Taking What's His

Chapter Ten

{ Ashton's POV }

"She's not doing any better, is she?" I asked quietly as Ruby appeared by my side. Delilah's room was at the back of the house, and her window faced the light cluster of trees that made up a small woodland area. We had settled ourselves in those trees overnight, keeping watch over her, and watching out for Cyril. Ruby shook her head. "Why are you even going to school?" I scowled, my foot slamming into the giant oak next to me and causing the tree to shudder. "Because I need to feed, and she doesn't feel comfortable with me being around since she knows I can get in." she answered quietly, for once subdued. I grumbled under my breath and waved her away, and she quickly disappeared.

With every wretched sob I had heard escape from Delilah's mouth only strengthened my resolve to tear Cyril limb from limb. He made us out to be the monsters--no. We are monsters. I expected Delilah to react rashly when I did finally reveal myself to her, but I had hoped that she could be reasoned with. Cyril had portrayed us in an even darker light then I imagined... I couldn't even fathom what he told her about us. What he said to make her so fearful. She had the right reaction; most people would freak if they found out vampires were real. But Delilah's reaction was different. I could feel her emotions through my bond with Ruby, and it had been more than just fear.

So many emotions were mixed together--fear, rage, vulnerability, an overwhelming sadness...and a strange understanding. It confused me. I wanted to talk to her--I wanted to unravel her secrets, to find out what made her feel such things, but I couldn't. She wouldn't even talk with Ruby, who had been much closer to her than I had been. The colour red clouded my vision as I once again imagined all the bloody things I would do to Cyril once I got my hands on him.

My fist clenched and I punched the closest tree to me, causing the birds that nested in it to fly up in a raging panic. My head whipped around to Delilah's window. She stood there, and even from where I was on the ground I could see the shock written plainly on her face. Her eyes were red from crying all night, and large purple bags rested under them from her lack of sleep. Her golden hair was matted against pale cheeks and hung limp down her back. It looked as if last night had aged her a few years, and at the sight I felt a twinge in my chest. I moved out of the shadow of the trees so that she could see me clearly.

Tears gathered in the corners of her viridescent eyes as she glared at me. Her teeth took a rosè lip between them, biting it harshly as she turned away and stalked out of her room. I let out an agitated sigh and climbed up into a tree, positioning myself so that I was level with her window. I could hear each gentle breath she took as she moved around her house. She headed towards the kitchen, and I was glad that she was at least eating. I could faintly catch the scent of tea coming from her house, and I vaguely remembered when that scent was the most prominent in London during the Victorian era.

I never really cared for tea, but it always seemed to calm women down, especially hysterical ones, so I didn't vouch against it. The sound of a door opening caught my attention, and I watched as an elderly woman from the house next to Delilah's--Ruth Barrymore I believe her name was, got into her car and drove off. I studied the exterior of the house from my perch, moving through the trees so that I could get a full view of it. These three houses were nestled in a small grove, and I briefly wondered what the person who built them away from all the other town houses had been thinking. A semi-circle of trees kept the houses halfway hidden, and one would have to drive about a mile up the street either way to get to the next house.

It was a perfect place for Ruby to settle--she didn't need to be smack in the middle of town where all prying eyes could watch her. Ruth was old, and she wanted to be away from others, so I see why it was an ideal location for her. It would be even more of an ideal location for me to settle, instead of the large house I owned way out on the outskirts of town. And I would be closer to Delilah. The thought itself seemed to warmed my skin, and a plan to relocate Ruth instantly formed in my mind. It would have to be carried out once Ruby returned and took over watch.