Ashe P.O.V

My chest tightened, causing me to rasp breaths that seared my throat. I realized that I was probably close to a panic attack, and sharply pushed away from him, his wrapped arms sliding over my head as a bent under them and pushed myself away. Well, that didn't work out as well as I had hoped, considering that I fell between the couch and the coffee table, ultimately trapping myself. Still, I tried to push away, banging into both obstacles and causing them to thump away from me. The room was still foreign to me, so it was no surprise when I also banged my head into the corner of something.

?? P.O.V

The events only took a few seconds to occur, but I was surprised by how scared this kid was just by me trying to comfort him. I would have done something about it the moment he pushed away from me, but really, what can you do to someone who's in that kind of state? He was scared of just my touch for fuck's sake!

I took my leather shoed foot and pushed the glass-topped coffee table away from him before he broke something, most likely himself, considering my furniture was made fairly sturdily, "Shit, kid, calm down," I raised my hands in the universal, ' I come in peace' sign, "Fuck," I mumbled to myself.

I'm an idiot. I am the biggest damn idiot for forgetting that the kid was fricking blind! And what do I do to this traumatized blind kid? Blindside him with a hug when he's in a sound-proofed room with a strange man who touches him when he's already been sexually harassed once tonight by two crazed wannabe kidnappers!

I could hear his breath sawing in and out as he curled up, arms wrapped around his knees, shoulders hunched to better hide himself against the raging elements- like he seems to think I am...

I ran my hand through my disheveled hair quietly groaning as one more thing piled onto this shitty night. Considering I'm the owner of one of the largest major hubs for our nest, among other things, when even the bouncers are having a hard time just controlling two crazies half their size, let alone the general populace gyrating on the floor, it's obvious that the next week or two would be filled with damage control while the two after that would be a game of catch-up. Sleep? What is this seemingly magical word?

Aaaaand, back to the matter at hand. I huffed, unsure of what to do when the kid wouldn't even know if I flashed a blade in his face. Considering this, I made sure to exaggerate any sounds so he wasn't surprised, "Hey, kid... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out, I was just trying to comfort you and ended up doing a shit job of it."

I sighed when he didn't move, "Listen, I'll sit over here on the armchair; you can sit on the couch. Just, please get back up there, it's hard to see you like that."

I watched guiltily as he slowly tilted his head, as if listening to my every move, which he probably was before inching forward. I watched as he surreptitiously felt his hand along the furniture and up onto the farthest armrest before sliding onto the edge of it. I watched as his eyes moved, yet never focused on anything, as if he were considering choices in his head. I sighed once more, tired of having to coddle him, but surprised when he shifted his eyes and seemed to stare right at me, then through me. Guilt instantly slammed into me.

Poor kid didn't ask to be abused like this. And... Wait. I thought about how close he was to slipping off the edge from hunger, wondering why his parents let it get so close and let him go to the club instead of just purchasing some bagged blood from us instead. I frowned, watching the kid rubbing his fingers against each other.

"So," I broke the silence, watching him flinch, "what's your name, kid? And I'll need your parent's number too. They're probably worried about you."

"No," I just barely heard him say. I watched him as he took a deep breath, releasing it before calmly facing me. "Can you just ask your questions so I can go? I'm really tired."

Ashe's P.O.V

The only good thing to happen out of this night was finally being full enough for the craving and hunger to recede. It's been a long time since I was able to comfortably say I was content. So, I just wanted him to get his answers and let me go back to my crappy life, leaving this night behind me.

"What, do you not have any parents or something?"

I swallowed, trying not to think about how close that was to the truth, "Just ask your questions about what happened so I can go, okay?" I know I was being rude and getting emotional, but honestly, this was one more thing to tack onto my life, and I was too worn down to filter myself any longer.

A short pregnant silence ensued before the guy finally, thankfully spoke up, "Okay, so those two, is there anything they said that could explain why they tried to, uh, drag you off?"

I gulped, but tried to think back unemotionally, "They... They seemed almost intrigued by me, I think. The moment I said I was born this way, they started-started getting really, um, c-close to me. And, uh, they did say something to me before doing what they... Did."

I had a little trouble calming myself down, trying to keep myself from thinking on it too hard, 'this is just a story, it didn't actually happen. I'm just telling him about a movie or a book', I thought, not believing it for a moment.

The guy was patient until I seemed to be calm, I guess, before he asked, "What did they say?"

I suppose the anticipation had gotten to the guy, "They wanted me to meet someone?"

"Meet someone?"

"Yeah, they got really nice, like creepy nice saying that they wanted me to meet someone, but I'm not sure if they said it because they actually wanted me to meet someone or just wanted me to go with them."

It was quiet for a while...

?? P.O.V

I thought about what he said, toying with whether the two had really wanted him to meet someone, or just wanted to get him alone. It didn't seem like they had actually targeted him. It seemed more like they had met by chance and they had found the opportunity and tried to take it. But, did they actually want him to meet someone? I thought seriously about this, only coming to one conclusion. My mouth turned and I grimaced as if I had sucked on a lemon. Yes, even vampires scrunch up their faces at sour things. If this is what I think it is, this probably won't be the last time we see them.

"Hey...." I looked over at him, thinking that I didn't even know his name and then was surprised to realize that he was dead to the world. The night had definitely taken its toll on him to the extent that he even fell asleep with me here and in a strange room. I considered what to do, leave him like that? Adjust him and throw a blanket over him? Take him below to my living area?

A small buzz sounded at the door, signaling that someone wanted to speak with me. Once more, I eyed the kid slumped on the couch before leaning down near him and whispering, "Is it okay if I move you?"

I waited a moment to see if he stirred, then began to gather him into my arms slowly, expecting him to wake at any moment and thrash about... But his didn't. The buzz sounded again as I walked to the door behind my office chair between the two sets of bookcases. I figured whoever was at the door could wait as I went down the stairs, holding the kid to me with one arm as his head lolled on my shoulder. Without much thought, I laid him on the bed, wrapping the comforter around him since I had already removed his shoes and socks earlier. I considered writing him a note before I mentally face palmed at the fact that he wouldn't even be able to read it. I figured, after I spoke with whoever was above, I could leave the door open and keep an ear out for when he woke up.