Daylight\\A.I. & C.H.

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Ashton and Claire

Ashton's eyes open to his dark room, but he sees everything vividly, as though the light is on. He stares at the ceiling as his mind reels, knowing something is different but he can't quite tell what that is. His mind attempts to process the last thing he remembers when he feels the cool softness of the body pressed against his, triggering his brain.

He touches his neck as the memory of Claire sucking on his jugular and the highest euphoria he's ever felt consumed his body pounds into his skull. He remembers his vision waning and everything going dark. Did she Kiss me? he wonders before he turns his head, finding her eyes fluttering as she rests on his arm. Her eyes open and she freezes, taking in his face.

"Ashton?" she asks quietly, looking at the thick gold ring around his pupil in his olive green eyes.

"You Changed me didn't you?" he asks, knowing its true as his mouth begins to salivate at her scent; which is very strong in his nostrils.

"I'm sorry," she whispers before her jaw starts trembling.

He flops his head back to his pillow and stares at the ceiling, unsure of how to feel. Upset that his life has literally changed forever, affecting not just him but his best friends' too. Or happy, to be more like her and more suitable for her life.

"Ashton, I'm sorry," Claire whispers again as she wipes at his cheek, a tear escaping him unknowingly.

"What does this mean? I'm a one of those Fledgling things?"

"Yes," she whispers.

"And?"

"You drink human blood to complete the Change or drink mine to stay half human."

"What if I don't drink your blood?"

"You die," she admits, not having the heart to tell him yet that he could be killed if her Coven finds out about him, regardless of his phase.

He sighs and sits up, swinging his legs off the bed and resting his elbows on his knees. His back widens as he takes in a deep breath, his beige skin moving over his muscles and ribs to accommodate the oxygen before it whooshes out of him in defeat, scared of his future. He slowly drops his jaw and brings his shaking hand to his mouth, feeling his sharp pointed teeth before he releases a second terrified breath, catching his head in his hands. Claire scoots to him and slowly stretches out her hand to his warm bare back, waiting for him to flinch away from her. Instead his muscles relax, the tension leaving before she comes to him fully as she wraps her around his chest and kisses his spine.

"What do you think is my best option?" he asks.

"What?" Claire replies confused.

"Should I stay like this or..." he swallows, thinking about his friends and family, "What will be best for me to live like I was?"

"Ashton," Claire chokes, not having an answer for him as she climbs off the bed to kneel before him, guilty to the core of her being. Four hundred years she's lived this way. Four hundred years she has fed off humans, borrowing their Prana or even taking it fully. Four hundred years and she has never once hated what she was until now; looking into his sorrowful eyes that glow their golden ring back at her. "I think you should have this conversation with your friends. I don't deserve to help you make a decision when it's my fault you have to make it in the first place."

"Claire," he whispers gently, seeing the painful guilt take over face before he reaches out to her and brushes her hair from face, exposing her pink and marred cheek. "What happened!?" he gasps, pulling her to him to examine her face, noticing the wound goes down her neck as well.