Ascher Legacy

Nine - The Woman in the Cellar

Present Day - Georgia

Eric was in the shower. Georgia sat alone in their tiny hotel room with a shiver in her spine and a dry mouth.

Lenneth...

As sisters, their bond was strong if peculiar. As twins, their awareness kept each of them sane. Now, she stumbled out of bed clutching for her purse certain of only one thing, her sister needed her. At the door, she stopped to look toward the bathroom. Eric would be furious at her leaving without a word. She hesitated with her hand on the knob. The citrus scent of his shampoo offered a sense of peace she had a hard time shaking.

What if she didn't go?

Lenneth could take care of herself, couldn't she? It always seemed that way.

The water turned off. He would be getting out, toweling off, and then wandering around in said towel for a half hour while his hair dried. So much warm comfortable skin wearing his usual plus scent.

She didn't have to leave, did she? Her hand clenched around the knob, drawing strength from it.

Yes. Yes, she did. Lenneth needed her.

Georgia slipped out the door without a goodbye and Eric heard the door click as he exited the bathroom.

"Georgia?"

She sprinted to her car. She would never abandon her blood.

Present Day - Lenneth

Darkness crowded in with the scent of blood and smoke. Her hands refused to move and she couldn't open her eyes. Something pressed on her chest so hard she felt her ribs giving way and struggled for breath. Finally, a sliver at a time, her eyes opened. A woman stood over her with one booted heel planted firmly in the center of her chest. Without turning her head, Lenneth knew a sword touched her cheek.

"Who are you?" The woman demanded.

Breathing hurt, but Lenneth huffed.

"Lenneth."

The sword point grazed her skin leaving behind a line of blood. The woman stepped away but offered no hand up.

"You are my blood. Ajaska!"

Lenneth barely missed being run through by rolling across the floor. Whatever the woman meant, Lenneth knew hostility when she saw it and this woman wanted to kill her. Getting up, she smacked into the shelves and glass rattled.

"Stop!"

"Defend yourself."

The sword sliced through the air near Lenneth's head.

Being a veteran of bar fights did not prepare her to fight someone with a sword. However, she wasn't going to simply stand there and get cut to ribbons. Getting close got her a shot in the mouth hard enough to split her lip on her teeth. She spit the gobbet on the cellar floor and squared up.

"Let's go."

"Be worthy or die!"

"Lenneth!"

"Cellar!" She had never been so glad to hear her sister's voice in her life. The woman pressed her attack and while Lenneth managed to stay one step ahead, she wasn't sure what was going to happen once Georgia got down the cellar stairs. They might both be in deep trouble.

As Georgia appeared, the woman leveled the antique pistol at her and fired. Georgia hit the wall and slid.

"George!"

Lenneth leapt across the space and grappled for the sword. Whatever happened, she had to get to her sister and that meant going through their opponent.