Ash(55)

Blake shrugged. “I’m not sure if it came from Ryder or the Quorum. Apparently they don’t know if you’re fertile.”

And just like that my dreams went up in flames. I was seriously pathetic, thinking Ryder told every guy to stay away from me so he could have me. Jesus. Jayden squeezed my hand in BFF solidarity.

I changed the subject. “So … what’s the word from Lucas?”

Blake ran a hand through his perfect curls. “Lucas said to stay put for now, and that if stuff heats up any more there will be an exit plan in place. He said you would know what that meant.”

Shit. So if the Quorum wanted to kill me, Lucas would be helping me run away from the Hive. I sighed.

“Yep. I understand. Thanks.”

Blake gave me a long glance. “Tessa misses you and she has asked me to get permission from the Quorum to change her into a vampire. I’m considering it.” Then he turned on his heels and left.

As the door slammed, I was knocked out of my shock. Okay, now I was back to hating him again. Tessa would be turned over my dead body. Seriously, what else could go wrong today?

Jayden’s comforting arm around my shoulders did very little to ease my pain. He gave me a tight squeeze, and I realized silent laughter was shaking him.

“Oh my God, when he said Ryder told all the guys to leave you alone, you should have seen your face. You were like an orphaned puppy that finally found a family.”

What? I totally had not – okay, I must have looked a bit pathetic. I tried my best to glare at him, but his amused expression was ridiculous. Asshole. Finally I busted out laughing too, until tears ran down my face and my stomach ached. It was a nice stress reliever, that was for sure.



Seven hours, three games of Scrabble, thirteen magazines, a thousand YouTube videos, and fifty-seven emails to Tessa later, there was a knock at the door. I bolted upright from my position sprawled on the couch, my head darting to the side to meet Jayden’s gaze. Was this the results? Early?

I pulled myself up, brushing off the crumbs from my many snacks, before crossing the room confidently. When I was a foot from the door, I smelled the familiar spicy scent. Ryder.

Opening the door, he was alone. My eyes ran over his tan smooth neck and the memory of biting him floated into my mind. I pushed that aside.

“Hey, come in.” I stepped aside and Ryder entered the apartment. I turned to see Jayden had gone into his room. Sigh. If only there was a reason for him to leave us in private.

“The Quorum sent me.” He was less relaxed than usual, his posture stiff and his features cold.

I planted my feet, hands on hips. “If you’re going to give me news from the Quorum, I would rather hear it from a friend, not the military enforcer ash you’re pulling right now.”

The words slipped out before I could censor them and I regretted them immediately. Why was I all of sudden taking my sexual frustrations out on him?

Still, something I said worked. His face softened just a little, and concern lined his eyes. His hand shifted at his side, as if he were reaching out for me, but then thought differently, stuffing it back in his pocket. “You’re right, I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

Guys were so dense sometimes. I really wanted to smack him upside the head, or kiss him. Maybe both.

“Just tell me.” I was the cold one now, pushing off his concern. Ryder and I were never going to sort our shit out. The timing just never seemed right.

He must have sensed my mood, and decided to just get to the point. “Your blood work showed that you do not have the DNA of an ash or a vampire. That has them in a total scientific mind-freak. But the blood was diluted and mixed, so you look to be about as close as I am to an Original. Nothing to kill over.” He smiled.

I returned the smile. “Did you just say ‘scientific mind-freak.’ Oh my God, have I ever heard you cuss?”

Ryder stared at me. “Believe it or not, I’m a gentleman. I don’t like cussing.”

My mouth dropped open; laughter bubbled up inside of me and I grabbed his arm. “Oh my God, delicious Ryder, token ash, killer and enforcer, doesn’t say ‘fuck?’”

He looked at my lips briefly before resting on my eyes. “Delicious?”

I decided hard-to-get was a good play right about now. “Jayden’s words, not mine.”

Ryder nodded. “I figured. You’re free to leave your apartment and go anywhere within the Hive grounds.”

He turned to leave. What, just within the grounds? Damn, that meant no more human field trips, no more Tessa.

“Ryder…” I reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him back around to face me. His body was inches from mine.

I was going to take a risk. If one of us didn’t, we would always exist in this in-between place. I felt something between us, and sometimes I thought he did too.