"Stop it, Lia, you're hurting your mother!"

Lia was struck still by that announcement. She turned around to see her mom bawling her eyes out like a little kid as blood flowed from her nose with swollen eyes and busted lips.

"Oh my God!" Lia gasped, shaking her head in disbelief "What have I done?" Had she done that to her mother? How was that possible?

Her hands shook uncontrollably, she had hurt her mother? God damnit! She had hurt her mother!

Lia turned in the direction of her mother, "Mom, I'm so sorry," the girl tried to touch her but her mother shrieked in horror once again.

"No, don't touch me! Monster! Monster!" Jenny screamed, crawling away on all fours which broke Lia's heart.

The anger refueled her veins once again. Lia sprang on Raphael, grabbed him by the collar, pulled back her hand, prepared to punch the daylight out of him when he reminded her with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Ah, ah, anything you do to me, affects your mother too, we're connected."

He drew closer to her, "You of all people should know that Vampires heal rapidly but humans don't," Raphael purposely looked in the direction of her mother.

Lia's chest lifted with anger, she wanted so much to just …" Aah!!" She screamed in an emotional outburst, stomping the ground and punching the air, imagining it was his god damned face.

The problem?

Lia didn't know which imaginary face to puncture. The real Asher was bearing his face while this son of a biscuit was wearing Asher's face, which was she going to smack?!

"What did you do to my mother, I won't ask you a second time?" Lia demanded.

It was obvious that Raphael had exposed their existence to her mother. The woman probably didn't believe him until he showed her evidence that scared the life out of her.

But what Lia couldn't understand was Raphael's weird connection to her mother? They weren't mates because she has never seen one that took on the assault of the other.

Even when either of her mates was in danger, she just felt it, not experience the pain itself as to what she was seeing with Raphael and her mom.

Even if both turn out to be mates - which is impossible - Lia swore she would sever that bond herself.

"Raphael answer me!" She growled at him, exposing her werewolf canines threateningly.

"Nothing much," he shrugged " I just had the witch link my life with your mother's which means that any pain I feel, she does too and if I die, she dies too. How does it sound, fantastic, right?!" He exclaimed.

"You have finally lost it!" Lia spat, her eyes capturing the witch who had been staying away from the drama all this while.

"It's her, isn't it?"

"Who?"

"The witch," she tilted her head to his back.

"Yes, of course…."

Before Raphael could finish his word nor guess her intention, Lia had sped over to the witch who stood still without moving an inch, as if daring her to come at her.

The instant the hybrid tried to lacerate the witch's chest, a crippling pain sent Lia to her knees. Shit, damn witches and their spells.

"Lia!" Asher heard her agonizing screams and crossed over that wall of fire notwithstanding his scalding skin.

"Let her go!" He demanded with eyes burning fiercely which made the witch stop her attack, his mate finally breathed.

"Hi brother, come to rescue your mate- always the knight in shining armor," he taunted.

Raphael appeared right in front of him with his speed, reaching for Asher's throat but the vampire dodged him and grabbed his hand instead, intending to twist it when his good brother jolted his memory.

"You would hurt your mother-in-law remember?"

"Fuck this," Asher cursed, this was an unfair fight-which was Raphael's style.

Upon the fact his insecure brother gained his "great" ability already, he still cheated. No matter what, one can never change their nature; a trickster would always be a trickster.

Asher let go of his arm and received a powerful whack that knocked him against a tree.

"That hurts," Asher groaned, pulling away from the tree and stretching his waist.

However, Raphael was upon him in the twinkle of an eye, raining blows on him till his face was a bloody pulp.

"It feels good to see you being the one on the receiving end," Raphael was smug.

"Coward," Asher expelled his bloody saliva on his face.

Angered, Raphael tried to drive another blow that would have smashed Asher's head into the tree bark but the smart vampire slipped away on time.

With all his strength, Asher vamp sped around Raphael in circles while duplicating. Each copy carried on with his action till there were ten versions of him surrendering his brother.

At the moment, Asher had to be on the defensive instead of offensive. He couldn't hurt his brother since he was still connected to Jenny.

Raphael could heal easily but her mate's mother wouldn't and what might seem like a small wound to his brother might carelessly lead to Jenny's death.

Asher knew Lia would not blame him if such a thing were to happen - she understood the risk involved - but he would not push his luck here. His mate still needed his mother.

"Nice trick," Raphael smirked.

However, Asher's mouth dropped open when his brother easily told him apart from his copies.

"Surprised?" Raphael's eyes twinkled as he lifted Asher off the ground, "Have you forgotten that was once my ability, I could detect the real you with just a glance," his grip tightened.

"Sorry mom," someone said and the next Raphael felt a pain in his stomach.

"Lia," he guessed correctly.

"Don't you dare touch him," She came to stand protectively in front of Asher," I would not let you," her voice was firm

"Watch me," He smirked, taking a step forward but Lia raised a forcefield around her and Asher.

She knew this wouldn't do much but she was stalling, buying enough time for Sabrina to arrive. If that link was created by a witch, it must be undone by a witch too. Lia bet Sabrina could handle that - if she doesn't betray them again.

"Are you okay?" She looked down at her mate in concern.

"I'm good now," Asher rose to his feet.

"This is boring," Raphael scratched the side of his head before ordering her,

"Bring down the barrier, Lia"

"You're crazy," Lia told him. She wondered how Asher was able to live with this psychopath all this while. Not to talk of the fact he had touched in the guise of being Asher.

Thinking about it made her feel bugs crawling on her skin. After all this was over, she would ask Sabrina to erase that part of her memory for eternity.

"Fine," He sighed in boredom, "I promise not to touch your loverboy, "

She snorted," Who are you trying to fool? Do you think I was born this morning?"

"Lia," He purred seductively which made all the hairs on her back stand on edge. Raphael was disgusting.

"All I want is you," He placed his hand against the barrier but he wasn't let in, "I'll spare Asher once you agree to be with me"

They were so close to each other that with a reach of his hand Raphael could easily pull her out. Sadly for him, it didn't work that way. Unless he could phase, there was no one he would penetrate through that shield.

"If I agree to be with you, would you return Asher's body?" She tested him.

"No," was his reply, "You love this face so I'll keep it for you to admire all through your life. Once you agree to be mine, Lia, I'll just have the witch tinker your memory a bit and this face would remain as Raphael to you instead of Asher. What do you say?" Raphael offered.

"You're a psycho," she declared.

Raphael shook his head, laughing, "If you know what you are, Lia, you'd understand that Asher is not even worthy to glance your way, not to talk of possessing you!" He roared.

Lia lifted her head, "Quite funny, you talk as if you know what I am," she was amused.

"Oh yes, Lia. I know what you are and more. Do you know the fun fact? You could have more mates if you want to," he smiled at her.

Lia felt Asher's arm tighten around her waist but that didn't stop her from thinking about what Raphael said. She could have more mates? How was that possible? Wasn't Asher and Daniel the only two destined for her? Her head swarmed with questions yet there was limited answer.

"You're bluffing! You're saying all these to lower my guard so I could bring down my force field and then you could kill Asher. But you got the wrong person, that's not going to happen-not in my watch"

Raphael clapped his hands thrice in a row, "Really? Then how about I reveal another fun fact"

He rubbed his jaw "How do you feel knowing that Ben is your human mate?"

"I am?"