The Progeny (The Progeny Series) (4 page)

She managed an
“Okay,” through chattering teeth, leaning into him to snuggle against his chest.

“Would you like some of my birthday cupcake?” he asked,
offering it to her.

Sh
auna took a healthy bite and glanced up at him revealing a frosting moustache.

Ascher chuckled. He couldn’t help it. She was as sexy as she was adorable. “You’ve got some...” He moved his finger across his own lip.

“I know.” She licked her lips and giggled, showing off those beautiful dimples. “Told ya...the best frosting in the world.” She smoothed her hands over his bare stomach, her eyes tunneling into him. “Happy birthday, Ascher.”

He wasn’t accustomed to accepting gifts
, so he searched his mind for an appropriate reply. “Thank you for the cupcake. That was really nice of you to do.”

Sh
e nodded.

The
opaque sky filled with swirls of smoke and exquisite pops of color, lighting her pensive face. “I loved fireworks when I was a kid. Our old house wasn’t far from the square. My sister and I would go up to the roof and watch them. Did you like fireworks as a kid?”

“I’m usually too busy residing in my post birthday funk to come out on New Year’s Eve. Father comes out every year, since Rousseau’s sponsors this event.”

Shauna's eyes shifted over him, seeming to take in every minute detail. Her mind was an open book, and he took to reading it.

His face is different tonight.
A face that gorgeous should only smile. Look how his features dance against the bursts of light. That’s so strange. He looks like a fashion ad for funeral wear.

Ascher tugged the
purple blanket tighter around them. “Are you warming up?”

She nodded, pressing her ear to his chest
. His heart hammered, beating a steady and unchallenged rhythm. He cuddled her closer, his hold awkward and uncomfortable. He didn’t have a lot of experience with being close to a woman.

The warmth of her body was
an exciting change from Ursula’s icy skin. Besides Aggie, he’d only been close to vampires. While he loved his brothers and family, their wintry skin was unpleasant. He rested his face against her head, savoring the abundant heat radiating from her scalp. A gentle breeze circulated the floral fruity fragrance of her hair. Ascher knew he shouldn’t, but he nestled his nose into her flowing locks, delighting in their tempting perfume.

“This is really nice,” she whispered with a sigh in her voice.

“I agree.”

“It’s almost twelve
,” she spoke again with the sighing tone

The M.C. started counting down.
“Ten, nine…”

Ascher
turned her to him, searching her eyes for any indication that a kiss might be appropriate.

Sh
auna stared back at him with a blank look.

A kiss was out of the question.

“Eight, seven…”

Desperation filled his racing mind, as he attempted to find a suitable way to mark the N
ew Year without offending her.

“Six, five…”

He channeled her frightened thoughts. She was just as unsure as he was. He glanced around at the other couples to see that they were already embracing and kissing. The flushing feeling grew on his face.

“Four, three…”

Shauna brought her worried face closer. Ascher couldn’t believe that she was contemplating making the first move. He was stunned by the sudden turn of events.

“Two, one…”

Her potent essence washed over him, as her lips came within inches of his, before abruptly stopping. A hundred sparks lit the night sky.

The M.C. shouted,
“Happy New Year!”

Ascher experienced
every thump of the heart in her heaving chest. She leaned in to him, giving him a subtle kiss on his left cheek.

Confused and overcome with fear, exhilaration and an unfamiliar yearning, h
e kissed her forehead and whispered, “
You
are so incredibly beautiful.” Carefully smoothing a hand down along her cheek, he watched the blush pool beneath his fingertips. “Happy New Year, Shauna.”

She snuggled into him again
, nuzzling her face into his chest. “Happy New Year, Ascher.”

* * * *

Ascher sat on the iron bench, anxiously awaiting Aggie. His shaky hands made no sense. It was only
Ags
. Still, it’d been two years since he’d seen her. He wasn’t sure if she’d forgiven him or even wanted to be friends again. No matter what the situation had been between them, he knew she was the only one who could help him now.

Aggie plodded down the sidewalk,
seeming to take several calming breaths before uttering, “Ascher.” Her tone was cold and callous—so unlike the woman he knew.

S
kimming her mind, he hoped to channel anything to make things easier. Her thoughts were as impenetrable as a brick wall. He gave her a nervous half smile. “It’s good to see you again, Ags.”

“Let’s forgo the small talk. What do you want?”

Ascher scrutinized her eyes. Aggie could hide her thoughts, but her eyes always betrayed her. He knew what every twitch, and gleam meant. Her sullen and detached tone mocked the intense hurt flashing from them.

Her defenses were up
. Way up.

“I know that I hurt you
, Ags. I’m sorry.”

Her pursed lips uttered
nothing.

“I thought it best to put distance between us. I wanted you to see how crazy it was. You’re a witch and I’m a half-bloodling. That makes no sense
, and it's not possible for us to be together. We both know what the covenants say about Wiccan and vampire relationships. I never said that I wanted to end our friendship.
You
shut me out.”

She glanced at him through the curtain of her straight brown
hair. “What are you talking about, Ascher?”

He pointed to his head. “You think I couldn’t feel it when you blocked me out? You were my best friend. When you shut down, I assumed that you weren’t my friend anymore. I never wanted to hurt you
, but I was confused. Your kiss took me completely by surprise. We both had issues. You were trying to make sense of your powers and I knew better, but I let it happen. I was stupid.”

“That’s just it
. I wasn’t being stupid. I felt it, Ascher.”

“It doesn’t matter.
We
aren’t compatible in
that
way, and we have to accept that. I don’t want this to bury our friendship. I’ve missed you, Ags.” He stepped towards her with outstretched arms.

In many ways, Aggie was irreplaceable—the only human he trusted with his secret. She was the first person to offer him friendship when he came to Russell G. Carter High School. He was awkward and had a strange accent that garnered many stares. The others
had teased and taunted him, but not Aggie. She’d been like a sister, a confidant and buffer from their cruel classmates.

Aggie
stepped back, distrust burning in her features. “What do you want, Ascher? I don’t have time to reminisce with you.”

Ascher
sat back down on the iron bench.

She remained standing in a defensive posture—body erect, arms crossed in front. Her heart shaped face wrinkled, her eyebrows furrow
ing, as her light brown eyes silently questioned him.

He couldn’t hear her mind but
saw the confusion and hurt on her face. “I need a favor,” he finally said.

“I figured as much.”

“I need you to perform a spell on someone.”

“What kind of spell?”
Her eyes widened.

“A
binding spell.”

“A binding spell
, is someone after you?”

“No. It’s not an enemy
.
She's
a friend.”

“
She’s
a friend,” Aggie repeated in a hoarse voice that confirmed her pain.

“I wouldn’t ask you, but there’s no one else to do it.” Truth was he only trusted
her
to do it.

Aggie’s
pained expression deepened, her lips pursing into a thin tight line. “I can’t believe you came here to ask me to bind someone you have feelings for!” Her reply was just as cold as the night air. She closed her eyes, breathing more calming breaths. “Get out of here, Ascher—just leave.”

“I’m not leaving you here alone.”

The rage grew in her eyes and her fists balled. “Get out of here while I can still control it!”

“No!” He flitted to her side, grabbing hold of her
, shaking her to wake her from her daze. “Ags. Fight it, fight the rage.”

She clutched
her head. “You hurt me too much, and I can’t control it. Just leave!”

Ascher
gripped her arm tighter. “Are you crazy? There’s no way I’m leaving you here alone!”

The ground shook beneath them, and a
blinding beam of light shot from her grayed eyes, dislocating a branch from a nearby tree, sending it crashing to the ground.

A sick pit
of dread rose in his stomach, because he sensed another amongst them. He shook her, forcing her eyes open. “Ags, did you come with someone?”

“No.”

“Someone else is here. I can feel them.”

“I can’t see anyone
, and I can’t feel anyone either.”

Ascher
scanned the park with his sensitive eyes, his keen ears picking up the subtle sounds of the night. There was a beating heart just beyond a thicket of trees. “You can come on out now. We know you’re there.”

Casey, Aggie’s coven sister, stepped out into the clearing.

Aggie shot her a defiant glare. “I told you I was okay, Case.”

Casey rolled her eyes at Ascher.
She was a real bitch, and they’d never gotten along. The incident, two summers ago, only worsened an already volatile situation. “I see my sister is still not strong enough to resist you. I tried to warn her, but she wouldn’t listen.” Turning to Aggie, she uttered, “I’m taking you back to the apartment right this minute, and I don’t want to hear any complaining.”

“She can make up her own mind, Casey.”

“No she can’t! She’s blind where you’re concerned. Look what she did to that poor tree.” She glanced over to Aggie. “Mother Mias won’t be happy about the tree. Let’s go before he causes you anymore harm!”

“I’m sorry Ascher, but Case
is right. I need to go back now. I can’t help you.”

“Go on to the car
,” Casey instructed. “I’ll just be a minute.”

When Aggie was a good distance away, Casey turned to Ascher, hate flooding her hazel eyes. “You’ve caused her enough pain, Ascher Rousseau. Leave her be
, or I’ll put a spell on you that will last a hundred years!”

Ascher smirked
, undaunted by her threat. “I’m not afraid of you, Casey. I could cease every bodily function you have with one glance. I only tolerate you because of Ags. The next time you threaten me, block your mind first.” With that, he stared her in the eyes, planting a subliminal deep in her brain.

Casey
clutched her head.

“It’s too late Casey
, I’m already in there. I see it all.” He continued his stare while washing her brain clear of his threat. He focused in on her deep subconscious and opened his eyes, allowing her to see the red rage saturating his vision.

She startled
and stepped away from him.

Grabbing her arm, he pulled her back to him.
“You will go to Ags and convince her to help bind my friend,” he spoke in a slow and persuasive tone.

Casey
wavered like a brain washed zombie before repeating his verbal suggestion. “I will convince Aggie to bind your friend.”

Ascher
patted her on the shoulder and waved his hand across her eyes, releasing her from his mind spell.

Confused, she whispered,
“Ascher, what are you doing here?”

“I was just visiting with Ags. Tell her to give me a call. The number is still the same.” His eyes glowed red again. “And remember what I said
.” He gave her what he knew to be a haunting, but pleasant smile, his teeth glinting. “Good seeing you again, Casey. Take care.”

Four ~
A Mathematical Certainty

Romania

Ursula stormed into the formal hall
, waving a piece of paper in her hand, her clenched jaw quivering with fury. The contortion on her face matched the blood blazing in her vision.

Clive drew
in a staggered breath.

“A postponement,” she roa
red. “He wants a postponement!”

Clive
attempted to soothe her but she disappeared, morphing away from him. She materialized a few feet away, her eyes burning brighter with reddened ferocity. “For months, he’s ignored my calls and refused to see me. How long have you known about this?” Tilting her head at him, she growled, “Were you
ever
going to tell me about this letter, Father?”

“Sweet one,” he murmured the silk and deceit heavy in his voice
. “Ascher is no fool and he knows the consequences if he doesn’t seal to you. He’d never put his family in danger.” Ursula allowed him close enough to give her cold cheek a careful, calming stroke. “A certain amount of nerves is normal when one is sealing for the first time.”

“Save it, Father!” she hissed. “I don’t want to hear any more of your lies. I know what you and Skylar have been whispering about
.” She paused, feeling like a fool and realizing that everyone knew about this. “When were you going to tell me the truth? Next month or when he left me at the altar?”

Clive
stood silent, giving her no answers.

Ursula picked up
a porcelain vase with her trembling hands and sent it crashing against the wall. The destruction felt good. So good in fact, that she tossed a ceramic pot against the opposite wall. “Liar!” she screamed to the top of her lungs, tears streaming down her face. “You’re all liars, and I want to see Ascher!”

“Ursula, we can’t—”

“I don’t want to hear it! I’m tired of being ignored!” She glanced down at the crumpled note she'd clenched in her hand. “What did he say?” she mumbled, attempting to find the part of the letter that most irritated her. “Here it is. He is
unsure
about the sealing and
needs more time
,” she read aloud in a mocking tone, her voice raising an octave with each syllable. “What about what
I
need?”

Clive
reached for her again to calm her.

Moving
away from him, Ursula floated to the far end of the room. She spied something out of the corner of her eye, a piece of history, an irritant further igniting her ire. Picking it up, a fresh stream of tears scalded her cheeks as she swiped her finger across the picture of them—Ascher and her.

Utterly baffled, she
couldn’t understand what she’d done to make him cut communication with her. She’d given him everything he could want in a mate—she'd been dutiful, loving and loyal. She’d given him her virginity, because she believed that their sealing was predestined. Klaus prophesized it three hundred years ago—before either of them existed. She'd sensed that something was off. His voice was different the last time they’d talked, and his expression seemed a little
too
happy when she’d left the States three months ago.

The thought of a common existence sickened her. She was ruined goods, tampered with, considered unsuitable for a dignified sealing. If Ascher refused, they’d hand her off to a commoner.
Claws ripped from beneath her fingertips and fangs burst from her gums.

“It’s only nerves
,” Clive interjected, in an effort to alleviate her hysteria.

Even she could see the lies lurking behind his forced smile.
Razor sharp talons scraped along the concrete wall, nearly splitting the blocks in half. “Fix this Father, you and your inbred servants had better fix this.” Her vision swirled with more crimson. “I want the life promised to me, it's mine. I want that bloodstone and I want
him
. I deserve it, and I’ll be damned if I let it go without a fight!”

* * * *

Langley, Massachusetts

Ascher paced the floor of the great hall, his mind a
muddled mess. By now, he’d gotten a reply to his formal request for a postponement. Clive had bypassed him and gone straight to his father.

Gabe and
their father, Jonas, arrived, giving him serious glances as they sat in their seats at the wooden table. Ascher swallowed hard. The large table was for serious meetings. Six months ago, he’d sat at it and received his father’s formal blessing to seal to Ursula. Although, Gabe hadn’t laid claim to Shauna, Ascher still felt like he was betraying him and recognized the scowl of contempt hidden underneath his brother’s pasted grin.

Ascher sighed. “I know why the both of you are here. I understand the weight of my decision. I also understand the consequences the covenants prescribe if I fail to honor the arrangement. I need more time. I’m
just not ready.”

“Son, I know you
, and you wouldn’t make a decision that would put the family in harm, unless there was a good reason. What is the reason for your indecision?”

“You should talk to her,
” Gabe suggested. “Go to Romania and spend some time with Ursula. It’s been months since you’ve seen her.”

Ascher knew Gabe’s sudden interest in his love life had little to do with concern, and much to do with getting him away from Langley
—away from Shauna. He cringed. The thought of making love to Ursula’s lifeless cold body every night for eternity was enough to make him impale himself.

Lacing his fingers on the tabletop,
Gabe said, “Clive will rain down death on us if you refuse to go through with the sealing. Ursula is beautiful, sweet and she'll make a wonderful mate.”

Ascher glared at
Gabe. He should have nothing to say about it, because he was free from having to make such a sacrifice. “Why do
I
have to seal to her? Gabriel thinks she’s so great. Let
him
seal to her!”

Gabe gritt
ed his teeth. “You selfish fool,” he hissed. “You think you can just do what you’d like without consequences?”

Jonas’s hand crashed down on the heavy wood table, cracking it. “I will
not
have you two at each other’s throats! If there’s a chance that Clive is coming after us, we have to unite and be ready to fight. The darklings aren’t going to roll over and play nice. They’re soldiers and killing is what they do. It’s why the Romanians created them. Rousseaus don’t behave like this!
My sons
do not behave like this! What’s wrong with you, Gabriel?”

Gab
e’s face became a slab of furious stone. “
Me
, what’s wrong with
me
? He jeopardizes all of us, yet you still take
his
side. But I should’ve expected that you’d take the side of your half-blooded love child!”

A low growl escaped Ascher’s lips as he lunged across the table, grabbing Gabe by the throat. “
Damn it Gabe, you take that back. You take it back right now!”

“I won’t
. I’ll never take it back! You’re nothing but the product of
his
obsessions with an impossible scientific principle and a warm-blooded whore!”

Jonas grabbed Ascher’s hand, attempting to pry it away from Gab
e’s neck. “Please son, don’t do that. He’s your brother.”

Ascher growled then gla
red at his father. “No brother of mine bad mouths me, or says such awful things about my mother.” He turned back to Gabe. “And you’re one to talk considering y
ou
helped create me!”

“Enough!” Jonas
roared.

Ignoring their father’s orders,
Gabe and Ascher continued growling as they ascended into the air. Gripping Gabe’s neck as they twirled in the air, Ascher gave him the brunt of his glowing red eyes.

Gabe
returned an equally intense gaze, smirking. “You think I don’t know about you and Shauna? She can’t go a day without your face flashing through her mind. She was supposed to be mine, but you ruined that. Why do you think I led her to the bar? I wanted her—for me.”

“She doesn’t want
you
, Gabriel.”

“Because she can’t keep her mind off you
.” Gabe maneuvered out of his brother’s hold. In a second, he was holding Ascher by the throat. “You think you’re so special because you’re a half-bloodling, don’t you? You think you’re the messiah. You’re an abomination, just a test tube experiment gone wrong.”

“
I’m
an abomination? We all are, Gabriel! We’re the walking dead. Mine is less conspicuous, but no less true. You think Shauna would want either of us if she knew what we were?”

“You’re so smug. You can hide behind the flush in your cheeks, your warm skin and think you fit in with them
, but you’re more of an aberration than the rest of us!”

“You’re ruining our brotherhood over a human
who doesn’t matter.” Ascher paused, absorbing how quickly the lie came from his mouth.
She
mattered more than anything—enough that he was now fighting with his blood.

“What are you two talking about?” Jonas questioned. “Who is this human?”

Ascher peered down at his father. “Her name is Shauna. Gabe led her to the bar and hired her to work there.”

Jonas gave both his sons fleeting glances. “Humans and vampires don’t mix. Ascher drifts between two worlds because of what he is. If I’d known that life would be so difficult for him, I wouldn’t have created him
, or let Beatrice carry him. You can’t get involved with a human, Gabriel.”

They both
descended to the floor.

Gabe glowered at Ascher before loosening his grip. “I’m sorry father
—for my behavior. I’ll leave at once. I think it might be best for me to take some time away. Quinn can take over the bar.”

Jonas motioned him over. “I want to talk to you first Gabriel, before you go.”

Ascher closed his eyes to sweep Gabe’s mind and sensed no immediate cause for alarm. He channeled Shauna next. She was sitting in her apartment alone, stroking her cat while she held a picture of her sister in her hand. Tears fell from her eyes, as her mind whispered its contents to him.
I miss you sissy. I miss you so much.
Sighing, she placed the picture back into the photo album.

Ascher
clutched his head as her angry mind screamed about her parents and their closed mindedness. Leaning against the wall, he absorbed her thoughts and attempted to stay conscious. Pacing back and forth, her thoughts raged about their treatment of her sister. Finally, drained and tired, she fell into bed. Her mind drifted and her eyes became heavy as she had one final thought. In the softest flutter of a voice, Shauna's mind whispered,
Ascher
, and a shiver coursed his spine
.

* * * *

After a sleepless night and morning spent seeking Shauna, instead of avoiding her between classes, Ascher crept into Birchmont’s library. He’d been a jerk and dismissive of her feelings. If she didn’t want to see him, he deserved it, but he still had to try. Well aware that he had a lot of apologizing to do, he’d surmised that it was worth the effort to know her better.

The first days, a
fter the falling out with his brother, Ascher had avoided him, making Quinn the buffer and lookout. When he wasn’t avoiding Gabe, Ascher had spent his days attending classes and steering clear of Shauna. Once or twice, he’d come across her in the hallway and turned his head, avoiding her eyes and refusing to give her the slightest inkling of acknowledgment.

Gab
e had left a week after the blowup, telling no one where he’d be or when he’d return. His rage and anger spewed out in such wretched waves that it was difficult for Ascher to channel him. After three attempts and a nose bleed, he decided to let Gabe cool off.

Now two weeks removed from Gabe’s
absence, Ascher was free to think about a friendship with Shauna. A new horror movie was coming to the Metropolis in a week. He loved horror movies, despite their unrealistic portrayals of his kind. He was anxious to see it but hated going alone.

The musty odor of old books
and lemon scented furniture polish permeated the air of the ancient library. Students sat in the rows of desks, their faces weary from the pressures of finals, their minds overflowing with random chitchat that bored Ascher to insanity. He found
her
in the middle row, her head resting on her arm as she read from a book.

Sh
auna twirled a wavy lock of hair around her pointer finger. Her skin glowed with that wonderful butterscotch tone, her pink cheeks rosy with a lovely flush. Her complexion was stunning and so very different from the washed out deadness of Ursula’s pale existence. Her full lips were glazed pink and pouting—tempting him to kiss them repeatedly.

Ascher
sighed aloud.

Sh
auna looked up, as if she heard his frustration.