Blood of Ash

Chapter 3: Bellalyse POV

~3 years ago~

we had just finished gym class. Lilly and I were the last two in the changing room getting ready for our next class. I was starving myself having not fed in over a month and it was really starting to show.

"Bella," a soft voice asked.

Startled, I tore my gaze from my reflection and looked over at Lilly. She and Emily were twins, 11 months younger than me. They were blond haired, blue eyed, skinny little things and carbon copies of each other.

I realized I was clenching the sink so hard it broke and and had scared Lilly. I breathed deeply trying to calm down and then I smelled it... It was sweet and warm and it smelled like... Christmas in July. I kept smelling trying to place it when I saw the blood dripping down her arm. A sliver of the porcelain from the sink had embedded itself in her otherwise flawless skin and it oozed down slowly but surely like a little river. I saw red and next thing I knew I was on my sister, latching onto her arm and biting hard. I was out of control, I had starved myself for too long. I could hear her screaming but it felt like it was happening to someone else, and then suddenly I was against the wall.

There was no way anyone normal could have sent me flying like that. Dazed and hypnotized by the intoxicating aroma, I launched myself at Lilly again, only to be caught around the waist by what felt like a ton of rocks.

"Bella," commanded a gruff voice, forcing me to look up. "That's your sister. you'll never forgive yourself." I glared into his coffee colored eyes that were usually so warm and hissed. "Bella. Remember who you are. This is not it. You don't feed on people."

I hissed out, "I don't feed on people."

He smiled, and nodded, "Good, keep telling yourself that. I'm going to take Lilly and we're going to go get her some help, okay? You bit her pretty hard. I can't tell how much blood she's lost, so I need you to remain in control." He pulled me closer to him and stared directly into my eyes. He smelled familiar. He smelled like chocolate and fresh rain and a forest all rolled into one. He smelled safe. "Can you do that for me, Bells?" I nodded and swallowed hard. "Good. Let's go"

He scooped Lilly up in his arms, and we made our way to the nurses office. What a sight we were. Lilly dripping blood everywhere, my clothes covered in it, him carrying her while guiding me. I don't even remember how the blood got off my face.

~present~

"It doesn't make sense. That immovable rock, that person that held me there, that made me feel safe...it was familiar, but he couldn't have been human. There was no way he could have stopped me and brought me out of the fog." I gripped the same sink that I had broke all those years ago tight as I rode the rollercoaster of emotions roaring through me. "How am I only just now remembering all of this? What is going on? Was I just imagining it?"

All these thoughts and more roared at me as I ran from the memories and into the crowded hallways of the school. I was itching. I had just fed and still I couldn't hear anything over the sounds of the heartbeats and blood rushing through all of the people around me. I breathed deeply and focused trying to drown them all out when I caught his scent. Asher. I grinned like an i***t despite my confusing memories and followed the smell only to stop dead and watch.

Some dumb freshman was standing in front of his locker. I rolled my eyes. Why am I being so mean? Maybe she's the one he was telling me about. The one he likes. I moved by my locker and concentrated hard to hear what was being said.

The girl giggled and said "So anyways, I'm having a party this weekend and was wondering if you wanted to come?"

His demanding voice rang clear to me as he gently said, " No, thank you. I don't go to parties."

"Come on, Ash," she whined. "I know you don't go to parties just cause of that girl that you hang out with. Why don't you come and hang out with me instead?"

The words "that girl" was said with so much spite and venom that I felt it as hard as a slap across the face. I glared and was about to go over to them when he growled, "You do not have permission to call me by that name, Lizzy. And that girl happens to be my best friend. That has nothing to do with whether I go to parties or not."

He glared as she pouted, "I'm sorry. Please just come. I thought maybe we could get to know each other better?"

She reached out to touch his arm in a move that can only be taken as flirting or as being possessive and neither sat well with me. I was there shoving her hand off of him way too quick. Her eyes grew huge as I said icily, "Lizzy is it? Get the hint. He's not interested. He already has someone he likes and it's not you. I would back off If I were you."

She huffed and glared at me. "Well he doesn't like you either," she spat before running away.

I blew out a breath and went to walk away. He grabbed my arm and purred, "You know I can take care of myself, right?"

"I know," I sighed. "I just hate when they can't get the hint. You're too nice to them. Anyways, I'll meet you in class."

I could have sworn I heard him say he did like me as I left, but that was impossible.