BLOODHOUNDS #5: THE MONSTER

Chapter 18 - DONT OWN ME

Asher Serano

"Threatening to kill me is one thing, but threatening to kill Ana will only lead you to death?" Clyde looked at me, raising his eyebrows. He's judging me for it.

"We both know you don't have a feeling, yet you're claiming this woman." He added as he followed me to the storage room.

"I need her to trust me. She will be the key to the Bloodhound's success." I said as I put some of the guns back.

"Asher, what exactly is your mission?" I let out a long sigh and turned around.

"I want her to trust me. I need her to lead me to some people. She met with them before when she was working with Red Dog and was the witch's slave. She's the key for us to get millions of dollars."

"And then?"

"I'll kill her, or she'll commit suicide after she kills the witch." I walked past him and grabbed more guns to put them back in their place.

"So you plan to make her fall in love with you?"

"Sort of." I pushed him away because he was blocking the shelf.

"Don't you think it's a little harsh? She's an orphan, I mean... she recently got adopted, but you know what I mean..." I let out a chuckle.

"I never thought you have sympathy, Nielsen."

"She has a shitty life, Asher. I don't give a shit about people, but she has a shitty life like us." I turned to him and rolled my eyes.

"Her brother is alive." Clyde's eyes widened, and his jaw dropped.

"What do you mean? You said her brother is dead..."

"Her brother is alive, and I will tell her once she's done killing the witch. Let's hope she's still alive by then..." Clyde covered his face with both of his hands and let out a long sigh.

"You're telling me her brother is unaware that her sister is still alive?"

"He's aware, but he's not ready to show himself yet."

"You know him?"

"I do." I grabbed my tablet and started to check some documents.

"Who?" Clyde followed me.

"The Ravens."

"What?!" Clyde stood in front of me, blocking my way towards the door.

"Her brother is one of The Ravens?!" He repeated, and I glared at him. "Are you for real?"

"I did a DNA test on them, and it matched." Clyde's jaw dropped, and I walked past him.

"You're fucking crazy. You knew her brother was one of the Ravens, and you'll still use her? You know that they can kill you, right?"

"And I can kill them too." I hissed as I walked out. Clyde kept following me to my office, wanting to know more.

"He had plastic surgery to change his face, so... I don't think Ana will recognize him unless he reveals his identity to Ana."

"How did you know that they're siblings?" Clyde is a curious cat today, huh?

"I tracked him down. I was able to track down one of the witch's right-hand men and asked him some questions before killing him." I put down my tablet and sat down.

"This is crazy." Clyde plopped to the sofa, processing everything. I closed my eyes for a moment and let out a long sigh.

"I don't think you should use Ana like that, Asher." I opened my eyes, looking straight into Clyde's eyes.

"Tell her the truth, and I bet she can cooperate with you just fine."

"She won't. She vowed with the witch. I know she will never tell me. I want her to lead me instead."

"How are you going to do that?"

"I have a plan, but you'll see." I continued to work, and Clyde left the office. After getting some work done, I decided to check on Ana, who got some scratches on her leg from the bike fall.

I walked into the medical center and found her browsing through her phone.

"How are you feeling?" She turned to me and smiled.

"I'm feeling better now. How about you?" Ana looked concerned to see my arm.

"It's fine." I sat down on the chair beside her bed.

"You really should have given me more guns." She pouted, and I chuckled.

"You're right."

"You're doubting me, aren't you?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

"A little."

"Thank you for saving my life back there." She hugged her legs and stared at the scratch on her right leg. "It's my job to protect you, not the other way around."

"You're special, that's why." She turned to me and smiled.

Anastasia Creed

Asher dropped me home, and since my parents were not around. He insisted on carrying me to my room. He laid me down on my bed slowly and sat beside me on the edge of the bed. He's staring into my eyes.

"You lost last time."

"Did I?" I teased him.

"You did. You must take off your contact lenses when you're with me." He pointed, and I nodded. "Only when you're with me. No one can see them besides me."

"Getting possessive already?" I asked as I pointed at my contact lens case on the table. Asher got up and grabbed it for me. I took out my contacts and put my brown ones into the case. I closed my eyes, faced Asher, and slowly opened my eyes.

Asher stared into my eyes, and I felt embarrassed, so I covered my eyes and looked down, hiding it from him. He grabbed my hands and forced me to stop covering my eyes. I looked up to him and opened my eyes again.

"You better promise me you will never show this to anyone else, Ana." He said, looking straight into my eyes.

"You're so fucking beautiful." He whispered.

"I promised to show it to you, and I'm not proposing anything else."

"Who are you planning to show your eyes to?" His voice changed, and he tilted his head.

"Who?" He demanded me to answer.

"My boyfriend, who I will find once we're done," I smirked, and he gripped my arm tightly, digging his nails into my skin.

"You don't own me, Asher."