There Will Be Blood by Brieanna Boyce (bookstand for reading txt) 📕

and I couldn't help but smile a bit, a lot has changed for the both of us but this: this hasn't.

I woke up on the couch, having to cover my eyes from the violent light stabbing my eyes. I rolled onto the carpeted ground than eventually pulled myself up and scratched my head yawning.

"Graceful," Brooklyn said sarcastically.

Shrugging I proceeded into the bathroom, the cold linolium sending a shockwave through my body jolting me awake. When I looked in the mirror I couldn't help but laugh, I looked like shit. I went into my backpack and picked out a clean shirt, than I used some of Ashley's deoderant. I slipped on some shoes, than went outside and went to the beach watching the waves lap the sand.

It'd be so easy to forget my vendetta, it'd be so easy to forget myself here, but my demons, they'd follow me. So I admired the suns tender kisses on my face and appreciated the sea's gentle breeze because it wouldn't be like this. Not for long.

After awhile, I got up and started the walk home. Admiring the beach houses their worn appearances, but even here I wasn't happy, even here I wasn't free. I wouldn't be truly happy, until I followed Tristan and Adoni, until I hurt everyone that took them from me.

"I'm coming guys... just let me say goodbye to my friend."

The house came into view again, but something was different, I smelled something.My heart leapt in my throat as I sprinted to Ashley's side almost instinctivly. It was sweet and pungeant the smell filled my nostrils and I felt the venom pooling in my mouth.

Ashley lied on the floor blood spreading around her creating a dark halo her blonde hair stained with red.

"Ashley! Ashley!"

I shook her, Ashley moaned in pain than started to cry.

"I don't want to die, I don't want to die."

She was sobbing and in hysterics, "Don't worry Ashley you won't die," I picked her up her blood quickly soaking my arm. I grabbed a curtain and bandaged her head but it still bled, everything was red.

I went to the phone and called 911, but she was losing blood and quick, she would die before the ambulance could come.

I went to Ashley's side, she was barely coherant she just cried and than she was quiet, her heart was so faint, and god her blood smelled so good. Like, lavendar except there was a draw to it, an undertone that made it madeningly sweet. Her pulse beat slow, like a waltz, tapping it's tempo against my hand. If I bit her I could save her, my tongue slid over my lips, just one bite.
Sinking my teeth into her neck I heard her moan under my grip, devouring her sweet nectar ravenously. I sat her up cradeling her closer, Ashley tried to move but I barely noticed until suddenly stillness, silence.

"Ashley?"

I laid her down crying holding her close, than a groan, a faint breath so faint it was barely audible.

I paniced, Ashley would she live? "Ashley," cradeling her to my breast like a child, my tears choking my desperate voice, "you won't die," My pinkie fingernail extended long and sharp instinctively. Making a small clean cut on the side of my throat.

I grabbed the back of Ashley's head, . "Drink..." I whispered, tears flowing now. "Drink and never fear death again."

Ashley was cold to the touch, on the line of life and death her lips I felt them, her tongue lapping at the life dripping from my neck. I pet her head gently, letting her enjoy the taste while her strength was waxing.

Only when I heard commotion did I interrupt, and Ashley begged for more before crumpling in extraordinary pain. She screamed and thrashed, she begged for the death she'd just escaped.

Scooping her up there was little time to do anything but run, and I ran, until my body had collapsed from exhaustion. When I looked up to the open field, the moon high in the sky a threatening red. The dew clung to the grass, my own sweat dripping down my body, and the night was cold, as cold as I was. Looking down at Ashley, she was beautiful the breeze playing with her hair, her eyelashes sweeping over pale cheeks.

I lied her down on the cool ground and than I heard it, that long eerie absence of sound, the sound where her heartbeat should have resided. Ashley lied there a long time, than I saw it, the haunting cruel stain that spread between her legs. That cruel unforgiving red, that red stain that had taken from me, that I had spread myself. The tragic red stain that would never laugh, would never smile... that red stain that could've... but never would. Tears rolled down Ashley's cheeks, the moon basked her in light, and the beginning of her new life began with that bloodstain and when her eyes opened filled with tears, there the blood stain continued to reside.

I allowed Ashley some time to mourn for her child as the sun rose, it too a bloodfilled red.

What had I done?

Kale

The next morning the sun had shown through the windows and I was lying in bed suprisingly alone. Typically Meg would be holding me close, typically I'd feel her warm soft body next to mine. Comforting. Caring. She was probably used to dissapointment, Why was I so mean to those who cared most? Why did I always push the people who were close to me away? How come I only loved those that were bound to leave me? Not anymore, now I'd watch over my pack, I'd try. This time I'd make it all work, this time I'd work on getting along without them. Skylar, O'Leary, my mother, their memory wouldn't drag me down, I would not be chained. I was an alpha, a strong one, I protected others, and now I would finally take care of myself. "Hear that O'Leary I won't let you chain me, hear that mom you can't haunt me anymore, hear that Skylar?"

I got out of bed, and streached walking over to the window. The sun embraced me, and rejuvinated me, licking the wounds, pulling back the curtains. Today was a new day, with a new pack.

I put on a pair of jeans and a plain gray shirt found in the drawers of the previous alpha. I walked downstairs into the kitchen where Meg was occupying herself by attempting to cook, ATTEMPTING being the key word. The smell of smoke was enough to bring the whole pack downstairs. Meg and the other werewolf girl were covered in flour and chuckling.

Meg smiled, "morning Kale, wanna try some?"

I walked up to her and pecked her lips," As tempting as that sounds how about we go to a diner?"

Meg seemed taken back but than smiled, "alright."

The other wolves from the pack were yelling at their girl for causing a commotion. The girl lowered her head and put her hands up defensively. I looked at the guys, "We don't treat our women this way in our pack."

"Women?" one of them asked puzzled.

Derek sighed, "There was one girl who used to be here.."

The air somehow changed uncomfortably as the newer members of the pack were no doubt confused. There was no other way of life, a pack member leaving let alone a female was beyond comprehension. Skylar was more than just a pack member she was more...

Than I looked down to Meg who was tugging my arm and pouting, she looked like a child. I put my forehead against hers, I should've found comfort in the gesture, but I'd keep trying.

Finally after a long awkward quiet silence one of the guys from the other pack smiled, "We could race there."

Meg put her hands on her hips smiling confidently, "I have to warn you I hold the title for the fastest runner."

The guys in the other pack raised their eyebrows, it was uncommon for a female werewolf to speak like that, in alot of ways I've sheltered her, in fact sheltered them all to the brutish truths of pack living.

The same werewolf smiled and stepped forward grabbing her foreharm and giving it a firm shake, "Let the best man win."

Meg grinned and took the guy's forearm, "let the best woman win."

Than they both took their positionseveryone followed them out of the house, than they dashed off ripping off their clothes and shifting. I knew Meg would win her confidence wasn't misplaced, in fact she was the fastest werewolf I'd ever seen, except maybe for Shawna... but it had been a long time since I'd seen her run. Then others took off their clothes shifting until everyone but me, and the other werewolf girl were left.

She turned to me her bright green eyes shining as she smiled, "Thank you Kale."

"Your welcome..."

"Tiffany," she than smiled and took my hand running until both of us smiling and running exploded out of our clothes and wore our fur.

The sun shown overhead, my muscles, my heart, and everything else seemed somehow in tune. I would forget those people, those ghosts that haunt me, I had a pack, they were my family, and I had quite a few more members now. I didn't need them, those people who pull me under... I don't need them... I don't need them...

Skylar

Ashley hadn't moved from that spot for a long time, she didn't say a word and neither did I... after all what was there really left to say? Not only did I drag Ashley into this bloodied world but as a result I killed her baby, and was I really saving her? Afterall I was a wanted woman, but I couldn't leave her, she has no one now. I couldn't explain it either, but somehow I suddenly felt stronger for her, more protective.

But my protection resulted in death, I couldn't hide anything from her, I couldn't lie to her, I couldn't leave her, I'd tried that. It hadn't worked and now I had to not only burden her with this curse but bring her into danger in the hopes that maybe bringing her, maybe the knowledge would save her.

Ashley sat up, I looked over, Ashley's eyes were still filled with sadness and she looked straight ahead.

Then a horrible thought floated to the surface, What if I'd done this just so I didn't have to be alone?

I hugged her and kissed her head, not even i would do that... right?

"Ashley... are you ready to go?"

"Where are we going?"

"To find out what I am, I have alot to tell you...Come on."

I began telling Ashley about all the people I've been chasing, those I'd killed, what I knew, and soon I was telling her less important things like my nightmares, like the bad werewolves I'd met, that my brother and Adoni were all I thought about, that I wanted more than anything to kill the queen.

Ashley listened, she didn't interrupt, just listened and for the first time in a long time I was actually telling someone everything. Maybe I needed Ashley, maybe she wasn't the weak one, I was.

"So we're going to see this Eldrich fellow? How do we know he'll help us."

"He's interested in