The Vampire's Maid

Part 28. The Vampire's Maid

I ran. I should have asked Dane what he meant, but if I was being truthful to myself, I knew exactly what he'd meant by his last seven words. I've told him about you and Ashley. Me and Ashley! Dane knew about us, our illicit kisses, our romance, and the burning passion I held for Ashley that, at times, he seemed to reciprocate. It was blind fear that made me run away from Dane, clawing my way up the stairs to Ashley's room in a clumsy rush.

"He knows," I screamed noiselessly at Ashley. "Dane knows about us."

Ashley was out of bed in a second, staring at me with an unfamiliar look in his eyes. Confusion radiated from him.

"What?"

"Dane told Goliath about us." I said breathlessly.

Ashley was more composed than me but, of course, he always was. Shirtless and dishevelled, he still looked more in control than I did. He blinked a couple of times, raking his fingers through his hair.

"You're sure about this?" He moved towards me.

"Of course I am, Dane's just warned me."

Ashley took hold of my hands, cupping them with his cold, strong fingers. Dull pain was shot through my sprained arm but I didn't mind, so long as he was holding me.

"I don't understand. Why would Dane do it? You don't think he saw us in Little Drewington yesterday, do you?"

Guilt flooded through me. I knew why Dane had betrayed our secret to Goliath... It was because of me. It was because of my huge mouth that I hadn't controlled the previous night, uttering insults, implying that I knew about Elizabeth Sancruor. I'd lied to Ashley, and I'd have to continue lying to him, because I hadn't wanted him to be mad with my foolishness.

"No, how could he have seen us? He was in that house, the one with the curtains."

"Very specific description," Ashley smirked.

I smiled, banging my head lightly on his chest in frustration. How long had Dane known about our romance? How long would we have until Goliath confronted us? Most importantly, what were we going to do?

A chill fear slid into my chest and settled there.

"Oh, God, Ashley." I breathed. "What's Goliath going to do to me?"

I hadn't had time to think of the consequences of our romance. I'd been too caught up with the wonder and confusion of it all, not really looking beyond the present day. I hadn't thought about what would happen if Goliath found out. But now, wrapped in Ashley's embrace, I did think about it. It caught hold of my imagination and it was all I could do to stop myself from screaming.

"What if he kills me?" I asked, when Ashley didn't reply. "What if he sells me to... to Isaac?"

"No, Elizabeth, no. He's not going to do any of that. Do you really think I'd let him?"

I closed my eyes, using Ashley for support. His thumb stroked up and down my arm, pressing lightly on my vein. How much power did he really have over his father? If he really wanted to could Ashley stop him from killing me? The frightening thing was that I didn't know. I didn't know where the limit was to the amount my protector could protect me from.

"What if you have no choice but to let him?" I asked.

"But we do have a choice, Elizabeth. We've always had a choice."

I craned my neck to stare up at him questioningly. I'd forgotten, momentarily, just how green his eyes were. I hadn't quite forgotten the effect that they had on me. My stomach squeezed at the sight of him, my lips throbbed with the urge to kiss his. I was too aware of the nakedness of his chest, the subtly defined muscles in his stomach and arms. All of a sudden, the memories of last night came flooding back. Not how Dane had pushed me down the stairs, or how Dr Grant had accused me of being drunk, but of how Ashley had admitted that he loved me in the car. Well, near enough.