From the Ashes (18+)

Chapter 2.

"War?!"

The tension in the air was palpable as I absorbed the gravity of Xander's words. It was like being slapped in the face. The revelation of an ongoing war had knocked the wind out of me, leaving my mind reeling with a mixture of confusion, fear, and an unrelenting desire to be part of the fight. I couldn't fathom the idea of sitting on the sidelines while Knox, and possibly countless others, faced the onslaught.

"And Knox is fighting? Why aren't we there?" I questioned, my impatience and concern for our friend driving me to demand answers.

"Because they believe you are dead. You were dead, and we are keeping it that way," Xander explained, his gaze unwavering. The weight of his words settled over me, realizing the precarious nature of my current existence. Xander sighed deeply, "They wanted you Adelaide, for your powers. But now that you have none, and I'm guessing you had a hand in salughtering half of them in the court yard. They'd want to tear you apart themselves if they knew you were alive."

"But I could help!" I insisted, my frustration bubbling to the surface. The thought of being confined while others fought for their lives gnawed at my insides.

"Adelaide... you need to learn and rest. You're a fresh reborn, a fledgling. You need to relax, my love," Xander reasoned, his tone a mix of concern and determination. The term "fledgling" echoed in my ears, a stark reminder of my newfound vampiric nature and the limitations it imposed.

"How can I when Knox is-" I began, the worry for our friend cutting through my attempts at compliance. But before I could finish my sentence, a chilling realization seized me. "I-I can't feel him..." I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

"He... He didn't think you'd wake up, Adelaide. He closed his mind off, even to me..." Xander confessed, his revelation hanging heavy in the air. Silence descended upon us, the weight of the unknown settling like a dense fog.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned off," Xander redirected, attempting to shift the focus away from the distressing revelation. I hesitated, torn between the desire to help and the necessity of self-preservation.

"W-Will she be okay? I-I didn't mean-" I stammered, my mind flickering back to the recent incident where my newfound hunger had led to a violent encounter.

"Terresa will be fine, my love," Xander reassured, a tender expression replacing the earlier intensity. His words offered a glimmer of solace, yet the unresolved tension lingered, leaving me grappling with the conflicting emotions that war and the undead world had thrust upon me. Xander held my lower back and guided me to the bathroom across the bed.

The bathroom exuded a subdued atmosphere, with the soft yellow glow of electrical lights casting dancing shadows on the walls while Xander filled the tub. The gentle cascade of water echoed the tumultuous thoughts racing through my mind. As he assisted me in undressing, my thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the day I met death and emerged on the other side, reborn into this shadowed existence. Being asleep for four months didn't seem to wear on my body; however, it felt like I was new. If I even counted as a person anymore.

Xander's touch provided reassurance and grounding, starkly contrasting the chaotic memories flooding my consciousness. The fabric of my clothing yielded to his gentle guidance, each piece falling away like a remnant of my former life. The vulnerability of my nakedness mirrored the raw emotions laid bare in the wake of my recent awakening.

Sinking into the warmth of the water, I felt a liquid cocoon enveloping me in a soothing embrace. The echoes of my past mingled with the present, creating a surreal symphony of sensations. Once a mundane element of life, the water now held the power to cleanse the physical residue and the lingering shadows of memories that clung to my psyche. Xander placed himself on his knees towards the tub, reaching for a cloth and soap and lathering them together.