Ash(54)

“He did that growly, sexy-as-sin thing, then took off just after you were escorted out by the Night of the Living Dead crew. He hasn’t come back yet.”

I could tell by the way Jayden had me pinned with his dark eyes, and the hand on my shoulder, that he was not letting me leave until I told him everything. I just had to hope this knowledge wouldn’t come back to bite him.

“They did some tests when I first turned, trying to figure out how the hell there was a female ash. Apparently they had some odd results. They believe my father was an Original.”

I had just thrown it out there, and Jayden was surprisingly calm about it. So either he didn’t know the stories or he wasn’t worried. Maybe it wasn’t a big deal. His perfectly shaped brows drew together as he seemed to contemplate my words further. “Closely descended from an Original is not a huge deal, but sired directly is … I thought all the Originals were dead.”

He was starting to understand now, understand the trouble I was in.

“What else was wrong with your blood, Charlie?”

I swallowed loudly, working hard to try and clear the lump in my throat so I could talk. “I wasn’t showing the standard blood work of an ash, and yet it wasn’t vampire blood either. The lab technician was confused, said she was going to run more tests, but I haven’t heard from her or Lucas since then.”

Lucas or Ryder, I needed one of those big bastards. Someone needed to tell me what level of freak-the-fuck-out I needed to be having.

Jayden rubbed a hand over his eyes, looking confused. “So if you’re not an ash or vamp, what the hell are you?”

I pulled myself from his grip and began to pace the room. “I have no idea. What is there beside ash or vampire? I’m definitely not human.”

Jayden fluttered those crazy long lashes. “I wouldn’t worry about that right now. Let’s deal with problem number one – you being a direct descendant of an Original. The Originals were all murdered for fear of them being too powerful.”

I stopped and looked up at him. “So … if they find out?”

Anger began rise up in me. I did not just fight my way through the culling to be killed by some old-ass Quorum bitches. Jayden got to his feet, crossed the room and grabbed my hand.

“Then we run. I don’t have a family anymore. Never really did. You’re my family now. I will go with you and we will figure it out.”

Emotion tightened my throat. It was a sweet offer. It wasn’t logical or practical, of course. We wouldn’t be able to get jobs because of what we were. And no jobs meant no food, no blood, and no place to call home. Still, I really appreciated his loyalty. A light tap came at the door. I moved instantly, hoping like hell it was Lucas or Ryder. As I flung open the door I was shocked to see Blake, Tessa’s feeder boyfriend.

“Umm, it’s not a good time,” I told him.

Ignoring this, he pushed past me and shut the door behind him. Umm, excuse me? “Come right on in,” I muttered.

“Lucas sent me,” he said quietly. Okay, in that case I would tolerate his presence.

“Does he have a message for me?” I urged in my most hurried voice, whispers of bitchy leaking through – this vamp asshole was chomping on my best friend. I wasn’t a fan of him.

Blake glared at me, which looked odd on his pretty, cherub face. “I love Tessa, you don’t have to worry about me hurting her.”

A sound left my voice, somewhere between a snarl and a gag. “You love her? Please, you barely know her.”

He stepped closer to me, eyes fierce, jaw set. “You’re her best friend, so I know it’s your job to worry about her, and I will take whatever you dish out. But I want her and I will fight for her.”

Well shit. Maybe I was letting some of my frustration over the whole Ryder thing bleed across to Tessa and Blake. Sure, I was annoyed that she was with a vampire, but that declaration was pretty damn perfect. Even Jayden had tears in his eyes.

I sighed. “You better look after her, Blake, or I am going to cut your dick off and feed it to you.” He blanched at my threat. I meant every word of it too. “I must be the only one in this hive that’s single. Can a girl get some action?” I told the room.

Blake, already recovered, was back to wearing his cocky grin. “I’m sure you would be getting action if Ryder hadn’t told every guy in the Hive to stay away from you.”

My heart jackhammered in my chest. “Wha ... wait, what? He said that? To who? Why? When?”

I will kill that asshole. He couldn’t just reject me and still make a declaration like that. Who did he think he was? Jayden had walked closer and was hanging on Blake’s every word.