Fated

Chapter 15

When the tour guide arrived to pick their small group up for their adventure, Asher visibly tensed. It was one of the king’s men. An older vampire, like Asher himself, whose ability it was to sense the value of something.

Knowing he wouldn’t be able to keep Alashia away from this outing, he insisted everyone keep their coats on. “We’ll be in and out of the car, no need to work more.”

His reasoning had everyone agreeing, and he let out a sigh of relief. Alashia’s jacket would hide her necklace from Winchester. He would have no reason to suspect who she was, and if it was out of sight, he wouldn’t sense the value in it.

Their first stop was the Niagara Falls Observation Tower, and it held a fascination for all the humans in their party. Lance was so excited he leaned over too far and almost fell, Alashia’s panic had Asher grabbing him, moving a bit too fast considering he was in front of humans. No one seemed to notice, instead, people commented on how kind it was for Asher to step in so quickly! People blamed the adrenaline for his quickness and their lack of seeing much outside of what happened with Lance.

From then on out, though, Winchester watched the family, and Asher, manically.

The next two stops were Goat Island and Three Sisters Island. Everyone chuckled over the stubborn old goat who survived the winter and was in awe of the Three Sisters who all but walked on water to cross the falls. No one let the children so much as out of their reach after the moment with Lance.

They were doing okay until the Cave of the Winds tour happened. That, was where things took a turn for the worse.

After the museum and video portion, they went down the elevator and stood at the bottom of the falls. A large gust of wind shifted enough water onto their group that everyone had to take off their jackets.

Winchester, spotting the necklace, immediately looked at Alashia. “That is a beautiful necklace you have.”

“Thank you, a friend gave it to me.”

“Minerva by chance?” Winchester followed up.

“Oh! Yes! You know her?” Alashia’s delight was palpable but Asher knew he couldn’t leave Winchester alive now. He would have to meet up with him.

“I do, she is well known to a distinct type of people.”

“I see,” Alashia responded. The wheels in her head spinning. Things were getting too weird. She started feeling ill.

“Let’s head back to the hotel, I’m exhausted and I want to make sure we can still make it to the Underground Railroad Museum.” Chase exchanged looks with Asher, Alashia wasn’t looking well at the moment and the boys were clinging to their mother, sensing her distress.

They all loaded into the van and headed back toward the hotel.

Once everyone was inside and in the safety of their room, Asher displaced into the well-shadowed backseat of Winchester’s van. “I was wondering when you’d appear.” Winchester snarled.

“Is that so?”

“I thought the great Queen Seeker would be able to sense our own Queen right under his nose. Minerva shielding her from her Beloved is going to cause problems. You want her for yourself, you filthy mutt?” Winchester displaced and landed right on top of Asher, his hands going for his throat.

Fortunately, Asher was prepared for the attack, turning his arms into an upsidedown V, getting under his arms, pushing them outwards, and bashing his forehead into his nose.

Winchester tilted backward, and that was all the opening Asher needed. He plunged his hand into Winchester’s heart, ripping it from his chest. “Sorry, Winnie. She needs to be protected at all costs.” Asher watched as Winnie’s body quickly decayed and then turned to ash.

Asher displaced so he was in the driver’s seat, and paid very careful attention to obeying all the street signs. The last thing he wanted was to be found in the now stolen car of a dead man.

He found his way to a construction area alongside the river, and quickly accelerated, breaking through the temporary barriers, and throwing the car into the river. Before it landed in the water, Asher displaced again, to the safety of the closet in his hotel room.