Ash(56)

“Why are you helping me?”

He was quiet so long I was afraid he wouldn’t answer. His jaw clenched as he seemed to be battling something I couldn’t see. Just when I was going to speak again, he muttered, “Many reasons, Charlie, so many. But for now, let’s just say that it’s my job.”

Then he turned and strode away from me. Okay, that was it. I had given this guy too many opportunities to stake a claim. Time to move on. I slammed the door harder than I should have for someone at my maturity level. Whatever. I turned to go sulk in my bedroom when he knocked again. Oh yeah, asshole, come say sorry after that? I don’t think so.

I opened the door. “Screw off!”

Shit! Lucas was standing there, dressed in his whites. Luckily my verbal attack didn’t faze him.

“Having a rough day, Charlene?”

I chuckled. “You could say that.” I waved him inside.

He entered the apartment, exuding that air of sophistication he always wore. I couldn’t hook up with a vampire, could I? I scanned Lucas and decided no, he gave off too many dad-vibes. But I wouldn’t tell him that, because I was pretty sure the only reason he was helping me was that I reminded him of his late wife.

“I’m in the clear. Ryder just told me.”

Lucas nodded. “Yes, I would have been here much earlier if that had not been the case. I have some other news from my own private blood results.”

Oh. I sat down. Something told me this wouldn’t be good and I wanted my butt firmly planted for any more news today.

Lucas sat across from me. “I’m not very good with this type of information.”

“Just tell me.” I was in full freak-out mode now. Was I a new race? Holy gods … was I dying?

“You can’t have children,” he stated in a sympathetic tone. His eyes were a swirl of emotions and I wondered if he was thinking about his own long lost children right then.

I blinked a few times. At no point had I expected him to say that. “Okay, well … shit. Is that the big news? I thought I had vampire cancer.”

A smile replaced his sympathetic frown. “No, I just wanted to tell you that you’re infertile like the male ash and the female vampires, in case that is something you would like to know for future relationships.”

I was still confused about why they were even checking my fertility? I supposed it was just because I was an unknown ash, and reproducing for our kind was against the law. Lucas gracefully changed the subject. “There’s more. My lab technician also thought she saw some sort of immune response to the virus in your blood. This is not her expertise of course, but still, worth us looking into for the future.”

I recoiled, confused. “An immune response? What does that even mean?”

Lucas’s expression was all serious. “Like you were fighting it.”

My mouth dropped open. “Okay.” I put both hands up. “Enough crazy for today. I have reached my limit. Maybe tomorrow.” I stood and Lucas followed my action. The serious look never left his face. “Charlie, if this gets out…”

“Lucas.” My voice was clipped. “I literally can’t take one more damned thing. I’m done.”

I had the strongest urge to hurt him, to unleash this pent up anger I had at the Hive. I was being pushed backed into a corner and I had an instinct that said Fight your way out.

Lucas nodded understandingly. “You know where to find me,” he said, and left.

I shut the door and let my head rest against it. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks. I wanted my mom. I had been doing way too much adulting in the past month. I didn’t ask for this life. I would give it back in a heartbeat. But it appeared I was stuck with these freaks.





Chapter 8




Sometimes, when life gets really shitty, your best bet is to live in denial. That’s exactly what I had been doing for the past week. I didn’t even think about my special unicorn blood, I ignored the glances Ryder sent my way, and pushed off Jayden’s comments asking if I was okay. Denial. It was better than reality.

Sitting at my computer desk in the comms room, I was ready to fall asleep if something didn’t happen soon.

When the phone rang, I was actually excited to talk to someone, even if it was usually a panicking human thinking their dog had somehow gotten the vamp virus and was about to slaughter their entire family.

“Hive hotline, this is Charlie.”

At first all I heard was screaming in the background. Then: “My son – he’s not well. I think … he’s an ash.”

I sat bolt upright. I hadn’t had one of these calls yet – a newly turned ash. I looked around and saw that I was alone. Shit! Usually one of the enforcers was lingering around, but today they seemed to be MIA.