Asher, page 2
The truth was, Tom didn’t matter anymore. Not with Asher here.
Finally, after all my efforts, leaving breadcrumbs of bodies and chaos behind me to lure him in, he was here. My prey.
And he was bristling.
I could see it in the way his grip tightened on his glass, the way his jaw clenched when I slid an arm around Tom’s shoulders. Perfect.
“Yes,” I said, letting my voice drop to a low purr. “I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”
Tom grinned like an idiot, oblivious to the predator leading him out the door.
I tossed a few bills on the table and let him cling to me as we made our way outside.
The night air was crisp, the quiet hum of the town a stark contrast to the tension brewing behind me. I knew Asher would follow.
He wouldn’t be able to help himself.
We rounded a corner, stepping into the shadows of an alley. Tom turned to face me, his excitement practically radiating off him.
“My place is just a few—”
“Shhh,” I said, pressing a finger to his lips.
He froze, confused, as my gaze darted past him to the entrance of the alley. Asher was here.
I could feel his presence, his anger rolling off him in waves.
Tom opened his mouth to speak, but I didn’t give him the chance.
With a flick of my wrist, I sent him sprawling to the ground, unconscious. He wasn’t important anymore.
“Asher,” I called out, my voice echoing in the narrow space. “I was wondering when you’d show up.”
There was a pause, and then he stepped into the light, his gun raised and aimed directly at my chest.
His expression was as cold and deadly as I remembered, but his eyes burned with a fury that made me grin.
“Gael,” he said, his voice low and even. “Should’ve figured you’d be here.”
“Miss me?” I taunted, spreading my arms wide. “I left you a trail of souvenirs. Thought it was only polite.”
“You’re a monster,” he spat.
“Guilty as charged,” I said, taking a step closer. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”
His grip on the gun tightened, his finger hovering over the trigger. But he didn’t shoot. Not yet.
“Where are they?” he demanded. “Gabriel and Finn. What did you do to them?”
“Do to them?” I laughed, the sound bouncing off the brick walls. “I didn’t have to do anything. They’re better at running than I gave them credit for. Besides, you should be thanking me. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be here now, would you?”
He didn’t answer, but his silence spoke volumes.
“You hate me, don’t you?” I said, taking another step forward. “For humiliating you. For getting under your skin. Admit it, hunter. You’ve been dreaming about this moment.”
“Shut up,” he snapped, his voice cracking just enough to make me smile.
“Make me.”
That did it. He lunged, closing the distance between us in an instant.
His fist connected with my jaw, and for a moment, I saw stars. But the pain only fueled my excitement.
I retaliated, driving my elbow into his ribs and throwing him against the wall.
He recovered quickly, his movements sharp and precise as he came at me again.
We fought like animals, the alley ringing with the sounds of fists and grunts and the occasional crack of bone.
He was good, better than I remembered, but I was better. Faster. Stronger.
Still, I couldn’t help but admire his determination. Toying with him was really icing on the cake.
Even as blood trickled down his temple and his breathing grew labored, he didn’t back down.
“You’re persistent,” I said, grabbing his wrist and twisting until he dropped his gun. “I’ll give you that.”
“Go to hell,” he growled, driving his knee into my stomach.
I staggered back, momentarily winded, but I recovered quickly.
“Been there,” I said, smirking as I wiped the blood from my lip. “Not a fan.”
He came at me again, but this time, I was ready. I caught him by the throat, slamming him against the wall.
“Enough,” I said, my voice low and dangerous. “You’re not going to win this, Asher. You know that.”
He glared at me, his chest heaving as he struggled against my grip.
But he didn’t look afraid. If anything, he looked more determined than ever.
“Do it,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Kill me.”
I hesitated, just for a second, but it was enough.
Because looking at him, his fire and his fury, it reminded me of something. Someone.
A face buried deep in my memories, long forgotten. Someone I’d cared about, before all of this. Before the hunger, before the blood.
It was ridiculous. That was a lifetime ago. I wasn’t that person anymore. I wasn’t human. I was a vampire. A monster. And yet…
“You’re hesitating,” Asher said, his voice cutting through my thoughts. “Why? You never hesitated before.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, voices pierced the air.
Then, I heard it. The sound of boots on pavement. We both turned at the same time, our instincts kicking in.
A group of figures emerged from the shadows at the far end of the alley, their movements sharp and deliberate.
They were all dressed in black and armed to the teeth. Guild hunters. Damn it.
“Looks like we’re both popular tonight,” I muttered, my voice low.
“This is your fault,” Asher hissed, his eyes darting between me and the hunters.
“Save the blame for later, hunter,” I snapped. “Unless you want to die here.”
The first hunter raised his weapon, a gun probably loaded with silver-tipped bullets.
I barely had time to shove Asher behind a dumpster before the bullets whizzed past us, embedding themselves in the crumbling brick wall.
Wait a moment. Did I just save his life? For what?
If anything, I should’ve left him to his fate. Let the Guild solve my problems for me.
But no, my instincts had kicked in, and here we were.
Before I could stew on my poor life choices, a voice called out, sharp and hesitant. “Wait. Asher? Is that you?”
Asher froze beside me, his hand instinctively tightening on his gun.
His name being shouted from the other end of a hunt clearly threw him off balance. It threw me off too.
The Guild rarely hesitated. Yet here they were, standing down mid-chase.
“You’re supposed to be on vacation,” the same voice said, disbelief lacing his tone.
The hunter emerged into view, stepping cautiously into the dim light of the alley, his weapon still raised but not aimed.
“What the hell are you doing with a vampire? With that vampire?”
The emphasis on "that" made my lip curl. As if I were some particularly nasty stain on the Guild’s reputation.
Maybe I was. I didn’t exactly cover my tracks as cleverly as I should have. Asher didn’t answer immediately.
I didn’t think he was the type to stammer or falter under pressure, but even I could tell he hadn’t prepared for this.
His silence was a dead giveaway.
“Damn it,” the hunter barked, suddenly looking over his shoulder at the rest of his team. “Guns down! He’s one of ours.”
A ripple of hesitation passed through the group, their weapons lowering one by one. But the unease in their stances didn’t fade.
They were all staring at Asher, then at me, trying to piece together the unlikely sight in front of them.
Asher finally spoke, his voice sharp and defensive. “It’s not what it looks like.”
“Not what it looks like?” The hunter stepped closer, keeping his crossbow pointed at the ground but still within reach.
His gaze darted between us, narrowing when it settled on me.
“It looks like you’re protecting a bloodsucker. Care to explain that?” the hunter demanded.
I leaned against the wall, deliberately casual, even as tension rippled through the air.
“I’d love to hear this one too, Asher. Enlighten us,” I drawled.
“Shut up,” he snapped at me before turning back to the hunter. “It’s complicated.”
“Complicated?” the hunter repeated, his voice rising with incredulity. “This is Gael, isn’t it? The psycho from Beric’s nest who’s been leaving a trail of dead bodies all over the countryside.”
It seemed my life was about to get even more interesting.
“It’s under control,” Asher insisted, his tone brooking no argument. “Stand down. That’s an order.”
“You’re not in charge here,” the hunter shot back. “You’re supposed to be on leave. What the hell are you even doing here?”
Asher’s jaw tightened. “I’m following a lead. And like I said, it’s under control.”
“It sure as hell doesn’t look like it,” another hunter muttered from the back of the group, his shotgun still loosely aimed in my direction.
I decided to step in. This was far too entertaining to resist.
“Oh, don’t be shy now. If you’re going to shoot me, at least do it with a little conviction,” I taunted.
That earned me a sharp glare from Asher, but I just laughed, enjoying the way the other hunters bristled.
“Asher, what the hell is going on here?” The lead hunter’s voice was lower now, more cautious. “You’re not acting like yourself.”
For a moment, I thought Asher might crack.
His shoulders were tense, his expression hard, but his eyes gave away the storm brewing underneath.
He didn’t want to explain himself, and he definitely didn’t want to admit why he hadn’t let them kill me yet.
“This is none of your business,” he said finally, his voice colder than I’d ever heard it. “I’ve got it handled.”
The hunters exchanged uneasy glances, clearly torn between respecting Asher’s reputation and following protocol.
But before anyone could decide what to do next, another voice interrupted.
“Handled? From where I’m standing, it looks like you’re in over your head.”
The new speaker stepped into the alley, his presence instantly commanding attention.
He was bigger and older than the others, his movements precise and controlled.
His gaze swept over the scene, lingering on me with barely concealed disgust.
Great. Reinforcements. Just what we needed.
“Who the hell are you?” Asher demanded, his voice hardening again.
“Name’s Declan,” the newcomer said smoothly, his gaze settling on Asher. “We were assigned here for a hunt, but I had another objective. The Elders sent me to check on you. They got concerned when you went off the grid. Now I see why.”
The tension ratcheted up another notch as Declan’s lips curled into a slow, calculating smile.
“You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, hunter,” Declan said.
And just like that, the game had changed.
I noticed the hunters behind Declan shifting uneasily, their fingers itching to pull their triggers.
They’d hesitated when they saw Asher, but this Declan? He wouldn’t.
I could tell just by the way he stood, poised and ready, that he wasn’t the type to waste time on questions or second chances.
He just wanted to get the job done, collateral damage be damned. There’d be no explanations, no discussions. Not if he had his way.
“Move!” I barked, grabbing Asher’s arm and dragging him deeper into the alley.
“Don’t touch me,” he snarled, yanking his arm free. But he followed, his survival instincts taking over.
We ran, the sound of the hunters’ footsteps and shouted commands echoing behind us.
Another bullet flew past, narrowly missing my head.
“This way!” I veered left, leading us through a narrow passageway between two buildings.
The space was tight, the walls pressing in on either side, but it was better than being out in the open.
“You’re leading us into a trap,” Asher said, his voice breathless but sharp.
“Shut up and keep moving,” I shot back.
CHAPTER THREE
ASHER/ GAEL
ASHER
Why am I following this vampire?
The thought seared through my mind as my boots hit the pavement in rhythm with Gael’s ahead of me.
The vampire moved with the kind of speed and grace that no human could match.
I could still hear the hunters behind us, their shouts ricocheting off the narrow alleyways.
Their footsteps thundered behind us. Declan’s voice cut through the noise, sharp and commanding, spurring them on.
Damn it.
I should turn back. I should explain myself to Declan and the others. I’d trained some of them.
I knew their tells, their weaknesses, their strengths.
And now I could only imagine the look of horror and betrayal etched into their faces as they watched me running with Gael. A vampire. Was this how Finn felt?
The memory hit me like a sucker punch. Finn standing in that convenience store, looking hurt as I demanded he return to the Guild with me.
Now I was the one being hunted, my motives questioned. Gael veered sharply into another alley, and I followed without hesitation.
My lungs burned from exertion, the cool night air doing nothing to ease the tightness in my chest.
We burst out onto another street, bathed in the faint orange glow of a streetlamp. The hunters were relentless.
Their shouts grew louder as they closed the distance, their boots striking the pavement in a rhythm that felt too close for comfort.
Gael ran ahead, his broad back a perfect, unprotected target. I could end this right now.
The knife tucked into my belt practically called to me. Eliminating the threat would be easy. Gael was a threat. He always had been.
If I brought him down here, Declan and the others would see his lifeless body, proof that I was still one of them.
That I hadn’t lost my edge or my loyalty. But...
My hand hesitated, hovering near the knife’s hilt. Stabbing someone in the back felt wrong. Dishonorable.
And then there was Gael himself.
Why had he saved me?
The memory of him shoving me behind the dumpster just as the bullets started flying refused to fade.
He could have left me to fend for myself. It would have been easier for him, and frankly, smarter. But he hadn’t.
What kind of monster does that?
I didn’t have time to untangle the mess of thoughts clawing at my mind.
Gael suddenly skidded to a halt, his head snapping to the side as he scanned the street.
“Move!” he hissed, grabbing my arm and dragging me toward a narrow passage between two buildings.
His grip was strong but not crushing, his hand cool against my skin. I jerked away on instinct, but I still followed him.
“Do you even have a plan?” I snapped as we ducked into the passage, the darkness swallowing us whole.
“Plans are overrated,” he shot back, his voice dripping with that infuriating smugness.
“Great. That’s comforting,” I retorted.
We emerged in a small courtyard, the distant hum of traffic the only sound besides my ragged breathing.
Gael’s gaze darted around, sharp and calculating.
“They’re splitting up,” he murmured, almost to himself.
I didn’t need to hear the hunters to know he was right. They’d fan out, cover more ground, and box us in. Us.
When did this become an “us” situation?
Gael turned to me, his eyes gleaming even in the dim light. “We need to keep moving.”
“You mean you need to keep moving,” I corrected, folding my arms. “This is your mess. You’re the one they’re after.”
His smirk returned, maddening and somehow...compelling.
“Is that what you think, Hunter? That they won’t put a bullet in you for consorting with the enemy?” Gael taunted.
I opened my mouth to retort but closed it just as fast. He wasn’t wrong. And that realization only made my anger burn hotter.
“This is your fault,” I snapped, stepping closer. “If you hadn’t—”
“If I hadn’t what? Saved your life?” he interrupted, his tone mockingly sweet.
I hated the way my stomach twisted at his words.
“Let me guess,” he continued, circling me like a predator toying with its prey. “You’re wondering why I didn’t let them take you out. Why I didn’t finish the job myself.”
I clenched my fists, my jaw tightening. “I don’t care what your reasons are.”
“Liar,” he said softly, his smirk fading.
For a split second, something flickered in his eyes. Something almost human. Before I could respond, the sound of footsteps shattered the moment.
“Over here!” a voice called, too close for comfort.
Gael cursed, grabbing my arm again. “Time to go, hunter.”
I didn’t resist this time.
We sprinted through the courtyard, weaving between parked cars and dumpsters, the hunters’ voices growing louder behind us.
My body moved on autopilot, adrenaline drowning out everything else.
At one point, Gael grabbed a metal trash can and hurled it into the path of our pursuers, the loud crash momentarily slowing them down.
We rounded a corner, and I spotted a fire escape ladder hanging just within reach.
“There!” I pointed, and Gael nodded, already leaping up to grab it.
I followed, the cold metal biting into my hands as we climbed. My heart pounded so loudly I could barely hear the shouts below.
We reached the roof, and I collapsed onto the gravel, gasping for air. Gael stood at the edge, peering down at the street below.
“They’re regrouping,” he said, his tone grim. “We’ve got maybe two minutes.”
“Perfect,” I muttered, dragging myself to my feet.
My gaze lingered on him longer than it should have. His expression was focused, determined, but there was something else there too.
