Chapter 233   - Two Hundred And Thirty-three: Join Me, Lia

Lia had a bad dream as she slept. She dreamt that Asher wasn't who she thought he was, that someone had taken over his body.? Even in that dream, she was so terrified that she woke up with a startle.

"Ugh," she groaned, shaking her head to clear the dizziness. Her neck hurt like crazy as if it had been broken. Did someone snap her neck or something? The fogginess clouding her brain finally cleared as the memories returned one after the other.

Lia rose with anger but was restricted by the chains at both wrists, he cuffed her to the wall. Anger like no other coursed through her vein.

Her eyes went red, "Raphael, you animal! Come out wherever you are!"

Lia didn't know where she was, it was just a spacious compartment with a single bed and sofa,nothing else.

"Raphael! Come out!" Lia screamed at the top of the lungs which produced an effective result because the single door in the room swung open and in came the bastard.

Her chest heaved yet her mouth dropped in disbelief as she stared at that face. Tears welled up in her eyes as she kept staring at him, that face that was so familiar yet distant now.

"Do vampires get pregnant?"

"You're a hybrid lia, I can't really tell. But I can assure you that is that if you end up choosing me - child or not- I'll love you for eternity"

That was the memory of the last night she spent with Asher- the real Asher. All this time, this disgusting being has been the one with her- he even touched her.

Lia felt like throwing up, it disgusted her to the core. Her heart hurt, she had betrayed, cheated on Asher with this scumbag.

The hybrid laughed mirthlessly; her laughter so hysterical one would have thought she had lost it.

Lia had to give it to Raphael, he was incredibly smart to choose and use the body of her most trusted person, he had fooled and played her like a yo-yo.

He knew there was no way she would doubt Asher - the vampire had never given her a reason not to trust him - so used his body.

If not for the signs and Lolli's intervention, she would have never believed he wasn't Asher.

"Where is ..." Her voice broke, the emotions were too intense for her to handle. Her heart was hurting so much.

"If you're worrying about Asher, you can be rest assured that he's very safe- at the moment"

Lia swallowed, her mate's safety was not guaranteed.

"What did you do to his soul? Where did you keep it?"

He chuckled, "Don't worry, your beloved's soul is keeping my body company"

"I don't understand"Lia frowned," Why is Asher's soul keeping…..oh my God" she realized, "You didn't rip out his soul, you exchanged the souls?"

"Bingo"

"You took Asher's body and Asher took your body" Lia sighed, her head throbbing with a headache. This was too much for her to handle at once.

"I'm curious about something though," Raphael came to crouch down in front of her and grabbed her chin, lifting her face to his level.

"What gave me out? How did you know it was me?" He asked out of plain curiosity.

Lia laughed, "Everything!" Her tone turned harsher, "You taught you had been smart but you were not. There were a lot of mistakes, errors, behaviors the real Asher would never exhibit. You were so immersed in making no mistakes that you didn't realize when you started failing.

"Also, you forgot one thing, I'm a hybrid and I have two mates. She figured it out through the mate bond!"

"The mate bond?" He stroked his bottom lips reflectively, "Just as I thought, that wolf has always been a troublemaker"

"And guess what?"Lia told him,

"I'll never let you go scot-free for this!"

Raphael cocked a brow, "Sure, come at me with all you've caught"

Certain, it was Asher's face but Lia was determined to end this today. The hybrid screamed but to her utmost surprise, nothing happened save her dwindling vocal chord.

She screamed again yet the same result, nothing happened. What the hell was going on? Lia tried to summon a force field since her sonic ability was taking a break but to her utmost shock, nothing happened.

Her head whipped around to Raphael, "What did you do to me?" She glared at him with hatred. It just sickening to see Asher's face staring back at her as he spoke.

"It's nothing much, just neutralized your powers" he answered nonchalantly.

Witches, that was the first thought that came to her mind. They were the only ones capable of creating such impossible weapons.

"How did you know I found out about your secret?" Lia questioned him.

Though there had been a few slips like that time she had screamed when she saw his face change, Lia was so sure Raphael bought her acting in the end.

He pursed his lips," I had to admit it, you almost fooled me but then I've always been a sharp vampire.."

Of course, he just taught her that. Lia swore to never get fooled again.

Raphael cupped her face, stroking it but instead of the fantastic shivers running down her spine, Lia felt goosebumps all over.

It was so surprising how feelings could change so quickly. Just this morning, she had been playing with him in bed but right now, she detected his touch- it repulsed her.

"It was quite simple" He began, "The fire in your eyes died"

"What?"

"That morning, we had been passionate about each other- "

"The very thought of it grosses me out right now" she interrupted him

"Exactly," he said, "How could someone who was lovey-dovey with me change in an instant. Yes, you did try to cover it up with your kisses but when I tried to touch you, you jumped…"

The vampire looked her straight in the eyes, his other hand coming to cup her other cheek "The night you spent with me, my Lia never jumped even when she was clearly uncomfortable with my pleasuring method "

Raphael's lips brushed against hers and just when he moved to kiss her, she tried to chomp on him with her serrated werewolf teeth but the vampire stepped back, she ait air instead.

The bastard began to laugh as he rose to his feet while gesturing a no-no sign with his finger.

"This is why I like you!" Raphael declared, "You're like a siren, beautiful and innocent at first with your sweet lovely voice as you lure unsuspecting mariners to their death, cheers to you"

Shit, Lia cursed over her failed plan.

"What do you intend to achieve with this?"

"Nothing much, just want to have you back"

"In your dreams Raphael." She spat at him, "Once I'm out of this, you're head will be the first thing I would come for"

"Have you forgotten, this is Asher's body" He reminded her," If you destroy it, he would have nothing to return to"

Lia snorted mockingly, "Nice try, Raphael. But you seem to have? forgotten, if you could invade his body, I'll just find a much better body, he could occupy" She added," I bet Sabrina would do a good job on that "

"Really?" Raphael was amused,

"Then I'll have you know that Sabrina was the one who did the soul exchange, she betrayed Asher"

Lia paled, "You're lying, you're just trying to pit me against her. And how would she do such a thing when she has no powers?"

"Love, trust me when I tell you she's been lying to you guys all along. She never lost her powers, I helped her keep it that night" Raphael finally disclosed.

"No way, you're lying. Sabrina would never-"

"Oh yes, she wouldn't but I didn't give her a choice. The witch owed me a favor which she paid that night by exchanging our souls,"

Lia's lips quivered, she was devasted.

No wonder Raphael was able to defeat Asher that easily, it was because her mate was unable to predict that one of his people would betray him.

"But you don't have to be angry, I've finished her off already?"

" What? You killed her?!"

"What are you so shocked, she betrayed you guys and I couldn't leave such a liability alive, so away she goes"

"You're a psychopath" Lia spat.

"No, I'm not " he denied, " I just have big dreams that need no distraction" he came near her but not as close as earlier.

"You can join me too. You don't know how much power you wield, Lia. You just need to unlock your potential and drop some certain dead weights and together, even the council would be no match for us?"

He took calculated steps towards her, "What do you say, Lia? Will you take my hand or not? "

Lia stared at his hand with a conflicted expression for a minute before saying,

"I'm sorry but I'm too human to fit into your inhuman plans"

Raphael lowered his head as if disappointed, "Then I'm sorry too for doing this"

"You can come in, now"

Lia was confused when she heard that order until the door opened and a woman walked in.

Oh crap, a witch. She recognized her by the numerous unique markings on her body.

"Take away her memories from that moment she knew it was me"

"I'm sorry but I'm not going to let you do that," Lia told him and before Raphael knew it, her eyes shifted to yellow.

Her voice was deep and ominous, becoming one with Lolli's as she said, "You might have locked my powers but I'm a hybrid, you never took my strength"

At once one of the chains was yanked out of the wall with remarkable strength.

"Do it now!" Raphael yelled at the witch as she released the second bind.

The witch began to chant her spell while Raphael tried to attack her but he wasn't Lia's target, the witch was.

She hit him with the chains still fastened to her wrists with a tremendous force and dived at the witch.

Just a few meters from reaching her, the stubborn Raphael vamp sped and blocked her. He hugged her, taking the brunt of her talons digging into him instead of the witch just as she finished casting her spell.

Lia's world went blank and she slumped against Raphael who hoisted her up in his arms and carried her to the bed, placing her gently on it.

"You said you would release my daughter already" The Witch grumbled.

"Your daughter is with my father and will return to you once I'm done here," Raphael said and threw a blood bag to her which she caught.

" What?"

"I need Odin in that, enough to put her wolf to sleep" He ordered.

The witch was shocked," Odin of that quantity would have a tremendously negative effect on her" she protested.

"Do as I say or you would never see your daughter again!"