Olivia smiles at Asher’s insistence, the mob boss’ constant checking up and assurance of Olivia’s well-being, along with the faint touches here and there, everything seeming so familiar, natural, scratching at that itch within her chest.A few minutes later, dressed in loose black sweatpants and an equally dark hoodie, her hair dried and somewhat combed through, the tub brimming with a bubble bath, Olivia stands off the stool to exit the bathroom and call out Asher’s name.“Yes?” Asher says, leaning over the countertop, his phone in hand.“Your bath is ready if you are,” Olivia announces, then plops down on the shorter side of the ‘L’ shaped couch. She catches the sound of Asher dropping the device on the table, then his feet padding on the floor as he halts next to the sofa.A hand runs through Olivia’s locks, and she tilts her head against the backrest to peer up at Asher. “Forehead kiss.”Olivia’s demand is received by the quirk of a left brow that she mirrors, and she laughs when
Asher is scared, Olivia understands.His fear is palpable, evident in his shifting gaze darting between Olivia and the wall, the cupboard, then back on Olivia where they settle.It’s more visible in his trembling hands when he grasps onto the edge of the bathtub, his hands knocking against Olivia’s.It’s loud when Asher turns around, the water and bubbles wavering against his waist when he does.The first thing that strikes Olivia is the crisscross of large, ragged scars slashed along the span of Asher’s back.Three of them are parallels, starting from the shoulder blades and carved down to the lower back, where two long crescents frame Asher’s waist, one higher than the other.As if a beast cleaved at Asher while he was not looking, and when it was not sufficient to put him down, it bit on one side of the waist, then on the other, then the right bicep, the upper chest under the left armpit, the right rib, twice, the—Everywhere.The myriad of bite and claw scars are everywhere, engra
“How did the date go?” Mia asks with curiosity."Well…” Olivia trails off, peering behind her at the half-opened bathroom door. “It’s still ongoing, actually.”“What? It’s almost 9 p.m.” Mia gasps in surprise. She never thought the date to drag on till now.“Wait already?” Olivia looks at the top of her screen and sees the time, her brows rising at the 8:47 p.m., greeting her. “He huh… We stayed at the pet cafe until 6 p.m.? I think? And then, we headed back to my apartment. So he’s still with me right now.”“Oh…” The line goes silent before Mia speaks again, a teasing tone to her voice. “So he’s staying the night?”“Yes, but not the way you’re implying. Shut up,” Olivia hisses and turns around when she hears Asher step out of the bathroom. “Also, you’re on speaker, so don’t say anything embarrassing.”“Hey, Ash! Did you know Olivia once—”“Mia Castro, I will eat you the next time you shift if you continue that sentence.” The threat is received by a boisterous laugh on Mia’s side and
"Ash?" Olivia says, and Asher freezes at the appellation. "Do you feel that itch sometimes?""That itch?""Yeah, in your chest," Olivia explains while she rubs at a spot between her lungs, hoping to alleviate the incessant swirling there. "It's a good itch. It feels nice, even more, when it's scratched.""I think I know what you mean," Asher says, Olivia's mouth parting around an 'Oh'."Really? Do you feel it too?""I feel it right now," Asher says, and once more, his gaze attaches to Olivia for a brief moment before he diverts his attention back to the pot. "I felt it earlier when we washed each other's hair. Or when we were at the pet cafe.""I felt it too," Olivia murmurs, a coyness enveloping her at the boss' unbounded honesty."I feel it a lot when I'm with you," Asher says, lowering his own voice, and this time his searching eyes don't stray away from Olivia's."Do you feel it with someone else?""No," is Asher's instantaneous answer. "Never. Only you."Olivia worries, her lip p
“We don’t have to be in the same bed if it bothers you,” Olivia says, hoping that Asher catches on to her honesty.“I don’t mind if it’s you,” Asher says and combs his fingers through Olivia’s locks to scratch at the scalp between the perked-up wolf ears. “I didn’t mind during the sleepover. I wasn’t uncomfortable at all, far from it, alright?”“Alright,” Olivia nods, and she could be nice, behave, and not be a brat. However, the sentence stumbles out of her mouth before she can think better of it.“Although, if at one point you’re uncomfortable, you can tell me, and I’ll go on the couch, old man.” The taunt is stressed on by a pat on Asher’s shoulder.Asher’s hand freezes on Olivia’s head. “What did you just call me?”“Old man?” Olivia reiterates, ducks out of Asher’s grasp, and takes a step back, Asher’s arm falling against his side. “Old geezer? Ancient m—”Asher lurches forward, and it’s only thanks to her excellent reflexes that Olivia manages to dodge the fingers trying to grip
Asher exhales a sigh, and he plays with the ring he gave to Olivia, rolling it between his fingers. “My clan and I rehabilitate hybrids from my world, to put it simply. We also intercept shipments, usually of predator hybrids about to be sold to the black market or any buyers, really. We help them find the freedom they were deprived of by integrating them into the system, finding them adopters or families, and if not, we try to give them their independence by creating fake adoption contracts so they can still live a normal life even if they’re unofficially not adopted.”Asher continues to speak and mentions how what they’re orchestrating isn’t legal in any way, that it requires connections he can only acquire in the underground.He also speaks about how the tournament would allow them to access the list of people participating in it, and Olivia hears the sentences.She listens to them and pays attention to Asher’s voice. However, everything is muffled by that unbridled surge of affect
Olivia emits a brief, wet laugh, and she sniffles, blinking the tears away before they can fall down.“I mean it,” Asher resumes, his breath warm against Olivia’s temple. “I’m staying for as long as you want me to.”“What if it’s selfish?”“I’m still staying.”Olivia’s fingers constrict. “What if it’s about you?”“I’m staying, Olivia,” Asher affirms, and the reassurance seeps through the oppressive apprehension. Olivia tightens her hold, encasing Asher in her arms, and she conceals her face in the neck. “Is it something bad?”“No, it’s not— It’s not bad,” Olivia says because she knows it isn’t, even if a nagging voice whispers about how it could veer into a terrible outcome. “It’s just new. It scares me a little.”Asher hums, seemingly contemplating Olivia’s words. “Does it feel bad to you?”The answer is surprisingly easy, found underneath the cloak of worry. “No, it’s warm.”“Then everything’s alright.”The conviction in Asher’s sentence is all Olivia needed to believe that everythi
Asher’s head snaps toward Olivia, and Olivia meets his gaze as she emits a curious hum.“What?”Asher shakes his head and lowers under the blanket, fiddling with the remote while he focuses his attention back on the TV. “I don’t know how many. I never counted. A few dozen at the very least, I’d say.”Olivia takes the gun, aiming it at the wall, her finger next to the trigger. “I kinda want to shoot.”“What a grand idea to fire a gun in the middle of the night in a calm neighborhood,” Asher snarks and pries the gun away from Olivia. “What do you want to watch? Maybe the Lion King movie you mentioned?”“I’m not in the mood for that,” Olivia says and loosely crosses her arms over her belly.“What then?” Asher scrolls some more, entering the sci-fi section while Olivia pensively hums. “How about a horror movie? You like those, right?”“I love horror movies, and you do too, so let’s watch one.”“Want to rewatch The Conjuring?”“F*ck yeah,” Olivia grins. “They’re some of my favorites in tha
Group chatAsh: Is everyone here?Ash: We need to talk about the tournament nowAsh: Olivia received the invitationAJ: What?PS: You received yours as well Asher?Ash: I didn'tSL: You're not even her adopter yetAJ: That's weirdAsh: It may be because of NicolasAsh: Either way it happened and Olivia is participating in the tournamentAsh: I need everyone to be here so we can talk about itAsh: Olivia got the letter along with her keycard and a phoneWG: What did the letter say?OF: A summary of what TSM is and the rules about itOF: The fact that they kept using 'it' while talking about the hybrids pissed me offOF: F*cking a*sholesAsh: Hybrids are nothing to them aside from a source of money and entertainmentWG: What's TSM?Ash: The name of the tournament aka The Scarlet Masquerade, TSM for shortAsh: As I said previously TSM is a match to death with, more often than not, only one survivorAsh: It's brutal and unforgiving and no one ever comes out unscathed from itMC: Are you s
Ash: Olivia??Ash: What's happening?Ash: OliviaAsh: Members of the clan are on the wayAsh: They'll be there in less than thirty minutesOlivia: No Don'tOlivia: Call them backOlivia: I'm fineAsh: What the fuck do you mean you're fineOlivia: I made it sound worse than what it actually was and then I lost track of time dancingAsh: You'reOlivia: Don't be mean worried AsherAsh: I need a minuteOlivia: SorryOlivia: I should have sent another text to say I'm fine but it slipped my mindAsh: I thought something bad happened to you OliviaAsh: You can't do shit like thatAsh: Fucking hellAsh: I was a moment away from upturning the cityOlivia: I'm sorry...Olivia: I just wanted to distract myself from the creepy letter I gotAsh: A letter?Ash: This is what it's about?Olivia: YeahOlivia: There was a letter in my mailbox but the very creepy kindOlivia: There isn't even a returning or my own address on itAsh: Does it have a logo on it?Olivia: YesAsh: Red?Olivia: YesOlivia: Ho
Both stare at each other silently. Asher’s words ring in the silent room. His face is filled with uncertainty and hesitation but also assurance. He is willing to do that only if Olivia will accompany him during those nights.Olivia without even hearing his words understands the turmoil in Asher’s heart. “Of course, Asher. we can call, facetime, or text whenever there's one. I’ll always be there with you”“Thank you.” Asher’s face breaks into a smile.The genuine smile makes Olivia’s heart tingle “We'll make a bunch of good memories about storms so that the bad ones are gone.” She says with a smile.Asher looks surprised and delighted with the suggestion “I'd love that.”“Me too.”Olivia looks at Asher and suddenly she remembers something “Also, I'm learning how to bake.”“What? Why?” Asher looks confused and surprised.“I was supposed to give you a gift some time ago but it slipped my mind with all the mess that had been happening. And now I changed the present I want to give you.” Ol
They both go silent after that, looking at each other's faces not knowing what to say."What?” Olivia starts, she was offended by the silence from Asher “Did I say something wrong?" she asks Asher with a smile.Asher’s face lit up and he shook his head "No, not at all."His answer made Olivia satisfied, she nodded her head with a happy smile on her face. "Was there a thunder on your side?""Yeah, something like that." Asher’s face dims remembering the situation he was trying to ignore.Olivia notices and asks with a soft voice "Do you want to talk about it?"Asher looks startled "About what?" he asks with confusion."Why you're scared of storms."Asher peruses his lips and goes silent. His tongue comes out to lick his dry lips. He shifts on his bed curling on to himself "There's nothing much to say.""I'm still listening if you want to share." Olivia doesn’t prob, but still tries to talk to him.Asher is not someone who opens up to someone about his shortcomings. He has been trained t
Oly: What bad blood?Mia: I don’t know and Walter doesn’t know eitherOly: That’s weirdMia: A little yesMia: Plus he seems to really antagonize me for some reasonsOly: I seeMia: You’re starting to speak like himOly: Who?Mia: Ash -.-Oly: That’s because we’re rubbing off on each other :(Oly: I like him so much Mia he’s amazingOly: He has trouble understanding feelings and emotions and human relationships but he tries to despite everything he went throughOly: He could have given up, you know?Oly: If I were in his place I would have and I wouldn’t care about understandingMia: He’s an intelligent manOly: He isOly: I really like him a lotMia: Have you been testing the waters?Oly: A little? I don’t know how to do thatOly: I don’t flirt MiaOly: But maybeMia: Maybe?Oly: Maybe he likes me tooOly: MaybeOly: We’ll seeMia: That’s progress it’s okayMia: Anyway, I have to studyOly: Yes, yes, good luck and/or have funMia: Bye, will talk to you later* * * * * * * * * * * *A
Mia: He is a human Olivia, he's not a hybridMia was so confused about how did Olivia even got that thought in her pea-sized brain. She was still contemplating when Olivia replied to her message.Oly: What if he's just hiding it?Mia: He can adopt a hybridMia: Hybrids can't adopt another hybridMia tries to talk sense into Olivia who is very stubborn to listen to any of her explanations.Oly: Unless they falsified their documents and make themselves pass as a humanOly: Steve could have done thatMia: This is insaneOly: You didn't see him the way I didMia: Is it bothering you?Mia: Is this what it's about?Olivia is quick to rejectOly: NoOly: It's about how he behaved and the fact that I know he's hiding a secret from meOly: Which is fineOly: But I can't stop myself from wondering, my mind keeps circling back to thisMia: Olivia that'sMia: OkayMia: Let's say that hypothetically Ash is a hybrid, what would he be?Oly: I'm not sureOly: A predator one I guess?Mia: Hypothetical
Olivia: Are you being an a*shole or genuinely asking?Ash: The latterOlivia: Because I like the idea of us having matching pics and contact nameAsh: Why is that?Olivia: Because It's hmmOlivia: It's comforting?Olivia: And it's a little intimate and just usOlivia: Which I like a lotAsh: [Picture attached]Ash: Like that?Olivia: ...Olivia: I'm okay it's making me feel weird to actually see itAsh: Do you like it?Olivia: I doAsh: How do you feel seeing it?Olivia: HappyOlivia: Very happyOlivia: And then it is ticking inside my chestOlivia: [Picture attached]Olivia: How do you feel?Ash: The same as you, I like it a lotOlivia: Me too but we can barely see the heart because of the dark mode :(Olivia: AnywayOlivia: I suppose you have work to doAsh: I'll be busy until later tonightAsh: You've nothing planned today?Olivia: Nothing at allAsh: MC will also be freeOlivia: What about her?Ash: It's time to talk about the tournament and it'll happen tonightAsh: Everyone wil
“I could live in this car.” Olivia sighs into the leather seat.“I don’t think Mini would appreciate that,” Asher says from where he’s bent over, his arms propped on the edge of the rolled-down window.“Good point. She’s tiny but needs a lot of space, a bit like Steve.” Olivia snickers at her own joke, two duffle bags brimming with Asher’s clothes thrown over the seat next to where she’s installed at the back of the car.“I’ll tell him you say that.”“Go ahead, I’ve been meaning to fight him after Airhead.”“Brat.”Olivia peers up at Asher, catching the fond smile on the boss’ lips. “Thank you for the date.”“You’re welcome, and thank you too,” Asher says, his face close to Olivia. “You enjoyed yourself?”“Mhm, the most,” Olivia grins as she fastens her belt when the driver enters the vehicle“Me too,” Asher whispers, and with his index, he brushes a strand of hair away from Olivia’s forehead. “I won’t be able to text you much today, but I’ll do what I can to try.”“It’s fine, don’t w
When Olivia wakes up a few hours later, it’s to an empty bed, Asher’s side on the mattress tidied up, the phone and iPad on the nightstand gone.It doesn’t take long for Olivia to figure out where the mob boss went when, and after relieving herself in the restroom, she climbs down the stairs to make her way to the dining room.Asher is seated at the end of the table installed in the corner of the bay windows and Olivia trudges up to the mob boss.Hands shoved in her pants pockets, Olivia knocks her foot on the leg of the chair Adam is occupying, the one directly on Asher’s left.“Move,” Olivia orders when Adam does not budge.Adam swivels around. “Say that again, GaintDog?”“That’s my seat. Move.”“How about you f*ck off before I shoot you in the knee?” Adam snaps when Olivia kicks the chair again. “It’s no one’s seat, however right now it’s mine because my a*s is on it.”“Adam, come on,” Walter intervenes from where he’s lounged further down the table, Mia by his sides. “They’re in t