Hellfire - The Awakening (Complete)

Chapter Ten *

It had taken a while for me to get to sleep but it was inevitable. Thoughts of the rogues, the history of the Schwarz family and Carnelian's story all swarmed my mind making it impossible for me to relax.

Eventually I managed to fall into a thankfully dreamless sleep and didn't wake until I hear a knock at my door. I groaned as I got up expecting it to be Ash, it was always Ash who bothered me first thing in a morning. I briefly contemplated ignoring the door but the knocking persisted and so I reluctantly got up and opened the door to see...Masquerade.

She looked tired, her face was even paler than usual and her hair was bunched up on the top of her head. She was dressed down in plain leggings, boots and a long baggy jumper and her eyes were shadowed by bags and amber coloured revealing that she needed to feed.

“Hey are you okay?”I asked worriedly.

She stared blankly at me and I gently guided her into my room and shut the door.

She didn't fight me and I frowned, every time I had seen Masquerade she was bouncy and bubbly yet in this moment her confidence and light-hearted smile were absent. I felt a pang in my chest, what could have happened to affect her like this?

“Masquerade? You're worrying me,what's happened?” I asked nervously.

“Ebony, do you truly care for me and think of me as a sister?” Masquerade asked suddenly taking me by surprise.

I nodded, despite my initial hatred for vampires, the Schwarz coven had welcomed me,especially Masquerade. Her bubbly personality never failed to make me smile, she'd accepted me into her life and had never once let me feel like an outsider.

“Of course I do, you've been a great friend to me, please tell me what is wrong so I can try to help,” I pleaded.

“Its Ash...I know that he likes you and that he kissed you last night. I guess I came here to find out how you feel about him,” said Masquerade her voice wavering.

I grit my teeth in anger, how could Ash have been stupid enough to tell Masquerade that he'd kissed me? Was it my fault? Had I unintentionally led him on?

“You're all he ever talks about, I care about him so much that it hurts yet all he ever wants to do is to discuss you, I may as well be invisible!” Masquerade exclaimed her voice rising.

I sighed, I knew that Masquerade wasn't actually angry at me but was channelling her pain into anger.

“I really don't want a boyfriend at the moment,” I said calmly.

“So you don't like him that way?” Masquerade asked in surprise.

I paused, did I like Ash that way?I tried to imagine myself kissing him, holding him,telling him my secrets and then I imagined myself doing the same with Cinder. When I really thought about it, I knew that it was Cinder who I truly wanted to be with despite my gratitude to Ash for helping me settle in.

“No I don't,” I replied firmly.

Masquerade sighed in relief and a single tear trickled down her face, “Thank God, what do I say to him now?” She asked.

“You tell him how you feel,it's scary and it might not end well but it's not fair for him to treat you like this,” I answered honestly.

“I won't ask you not to speak to him but can you let him know that you're not interested?” Masquerade asked tentatively.

I hugged her, “Of course, now go and tell him how you feel,” I ordered.

She smiled and nodded, “I will, but first I have to change he can't see me like this!” She exclaimed horrified.