Chapter 5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~ Ashlynn (POV) ~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can"t believe I missed that. I mentally scolded myself. Fifteen years. Fifteen damn years I have watched him and how could I not find out he was being abused at the orphanage? The one place he should have felt safe and yet it was the opposite.

As I drove away from the orphanage that night, I continued to listen to his heartbeat. Even now it was my favourite sound. But when I heard the commotion as well as the sped up heartbeat, I knew something was wrong.

I jumped out of my car and sped my way to the house listening intently to what was happening. I heard the harsh tone the older man used when talking to Malachi. I heard Malachi"s heartbeat grow fainter. Something was very wrong.

As I made it to the orphanage, I didn"t bother with formalities and instead burst through the door. It shattered around as I stood at the entrance taking in the sight before. Malachi crumbled to the floor limply while the older man backed away. He stood in front of a smaller woman with a brunette bob and I chuckled inwardly.

He was hurting Malachi, who he is supposed to have protected, and now he protected another. He was a hypocrite. How I wished I could just drain him dry. Or snap his puny neck. This human single handedly made me want to throw away my ideals and beliefs. But I knew if I did I would never forgive myself. Malachi would never forgive me.

I approached him slowing as I faintly heard him asking who I was. Why would I answer him? Why would I give him the satisfaction. I heard the soft heartbeat coming from Malachi and it instantly tore me away from my unintended prey.

I bent down quickly and picked him up. I felt the warmth spread through my body making me forget what I truly was. I sped back to the house that I bought just a few streets down and came to a stop just short of the large heavy wooden oak door. I opened it slowly and stepped inside.

I never bothered with the light switch, due to the fact that I could see in the dark. I went to my room at the far end of the second story and softly opened the doors, trying not to bother Malachi who still lay limp in my arms. I placed him on my king sized bed making sure to lay his head softly on the pillow.

I need to eat. I thought to myself. My anger is quickly draining my composure.

I went down into the basement towards the freezers in the back. I kept hundreds of blood bags there, in order to allow myself not to go overboard if I need to feed of a human. This helps me keep my "no killing rule".

Four bags later and a full stomach I went back to my room. Knowing that there would be a lingering blood smell around me, I decided to take a shower.

Once finished, I dressed in my silver long silk pajamas and sat on the couch opposite the bed. I just couldn"t sleep knowing that Malachi was in this position. I just want him to wake up.

After an hour of watching him sleep I heard his heartbeat drop very low. Something is wrong. It began to look like his body was giving up the fight to keep him alive.

I began to panic. What do I do? How can I convince him to stay alive if he won"t wake up. I listened at his slowing heartbeat as I paced around the room trying to figure out what to do. But it was cutting close to the line. I gave up and rushed to his side.

Giving my right wrist a nip with my fangs, I let my blood seep from the wounds. When there was a steady enough flow, I brought my wrist to Malachi"s mouth. I had to reopen the wounds four times before he began to drink freely. At least this way he would stay alive. As long as we don"t complete the process, he should remain a human.

I was elated when I heard his heartbeat return to normal. I became ecstatic when his eyes burst open as his torso raise off the bed with a deep breath.

I stood near the bed, too stunned to move. I wanted to go to him and hold him, but I needed to know he was okay first.

He looked around the room as his hand found his throat. He began to softly rub it as if to find it in pain. But when he realized that there was no pain, nor was there any swelling, a confused look dawned upon his face.

"You"re fine." I told him as I took a few steps closer to him. His eyes quickly caught mine before he took in my appearance.

"Where am I?" He asked as he swung his legs off the bed and sat there still staring at me.

"My house." I told him honestly. "I brought you here after..." I trailed off not wanting to complete the sentence. I don"t know how this would affect him.

"So you know?" He said as he rested his head in his hands. I nodded my reply, not trusting myself to answer the question verbally. "Why did you bring me here?" He looked up and caught my gaze once more.

"When I found you." I began as I stood there with my hands clasped together just below my chin. It truly is amazing how worried you become when your Beloved is concerned. I have never acted like this before and yet, I can"t help myself. "You were on the floor barely breathing. I was worried, so I brought you here. It"s safer that way."

"Please don"t tell anyone about this." He told me as a look of defeat crossed his face. "No one knows about this side of my living condition."

"It"s fine. I won"t." I quickly consoled him. "Please lay down and get some rest. You shouldn"t be up." I needed him to think he still needed some looking after because how would I explain to him that he was perfectly fine after an incident like that.

"Can I have a shower first?" He said with a soft smile trying to hide the hurt in his heart.

"Of course." I said as I pointed to the door on the other side of the bed. "Shower is in there."

"Thank you." He said as he began to make his way to the shower. I watched his every movement and noticed how more graceful he seemed to be. I think the blood I gave him is having a decent effect. He stopped short of the door and turned to face me. "What do I do about clothes?" He asked with a slight blush.

"Oh." I said with a similar blush finding my face. "I think Jonas should have some clothes for you. You seem to be the same size." I saw his face drop slightly at the mention of Jonas" name and instantly I knew he might have been thinking of all the wrong possibilities. "Jonas is the house caretaker." I quickly added and I swore I saw a small smile appear on his face.

He stepped through the bathroom door with one last quick glance in my direction. As the door closed I sped out the room straight to the opposite side of the house, one floor down. I knocked on Jonas" door and quickly the door opened to reveal an old man of fifty odd years with a white crop of smoothly combed hair. He wore the same black trousers with a light blue buttoned collar shirt and a black waist coat. I have told him time and time again to dress a little less formally, but he refused every time.

"Your Highness." He said with a bow of his head. He did know who I truly was, due to my trusting of him. He would never blurt to out the secret due to his undying loyalty to me and to my family. "What can I assist with?"

"Jonas, I need some clothes. Malachi is here and has nothing to change into."

"You never fail to surprise me." He said with a chuckle as he turned around and headed back into his room. "I am assuming he just needs some pajamas or clothes to sleep in. As well as I am to wash his current clothes for tomorrow?"

"Of course. Thank you." I told him with a smile on my face. "Thank you."

He handed me a pair of dark blue plaid pajama bottoms and told me that he would come by the room later for the clothes that needed washing.

I took the pajama bottoms to my room and laid them out next the bathroom door.

I took a look around my room hoping that he would like. The bed was in the middle of the room with four dark brown bed posts at each corner reaching up to the ceiling. Atop the four posts, sat the bed top that gave it a posh like feeling. To the right of the bed was a soft plush red couch that faced the bed. To the left of the bed were two doors. One for the bathroom and the other leading towards the walk in closest that I so absolutely adored.

I wonder what Malachi would say if he saw the 52 inch flat screen TV that rose from the bed base at the end of the bed. I hoped he likes it. Dammit it, I"m becoming all mushy.

Suddenly the door to the bathroom opened, paused for a second and the a hand shot out grabbing the pajama bottoms. I laughed softly at that wondering what was going through his head when he saw them.

He stepped out of the bathroom showing with his right hand rubbing his left arm as if he was nervous. I stared at his torso and saw the bruises and scars that scattered about his skin. My anger flared up and the urge to kill the bastard who did this came back. But instead I walked over to Malachi who stood as still as a plank of wood.

I raised my right hand and softly stroked the large scar that reached form above his left peck and traveled down to the right of his waist. In the middle of the scar, a detour ran down to the left of his waist. It looked similar to the lambda sign. How could someone do this? Especially to another human being. I chuckle left Malachi"s lips as he lowered his head to watch my hand.

"I don"t know why I am showing you this. I used to try my damnedest to keep this hidden, but with you... I felt as if you should know." He said softly as my hand came to a stop on his abs. Holy... My thoughts trailed off as I finally took a look at his body. He body was toned showing his damn near perfect six pack. How does he have this kind of body? I quickly shook my trying to get the nasty but strangely arousing thoughts out of my head as my face lit up like a ripe tomato.

I pulled my hands to my face and turned away from him. I took a few steps away as I tried to clear my head further. I quickly glanced at Malachi and saw the look of disbelief as well as extreme happiness covered his face.

"Come on, let"s get to bed. We both have had a long day." I told him as Peaked at him through my fingers. I am beginning to not care how I look to him. As long as he keeps looking at me with that expression, I would act the fool for him, any day of the rest of our lives.

"Okay. Okay." He told me with a blush of his own. "Where am I sleeping?" He asked as he looked at the bed and then brought his attention back to me.

"On the bed." I told him as I quickly climbed onto it. "With me."