Prometheus' Orb (Legends of the Dark Creatures Book 1)

Chapter Fifteen: Ethan

Ashley was getting restless. Her eyes kept diverting away from her assignment, which she hardly attempted. She kept spinning her pen in her hand, biting her knuckles in anticipation.

Sitting right next to her was Sara. Sara was unimaginably calm. She had already solved fifteen out of the twenty questions in the assignment and her eyes were totally focused on what she was doing. The two sat underneath a tree on the school grounds.

Ashley's eyes found themselves staring at the blue sky. Three days ago, Richard had told her that he would tell her everything about himself and also someone else... Ethan. Richard and Ethan... could mom's stories have been true? Ashley thought. Was Richard the same guy Ashley had heard of in her mother's stories? He had already told her that he was fifty thousand years old.

At this point, nothing should have really surprised Ashley but this...

Sara tapped Ashley's shoulder. Ashley turned and looked into her friend's eyes. Sara was worried about her.

"I am fine Sara, really," Ashley said. "It's just that a lot has happened over the past few weeks."

"There you are, guys."

Sara was about to make some hand signs but was interrupted when they heard Claire's voice. Claire's red hair matched her white top and dark blue jeans beautifully. Standing next Claire was Samantha, wore a smile as bright as her red T-shirt and white jeans she was wearing.

Claire and Samantha sat near Ashley and they all started catching up. Ashley felt a lump form on her throat. She hadn't realized how much she missed her friends. Most of the past days were spent training with Richard and Sara, getting a clear sense of who she was and what she was going to do next. Throughout the conversation, Samantha and Claire didn't even bring up the fact that Ashley had been ditching them.

"Guys I..."

"So how 'bout we all go swimming by the beach after school," Samantha interrupted.

"That's a great idea,' Claire added.

Ashley lost her words. Claire and Samantha were angry with her. They didn't want to show it but they were. Ashley's lips curled into a small sad smile. She wanted to tell them everything that was going on but every time she thought about it, images of Alex kept flooding her mind. Ashley remembered what Jacob said. He said he killed Alex because he blamed her for what he became. According to him, if it wasn't for Alex hitting him with her car, vampire blood wouldn't have found its way into his system.

Though Jacob had said all this Ashley knew deep inside that Jacob must have killed Alex because of her close ties to her... but then again... perhaps this is what Jacob wanted; for Ashley to feel guilty... for her to...

Alex's head was throbbing and felt heavy. Jacob was still out there and her being around Samantha and Claire would only put them in danger. Sara was a different matter. She was a hunter and knew how to defend herself.

And so was Adrian...

Ashley couldn't take it anymore.

"Ashley, what's wrong?" Samantha asked.

Ashley didn't say anything when she got up and headed for the school building. Her eyes were stinging and becoming watery and her body was shaking. She entered the hallway and made her way to the girl's bathroom.

No one was inside...

Ashley let out her emotions and wept. She pressed one of her hands against her chest and another was on her mouth to muffle her cries.

It hurts... it hurts so much...it was all my fault... Maybe Stacy should have killed me that day she thought. Maybe then Jacob would still be alive... maybe Alex would still be...