Page 49 of Ashvale: The Vampire's Kiss

So he’d gone to Ashvale and then not come back? Given my history there, it didn't bode well. “Take me there. Now.”

“I’m busy. I’m sure he’s fine, otherwise the blood bond would be messing you up by now.”

Rage, barely leashed, kept my voice a deathly calm. “Cal. I swear to fucking god. I’m going to mess you up if you don’t?—”

The phone beeped in my ear and my mouth dropped open as I spun to look at Em and Novalie. “Motherfucker hung up on me,” I whispered and Novalie winced.

“It’s almost like violence doesn’t solve everything.”

Em hushed her and I snarled, launching my phone at the wall so hard the stone cracked and dust flew.

“What do you want to do?” Em stood and placed a soothing hand on my arm so I’d stop pacing.

“I don’t know,” I muttered before repeating myself. “I don't know. I feel strange.” Magick sparked at my fingertips and Emerson took a step back. “Shit, sorry.”

I sat down on the floor abruptly, focusing on my breaths and willing my magick to settle. I didn't know that anything was wrong, not yet. But I couldn't help the shivery feeling coasting along my skin like I was standing in the shadow of the sun without realising it.

When my eyes opened the room was blurry, pinpricks behind my eyes made me gasp and I gripped Em’s hand in mine, squeezing tightly. “What should I do?”

I held my breath so they wouldn't hear it hitch and when the room started spinning I barely noticed Novalie moving until I felt her arms wrap around me from behind.

“Let go,” she murmured. “We’ve got you.”

My body shuddered and Em scooted forward, pushing my head down onto her shoulder as she stroked my hair.

“What’s happening to me?”

“Shhh,” Em said softly. “You need this. It’s time, Leah.”

I couldn't have breathed even if I’d wanted to, sobs pushed out of me with such force that they were noiseless and the girls just squeezed me tighter, like they could hold me together even when I couldn't.

It was like a dam had burst, one I hadn't realised was building until I couldn't hold back the wave any longer.

Slowly, my shaking eased and when Novalie pulled away to grab me a tissue, my back felt cold from her absence.

“Here.” She passed it to me and I wiped my eyes and nose before blinking thickly at them.

“What the hell just happened?” My voice was scratchy, soft, and Em stood and helped me to my feet with one hand.

“Catharsis.”

“What?”

“We’ve been waiting for it.” Novalie shrugged and they shared a glance. “You might be a vampire, but you’re still only human Nora,” she said, bemused.

“It would be stranger if you hadn’t had a breakdown at some point,” Em said, matter of fact. “I mean you died?—”

“Murdered, actually,” Novalie interjected.

“Right. You were murdered, found your birth parents, betrayed by your friend, nearly killed by your mother?—”

“And that doesn’t even include whatever is going on with you and Hayes.” Novalie smirked and I looked back and forth between them, bemused.

“I guess when you say it all like that…”

“The way it happened?” Emerson quipped and I laughed but it faded quickly.

“Thank you. For being here.”

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