She had changed into a pair of low slung faded blue jeans, and a white tank top. Her long hair had gotten pulled back into a ponytail, and she had an oversized black parka on.
Black cotton gloves covered her small hands, and Ash blew on them before turning the key.
She backed out of the snow covered driveway and adjusted her mirrors.
Aidan watched silently from the side of the girl's house as she left the property. That damned servant of her's had prowled around the perimeter of the house in search of intruders before he had left for the smaller house at the back of the property.
He had nearly found Aidan, who had quickly scaled a tree. He grimaced at the thought of it, and shook his head to get the wet snow out of his hair.
She had a tremendous amount of Power. That Aidan could feel. He was a bit amused at the almost pure Witch blood he could feel in her. Old Alexander must be rolling over in his grave over the lack of Vampire in his offspring.
Asia shook her head slightly as she drove off. She could feel an extreme presence nearby.
"No... that feels like Siobhan... but she's in the underworld... oh well. I shall ask her about it later." She mumbled to herself.
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"Fi?" Ash stepped into the large house that her aunt owned.
"Quiet, Asia. Skyiia is asleep. You had better be on your way." Fiona said cooly as she stepped out of the shadows.
"She asked me to come, Fi. I'm her legal guardian, you have to admit it at some point." Asia stepped around Fiona towards the stairs.
"Ash! You did come!" Skyiia ran down the stairs, and flung herself into Asia's arms.
"Skyiia, you are supposed to be in bed." Fiona said grimly.
"Come Sky, I'll tuck you in." Ash held out her hand to Skyiia. As they ran up the stairs, Fiona sank down onto the plush couch, and thought to herself.
The girl's parents had died when Asia had been only ten years old. Skyiia had been a newborn, and had never known her parents.
Since then, Asia had basically run wild. At sixteen, she had taken herself out of Fiona's legal custody, and with the council's permission, moved into a large house on the other side of Toronto.
Fiona felt a bit relieved that Keenan and Maij had gone with her to look after her. They were the only ones Asia would listen to.
Those who had linked Asia Damiquez to the prophecies, had kept completely silent, as had Fiona. Letting word get out about the connection would mean putting Asia in grave danger. Her Powers still had not developed totally, and until they did, Fiona was taking no chances.
There were some who would feel threatened by the prospect of Asia's Power, and there were others who would try and harness it for themselves. Both would hurt the actual girl in their pursuit for Power.
"Show me the spell you were working on... or, should I rather say, supposed to be working on." Ash flashed a quick grin at Skyiia as she sat on the bed. Skyiia grinned back.
"Okay." She closed her eyes, and slowly began rising off the mattress. A trickle of sweat ran down her brow, and an impatient hand flicked at it. She fell as her concentration failed her.
"Dammit! That always happens. I just don't have enough Power for it, Ash." She slumped against the pillows.
"The trick is, don't think about the Power you're using or need for it. Just imagine yourself floating off the bed." As Asia spoke, she began to gracefully rise off the floor. She spread her arms out to her sides and grinned down at Skyiia who was looking sullenly up at her.
"Don't begrudge people whose abilities are greater than your own. Or, if you do, hide it well. Those kind of feelings will get you into a great deal of trouble one day." Asia sank back to sit cross-legged on the end of the bed.
"Think instead, that you might be able to do the exact thing you are mad that others can do." A small ball of bright blue energy formed in the centre of Asia's palm as she held her hand facing up. It grew larger until it was about the size of a tennis ball. She quickly tossed it into the air, where it hung suspended.
"Call that energy to you." She commanded Skyiia softly. Skyiia looked at it mesmerized, and tried calling it with her mind. It hung perfectly still above her head. She glared at it with frustration.
"I can't. It won't listen to me."
"Make it. When something doesn't listen to your mind, try simple hand gestures." Asia snapped her fingers at the energy, and it settled immediatly into the hand she held open for it. "And if that doesn't work, try speech. Speech is a very affective tool." She threw it into the air once more.
"Come." She commanded verbally. It instantly flew to rest in front of her face, not sure where else to go.
Skyiia sat up and looked at the ball. Nothing happened. She flicked a hand to the side, and the energy flew to where she had briefly gestured to. It lit up her smile of triumph.
Asia grinned. Skyiia was an incredibly fast pupil. Asia called the energy back into her with her mind, and it disappeared.
"Good work, M'dear. Try working on the floating again, and see if you can have it perfect for when I next see you." Asia stood, and kissed her on the forehead. She lay a finger on Skyiia's temple and calmed her too hectic mind.
She had overrworked her mind, and would never be able to sleep if it were allowed to remain that way.
"Goodnight Ash..." Skyiia drifted off to sleep as her mind calmed.
Asia smiled and left the room quietly. She managed to leave the house without running into Fiona, and quickly took off in her jeep.
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The house was warm against the cool winter night. Asia closed the door behind her, and walked into the front hall.
She hummed to herself as she slid off her jacket and threw it over the banister as she passed it on her way to the kitchen.
"Asia, it's Lexi. Call me, sweets." Lexi's deep voice met her on her answering machine as she made herself a sandwich. Asia smiled.
She knew Alexi Blade through his brother, Angel, and they got along fantastically. Ash knew Nina even had designs on them marrying and living happily ever after. Ash didn't know about all that yet, but she did know she wanted to be with Lexi.
"Ash, it's Kelwryn. Call me. You need to come to the city soon. There are some nasty things going on about you." Ash sighed and picked up the phone that was beside the answering machine.
"Kelwryn Mage." He picked up after the first ring.
"Kels... It's me. What's up?" Ash spoke around her sandwich.
"Ash, glad you called. Rumours are being spread once again that you're not in the city because you're ill. You better get your ass down here before some stupid Vamp tries to come after you in your supposed weakened state." Kelwryn rubbed his hand over his eyes. Working for Asia Damiquez was definitly not boring.
"Yeah. I'm coming in soon, so I'll take care of it then. Do a press conference and parties, whatever. Anything else that needs my attention?"
"Not a whole lot. Just the regular business meetings for Damiquez Enterprises that needs your attention. Tell the Execs you're still alive."
"What I expected. I wouldn't have hired the lot of them if they didn't need to see me every few weeks. So, I will be there, and I'll meet with you and Rhiannon the morning I arrive. Bright and early, right?" Asia teased.
"I'll get up, if you can. See you then, bye Ash."
"Bye." She placed the phone back on the hook, and pushed the button to hear the rest of her messages.
"Call me Ash, it's Daria." Ash erased that. Daria Windlen was a contender for the title of Mistress, needless to say, Asia was not a huge fan of her's.
She didn't know what Daria wanted, or how she had gotten Ash's private phone number. Only close friends knew and used it. Everyone else was directed to call Rhiannon, her personal assistant, at her office in Saphra.
Saphra was the city that no human's were allowed to have any knowledge of. It was strictly Vamps, Witchs, Werewolves, Shifters, and mix breeds.
"Asia, it's Tabetha. Call me." She dismissed that call also. Tabetha was the Mother, and as far as Asia was concerned, far too inclined to expanding her own wealth, and not inclined enough towards helping her people.
"End of new messages." The electronic voice informed Asia gravely. She yawned and tugged the elastic out of her hair and ran her fingers briskly through it.
"Nice place." A strange man walked into the kitchen in front of her. Asia blinked.
"Do I know you?" She asked dazedly.
"I don't believe we've met. I shall introduce myself, though. Just as a favour to you, fair lady. My name is Lord Halys. Better known as Aidan Airianne." Asia looked into his face as he grinned widely at her, and leaned against the doorjam.
"Would you mind telling me why exactly you are in my house?"
"Well, it looked as if it were a very nice house, so I just thought to myself, ah, what the hell? Let's go meet the Mistress. I heard from my niece you were a hospitable lady."
"And your niece would be...?" Asia was still slightly bewildered. There was an aura of such extreme Power surrounding Halys. She was drawn to it like a moth to a light.
"I am certain you know her. Siobhan McDaniel. My sister Honour was her mother."
"Oh. I had not connected that. I thought you dead. You have not been anywhere near Saphra in almost a hundred years, am I right?"
"Yes. Saphra is very boring. No fresh blood." He grinned once again, this time showing his teeth as they lengthened and grew visibly sharper.
"Yay. Why exactly have you come to me? I know for a fact my hospitality leaves much to be desired." She stood slowly and leaned against the counter. Amusement flashed through Aidan's light violet eyes as he felt her gathering Power to her finger tips.
"No need for that, my dear. If I was to attack you, you would not be able to do a thing about. You have great Power, that is certain, but has not developed fully. Considering I'm about a hundred and fifty years older than you, you should probably listen to me. You'll just hurt yourself if you try to attack me now."
"Do not even try to tell me the limitations of my Power, Halys." Asia said dangerously.
"Ah, but are you sure you know the extent of my Power? If you're wrong... Well, you know what happens then."
"You're obnoxious! Get out of my house!" Asia yelled suddenly.
Aidan inspected his fingernails and then buffed them on the front of the black button down shirt he was wearing. Suddenly, before Asia could so much as blink, he threw such a great amount of Power at her, that she passed out.
