Tomorrow. That was when Goliath had promised Dane would “sort out this mess”. What he meant by that wasn’t worth thinking about. But thoughts of my future were invading my thoughts, bombarding my brain with their unpleasantness. The slender minute hand swept around Ashley’s clock to the large X and the sun rose higher in the sky, visible from the slice of window not concealed by the heavy curtain. Would this be my last day in this house? Would this be my last day with Ashley?
“Ashley?” I questioned, pulling away from his chest.
He stared down at me, trying to force himself to smile. The darker pieces of his hair were brushing against his cheekbone and he was staring at me with an unnerving intensity. I blushed and focused my gaze on the greenness of his eyes. I was torn into two conflicting pieces. Half of me wanted to run away from him, take myself away from his penetrating gaze because what Goliath had said was true. We weren’t meant to be together. He was half vampire. Our visit to Jackson Placely had proven that much. But the other half of me wanted to enjoy this day, this day that I was swiftly coming to realise would be our last together. I wanted to make him reveal his secrets, wipe off that mysterious mask.
“What’s going to happen to me?”
I sounded smaller than I had done in so long. The facade of bravery I’d put on months ago when my grandmother had died was slipping. Things were tumbling around me, the walls seemed to move as Goliath’s words struck home. He knew about me and Ashley, he knew about our relationship...if you could even call what we had a relationship. And his knowledge of this was fatal.
There were fourteen hours remaining until midnight. Somehow, in my mind, that was when Dane would do his work. Would he murder me? Or merely take me far away from here and leave me to starve. What would he do to Ashley?
Ashley shook his head, seeming not to hear my question. His hands still held my waist but his eyes were on the partially concealed window, staring at Joe with a calculated look in his eyes.
“Do you think there’s any chance of us getting away from here by car?” Ashley asked.
I followed Ashley’s gaze out of the window. Joe was evidently finished with his work and occupied with wiping his hands on his shirt. Little puffs of condensation left his mouth and floated into the weak sunlit sky. The faint crunching of gravel sounded as Joe turned his back on the cars.
“I could try and persuade Joe to change the locks back. But...”
“But what?” he asked.
“Are you sure that you want to leave?” I looked at the ground. “Maybe, maybe it would be better for you if you didn’t.”
“What are you talking about?” Ashley asked, looking as though I’d physically hit him. “Of course I want to leave. If we don’t you’ll die! What do you think my father meant when he promised to ‘sort out this mess’?”
“I know what he meant. But if we’re caught trying to escape you’ll be in danger too. You’ll be a- what’s the word you used- a liability as well.”
Ashley shook his head, the corner of his mouth turning up into a sad smile.
“You don’t understand, Elizabeth. Do you really not see how I feel?”
“How do you feel?”
Was I finally going to see behind the mystery? There had always been that faint boundary between us, I just hadn’t noticed it this clearly before. He always seemed to have a secret, something caged up inside him that I wasn’t allowed to know. I’d always assumed that I’d have time to break past his barriers. But now that we were running out of time he was about to grant me entrance into his mind.
“You don’t see that there’s no point in me being safe if you’re not with me? There’s no way that I’d stand by and wait for you to die.” He paused and drew his eyes to my face. “I tell myself that if I could go back in time, I’d stop my father from going to your village with the other vampires. I tell myself that I’d prevent the murder of your village, of your poor Grandmother. But the truth is, Elizabeth, I don’t know if I could. You’re the best thing that’s come into my life and I can’t imagine living without you beside me.”
I smiled, burying my face into his neck. Whatever Goliath had said about being unable to love someone not your equal didn’t apply to us. How could it when I was in love with Ashley? How could it when he seemed to feel the same way?
“Elizabeth, I love everything about you. I love how I can tell what you’re thinking by one look but yet you still continue to surprise me. I can’t believe how easily you treat me like I’m a human, like we’re equals when you have so much less sin than me. I even love your crazy moments of defiance.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, still breathing then in the soft scent of his neck. His words washed over me and formed a tight ball of happiness in my chest. With his arms around me, his thumbs moving in circular motions, I could almost forget the dangers that were lingering around the corner.
“Now would be the perfect time, the only time, to tell you...” Ashley started but a loud crashing exploded from outside the door.
Both of our heads snapped around and Ashley moved, almost sub-consciously, in front of me. I held my breath, trying to quell the icy flames of fear that had leapt into my chest. I gripped Ashley’s forearm and, feeling the pulse in his wrist, tried to calm myself.
“Eesh, I’m sorry Olive. I didn’t see you there, you know, because you’re so small.” A voice that sounded as though it was keeping in a smile said. “And also because I didn’t expect you to be...on the floor.”
I felt Ashley relax beneath my touch. I too exhaled at the sound of Joe’s voice.
“No, it’s okay Joe. I’m... I’m fine.” Olive’s timid voice replied and the sound of her gentle, doe-like steps retreated.
The door swung open and Joe entered, looking both comfortable but worried at the same time. His eyes caught mine immediately, taking in Ashley’s protective stance.
“Oh, you guys heard that?”
“Erm,” I started, not knowing how to respond to this intrusion. “What was Olive doing on the floor?”
Ashley quirked an eyebrow at us both and walked over to the wardrobe, yanking a shirt over his head.
“I dunno. You can’t deny that Olive’s a bit weird. She was just sitting on the floor, you know, looking kind of depressed. I would have seen her but I was in a rush to come see you.”
“Yeah, why are you here?” I voiced the question I’d wanted to ask since he’d opened the door.
“No need to sound that ecstatic to see me.” Joe smiled. “But God, Lizzy, what have you done?”
“What do you mean?”
“Or, more precisely, what has Vampire boy done?”
Ashley laughed, joining in our interaction for the first time. Joe looked at Ashley but there was none of the usual hostility.
“Goliath’s gone crazy. He made me change the locks on the car so you can’t drive. You’re not thinking of running away to Hungary or something, are you, Vampire boy?”
“Hungary wasn’t what I had in mind, no.”
“Well, usually I wouldn’t be bothered but if you’ve done anything, anything¸ to make Goliath mad then I’d be worried, Lizzy.”Joe wasn’t smiling any more. His blue eyes were the most serious I’d ever seen them. “Because Goliath’s told me to stay up late tonight.”
I drew my eyebrows together, failing to see what he meant. Ashley realised though.
“They’re bringing in a new member of staff?”
The memory flooded back. The first view I’d had of this place, this house where I’d spent the majority of the last few months. The first human I’d ever seen had been Joe, opening the car door for me and trying to warn me of the nature of the place. His friendly face had been so welcome. And yet, he must have known as he saw me that for me to come here, I’d be replacing another maid. One of the servants must already have been killed. Now I was to be replaced.
I caught Ashley’s eyes, wanting to speak to him in private, wishing he could hold me freely without Joe’s presence. What Joe had just revealed had confirmed all of my fears. Only one question remained: When would Dane kill me?
...................................................................
Wow, I've got over 500,000 reads!! Imagine if I got to 1million!! That would be so amazing :P Well, I'd love to hear what you think of this chapter!! Thanks for supporting me guys :) x Ohhh and sorr for the 10 days it took me to upload! I've just finished a few exams :D