He knew that, he could feel it within the marrow of his bones. She would be his undoing, as he would be hers.
She was everything to him; she was his light in a world that had been black before her. In a world that he had not seen for so long before her. She could not stay human, and he was not sure that he could change her. He’d heard of it being done before, but had never witnessed it, and had never attempted such a feat himself. It was dangerous, many did not survive.
He was determined that she would.
“Braith.” Ashby was watching him wearily, his eyes narrowed and distrustful. Yet, there was something in his eyes, something almost knowing. Braith stopped pacing, tilting his head as he studied his enemy. “What have you gotten yourself into?”
Braith strode toward the window. He pulled the curtain back, peering out on the lightening day. He didn’t expect Jack to make it today, but perhaps by nightfall. “Have you forsaken your right to the throne?”
He turned as the young girl gasped in shock. He had tightened her bonds, making it almost impossible for her to move. Arianna’s soft pleas had saved the woman’s life; it would not take much for him to change his mind though. “You are the prince?” she inquired in awe.
“I am no prince,” Braith growled at her.
The girl’s eyes were wide, fearful. She squiggled against her tight ropes, struggling to break free. Arianna watched her in wide eyed fascination, but he could see the deep turmoil churning behind her eyes. She didn’t like what he’d done to the girl, but she didn’t protest it either. She seemed resigned to the fact that the woman would remain tied tightly, she was not resigned to this situation though as her eyes came wearily back to him.
“So the son has turned his back on his father. Caleb must be thrilled,” Ashby purred. “What must Jericho think?” Braith remained silent; Ashby would learn soon enough that Jericho had abandoned his place in the palace long before Braith had. “The palace streets will run red with blood if Caleb ever ascends the throne.”
Braith snorted in disgust as he shook his head at Ashby. “Do you really think my father is ready to hand over his rule?”
“I think that Caleb will try to take it from him, when he is ready to.”
“You may be right.”
“It will be horrific and violent.”
“It will,” Braith agreed.
Frustration flashed across Ashby’s handsome features. “You know what will happen with Caleb in charge Braith. You know what he will do. This pretty little thing that you’ve brought in here, you know what Caleb would do to her!”
“He’ll have to find her first.”
Ashby’s eyes widened, he climbed slowly to his feet. Stepping forward, he came up against the tight bonds wrapped around him. “Braith, this is Caleb we are talking about. He will raze every town in order to find you, in order to make sure that you do not come back and try to reclaim your birthright. You think your father is a sadistic son of a bitch, he has nothing on Caleb.”
“I know my family Ashby,” Braith hissed.
Ashby shook his head. For the first time, true fear flickered through his bright green eyes. “You have no idea of the stain that rests on their souls,” Ashby said softly. “Of their cruelty and immorality.”
“And you do?” Braith inquired.
Ashby was silent for a long moment. He turned slowly toward Arianna. “We didn’t turn against your family because mine was hoping to take over, because we wanted the power, or because we cared about the humans.” Arianna glared at Ashby. “We wanted nothing of power Braith, you know that. We were an easy going lot, all of us. Power was never our goal; fun was all that we ever wanted, freedom, no restraints. It was not power we sought Braith, it was not to save the human race.”
Braith folded his arms firmly over his chest, leaning back on his heels as he studied his brother-in-law with disdain. “Then what did you want?” he demanded.
“Peace Braith, we simply sought peace. Things were well enough before the war. So what if vampires did not wander about in public. Who cared that we had to keep our identities secret? Not me, not my family, not you. It’s not as if we didn’t have fun, not as if we didn’t take whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted it anyway. Why upset the balance? Why take a chance that it could all go wrong? That it could be even worse afterward?
“And it was worse afterward. For everyone. We were relegated to these positions that none of us wanted. You had always been the prince amongst our people, but you know you never wanted it, and until the war you never thought seriously about what it meant. Do you think I wanted to marry that bitch sister of yours? Natasha could suck the fun and life out of the happiest fellow. Which, I was until that time.”
Braith was not surprised to find Arianna enrapt by what Ashby was saying. She was leaning slightly forward, her hands clasped tightly before her, her mouth parted as she listened intently. He wanted very much to remove her from this room, and Ashby’s poison, but he knew that she would not go. Besides, Ashby was right; Natasha was cold, hateful, and almost as twisted as Caleb himself. And though Ashby was fun loving, and more than enjoyed his share of blood, he had never relished in the death as so many members of Braith’s family did. As Braith himself had.
“We did not want power Braith, we only wanted to be free. I only wanted to be free. Apparently you have decided the same or else you wouldn’t be here.”
Braith did want the same thing, but he wanted Arianna to be free even more. He wanted her to experience a world that she had ever known, one that was safe and secure. One where she did not have to fear his father and brother, one where she did not have to fear him. “Will they be coming here Braith?” Ashby asked softly.
“I don’t know,” he admitted.
Ashby jerked against his ties, lurching slightly forward. “You cannot leave me here if they do! I am sorry for what was done to you, I always did like you; you know that. You were an unwanted casualty Braith; you were not the intended victim. Your father was.”
“That is supposed to make things better?” Braith growled.
“You care nothing for the man either,” Ashby snarled. “I lived within those walls, I knew you from a young age; I know what that bastard did to you! I know what you endured at his hands!”
Arianna turned slowly toward him, she was still abnormally pale, and there was an emptiness in her eyes that shook him. Though he had not completely kept the abuse he had taken from his father from her, he had not elaborated upon it either. She did not need to know about that horror on top of all of the others she had endured. “Braith?”
He shook his head; he was not going to go into details about it, not now. “They are going to come here?” the vampire girl croaked. When no one answered, she lurched forward, a terrified scream erupting from her. She ripped and jerked against her bonds, her head whipping back and forth as she continued to scream wildly. Arianna recoiled in horror, the woman was wild, crazed, her fangs had extended, and her eyes were a violent shade of red.
The woman could very well get free if she continued on this way, and she was going to go after Arianna if she did. “Don’t!” Arianna cried launching to her feet as Braith strode toward the crazed vampire. She stumbled forward, unnaturally clumsy as her foot got caught up on the corner of the table before her. Ashby launched at her, pulling her back as the girl took a swipe that missed her by inches.
Red flooded Braith’s vision, fury ripped through him. He grabbed hold of the girl, shoving her roughly back against the wall. Terror widened Ashby’s eyes as Braith charged at him. Using Arianna as a shield, Ashby thrust her before him. His hand wrapped swiftly around her throat, pulling her head back as he clamped down on her. A bellow of rage erupted from Braith, he stalked toward Ashby, determined to destroy the man that held the only person Braith cared about anymore.
Ashby did not make a move to hurt her, but he did keep himself planted firmly behind her. Braith could not get at him without hurting Arianna. Frustration filled him; he could feel the swelling
rise of bloodlust tearing through him. “I’m not a fool Braith, I’m not going to kill her unless you force me too,” Ashby said softly, barely poking his head out from behind Arianna’s back. “I just want to talk reasonably, and you need to listen.”
Arianna tilted her chin, her eyes blazed with pride. There was no fear in the firm set of her jaw, but it was apparent that she was irritated at having been snagged and used as a shield. She tried to shrug Ashby’s grasp off of her, but he would not let go. “You don’t have to manhandle me!” she snapped.
His hand eased its grip on her throat, for a moment amusement flashed through his bright eyes. But beneath the amusement, Braith could see his fear. And he had every right to be afraid; Braith was going to kill him for even daring to touch her. “Well aren’t you the little spitfire,” Ashby whispered.
Arianna turned her head to glare at him, Braith did not miss the fact that her hands fisted at her sides. “Arianna don’t,” he warned, frightened that she might try something reckless. It’s who she was after all. Her bright eyes came back to him, they simmered with anger. “Give her back to me and we can talk.”
“I know that look in your eyes Braith,” Ashby said softly. “I know what you’ll do to me if I release her. Just stay calm and everything will be ok.”
Braith took another step toward them, Ashby took one back. He pressed against the wall, keeping Arianna before him. “Ashby…”
“I just want out of this alive Braith. That is all. I’ve become content with this simple life; it is not a bad existence. I only want to keep it.”
“If they come here…”
“I don’t intend to stay here Braith, I’m not an idiot.”
“If that were true then you never would have touched her.” Ashby’s hand tightened briefly on Arianna, causing her to jerk slightly as her eyes widened. “Don’t!” Braith snarled.
Ashby’s grip eased on her. “I just want your word that you will not hunt me; that you will let me leave here, alive.”
“You have it.”
Ashby hesitated, his hand shook slightly. “I’ll need more than you just saying it Braith. Once I release her…”
“Then what do you want?” Braith demanded, panic tearing at his insides. His fingers itched to get a hold of her, itched to get her away from Ashby’s grasp.
“I want her word.”
“Excuse me?” Braith asked in surprise.
“I won’t let Braith hurt you,” Arianna breathed. “Is that what you want? Is that what you need to hear?”
Braith balked at such a thought. Arianna held more power over him than anyone he had ever met, but if he truly wanted to do something she could not stop him, could she? The thought was ridiculous to him, but even more ridiculous was the stunning realization that it might be true. “You seem like a nice enough girl, I believe you when you say that, but do you really think you could stop him?” Ashby asked softly.
“I don’t understand what you expect from me then,” she retorted, her annoyance surging to the forefront again.
Ashby poked his head out from around her again; he turned her face slowly toward him. Braith took another step forward, terror hammering through him. “Don’t.” He was stricken by the fear and desperation that rattled through his voice. If Ashby wanted Arianna dead, she would be dead before Braith could reach them. He was shaken, the monster inside of him was clawing to break free, while the man inside of him wanted to fall to his knees and beg Ashby to give her back to him unharmed. He had never been this rattled and terrified before. “Just give her back to me Ashby, I won’t hurt you. Just give her back.”
Ashby’s gaze came slowly back to him. “Is the king’s son actually begging? For a girl, for a human girl no less?”
Fury spurted through him; he struggled to keep it under control. “Why are you taunting him when you know you are going to give me back?” Arianna asked softly.
“And how do you know that?” Ashby inquired.
“Because you would have killed me already if you weren’t, and you said it yourself, all you want from life is fun and pleasure. You may like your women and blood, but you do not like death. And if you do kill me your life is over anyway.”
Ashby was silent for a long moment; his finger stroked her face briefly as he studied her. “You are a strange girl,” he informed her.
She managed a small smile. “So I’ve been told.”
Ashby actually snorted with laughter. “Oh, I am sure you have.”
Though they seemed to be enjoying themselves, Braith was not. “Are you two done!?” he snapped.
“Let me go,” Arianna told him.
Ashby hesitated for a moment, and then he nodded and released her. Braith lurched forward, seizing hold of her as he ripped her away. He realized that he was handling her worse than Ashby had, but he couldn’t seem to control himself. He was shaking as he enveloped her, wrapping his arms around her, holding her tight against him. He wanted to crush her to him, wanted to drag her from here and shelter her from everyone and everything. If it weren’t for the fact that he knew they could not run forever, he would do just that, but there would be no escape. There would only ever be the fight if things were not changed; he was beginning to realize that now.
“You can only see around her.” Braith lifted his head from Arianna’s neck, trying to ignore the fierce beat of her blood as it pumped through her veins. Trying to ignore the sweet smell that rose out of her, ensnaring him in its delicious depths. Ashby was watching them in disbelief, his eyes wide and amazed. “I didn’t see the signs when you first arrived, but I see it now.”
“See what signs?” Braith growled curious as to how Ashby had guessed at the source of his vision. “How do you know anything about what is between us?”
Ashby leaned back in his bonds, his attention turned slowly back to Arianna, there was a gleam of admiration in his bright gaze. “She’s your bloodlink.”
“She’s what?” Braith snarled.
Arianna looked completely confused; her eyes were stormy and lost. “I thought it was something that only happened between vampires, but apparently I was wrong. I’ve never heard of it happening with a human before though. Very strange.”
Ashby’s voice was filled with awe; he seemed completely stunned by his revelation. Whatever that revelation was. Braith was just as lost as Arianna appeared to be. “What are you talking about?” Arianna demanded.
“Well of course you wouldn’t know, but Braith…” Ashby’s voice trailed off, his eyebrows drew sharply together. “No, you wouldn’t know either, would you?”
“Ashby I swear I’ll rip out your throat just because you’re annoying me,” Braith snarled, swiftly losing his patience.
But Ashby was too busy laughing and shaking his head to take Braith’s threat as seriously as he should. “Oh Braith you are in even worse trouble then I’d suspected. It’s not just your family you need to protect her from, it’s also you.”
“What the hell do you mean!?” he all but roared at the infuriating man.
“He means that the royal offspring is royally screwed.” Braith froze as the new voice drifted quietly through the house. A voice that was hauntingly familiar. He cradled Arianna’s head gently against him as he turned slowly toward the woman standing in the doorway. He had not heard her arrive, did not know how long she had been standing there for, or even where she had come from. He cursed himself for such a blunder.
He blamed his rapidly unraveling control on this fact, but he hated himself for it. Arianna could have been hurt, she could have been killed. And all because he had let his guard down.
His shock at seeing her appear in the doorway was swiftly replaced with his disbelief that she was even here. What the hell was going on? “Melinda.”
She smiled softly, her gaze lingering over Arianna for a long moment before turning slowly back to him. “Hello brother.”
CHAPTER 14
Aria couldn’t help it; she felt her mouth drop in shock and disbelief. Her fingers curled
into Braith’s hard back. He pulled her back, pushing her toward the main door. The door the woman had not appeared in. In fact the strange woman, Braith’s sister, had appeared at the door to the other rooms. The ones that Aria knew there was no other entrance into, or at least she had thought there was no other entrance into them.
Apparently she had been greatly mistaken.
Aria couldn’t take her eyes off of the beautiful woman across from them. She was watching them intently, her stunning grey eyes bright in the light of the room. Her golden hair tumbled about her shoulders, spilling down to her knees. Though she didn’t seem to resemble any of her brothers, Melinda did resemble the sister that Aria had met in the palace, Natasha, Ashby’s wife.
“I’m not going to hurt her Braith.”
“What the hell are you doing here Melinda?” Braith snarled.
Melinda moved slowly into the room. Her gaze darted briefly to Ashby. Braith may be confused by his sister’s presence here, but Arianna knew what had brought her. Or who. Braith released her suddenly, pushing her behind him. “Come on Braith, who do you think killed the guards? Who do you think found out the password to relay to the palace? Did you really believe that Ashby was able to do that all by himself?”
“I am very talented,” Ashby replied smiling as the beautiful blond stopped beside him.
She quirked a dark eyebrow, her eyes sparkled merrily up at him. “Not that talented love,” she assured him.
“Where have you been minx?”
“Well, in case you haven’t heard, there’s been a huge upset amongst the palace walls. No one seems to know where the prince has gone. Our father is in the process of tearing the town, and the woods, apart in the search for his missing son. The one who mysteriously disappeared from the forest. It seems he is blaming the rebels for this affront.”
Aria gasped, her hand flew to her mouth as nausea rushed swiftly up her throat as she took a swift step forward. “No,” she breathed.
Those people. Her friends, her family, they were all being punished because of her and Braith. She didn’t want to think about what was being done to them, but she couldn’t get her mind off of the consuming knowledge that they were suffering because of her. Braith squeezed her arm gently, but it did nothing to soothe her.