The question struck her as odd despite her fear. "Vamps," she replied.
Jonny nipped her and she flinched. "Nothing else?"
"Aside from wanting to kill you? No."
"Don't let this happen again, Ashley."
She was beginning to think Xander was right. Fucking with Jonny was going to end with her a bloodless husk.
"Do you understand?" he asked without lifting his head.
"At least I'm on my own two feet this time," she said, hating the feeling he had the upper hand.
"Wrong answer." He bit her again, this time even harder, and she arched against him, pain flooding her.
"Stop!" she gasped and slammed her fists into his chest with what strength she could muster. "Please, Jonny!"
He lifted his head, one hand remaining on her neck. "Tell me you understand for real this time."
"Fine!" she spat out the words. She wasn't able to kill him, couldn't fight him at all once he touched her, and he didn't care enough about the past for her revenge to mean anything at all. Why she was torturing herself, she didn't know, except she was just so angry with him still. Near tears with the urge to scream out of frustration, Ashley struggled to be free of him. "Let me go."
He obeyed, and she scampered out of arm's reach, senses rattled and emotions raw. The wounds at her neck were healed, but the memory of the hot pain slid through her. If any part of him were the boy she remembered, he'd never purposely hurt her like he just did.
"They'll be out for another ten minutes if you need to rest," he advised.
"Rest?" she repeated. "Because you think I'm weak!"
"Because I drew a lot of blood. You should be woozy."
"I'm not." She whirled and strode down the hallway towards the kitchen. She felt little different, aside from the emotional wreckage each interaction with him caused. She had beaten his vamps and yet lost once again. Combined with her fear and begging him not to hurt her, she was more infuriated than ever. "How did you know I was here?" she asked warily. "The vamp tipped you off, didn't he?"
Jonny nodded.
"I won't make that mistake again," she growled.
"I've given you your final warning, Ash."
"You know what, Jonny?" she demanded and turned when she reached the kitchen.
"I think I can guess," he replied, his face shadowed by the dark hallway. Mild amusement was in his tone.
"Yeah. Fuck you." Ashley stormed out of the house and onto the sidewalk. She swiped up her gear and tore off the mask. She was agitated for more reasons than she could identify. For a split second, when he held her against him, she'd almost been … aroused.