Next chapter! Woot! Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving, and also enjoys this chapater. I know this is the first time he's really been introduced, but I really like Asher. Anyone else feel the same or is it just me?
Anyways, enjoy, love, comment, plz? Love you all! <3
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I was back in Detroit, the place that had changed a lot. So far since arriving back I hadn’t seen my brother anywhere, and I wasn’t so sure that was a good thing. But Detroit was one place I was pretty sure I could find the exact people, or things, that could give me a clue as to where Jake was, and it didn’t take long to find their beady little eyes watching me as I walked down an alley.
It was already dark. I had waited until the sun set to go looking. After all, it seemed the little critters only came out when it was dark, and I really needed to find them.
Focusing on one pair of beady red eyes I moved towards it, causing it to scurry a few times before stopping on a crate about knee height. It watched me, blinking every couple seconds as I got closer. The fact that it wasn’t running was a bit odd, but I ignored it. Right now the easier things were, the better, and I wasn’t about to complain about it.
Finally I was right in front of it, and it just stared up at me. Kneeling down I stared into those beady little red eyes, wondering if I wasn’t crazy for doing this. “Hey, little guy. Mind helping me out?” I asked kindly, knowing the chances of it understanding me were slim. And nonexistent of it answering me.
‘Depends what you want help with,’ a voice answered. It sounded like a young child, a boy. But that was all beside the point. I was silent, just staring at the mouse in front of me whose own eyes were focused on me.
“Did you just, talk?”
‘Does that surprise you? Really, with everything you’ve saw and heard already, I can’t see how finding out a mouse can talk is that much of a surprise.’ it replied.
I shook my head, once again silent. So, the mouse was speaking to me. Had I lost it already, or was this just another one of those things humans never know about but everyone else does? It was probably a bit of both. “Yea, I guess you’re right…” I said, trailing off a bit. “Anyways, are you gonna help me or not?” I asked, getting back to the point.
‘Like I said before, it depends what you need help with.’
“Jake. Where is he and how hard would it be to get to him?”
The mouse seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if thinking whether or not he should answer. As the seconds ticked by I was starting to think he wasn’t going to say anything at all, much less help me. But finally he did say something to break the silence. ‘I would advise not getting near the guy, but it seems your mind is set. By morning he’ll be setting his plan in motion and his eyes will be on Phoenix Fire, along with everyone in it. You can wait for him there, or try to find him before. As to where he is now, it’s hard to tell. Though I do know that that demon is in the crosshairs now, and his brother. Jake wasn’t too happy about having Kyrad killed.’
That wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but it wasn’t like I could do anything about it. Jake was going for Sathe’s club, and I’d be waiting for him. What the mouse said had me wondering if Zyten really had been caught, or if he was still running. Right now the main ones in Jake’s eyes were me, for obvious reasons, Dakkone for killing Kyrad , Zyten for being Dakkone’s brother and Xavier for ruining his initial plan. How nice.
Standing up I glanced down the alley, not really looking for anything. “Well I guess that means I need to be getting back. Thanks for your help, Mouse.”
‘The name’s Asher. And be careful. You know better than anyone how Jake is, and I’d hate to see such a pretty girl hurt.’
His words caused me to look over at him, or where he used to be. The spot on the crate was now empty and he was nowhere to be seen. “Did a mouse really just flirt with me? Riley, you’re really losing it,” I said to myself, finding myself grinning a bit.
Without another thought I was back in Sathe’s club, ignoring any looks that were cast my way as I scanned the area for any familiar faces. I found Sathe seducing some human guy, no surprise. Dakkone and Xavier were nowhere in sight. Only a few steps through the crowd someone caught my wrist, and when I looked back I found the guy from last night staring at me, a grin on his face. Obviously he figured since Dakkone wasn’t around he could do whatever he wanted. And I was in a mood to deal with him even less now than before.
“I think you still owe me something.”
Playing his little game was not something I was going to do right now, and I easily jerked my arm away from him, causing him to be pulled forward just a bit. The surprise was clear in his eyes as I turned to fully face him, a look on my own face that said I wasn’t about to take anything from anyone. “The only thing I owe you is a good ass-kicking if you touch me one more time. I’m not in the mood to deal with you, and I never will be. There’s things I need to take care of, and I swear if you don’t go try and find some other desperate girl to get laid by I’ll make it so you never want to get laid again. Got it, Sweetie?” I said coldly, a grin on my face.
He seemed taken aback and surprised by what I said, and that gave me just enough time to turn and make my way through the door to the rooms me and the others had been calling home. I wasted no time in going to Xavier’s room, only to find it empty. Cursing silently I walked over to Dakkone’s, and found his empty as well. “Dang it, where are they?”
“If you’re looking for your guys, they both left a little while ago. Not sure where either decided to go,” came Sathe’s voice from behind me.
“Just great. Why is it always when you need them they’re nowhere around?” I replied, mostly to myself.
“That’s guys for ya. I’m sure you can find them, though. And don’t worry, no one is gonna get the drop on us,” she said, causing me to look at her curiously. “What, you think I don’t have some sort of security around here? I know everything that’s going on within a half mile of this place, and that includes Jake’s goons gathering around. We’re in for one hell of a fight, girl. You better be ready.”
It really wasn’t that surprising to know about State’s security, yet at the same time it was. She never gave any clue that she knew so much. That meant that the night we first came to her club she had known before we even arrived, and yet she still acted as if she hadn’t known. The woman really could be quite deceiving when she wanted to be, and I was glad she was al ally right now. And hopefully always would be.
Without another word I headed out of the club, searching for both guys. They always seemed to choose the worst times to leave.
It felt like forever but finally I spotted the familiar figure of Dakkone up ahead. Picking up the pace I grabbed his arm, causing him to looked over at me. It was easy to tell he was upset and stressed, but he managed a small smile when he saw me. “Where Xavier?” I asked, and his smiled wavered a bit. “Listen, Jake is targeting Sathe’s place. We all need to get ready. By morning he’ll be here. We have to be ready, Dakkone. All of us.”
That seemed to snap him out of whatever world he had been in. He was back to the normal Dakkone he had always been, perhaps a bit more determined, though. I had no doubt that it was because of Zyten. “I don’t know, but let’s split up and find him. We’ll meet back here in and hour.”
I nodded and was off once more. Minutes ticked by with nothing, at least not until I found someone walking towards me. It was Xavier, though he did look a bit similar. It was Jake, and that stupid smirk of his was plastered on his lips. Neither of us slower as we got closer, stopping only once we were just a few feet apart.
