Chapter 33

"The plan is going quite smoothly," Death says directly to Asher. I'm not important here. This is their plan, and has been this entire time. I'm only here to full one duty.

"Have you found a way to get in yet?" Asher asks.

It's as if I have an idea of what they are talking about, but I'm not completely sure what they mean. They are trying to get into Asher's estate back in the mortal lands to take down Shanae. I want to ask how powerful is, considering a group of immortals can't get to her. I don't though, not wanting to intrude on their conversation.

"We can lure her out, but that's as far as we have figured out so far," Aspen informs Asher, running his hand down the back of his neck. That information doesn't seem to go down too well with the Alpha of Desire.

"We don't have that much time until he gets into her head," Asher growls.

I give him a flat look, even though his attention isn't on me. He says his words as if I can't tell he's talking about me and Sinful.

They continue talking, but the importance of it doesn't register with me. If I'm perfectly honest, I don't care. I miss Sky and Carter every day, knowing the moment this is over, I will never have to associate myself with Asher ever again, even if he is my Alpha.

When there was a break in their conversation, I decided to cut in with a question that is weighing on my mind.

"Why does this place look like this?" I ask, staring up at the boughs of the trees. "I mean, why are there trees everywhere, this place reminds me of the Freedom Pack."

It took a few moments for someone to respond.

"This is Time's territory. An immortal. He disappeared millions of years ago, and left this place to overgrow. No one comes here anymore, which makes it the perfect place for this meeting. That way, Sinful can't hear us," Death explains, seemingly bored.

Where would an immortal disappear to? Where can you hide around here, and why?

Asher speaks before I could. "Speaking of time, Alaya and I don't have much left. We need to leave."

At the mention of that, I remember the man Asher killed to keep this whole thing a secret. What would he do to me if I threatened to spill anything, especially to Sinful? I would be dead in less than a second, with no mercy, I'm sure of it.

No one has a specific way of saying goodbye. Aspen promised I would see him again soon, Fate disappeared, and that was that.

The drive back to Sinful's estate was silent. We couldn't speak, in case Sinful heard. I'm desperate to know what kind excuse Asher will make to Sinful about the driver. Whatever it is, it has to be good to convince him.

I go straight back up to my room, wanting to avoid Sinful for another day. I hardly get down the hallway before I bump into someone.

It's a tall man, who immediately strikes me as someone from the Love Pack. He has dark mussed hair and striking blue eyes. I have no idea who he is. He doesn't look surprised to see me at all.

"My name is Cyprian," he tells me softly. "You don't know me, but I know you."

I'm not really sure how I should react to this strangers statement. He knows me?

If he hadn't spoken, I would have assumed he was an Alpha of some Pack I have never come across. He has the stature of one; the looks. Yet when I look at him, I see something dark and sinister, something that I can't begin to explain. When I look into those brilliant blue eyes, I see a hint of a look of 'you have no idea what my secret is.'

Reminds me of Asher.

"I'm sorry, but how do you know me, exactly?" I ask warily. A brief shudder of terrors tremors through my body. What if he knows about the entire plan Asher and I have fabricated? If so, then we are done for.

"Oh, sorry...I'm a friend of Sinful's," he explains, and I feel comfortable enough the exhale the tense air I was holding in. "He mentioned you to me. He's very fond of you."

I allow myself only a small flicker of relief through closed eyes, before I concentrate more on this man. Cyprian. Immediately I know better than to trust him - you can't trust anyone in Sinful's territory, especially someone who is a friend of his. However, it's more than that. It's his tone, his demeanour and that indescribable shadow in his eyes that are all too prevalent to not be suspicious.

"Well, it was nice meeting you," I say uneasily. "But if you would excuse me, I need to get back to my room, it's been a busy day."

Without waiting to be excused, I brush right past him, and make my way down the hallway. My steps are light and quick, as if he's chasing me, when in actual fact, he still stands there, watching my depart. I hear his voice following me down...

"I'm sure I'll be seeing you again, Alaya."

The moment I'm in my room, I slam the door closed after me. My heart races, for a reason I'm not sure about. What is happening to me? This is the effects of staying in Sinful's territory for so long, I'm sure of it. Perhaps going from Time's territory back to his, has messed me up to the point of no return.

A knock at the door makes me jump. If it's Cyprian...

When I wander warily toward the door, I curse everything under my breath, before I open it. It's Asher, and for once, I'm glad to see him. Glancing around him, I make sure that Cyprian man isn't there, before I usher him in and close the door behind him.

"This meeting is only meant to be brief," Asher says, furrowing his brow as he notices me leaning back against the door.

"Why do you have to call this a meeting?" I question.

It's typical of Asher to make every discussion we have so serious. He doesn't know that I realise it's a tactic of his to make sure I don't get close to him. Honestly, I have no idea why I'm so sick of him being like this. Why to me? I look at him, and I have no idea what happened to the man I met at the party.

"What would you rather call this?" he asks warily. At this point, I'm pointing at my bed, which is the only place in this room where anyone can sit. As inviting as it seems to me, with the feather duvet and plush mattress. By the look on his face, he sees only an object laden with snares.

"I don't know," I exclaim, shrugging my shoulders coyly as I take a decent step toward him. "I would call it friends who are getting together to have a friendly discussion."

"I don't have friends," he murmurs softly. It's not him asking for sympathy. It's him telling fact.

I motion toward the bed again. "Well, let's change that."

Asher looks visibly disturbed for a moment. With his jaw clenched and an unspoken emotion playing in his eyes, I was convinced he was going to brush off my offer, and walk straight back out the door. He surprises me though, slowly backing up until he sat on the edge of my bed, like an obedient child. His blank expression was in complete contrast to how stunned I am.

Warily, I take a single step forward, while he continues to regard me silently. I exhale slowly. "I met someone a few minutes ago. Cyprian, I think his name was."

"Sorry, who?"

The look of on Asher's face is immediate confusion, as if what I just said isn't in the realm of possibility to him. Looking over my shoulder, his eyes glazed over, while he shakes his head ever so slightly. I wave my hand up in front of his line of sight, trying to cut him out of whatever daze he is in. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm sorry, I must be thinking about someone else, because that's just, impossible," he says, still stuck in his moment of insanity. I take the chance to quickly sit right beside on the bed.

"Why, do you know a Cyprian?" I ask. "I mean, it's not a very common name, so it could be the same person..."

He instantly shakes his head. "I'm sorry, it can't be him. The Cyprian I'm thinking of is dead."

"Right, well this guy said he knew Sinful..."

Asher still seemed lost in thought. I can hardly believe that I've gotten him sitting on my bed, actually talking to me. At this point, I'm trying my best not to scare him away by saying anything too personal. For some unexplainable reason, I actually relish in any moment I have with Asher, despite how cold he is, despite how much he tries to push me away.

"I'm sorry-"

"Stop saying you're sorry," I snap. Ouch, I didn't mean to say it like that, but being my typical self, I keep talking. "Why do you do that? Why do you feel the need to apologise?"

Something tells me his profuse apologies having nothing to do with out current topic...

His head turns to look at me, and at our proximity, it has great impact of the speed of my pulse. From this close, I have a perfect view of him, and those eyes. I hate that I love those eyes so much...

Is he about to kiss me? His gaze flickers down to my lips for less than a second, then again a few moments later with more confidence. Him doing this should be surprising.

But I'm more surprised by the way I'm willing to react.