A Shade Darker ✔️

{Chapter Sixteen}

Revival

June 10th, 2017

Ashley

I gasp and sit up as ice cold water is thrown over me and choking me at the same time. I cough repeatedly, hearing voices around me as I gasp for my breath.

I'm in pain, my body aches all over. Everything is wet and my hair is smoothed back from the sides of my face by large hands.

The large hands stay on the side of my face, cupping my cheeks.

I cough more, forcing my eyes open.

"Ah, she lives" A relieved sounds escapes the voice of Lucile.

My eyes slowly adjust to the face in front of me. They eyes are the first thing I see. The electric blue ones, filled with hurt and relief at the same time.

"Why did he do it?" My husband's hands leave my face and turn into fists as he stands from the bed and paces the room.

Lucile walks to his side, a hand on his shoulder as she whispers-very badly- calming and reassuring things to him.

Another face is in the room, one I don't recognize as well, but still know.

The guy who captured me, the one who brought me here and now looks sorry.

"How are you feeling, Queen Ashley?" The man asks, his hands clasped together in front of him.

Everyone looks back at me now and I hesitantly touch the side of my neck. But all I feel is the coarse fabric of a large bandage

"Did he do anything to you? Besides...suck your blood?" My husband questions, his eyes curious at my ripped dress.

If I had the strength I would've tried to cover myself up, but I could barely move I was so weak. My dress was ripped down the whole left side, exposing my hip all the way down my leg. My top was manhandled and wrinkled, slightly stretched so that my breast almost popped out. During my struggle I had not remembered Billie doing anything that sinking his fangs into my neck. I guess I missed what he did to my dress.

I feel bombarded and weighed down with questions. My heart began racing again, remembering the situation from last night.

I couldn't catch my breath, everything hurt. My chest hurt every time I breathed. I tried to sit up, but only ended up being slightly pushed down by Lucile's hands on my shoulders.

"Calm down, Queen. You are going to be all right. A few days taking it easy should put the strength back in you" My heart is still racing as Lucile grabs the man's shirt and drags him out of the room with her.

Now it was just me and Mike. Me and my husband. Me and my King.

I don't know the reaction I expected from him, but I certainly didn't expect him to apologize as he sat down on the edge of my mattress.

The terror in my mind and memories from last night are still circling around my head and my hands shake as I try to brush some of the hair out of my eyes.

Large fangs, so long and pointy and sharp. So stained with blood, the smile so evil. The eyes of a devil. All coming closer and closer until...

Mike

Ashley's eyes look distant, glazed over with a look of horror and tears. My heart hurt seeing her this way.

Anger ran through my veins and the thought of my own brother doing this to her. How could he? How could he be so evil? So...jealous?

Slow, quiet sobs bring me out of my thoughts. My wife is covering her face with her hands, her knees are pulled up to her chest and her dress rides up enough to see the bloody scratches and puncture wounds on both of her thighs.

Claw marks.

"Why are you the sorry one?" She asks after a minute, lifting her sniffling face and tear stained cheeks.

She wipes her tears with her shaking hands and I grab one of them, the hot wetness of her salty tears making my heart drop lower into my chest.

"I didn't come after you. A husband always follows his wife outside to ensure her safety. If I had followed you...none of this would've happened. This is all my fault, I could have prevented all of this" Ashley stares at me, something different in her eyes.

She looks away and to the window, nodding slowly as she licked her lips where her tears had run. I imagined her salty tears on the top of my tongue, wondering how they would taste.

"No. None of this was your fault. It was mine. I overreacted about everything. From the start of yesterday morning when you told me..." She looks at me briefly and I feel my face heat.

I wonder if it was possible for me to blush?

Quickly, she looked away.

"Whatever you told me, I overreacted big time. And I held that against you for the whole day. I called you a fucking monster, Mike. That wasn't right. That was so wrong of me. And I ran away from you at the ball, because you were dancing so close to me and smelling me...I thought you were going to sink your fangs into my neck. I felt pressured so I ran, I ran and put myself in danger" It confuses me why she would take all the blame, but I don't dwell.

Everything she said was true, she was taking responsibility. And maybe, maybe she thought she was wrong about me. And maybe that could mean something great in the future.

"I'm the one who should be sorry" She finishes, looking at me with her red glassy eyes.

She grasps my hand and sighs, our eyes holding their gaze on each other.

"I have to learn from my mistakes. Realize that you won't be there every time to save me..." I don't know why I do it, but I hold up her hand and press it to my cheek. I guess because it just felt right, because it felt like the right moment where she wouldn't push me away. And she doesn't.

More forming tears drip down onto her cheeks as she stares at me.

"I'm sorry I called you a monster" She says softly, her voice barely coming over the chirps of birds outside.

"I'll always forgive you. No matter what" She wants to ask me why, I know she does.

But she forces her lips to stay shut.

"Ashley..." I was going to tell her. Tell her how I felt about her right now, tell her how she made me feel so warm, made my heart feel so full.

Her eyes acknowledge me to keep going.

"I..." I grasp her hand tighter, trying to find the words.

I sigh and I know I can't tell her. I can't ruin everything too fast, not again.

"I promise I'll never let him hurt you again" A corner of her lips turns up, the suspense in her eyes is gone.

"Thank you"