Page 71 of Last Resort

Asel blinked and laughed. “Yeah. I was.”

Win asked something quietly. “Did you see any of the others in your prison?”

“A few. We talked when we could, and when we got out, we weren’t... good. So, we used the wake of Poppy’s energy and pulled ourselves back the two years and stumbled to a hospital. What we didn’t realize was that the energy drain would continue while we were out. So, Honey and I had a farmhouse, and all of us holed up there while Honey made money to bring home the groceries.”

Win looked at Honey, “So when we asked you to help...”

“I was ready. I knew what that moment meant. It was life or death for them.” Honey chuckled. “This stubborn twat wouldn’t let me give her any of my strength.”

“You needed it for work.” Asel nudged her with an elbow.

Win took a deep breath. “Do you know a Lydia?”

Asel smiled slowly. “I do. She makes an amazing peach cobbler.”

Win had tears in her eyes. “Can you tell me where she is? Her children and husband miss her.”

Asel nodded. “Give me your phone. When you are back, call me, and I will tell you where to find us.”

“I thought it was weird not to find anyone over forty.”

“After we aren’t fuckable, they put us in the battery. There were four of us. Only one of us was in the older age range.”

Win and the others stared, but Honey explained with a grin. “She bites. A lot.”

Asel smirked. “Surprise.”

Breen chuckled. “I would expect nothing less.”

Poppy asked, “Why?”

“Because of what I can see when I look at her. Her mates are vicious. It is unsurprising that she matches them.”

“Aw, no wonder you are keeping him. He’s a sweet talker.”

Honey chuckled.

Win handed her phone over, and Asel put her number in. “When you get home, call me. I will arrange a meetup. Her kids are Lykon and Lyric, right? Husband is Axel?”

Win grinned. “That is correct. She talked about them.”

“Non-stop.”

Win bit her lip. “May I touch you? The actual you?”

“Okay, but I am going to scare the locals.”

Win smiled. “Go ahead.”

Asel nodded and let the illusion drop. The Elite nearby gasped.

Poppy could see every bone, every tendon. Asel looked a step from death.

Win smiled. “I can work with this.”

Poppy watched as Win touched Asel’s arm and hand, and the woman gradually fleshed out, taking on the curves that matched her sister, and a diamond mark formed just below her collarbone. Another mark was a peak that covered her forehead and rested just between her eyes. The mark was made of dark gold, the diamond formed into glittering black, and her ears twitched.

Honey had tears in her eyes. “Oh, Asel, you are back.”

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