Ash stared at the shadowy tendrils that seemed to be trying to reach out to each other, both stunned and fascinated. As they finally touched, she felt suddenly slammed with the awareness of another, right there in front of her.
She still couldn't see them, only feel them, but it felt like emotions and sudden realisation both flowed through the strange forms on contact, and her eyes went wide, realising that it was him.He was stunned by it too, she could feel it, but he reacted fast, and a split second later she was trapped, held tightly with his arm around her waist and a hand over her mouth.She tried to struggle and kick, clawing at his arms and hands, but he ignored it, continuing to hold her firm. "Stop it!" he growled in her ear, before burying his face in the curve of her neck and breathing her in deeply, "you know I'm too strong, and I'm not going to let you go."Still struggling, she knew he wasn't lying. She could sense him, all of hiJason lay atop her, shuddering and gasping for air. His darkness didn't seem to recede fully inside him this time, still entwining with hers, as it grew ever stronger. He sighed as he withdrew from her, laying on his back beside her and pulling her against him. Keeping one arm around her, he draped one of hers over his chest, covering her hand with his. He rested, closing his eyes and enjoying her presence. It felt right, to have her beside him. Or under him, or on top. He smiled as he gently stroked her hair, hoping that she wouldn't pass out like this every time, once she became accustomed to his power. Still, he really couldn't complain about these moments where he could simply hold her and be close to her. His hand moved downwards, tracing light circles over the soft skin of her shoulders and her back, and she stirred sightly. Bringing her hand up to his lips, he kissed it softly before placing it back on his chest, whispering, "You're okay baby, I'm still he
Ash hesitated at the top of the stairs, realising it would look very odd for her to come down with a man, especially after her last conversation with Benny, when she arrived. She bit her lip, turning back to Jason and trying to think of a way to explain it. It seemed she didn't need to though, as he smiled at her, nodded, and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, whispering, "I'll meet you downstairs." She smiled gratefully, and he stroked her cheek before he stepped back, moving towards her door, then disappearing. She frowned at the spot where he'd stood, realising she still didn't know exactly what he was, or the extents of what he could do. That odd feeling tugged at her again, and she was pulled from her thoughts, realising he was already downstairs waiting. It was kind of comforting, in a way, knowing he was there, and it made her smile as she descended the flights of stairs quickly. Benny walked past the bottom of the stairs and looked up at her, g
Jason gestured subtly to the hotel's owner, pulling him aside for a moment, where Ash wouldn't hear. "What can I do for ye, lad?" he asked, taking the hint and keeping his voice low. "I just want to make sure she's taken care of," he said, taking a solid black card from his wallet, "Can you put her room, our meals, and any other pending charges on this? I'd rather it not be listed on her statement." Benny frowned at him sightly, but nodded, taking the card, "Of course," he moved to the front desk, unmanned at this hour, and brought up her file, typing in some details and swiping the card. As he handed it back, he hesitated a moment, "How bad was it?" he asked, "The ex, I mean?"Jason kept the satisfied smile from his face, glad the man had caught on so quickly as he played into the story he had overheard Ash telling him. "She told you?" he asked, feigning restrained surprise as Benny gave a short nod, looking sympathetic, "It was pretty bad," Jason continued, "fra
Ashallia closed her eyes as she clung to Jason, her mind reeling as she thought about what she'd read in the article on Lukas' phone. How had such a huge smuggling network been thriving in Violet Cove without any of the locals knowing about it? It made her feel sick to her stomach. Especially when there were people involved.. 'Could that have almost been me?' she wondered, thinking of the night when she'd first seen Jason, when those sleazebags had tried to grab her. 'Were those guys always a part of it? All those times they came into Pete's?' she couldn't help but wonder.She shuddered at the thought, and Jason wrapped his arms around her tighter, Lukas' and Mikael's hands still on her back. They'd closed in around her, and she realised she could sense something from all three of them now, not just Jason.The sensations from Mikael and Lukas seemed less, like their connection was weaker, but they were there, and she could feel how similar, yet
Mikael stood as she started to struggle, trying to push his brother off her, tears running down her cheeks. "Enough, brother," he said sharply, his voice carrying all the weight of his authority. Jason sneered and stepped back, his eyes still displaying his inner darkness. As his brother let her down, she ran to the bathroom, shutting and locking the door. The three of them could hear her fearful gasps and sobs, and Jason finally began regaining some kind of control. He looked at Mikael, whose face said it all, making Jason swallow and run a hand through his hair, looking horrified as the darkness in his eyes faded. "Fuck!" he swore loudly, realising how far he'd pushed her. Lukas gave him a sympathetic look, but Mikael's face was still stern. Even after centuries, Jason still couldn't keep his temper reined in, especially when he was hurt. It hadn't helped that his earliest response to any kind of emotional pain had simply been to never let a
Lukas gave Ash a sympathetic smile, which she ignored, heading for the door. He sighed, stepping into a shadow, and out again an instant later, right in front of her, blocking her way. She frowned at him. "I just want to leave," she said, and Lukas shook his head. "Sorry, darlin', you know I can't let you do that," he said gently. She rubbed a hand across each cheek, wiping away some tears, "I don't want this," she said suddenly, as more began falling. Lukas stepped forward, putting his arms around her. She tensed slightly, but then slowly relaxed, likely sensing his feelings through their connection. He sensed hers too, and it only made his feelings of both empathy and sympathy grow. He knew she didn't deserve to be uprooted from her life like this, for reasons they could barely explain themselves. None of his kind knew how our why their destined soulmate was chosen for them, only that it was always right, even if it took a while to find the right bala
Ash woke, feeling Lukas' warmth beside her, hearing him speaking softly. She tensed then, realising his brothers must be back, and kept her eyes closed, pretending to still be asleep as she listened to them.He didn't say much more, and silence filled the room for a long moment, until she heard Mikael's voice, "Don't bother with the pretence, we can tell when you wake." She sighed, opening her eyes to look at Lukas, who was frowning at her. Mikael spoke again, "We're leaving again soon. Are you still set on Belgrave?" Propping herself up on her elbows, she stared at the three of them, "I.. yeah, I don't really have anywhere else.." She trailed off as he raised an eyebrow at her, "And you have somewhere to go, there?" The look on his face as she swallowed, hesitating to answer, told her she didn't need to. She felt panic rising in her, thinking they might not let her go, "I can't go home," she said, her voice pleading. He shook his head, and her stomach d
Jason was surprised by her gesture, but took it as a good sign. He studied her smaller, soft hand, as he stroked it lightly with his thumb. Content in the silence, he put one arm around her, the other still holding her hand, as they waited for his brothers to finish up with the agent. After finding a suitable, already vacant house in the right location, he knew Luke would have put in an offer competitive enough to gain the agent's undivided attention, and now they all they needed was the paperwork. Ash should be both comfortable and safe here, and they'd do everything in their power to make sure of it, before turning their attention to Henrik's other associates. His assistant hadn't been forthcoming with much, but what he had given them was a start, at least, and combined with what Lukas could find, they'd be able to plan who to target next. Ashallia seemed to sense his troubled thoughts, lifting her head and looking at him with a small frown on her face. He looked at her, giving h
One year and six months later:The bunker had provided exactly what they'd sought, though its origins were still shrouded in mystery.They'd been able to set up something of a home here, secure and well defended. Lukas had been able to reverse engineer the phone they'd taken from Craig, and not only been able to use its new technology, but also trace the last few members that posed a significant threat, along with the last of their munitions.He'd also been able to send lengthy transcripts and history to several other news networks not yet taken over by Newscience, who were more than eager to break the story of his other, shadier organisation, and its links to his other businesses and donation recipients. The story had rocked the country, with many politicians' and business' involvement being publicly exposed. Newscience had collapsed, along with many underground smuggling networks, with enough of an impact to make any who might fill the void feel more than a little wary. They heard
He felt her rush of emotion as she uttered the word, and he smiled wide, taking her hand and placing the ring on her finger. She blushed brightly, and he could feel his own cheeks flushing a little, and pulled her down beside him, wrapping her in his arms as he kissed her deeply. His own rush of emotion only got stronger, and he let it overwhelm him, knowing she'd feel just how deep his love was for her. And he felt hers too, overwhelming her as she returned his kiss, softly and tenderly, and for a long moment it was as though only the two of them existed, wrapped up in each other's deep feeling of love. When they finally moved apart, she was smiling wide at him, still blushing, but happy. So happy. He felt that too, within himself, despite everything, and he never wanted to be without it again. Or without her. "I love you," she whispered softly, and he touched his nose gently to hers, "I love you," he responded, and her face brightened even more. He kissed her again, and they lost
Ash returned his kiss with a sense of wonder, feeling that incredible rush of darkness, and now everything from him. Only that everything from him was everything from her, too, and the arousal they both felt was spiralled upwards again, more intense than ever. She suddenly felt an all encompassing need for him, and clamped her muscles tight around him, drawing her hips back slowly. He gasped, breaking their kiss, and she moved her hands, placing them on the tree trunk behind her to support herself as she began moving her hips back and forth, using her muscles in time with them. He swore under his breath and began thrusting in time with her, burying his head in the curve of her neck again as he moaned in intense pleasure. She did the same, feeling her own pleasure being heightened by his, as his was by her own, climbing higher and higher. His thrusts grew harder and rougher, as his gaze turned more intense, and she moved her hands to around his neck, holding herself up and letting hi
Jason stared wide-eyed at the large concrete structure. This was a lot more than just a bunker, he realised, and wondered if it was truly abandoned. He squatted low, motioning for Ashallia to do the same, and crept closer slowly, keeping his eyes and ears alert for any kind of activity. Yet it all seemed still, and he wondered who would ever build something like this, and then just leave it. It looked advanced for the time it must have been here, too. Jack looked to have been in his 50s, at least, and he'd said it had been here at least that long. It was incredibly strange, but it could also be incredibly useful, especially with the tunnels he mentioned. He pulled out his phone, lifting it up to snap a picture, and sent it to the others. Even then there was no movement, and he exchanged a look with Ash, who looked as confused as he did. "Who do you think built it?" she asked softly, her voice barely audible, and he shrugged. "I have no idea," he said, feeling absolutely perplexed, "
Ash froze as she turned and saw the second man with a crossbow, and reached out for Jason. He turned, and she heard him sigh deeply as the stranger stepped closer, keeping his crossbow aimed at them. He seemed unable to decide who to focus it in though, shifting between them two of them, looking tense, and at least a little bit afraid. "Jack," he called out suddenly, with a thick northern accent, "I've got 'em over 'ere," he said, lowering his voice as he spoke to the two of them instead. "How many more o' ye are there?" he asked, and Jason sighed again. "Just the two of us, for now," he said, as he slowly moved in front of Ash, putting her between him and the large tree. "The fuck ye mean, 'for now'?" another voice asked, coming around from behind the tree, where the first shooter had been. Jason shrugged, looking far too casual, though she could sense his tension through their connection, and assumed it was deliberate. "More are coming," he said calmly, "but we mean no harm. Just
Jason pulled her into an embrace again, kissing her deeply, letting her feel all of his desire for her. It had been too long, he needed her, and he could feel her need for him too. It only made it even harder to control his own. He sighed deeply as he pulled away from her a moment later, feeling Lukas coming quickly towards them through the shadows. She could feel it too, he knew, though he still felt her mild disappointment as he broke the kiss. They needed to find somewhere alone, and soon. He gave her an affectionate smile, and she returned it, her cheeks looking flushed with arousal. Lukas moved into their shadow a moment later, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the two of them. "Hope I'm not interrupting," he said with a grin, only making her cheeks turn a darker shade of pink. Jason smiled, shaking his head at his brother, amused, "Not yet," he said, making Ash's eyes widen. He took her hand then, and turned to Lukas, "We'll go further on foot, if you'll wait for the others h
Ash smiled, feeling an enormous sense of relief as each of them stepped out of the shadows in the small dining room of the old house, finally safe. Or safer, at least. "So, where to?" asked Alex, and Mikael sighed, "Almost anywhere but here, but first," he turned and gave Jason a look that made him nod, before taking another one of those tiny devices from the seam of his jeans. "You're going to blow it up?" Ash asked, her eyes wide, and Alex patted her shoulder, "Let's call it, 'helping it collapse'," he said, sounding apathetic. "You don't care? That it'll be gone?" she asked, a touch of sadness in her voice, and Jason shook his head, "It's just a building," he said softly, "Everything that has ever meant something to me, will still live on." He reached over to touch her cheek, and she blushed, knowing he included her as part of that. He kissed her forehead softly, and she smiled up at him, before realising that they were all looking at her, waiting. "What?" she asked, confused, an
Lukas headed back down, unable to contain a small smirk as he stepped out back in the room with the others, "They're fine," he said, "Just.. busy for a moment." Mikael sighed and Cameron rolled his eyes, "Now, of all times?" he asked, and Lukas shrugged. "They'll do what they need to," he said quietly, "and from the sound of that collapse, we may not get to the surface until Alex and Nate get here anyway." Cameron looked at Mikael then, tilting his head, "How long has it been? Maybe that was them starting to dig us out?" he said, sounding hopeful. Mikael frowned in thought for a moment, but shook his head gently, "I doubt the collapse will have reached the surface, given how far down we are, and Ash should have heard them if they tried the stairs." He looked questioningly at Lukas, who shrugged, "She didn't mention hearing them." Cameron sighed, crossing his arms and resting back against some crates, "So, we just wait? Until they're done being 'busy'?" he said, sounding impatient no
Jason pulled Ashallia under him more, covering her protectively as the room continued to shake, more dust and chunks of concrete falling around them. "Are you guys alright?" he asked, trying to see through the dust towards them. He heard Cameron coughing, which was certainly an improvement on him being unconscious just a few minutes before, and Mikael and Lukas groaned softly. "We're okay," Lukas said, his voice sounding strained, "Is that all of them?" he asked, and Ashallia coughed again, trying to cover her nose and mouth with her sleeve, "I could only sense him, I transferred what I could from you two.." she said weakly, and Cameron groaned a soft, "Thank you." As the room fell still and silent again, they waited a long moment, then began to slowly get up. Looking around the room, a sense of dismay filled them all. Large chunks of the ceiling had caved, and streams of dust stopped and started in various places, making the whole thing look unstable, and worse, he saw that the sta