Ash (Hive Trilogy Book 1)

by Leia Stone

  Mental note: Don’t. Bleed. Ever.

  The male vampire with braids cleared his throat and bagged the specimen. “We will send across the results. Lucas, you’ll be able to plan your culling schedule and make sure she’s training in her specialty areas.”

  Since my finger had already healed and the unique scent of my blood was gone, the vampire’s eyes were back to normal.

  “I don’t have any specialties. You don’t need a DNA test to know that. Just watch me get my ass handed to me every day in training.”

  Lucas smiled in one of those full, breathtaking, rows of pearly whites. My breathing stuttered a little. He was potent when he wanted to be. “If we know who your sire is, then we know what your specialty is. Each of the ten houses has a specialty. More specifically, each vampire Original had a specialty which they passed on in diluted versions to their descendants. There is much we can discover from your ancestry.”

  Whoa. Interesting. The doctor left the room then, samples tucked into a lab bag. Lucas reached out and I took his hand, but still got to my feet without help. A part of me just wanted to hold his hand and see if he gave me the same tingles that Ryder could induce with just one of his famous stoic looks.

  It was nice, no denying it, but not exactly the same. Staring into his silver eyes, I suddenly felt very brave. “Tell me what happened to the Originals,” I blurted out.

  He sort of froze, his human façade, which vampires tried to maintain, disappearing altogether as some sort of feral predator rose in his eyes.

  “Even though they escaped the early cullings, they were eventually wiped out by humans,” he said. “The blood of an Original is where the virus is strongest. It has been diluted down through the years, and now all that remains are the ten houses. We are very distant descendants.”

  His tone was clipped, as if he were reciting the standard brochure on the Originals or something.

  “I thought after those initial years things got better between vampires and humans, so why were they wiped out?” I had to ask.

  Lucas pulled his hand from mine and started to walk toward the door. I didn’t think he was going to answer. He pressed down on the handle and clicked open the door.

  But then he swiveled his head back around and gave me a pointed stare. “For a long time there was a lot of misinformation and fear. Even though the original vectors, the bats, were gone, the humans still feared getting the virus from a cough, a touch, anything. On top of that, newly changed vampires didn’t appreciate being weaker than the Originals. We believe a group of vampires coordinated an attack with an extremist group of humans. They came in the middle of the night and wiped out the entire Original lines.

  My mouth fell open. Okay, yeah, I didn’t exactly love the bloodsuckers, but killing off the bunch of them in the night was akin to genocide. They had all been humans before the virus, and I knew that they still had many human traits even now.

  “After this loss of leadership the Quorum was formed, and some semblance of order has remained ever since. Ryder is the closest ash or vampire in the Hive with a direct link to an Original.”

  Whoa. My training instructor had just got that much more interesting.

  “Again!” Ryder yelled as I pounded on the boxing mannequin.

  I groaned. I was sweating bullets, my pinky was broken, and I was bored out of my mind. It had been three days of this shit and I was considering killing myself so I didn’t have to continue this insane regimen. Of course, soon I wouldn’t have to worry too much about killing myself. Someone else was sure to do it in the culling.

  “I can’t,” I confessed. “It’s maddening. I need a change.” My muscles ached from the weightlifting session I’d had before training, but I couldn’t deny the definition forming in my arms and legs. Ash built muscle easily, and I was halfway home to a six-pack.

  Ryder seemed to consider my words. He walked over and grabbed the mannequin, wheeling him to the far wall.

  “Thank you, sweet baby Jesus!” I practically shouted. Finally this guy was listening to me.

  Ryder planted himself opposite me, arms in front of his face. “Again.”

  I stared into his gorgeous face and cracked a smile. “You want me to kick your ass?” Oh man I had been dreaming of this day. This good-looking, smug bastard had electrocuted me – I was totes never letting that go – had kicked my legs out from under me, and made me work my ass off all week. He deserved some payback.

  He tilted his head to the side in that observe-me-like-a-lab-rat way of his. “You’re a little too happy about trying to hurt me.”

  I rolled my eyes. He waved me closer. “You think you’ve done the five steps enough? Let’s see how you do with the real thing. I’m going to do basic blocks, but I will let you hit me. It’s important you get used to the feel and sound of skin hitting skin, and bones crunching under impact.”

  My stomach rolled. Jesus this guy was a mercenary.

  All of a sudden I didn’t want to hit him, or break any bones in that gorgeous face. If I didn’t have something pretty to look at every day, the Hive would be a real buzzkill. Sure, there were lots of pretty males here, but Ryder … well, he was Ryder.

  He saw me falter, and the beginnings of a grin lifting one side of his lips. “You were such a pain in my ass your first few days here. It felt kinda good to zap you after you broke my ankle.”

  Hah. I totally knew what he was doing. Bastard. It was working too.

  Without warning, I threw the left jab. He blocked. I countered quickly with the right hook, which he let through to smash into his unprotected head. Shit. I was about to pull back, but I saw the glint in his eyes. He was daring me to continue, and he had barely flinched when I’d just hit him, so … I finished the sequence with a knee to the ribs and then crouched and swept my leg out to flip him onto his back. He jumped up just in time.

  I stumbled back before shaking out my throbbing hand. His face was made of stone or something.

  He appraised me. “Your frame is stronger, your blows harder – you still don’t quite have the feral push needed to kill, but that will come in the moment when you do literally fight for your life.”

  I really didn’t want to think about that. I would probably throw up all over him or something.

  “Again.” He put his hands out in front of him.

  Dammit, why was he being so pushy with this shit? My frustrations regarding the direction my life had taken flooded through me. This was not the life I wanted. This was not the life I’d expected. I wasn’t even sure I would survive the next two weeks. I wanted to be stronger than I felt inside, I wanted to see Ryder in a position of weakness.

  Instead of starting the sequence off correct, I pretended I was going to throw a left jab but instead went right for the leg sweep. Caught completely unaware, Ryder began to fall backward, then his hand snaked out and he grabbed my arm, pulling me with him. I landed on top of him as the breath whooshed out of both of us. Okay, dude was quick and I had totally not expected that to happen.

  Conscious thought disappeared, and time stopped as I realized I was completely pressed against every inch of him. His hard muscles pushed into my softness and our eyes locked in a stare. So much silver flared to life in that one gaze. His eyes fell to my lips and I licked to wet them.

  Before I could move though, the silver of his gaze darkened and his face turned cold. He rolled me off, jumping up to stand. “Pulling your old scrappy tricks,” he said. “Give me five laps.”

  I blinked a few times, my daze wearing off in a blast of disbelief. What the hell was that? Was I crazy or had he been about to kiss me? For a split second I had wanted him to, so badly, but he clearly wasn’t interested and I clearly needed to expand my circle of friends. Hanging out only with a gay guy and this insanely sexy badass was messing with my head. Stockholm syndrome was in full effect. I jumped up and hit the ground running, burning off the sexual tension that had crept in between Ryder and I. How long had it been since I got laid? That had to be the problem.
Sexual deprivation was driving me crazy. There was no other explanation.

  Later that day I was on my way to the cafeteria to grab some human food when I found Lucas waiting off to the side of the double doors. As soon as he met my eyes, he flicked his head and motioned for me to follow him. He was all in white again. Did he have a problem with color or something? He was like a monochromatic painting. Perfect, but eerily white and shiny.

  My muscles protested against any more running as I struggled to keep up with him. He quickly darted into an open door off of the hallway, and I followed him inside. On the other side was Ryder, Lucas, and an unfamiliar female vampire in a lab coat. She had a very short pixie haircut, her thick tresses an unusual silver color. Seriously, how many doctors and scientists did they have in the Hive?

  “What the hell?” I said. Was this an ambush or something? Lucas shut the door behind me and motioned to the female.

  “Everything is okay, Charlie, we just needed some privacy,” Lucas said to me. “Tell them what you told me,” he commanded, turning to the doctor.

  She clutched at the few papers in her hands. “Well, sir, it’s really difficult to explain – the virus has so many variants.”

  “Madeline,” Lucas said, bestowing one of his rarely seen glares on her. I noticed that Ryder’s expression was shuttered, hard to read. But still, I was sensing something in his black and silver eyes. Curiosity?

  The doctor turned to me, her eyes fluttering and her expression sympathetic. “We ran the tests four times. The results keep coming back the same. Charlie appears to have been fathered by an Original. Her sire was the Original of the fourth house.”

  My mouth dropped open. For the first time there was an emotional response from Ryder – his eyes flashed and the silver took over his black iris. He moved beside me as if to protect me from impending attack. “She’s twenty years old. The Originals died over two hundred years ago. It’s not possible! I am two generations removed from the Original line, and that’s the closest we know of.” Ryder growled.

  The female’s expression hardened. “The science speaks differently. Her DNA is a direct branch of Carter Atwater of the fourth house.”

  Why were Ryder’s brows drawn together like that? Not to mention his fists clenching? Was he scared? Ryder wasn’t scared of anything.

  “And the other thing you told me?” Lucas pushed.

  She nervously fiddled with the paper. “It’s just a theory, sir…”

  Lucas’ current stare could have cut glass.

  She hurried out the next part. “I’m not one hundred percent sure that Charlie is an ash.”

  Okay, now I was even more confused. First she tells me I’m from a dead Original – sure, okay. I might buy that there was something weird going on there – Carter was the name my mom gave me for her rescuer after all. But now I also wasn’t an ash? What other option was there? I knew I wasn’t a vampire. I had been out in the sun and there was definitely black in my eyes. Was there a third option they hadn’t told me about?

  Ryder shook his head. “What is she then?”

  Okay, if Ryder didn’t know of a third option, then this woman was clearly a few blood bags short of a full load.

  “She’s not human or vampire, I know that. To tell more I need more time and more blood.”

  Lucas nodded. “I will provide you with whatever is needed, and you will testify to the Quorum tomorrow that she is a diluted descendant ash of the fourth house.”

  The woman clenched her jaw. “And if I do this, you will let my family go?” For the first time, some of her timidity fled and her fangs flashed as she glared at Lucas.

  He smiled. “We’ll see. Be a good girl.” He opened the door and she stormed out.

  Wait, what the hell just happened? Ryder was looking at me like I was going to sprout a second head. Lucas had kidnapped her family to keep this information private? I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I really wanted to demand he release the captives, but I didn’t have any pull with the powerful Quorum member. Poor Madeline … I would have to try and figure out something later.

  I realized that Ryder had started talking again, his words short and clipped. “This changes everything,” he said to Lucas. “If she isn’t ash and if she’s a direct descendant, we can pull her from the culling. The Quorum will spare someone so special.”

  Did Ryder just call me special? I raised an eyebrow.

  “Don’t delude yourself! The Quorum would never let her live, for fear that she could overthrow them. You’re not old enough to remember the dark days. We keep her in the culling and tell no one of this revelation.”

  Hey, I’m right here.

  “Excuse me? What’s the fourth house all about?”

  The white-clad vampire wasted no time turning to me. “When Carter Atwater was bitten by the bat infected with Anima Mortem virus, and transformed to a vampire, he manifested the power of levitation. As a direct descendant, you too should be able to utilize this power to some extent.”

  Whoa. This was … what the actual fuck was going on here? Carter Atwater was my father and an Original. Was that why he’d been in hiding and told my mom that things were rough for him. How had he not died with the other Originals? And if my mother was right about our Christmastime money deposits, he was still alive now. Something told me I shouldn’t trust this knowledge to anyone. If they tried to kill him once, they would do it again.

  Lucas met my eyes as if reading my train of thought. “Your mother didn’t say anything about still being in contact with Carter, did she?”

  Lie, Charlie, lie your ass off. I huffed. “Yeah, right. She was shocked as hell about what I turned out to be. Said the guy screwed her and ran off.”

  Lucas seemed like he wanted more of an answer. “You know there was a fire and Carter’s body was never actually recovered. You can tell me if he has contacted you. Some say he might still be alive.”

  My eyes flicked to Ryder, who shook his head the tiniest bit.

  I smiled at Lucas. “Trust me, if this dude was alive, I would have you drag his ass to the Hive so I could kick him in the nuts for ruining my life.”

  Lucas smiled, but it didn’t quite reach those silver eyes. “Alright. Let’s keep this all under wraps. Keep training. Charlie, I’d like to have you over to my place for dinner tomorrow night.”

  My eyebrows shot up as Ryder cleared his throat.

  “I’d love to,” I said with a fake smile. I trusted Lucas, but only to a certain extent. Still, there was no reason to let him know that.

  The next night I was summoned to the fiftieth floor. Jayden informed me that this level held the penthouses. Lucas lived the cushy life. I wondered what he’d been like as a human, before becoming vampire and all powerful Quorum member. Maybe I’d find out tonight.

  Lucas opened the door and gestured for me to step inside. I crossed the threshold into his massive apartment, and wondered for a moment why the Quorum members would want their places up high with all that sunlight around. Made more sense for them to be in one of the twenty sub levels. Of course, the moment I ventured a little further into the room, my feet sinking into soft carpet, I understood exactly what the draw was. Floor to ceiling windows spanned the entire side of his apartment, and just like when I ran on the roof, the view was spectacular. He’d never see the sun rise across the city, but maybe the moonlight was enough for him. I guess it had to be enough.

  Lucas’ place was very open-plan, each room seamlessly blending into the next. The furniture was expensive but simple, all creams and whites. Which was not a surprise considering his love for that trench coat. Which he wasn’t actually wearing right then, but still his slacks and button dress shirt were in shades of white.

  “What happens when the sun rises?” I asked, taking in the wide expanse of windows which covered everything from the river to the edge of the Portland.

  “The same shutters close over our floors.” He stood next to me, both of us at the window of his main living area
. “I could have taken one of the basement suites, but I already mourn the loss of the sun. I don’t want to lose anything else.”

  His words mirrored my own thoughts from before. That was the most personal revelation I’d heard from the reticent vampire. For the hundredth time I wondered why he had taken such an interest in me. It felt like more than the fact I was an ash-unicorn – something deeper.

  “Come,” he finally said. “Dinner is almost ready and I don’t want it to get cold.”

  I followed him through a few more impressive rooms, catching a glimpse of the massive stainless steel and marble-benched kitchen, before we ended up in a simply adorned medium sized room. It held not much more than an eight-seater dining table, which had two place settings made up on it. There was also an antique-looking hutch, which was oddly out of place in his very modern penthouse.

  “That was my wife’s.” He must have noticed my interest – his words were so low I almost missed them, even with ash hearing. “She loved it, took her months to restore it, and I just couldn’t part with it … even after.”

  My breathing went a little ragged, matching with his. The usually cool, calm, and collected male was leaking emotions all over the place. It was hard hearing that tone of loss, and I wondered what had happened to his wife. What had happened to him? How did he become a vampire?

  As we took our seats across from each other, I hoped that I might have some answers tonight. The silence between us grew, but it didn’t really feel uncomfortable. I figured he must have someone cooking, because there was no way for him to be here and in the kitchen. Unless that was his superpower.

  Nope. An ash male entered the room then, carrying a long tray which he placed gently into the center of the table. He proceeded to lift the very heavy looking silver-inlaid cover, and beneath was a veritable feast.

  I sucked in deeply, the scents of seafood and pasta wafting toward me. My stomach roared to life and I had to restrain myself from actually launching across to fill my mouth with that goodness.