Chapter Eight – The Battle

I was trapped in a house fire. Flames were engulfing the entire house and all the exits were blocked. Frantic, I crawled on the floor looking for a different route. However, the ceiling caved in and came crashing down. My arms came up to my face and blocked the falling wall of fire, but it didn't reach me. Her body hovered over me and shielded me from the fire. She faced me as I laid flat on my back. Her smile calmed my fears. Slowly, the fire descended. Her hand caressed my face as I placed my hand over hers.

"Ephraim."

She saved me.

"Ephraim, wake up."

I woke up looking down at Ashling. Holy shit. She rested on top of my entire body with her hands under her chin and gave me an innocent yet playful smile. My mind tried to think of anything else besides her. School. Seattle. Food. Beer. Luca. Damn Luca. Fuck. No. Not fuck. Can't think of that. Not now.

"Why are you here?" I gulped a hard swallow. "On top of me?"

"Oh." Her lips created a perfect little circle. Her eyes widened and she realized what she was doing to me. Within a second she was standing at the foot of the bed.

"I'm sorry, Ephraim. You're body temperature was heating up so high, so I draped you with my cold body to cool you down."

She looked embarrassed at her admission. She bit her bottom lip and didn't make eye contact with me. Her eyes scanned around the room except at me on the bed.

I then realized, I didn't know where we were. I studied the room and tried to remember how I got here.

"Um. Where are we and whose room is this?"

She finally worked the nerve to face me, "This is Peyton's room. We're above the bar. You somehow killed two vampires with one strike and then passed out, so Peyton brought you upstairs to recover."

"How long have I been out?"

"Just through the night."

I realized she had stayed the evening as well and perhaps watched over me the entire night. My head was still throbbing from the intense fight I had with the two vampires. I don't even know what came over me. My temper took over and I went into protective mode.

"Ephraim?"

"Yeah. Sorry. I was trying to contemplate the entire situation. I've never done anything like that before. Actually, I've never had that sensation in me either. It was . . . different."

"Well, whatever, you did. Thank you for your attempt in trying to save me."

"I didn't mean to kill them."

"I know."

I sat up on the edge of the bed with my hands gripping to its edge as well. I gazed down at the old aged hardwood floors. The dents and scratches left a remarkable impression, and somehow with all the flaws it endured, the floors looked perfect. Would these killings become my dents? I was flawed now, and far from perfect.

Her cold hands rubbed my back which caught me by surprise, but I welcomed her serene touches.

"Ephraim. If I can offer anything, it's that you never get over your first kill. At least, with you, you have a choice. For me, it is or it was a means of survival. You did it out of protection, and I don't know how to ever repay you. No one has ever done that for me."

She sat beside me and took my hand. She placed her other hand on top and rubbed hers against mine. She couldn't look me in the eyes, so I lifted her chin so I could see her piercing black eyes.

"Ashling, I don't know why, but I feel an inclination to protect you."

"You don't have to, Ephraim."

The palm of my hand pressed against her cheek, and my thumb caressed her bottom lips. She slightly bit on her bottom lips and folded them in underneath her tongue. I wanted to trace her lips where her tongue had touched. I leaned down on her and did just that. My tongue explored the very place she last tasted.

She brought herself forward and there was no space between us anymore. I lifted her on top of me as she straddled me with her legs. All the while, her fingers ran through my hair and the sensation of her touches sent a riveting wave of warmth down my spine. I wanted to inhale all of her.

I leaned back on the bed and she held her weight on top of me. She sent traces of kisses down my jawline and neck, and I was going to lose it. I began to lift her shirt up and started to undo her bra.

The sudden loud pounding at the door both caught our attention, and she got off of me quickly.

"Ephraim!" The pounding started again.

Ashling couldn't look me in the face and was brushing her tousled hair with her fingers. She got up to stand at the corner of the room.

Peyton's scream through the door sounded serious. I opened the door to find him standing there. He peeked in around the room with a serious face, but he let out a small crooked smile at me with a suspicious wink. That asshole. Now wasn't the time to be an ass.

"You got a visitor, Ephraim. One I don't wish to have often in my pub."

Who could be here to see me?

I followed Peyton downstairs, but not before grabbing Ashling's hand. I wasn't going to leave her unattended and alone upstairs. As we got to the bottom steps, I was surprised at who it was.

"Mom."

Word must have spread to her about last night's incident. Either she was being a protective mother or doing her queen duty and trying to seek answers for what really happened. But it was her look that I didn't comprehend. She was staring straight at Ashling. I didn't know how to read her at this moment, but it didn't look like she was warming up to Ashling.

"It's not her fault, Mom, so don't even think it is."

My mom turned to look at me. Her one eyebrow raised up meaning she was taken back by my comment and didn't agree with it.

"I never said it was, Ephraim. I only wanted an explanation of what's going on and why you're still here."

Ashling couldn't stop staring at my mom. I could tell she was a nervous wreck because her grip on me was getting tighter by the minute.

"Mrs. Black, I am so sorry. It really is my fault. Please don't be upset with Ephraim. I had suggested we come into town, and Luca must have followed us. That's when everything happened with Ephraim becoming unconscious."

"Unconscious?" My mom didn't like that part of the story. I turned to look at Ashling and shook my head to her so she would stop talking. I've never heard her talk so fast.

"It was nothing."

"What happened?" Her tone was fierce and demanding.

"Luca and his vampire boys were coming after Ashling and me, so I went into protective mode. I don't know what happened, all I know was I aimed to punch them and next thing I know the punch killed them both. I was bleeding from my nose and fell down to the floor. That's all I remember."

"Ephraim? Are you okay?" My mom was now in mom mode. She came up to me and rubbed my head like I was a kid, then hugged me. Ashling tried to release my hand, but I wouldn't let her go either.

"I'm good, Mom." I was embarrassed at her possessive behavior while Ashling stood watching and chuckling. "Mom, I'd like you to meet Ashling."

She finally released me and turned her attention to Ashling. She also noticed my hand still gripped onto Ashling's. Ashling tried her best to let go of me, but she lost that struggle as I held on.

"Mrs. Black, it is an honor to finally meet you. I have nothing but the utmost respect for you. My mother has spoken highly of you, and I'm sorry to meet you under the most unfortunate events."

"Ashling, please don't apologize. I'm well aware of who your mother is. I hope she is doing well."

"She is with the exception of missing me too much."

"As a mother, I understand completely. Well, we have some unfinished business here, and I would like it very much if you would join us this evening for dinner at our house, Ashling."

I didn't understand my mom's sincerity towards Ashling. My mom knew it was never a smart idea for me to get involved with anyone. She didn't want me to get hurt should the imprint take place, if it would take place. I didn't even know if I was going to phase into a wolf ever.

Besides, my feelings for Ashling were growing. I couldn't deny them anymore, and I wanted to tell Ashling soon.

"Mom, I'll bring her over tonight. But we have to go to Gramp's house first so she can at least change."

It was the perfect excuse to buy some time first. My mom didn't hesitate and she let us walked pass her and out the pub.

I could hear Peyton whispering to my mom. "How long are you going to let this go on?"

"He'll figure soon enough."

I couldn't believe it. Even Peyton was in on this imprinting. No one was giving me a choice. How was I ever going to live my life? I wouldn't ever be able to until I surrendered myself to these claims. Maybe it wasn't fair to Ashling? Inside of me, I knew it was true. Especially after seeing Michael and Sara, I couldn't deny it anymore.

When we arrived at the cottage, Ashling climbed off the bike and headed inside.

"We're not going to my parent's."

She turned around and gave me a perplexed look. "And why are we not going?"

"My parents are going to enforce this imprinting shit on me and will probably scare you off with this talk."

"How do you know that's what they're going to discuss?"

"Because it's what my parents do. All. The. Time. They infest the idea of imprinting to me during every opportunity they can. It becomes mundane, but I'm not going to put you through it. You deserve more and better."

"What are you suggesting?"

"I'm saying. . . " I had the hardest time trying to find the perfect words without hurting her. "Maybe it's best that I shouldn't . . ."

I couldn't say it. I didn't want to say it.

"You're a piece of work, Ephraim. Let me make it easy for you." She was livid, and I didn't blame her. She threw the helmet at me with a lot of force, and ran towards the house.

I got off the bike and chased after her. She was already in her room and had closed the door. She placed her entire weight against the door and I didn't have the strength to push it open. Damn the human side of me.

"Ashling. Please open the door. It's not what you think."

She remained silent and unresponsive.

"Ashling. You're the last person I want to hurt. Because in the end, if this imprinting happens, you'll be the one carrying the pain. And I can't live with myself knowing I was the cause of it because . . . I've fallen for you, Ashling. I've fallen in love with you."

My heart was aching with each word I admitted. I was overwhelmed by my emotions for her. I don't know why I was confessing. It wasn't going to help the situation. If anything, I was making it more complicated for the both of us. But I knew I had to let her go.

The door finally opened, and the look of her face tore at my gut. She was somber, and I wanted to rectify it. However, she came up to me and had her arms around my neck already. She pulled me down and before I lost my balance, I wrapped my arms around her waist. She kissed me with harshness, but I didn't care. I wanted to savor her before she decided to forgo our kiss. She wasn't hesitating my response either as I pulled her closer to me. Her body was cooling my rising temperature. Then she stopped and stared at my stunned face.

"Ephraim. If falling in love with you is going to cause me pain, then let me make that mistake knowing full well I'll lose you in the end. I've already told you, you've broken my horizon. I've accepted the fact already that my heart may be broken, but I can't accept not trying. Let me love you in return, up at least until we can't love each other anymore."

"Ashling, it hurts me knowing what I'm going to do to you."

"I'm a big girl, Ephraim. I'll manage, but for now. Let me love you."

I didn't want to agree with her, yet my head nodded in response. I feared losing her already though we've only met. These past few days seemed filled with indescribable emotions that she only brought out in me.

"So let's go meet your parents. The last thing I want to do is disappoint your mom."

I took in a deep breath and didn't want to argue with Ashling. I guess she would get a little taste of my irrational parents and the nonstop persuasion of imprinting. The thought of possibly wanting someone else besides Ashling caused a sharp pain in my chest. I was going to battle this fight if it killed me, but I knew full well I had already lost the war to imprinting.

A/N: I apologize for the late chapter posting but this summer has been a difficult and busy schedule for me. I'm finally finding myself at a balance, and I have been dying to continue this story. Thank you for those who are reading this and still continue to do so. I promise you it's going to get quite more interesting. Much love!

-kl