Ari was relentless and she believed he would actually carry through with his threat, and Elle wanted to go. She wanted to feel safe, at least for one night. Lowering down, she climbed in. Seeing that Nixon was sitting directly in the center of the seat opposite Asher, making the already awkward moment even more awkward, Elle hurried up and sat down next to Asher.

"Good choice," Ari said behind her. His phone vibrated three quick chirps and he lingered outside to take the call. Elle glanced his way helplessly wishing he would hurry. Ari could be forward at times but she felt better when he was around. In just the short time she had been with him, in the things he said to her, and the way he treated both his brother and Nixon she knew he was a compassionate soul. Nixon cleared his throat drawing Elle's attention to him.

"So I take it you've never been in a limo before." He grinned. "It's not that bad. Asher doesn't bite...much." Then turning to Ari, he yelled, "Dude, come on. I'm hungry and I need a shower."

"Brother get inside or we're leaving without you," Asher warned.

Ari gave a rushed goodbye and climbed in. He sent a smile her way and then without regard or tact he intentionally fell on Nixon's lap. Nixon grunted loudly, hit him and then a fight quickly ensued as they fought over seat rights. Nervously, Elle chuckled and swung her head.

"Get off me you smelly dog." Nixon pushed Ari away when he acted as though he would kiss him.

"I'm sorry," Asher sighed. "There just aren't any words to describe my brothers."

"It doesn't bother me," she said.

"No, I see that it doesn't." Asher's tone made Elle turn to him, only to find him looking back at her. Her grin faded as he turned away toward the window. She wasn't sure of his meaning, but whatever the implication was, it was enough to break up the love-grudge match between Ari and Nixon. As they settled down on opposite sides, Ari with his feet resting on Nixon's lap they fell into momentary painful silence.

George shut the door and they were soon moving. The limo pulled to a stop at the light and Elle's eyes mechanically traveled toward the rundown, flat front of the homeless shelter. Two men in shabby coats stood before the door smoking. Elle remembered the place well. Even though there was a separate section for women, she had gotten little sleep for fear of being attacked or robbed. That night while she lay crying quietly, Julio had been the only one that she should have been worried about. She involuntarily gasped. She couldn't help it. Clear as day she could see the car, the pea green mustang parked along the curb. Her eyes darted to Ari's and in the flash of an oncoming car, he gave her a nod.

"I told you," he softly said. "It will be all right. We'll be your guardians."

"Yeah," Nixon said, "whatever impression we might have given you with the whole dog fight and all-no pun intended Ari-you're totally safe with us." And then turning his head in Asher's direction, he shrugged, "Well with me and the dog anyway."

"Who was on the phone?" Asher snapped plainly finding the need to change the subject.

"Kennedy," Ari said. "She was worried about us and she said the kid's driving her nuts. She keeps asking for her." Ari gestured with his chin at her Elle. "Not her mom."

"Well Mary's very angry with her mom," Elle said. "She's not a bad girl. She's actually very smart." She turned to Asher. "She really likes your books." He gave her a somewhat staggered nod. That was all. He didn't seem to know what else to do, so he focused his gaze out the widow once more.

Ari closely watched his brother as he spoke, even though his words were directed toward her. "Why don't you take this time to explain how you came to play a part in the life of Grant's child, neighbor lady? I know I've heard some but they haven't."

Nervousness played a part in her talking. At times her teeth actually chattered. Elle told them about the first time she spotted Mary on the alphabet rug at the library, to Steve trying to take her, and how she stopped him. She explained how later when she was walking home, he surprised her on the street corner as she was reading the new book, and chased her into a building. Then how Mea's eyes got when Mary recanted the story to her mom, and said that Steve told her Grant was still alive. She told every last detail up until the point they appeared. No one asked questions.

They just listened attentively and seriously. The only thing that eventually stopped her excessive rambling was the growing red glow in the dark vehicle generated from Asher's eyes. Even though he tried to conceal them with his hands, Asher was fuming and she wasn't even sure what she had said to set him off. As the lights of the city came into view, Asher let out a frustrated groan.

"Problem brother?" Ari asked.

Asher cast a look his way. "I don't have my glasses. Tell me how I'm supposed to get inside without being gawked at. Thanks to you setting me off back at the pickup, the chauffeur almost saw me but I jumped in the limo before he could make a true visual."

"I thought outsiders couldn't see you. I just assumed he was an ani-"

"Don't," Asher put up a finger sending his fiery rays her way, "dare utter another word. You are not ignorant as your colorful vocabulary has testified to, so don't ask me to believe you could possibly entertain the notion that the world consists only of our kind. No it does not. We coexist. It's when we don't want people to know we're lurking about for reasons that are different to the nature of modern man, such as when we fight among ourselves, and play with blue lightening that we put up a magic barrier, but this," he waved a hand over his face, "is a freak of nature even in my own world. But I forgot my brother has already enlightened you to the trivia's of Asher Lake, so I need not explain any further. I can't hide this to anyone!"

"And that is what we call an Assher tantrum," Ari said putting a bigger emphasis on the first part of the name. "He's prone to them."

"Shut up Arimus!" Asher evenly said.

"Well you're obviously not afraid of the chauffeur hearing you." Elle retorted without regard. "I'm sorry that I made you mad but don't go all ape-crap. Can't you just turn them off like Cyclopes?"

Asher jerked his body around so that he was facing her on the seat. "I am not an ape like that thug back at the abandoned building or a Cyclopes. I have two eyes-two very angry eyes and I can't just turn off anger!"

Elle thought for a moment. "That man was an ape, no wonder he moved funny. And I wasn't referring to a Cyclopes but the character Cyclopes. You know the guy with the laser beam eyes in X Men? Ironically, that was the movie that Mary tripped over when Steve was trying to take her. I guess it just popped into my head."

"Oh my God, it's a lost cause. This is a lost cause." The last of Asher's words were directed at Ari.

"Cool it-both of you," Nixon exclaimed before Ari could say a word. "Now I know how you guys feel about me and Kennedy." Throwing an arm behind him, he knocked on the window. A second later the chauffeur shoved a dark tinted window aside. "Hey George, got those glasses you occasionally loan me. My brother's got himself a little hangover and the lights are hurting his eyes."

"Nixon Lake," Ari kicked at him, "and pubs are not just for drinking, huh?"

"Here you go Master Nix," George laughed and tossed a pair through. They landed on the floor and Asher bent over and picked them up. The leather seat and his coat creaked as he moved. The glasses were black and obscure and instantaneously when Asher put them on, darkness followed.

Nixon rested his head back. "Who needs a nightlight when we have Asher Lake, the multi-functioning tool."

Chapter Eighteen.

Mistaken Identity Nixon thoughtfully ran the towel through his wet hair while Ari waited on him to answer. Asher had locked himself in the bathroom the second they arrived. An hour later while hanging out in Asher's room, to give Elle privacy in his, Ari was still waiting his turn to get cleaned up. He poured an ample amount of whiskey into his coke, before he sat in the chair. Asher's room wasn't as luxurious as his, but it was warm and well stocked with booze which at the time Ari wanted.

Typically he wasn't a drinker on any level, except for an occasional glass of wine with a lady, but this night was different. The only times Asher drank was when he felt out of control, and he often felt that way whenever he was away from the manor which was why his bar was fully stocked. In the outside world, apart from the magical protection of his barrier, Asher felt helpless.

"I don't know man," Nixon said. "I get it. She's the woman in his drawings but I'm not so sure I know about anything else...yet."

"You deny the facts." Ari let his gaze go past Nixon to Asher standing in the door of the bathroom. He stood in a towel only, with dripping wet hair, brow raised.

"Enlighten us Ari just what are those facts," Asher said.

The water had stopped running a long time ago. Ari had taken the chance that he would be listening and inwardly Ari hoped he would be. "Don't you think this needs to be discussed Asher?"

Reaching back into the bathroom, Asher pulled a towel off a rack and rubbed it over his head. The white towel only made his jet black hair appear even darker. When he was finished he ran his fingers through the black layers to untangle them and then shook it. Tossing the towel on the floor behind him he pushed Nixon out of the way, and crossed the room.

"Fine, but give me a chance to get dressed. Two men in towels in the same room is a little disconcerting." Nixon blew him a kiss which Asher ignored. He went to the closet and flung open the double doors and just stood there. "Why does nothing in here look like mine?"

"Oh about that," Nixon went to him, "I didn't think you would mind since you're never here. My closet got a little full after my last shopping expo."

"But...where are my clothes?" Asher demanded.

"Here," Nixon pulled out a shirt, "wear this it will make your eyes standout."

Asher snatched the shirt from his grasp. "As alarming as that statement made me feel coming from a half-naked man, you cannot possibly think I could fit into your clothes. For your sake there better be at least some pants in my size, since I am in fact taller."

Nixon sent a pleading look over his shoulder in Ari's direction. Laughing, Ari pulled his tired aching body out of the chair and started across the room, drink in hand. "Calm down you two. I hear the water running which means Elle's taking a bath. I'll sneak in and get you some pants. Besides, Kennedy's being a brat. I wanna make sure she's getting Elle some clothes."

"Why?" Asher and both Nixon surprised Ari in unison.

He put his back to the door. "I just thought Elle could use some fresh clothes. There's nothing wrong with that. The stores are closed or I would have sent Martaugh shopping."

Asher rolled his eyes. "That is an obvious assumption Arimus but why is Kennedy being a brat?"

Ari shrugged, "I don't know. Why is she a brat any other time?"

"I know," Nixon answered rummaging through the closet for clothes for himself. "She's all uptight about Elle. Come on man she's drop dead gorgeous even behind the grody clothes and bruises. She's the reason I got hurt to begin with. I was scoping her out and that hawk took advantage of the situation. And when I woke up to see her crying on the rooftop I was ready to do it all over again, especially when she rushed right at me and played Nurse Betty. She took hold of my head like, oh my God you're hurt like, and I was like, remember dude she's Asher's girl-"

"She is not my girl," Asher objected.

Ari took the time to think about the situation. Asher could have put the emphasis on any word in that sentence but instead he had placed it on the word *my' and then the way he behaved in the limo came to mind. Asher had noticed the way Elle watched him playing around with Nixon. And Nixon had already pointed out the fact that Asher's behavior on the roof had surprised him. Asher went out of his way to avoid confrontations and eye contract with women but not with Elle.

"Why would Kennedy be uptight about Elle, she's a girl just like she is." Asher was trying at least to understand. Usually he didn't care enough to even pay attention or call Kennedy by her name, let alone ask.

"Well that's just it." Nixon pulled out a white jacket and pushed it at Asher. Mechanically Asher took the garment. Ari wasn't even sure he noticed. He seemed intent on watching Nixon for a response instead.

"Kennedy's had to deal with her face for the last year when she's use to being the only girl around us, especially around you Asher." He glanced up to see them staring. Things were making sense to Ari but he wasn't so sure about his less experienced brother. "I mean I could be wrong but I think she's just jealous."

"What do you mean especially around Asher?" Asher asked third person, again Ari wasn't so sure he even noticed what he did.

This time Ari decided to interject because he knew something Nixon only thought he knew. "He means because Kennedy knows the possible significance of Elle to you, and ever since Kennedy was a child, she's done nothing but crush on you."

Asher's eyes widened and then narrowed again. Ari wondered if things were finally making sense to him now. Asher had the tendency to be a little dense when it came to relationship matters. Behind him, Nixon grabbed a stack of clothes he had selected and laid on the dresser top and headed for the bathroom to change. When the door slammed shut it must have broken Asher out of his thoughts because suddenly he looked down at the jacket and shirt in his hands in confusion.

"Pants Ari," he said.

Figuring he needed to be alone to digest the blow, Ari started to back out the door. However, the second Asher looked up Ari hung back because he knew Asher wanted him to.

"I won't pretend to understand about Kennedy," he said, "if what you say is true. I do know this in regard to Elle though. I'm shaken by the matter, hence my behavior in all of this. But the truth is...I believed that woman in my drawing to be a grown up version of Grant's child-my future mate. I believed that image I had, the one in the drawing, the one in my dreams was Mary. There never was any Elle."

"What?" Ari stepped back into the room, closer to Asher. "You have got to be joking? What possible basis did you have to believe such stupidity?"

Asher looked toward the bathroom door and then back to him. "Please keep your voice down. No need to humiliate me further. I've known about Mary's birth a long time. I'm a wolf how could I not. I put Robert in charge of taking care of her and her mother."

"Well obviously he hasn't done a good job in that. The kid was living in poverty and the mother's a deserting drunk. My God Asher," Ari rubbed his hand through his hair. He took the last drink of whiskey and forced himself to calm down.

For the first time in his life, Asher seemed genuinely ashamed. He just stood there biting the corner of his lip as Nixon reappeared fully dressed with the rejected clothes he didn't want in his hands.

"It's okay guys I heard just like I do every other time you two have your little bro-talks. I'll pretend like I didn't hear though, same as always, so never mind me as I put these clothes away."

Asher's head lowered. "I don't care that you know. I would have eventually explained." With that comment Nixon directed a questioning stare his way. "I just didn't want any of your smart remarks at this precise time," Asher told him. "I feel stupid enough."

"I just don't get it," Nixon said. "So she's not the right babe. I kind of mean that literally and rhetorically too since Mary and Elle both are in essence babes, just two entirely different kinds." At that Asher threw up his arms in full protest. The clothes fell to the floor and his raised hands planted firmly on his head on the way back down.

Nixon shrugged, "But honestly Ash, what's so hard to understand. Ari's right, now that I've thought about it, and I think you should listen to him. Facts are facts," he said.

Asher set two very interested eyes on Nixon. He invited him to finish in look alone.

"I've spent the least amount of time with her but from what I've learned and from what Ari has told me," Nixon went on. "I can see it. She was there at the right time-the very minute we swooped in to save the day. She can see you're blue magic. She accepts us. I'm around you every day and I still get afraid of your fire-darts, and she didn't even blink. She's not frightened of you in the least...well except for when you yelled at her. I get the impression she doesn't like being yelled at. She's just as beautiful as in your drawings and Ari said she told him she dreamed that such a world as ours existed. Asher," Nixon walked to where he stood, "she read your books man-all of them. Don't you see the irony in that?"

"It?" Asher appeared dazed. "Just what it, do you see?"

"That whatever it may be, she's supposed to be with us," Nixon boldly stated.

"Look," Asher lowered his hands and looked back and forth between the two of them. Ari thought his face looked a little flushed. "I know I've behaved differently and I admit at first I pretty much felt the same. I recognized her right away and not even finding out she wasn't Mary's mother who I figured Mary would grow up to look like, could have stopped me from wanting to cart her away from that abusive boyfriend, but when it comes to me-her possibilities to me, that has changed. Mary's on the other hand has not changed. I'm a Keeper and I need an heir and you two both know that's the only reason a female wolf is born. They're born to provide an heir when one hasn't been provided or the Keeper hasn't taken a wife to produce one."

Ari had taken the time to pour himself another drink and stood sipping on straight whiskey as the conversation unfolded, content to let Nixon handle things but he could see out of the corner of his eye that they had both turned to look his way. Apparently they wanted his opinion now. Ari wasn't so sure either of them was going to like what he had to say though.

"Fine you wait for Mary." He gestured to Asher with the empty glass. "You wait till she's old enough to marry someday-go ahead and produce that heir. More than likely that's the safer approach anyhow given the alternative is taking a wife which you absolutely refuse to take without love, and falling in love for you means death. I don't want you to die. I will never want you to die, but I can't see how you could just waltz through life without knowing at least how love feels."

"Yeah, well speaking of that, I meant what I said about being sorry for keeping Mary a secret and missing you guys." Asher was struggling with words and emotions and he wasn't trying to hide the fact that he was exposed. "But I also came because I talked to Grant. He told me it was time for my destiny to unfold, so I came looking for her-the woman in my drawings."

Ari rubbed his thumb over his eyebrow. "You...talked to Grant...after all this time."

"Yes," Asher nodded, "he told me that the only reason he hasn't been able to get in touch with me before is because I wasn't in tuned with my wolf nature, and my magic was too strong." He studied him, and then inclined his head. "I understand Ari if you don't believe me about Grant, because you never have, but this is about Elle now. I will admit that after a year of dreaming about her I slowly began to accept the fact she was my destiny. And even though I thought I had more time, since I thought she was a little girl that needed to grow up, discovering Elle today made me feel relieved. I suddenly didn't want to wait any longer."

"So what's the problem?" Ari curiously asked.

"Ari regardless of what I thought Elle meant to me and the perverted customs of our world, I will only take one woman, and Elle can't be that woman because she doesn't qualify."

Ari pointed out the door. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "How in God's sweet name could that woman not qualify? Have you taken a good look at her?" Ari put up his hands when Asher opened his mouth to speak. Ari didn't want him to explain just yet.

"Look, all I know is I've dated many women and their fancy designer clothes, fake boobs and strong perfume, don't even come close to what she has. That woman soaking in my tub has a heart of gold. That boyfriend of hers should be shot because he had no clue what he had. But if you want to reject her because of stupid standards or some misguided belief then go right ahead because that means she's suddenly free and available. And I'm quite positive any man could easily fall for her if that's not happened already to at least one of us in this room."

He put his back to the door and discounted his brothers penetrating eyes. "But what it all boils down to," he went on, "there's a very young fragile women in my room who's not lived the best of lives. She's been beaten and taken advantage of, so screw everything else. I'm not about to let her undeserving gangster boyfriend find her again so he can put another bite mark on her neck."

At that Asher's eyes glowed red. Ari had no choice but to continue on-prove his point. "I'm gonna go get your pants so you can get dressed but maybe you should reflect on my words. Maybe Mary was born for the purpose you believe but maybe just maybe, Elle has her own purpose, no matter how frightening that may be, not just to you but to all of us." Ari met Asher's gaze as he neared-watching as the red faded back to blue. "All I'm saying is, maybe you ought to not judge too quickly and give her some time before you send her packing."

"She has nothing to pack," Nixon interjected.

Asher overlooked the comment. "I wasn't planning on sending her anywhere. I agree with everything you've said so far and I was trying to tell you that. I don't know how to be anything but what I am. I don't know how to say things but just hear me out while I try. How I feel about her has nothing to do with any outsider paranoia on my part or some major grand disillusionment either. I wanted to find another way to go about this but I don't have any other choice. You have given me no other choice. I have to tell the truth. Just like everything else in my life-every choice that was made before I was born, this has nothing to do with me anymore, but not as a man but as a Keeper. The rules were written long before and I'm obligated to uphold those rules or suffer the consequences. I've already done that in the past. I don't want to go through that ever again. When I chose to ignore the laws of the archives and the Council, it's not always me that pays the price."

"Asher just say it man," Nixon urged when he stopped talking.

Asher lowered his head as the sound of a blow dryer could be heard in the other room. "I can be such a fool sometimes with my big words and over explaining things but the only thing I needed to say is two simple words to make you understand, so here you are. She's pregnant."

The words hit Ari hard. At that precise moment all he could see was her doubling over, clutching at her stomach before she passed out in the alley. "How do you know that?"

Asher lifted up his right arm so he could see. Ari noticed several long scratches on his forearm along with one very impressive bruise. "I found out in the abandoned building right after I made the decision to take her away with me. She likes to fight and talk in her sleep. Now if you don't mind I would like to get dressed now."

Ari put a hand to his shoulder. "Life seems so confusing and unfair doesn't it?"

Pulling away Asher gathered up the items of clothing on the floor and headed for the bathroom. That was enough of an answer for Ari and everything he already knew. Stopping before the door, Asher turned back and looked at Nixon.

"While Ari's showering, since you seem to be so perceptive, I thought maybe you could give me some pointers. I would like to have a conversation with Elle in a more civil manner."

Nixon nodded. His hanging mouth and blinking eyes were evident enough that Asher had taken him by complete surprise. Ari knew exactly how he felt.