Vampire Money

Chapter 2-Ashley's POV

             I awoke to a face hovering inches above mine. Without thinking, I grabbed hold of the creature's shoulders and spun us over so I had the advantage. I had my hand pressed on its throat as I look lazily around for something sharp to kill it with. It was a good thirty seconds before I realised I'd made a terrible mistake. 

"Ashley! Stop." A familiar voice spluttered from beneath me.

"Oh my God." Immediately, I rolled off the bed and stood as far away as the small room would allow. "I'm so sorry!"

             Andy sat up in my hotel bed breathing heavily, each intake of air sounding scratched and pained. 

"You're stronger than you look, Ash." He whispered, rubbing gently at the dark purple bruises that were forming on his neck.

"I'm sorry, Andy. I didn't mean to hurt you." He cast his eyes down and I mentally cursed myself. Why did I do that? I'm so stupid. "I'm gonna go practice, okay?"

"'Kay." Andy murmured as I left the room.

                                                               ***

             I'd been messing up the same four bars of Faithless for a solid two hours by the time CC turned up.

"Hey, Ashley!" He grinned at me, sitting down behind the drum kit. I continued to play those same four bars. "The others are gonna be here soon, so we can practice for the gig tonight!" I ignored him and carried on hitting the wrong notes in those bars.

             Black Veil Brides meant so much to me, but how could I protect them from creatures of the night if I couldn't even protect them from myself? I'd been leading this double life since I was fourteen, when my parents were killed by vampires. I've still never seen as much blood as in that moment. Blood on the walls, the floor, the ceiling. I'd come back from school to the scene of a massacre, not to the place I called my home. That blood was from the vampires, and I still don't know who actually killed those creatures, but I'm glad whoever it was did it. My memories may be drowned in blood, but at least those murderous beasts died along with my parents. In that moment, I swore to rid the world of vampires so that no-one else would have to go through what I did. 

             "Ashley!" CC shouted, dragging me out of my thoughts. "I am sick of hearing you butcher Faithless. What's up?"

"Nothing, CC. I'm okay." I replied untruthfully, casting a glance at the door through which the other guys were coming in. 

"Hey!" Jinxx called, smiling at us. Jake was smiling too. Andy though? He looked as if he wanted to kill something.

"We are not going to rest until the set is perfect, okay?" Andy snapped. 

"You got it boss." CC laughed, adding a 'ba dum tsch!' to his words.

"I'm serious, CC. If any of you mess up tonight, I swear to God, you are out of the band." Jake flicked me a concerned glance, and I just shrugged. Then we launched into Fallen Angels.

                                             ***

             "Thank you London! We've had an awesome night and I hope you did too! I hope I'll see you all again next time!" Andy called out to the crowd.

We'd had a great night. Everything ran smoothly, and Andy seemed to have forgotten his earlier anger, but I still couldn't look him in the eye. The large black scarf that enveloped his neck was a reminder of what I'd done to him that morning.

             For the moment, everything was the way it always had been. We were just five guys who'd played an amazing gig and were having fun, but I knew it couldn't last. Yeah. I was probably overreacting. Almost certainly, the event of the morning would never repeat themselves. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that Andy hated me. I'd give it to the end of the tour. If things didn't improve, I'd quit. I'd quit Black Veil Brides.