I was lying on the bed in the corner of the room, staring up at the water stained ceiling. Using my newly enhanced eyesight I was able to count all of the minuscule cracks in the tiles above me. Faintly behind the thick walls and doors I could hear numerous heartbeats, along with fast footsteps, the clinking of weapons and the breathing of everyone out there. It freaked me out a little bit, and I tried to tune it out.
Everything began to fade out until I was left with only the sound of water dripping from the leaky faucet in the corner of the room, and the creaking of the springs beneath me. It was the middle of the night, normally the time that vampyres would try to invade and attack the base. I would know, because for the past few nights I would hear everyone getting ready to fight and defend the base, and then around midnight or one a.m the sounds of fighting would start.
"We're born into the night like children of the damned..." I sang softly, smiling at the memories of Andy singing during our shows. My heart seemed to lighten as I remembered the good old days, sitting in the apartment we had all shared at the time. The one in which most of the songs for We Stitch These Wounds had been written in. Andy sprawled out on the carpet that was stained with cheap wine, and had cigarette ashes in some spots along with burnt areas.
"Hey Ashley, does this sound good to you? 'Alone at last we can sin and fight. And I've lost all faith in this blurring light,Stay right here we can change our plight. Storming through this despite what's right,' It's something I've been working on for a couple of weeks." He looked at me with his big blue eyes, and I smiled, already starting to work on some bass lines.
"Well duh Andy, you're the one who wrote them! They're amazing, and I'm willing to bet that those lyrics will get us out of this dump." Andy grinned before getting up off the floor and tackling me into a huge hug.
"There's a very good reason you're one of my best friends. I'm gonna go show this to Sandra and the others." Andy rushed off, calling out their names and I smiled. I shook my head and stared back up at the ceiling, already hearing the sounds of battle beginning. Slowly my mind began to tune it out, and I could feel myself going back into a dark place in my mind...
We all sat around the fireplace, the wind howling outside and snow swirled around the windows. Andy was shaking his knee, CC was tapping on his legs, and I held my crossbow tightly to my chest.
"We're gonna leave as soon as the blizzard clears up and we can actually drive." Jinxx said quietly and we all nodded. Kina bit her lip before getting up and yanking her blonde hair into a ponytail.
"I'll take first watch. Ashley, you're after me, so go and get some rest while you can." I nodded, handing the cross bow to Andy before heading down the hall and into the bedroom. Stifling a yawn I pulled off my long sleeved t-shirt and my boots before flopping down onto the bed. I had only closed my eyed for what had seemed like a moment before loud screams made me jump into action. I raced down the hall to the living-room and gasped in shock. Kina was lying on the floor, dead her eyes gazing out in horror. There was a loud snap and I turned to see Juliet's body fall to the floor, her neck broken.
"Juliet!" I heard Andy scream out, and I turned to see a vampyre sink its fangs into his neck and drop him. Its eyes landed on me, and it began to lunge for me. Jake pushed me out of the way, and screamed loudly in pain.
"Ashley get out of here!" Jake yelled and I felt horror grow inside of me. Looking around the room one last time I saw the dead bodies of Juliet, Kina, Lauren and Ella, and then the now infected Sammi, Jinxx, Jake and Andy. So I did what I was told to; I ran. Right out into the middle of a blizzard, wearing no shirt, no shoes and only a pair of jeans. I must have run for what felt like forever until I collapsed under a pine tree. My whole body shook from the cold, and I knew that my eyelashes were covered with frost; same with the rest of my body. I was going to freeze to death... And I welcomed it...
I snapped myself out of it, curling up into a ball and trying to ignore the blood-lust and agony ripping me apart. I could feel my throat begin to ache again, and I swallowed thickly as the monster raged inside of me. There was a delicious smell invading my senses, and I could feel the hunger radiating from the beast within me. It took over my body again, throwing itself at the walls and doors, clawing at them.
"You can't keep me locked away forever!" It screamed through me, and I fought it back.
"I'm not a monster!"
"Yes you are Ashley, it's in the nature of everything. Feed on the blood of the pathetic humans and become strong!"
"I'm not evil... And I won't!"

Mariah
I winced at the vicious argument going on in Ashley, holding my head in my hands. He wasn't getting accustomed to the change like I had hoped, instead the fight was wearing down the resistance his body had.
"Mariah?" I looked up to see Andrew and the others staring at me in worry.
"Your friend, Ashley, isn't accepting this new part of him. He's fighting it, and from the sounds of it isn't winning. You need to help him, otherwise the fight will literally tear him apart." I warned them, and Andrew trembled.
"It's all my fault... If I hadn't of bitten him..."
"No, this is his fault. He should have stayed, let you help him but he didn't. Find him, and help him. His time is limited now unless you help him."
"How?"
"I can't tell you that; you need to find out for yourself. Now go!"