From the Dark I Feel Your Lips.

Asher cried out in pain as the eight year old Matthew touched her bruised arm. The hand print was a mix of purple and green, blue and black. “I-It hurts down there,” She sobbed as Matt pet her hair softly.
“Come with me, please.” He pleaded and tried to pull her towards the window. “I’ll take you away, we can run away!” He struggled to make the motionless girl budge. “hurry, before he comes back.”
“I can’t leave.” She wailed. She was so young and innocent, her family was everything and she didn’t have the guts to leave her mother alone. Footsteps in the distance grew louder. “You have to go.”
“Not unless you come with me.” Suddenly, the door knob was twisting and heavy breathing was silencing the room.
“Who the hell are you talking to Asher?” He seethed. His enraged eyes fell directly on Matthew. He lunged.

Asher woke up in a sweat. The morning sun was casting eerie figures in the corners of the forest green room and she could feel the bed beside her was empty. She stumbled to her feet and made her way to the hall. Asher could smell bacon and her stomach growled with discontent.
“Hello Sunshine!” Jimmy smiled and placed a plate on the bar in front of her. “Sleep well?”
“As best as I could.” She mumbled and thanked him for breakfast. She devoured it within seconds.
“You’re a beast.” Jimmy laughed. “Would you like more tiger?”
“Look who’s talking.” Asher rubbed the sleep from her eyes and hugged him. “Have you seen Matt?”
“His office.”
Asher took off down the hallway again and up the winding wooden staircase. It was reminiscent of something from Harry Potter and the old oak creaked beneath her feet; each step sounded like thunder in the silent home. She walked right in to see Matt handing a Manila folder to Brian.
“You need to knock,” His voice was hoarse and demanding.
“I’m sorry,” Asher hung her head. Matt didn’t say a word, he just thumbed through the pages on his desk. “Did you have a question or are you just going to stand there?” His attitude enraged her. She didn’t know where it was coming from and she didn’t want to take shit from him, especially in front of company.
“I, uh, I,” She paused, trying to calm herself. “I just wanted to see you.”
She watched as Matt’s hard face softened. He looked up at Brian and motioned for him to leave. Brian brushed passed her with out saying a word, he didn’t even acknowledge her presence but she knew it was just part of his cover.
“Come here,” he smiled weakly. He patted his lap and he spun to face her in his massive leather chair. It was burgundy and beautiful with huge hammered metal buttons along the edges. “I’m sorry,” He whispered as Asher sat down and let out a long sigh. “I’m just tired.”
He looked sickly pale and his hands seemed weak as he lifted them to touch her thigh. His plump lips were dull and bags beneath his eyes seemed darker than the day before. He rested his head on her shoulder and almost let his eyes close. “Promise me you’ll knock every time you come into my office, okay?”
“Why?”
“Promise me.” He demanded rather.
“I promise.”
“Good,” his eyes fluttered with sleep. “I had one of the maids pull and outfit for you. It’s on my bed. I want you to put it on and I’ll meet you in the back yard.” He kissed her temple. “Now, go.”
Asher nodded and found her way back into the hall. She was contemplating her life here. How everything had happened. Her childhood was a disaster and she had spent three years of her life in an extremely toxic relationship. She was bruised and battered for twenty three years of her life and yet she still was standing strong. Maybe not as mentally stable as most but she managed. The only time she had ever felt as strong as she did now was when she was with Matt in her childhood memories. Maybe it was just Matthew in general that made her strong.
She found her way into his bedroom, the corpse long gone and the comforter and sheets changed. It smelt like bleach.
There was a sun hat, white and floppy just like something Grace Kelly would wear. A vintage looking bathing suit lay beside it. It swooped up into a sweat heart neckline and the bathing suit bottoms rose slightly higher than a normal bikini. She slipped it on then pulled a yellow sun dress over her head.
“You’re outstanding.” He breathed from behind her.
“Thank whoever picked this out,” She smiled as she looked in the mirror. Her bruises from the beating had started to fade and her skin looked normal for once. She couldn’t even remember the last time she didn’t have a bruise on her body. “I thought you were meeting me outside?”
“I thought I might catch you changing if I surprised you,” He winked, “I showed up just a little too late.”
“Are we going swimming in the pool?” She questioned.
“No, better. I figured I had cooped you up in here for too long and I could tell, even without that shopping outburst, that you were going stir crazy. So, we’re all going to the beach.”
Asher’s heart rate sped up. Matt felt it.
“You’re safe when you’re with me, remember? Plus the rest of the guys will be there and I added extra security…just in case.”
You’re safe.
Asher gulped even so. She was scared to explore the outside world. Even the few minutes she had with Lacey weren’t enough to really show her. Sure the places they had walked past seemed weird, like a “Blood Bank” and leather shops with cheeky names, like Mortal Desire.
Matt took her hand and held it firmly. His whole body was domineering. “Come, now.”
Asher followed with an absent mind.
The SUV was packed. Matt sat in the driver seat, Brian next to him. It was Asher, Lacey, Johnny, then Jimmy, Zacky, and Leana in the back. How they all managed to fit without killing one another was beyond them. The SUV was followed by another one in black, the “extra security.”
“Beach time!” Jimmy shrieked, “hit it Shadows!”
Lacey turned to face Asher and Leana leaned forward, resting on her elbows.
“You’re such a babe!” Leana squealed. “Let’s those wolf boys don’t try to go after you.”
“Wolf boys?”
“Oh shut up, Lea.” Jimmy laughed. “She ran around….howling, with the werewolves for awhile.” He paused, “Her slutty days,” He whispered with a grin and a wink.
“Fuck you!” She pulled on his collar and kissed him. “I’m only slutty for you.” She reverted her attention back to Asher. “Those wolf boys, they love mortals, especially girls like you. You’re such a babe and your so innocent. They’ll want to get it on with you.”
“Doggy style,” Zacky laughed. The whole car erupted in laughter.
Asher was beginning to finally call this place home. She had no real desire anymore to take off and escape, not only because it wasn’t safe but also because these people were the first REAL friends she had in a long time.
Matt’s hands gripped tightly on the steering wheel as he took the turns of the winding road with a great amount of speed. His eyes wandered to the rear view mirror and were met with Asher’s baby blues. He smiled as he saw her blush, his heart skipping a beat….if he had one.
He slipped his arm behind the seat and rubbed her leg. Instead, she shot her hand down and help it the whole ride to the beach.

The ocean was choppy but the sun was shining bright and beautiful.
The group set up their umbrella’s and towels and the cooler full of beer. “Hi beautiful.” Matt smiled and followed behind her as she walked towards the ocean. There weren’t a lot of people there, The City of Evil didn’t seem like a vacation destination anyway.
Matt slipped his warm hands around her waist and pulled her back into his chest. Asher loved his warmth, she loved everything about her childhood friend.
“Hi Mattie,” She smiled and giggled as the ice cold water danced against her toes. They lingered there for awhile, not really wanting to let go. That is until Jimmy called out that he wanted them to go to the snack bar.
Snack bar? Asher almost wanted to laugh. What, would there be a blood slushie?
Matt grabbed her hand cautiously and led her to the small shack just before the parking lot.
The kid at the window was barely even sixteen yet. His skin was pale, his eyes dark, and his teeth perfectly white.
“Shadows,” He smirked.
“Shawn,” Matt nodded. “This is my Asher,” My Asher.
“Hello,” He licked his lips and waved.
“Hi Shawn.” Her voice quivered.
“Give me a slushie, for Rev, so make it with extra juice.” Blood, Asher thought. “Cheese fries, a burger and, lets see…” Asher was lost in her thoughts. She was wondering how Matt knew this shawn kid and most importantly she finally got time to actually examine her surroundings. Mostly everyone was extremely pale and everyone was staring at them. Fear hidden behind their eyes as they picked their stuff up and moved it further down the beach. Asher looked around and saw Leana and Jimmy in the ocean splashing around, Johnny and Lacey asleep on their towels, Brian reading The Art of War, and Zack hitting on a group of girls who looked younger than Shawn did.
“Help me?” Matt asked. His arms full of food.
She accepted and carried the flood back to the towels. Johnny immediately woke from the towel and grabbed a handful of fries.
“Hey short shit, those were mine.” Matt punched him and threw the corn dog he wanted on his towel.
“How do you know Shawn?” Asher asked.
“That kid,” He laughed. “His father is an associate of mine. I’ve known him since birth. I got him that shitty ass job, he wanted a place to pick up ladies.”
Asher nodded and continued to eat her burger.
“Hello Asher,” a voice spoke to her. “You look ravishing in your bathing suit. A woman, curves and hips, a far cry from your awkward teenage years.” The darkness surrounded Asher, she could barely even see her hand if it was place in front of her face. “You know,” His voice was a whisper. “I own you and one day, soon, you will be mine to toy with. I see the way he touches you. His hands moving where my hands will be and my touch will feel so much more pleasurable than his. Trust me. You’ll be safer with me. ” His hands moved to Asher’s face. He dug his nails deeply into her skin and pulled down. She cried out pleading for him to stop but he wouldn’t he just laughed.

“Asher!” She heard someone scream. “Asher wake the fuck up!” It was Matt. Her eyes popped open and she came face to face with the whole group. The sun was shining directly behind their heads, blinding her.
“Oh my god, her face!” Gasped Leana.
Matt pulled her into his arms and off the towel. She had fallen asleep, they both did but he woke to her screaming in her sleep.
Her cheeks had red claw marks on each side.
“H-he said he owned me! He said he would touch me better than you ever will,” Asher sobbed into his chest. Matt looked around at the group speechless.
“Blaine came to you in your dream?” Matt questioned.
“He said I would be safe with him and he sees the way you touch me, I’m so scared!” She heaved.
Matt ground his teeth together.
“How?” He directed his question towards Brian.
“You know why Matt.”
“No,” Asher boomed, touching her face. “Don’t be fucking vague. WHY?” She spit at both of them.
“Because he owns your soul, Asher. He can do everything a mate can yet strong and has more abilities.” Brian stated.