Alpha Asher by Jane

“Don't bother asking me what she was talking about back there, because I have no clue...and yes, I'm just as worried as you are.” Tristan huffed from the passenger seat, his scowl directed out the window and towards the impenetrable wall of darkness that filled the forest and the night sky.

Most of his attitude was from the fact that I wouldn't let him drive, but I needed the distraction since the fear in Cassidy's voice continued to increase with each update she gave.

“Purple eyes. What the hell could that—”

‘Lola, please tell me your close...’ Cassidy’s voice came through the mind-link as a whisper.

I slowed down to take the sharp curve up ahead, narrowing my eyes to peer through the darkness. Acting quickly, I showed Cassidy a quick mental image of the stretch of road we were on, and visibly jumped when her hushed whisper tore through my head faster than the shadows that dashed across the road to flee the cars bright headlights.

‘Turn onto the gravel road and take it to the (very) end. You won't see me there...but you'll see him.’

“What? Cassidy, why won't you be there?” I hadn't realized I'd asked out loud until Tristan turned to stare at me, his face strained and skin even paler than usual. ‘I’m hiding.’ Was all Cassidy said, followed by a shaky, “I swear | didn’t want to do it, Lola. You have to believe that.’ 1

“She did something, she won't say what.” I told Tristan, grinding my teeth as the gritty crunch of gravel sounded beneath the tires. “Goddess, I have a bad feeling about this.”

The dirt road Cassidy told us to drive down was narrow and curved in patterns that seemed to have no purpose other than to send us plunging further into darkness. The deeper we went the more the sickening feeling in my stomach grew. 2

The cars headlights only illuminated five or so feet in front of us and were our only source of light. I stopped just in time to avoid plowing through a chain draped across two poles hammered into the ground.

“Your Goddess isn’t here, Lola...but something is.” Tristan said darkly, narrowing his eyes at the obstacle blocking our way.

‘Cassidy, there’s a chain and a no trespassing sign here. We can’t go any further.’ I warned her, twisting, and turning my head for any signs of life or movement. Rolling down the windows increased the feeling of danger in my gut but gave us the chance to listen for anything within the forest.

‘Get out of the car and follow the trail on foot.’

“You didn’t say anything about a trail.” ] replied both out loud and via mind-link, giving Tristan an uneasy look as I gripped the handle of the car door and slowly pushed it open.

“I don’t like this.” He muttered, getting out of the car, and walking around until he hovered close by. His eyes scanned the darkness, but I knew he saw nothing when his scowl deepened. “It's not often I get creeped out, but this is...concerning.”

vampire is afraid...” I chuckled weakly, wincing as the thud

once the shadows weren't fleeing. They stayed where they were, curious and patient as Tristan and

for?” He asked several moments later, his voice muffled

began to disperse and a small clearing came into view. The canopy of tree’s overhead was thick, blocking most of the moonlight from streaming through. The only light available was that of the tiny window in Lars’s camper and the two tiki torches protruding from the

from its slatted walls of sky-blue paint until the air was dank with the stench

that?” Tristan whispered, his entire body going

so slightly. “That smell...it’s a dead body.” “One that’s been here for a while.” He murmured, eyes trained on the front

to stay close. Together we approached the front door, both of us holding our breaths as the knob squeaked

the last second I heard Cassidy’s

‘Lola, don’t open that!’

back chunks of my dinner when the bloated and misshapen face of

were looking in the direction of

both coated in blood so dark it looked fake. One was a thin pocketknife, lodged just below his eye

is your friend?” Tristan hissed under his breath and turned to look me in the face. His eyes were wider than I'd ever seen them, flecked with worry so strong panic seized in

she can see us. She's saying...” Cassidy’s whimper filled my head. ‘Lola? Lola...you need to get

of the camper” I repeated, my voice grave and eyes sliding from Tristan’s face to that

entirety of the camper. Apart from the rotted body lying on

need to get out of the camper, Cass? What

was already

do we need to get out of here?’ I repeated myself, this time

‘..because he moved, Lola.’

I lock eyes. Despite the fact that the mark on my neck and the connection between a Vampire and it’s Queen weren't quite like a mind-link or mate bond, a

I could turn that flash of understanding into words, our eyes slid to Lars’s corpse, which was now sitting

scream when Lars turned his head to stare into my face, the bones in his neck cracking and crunching from the movement while the knife below his eye remained rooted in place. ‘..when you see Tristan and I run, you ( have)

Her

by a hungry predator, I wrapped my hand around Tristan’s wrist and took a small step backwards,