Poison《Vampire Luke Hemmings》

Chapter 27 Oil and Water

My eyes flickered open as the white paint of the ceiling blinded me, making my eyes squint. I moaned as I felt a huge headache disrupt me from my awakening thoughts as I gradually rose from the white bed I laid in.

A warm hand touched my shoulder with another smoothly caressing my back, supporting me. "Hey, take it easy", I heard a comforting familiar voice speak. The warm hand rubbed my back soothingly as the pain hin my head made it difficult for me to decipher the individual in the room with me. "Shhh" he continued, "there there".

My hazel eyes finally adjusted to the room invaded by white as they fell upon another familiar pair of hazel. My brother grew his contagious smile, "you alright there sleepy head". I returned the smile to him and tried to move to him to deliver a hug. I found it difficult as my left wrist had an IV in it and my right index finger had a wire that ran to a heart monitor. Was I in the hospital?

"What happened"? The head ache still lingered as I looked to the elder Irwin to help piece back the memory.

He returned my gaze with a look of empathy as he leaned against the the nearby chair, foldiny his hands together in his lap. "You don't remember"? My brother's eyebrows scrunched as worry was plastered on his face. "You were at school helping a teacher load her car with some supplies during your second period and a car came around the corner and hit you. They fled the scene and were brought here. Doctor said you had a lot of injuries".

I looked at my brother with a look of perplexity as memories were restored. "The doctor didnt see any difference in the time between my wound"? Ashton scrunched his eyebrows, "what do you mean? Did you get hurt prior"? My confusion got replaced with comprehension as I remembered the creature I am now affiliated with, and his many abilities. Including one to manipulate minds and conceal secrets. "Nothing. Forget it". I smiled at my brother hoping to ease his suspocions. "How long was I out".

Ashton looked down and chocked slightly. "Two days". My eyes buldged from my head at the dirty blonde. "Two days"! Ashton nodded. My gaze fell to my hands. Two days? I don't understand. What happened in Luke's living room?

"Don't ever do that again". I looked up at my brother, disengaged from my thoughts. "What"? My eyes widened as I looked into the watery hazel eyes of elder sibling. He bit his lip. "You didn't call to tell me you were Beth's that night. And you haven't spoken to me. I was worried". My heart shattered as I forgot the information my brother was told during my imprisonment with Luke. "And then I recieve a call that you are in the hospital. How do you think that makes me feel"?

"Ash-" "I'm not finished". I shut my mouth and nodded allowing him to continue. He bit his lip as his tearful eyes avoided my gaze. "Look Kat, Gran Gran is gone, Mom is bascially never here", he paused, "and if you ask me, we never had a father". The air grew still. Ashton never talked about our dad. He still held disdain for his abandonment, so Mom and I acted as if he never existed. For Ashton's sake.

Ashton nervously ran a hand through is long hair as his teary-eyed gaze finally connected to mine. "You are all I have Kat. Please. Please value that like I do". His large hand grabbed my small delicate ones. I felt my eyes sting as my brother began to cry. "Please".

I nodded, a sob releasing from my lips as he got up and enfolded me in his warm embrace. "I'm so sorry", I said in his shoulder. "So sorry".

We stayed like that for a few moments. Ashton's hand running down my back. I felt guilty. I wanted to tell him the truth. To confide in him. To reveal the existence of vampirism. But I didn't. I knew there could be consequences to this. And one of them being the destruction of the world he knew.

Ashton always had his playful grin growing up and everyone thought he lived a life with no worries. That he was happy.

They could not have been more wrong. His smile was a masquerade. Without a father in the home, Ashton had to grow up quickly to help my mother around the home. Growing up is already difficult for a young boy. But it becomes even more hard when he does not have a male role model in the home. Ashton would never admit it, but I knew our father's abscence affected him. He did have many memories of him. But he did have a few.