Chasing His Assassin

2. Home Sweet Home

“You look so scary right now.” Kali stated as she stared down at him. “Seems like something serious happened.”

“I’m heading out now. I’ll leave him in your care.” Asher said as he stood up from the couch. He grabbed his jacket that had been tossed earlier and quickly stabbed his arms into the piece of fabric.

“You’ll be leaving him in Aria’s care you mean.” Kali muttered underneath her breath. She was obviously still annoyed that the demon had picked Aria over her. “You heading home?”

“Yeah, I don’t know when I’ll be back so please don’t get him in trouble.”

She laughed.

“Please, I’m the most trouble free person there is. Can’t say the same about Aria though.” Wasn’t that reassuring? Anyone hearing their conversation would think Kali didn’t like Aria very well when in fact it was the opposite. The vampire loved the succubus to death, so much so that she made it a point of duty to rid the earth of any males who messed with Aria. And there were a lot. It was actually alarming the number of males who thought Aria would be willing to sleep with them simply because she was a succubus.

In their friendship Kali was the fire and Aria was the barrier that kept the fire from spreading.

Kali certainly had a way to put his mind at ease. Asher sighed. Well Darion was an adult, he could surely handle himself. Hopefully. It was of utmost importance that Asher returned now. What trouble could the demon possibly get into in the short time that he would be gone?

“You know any demons who can faze here?” Asher asked Kali. The pack house was miles away from here so it would take hours driving before he could get there. Asher currently didn’t have the time nor the patience for that right now.

“You’re in luck, there happens to be a demon who owes me a favour.” The sly smile smirk on her face spiked Asher’s ire. “I can ask him to faze you to the wolf den but...”

“It comes at a price.” Asher chimed in already knowing what she was getting at. This female didn’t know the meaning of the word selfless. She always had to gain something in return unless it was related to Aria. “Sure.”

She smiled at his response and stood up straight. Asher only now noticed the tight little leather dress she wore. Kali was on the slender side but the dress accentuated her soft curves in a way that attracted any male who set eyes on her. She was undeniably attractive. Too bad she liked to bite.

A true man killer. Ironic how she was very capable of murder. Her smirk widened when she noticed him eyeing her body.

“Checking me out even after you turned me down, you naughty mutt.” Asher rolled his eyes. “Well then, I’ll lead the way.”

They left the lounge and Kali lead him towards the dance floor. The music was on full blast and the flashing lights added to the mood but Asher was irritated. The scene he normally preferred was excruciatingly irritating now that he had a possible lead on Caspian.

He kept Kali in his line of sight as they manoeuvred through the crowd of dancing bodies in their way. Finally they stopped at the centre and Kali approached a dark haired male who was having a blast like everyone else. A female had her backside pressed to his front as she wound her hips to the rhythm of the music. His hands were planted on her hips as he replicated her movements.

“Blaze!” Kali called out. She was forced to yell over the loud music for him to hear her.

The demon’s head snapped in her direction and a smile settled on his lips.

“Sweet sweet Kali,” his eyes ran down her leather clad body and his tongue darted across his lips. “What can I do for you?”

“Remember that favour you owed me? I need to cash it in now.” His smile dimmed but didn’t completely disappear.

“I’m hurt that you only come to find me when you need a favour.”

“You know that’s not true.” Kali said, stepping closer to him. She ran a finger across his chest and flashed him her signature smile. Few men could resist that smile. “I really need your help.”

The lady that ground against the demon continued to dance completely unbothered by the conversation taking place above her.

“So what do you need?” He asked easily falling prey to Kali’s charm.

“I need you to faze my friend over here to the wolf’s den.” She pointed at Asher and the demon glanced in his direction for the first time. He eyed Asher briefly before returning his gaze back to Kali.

“Your lover?”

“I wish. You’ll help?”

“Anything for you my sweet.”

“You’re the best Blaze.”

Blaze rose his hand from the dancing lady’s hip and gave her bum a smack to which she giggled. He leaned down and whispered something along the lines of ‘I’m stepping out a bit, I’ll be back soon’ in her ears.

“Don’t take too long.” She replied with a slur. Hah! She was drunk. An impressive feat for an immortal.

“Let’s step out a bit, I can’t focus with all the noise.” Blaze stated and they made their way out of the club.

It was an immortal club so even if they fazed in the middle of the club there would be no backlash however Asher had heard fazing was a rather difficult skill, not many demons even had the skill. It must be even more difficult moving an extra body.

They stood just outside the club, Blaze, Asher and Kali.

“I have a pretty lady waiting for me so I’d like to be back quickly. Your hand.” Blaze said in an irritated tone.

Asher extended his hand and Blaze grasped it with annoyance.

“The wolf’s den you said?”

“Correct.”

“Okay then, brace yourself.”

***

When the demon said ‘brace yourself’ Asher had been confused. He understood why when he arrived at Lustrum and his head felt like it would explode. The feeling faded after a few seconds but it wasn’t soon enough in Asher’s opinion.

“I did say to brace yourself.” Blaze stated indifferently when he noticed Asher’s imbalance.

“I hadn’t expected to feel like a bomb went off in my head.” Asher answered feeling irritated.

Blaze shrugged. “I’ll be on my way now, toodles.” He didn’t spare a second for Asher to bid him farewell or even offer a thanks before he was gone.

The demon was really eager to get back to his drunk dancing lady. Unlike Asher, he would be having some fun tonight.

Asher let out a sigh as he stood and stared at the large metal gates that guarded Lustrum.

The den of beasts. For generations, Lustrum had been the home to the past Lykae kings and queens, for that reason it was considered the main Lycan pack. It was a mansion large enough to house over five hundred wolves with more than enough land space for those wolves to run about freely.

This was his home. Although, he spent his early years living in a small cottage that was some ways away from the main house with his family. He didn’t near his old home often because with it came terrible memories that he tried to keep buried.

Asher shook off the negative thoughts and faced his attention back on the large building up front. Lights were on in several rooms and he could hear chatter from a distance.

Why hadn’t the damn demon just taken him to the front door? The walk from the gate to the house was excruciatingly long. With a grunt of annoyance, he headed towards the smaller gate that was beside the security post. An annoying beep sound echoed when he pressed to doorbell and he waited to be let in. After a few seconds waiting, a click sounded and the automated door flew open.

“You’re home early.” A female voice spoke over some speakers.

“Such is the life of a busy man.” Asher answered with an exaggerated sigh. “Duty awaits.”

“Busy my ass.” The voice snickered. “She must’ve called you back home.”

“Do you perhaps know why?” Yes he knew Caspian was involved but something felt off.

“Don’t exactly get a lot of info sitting out here but the last set of men Vanna sent out returned... well... you get the gist.”

They were on death’s door. That was both frightening and incredible. Who or what could possibly outmatch Lykae men in strength to the point of leaving them on death’s door?

A terrible feeling settled in the pit of his stomach.

“I’m sure you’ll get all the info once you get in.” She added.

“Thanks Alice.”

“No problem. You can do me the favour of passing on the news of what’s going on when you find out.” Asher chuckled at her antics.

Alice, an eighteen year old she wolf who moved to Lustrum after her parents were slaughtered by hunters. To keep the girl busy, Vanna added her to the surveillance team. Of course she never worked alone as she was still a kid. In the event that she ever faced trouble, she would have someone to give support while they awaited reinforcements. And luckily for her, the surveillance team loved her.

A lot of folks in the pack did. She was charming and easy to get along with.

“Will do.” Asher answered then walked into the property.

As he trekked towards the main house, he regretted not moving with his car. Ten excruciatingly long minutes later, he arrived at the front door.

He pressed the handle and pushed the front door open knowing it would be unlocked. And of course chaos ensued behind the door. Just as he stepped in, a little kid around his knees in height ran past him.

“Dammit Dustin! Just sit down and eat!” A woman yelled after the child. He already knew what was going on, had seen the scene unfold too many times. Dustin, the chef’s son -a hyperactive little thing- was choosing to play instead of having dinner while his unfortunate babysitter, Annaise -older sister- was forced to chase after him.

“Oh hey Asher.” She greeted casually as she rushed past him.

Home sweet home.

Well it wasn’t even possible to have so many wolves living in one building and expecting it to be orderly.

“Where’s Vanna?” He asked Anna who was frantically trying to catch her baby brother.

“In her office with Doran.” She yelled back at him.

Asher muttered a thanks before making his way upstairs and to the office. Maybe it had to do with the injured men who were recently brought in but the house was strangely quiet. On a normal day he would have been greeted by more chaos than just Dustin running around.

In a few moments he arrived at Vanna’s office. He gave a light knock before he stepped in. Vanna sat on the edge of her desk, her arms folded in front of her chest. The muscles of her toned arms were rigid in that position.

In front of her stood Doran, a man of similar position to Asher in the pack. Asher went wide eyed when he took in his friend’s appearance. Doran stood with a crutch supporting his weight with one arm and one leg in a cast. Half of the wolf’s face was wrapped up and the half that wasn’t wrapped was terribly bruised.

What on earth?

Their heads snapped in Asher’s direction when they noticed his presence.

“That was quick.” Vanna pointed out and made a move with her hand for him to shut the door. He did and stepped forward.

“It sounded important so I couldn’t spare any time.” With a look in Doran’s direction, he added, “and from the looks of it, it seems I was right.”

Vanna sighed, her hands leaving her chest and falling on either side of her on the desk.

“We have a major problem on our hands.”