Just One Bite »ᴄɵᴍᴘᴌᴇтᴇ«

EIGHT

EIGHT

Pulling into a parking space at the school with Jayden and Catherine in the back, Ashley grumbled. Ravin had found it hysterical when he'd found out about Nick winning the game he'd missed, saying he'd wish he'd watched. That had been before she'd even told him that she was now attending a school to fulfil the deal. Holding his stomach with laughter, she'd told him the rest. His vampyre's had been slightly more polite and had tried to disguise their amusement. Unlike their original who'd just laughed in her face – or close enough, if he had, his face would have held non-healing claw marks.

Ashley wasn't sure how to feel as the day past with the humans checking on her. Asking why she hadn't been in last week. Ashley had let Jayden decide what had been wrong with her, and he'd told them she'd been ill. When Ashley had asked why "ill", starting to get fed up with the questions of whether she was okay or not, Jayden had said that it was amusing because getting "ill" was impossible. She was either dead or alive.

Her answer had been slightly different when Damon had asked. Instead of responding with her usual, "I'm fine", she said "I'm better now". Which thankfully Damon didn't understand the actual meaning of and unfortunately, she did.

Once the school day had ended, Ashley went hunting with Ravin and the vampyre's. Nick and Maize had joined the hunting group as had Jayden. Which was strange since he generally preferred being with his 'mate'. When asked why, he'd just said that the quicker Anya was found, the better and safer it would be for them all. But Ashley knew that Jayden mostly meant his 'mate'. But whether he really meant his 'mate' or his true mate remained to be seen.

Tuesday was exactly the same, school and then hunting. But Nick, Maize and Jayden didn't join them and the students had calmed down about her disappearance the week before. Wednesday was the same again, but for Ashley changing her Chevy with her Hummer on the drive to and from the school, knowing that there was soon to be snow. It wasn't that she scared about getting stuck, she just didn't want her Chevy getting stuck.

Another thing that had changed was that Ravin's vampyre's had made their own nickname up for her, using the same nickname that Ravin used for her – Kitty-Cat – but slightly different, "Panther" while Ravin was "Death". Whenever they needed attention from both of the originals they said "Death Kitty". Ashley hadn't found it amusing but hadn't been bothered enough to say anything.

Once third period on Thursday had past, Ashley left for Blue Moon. Leaving her Hummer for Jayden and his 'mate'.

She couldn't understand where Anya could have gone. Had she gone to try and kill Suresha? Had she just left? Had she killed herself? No, Ashley knew that Anya hadn't killed herself. Ashley would feel it when she died, she'd felt every vampyre of hers that had died so far, why would Anya be any different. Each time one died, a light blew out in Ashley. It made her wonder whether originals needed vampyre's for their sanity.

Shaking her head, Ashley tried to figure out Anya. Where was she? Ashley couldn't believe that Anya would give up. Not when her mate had been killed. So where was she? Was she planning? But planning what? If she was going to use someone against Ashley, who would she use? Ashley just hoped that the female didn't know about Damon.

Deciding to be honest with herself, Ashley wasn't quite sure what she would do if Anya used Damon as a shield. Would she be able to kill the male if there was no other way? Yes... No. No, she knew she wouldn't. Ashley sighed. Anya would win if she used Damon as a shield. But, Ravin would be able to kill him, but... then their would be one less original in the world because Ravin would then be dead. She would make sure.

Why did Damon have to come into her life now? Why couldn't Anya have come a year ago? Ashley hadn't met Damon back then. She'd had no-one to worry about, to protect then.