The Progeny (The Progeny Series) (9 page)

Tristan shook his head.

“It’s been a month with no word. I hope he’s all right. I stopped channeling him, because it gives me nosebleeds,” Ascher confessed.

“Give him a little more time. He’ll come around.”

“How is Kara?”

“
Wonderful as ever.”

“She’s adjusting well?”

“Well as can be expected.” Tristan didn’t sound convinced. “The first two years are the hardest. You’re lucky you were born this way and never had to change.”

“But am I lucky that I’ll never know what it is to be truly human?” Ascher asked in a sullen
, regretful tone.

A loud noise came from the first floor, followed by arguing.

Tristan startled then focused his eyes on Ascher. “I wonder what
that
was about.”

A woman’s piercing voice rang out demanding to see someone.
Ascher visibly flinched at the shrill, shrieking voice. It was Ursula and she wasn’t happy.

“Where is Ascher?” she demanded.
“I know he’s here. Is he here with
her
?”

Quinn remained cool, his voice never rising above its natural pitch. “Ascher is upstairs. If you would just calm down, I’ll get him for you.”

Ascher ran down the stairs to the kitchen, hoping to avoid a nasty scene that the staff didn’t need to witness. He moved Ursula into the employee lounge and slammed the door.

She removed her shades, revealing blood red eyes
that softened while retaining their crimson glaze.

“I’ve had enough of your surprise visits
! What the hell is your problem?” Ascher seethed.

“Father said you don’t want to seal to me. Is it true Ascher? Are you really calling off the sealing?”

He paced the floor then sat down. He didn’t love her, but he cared about her feelings. He formed the words in his head before letting them slip from his lips. “Ursula, we’re too different. I don’t love you enough to tie myself down for eternity. So, to answer your question—yes, I’m calling off the sealing.”

Her face pained. “What? Ascher, we belong together. Old Klaus sa
ys it’s our destiny.”

“I can’t go through with it.”

“But we’ve made love. If
you
don’t take me, they’ll seal me to someone else, someone beneath me.”

It was classic Ursula to care about something so banal. She expected him to spend eternity unhappy, just to suit her. Did she believe him to be her own sacrificial martyr?
Selfish bitch…
Ascher slammed his fist down onto the wooden table, splinters wedging in his skin. “Is
that
the
only
thing you’re concerned about?”

“No. I just thought that
...” She stopped mid-sentence, her face morphing into a leer. “If you don’t go through with it, you know what my father will do. He won’t have a choice.”

“I know what the covenants say. So does my family
, Ursula. I do care about your feelings, but I’m not
in love
with you. I can’t spend eternity with you knowing how I feel. Be honest with yourself, you only want the bloodstone. Any feelings you might have for me are secondary to that desire, and I’m just a go between to get what you want.”

“Ascher, I really do love you,” she whispered
in a voice that seeped sincerity.

Was it possible that she really did love him? He hadn
’t considered that possibility.

Her expression turned bitter,
her bout of humanity brief. She glanced up, her eyes blazing at him. “It’s the
human
isn’t it?”

“Would you keep your voice down?”

“Why should I? She’s here, isn’t she?”

He growled then spoke through clenched teeth
. “If she was, it would be none of your business!”

“What has she done
to you?”

Ascher grew
impatient with her rambling. “I’ve gone through the proper channels. If Clive decides to retaliate against me, I’ll accept the consequences for my decision.”

“She doesn’t know what you are
, does she?”

“
What kind of question is that? Of course she doesn’t know!”

“Maybe she
should
know. That would surely change her mind.”

He grabbed
Ursula’s arm, twisting her back around. “Is that a threat? Are you really threatening me?” He flashed his own crimson gaze. “I wouldn’t do that unless you’re ready to accept the consequences for
your
actions.”

A soft tapping of footsteps came down the hall
, stopping in front of the door before the knob turned.
Shauna.

“Ascher,” Shauna called out, her voice quivering.

“Just a second,” he shouted. Flashing Ursula with his reddened gaze, he motioned her to put her shades back on. Taking three breaths, Ascher closed his eyes to concentrate on calming down. When the mirror reflected his pale stare, he shot Ursula a blue-eyed warning glance before opening the door.

Nine ~ Truth and Consequences

Shauna walked in
, and the thick presence of unrest made her nervous, putting her on edge. A beautiful woman—with a pale porcelain complexion, long dark hair and the most curvaceous body she’d ever seen—sat at the table.

Ascher
visibly trembled, his face an unfamiliar mask.

Sh
auna spoke to Ascher while concentrating her glare on the mysterious stranger. “You never came back. I was worried.”

Ascher
pulled Shauna behind him, his stance clearly a protective one.

Shauna couldn’t understand why.
Surely, she didn’t need protection from
her
. His grip tightened around her arm, his knuckles straining with tension. Finally, she registered his firm hold and her heart thudded in her chest. Terrified, she wiggled away from him. “Let go of me, Ash! What’s wrong with you? Who is
she
?”

“I’m fine
, and she’s nobody.
Ursula
was just leaving.”

“
The hell I am…” The strange woman mumbled, an unsavory smirk turning up the corners of her pouty mouth. “Tell her, Ascher. Tell her who I
really
am!”

“Yeah, Ascher,” Shauna spoke in a mocking tone, her eyes becoming pieces of wet coal in narrow sockets. “Why don’t you tell me
who she is?”

He froze, his youthful face chiseled with a mixture of shock, horror and anger. “There’s something you need to know.”

“Spit it out, Ascher. Tell her, or I will!” Ursula growled then flicked the shades away from her face. Her crimson eyes glowed at Shauna with a demon's light.

Terror
set in, worse than any horror movie Shauna had ever seen, more ghastly than any monster a mind could conjure. Shauna clutched her chest, stepping away from both of them. “Her eyes! Ascher, what’s wrong with her eyes?”

The stranger giggled and continued piercing her demonized stare into Shauna.

* * * *

Ascher struggled to control his mounting
rage. Not only was Ursula ruining his chances with Shauna, but her stupidity might expose them. Clutching Shauna closer, he asked, “Do you trust me?”

The floor vibrated
beneath their feet. Shauna’s eyes became cold, the glare of distrust swimming in them. “No, I don’t! Why are you so nervous?”

“You left Katy alone. You should go back up with her. I’ll be up there in a little while. Okay?”

“No! I’m not going anywhere. I want to know who she is, right now, Ascher!”

“Please, Shauna.
” He huffed with impatience. “Just do it!”

Shauna shouted,
“No,” intent on standing her ground.

“For cryin’ out loud
,” Ursula groaned.

“I warned you, Ursula
.” Every part of him longed to rip her to shreds. She had nerve.

“
You
don’t warn me. Looks like you’ve been keeping a lot from her. Afraid she might not want you if she knows about the
real
you?”

Ascher’s
lips strained against clenched teeth and pulsing fangs, begging to curl up and release a menacing snarl.
Control.
He needed to stay in control. Push the anger back down and stem the raging desire to lash out.

Ursula’s
red eyes narrowed, taunting him, daring him to expose himself. He was strong in his gifts, but rage made her stronger and helped fight off his subliminals.

Ursula
cackled. “That won’t work, dearest. It’s time she knows the truth.”

“Dearest?” Shauna
curled her hands into tight fists.

Ascher reached for
her, but she moved away. “Don’t touch me!”

“Ursula, doing this won’t change things between
us,
” he uttered, knowing she’d never listen to reason.

“She
still deserves the truth, Ascher.”

Ascher knew that Ursula wasn’t interested in Shauna knowing the truth. She wasn’t interested in
Shauna’s
feelings at all. She only wanted revenge for what she considered a threat to her happiness. “Ursula, please don’t do this.” He couldn’t believe he was begging
her
for
anything
.

Ignoring his pleading, she continued
. “My name is Ursula. Ascher and I are to seal in two days.”

Shauna drew in a staggered breath. “Seal
, as in marriage?”

Ascher sighed.
The truth he’d dreaded was finally out.

“Is this true?” Shauna demanded.

“Damn it.” His head dropped in shame. “Yes, but…”

“So she is your
fiancée
?” Shauna paced the room, clutching her head, repeating the phrase, “Oh my God.” Coming to a stop by the window, she said, “And let me guess,
she’s
the first.”

“Shauna, I can explain
.”

* * * *

Clutching her head with both hands, Shauna screamed, “No!” The windows cracked as she ran towards the door, fresh tears flooding her face.

Ascher grabbed for her—
missing.

“No!” The ceiling rumbled, water raining down from the sprinklers.
Shauna pointed towards the door. “Move!” At her command, it flew open, nearly ripping off its hinges.

A
scher appeared in front of her.

She scowled
. “Go away!” An unseen force removed him from her path. Turning, she backed away from both of them, her eyes fixated on the two. Her finger twirled and pointed at each of them. “Stay!”

“I hope you’re happy now
!” Ascher seethed at Ursula then sprinted after Shauna, catching her before she hit the stairs. He clutched her to him. “Shauna. Baby, please. Just let me explain.”

A strange burn started in her legs.
What’s happening to me?
She’d had rage issues all her life, never anything like this. Her clear eyesight blurred gray. The hall she’d seen for three months and knew like the back of her hand, became an unfamiliar maze veiled by her fuzzy vision.

Taking a stumbling step
, she regained her balance against the wall. “I told you how important honesty was to me, and you’ve kept this from me the whole time. You told me she was nobody—that it was only physical curiosity. It doesn’t look that way to me. She talks like she
owns
you. You said that was over. How were you going to cover up getting married to someone else?”

“I wasn’t
. Please, just listen to me—”

Sh
auna shook her head. “I’ve listened enough, and I can’t trust you. Without trust, we have nothing. All you’ve done is feed me lies. You’re a liar! I despise liars! I can’t believe I was going to sleep with you, allow you to be my first.” She gripped her stomach and doubled over as the nausea crept from her depths. “I’m going to be sick.”

He reached for her again.

“Don’t touch me!” Every ounce of restraint left her body, and chaos flooded her brain. She wanted to lash out. No, she
needed
to lash out.

“Shauna
, just let me take you home. I promise I’ll explain things to you.”

“What part of
I don’t want to hear your lies
don’t you understand?” Pushing her hands away from her body, toward him, she barked, “Back!” He flew back and against the wall. “I don’t want to hear anymore lies!” She sobbed into her hands. “I hate you. I wish I’d never met you!”

Pain and disbelief creased his face.
“Shauna? You don’t mean that. You’re just upset. Let’s talk things through.”

“
There’s nothing left to say, Ascher. Just leave me alone. I never want to see you again.”

“Shauna
, I love you. Please. You don’t—”

“Oh
, yes I do. I mean it and I quit! I can’t work here anymore.” She ran out the emergency exit, setting off the door alarm, sprinting into the night.

* * * *

Sheridan, Massachusetts

The bright sun streamed into Shauna’s bedroom window. Shield
ing her swollen eyes, she mustered enough strength to sit on the side of the bed. She’d sequestered herself in her apartment for a week. Most of the time she cried. Some of the time she sat catatonic, staring at her four walls.

Ascher
called at least ten times a day.

He should just stop calling.

He claimed his heart was breaking
.

His, wasn’t
the only broken heart
.

He pleaded with her to see
him.

Hell would freeze over…

He said he’d explain everything.

Like she’d allow him to
, or believe a word…

Her favorite game show was on
, and she argued with the TV about the price of a motor bike. “Twenty five hundred—you idiots. That bike is twenty five hundred dollars,” Shauna grumbled.

She smirked as the last contestant
spoke—an older woman who she was sure might have a heart attack riding the thing.

“
Twenty-five hundred.”

A larger smile came when the contestant won her five hundred dollars for having an
exact
bid. Game shows weren’t a lot of fun when you knew the answers. It
was
fun to watch the look of surprise on a person’s face when words, they didn’t plan on saying, came flying out their mouth.

She made her way to the bathroom and
groaned at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was tangled and matted, her complexion blotchy from stress and neglect. The dark circles under her eyes made her look forty-one, instead of twenty-one.

Sh
uffling down the hall to her kitchen, she looked through her fridge, checking to see if anything had survived her weeklong hiatus from the outside world. Her phone rang. She picked it up, saw that it was
him
then carelessly chucked it on the table
. Give up already. I don’t care what your excuse is. It doesn’t matter. You lied to me, and I can’t forgive you.

She sniffed a bunch of green grapes
and found that they smelled okay. She bit off a tiny piece and chewed it, scrutinizing the flavor. Sitting at her tiny table, she ate the grapes and continued to watch television. After eating the whole bunch, she decided to clean her apartment. To rid it of
him
.

She’d slept in their almost sex
ed sheets for days. At first, his scent was comforting. She’d pushed her face to the ambrosia-like scent with pleasure and thought about that night. The more she snuggled her nose into those sheets, the worse she felt. Finally, on day three she stripped the bed to forget his smell.

The nights were no better. When the town quieted,
her four walls closed in. The nightmares were worse. She still dreamed of demons, fire, and magic. Now there was a new star in her dreams. That woman and her red eyes frequently made guest
appearances
.
Nobody has eyes like that. Why wasn’t he concerned about that woman’s glowing red gaze? He didn’t even bat an eye.

A clean body changed her whole demeanor. She
’d told her professors that she had a family emergency to explain her absence. It was time to resume her life, so Shauna decided to go to class.

After preparing her makeup and dressing, she grabbed her backpack and dashed out of her apartment while
squinting at the bright sun. Her first day back at school was less painful than she imagined it would be. None of the students gave her a second glance. Nothing was worse than going through a crisis and having everyone treat you awkwardly. Avoiding Ascher was priority one. She took the long way to all of her classes and was successful in avoiding him the entire day.

She gave the library a
cursory glance when she arrived, hoping to avoid a confrontation with
him
. Sitting at a table in the back, near the librarian, she allowed her body to slump down in the seat. She listened to her playlist while solving some harder equations. Ascher was a liar, but he was an exceptional tutor. With his help, she’d brought her D average up to a high C—only two points from a B average.

As the singer c
rooned about her broken heart, Shauna thought about hers. How could someone so handsome be so bad? His stunning blue eyes had been the most devious keepers of deception and lies.

* * * *

Ascher followed her to the library. He’d come there every day and was surprised to finally see her. Only concerned with her well-being, he stood in the aisle of poetry books to watch her. Seeing her made his heart thump with excitement and pain with misery. He didn’t know how to erase the pain he'd caused.