I SEE YOU

TRAGEDY (ASH'S POV)

It's been three days since my breakdown in front of River. To my relief, she hasn't said anything about it or even told Mercy.

I cried in her arms till I couldn't anymore, then I pulled myself together and we left it at that. I thought being in church must have sent me on a spiritual turmoil or something, but now I'm not so sure.

I've been an emotional wreck lately and it's a lot, even for me. Last night I literally bit Mercy's head off because she said "love you". I mean I might have overreacted but where did the "I" go??

Right now it's in the afternoon and I'm alone in the house, so I decided to pull a kitchen robbery. River and Mercy were gone before I even woke up, as to where they went I have no idea.

So I just prepared the second best thing after chocolate to ever happen to man, turns out peanut butter and steak go really well together. I'm over here craving all sorts of food and I plan on satisfying myself to the maximum.

My period must be close.

I stop chewing when I hear the front door open then close. Shortly after, Mercy and River enter the kitchen.

I take in how hot they both look and I almost turn green from the jealousy brewing inside me. Both women sit across from me on the counter as they eye my food with caution.

I remember a time the three of us were sitting like this in my apartment while eating ice cream. Feels like a lifetime ago.

"Fuck Ashley, weren't you puking your guts out just yesterday?? It's no wonder if this is the shit you eat." I roll my eyes and take a huge bite of the steak covered in peanut butter. I make sure to stare at River as I do this.

She recoils in disgust while Mercy chuckles lightly. Her face is filled with more amusement than disgust.

"Maybe I was puking because of your face, I was just fine before you came here." My words cause River's mouth to open widely.

That same mouth I had a slight taste of another lifetime ago.

"Oh please, this gorgeous face could never make anyone alive puke." I roll my eyes once again but manage a smile.

My eyes meet with her green ones and I can't bring myself to look away. Not when she's looking at me like I'm a mystical creature she's been hunting all her life.

I can only tear my gaze away when I remember there's a third occupant in the room. Upon looking her way, I discover Mercy is lost in her own trance. There's this expression I can't decipher on her pretty face. And I don't like it one bit.

She seems to feel me staring because her face clears and there's this twinkle in her brown eyes. I manage to return the warm smile she gives me.

I hold my hand out and she comes to take her place besides me. "Are you okay??"

She's quiet for a while before nodding her head. I close my eyes when she kisses my temple, her lips that are usually cold these days always offer me reassurance when they touch my skin.

We stay like this for a long while, and when I open my eyes again. River is gone from where she was sitting, which brings me back to my analysis on her nature as a vampire. Otherwise, how do you explain her commendable stealth??

"I want pickles." I say this out of the blue and Mercy chuckles with her mouth still planting small kisses on top of my head. "But you hate pickles."

I do. But I just shrug my shoulders ignorantly. "Yah well, I want them now."

Mercy moves so that she's standing between my legs and I look up at her. I can't help lowering my hands to cup her tiny ass. She bites her lip and I swear I can smell our arousals filling the air.

"I know why your eating like a glutton and craving things you don't like these days."

As she says this, she lowers her face to mine and our lips slightly graze. "Oh yah, why??" My voice is barely a whisper as I ask.

It's hard to pay attention to what she's saying when she's so close and assaulting all my senses. I gulp when she looks right through my soul and doesn't say anything.

Her thumb runs over my lower lip and I'm struck by how abnormally cold it is. Her touch is sending crazy chills down my spine and I feel all sorts of dizzy when we kiss.

It's a passionate and heated kiss, but not in a sexual way. It's like she's trying to tell me things she can't say out loud. We eventually break apart and she has this dazed and contagious smile on her face.

"The results came back yesterday and it's good news." My eyes instantly widen and I wait for her to backtrack but her smile only widens.

"Mercy don't fuck with me."

My temperature is now above normal and I want to scream. She's kidding right?? The look on her face says she isn't.

Realization is slowly striking me and it's safe to say I'm currently overwhelmed. I mean, I can't say I'm surprised cause the signs have been there. I just didn't want to get ahead of myself, and hearing this confirmation is kinda bittersweet.

"Is this really happening Mercy?? Are we..." I can't even finish my sentence as I look at her with teary eyes.

I've been crying a lot lately.

"Yes we are baby." She wipes my tears while fighting her own and I find myself laughing maniacally.

I stand and throw myself in her arms, she catches me and I smile against her neck. I don't think there's a time in my life I've ever been this happy, if only for a few seconds.

After a few minutes of serenity, something suddenly sits heavy on my heart. I try to move back but Mercy's hold around my waist tightens immensely.

"Mercy, babe yy-your hurting mmm-me." I try pushing her back as pain shoots up my back but she's unresponsive.

I don't know what's going on but I'm suddenly more scared than anything. The tears streaming down my face aren't from happiness anymore, it's now a mix of severe anxiety and confusion.

And then out of nowhere she lets go of me, I stumble back and I'm saved from falling by the counter behind me. I look at Mercy with dread and wish I could disappear from the scene before me.

She's only a few feet away from me, her hands are forming tight fists on her sides. Her eyes are rolled to the back of her head, the dark orb has disappeared and only the white is left. The most horrifying thing is the red she's covered in, there's blood coming out of her nose, ears and mouth.

So much blood, I swear I can feel the life being drained out of her with each drop. But for some reason, I can't seem to move.

I'm over here just looking at her, unable to say or do a thing. And then in slow motion, I watch her fall on the tiled floor while her entire body violently shakes. I have watched enough movies to know a seizure when I see one.

I want to scream for River or help Mercy but my body and mind aren't in sync. And so I am forced to stand immobile while this tragedy plays out before my eyes.