And now, to help me ease into the evening, another Blu-shot.
Reviewer Thanks (At Last)
Elizabeth: As you recommended, here's some recognition to your reviews! Anyway… Lol, to tell the truth, I actually got the idea of that one-shot from an "Inuyasha" fan-art comic XD And (referring to your other review), when I said Jimmy wasn't going to see Robin again, that did NOT mean I wasn't going to write a sequel! (bite your tongue, and blow up your road-roller for such a thought!) …Glad you're liking this! :D
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
It all started when an old man asked for a place to stay after getting lost in the woods.
I knocked him out and threw him into the dungeon.
A couple days later, three women came along, looking for their father. How they managed to find my castle, I'll never know. Perhaps it was dumb luck… or, as some sap would describe it, fate.
They took one look at me and freaked out. Two of them screamed bloody murder at the sight of my monstrous features (go figure) but the third seemed the most calm. They begged for their father's release, offering to pay me, never tell anyone of me, yadda yadda and other stuff I didn't care about. Once I had a prisoner, there was no bargaining with me.
However, the third one made an offer I couldn't turn down- to take her father's place and stay in my castle forever, as long as I didn't harm her sisters or father. Despite her family's protests, we made the deal.
Normally, I don't negotiate easily, but I was willing to make an exception.
It had been a while since I had a woman in my presence…
Especially if she could be the one to break the spell.
Her name was Ashley Krook.
Day 1
I could tell right away Ashley didn't like me. I could deal with that.
I shoved her sisters and her father out the door. "No, please spare my daughter/Let her come with us!/We don't want to leave her!" they whined.
"Deal with it," I snapped. "And I suggest, unless you want to take her home in pieces, you keep my whereabouts unknown, GOT IT?"
They all sobbed and kept begging…
*SLAM!*
…Then I slammed the door in their faces.
I turned to one of my servants. They were as cursed as I was, only have transformed into vampires: pale skin, dark hair, vicious gazes, turning into bats, fangs… the whole works. The one who stood before me was male, and a husband to one of my female servants. "Make sure they leave, and never find the way back, Leonard." I ordered him.
"Yes, sire." he said to me, then in a poof of smoke, vanished.
I began walking up the steps. Following me were two of Leonard's kids- boys, both twins, maybe ten- called Derek and Drake. "What are you going to do with the girl, master?" Derek- or Drake, I couldn't tell- asked me.
"Are you going to keep her locked up in the dungeon and torture her?" The other twin asked.
"No, Derek."
"I'm Drake!"
"Whatever. I'm not going to torture her,"
"You should let her stay in one of the rooms, too." Derek suggested. "Women hate staying in rooms with rats. That way she doesn't think of you as a big bully!" I scowled at him for that last remark.
"Nah, that's ridiculous. He should keep her in the dungeon until she decides to fall in love with him!" Drake scoffed.
"Nuh-uh! Mom says that a woman has to LEARN to love him to break the spell! You can't force it!"
"Says who?"
"Says the guy who cast the spell!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"Aren't you two supposed to be babysitting your sister?" I snapped at them. I couldn't stand them arguing.
"Izzy!" They both gasped, then disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Rolling my eyes, I continued my way to the dungeon, seeing Ashley on her knees, sobbing into her hands. Next to the twins' arguing, I couldn't stand to see women cry- it made me gag. "C'mon, I'll show you to your room,"
"You're… giving me a room?" she asked, sounding shocked.
"Would you rather stay in the dungeon? The rats love company,"
She sneered at me, standing up. "I'll take the room."
"Figured so," I lead her out of the dungeon and down the hallway, leading her down the stairs. Feeling generous, I decided to give her a tour. "Over there is the foyer, and the hallway across from it leads to the dining room. We have at least 25 bathrooms, so there's at least five on every floor." …I was kind of hoping that last one would crack her up a bit, but she remained silent. (Women have no sense of humor). "Anyway, the entire castle is yours to explore. …Just stay away from the west wing."
"Why?"
I glared at her. "Because I said so." She bit her bottom lip, cringing. I sighed, shaking my head. "C'mon, this way." I lead her to a room five doors down the hall. "If you need anything, my servants will attend you- by the way, they're vampires, so keep your neck covered." She gave me a stunned look, and I rolled my eyes. "That was a joke. …Still, you'd better do it, just to be safe."
"Psst!" came a whisper, and I looked over, seeing the twins. "Ask her to dinner!"
I gave them a look.
"C'mon, suave-ay, you can do it!" Derek or Drake said.
"Yeah, lay on the charm. Sweet talk her!" the other one added.
I turned to Ashley. "So… Dinner's in fifteen minutes. Be there." I said firmly, then shut the door.
The twins slapped their foreheads and shook their heads. "Real smooth," they told me, sarcastically.
"I'm afraid I'll have to agree with the boys on this one, Jonathan." Another voice came, and I turned to see the twins' mother, Jocelyn. In her arms was a baby girl, maybe 8 months, undoubtedly Izzy. "If you want the girl to warm up to you, it would be best if you actually ATTEMPTED to be more of a gentleman."
"Hey, I'm just saying she should come to dinner," I scoffed. "If she doesn't want to eat with me, then she can starve,"
"Oh, THAT'S gonna win her heart," The twins sneered. I snarled at them, and they disappeared in the puff of smoke.
Jocelyn sighed. "At least let her get used to the castle, first. Her family's gone, and- undoubtedly- she's never seen mythical creatures like ourselves." I scowled, crossing my arms and turning away. "At least let ME have a word with her and try to calm her nerves. She'll be more comfortable if someone-"
"Yeah, yeah, have at it." I muttered, walking off. "I'll be in my room."
I stormed off. So far, nothing was going my way, and I easily get pissed when nothing goes my way. I headed up to the west wing of the castle… my room, and the one place no one, not even my most loyal servants, were allowed to go without my say so. Why? Well, for one thing, it's my ROOM.
It was a mess right now, with junk thrown everywhere, old photos of myself torn to shreds, and a hand-mirror sitting on a nightstand near my balcony. It wasn't exactly an ordinary mirror- it was enchanted, giving me the ability to show me anything I wanted, the only way to see the world outside my castle (sadly, though, it didn't give me HBO. Damn). "Show me Leonard," I said to it.
An image of Leonard driving Ashley's parents back to town, all of them blindfolded (except Leonard, you idiot). Good, at least it'll keep an angry mob off my doorstep. I thought.
I couldn't help but think about Ashley next, wondering what Jocelyn was saying to her. Naturally, I decided to eavesdrop (another handy use for the magic-mirror). "Show me the girl,"
An image of Ashley and Jocelyn appeared, then. "Don't be so upset with my master," Jocelyn was coaxing. "He's just had… issues, in the past. He's really nice once you get to know him!"
"I don't care!" Ashley snapped, tears in her eyes. "Thanks to him, I'm stuck here, I'll never see my family again, and I'll have to…" she paused, then began to bawl. "I just want to go home,"
Man, do women ALWAYS get emotional when they're prisoners in a castle? I thought. Sighing, I set the mirror down, shaking my head. "Why do I even bother?" I muttered to myself. "She's never going to see me as anything more than a monster… just like everyone else." I walked over to my bed, lying on it.
It was hopeless. I mean, who'd fall in love with a werewolf?
Day 2
I woke up the next morning, looking out the window. Fall had hit, the leaves floating to the ground and there was a chill in the air- damn it, did I leave the balcony doors open? I got up (shutting the doors, first) then grabbed the mirror. "Show me the girl," I asked in a half-yawn, wondering if the dame was still having a tear-fest.
I was surprised to see an image of her vomiting into a toilet. Probably cried so much, her own stomach couldn't take it. I thought, then sat the mirror down before I started puking.
I walked down the hallway, seeing the twins standing by one of the bathrooms… hearing the gagging noises, it was an easy guess that it was Ashley's. "What's wrong with her?" I asked them, giving them a hard glance. "Did one of you two put something in her food?"
"Huh-uh, she hasn't even eaten," Derek or Drake said.
"She's been vomiting since early this morning." The other double said. "Mom says she might have caught the flu or something."
I made a face. "Yeesh. I hope I don't catch it," I commented.
The door opened and Ashley walked out. "I thought I heard voices," she said, then gave me a bitter look. "What do you want?"
"I saw- I mean, I heard you vomiting. You sick or something?"
She covered her mouth, turning green, then ran back into the bathroom, performing another symphony of throw-ups. She then walked back out. "You could say that…"
"Uh, huh. …Well… Make sure you don't spread it to anyone else."
She scowled at me. "Trust me, I won't." With that, she walked off, back to her room.
"Smooth," Drake or Derek said to me, sarcastically.
"REAL smoother," The other twin added.
Another snarl from me, and they took off again.
0o0o0o0o0
Later that day, I passed by Ashley in the hall. "Still sick?" I asked, deciding to listen to Jocelyn (for once) and act like a… what was it again? …oh, yeah. I wuss- I mean, a gentleman.
"Not much… if I was in my own home," she muttered in reply.
I sneered.
This dame really needed to change her attitude.
Day 3
I believe I entered some sort of alternate universe on the way to lunch today, because Ashley actually decided to dine with me.
…Well, almost, if you count her sitting at the other end of a 20-foot long table being near me. Hey, we were in the same room, weren't we?
But, the most surprising was what all she was having for lunch: chocolate-covered bacon, with a side of salted mashed potatoes, cheese-covered tuna-casserole, and onion-and-spinach soup.
What. The. Hell?
"Geez, you grow up next to a garbage disposal?" I commented.
"Do you have a problem with my eating-habits?" Ashley sneered in reply. "Might as well get used to it, if you're going to have me here,"
She's really starting to piss me off… I thought. Seeing a glass of water next to her, I knocked it over with my tail, onto her lap. "Oops." I shrugged innocently. "Clumsy me."
"No problem," I could sense the tension in her voice. "Oh, you have something on your face,"
I wiped my face. "What? Where?"
*Splat!*
She shoved her plate into my face. "There."
I wiped the gunk off my face, only to see that she had already left the room. "Ooh, she's really steamed," A voice said, and I saw Derek or Drake next to me.
"You're really blowing it," The other twin added.
"GET OUTTA HERE!" I growled at them. With a yelp, they were out of my sight. I stormed off, deciding to track down Ashley and give her a piece of my mind, and I saw her not too far down the hall. "What the $&%* is wrong with you, woman?"
"Nothing's wrong with me. I just don't like it when someone acts like a child," she retorted.
"Maybe if you didn't give me attitude, I'd act more 'mature',"
"If you were more hospitable, I wouldn't give you attitude,"
"Well, if you actually gave me a chance, your stay here would be better." I smirked, knowing I had won.
Wrong. "If you weren't such a beast, I'd give you a chance!"
I glowered, stepping toward her. "What's that supposed to mean?"
She backed away, and I could see the fear in her eyes. "Well, you…"
"What, you think because I LOOK like this, I'm officially a bad guy. Is THAT it?" I was looming over her, now.
"N-No, I meant…" she stared at me, horror reflecting in her irises.
"You keep staring, so that must be it, right?" I clenched and unclenched my fists.
She tried to run, but I grabbed her wrist. "Let me go!" she began to beat my arm, and kicked me in the shin. "You're hurting me, you monster!"
Ah. So she finally said it.
I glared deeper, raising my paw, claws sticking out. "A monster, am I? Why don't I-" I growled, preparing to strike, but I paused when I saw something in her eyes.
My reflection.
My eyes were red- normally they were yellow- and my fangs were bared, a mad expression on my face… the expression of a maniac. Slowly, I lowered my paw, retracting my claws, and released her.
Quickly, I turned away, and took off.
The twins were right. I WAS blowing it.
Day 7
I had spent the rest of the week in my room, staring at my reflection in a broken mirror on the wall. I couldn't eat or sleep… I kept thinking about what I almost did to Ashley. I would never even attempt to strike a woman… so why did I try to do it?
I looked around my room, seeing all the torn pictures and broken furniture. During the first few weeks of being a werewolf, I would break something every time I got angry. Now, just a year later, I nearly harmed a living being… with my new strength, possibly even killed her. Had I let the beast within me contain control?
I shuddered at the thought.
I stepped out onto the balcony, looking down at the courtyard… the cracking, dark concrete, the withered plants, the dirt-patch that used to be a garden… not even a crow or buzzard would come around here. She'll never like me, now. I told myself. She saw me as a monster, and I acted like one… there's no way she'd change her view on me. Gloom not only affected the scenery, but me as well, especially since I knew it was true. I'm only kidding myself… I stepped onto the railing, looking down at the pavement below, wondering if werewolves could survive a 4-story fall. I might as well just-
*Click*
The twisting of a doorknob caught my attention, especially since it was coming from across the room.
MY room.
I stepped back onto the balcony, looking to see who was coming in. I made out two figures: the first one was Ashley, and she was being carried by a man I never saw… who looked as if he never bathed, shaved for weeks, or paid a visit to a dentist. He threw her onto the bed, snickering, then began to rip open her shirt.
You should've seen the look on his face when I roared, leaped at him, and grabbed him by the throat. His eyes were as big as dinner plates, and they stayed that way when I threw him over the balcony-
*Splat!*
…and he landed face-first on the pavement.
I don't know if werewolves could survive that fall, but I had a pretty good bet that he didn't.
"Asshole," I scoffed, looking down at him. "How many people are going to trespass here?"
I walked in, seeing Ashley on my bed, her shirt torn off. If werewolves could blush, I'd be doing it now, and I rubbed the back of my neck. Grabbing a blanket that I hadn't completely torn to shreds, I covered her. Hey, I may be indecent sometimes, but I'm not all that disrespectful.
Leonard and Jocelyn then ran in, out of breath. "Sire, we just heard word of an intruder in the castle," Leonard said. "The news said he was an escaped convict and…" he paused, noticing Ashley at last. "And… and… and… uh…"
"Yeah, I sent the douche-bag over the edge," I said, thumbing toward the balcony. "Throw his body in the woods for the cops to find."
"You… you killed him?" Jocelyn asked, stunned. "What… what made you do it?"
I looked at Ashley, noticing a bump on her head. "Because, he was about to hurt her,"
Jocelyn and Leonard looked at each other, but obeyed my command and ditched the rapist's body. I stayed with Ashley.
I didn't know why I suddenly became protective of her. I just didn't want some dick screwing her in my bed. I thought, but I knew it wasn't just that.
There was something else.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Ashley came to a couple hours later. "What… happened?" she asked, trying to sit up, but I laid my paw on her shoulder, keeping her down.
"Are you alright?" I asked her.
"Yes… what happened?" her eyes widened. "I was knocked out by this horrible man, and-"
I raised my paw, silencing her. "Lets just say, he just took an Express-way out of my castle, and into heaven… or hell. It depends." I moved my hand from her shoulder to her head. "You don't have anything to worry about, now."
She nodded, slightly. "Thank you." For the first time, I actually saw her smile.
I smiled back… then realized she still needed a new shirt. "(ahem) I'll, um, have one of my servants find you a new outfit,"
"That would be nice," She sat up, holding the blanket against herself, looking around. "Where exactly am I?"
"My room… in the west wing."
"So, this is why you didn't want me up here…" Damn it, was she going to give me décor advice, now? "…You like to have your own solitude,"
My ears perked up. I was expecting more attitude, but she caught me by surprise. "Um, yeah. …I mean, don't you?"
She nodded. "Yeah. I normally go to the library. Not many people go there, and it's the one place where I can actually be… well, me."
Okay. NOW I was surprised. "What do you mean?"
Before she could reply, the twins ran in, one of them holding Izzy. "Silver, what happened? We heard you killed a guy!" Drake or Derek said.
"Yeah, is the body still around?" The other twin- who was holding Izzy- asked, looking around.
I gave them a look. "What did I tell you guys about coming into my room without permission?" I snapped.
"But Ashley's in your room and-" Derek or Drake began to argue, but paused, his eyes widening. "Whoa…"
"Why is her shirt off?" The twin with Izzy asked.
I shoved the twins out of the room. "Just go find her a shirt!" I then slammed the door. "Sheesh. Kids, what're you gonna do with 'em, huh?"
Ashley laid a hand on her stomach. "Yeah… quite a handful." she said.
Day 8
Things between Ashley and I improved since yesterday.
We sat in the foyer, and I asked her about her life, starting with why she went somewhere solitary to be herself. "Well… lets say I was kind of popular, but not in a good way." she replied. "Back in school, I never went out for sports, though I did go out for Speech Team. But I never hung out with the rest of the girls, because they were never interested in the things I was- reading, writing stories, drawing- and mostly just gave themselves makeovers, talked about boys, or gossip."
"Not into all that prissy stuff, huh?" I guessed.
She nodded. "Everyone thought I was a nerd. I figured it would all stop after graduation. I got a job at the mall, where I found out I was wrong. While I spent most of my time helping out customers or checking stocks, the others would be sitting behind the register, bored, or talking on the phone until their shift ended." she sighed. "On my days off, I always went to the book store or took a walk through the park, not really getting into much conversation because I didn't have much to say…"
"The strong silent type, I take it?"
She smiled, shrugging a bit. "Yeah, that's how most people described me." her smile faded. "Though, rather than asking me more about myself, they just assumed I was some sort of anti-social freak- always keeping to myself, never going out much, hardly giving anyone the time of day…"
Boy, could I relate to that… I thought.
"And if that wasn't what made people peculiar about me, it was how I never swooned over the town pretty-boy."
I arched an eyebrow. "Town pretty-boy?"
"That's how I describe him. His name's Rupert Castellan, and he lives in this classy mansion, is a skilled hunter, and has all the women chasing after him while men want to be him." she crossed her arms, shaking her head. "I don't see why. He's such a vain, inconsiderate, ill-mannered ego-maniac." she let out a sigh. "He asked me on a date a couple weeks ago, and when I declined, the whole town's jaws dropped, believing I was out of my mind."
"He's that popular, huh?"
"It's as if they think he can change stone into gold. Even my own sisters thought I was crazy for turning him down!" she shrugged again, looking out the window. "But, I've learned to deal with being shunned by society. …It would be nice to actually get away, go somewhere new, meet new people, and just have fun." she turned back to me. "I guess being in your castle is more like a vacation for me, away from all that."
I smirked, rubbing my chin. "It could be better. Follow me," I lead her down the corridor and down the hall, where a pair of double doors stood. Opening them, we walked into a dark room.
"What's in here?"
"Hold on, let me find the lights," One good thing about being a werewolf was night-vision, and as I looked around, I couldn't help but feel eager about what she'd think. I found the switch, and flicked on the lights.
Ashley stood agape, awed at all the shelves full of books, stairways that lead to more shelves, going as high as the ceiling. "Wow… You must really love to read."
I chuckled. "Nah, this was my grandfather's study. My father had it built for him because he kept coming over with so many books, always wanting to learn new things or get sucked into another story." I turned to her. "When you told me how much you liked to read, it reminded me of him, and I figured you'd like this place."
"I love it!"
"In that case, this room is officially yours. Your own solitary space."
She turned to me, smiling wider. "Thank you so much," She walked over, picking up a book. "Would… you like to read with me?"
I'm not the kind of guy who reads all that often, but seeing the excitement on her face, it was hard to say 'no'. "Sure,"
Day 15
I stood on the balcony, watching Ashley play kick-ball with the twins down in the courtyard. They had swept away all the dirt and dead weeds to make the area better to play games in. It had been a week since we started getting along, and she spent most of her time in the library. Drake and Derek believed she was spending too much time inside and needed to get out and get some fresh air, and convinced her to play with them. I smiled, seeing how much fun she was having.
Jocelyn and Leonard stood beside me, Jocelyn cradling Izzy in her arms, watching their children play. "The boys really like having Ashley around, don't they?" Jocelyn asked, smiling.
"It has been a while since they found a new friend to play with," Leonard agreed. "Who would've thought she'd love kids so much?"
"She's going to make an excellent mother,"
My ears perked up at that last statement. "What do you mean?" I asked, slyly.
Jocelyn shrugged. "Oh, just expressing my opinion." Izzy squealed, giggling, and her mother chuckled. "I believe Izzy wants to watch her brothers from a closer angle," In a poof of smoke, both of them disappeared.
"Hey, Silver! You wanna come down and play?" Drake or Derek called up to me, having spotted me at last.
I looked at Leonard, both of us knowing it had been a while since I've played any games. He shrugged, motioning me to give it a try. "Sure, I'll be right down," I called.
0o0o0o0o0o0
I wasn't really into playing kick-ball as a kid, but once I got into it, there was no stopping me… until Ashley hit me with the ball when I was running bases (a tree, a rock, and a withered bush), then we began arguing whether I was 'safe' or not. Turns out I ended up out, and I was about to lose it again, until Ashley gave me a look- arched eyebrow, pursed lips, and a slight glare… like what a mother would give. I had been trying to control my temper around her ever since 'that' incident. So, muttering to myself, I stood back in line, deciding to run the bases faster- or better yet, kicking a home-run… anything so I wouldn't get out again.
I kicked a homer alright… clear over the castle wall. "Aw, man! NOW what are we going to do?" Drake or Derek complained, and I couldn't help but feel a little guilty for ruining the game.
Ashley came to the rescue. "We could draw," she said, holding up a rock.
"Draw? With rocks?" The other twin scoffed. "How is THAT going to- oof!" his brother elbowed him in the ribs to shut him up.
"Just watch," Ashley knelt down, scraping the rock against the pavement. It was soft enough to work like chalk, and she began illustrating.
"Whoa! How'd you do that?" Both the twins asked.
"There's some chalk-stones over there. We used to have them scattered in our garden back at my house, and my sisters and I used to draw with them on the sidewalk. They work just as good as regular chalk."
"Cool!" The twins ran over, grabbing a few 'chalk-stones', and began doodling.
I decided to give it a try, but I wasn't quite as good, most of my lines coming out as squiggles. I looked over at Ashley's, seeing her draw a beautiful rose. "You're really good," I commented.
"I just like to draw," She must've noticed me looking at my pitiful drawing, because she then grabbed my arm. "C'mon, I'll show you another way to draw." She stood up straight, facing the other way. "Alright, have at it." I only stared at her, confused. She pointed at the ground. "My shadow. Try tracing it."
I shrugged, doing what she said. To my amazement, it didn't come out half as bad. "So… now what?"
"You add your own details, like jewelry or clothes."
"Will you do us, too?" Drake or Derek asked.
"And Izzy!" The other twin exclaimed, holding up their little sister.
I shrugged, smirking and tracing their shadows, each of them making a different pose. I let them put in their own little details once I was finished, and then they wanted to do my shadow. …It stood out like a sore thumb, the shape of it reminding me of what I was. When Ashley looked at it, she rubbed her chin. "Needs something…" she then stood beside me, reaching her arm out so her shadow was touching my shadow's hand. The twins traced the scene, then- on Ashley's instructions- drew us in classy outfits. "That looks good, don't you think?"
I smiled at her. "Perfect," I replied.
Day 18
I sat with Ashley beside the fireplace, listening as she read a story to Izzy, who was sitting in her lap. She had decided to tend to the infant so Jocelyn and Leonard could have a break. The story she read was "The Frog Prince", and halfway through the story Izzy fell asleep.
"I'll go put her to bed," she whispered to me, setting the book aside and carrying Izzy out.
While she was gone, I couldn't help but think about what Jocelyn had said about her the other day, about her being a good mother. Was she implying something? Did she think Ashley and I were hitting if off that well? I had been scratching my head about it for a while, trying to find meaning behind her words.
Shrugging, I left the room, passing by Izzy's room, watching as Ashley lied her down in her crib. She was smiling at the baby, though I saw a trace of sadness in her eyes. Perhaps she was upset because the poor child had been born a vampire?
I walked back to the foyer, deciding not to asked her about it just yet. She had been going through different mood swings lately… maybe she was going through a menstrual thing.
Day 28
Ashley wasn't feeling herself. She had stayed in her room all day, staring out the window. She hardly came down for dinner, and even the twins couldn't get her to come out. I stood outside her door, concerned, wondering if I did anything wrong. Better make sure she's alright, I told myself, then knocked on the door, opening it a crack. "Ashley? You in here?" I asked, seeing her sitting in a chair, looking out the window, looking like the shell of the woman I used to know. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm fine." She replied, sighing. …Bull crap.
I stepped beside her, resting a paw on her shoulder. "Ashley, c'mon. Werewolves can read emotions."
She looked down. "I just… I'm just feeling a little home-sick. I haven't seen my family for over two weeks, and I can't stop thinking about them. I hope they're not too worried…"
Guilt strikes again, but this time I had a solution. "Come with me," I led her back to my room, and showed her the mirror. "This mirror can show you anything you want. Just give the word,"
She looked at me curiously, then looked into the mirror. "I'd like to see my family, please."
The image changed to her sisters kneeling by her father's bedside with tears in their eyes, while their father lie there, coughing. "Daddy, we told you not to go looking for her!" The first sister sobbed. "It was too cold out!"
"I called the doctor, and he says Dad might have pneumonia!" The second sister bawled.
"Oh, my gosh…" Ashley gasped, tears forming in her eyes. "My dad… I have to go to him! If he's that sick…"
I bit my bottom lip. "Then… go to him."
"What?"
"He needs you, doesn't he? I'll have Leonard drive you home."
She winced. "Thank you…" she handed me back the mirror, but I pushed it toward her.
"Keep it, so you can always have a way to look back," …Good Lord, why does it sound like I'm ripping off a Disney-flick? I thought.
That's when she hugged me. "I'll never forget you."
And then she left.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
I stood on the balcony that night, staring out at the stars, when the twins came running in. "Silver, is it true?" Drake asked.
"Is Ashley really gone?" Derek asked next.
…As you can tell, I finally found a way to tell them apart- well, Ashley did. Drake's tone was more suave, while Derek's was more sophisticated.
I sighed. "Yes, I let her go." I replied.
"But, why?" Both of them asked.
"It's called being in love." I walked back into my room, lying down in bed. "If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone."
They looked at each other, but left.
Two Weeks Later
I lied in my room, looking out the window, sorrow filling my soul.
Ashley had really made an impact on my life. Now that she was gone… it was as if the entire castle was empty… I was empty.
My servants spent days trying to coax me out, the twins begging me to play with them- even trying to use Izzy, making her use a cute face to draw me out. But their efforts were in vain, because the one person who brought this castle back to life had left, taking our joy with her.
Nothing could snap me out of my sorry-state…
Until Jocelyn kicked open the door, grabbed me by the shoulders, and- due to vampire strength- yanked me out of my bed and dragged me down the hall. "Hey! What the hell?" I snapped.
She shoved me into the bathroom, where Leonard and another servant were waiting for me. "Fix him up, boys. We have a lot of work to do," she ordered, then shut the door.
"What is going on here?" Leonard and the other servant shoved me into the tub just then. "Ack!"
"Oh, just quiet down and hold still," Leonard sneered, as the other servant began to scrub my head. "We've got to make you look more decent,"
I tried to get out of the tub, but the other servant kept me down. "What are you guys talking about?"
Leonard smirked. "Lets just say, we have a plan to boost your spirits." He then held up a dark-blue suit for me.
Whatever this plan was, I hated it already.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
After a bath and a hair-cut, I reluctantly put on the suit, allowing Leonard to guide me to the ballroom… which had been cleaned and decorated, for some reason. I arched an eyebrow, noticing all the servants- even the twins- were all dressed up, and I couldn't help but feel suspicious. It's not my birthday… what's with all the get-up? I wondered.
Leonard had me wait by the stairs, telling me to look up. Knowing things couldn't get any weirder, I followed his orders…
Seeing a woman standing at the top of them, wearing a gorgeous yellow dress, her brown hair put up in a stunning style, and looking more beautiful than ever. "A-Ashley?" I gasped.
She smiled, walking down the stairs until she was standing before me. "Hello, Silver." She said, her hazel-brown eyes sparkling. Music then began to play, and she held out her hand. "Would you like to dance?"
"Uh, sure…" She linked her arm with mine, and we walked onto the dance floor. …I had never, in my entire life, danced before, so I was pretty nervous… so I let her lead.
God was good to me, because I didn't screw up once. After a few steps I got the hang of it, and started leading. Ashley smiled up at me, and rested her head on my chest (The twins were giving me a thumbs-up by this point).
The song ended, and Ashley began guiding me out of the room. "Silver, before we do anything else, can I talk to you in private?" she asked, and I could sense worry in her voice.
"Of course," I replied, and we headed up to my room, sitting on my bed. "Is there something wrong?"
She took a deep breath. "Silver… I have something to tell you. I'm… expecting."
I arched an eyebrow. "Expecting… what?" She gave me a look, then rested her hand on her stomach… and I got the message. "Oh, you mean you're…?" My heart stopped just then, and it all made sense now- the morning sickness, the cravings, the mood swings… how could I have missed it? "Oh, shit! Ash, listen, I-I swear I didn't do anything to you when you were unconscious when that maniac knocked you out! I-"
She grabbed me by the shoulders. "Silver, calm down, it's not yours! It's my ex-boyfriend's."
I blinked. "Your… ex-boyfriend's?"
She nodded, sighing. "Yes, I met him over a year ago. When I told him I was pregnant, he left me."
My heart slowed down. "Oh. Whew! Boy, you nearly scared me!" I then noticed the concern remained in her eyes, and I had a feeling I wasn't the only one who didn't expect this. "…Does your family know?"
She shook her head, wincing. "No. I'm afraid that… if I tell them, they're going to leave me, too."
I cocked my head, confused. "So… why are you telling me, then? You've only known me for a month,"
"Because…" she took my hand, giving it a small squeeze, a tear hitting it. "I just couldn't hide it any longer, and had to tell someone I could trust…" her eyes met mine, shimmering with tears. "And you're the only one I can trust, Silver."
I felt my eyes wincing. "You… you really trust me?"
She nodded. "Yes… you're my friend, and you've taken good care of me this entire month we've been together, and I felt you found out first, before anyone else."
"Wow, Ash, I-I don't know what to say… Thank you." Of course, I knew I wasn't the first one she probably told. Now that I think about it, Jocelyn's statement about Ashley being a good mother made total sense now. I looked at her, still seeing concern in her eyes… I couldn't blame her. She was afraid to tell her family, her ex-boyfriend fled, and she would need someone to help her out if no one else did. …and I wasn't going to be one of the ones who didn't. "And, if you want, I could help take care of your kid, too."
Concern disappeared from her eyes and hope replaced it. "Really?"
"Of course. Anything you need, I'll give to you." It was true. She needed someone to help her take care of her and her child? I'd do it. I'd go to the ends of the earth to find what she needed. As I held her hand, I knew I had to tell her it all… starting with something I wanted to tell her for a while now. "The truth is, Ashley, I-"
I never got far, because suddenly there were screams coming from downstairs and out the door. We stood up to go check it out, but before we could take a step the door flew open and some guy wearing a fedora hat, glasses, cape (seriously?), sporting a porno-mustache and carrying a gun stepped in, and the son of a bitch shot me in the shoulder!
"Agh!" I snarled. I turned to the man, fury rising within me, and I went to lunge, but tripped over an over-turned chair.
"SILVER!" Ashley cried, and the bastard was pulling her away. "Let go of me, Rupert!"
Ashley! I got up, snarling. There was no way I was going to let some asshole hurt her!
"So, THIS is your furry friend, eh?" The douche, Rupert, snapped as he aimed his gun at me. "It's a good thing friendship doesn't always last…"
"Let her go-!" I bellowed, lunging.
*BANG!*
"NO!" Ashley screamed… and that's the last word I heard from her, before everything went black.
0o0o0o0o0o0
When I came to, I was surrounded by darkness. Ashley? …Ashley! I remembered, and tried to get up, but was pulled back. That's when I noticed I had been chained to the wall, and- typically- in a prison cell. As if things couldn't have been worse…
And things can always get worse, because some blue-skinned blonde-haired creature wearing a uniform stepped into the cell. "Ah, so THIS is the vile beast, is it?" she said.
"What's going on? Where am I?"
"You're in Pent Towers, a prison for monsters." a voice said, and suddenly a dark-skinned girl wearing old-fashioned pajamas and a pink ski-cap appeared… what freaked me out was that I could see right through her!
"Lilly, if you don't mind," The blue-skinned creature said sternly, and the girl disappeared. "I am Zaphael Smollet, owner of this prison."
"My warden is a blue-skinned chick?" I questioned.
She scowled at me. "The term is 'Kretin', wolf-man. And I'm not only your wardend, but the judge, the jury, and the executioner."
…I've heard that movie-line somewhere, but I couldn't think of where. Plus, I had other things on my mind. "How did I get here, and… what happened to Ashley?"
"Who?"
"Ashley! Ashley Krook. She's a woman I know. She was over at my castle, when some psycho broke in-"
"Ah, yes, the woman you tried to rape and slaughter before the mob caught up to you."
"WHAT?"
"Quite a tragedy for you, isn't it? Keeping a woman trapped in your castle, with vampires guarding it 24-7, until finally you've been caught and sent here."
"Listen, 'Kreten', whoever told you that story is a big-assed liar. I didn't hurt Ashley- I'd never hurt her! Ask any of my servants!"
"I would, but I'm afraid they've all been slaughtered."
All… slaughtered? Jocelyn? Leonard? Drake? Derek? They're all dead? I winced.
"However, we managed to save one…" She made a 'come' gesture with her finger, and- believe it or not- a statue walked in, carrying a bundle. …Izzy! "This little child had managed to escape the riot, and one of our agents found her and brought her here. Since her parents are dead, we've decided to keep her around. Vampires tend to have long memories, so perhaps once she gets older she can give us the details of your treacherous deeds."
"I've told you, you've got it all wrong! I didn't attack anyone, they attacked me!"
"Pfft. Why would someone attack a werewolf without a cause?"
"That's another thing. I'm not actually a werewolf! I'm under a spell! Please, you've got to let me out… Ashley needs me!"
"Unlikely," The warden then walked out.
"No! Let me out! She needs me! SHE NEEDS ME!" I bowed my head, tears falling from my eyes.
In just a matter of hours, everything… everyone I loved, was gone.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
A/N: Geez, 18 pages! Hope you all appreciate long one-shots.
Please review. No flames. I'm open to suggestions… blah blah, yap yap, drabble drabble…