The Guily Ones

Hotel Camilla

Ashley's POV:

It was just before sunrise when we finally reached Dallas. James yawned heartily from the passenger seat, earning him an angry glare and a snippy comment from me. "Well, had a good nap?!"

He turned to me sleepily, grinning idiotically and scratching his belly."Yeah, the nap was nice."

I grumbled. Of course, he had slept the whole night. After my "kidnapping," I had to drive. I hadn't eaten, I hadn't slept, and I was pretty sure I was about to get my period soon—which wasn't helping my mood.

"Screw you!"

James laughed. "Excuse me?"

"Screw. You!"

James laughed again.

"Okay, okay, I get it. You need some sleep too."

My stomach growled.

"And something to eat. I remember how bitchy you get when you're hungry." James nudged me as if we were good friends. "Honestly, I always preferred your bitchy side. You were such a bore with Tommy boy..."

There it was again. The sting. Twice that night, I had felt the strange, phantom pain pierce through my chest. But back then, I couldn't figure out why sudden sadness had overcome me. Now I recognized it as the grief for Tom. I took a sharp breath. And James, noticing my flinch at the mention of his brother, laughed again.

"You really loved him, huh?"

What kind of question was that? Of course, I had. What about him? The way he was acting, I wasn't so sure. I didn't answer him, just shot him a cold look. James chuckled again. At a loss at how he reacted to the topic of his dead brother, I forced my expression to stay as neutral as possible. A cheerful James was almost scarier than an angry or normal James. 

"Let's find a mattress!" James ordered, waggling his eyebrows, and I grudgingly agreed. I hated agreeing with him, but I was exhausted and just wanted to get to bed. But just as I was about to turn into the nearest cheap motel, the idiot grabbed the wheel. "We're going to the Hotel Carmilla!"

Oh, the fine gentleman wanted to stay in a hotel. No wonder he burned through his cash so quickly. I suppressed any comments that bubbled up and continued driving silently. Instead, I held myself together until we actually pulled up in front of the hotel. I read the entrance sign twice and checked the address on my GPS when we stopped in front of the impressive building.

"You want to go in there?"

James was already getting out, ignoring my question. There were several reasons for my confusion. First, the hotel was enormous. As a New Yorker, I was used to tall buildings, yet I had to crane my neck to see the top. Maybe my time in Bon Temps had influenced me. The highest building there was the old plantation house of the mayor. The fact that we seemed to have stopped in front of a very upscale hotel was unusual and didn't match either my or James's style. But that wasn't why I hesitated, staring out the car window at the black paneling of the exterior. It was the hotel's sign above the archway entrance.

Carmilla Vampire Hotel

Carmilla, the most vampire-friendly hotel in the state

James, impatiently knocking on my window, snapped me out of my thoughts. "Come on!"

I rolled down the window and looked at him, puzzled. "Are we really in the right place?"

James's patience was wearing thin. "If I say get out here, then we're in the right place, aren't we?" he growled, leaning into the car in one of his typically fluid movements to grab the keys.

"But I need to find a parking spot and—" I tried to protest, getting out of the car to chase after James. He had tossed the keys to a valet, signaling him to park the car. The look on the valets face at my beat-up car in front of the fancy hotel was almost worth a picture. 

I began to sulk. My car wasn't that bad.

James strutted into the hotel lobby with his head held high, turning all heads in our direction. A glance down at myself revealed that I was still in my Merlotte's uniform, smelling of grease, and probably hadn't showered in a week.

Thanks to the effects of Eric's blood however, I didn't look as bad as I had thought. My hair was still fluffy, fresh, shiny and silky instead. My skin was clear and radiant. Yet under the pressure of the stares from curious humans and indifferent vampires, I felt like sinking into the floor.

"A daylight-safe room for two!" I heard James at the reception and raised an eyebrow. The professional receptionist showed no reaction, but one of the men behind the counter eyed us judgmentally. And lustfully. Ugh.

I didn't need to read minds like Sookie did to know the blond man with the military haircut thought James and I made a cute couple and wanted to join us in our room. No, he actually had the audacity to hand me his business card with a wink. I was almost grateful when James, less gently than usual, grabbed my elbow and dragged me like a dog on a leash. At least the conversation with the man was over—James's rough handling was a welcome distraction. Only in the elevator did my thoughts catch up.

"This is a vampire hotel!" I stated, and James whistled sarcastically. "Wow, someone's really smart. Hard to believe you're used to be the brain behind out heists..."

I punched his arm to make him shut up. James would be the reason I'd end up in jail someday. For the hundredth time, I wondered where exactly in my life I had taken the wrong turn that led to so many complications. I sighed.

Tomorrow. 

Tomorrow, I would think about it. Or maybe later. I just needed a little nap. Just five minutes to close my eyes, please; I was so tired. And I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. Suddenly, I felt just exhausted and old. Oh yeah, and oddly anxious and restless too. I really needed to get to bed.

When the elevator doors opened, I followed James on autopilot into the room, collapsing face-first into the incredibly comfortable pillows. Only when the mattress beside me dipped did I force myself to open one eye.

"Um... what's this about, buddy?"

James had already closed his eyes and mumbled into the pillow. "I pay, I sleep in the bed."

Should I make a fuss? I snuggled deeper into the pillows, eyes already closing again. Tomorrow.

Sleepiness was overtaking me completely, and I could barely form a coherent sentence: "Keep your hands to yourself!" It was supposed to be a command, but with my contented sigh and yawn, it came out more like a murmur. Damn it.

I could have sworn James gave me a tired grin into the pillow at my attempt to scold him, but my eyes were glued shut.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow would be better.

Guess who finally (!!) meets up with our Ash in the next part. Little hint: