Cravingz [Editing]

Ch. 27 (Adopted?)

Stefan's POV

I finally made it through the day, my heart racing with excitement at the thought of seeing Ash and hearing about her adventures in the house. But to my surprise, she was nowhere to be found. I checked upstairs, by the pool, and in the den, but there was no sign of her.

The house was unnaturally quiet, and a chill crept up my spine.

"Ash!" I yelled, but all I heard in response were faint echoes that only heightened my anxiety.

I dropped my bag on the floor and sped upstairs, flinging open doors in my frantic search. Each empty room felt like a punch to the gut, and the silence only intensified my fear.

I focused on my surroundings, willing myself to hear something—anything—that would indicate where she might be. But nothing.

I dashed back downstairs, a nagging instinct urging me to check the basement.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, my heart sank. There lay Ash on the floor, unconscious.

"Ash!" I rushed to her side, shaking her gently, but she didn't budge. Panic surged through me as I realized she wasn't breathing.

I bit into my wrist, the familiar pain a stark contrast to the dread pooling in my stomach. I brought my blood to her lips, desperate for her to react, but there was no response. Blood trickled down her cheek, staining her shirt, and my heart raced with anger and fear.

"Ash, please get up," I whispered, my voice trembling.

My heart rate skyrocketed as thoughts raced through my mind, a chaotic whirlpool of fear and regret. I couldn't think of a spell to fix this.

I cradled her body in my arms, gripping her arm tightly as I felt a tear slide down my cheek. "I shouldn't have left you home alone," I choked out, guilt crashing over me like a tidal wave.

With newfound urgency, I lifted her body effortlessly and vamp-sped my way upstairs to my bedroom. I set her down gently on the bed, my heart aching at the sight of her still form.

I pulled out my phone and called Jessica, my hands shaking. "Jessica, it's an emergency. You need to get here—now." I hung up, feeling helpless as I watched Ash, willing her to wake up, praying that she would pull through this.

As I sat by her side, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was all my fault. I had left her alone, and now she needed me more than ever. I took her hand in mine, holding it tightly, as if my grip alone could anchor her back to consciousness.

Ashelyonna's POV

Ashelyonna's Vision

I sat on the riverbank with my grandmother Celeste, surrounded by the gentle sounds of flowing water. She was light brown with freckles and long silver hair, and even though she was dead, there was something incredibly comforting about her presence.

She had passed away from a heart attack when I was just fourteen, but seeing her now, I felt no fear. Why would I? My love interest was a heretic, my best friend was a witch, my parents were gone, and I went to school with werewolves. So no, I wasn't afraid of a ghost.

Grandma had wrinkly hands and bags under her eyes—yep, she was pretty old when she passed, but she didn't look a day older. I felt enlightened to see her again, yet I found it odd that I was here, in this serene moment.

Why did Stefan have something linked to my grandmother in the first place? It was a question weighing heavily on my mind, and I was desperate for answers.

I was pulled from my thoughts when Grandma touched my thigh and gave me a shaky smile.

"I've seen you've met Steffaíne," she said, rocking herself on the bank, her toes just grazing the running river water.