Forever Black (Nightwalkers 2)

by H. N. Sieverding

  “Huh? Why am I in trouble?”

  “Because Master Mason made you an Elder without permission from the Council. That kind of stuff has a process, you know."

  “And that’s my fault?” Putting her hand to her chest, Ashleigh shook her head. “How did I know he was supposed to get permission?”

  “You can’t fix what’s done already.” A small sigh escaped his lips. “Just ride this out. Master Mason knows what he’s doing.”

  “So, what about Aiden? What do I do about him stalking me?”

  “Ignore him." Like a lecturing father, Nathan pointed a finger at her accusingly. “And don’t you dare tell him where you are, or go teasing him and pissing him off.”

  “I need a set of fangs, so I can bite his ass. This being a princess thing sucks.”

  “Being a princess is easier than being a hunter.” Nathan didn’t laugh at her comment, but instead, a stern expression washed over his features. “And because you’re such a little rule breaker, you’re not allowed outside.”

  “Is that Caleb’s rule?” Narrowing her eyes on him, there was a challenging look in her glare.

  “Mine.”

  “I only listen to Caleb.”

  “We’ll see if you say that when I have you locked in your room.”

  “Whatever.” Letting out a small grunt, Ashleigh grabbed a nearby pillow. She held it to her tightly as she pulled her body into a tight ball. “I’d rather have Robert watch me than you.”

  Nathan grinned as he received her glare. “Robert isn’t a babysitter.”

  “No…only little girls like you are.” She quickly got up from her chair and whacked him in the head with her pillow.

  He grabbed it and sent her an annoyed scowl. Ashleigh rolled her eyes and went back upstairs. She took out her phone and called Caleb.

  He picked up on the first ring. “Hey, babe.”

  “Are you in a lot of trouble, Caleb?” She began to speak quickly, a fearful tone in her voice, “For what you did to Aiden?”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  "Caleb…"

  "Seriously. Don't worry about it." He changed the subject. "So, did you go see your mom?"

  "Not yet." His question caught her off guard, her whole reason for coming to Kingston hitting her in the face.

  "Not yet." Caleb laughed lightly at her answer. "You've been there two weeks, so why haven't you done it yet?"

  "I will."

  "If you don't do it by tomorrow, I'll come home and spank ya."

  "Nathan will do that for you."

  "Huh?" Her answer obviously caught him off guard. "What?"

  "I was kidding." She laughed as she pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. "My ass hasn't been pelted in weeks."

  "Well then, I have a lot of ass to pelt when I get home."

  She let out a quick huff of air through her nostrils. "An ass," she corrected him.

  "Ashleigh's ass." He chuckled.

  "Better." Her face filled with a huge smile as she flirted with him.

  Chapter Three

  Ashleigh ran down to the garage when she heard the rev of an engine. She knew how much Nathan admired Caleb's shiny, black corvette, and he had always threatened to take it out on a cruise while Caleb was gone.

  She went to the window and tapped on it. Her expression was cross. "Nathan!" She opened her mouth to say something more, but was halted when the window rolled down. Her face quickly filled with a flirty smile when she who it was. "Caleb? What are you doing home?"

  "I don't play another concert until Friday, so I figured I'd stop by and check on you. I figured you missed me." He motioned for her to get in.

  She jogged around the other side and happily hopped into the passenger seat. Her bottom hit the soft leather, which was warm and inviting. She loved this car, being in it was heavenly. "That only gives you two days."

  "So'd, you chicken out?" He was holding the steering wheel loosely as he backed out of the garage. His hand reached to the dash and turned down the music.

  "No."

  He passed her a thermos. It was decorated with characters from a popular preschool TV show. "For you, babe."

  She quickly grabbed it and twisted off the cap. "Thanks."

  "So, where's she live?" He pushed a button on the remote snapped onto his visor. The tall, front gates near the end of the drive opened slowly.

  "In Kingston."

  "I know, smartass. I meant, like what street?"

  "Twenty-four Appleton." She took a long drink as her eyes took in some people walking by.

  "Ooo…she works for the old money." He laughed and his tongue made a quick pass over his top lip as he tapped on the steering wheel.

  "Old money?"

  "The Harpers." He stopped at a light but revved the engine a few times. His hand played with the stick as he let the car roll backward and forward slightly.

  "So…you…" His answer soured her expression, but she turned from him so he couldn't see it. "Know the Harpers?"

  Caleb sent her an evil grin.

  "Come on…" She lightheartedly punched his shoulder. "Tell me."

  "The Harpers are Elders."

  "Vampires?" She had finished the contents of her thermos, her hand quickly screwing on the cap. Ashleigh gazed into her lap, a large frown filling out her lips.

  "Can I come with?"

  "I’m not ready to go yet."

  "You look beautiful, so you got nothing to worry about." He stopped in front of a set of gates. Near them was a small security house. “Here we are.” Ashleigh glared at him, but he ignored it.

  "Master Mason." The guard went up to Caleb's window. A friendly smile filled his face as he peered inside. "What're you doing on this side of town?"

  "We're looking for…" Caleb paused and whispered to Ashleigh, "What's her name?"

  Ashleigh spoke softly, her voice barely audible, "Cadence Dellon."

  He turned back to the guard. "Cadence Dellon."

  "Ah." The man nodded. "Mrs. Dellon. She's up at the manor. Want me to call up there for you, Master?"

  "Sure. Tell her Miss Br—"

  Ashleigh interrupted, "Tell her she's got visitors."

  "Umm…yeah." Caleb was a little confused by Ashleigh's quick action. She had almost jumped into his lap to stop him from saying her name. He found this strange, but he figured she had her reasons.

  "Surely. Just let me call up there." The guard walked back to the small building.

  "Hey," Caleb cooed. He reached over and gave Ashleigh a hug. He could see she was terrified as she fidgeted with her fingers. "Calm down, babe." He placed a soothing hand on her denim-covered knee. "You'll be fine."

  A few seconds later, the man in uniform returned. "She'll meet you in the front hall."

  "Thanks." Caleb tapped on the top of his car before waving at the guard and driving through the gates. He glanced over at Ashleigh and patted her leg. "You okay?"

  "No." Her bottom lip pouted as she drew in a deep, quivering breath. She was on the verge of tears. "Caleb?" Ashleigh quickly grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly.

  "Yeah?"

  Her voice was low, and a childlike fear lined her tone, "Never let go."

  "What's got you so upset, babe?" Caleb's eyes narrowed on Ashleigh.

  "My stepfather."

  "No one will bother you with me around."

  "Okay." Ashleigh forced a smile, but when she did, a few tears escaped that she had been holding back.

  "Ready?" He playfully shook her hand that held tightly to his.

  "I guess so." She nodded her head and studied Caleb. He had kind eyes, and though she knew her innocent-looking lover was a killer, they still comforted her.

  "Right." He let go of her and got out of the car. He quickly hopped over the hood and opened her door. "A rock star escort, gorgeous?" Grinning, he looped her arm in his. "What a lucky lady you are."

  She laughed as they advanced toward the house. "What a lucky guy you are."

  "Yeah." He paused as he s
tudied her. She looked beautiful—her hair full and thick, her expression tender and sweet. "Lucky is not the word."

  "What is?" She waited as he opened the door.

  "Blessed."

  "You're so romantic." She couldn't help but laugh at his cheesy grin as they went inside.

  "Master Mason." Lady Harper was standing at the foot of the stairs, a slightly angry look on her face as she eyed him suspiciously.

  Ashleigh took hold of Caleb's hand again with an iron grip. She turned to the side to avoid making eye contact with Lady Harper.

  "What brings you to my home?" She then studied Ashleigh, a curious look on her face as she walked over. "And who's the young lady?"

  Then, Ashleigh saw Cadence emerge from the kitchen and quickly made her way over, leaving Caleb to speak with Lady Harper. Cadence was dressed in a black maid's uniform drying her hands on a towel.

  "What are you doing here?" Cadence sat on a small couch near them, a giant smile on her face as she watched Ashleigh sit down next to her. Even though she seemed happy, she kept looking nervously over at Lady Harper.

  "Grandpa…" Ashleigh paused as she gazed down at her hands. "Is dead."

  "Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry." Cadence went to touch her, but Ashleigh quickly pulled away.

  "I promised him I'd give this…" Before she could hand over the letter, Ashleigh started to cry. "He…"

  "Oh, sweetie…" Cadence took Ashleigh into her arms and held her tight. "It's all right. Don't cry." Cadence laughed as she stroked Ashleigh's long hair. "Look at you, so big, yet you're still Candy's little girl."

  "Mom…" Ashleigh looked up at Cadence. She then wiped her tears and glanced down at the letter. "Forgot about me, didn't she?"

  "Ask her." Cadence motioned toward Caleb. "She misses you, sweetie." Cadence stood and shooed her. "Go on, now."

  Ashleigh nodded then gradually made her way back over to Caleb. Cadence didn't follow, but watched them from the sidelines. Caleb glanced over at Ashleigh when he felt her fingers slip into his.

  "Hi." Ashleigh wore an angered expression as she glared at Lady Harper. She held out a stiff hand to her, the letter held firmly between her fingers. "I promised Gramps I'd give this to you."

  "Oh, my goodness." Covering her lips, Lady Harper gasped. "You—"

  Ashleigh turned away, her soft voice seething with anger. "I am leaving after I hand this to you."

  "Ashleigh." Lady Harper went up to Ashleigh, placing her hands on the young woman’s shoulders. "Please…why can't you forgive me? I—"

  "I'll never forgive you."

  Narrowing her eyes on Caleb, Lady Harper motioned toward him. "You know my daughter?"

  "Ashleigh's your daughter?"

  "Caleb's my fiancé."

  "Fiancé? What? I warned you about coming here, and then with…" Lady Harper's brow lowered as she motioned toward Caleb. "Another vampire? You don't understand what you've done."

  "You're the one who needs to understand." Ashleigh let go of Caleb's hand and pointed an angry finger. "It's your fault Dad left me. It was all because of you and your lies! I hate you!"

  "Why did you come here? To bring up the past? Please, let's talk in private, and—"

  "No. I'm tired of this." Ashleigh threw the letter at her mother, the paper hitting her in the chest then falling to the ground. "And I have nothing more to say to you but goodbye."

  "Now, Ashleigh…stop this. Your father is—"

  "My father is dead. I don't believe you. I'm not a bastard. I'm a Brown!"

  "Please, Ashleigh… You don't understand what you are…what could happen to—"

  "Hey!" A voice came from behind them, Ashleigh and Caleb turning around. "Look who it is! Mr. Rock Star himself."

  "Ben, darling." Marion had her fists balled nervously as she faked a smile. "What are you doing home already?"

  "Early?" Ben regarded her with a slight confusion then turned back to Caleb. "So, what are you doing here?" He glanced at Ashleigh. She purposely wasn't looking at him.

  "Just delivering something." Caleb wrapped his arm around Ashleigh's shoulders, pulling her closer. "How's the new stock of hunters? Any good newbies?"

  "Nothing spectacular." Ben sighed, but he kept his eyes on Ashleigh.

  "We need more like Robert. I need another one of those to protect my girl." He squeezed Ashleigh's shoulders, his playful action making her smile.

  "I'll keep my eye out." He nodded then turned to his wife briefly. "You staying for supper, Caleb?"

  "Just ate." Caleb laughed as he glanced at Ashleigh then back at Ben. "Maybe some other time."

  "Please, excuse us." Lady Harper's voice was shaky as she took Ashleigh's hand. She laughed nervously then whispered into Ashleigh's ear, "Please, Ashleigh, leave. Before Ben—"

  "You look very familiar." Ben was studying Ashleigh suspiciously, a finger pausing at his lip. "Have we met? You're a Vessling, right? You look just like—" Ben’s gaze quickly snapped to his wife. "Marion? Do you know this girl? Who is she?"

  "Ashleigh," Caleb answered for her. Ashleigh quickly broke away from her mother and wrapped her arm around his waist. "Soon to be Mason."

  "Ashleigh?" Ben's eyes narrowed on her, the words breathlessly slipping off his lips. "Ashleigh Brown?" He turned to Lady Harper. "Your daughter?"

  "Yes." Ashleigh's voice was low, but her anger seethed through her words. "So, you remember me." Her next words came out louder as she glared at her mother. "I'm Anthony's bastard daughter."

  "What?" Ben glanced between them. "Marion? Is that true?"

  "Take me home, Caleb." Ashleigh yanked on Caleb's hand.

  "I can't let you leave." Ben was now standing near the door, a very cross look on his face. "If what you say is true, then I have to hand you over to the Council."

  "Please, Ben." Lady Harper quickly found a place at Ashleigh's side. "Don't do this. Look…" Marion gestured toward Caleb. Caleb was holding onto Ashleigh tightly, a challenging look in his eyes. "She's happy. Let her be. I beg you."

  "You lied to me, Marion. You told me she was your ex-husband’s daughter. You never told me she was Anthony's. You promised me she wasn't. How could you lie to me like that?" Ben pointed to Ashleigh angrily. "Keeping a secret like this is treasonous. We have to turn her in."

  Ashleigh spun and glared at her mother. "What the hell is he talking about, Mom? What's going on?"

  "I'm so sorry, Ashleigh." Tears streamed down Lady Harper's face. "Please…you don't understand. I—"

  "Give her to me, Caleb." Ben stalked slowly toward them. They took a few steps back. "I don't want to fight you. You need to understand—this isn't anything against you. This is a matter for the Council."

  "No." Caleb's angry eyes burned into Ben's. "She doesn't want to go with you."

  "Give her to me, Caleb." Ben motioned with his hands again, a sinister grin on his face that showed he wasn't letting Caleb leave peacefully, either.

  "Caleb." Ashleigh clung to Caleb's arm. "What's going on?"

  "Never." Caleb held tightly to Ashleigh as he continued to argue with Ben. His quick eyes went from Ben to one of the Harpers’ bodyguards creeping in on him. "I won't let you lay a finger on her."

  Caleb jumped back a step when Ben lunged at him. He pushed Ashleigh away and focused on the fight Ben had initiated.

  When Ben came for him again, Caleb grabbed the leg of a coffee table near him. In a quick action, he nailed Ben in the face with table as hard as he could. When Ben was down, he planted a swift kick to Ben's jaw.

  Ben let out a few groans, but Caleb wasn't going to stay and wait for him to get up. He needed to get out of there. So, he tossed Ashleigh, who let out a small yipe, over his shoulder. Like a flash of lightning, Caleb took off. Ben cursed as he stood and wiped the blood trickling down his lips.

  "Upstairs!" Ben pointed angrily toward the staircase. "Catch him before he leaves with her!"

  Caleb managed to get to his car, both he and Ashleigh jumping in quickly. He turned the key and took off down th
e front drive. His foot slammed on the gas, the tires squealing as the car sped forward. He drove away from the mansion and sped toward home.

  "What the hell's going on?" Caleb glanced at Ashleigh. He was breathing heavily, and his heart was racing.

  Glaring at the dash, Ashleigh's voice came out low and angry, "I don't know."

  "Well, then, tell me what you do know."

  "What do you want to know?" Releasing a deep, quick breath, Ashleigh glanced toward the window.

  "About your parents. Your mother. I don't know…" Caleb's words quickened as he tried to keep his voice steady, "Let's start with Master Vessling being your father."

  Ashleigh crossed her arms angrily over her chest. "He's not my father." The words seethed from her lips as she intensified her glare.

  "Well, Marion and Ben think so. Are you sure he's not?"

  "No." Her voice softened, as if admitting it to herself took away some the anger. What lied under it was sadness, deep and painful.

  "Hey." Caleb reached over and took hold of her thigh. He squeezed it a few times until she turned to him. "It's okay. You can tell me, cause if you don't, how can I help you? You want my help, right?"

  "I want it all to go away, Caleb." She wiped forcefully at her cheek and halted the descent of falling tears. "I just want it to go away."

  "About your mom lying to you?" Caleb licked his lips nervously as he glanced in the rearview mirror.

  "Mark Brown is my father." Her voice quivered. "He's the one who took care of me. He's the one who tucked me in every night when I was a kid. He—" Ashleigh looked sharply to her side, her sobs halting her words momentarily. "I loved him so much, and then he had to die. He left me—"

  Giant tears rolled down her reddened cheeks, and she quickly brushed them away. She spoke through gritted teeth. "Just like she did. He left me…" She held her head in her hands as she leaned forward.

  "Heeeyy…" Caleb glanced over at her and rubbed her leg. "It's okay to cry. I'm sure he was a great father."

  "It was her fault. She took him from me."

  "What?"

  "Do you know what it…feels like…to…" She wiped at her eyes several times as she gazed upward in an attempt to stop more tears from flowing.

  "To what?" Caleb pulled over, the action catching her off guard. He now gave her his full attention. Wrapping one of his arms around her shoulders, he rubbed it briskly.