The Haven

Chapter 23 (Asher)

Becca had gone to the bathroom but I didn't notice until Toby got up. I followed him, careful to make sure he didn't hear it smell me. He got to the bathroom door and knocked.

"Becca? Are you okay?"

Silence.

"Becca-"

"I'm...I'm okay! Just give me a moment!"

Toby stood away from the door and waited. A moment later Becca emerged, blood on her hands. Toby rushed to her when he saw the blood.

"Why happened? Is someone else in there?" He demanded.

"Just another girl, I slipped and tried to save myself but I guess some of the stitches came out of my arm." She said, touching her ripped suit.

"Let's clean that up." He said.

"Wait, that girl in there."

Toby nodded.

"I know her."

"Babe, you know a lot of people-"

"No. I mean she use to talk to me in my dreams. She, she wasn't a physical form."

"What do you mean? Wait, your saying that when you went to the bathroom, this girl appeared out of thin air and it just to happened to be the girl in your dreams?"

Wait, someone was coming to me in my dreams too. Could it one of the girls from the Kolons?

"Okay, so what do you want me to do?" Toby asked.

"Act along." She said, turning to the bathroom door.

I ran back to the table then, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping. I finished eating what was on my plate and sat quietly. Toby and Becca soon came back to the table, chatting away with the girl.

I recognized her instantly. She was a Kolon, and she was the prettiest one. I think her name was Raya...

"I'm Annabeth." Annabeth said shaking her hand. "And then there's Asher, Kia, Braxton, Brody, Callum, Paris, Poppy, Payton, Shocky, and you know Becca and Toby."

"Nice to meet you all." She said in her silken voice.

They carried on talking, asking Raya how long she has been her and what her powers were. Internally I wished that someone would slip and mention Becca's latest development. Blood manipulation certainly doesn't come around every day. Or the fact that she could've killed me with it. She didn't know she was doing it at first, and she was terrified when she found she couldn't control it. But that was a wish that wouldn't be happening soon. Lunch was over by the time everyone had filed out of the cafeteria and we were all that was left. I left with everyone while Becca and Raya stayed and continued to talk. I felt no need to eavesdrop on them, if Raya wanted to talk to me she would find me.

I walked to my room which I shared with one of the Trips, Cash. Cash was okay, he kept to himself and spoke softly. It gave me time to think alone without being disturbed. I reached out room and opened the door with my thumb. Then I laid on the top bunk of our bunk bed and wonder deep into my thoughts.

If Becca is so happy with her 'mate', why do I feel so uneven with him near her.

"Asher."

"Yea." I said, focusing back on reality.

"The General wants all hands on deck. Said he needed to see the new ones." Cash said.

I nodded and got off my bed. I walked to the elevator and didn't bother to wait for someone to join me. However, Callum seemed to catch it in time.

"Hey Asher." He said briskly.

"Hey. " I said.

"So, I was told that you don't like Toby." He mentioned.

"Listen, Becca deserves more than him and she should be with someone who has known her her whole life. That walking monster has known her for two day and what's worse is that he almost killed her! He about beat her to death and then he come out with the whole 'we are mates and I only beat you because I didn't know it at the time'. I don't believe it."

"Asher," Callum's voice became soft, silken. I whipped to face him but I missed his transformation because before me stood Raya. She pushed the Emergency stop button, making us come to a stop.

"God," I said. "You sure know how to get under someone's skin don't you Raya?"

"Asher, why do you think I am here?" She asked.

"I honestly have no earthly clue Raya." I said.

"Because when Toby became mates with Becca, and she accepted it finally, there was a very strong mental block on her mind. None of us were able to connect with her. I was sent here to separate them."

She had my attention now. "I'm listening."

"I was sent here to open her mind again and then I would be rewarded."

"Okay, is there like a time limit here? How long will you be in human form?"

"No, we can take on new forms every thousand years. Today was the end of the thousand years prior for me so I was allowed to take on a new form. That's when the plan was made to get Becca and Toby to separate. I will be in human form for the next thousand years, unless I am killed."

I stood silently for a moment. I could be caught in this plan and loose all Becca's trust, or I could help, all go well and I get her to be mine again.

"I'm in." I said.

She smiled and pushed the button, letting us move again. "Good."

"Now. I never had this talk with you, and we never agreed to separate them." Raya said, changing back to Callum's form. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Raya got off on the floor before mine. She winked at me. I winked back.

This will be very interesting.