protecting her. I will erase the memory of the staff here in the morning so they have no recollection of Alashia or her family.” He nodded, feeling miserable.

“We will keep her safe,” Lucas agreed.

Asher stared at the two people he was teamed up with, to protect the Queen, his Beloved. It was more than that, they needed to protect Chase and the children too.

“Whatever it takes.” Asher was confident that they would find a way to pull this off. He had to be, or he might lose hope.

“Whatever it takes,” Lucas and Minerva agreed.

Asher and Lucas displaced, both heading to their own missions while Minerva stayed, thinking of how important one woman could be to the fate of an entire species.

“I don’t envy you, Alashia. Getting out of this alive will be a miracle. Doing it and protecting your family... It feels impossible. I won’t fail this time, my friend. I don’t ever want you to die again.”