The Progeny (The Progeny Series) (29 page)

Ascher kept a watch on the developments in the gardens, via Quinn’s mind. Ian was there. What a masochist. Surely,
he understood that he’d never make it out of the compound alive. Maybe, he didn’t care.

Ascher read Ian’s mind, seeing Ursula giving the orders for him to come to Bonheur to kill him. Was there no end to her wickedness? How stupid to attack three days after the confrontation, when they were on high alert and expecting it. She had much to learn about battle and with Clive and Skylar both dead,
she’d be alone in her feeble mastery.

He didn’t feel sorry for Ursula. How could he
, when his love lie grieving their precious baby and recovering from the wounds inflicted on her,
by
Ursula?

Ascher’s
vision flashed to crimson, a smirk materializing on his face as he channeled Quinn impaling Ian with a silver javelin. He and his family wouldn’t tolerate any more attempts on Shauna’s life. He’d impale, dismember and incinerate anyone who breathed even a harsh word her way. Showering quickly, he made it back to the bed just as Shauna woke.

“Are you okay?”
he asked, smoothing a hand across her forehead.

“I want to talk to you about something
,” she whispered, her eyes fluttering.

“I want to talk to you about something, too. You go first.”

Shauna propped herself with a pillow. “I love you.”

“I know you do. My love for you transcends my heart. What I feel for you will last for an eternity
, but I'm willing to sacrifice my happiness to give you everything you want.”

She looked
baffled. “You’ve already given me that.”

He
gently curved his hand across her face. “No, Shauna, you don’t understand. If you stay with me, you’ll be denying yourself a chance at happiness. I can’t let you do that.”

“I only want
you,
Ascher.”

Ascher
knew what he planned to do and what he was about to say, made no sense. He needed to give her one last chance at a normal life. “I’m not enough! You should have everything you want. Being with me will limit what you can do, where you can go, how you live your life.”

“
Don’t give me the brush off, Ascher. Just say what you mean!”

He loved her enough to set her free
, if it was what was best for her. His heartbreak was nothing compared to the thought of her living an unfulfilled life. “I want you to live your life and forget about me. I’m poison, Shauna.”

“I never thought of you as a coward, but that’s exactly what you’re being.” She swiped away her tears
. “When I gave myself to you, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see you again. My virginity wasn’t something that I took lightly. I wanted you to be the first and you were. More than that, you’ve been my first love, my first heartbreak and my first lover. I want you to be my
only
lover for the rest of my life. I want you forever, Ascher. Not just for a lifetime. I want you for the rest of eternity.”

Ascher
placed his hand over her mouth. “Shauna, please. You can’t know what you’re saying.”

“My sister loved me
and for a long time, she was the
only
person who I knew, without a doubt, loved me. Now she’s clinging to her life! Our baby lie innocent in my womb, but Ursula did away with him. She’s infected every part of my life and hurt those close to me. She and her minions have to pay for what they’ve done! I’ll
never
forgive her, no matter how long I live.” Her lips pursed as her eyes burned with anger. “As long as I’m human, Ursula will come after me. I hate her! As long as I’m mortal, you’ll be conflicted by your need for my blood and your love for me. It doesn’t have to be that way. The solution is so simple.”

“No, Shauna. Nothing about
this
life is simple. You don’t know what you’re asking for.”

“Yes
, I do. Change me, Ascher—make me like you.”

“No
, I can’t. I won’t bring you into a life of bloodlust and cursed damnation!”

“So
, what do we do? Sit and wait for me to die? I’m older now, than I was yesterday. I’ll be older tomorrow, than I am right now. Sure, you enjoy my mortal flesh now, but what about when I’m older. What then?”

He ignored her tantrum and waited patiently for her to finish. When she was done, he knelt down beside the bed
, kissing her hand then her lips. “Are you finished?”

“Only
, if I’m getting through to you.”

“I’m getting you loud and clear. It’s my turn to talk.”

She nodded.

Ascher
channeled her mind and saw how sure she was about wanting him forever. She wasn’t just saying the words. She
really
wanted it. Her thoughts were the answer to his fears. He’d heard how Alex reacted to having his choice taken from him. He didn’t want that for Shauna, no matter how much he loved her. The decision to become an immortal wasn’t an easy one, and Shauna had the option to stay human without losing him. Still, she wanted it and she wanted
him
.

“An immortal’s existence isn’t plagued by the constant awareness of aging, but I’ve died a little every day since the first time I laid eyes on you. I’ve tortured myself with worry about the things I desired and the impossibility of those things. Now
, it’s all clear to me, Shauna. The most beautiful part of my existence only came the day you walked into my life. I want to spend the rest of my existence with you. I don’t know how we’ll make this work; I only know that we have to.”

She parted her lips, attempt
ing to speak.

Ascher smiled and shook his head in disapproval. “Please, let me just get this out.”

She returned his smile and nodded her head.

“In the beginning, I was so careful
and determined to guard your heart, fearing what being in love with me would do to you. Now, I’m so selfish. For me, it isn’t a matter of if you love me enough to want me forever. Now, the urgency lies in the fact that my heart
won’t
survive without you. I can’t live without the blood that sustains me, but I’ll die a greater death, a more excruciating one, without you. I’d rather have the heart ripped from my chest than to spend my existence without the love that you’ve given me. Shauna, my mortal heart beats for you. My lips ache to kiss yours, but most importantly, my weary soul yearns to be with yours forever.”

A tear fell from her eye.

“I’m immortal, but your refusal will
mortally
wound me.”

“Refusal
?”

“There are some things that are as constant as the moon—the flow of the river into the ocean, life, death and my undying love for you. Shawnette Reagan McCutchin, make me the happiest man alive
—seal to me for eternity.”

“What?”

Ascher froze. He’d planned for this, believing that he knew her mind, yet he braced himself for the possibility that she might say no. “In human terms, I’m asking you to marry me.”

Sh
auna stared at him, her dark eyes brimming with more tears. “You’re serious?”

He nodded.

“Yes!” she cried out.

“Good, now I can give you
this
.”

Ascher
opened his hand, revealing a ring. He held it up to show her a perfectly round, blood red stone with baguette shaped diamonds flanking either side.

Her eyes widened before a look of wonder lit her smiling face. “Ascher, it’s so unique and beautiful.”

“It’s not the traditional diamond, but if you want one, you can have it. I’ll fly you to New York in the morning. You can have
any
ring you want.”

“That isn’t necessary. This ring is gorgeous.”

“Remember the story I told you about my grandfather?”

She nodded.

“The center stone is his, and I want you to have it.”

Sh
auna glanced at his neck. “Your necklace is gone. You took your stone and made it into a ring for me. That stone is part of your family’s history. Why would you do that?”

“S
weetheart, you’re my family, too. If you’re going to spend eternity with me, you’ll need this stone to protect you. I’ll get another bloodstone.”

She gave him a
perplexed stare before the breath caught in her throat. “What did you just say?”

“If you’re going to join me, you’ll need this stone.”

“You’re agreeing to change me?”

“Ursula won’t stop coming for you. Maybe if you were immortal
, you'd stand a better chance of survival. Shauna, I can’t lose you. My heart wouldn’t survive it.” He stroked her awed, stunned face with his hand before giving her the softest flutter of a kiss.

“What changed your mind? You were so against changing me before.”

Ascher let out a forlorn sigh. “Before I found you in that room in Romania, I thought I’d lost you and the baby. There was nothing left for me. I ran down the corridors hoping for the best, but preparing myself for the worst.” He held her hand up to his heart. “When I tell you that I want you forever that’s just what I mean. I don’t believe there is a heaven for someone like me. I’m cursed, an abomination of nature. Any hell that I deserve could never equal the torture of living a life that doesn’t include you. I’ll protect you with my last breath. If it meant my life for yours, my death is a mere formality.”

“
Damn it, Ascher. Promise me that you’ll live out your existence, no matter what happens to me. I couldn’t stand it if—”

“
You’re crazy if you think I’ll live my life without you.” He placed the ring on her finger. “This makes it
almost
official.”

“Almost?”

“We have one more thing to do and it might be a little difficult.”

“What is it?”

“Custom says we need my father’s blessing to seal.”

“And let me guess
, he doesn’t approve?”

“He’s fond of you
and he seems happy that we were able to make life, but I’m still not sure. We’re being summoned to the great hall.”

She shivered. “That sounds serious.”

“His blessing is only customary. I can choose to forgo it and his disapproval will not deter me. One way or another, we will seal.” He lifted her into his arms, propelling them through the window and out into the night.

Her body seemed to relax as the moonless night flew by them.
“These little trips are one of my favorite things about your immortality.”

Ascher
looked at her and smirked. “You’re more comfortable now.”

“It isn’t so bad. Maybe when I change, I’ll give
you
a ride.”

“Now that’s one I’ve never heard in my eighty-seven years.”

“I’m full of them. You’ll have an eternity to hear them all.”

They descended to his balcony
and Ascher glanced at her. She was the picture of what it was to be human. How could he take that from her? Another thought came to him. She would always look this way. That was something that he could give to her. He could bestow an endless night full of happiness, passion and wonders that a mortal life would never afford her. “What are you thinking?” His attempt at channeling her was unsuccessful.

“
Are you sure about this? I’m pretty boring, and forever is a long time to be bored. I’m not even—”

H
e kissed her to silence her self-conscious banter. “Hush, baby. Do you still not get it?”

“Get what?”

Ascher placed her on her feet, lifting her chin to meet his gaze. “An eternity isn’t enough time for me to spend with you. My heart is yours forever. I want to show you something. Close your eyes. I want to show you how I’m so sure about you. I’ve known for a little while that you’re my true mate.”

* * * *

At his instruction, Shauna stood still. The early spring air tickled her skin, causing goose bumps to rise on her arms. The smell of burning pine hung heavy in the air. There was a soft tousling of her hair and then his soft fingers caressed her face and neck. Finally, his hands stroked her all over causing a cold chill to course her spine.

“Open
your eyes, Shauna.”

Sh
auna opened them to find that Ascher stood on the opposite end of the terrace, a strange and glassy stare in his pale eyes.

“How can you touch me if you’re over there? I don’t understand how that can be.”

He strode over to her, placing his hand on her face. “Tristan fell in love with a human once. He’d go to her home every night to watch her sleep. After months of watching her, wanting her and thinking about her, his need to touch her grew so great that he developed the gift to touch her from a distance. While we were apart, the same thing happened to me. This was when I realized that you were my true mate. I’d come to your apartment while you slept and sit in that old rocking chair in the corner of your room.”