The Year 3000

Chapter 29: How To Be a Servant

Scarlett's POV

Previously:

"I promise I will not speak of Luke ever again, and I will try my best not to think of him, if you promise to try and keep your anger under control and treat with me with respect," I conditioned. This was my chance to better the almighty King.

Harry stared at me for several, tense seconds, each one seeming like a lifetime. Finally he nodded.

"Okay, I promise."

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It took me several minutes to fully comprehend what had just happened. Harry was actually going to try to be a better person, to be kind. Key word, try.

"Go see Ashton," Harry pushed gently, planting a chaste kiss upon my forehead. His lips were soft like velvet, barely even grazing over the skin before they were gone. I nodded, words not forming, and began making my way to the wide glass garden doors. However, I stopped short when I saw Ashton already standing behind them, looking betrayed. My heart sank down to the pit of my stomach as I stared into his green eyes. Never had I ever seen Ashton stare at me like that, and I never wanted him to ever again. Before I could even begin to ask what was wrong, Ashton whirled around and stalked off back into the gardens. I quickly flashed after him, the guards not batting an eye. I caught up in less than a second..

"What is it?" I asked in panic. Ashton shook his head, looking at me gravely.

"Nothing, I just forgot about Harry's gift for a second, his compulsion," he explained, making me falter slightly. My expression made Ashton pause.

"Harry did just use his power on you, right? You didn't just willingly let yourself get bitten by him? Willingly kiss him?" he asked in disgust. I opened my mouth to protest, but how could I explain that resisting Harry had been brutally beaten out of me and my only chance of changing Harry's ways was to relent to him?

Ashton let out a laugh of disbelief.

"Wow, so Harry just finishes hunting down innocent people, people who took us in and helped us, including Luke, but it's all totally fine?" He shook his head, his eyes ablaze as he whipped around to face me. "Yeah, why shouldn't you kiss him?"

Physically stabbing me in the gut would have hurt less. "Ashton, it's not like that. I—"

"I'm beginning to think that you like it here—being a vampire, being with Harry. Sorry if my coming here rained on your little royal parade," Ashton spat out, each word feeling like a blow to my chest. After a second, he saw my expression and looked startled he had said that much. I was horrified, tears brimming in my eyes, threatening to fall out.

"How could you say that?" I choked out, trying to swallow the lump in my throat, "I'm trying to save you and me and Luke and everyone else by getting in Harry's good graces. Don't you know that it kills me every time I see or speak to him after what he did to me? I hate it here! Don't think for a second that I would have chosen this life for myself." I shook my head in disgust, taking a step back. "Harry raped me, Ashton, and I have to live with that for the rest of my life. It makes me nauseous just being around him, let alone whenever he kisses me. But you want to know why I do it? So I can protect you, you asshole!" I shouted. Tears were streaming down my face by the time I was done.

Ashton had paled considerably, looking sickened with himself. Good, I thought bitterly, He deserves to feel bad. How could he possibly think for a second that I enjoyed being here? Being with Harry? The only reason I even tolerated his presence was for the sake of everyone around me. I might as well try and get him to change his ways if I was going to be stuck with him forever. And it's not like I willingly enjoyed being bitten either, there was something in the chemicals of his bite that rendered me helpless.