Chapter Four - Hypocrisy

My heart skipped a beat. In my mind, I begged her not to move forward, to not show any signs that she still cared for him after how he left her. I still remembered her broken soul, shaking and panting on the ground when we found her. Luca did this, yet he had the audacity to return.

His eyes looked traumatized when he saw that she was grasping my hands tightly. I wasn't going to let her go. I didn't want to see her in that state of mind again. But I felt her release my hand slowly. My eyes shut tight, and I took in a deep breath. My mind tried to scream out to her, don't go to him, Ashling.

But she was leaving me. The icy feeling of her touch that I had thoroughly welcomed was now replaced by the warmth of the bonfire. She brushed up against my shoulder and glanced at me, but her eyes went towards the very person I wanted her to escape from.

"Give me a moment, Ephraim."

If she was asking for permission, I was going to deny her this time. But what authority did I have over her?

She took a few steps towards him, and he quickly accepted her welcoming invitation. His hands wrapped around her tiny waist, and he buried his head into her silky black hair. She hesitated at first but she brought her arms up around his neck and embraced him.

I felt nauseated. My knees couldn't hold it together. What was becoming of me? A sudden weight of warm hands landed on my shoulder. Michael.

"It's okay, man. Come on."

He tried to pull me away from staring at Ashling and Luca embracing each other as if their reunion was to be celebrated. I finally forced myself to sit down and face the blazing flame. But my ears concentrated on her voice. I never wanted to take advantage of this one gift, but I couldn't deny it now. I wanted to know what he had to say to her.

"What are you doing here, Ashling? You know they're not fond of you. Of us. Of our kind."

"Don't worry about them. I can handle myself. What do you want, Luca? But the real question is why are you here?"

"Because I love you. I felt awful for leaving you behind. I was selfish, I know. I should have never left. I don't want to lose you. I can't. Not when I just found you."

"Things are going to remain the same, Luca. I'm not going to change my mind."

"I know and I should be receptive to your wishes. I know now. I promise, I will never pressure you again. Please, Ashling. I've been beyond myself when you told me to leave. I didn't want to, but you pushed me and forced me to leave."

"I can't, Luca. At least not right now."

"Why? Is it because of him?"

"What? No. I barely know him. This has nothing to do with him. This is between you and me. At first, I thought it was clear that I should be with you, but the way you reacted when I wouldn't sleep with you."

She was silent for a long while.

"Luca, I'm not sure anymore."

"Please don't say that. Please don't."

"I'm sorry."

"No, what can I do? Please, give me one more chance."

She didn't answer him. I didn't want her to. Why wouldn't that piece of shit just leave? My heart seemed to find its rhythm again, and my breathing eased up.

Michael knew not to bother me because he knew I was eavesdropping on their entire conversation. He was also keeping Emma away from disrupting me.

"Get away, Emma! Now isn't the time to bother Ephraim. Shoo, woman!"

"Ugh, you're not a true friend, Michael."

He lifted his hand and swept it into the air to make her leave. Their conversation overshadowed Luca and Ashling's that I didn't know what else was said between them.

However, the cold touch of hands caressing my shoulder relaxed my entire muscles. The hint of her floral scent released the deep sigh within me. I turned around and looked at her. I wanted to pull her into my arms, but I knew she wouldn't welcome my gesture.

"You okay?"

She raised her eyebrows and tilted her head towards the beach. We walked along the shoreline and let the waves swallow our feet into the sand. She was enjoying the texture of the soft sand against her feet and let out small bursts of giggles.

There was something in her that brought out the kid in me. My worries about my future went into a reset mode of only freedom.

She didn't say a single word to me, yet I was dying to know her thoughts right now. Was she truly resisting the urge to leave here?

"Ephraim." She broke the silence finally.

"Yeah."

"I know you heard the conversation between Luca and me."

"What?"

"I noticed your heartbeat and breathing changed when Luca first came. Then it intensified when I spoke with him, but mostly I could sense the immediate change when I wouldn't take him back."

My palms started sweating from her observations.

"You're so easy to read, Ephraim. Even now, you're tensing up."

She leaned in on me and placed her hand over my heart. I tried to control my breathing, but she seemed to be controlling me unintentionally. I replied to her in hopes that she wouldn't read too much into my behavior with her.

"You say I was eavesdropping on you, yet you were studying my emotions. Isn't that hypocrisy?"

She giggled and again, those dimples were going to damn me to hell.

"I wasn't offended. It was an observation. That's all."

She stepped back and I wanted her body against mine to help cool me down. It was invigorating to have her near me. I was reluctant at first but without thinking, I wrapped my arms around her waist. She found her arms resting against my chest again. Her slow movement across my chest created a burning fire within me.

We both locked eyes and as I leaned down to claim her lips, the familiar voice of none other than Emma echoed through between us.

"Ephraim!"

I closed my eyes and tried to exercise my patience. As for Ashling, she laughed it off.

"I believe you are needed."

"They don't need me."

"Let's not be rude."

She slipped out of my arms and walked towards the bonfire. I paced myself so I could walk by her side. Emma was now running towards us, her face seemed pale.

"Ephraim, it's Michael. He's hurt." Emma started crying hysterically into her hands.

We all ran towards Michael and he laid on the ground. He was bleeding on his leg. He curled up into a ball and his arms wrapped themselves around his waist.

"What happened?" I got down on my knees beside him. No one was answering. "What happened!"

Pauline finally spoke up, "He was in the ocean, next thing I know, he's screaming. I don't know? Maybe he got bit by a shark."

Ashling took a good look at the bite mark. She nodded her head and looked at me. She felt horrid and knew what the bitten mark was.

"It's not a shark bite, Ephraim."

Emma screamed at Ashling, "What the hell are you saying?"

We all knew what Ashling was going to confess, but none of us wanted to believe it. We haven't had an episode like this for centuries on the reservations. Vampires biting into humans in La Push? It was unheard of.

Ashling stared down at Michael's body. He was suffering excruciating pain. His cry for help was getting louder by the minute. It didn't help either that Pauline and Emma were screaming and panting nervously around us.

Without hesitation, Ashling dropped to her knees and she dug her fangs into his leg.

Emma saw what was happening and screamed louder, "What the hell are you doing? Get off of him! You're killing him!"

Emma tried pulling Ashling off, but she held on and didn't let go of Michael. I grabbed Emma but her grip was overpowering. I finally tugged hard enough and pulled Emma off. She collapsed onto the ground and cried into my chest. "Please make her stop. Why are you letting her do this?"

Emma's tears didn't subside and she kept punching me in the chest. I just allowed her to so she could release her stress out on me, but also because I had no idea how to react to Ashling right now.

Within a few moments, Ashling released herself from Michael. Traces of his blood dripped from her mouth. She licked the excess blood off and closed her eyes. Was she enjoying his taste?

I walked over to her and grabbed her shoulders, "What the hell, Ashling! What's wrong with you? I can't believe you."

She looked at me. Her eyes disappointed at my response. She turned to one side and bent her head down then she spit whatever blood she had in her mouth.

"There. The venoms out of his system."

My grip loosened around her, and I heard Michael moaning. He was recovering and didn't look like he was in pain anymore. I got on my knees and helped him up.

"Michael? Are you okay?"

He tried nodding his head. "Shit. I rather die than go through that again. What the hell happened?"

"Ashling just saved you ... " I wanted to thank Ashling but she had disappeared. I looked over the crowd, and she wasn't anywhere in sight. I scoured the beach, but there was no traces of her. Whatever small scent I could pick up from her, it dissipated into the ocean air.

Shit. What have I done?

AN: What did Ephraim just do? Have to admit, I'm feeling for Ashling right now.

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-kl