Bitten

Ava's POV

“Ok ask the trees for directions so we can get going” Ash says.

I roll my eyes, already regretting telling him. I didn’t really mean to, but it slipped out. I touch the tree and see the path. “oh no” I gasp.

“What is it?” Ash asks

“They have crossed the border, they are not in our kingdom any more” I say.

“That will make things more difficult. I understand if you do not want to go any further”

“No, I’m coming with you. I need to find Ezra and I know what a terrible man the vampire king is, I can’t leave him there” I don’t know where all this courage is coming from, its like I lived in fear for too long and it used up my supply. Or maybe just being so sexually frustrated is messing with my common sense. I have barely been able to look at Ash without getting aroused since last night.

“It will put you in danger though” The concern in his voice made me smile.

“Oh please, what would he even want with a wolf-less werewolf.” I try to joke, not fooling myself and remembering the night my parents left me.

“Well since you will probably be killed or raped if I leave you here alone, I guess you will have to come, but stay with me at all times.” He says.

We walk in silence towards the border, along the river that separates the 2 kingdoms. A noise from the bushes makes us stop and stare.

“show yourself” Ash commands.

Quick as a flash a woman appears and before I know what has happened, she has her fangs in my neck. I push her away and stumble back into the river. Faint from the blood loss, I feel the current take me, I grab out and onto a vine, holding on as tight as I can. I hear Ash fighting the woman and I pray that he is ok, vampires are hard to kill. I see her look over the edge and her eyes find mine. Fear sinks in, she won, if Ash couldn’t take her, then I will surely die. I feel my grip loosen as the hopelessness sinks in, but the vine has twisted around my wrist securing me there. Then the woman head bursts into flames and I see the ground opening up around her. Ash spots me and rushes to pull the vine in and help me up out of the water.

When I am out, I try to stand and wobble, Ash wraps his strong arms around me, supporting me.

“Stay still” He instructs as he sits me on a tree trunk and moves his hands in small circles. As he does so, I feel myself getting warmer, my clothes start to dry off and I stop shivering.

“What did you do?” I ask confused.

“I used fire to dry you off. Are you hurt?” He asks coming closer.

“No, I just feel a little weak, I should heal soon though”

“I will carry you” He says and scoops me in his arms.

“Oh absolutely not, this is embarrassing” I say and wriggle trying to get free.

“Well you are a walking beacon for danger, so maybe carrying you will give us some peace for the rest of the walk.” He jokes.

“She must have been after you, vampires love Fae blood, wolf is supposed to repeal them, so I think you will find you attracted that particular danger.” I say

“Oh so getting bitten and falling was you sacrificing yourself for me was it?” He winks

I’m very aware of his strong muscles pressed against me and his hands cupping my ass and under my breasts, his wink was dangerous. I needed to get down. “I could have defended myself, just like I can walk myself, now put me down please.”

He released me gently, but left his arm around my waist for support. I should have pushed him away, but it did feel reassuring. The rules had always seemed unnecessary to me since most people found partners and mates with in their own species, but now the rules were really pissing me off. The first nice guy I meet that I’m attracted to and I can’t have him. Its so unfair. Maybe its good though, maybe it will save me from a heartbreak later. He is a very good kisser, so he must have had plenty of practise, maybe he just wanted to use me as a bit of entertainment while he is away from the castle. I feel anger and jealousy bubble up and I use it to pull away and move faster towards the border. There would be a bridge somewhere nearby, I look ahead and frown. There is a bridge, but not a whole one, they must have destroyed it on the way across. Now what?

Ashton’s POV

I have to keep reminding myself that she is off limits. I shouldn’t even be attracted to a werewolf, but she is irresistible. Holding her and touching her feels so good. I know she can walk fine by herself, but I just want to have her in my arms again. I’m not so sure about her coming across the border though. I know that the vampire king is not a friend of my father and is a ruthless man.

I am lost staring at her plump perfect ass walking away when she stops and I have to draw my attention back to the task at hand. She is staring at a bridge, a wooden foot bridge that has most of its slats broken. This could be a problem.

“Is there another way across?” I ask hopeful.

“Not that I saw” She says.

“hmm, well lets take a closer look, maybe it is still passable” I say. We walk towards the bridge and it does not look safe. It looks like most of the slats have been broken deliberately, perhaps to stop us from following.

“Can you move the ground like you do for our camps?” She asks.

I sigh “I don’t think its a good idea, I have already used some strength fighting the vampire, if I move all that earth for us to get across then I will be very weak on the other side and I might need my strength to protect us from whatever is on the other side.”

“Well then how good is your balance?” She says.

“Not bad, physical training was one of the few subjects that I enjoyed and we did a lot of thai chi and gymnastics that require balance. How about you?”

“I have climbed a lot of trees” she says

“What are you thinking?” I ask

“We can balance along the main beams to cross, they are still in tact and thick enough to walk on.”

I shake my head “That is too risky, what if you fall?”

“Do you have a better idea?” she asks

“We could camp and I will move the earth tomorrow when I’m rested” I suggest.

“We will lose more time and we do not know what terrible things they will do to the scouts in that time” She says concern clear in her voice.

“Ok, we can try, but we go slowly and carefully” I’m not sure about this, but I don’t have any other ideas and she is right, they could already be torturing the scouts for information, but I won’t say that to her.

We move to the bridge and I step on hesitantly. My heart accelerates as I look down. I’m not scared of heights, but the idea of falling from them does not fill me with joy. I try to centre myself as I carefully take another step. I see Ava step on behind me seemingly unfazed by the height. I try to focus on my steps, one in front of the other is all that matters until we are safely across. I feel my foot slip and as though in slow motion, I feel myself lose balance and start to tip over the edge. I try to grab at the plank with my hands, but I miss and I feel myself falling through the air. I hear a scream and vaguely register that Ava has seen me fall, I pray that she is ok and not slipping too. My brain scrambles for a way to survive but comes up with nothing in blind panic. Well at least my life is not flashing before my eyes, there are definitely moments I do not want to relive. I keep staring up to look for Ava, hoping that she is the last thing I see.