Worthless (Unedited Version)

Chapter 14

~Asher's POV~

The first thing I noticed was an absence. I couldn't say what was gone, but it had given me warmth and security. Without it, the cold seeped into my aching limbs. I felt my mind recoil, not wanting to wake up. I knew pain waited.

But I couldn't avoid it.

Luckily, the pain wasn't mind numbing like before. It was a dull ache, seeming to emit from every part of my body. My breaths came in puffs as I tried to remember how to move.

With difficulty, I willed my eyes to open. I squinted past the grit that caked my lashes. I reached up to rub it away and stared at the pink flesh that appeared.

It shocked me, to say the least. I couldn't pinpoint the reason why, but I knew it was unusual. It felt... not wrong, but... different to see a hand there, a trembling one at that.

Shaking away the thought I tested my body, slowly waking up my limbs. My muscles tingled and began to twitch as blood began to work its way back into my limbs, warming them up along the way. When I felt like I had a decent control over my body I decided to make an attempt at getting up.

Inch by inch I scooted until I felt the edge of the bed. With a grunt I rolled off, landing on the cold, hardwood ground. I ignored the pain and got on my hands and knees, pushing myself up. I lurched as blackness crept at the edge of my mind, falling back down to the floor as I dry heaved. Over and over my body convulsed, but my stomach was already empty. Sweat accumulated as I stood, wobbling in place. Fearing another episode of dry heaving, my steps were hesitant.

Once I was confident that I could handle the movements, I made my way to the door that led out of the bedroom, though I didn't know where this information came from. A cover wrapped around my body to keep warm, trailing behind me.

I took it slow. There were many different scents and, though I couldn't remember who they belonged to, I felt at ease. Casually I walked down the dark hallway, following a heavenly scent that I knew would lead me to the source of my earlier warmth.

My first challenge was a staircase. Not trusting myself, I stiffly lowered myself onto the top step, meaning to scoot down on my bottom.

Step by painful step my butt thumped down until I was finally at the bottom. I took my time getting up, listening to each bone as it popped in protest. I'd almost lost my balance, arms flailing as I tried to steady myself. Heart pounding, I looked around when I was finally able to stand straight. 

The scent was stronger now. I could almost see the trail as I stumbled my way down the hallway. 

There was a light, flowing out of a doorway and lighting the hallway. 

I quickened my pace, knowing that what I was looking for, what I needed, was right there. I stood at the doorway, seeing that two people were there, one leaning against a counter while the other sat on a bar stool. 

The conversation died and I watched as the man sitting tensed. It felt like an eternity until he turned his head. My gaze locked with his and I knew. He was what I was looking for.

My feet were moving before I could even process it.

***

~Kade's POV~

I had sat next to the bed for what seemed like forever, but in reality, it was only about four days. 

I would have waited forever, but Rory ordered me to get something to eat. He said that it wasn't right and what would Asher think when he woke up to it?  And he was right. I couldn't starve myself in some sort of punishment I felt I deserved.