The Human and Vampire War changed the United States forever. Vampires have won rights-but they're second class citizens.
A growing evil is inside Ren Cornelli. Each day that passes, he becomes more blood thirsty. It's only a matter of time before he...
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Ren sat there for only a few seconds. That was all the time he could afford to himself. Ashton's ragged breathing kept interrupting his thoughts and he couldn't help it when he gazed at Ashton's face. This would be so much better if he didn't care about anything. It would be so much better if he was a heartless bastard that could see someone die right in front of him.
But maybe even if he didn't care, he would do the same as he was going to do. Surely, even if he was heartless, he would still care about his own life.
In those few seconds, Ren made himself more confused.
Just do it. Don't think about it.
It was the small push that he needed.
He leaned over Ashton. He avoided his eyes, staring at the lobe of Ashton's ear.
"What..." Ashton's breath had gotten even more ragged. Ren could hear how the air was being sucked in slowly and then being wheezed out.
He couldn't look Ashton in the eyes for this. It was bad enough that he had to do it, to offer himself up like this.
"Bite me."
He couldn't believe he said it.
Ashton was dumbfounded. "I—"
"I can't help you. I don't know what to do. Just...please."
He didn't want to say the rest that was on his mind. It was too much. He couldn't let Ashton know that he could let Ashton die on is conscious. He couldn't deal with it. And though Ren would surely die soon after, he knew that those few moments before he finally went out would be the most agonizing.
Ashton touched Ren's neck with the tips of his fingers. It was a faint ghosting that sent shivers down Ren's spine. He kept his eyes closed, trying to think of others things to get rid of the rising butterflies in his stomach. It wasn't working. He thought of death, the Hunters, and how his life was never going to be the same. The feeling in his body was too strong though. It didn't matter what he thought about. The way Ashton made him feel drowned out everything else.
Ashton placed his whole hand on the base of Ren's neck. It grounded Ren, pulling him away from his frantic thoughts.
"You're shaking," Ashton whispered.
Ren opened his eyes. He was shaking. He hadn't noticed.
"It's okay."
Ren relaxed. "Just do it."
There was a pause. He felt Ashton's breath on his neck.
"Help me sit up."
Ren backed away.
He carefully helped Ashton sit up. He tried to avoid touching him as much as possible, but it was impossible not to. Once he got Ashton to sit up and to lean against the wall, he sat down on his heels. They were too close for Ren's comfort. He shouldn't have cared about that though. Ashton was dying right in front of him. That was far worse than how uncomfortable Ren felt.