“If it hadn’t been for Melinda that very well could have been you,” Braith reminded him.
“And as I said, I would rather have been dead. Those things are a monstrosity Braith. They are a shell of what they used to be.” Ashby shuddered. “I would have much preferred to be put out of my misery.”
“It’s too late to change the punishment that has been handed to them and perhaps the time has come to take care of them. If we are successful in the endeavor of war, they will not be necessary as a security measure anymore, and perhaps death would be kinder. I can get you support Braith. There are four other aristocrats that survived and have their own villages, and the fifth village is solely human.”
“Who are the four survivors?”
“Xavier, Saul, Calista, and Barnaby.”
“Barnaby,” Ashby groaned. “I hate that self pretentious ass.”
“As do we all,” Gideon agreed. “And though I wish it had, a hundred years hasn’t changed him much. He is somewhat more humbled by his circumstances, but you wouldn’t really know it to talk to him. He does well with his village though, and I haven’t heard anything bad about him although I’ve tried to stay away from him as much as possible.”
“Who wouldn’t?” Braith muttered as he downed the remains of his whiskey. William stood silently by, frowning as he tried to follow the conversation. “Barnaby was a jerk, he’s always been a jerk, and I doubt there’s much that could change him. He didn’t even choose a side to fight for, but stood idly on the sidelines to see who would win the war before he chose. My father was not oblivious to this fact and evicted him from the palace as soon as the war was over. I don’t see him being much help now Gideon.”
“He has followers that are not as cowardly as he is, and you know as well as I that this is not the life of luxury that Barnaby covets. We are not without here, but it is far less than he once had. He won’t stand on the sidelines this time Braith.”
Braith wasn’t so certain, he wasn’t even certain he wanted Barnaby involved at all. He would take Saul, Calista, and Xavier though. Saul and Calista had fought with Gideon, had chosen the losing side, and had just barely managed to escape when the war had taken a turn. Xavier had stood by the king’s side, had been rewarded when the war was over and given the opportunity to remain in the palace. He had, however, disagreed with the king’s policies toward humans and fellow vampire’s. Fearing for his life, he’d fled within a year of the king’s new rule. Xavier had always been an honorable man and Braith admired the fact that he had stood up to the king, even after he’d been rewarded. Xavier was also the only history keeper left as far as Braith knew, and that could come in very handy for them.
“Can we do this without Barnaby?” Ashby asked.
“I think we need as much help as possible,” Gideon remarked. “But it’s up to Braith.”
“We’ll take him, for now. But we’ll keep a close eye on him, I trust him about as much as I trust those things that came in here tonight.”
“That can be done. I’ve already sent word that I would like to meet with the other leaders. I think the human leader, Frank, is a good, upstanding man. I’m not sure what his response will be though. Their greatest concerns now are the creature’s out there.”
“Those creatures must be handled,” Braith muttered. He agreed with most of what Gideon had done here, and understood his aversion to handing out the death sentence, but those things were not rational, thinking beings anymore.
“There is something else we must discuss Braith.” Ashby and Gideon exchanged a look that caused Braith to stiffen. Whatever Gideon was about to say, he wasn’t going to like it. “It’s about the girl.”
“She’s not open for discussion,” Braith stated flatly.
William took a step forward, drawn by the topic of his sister. “Braith you must understand…”
“What I understand Gideon, is that you better think about what you are going to say before you continue.”
Gideon swallowed heavily; his hazel eyes were turbulent. Braith thought he’d finally gathered enough sense to remain silent. He was wrong. “I understand you care for this girl, love her even,” he amended quickly when Ashby shook his head. “But you must understand that no matter how powerful you are vampires will not accept a human as their queen.”
“They don’t have to.”
“You plan to try and change her then?”
William inhaled sharply, his eyes were questioning as his gaze bounced between them. Braith shook his head sternly. Something shifted and twisted inside of him, it curled through his belly, and clutched at his chest. He would love nothing more than to spend eternity with her, to give her the strength that came with immortality, to protect her from her own recklessness, and to ease the instability the thought of her death created in him, but he couldn’t take the chance. He would not be the one that destroyed her.
“No. I will not risk her life in such a way.”
Gideon and Ashby shifted uncomfortably, William’s eyes were beginning to resemble an owl’s. “She is strong, she’s brave, and she has earned my respect, but you cannot rule with a human Braith. The others will not fall in line for a human, and they will not follow your children.”
“Is that even possible?” William blurted in surprise.
Braith shot him a dark look as the boy gaped back at him in something akin to horror. “It is,” he sneered.
“The child will be either vampire or human,” Ashby elaborated. “The vampire children are often ignored, exiled, or ridiculed. The humans don’t fare any better, but some are given positions as servants within the palace. It’s always been that way, even before the king ruled.”
“There are some of those children here, they were either created here, or they fled the persecution they received while in the palace. Here, no matter what they are, they are treated as equals, but we still wouldn’t accept them as a ruler unless they were full vampire. They are slightly stronger than a human but not as strong as a full vampire.”
“Does that include you Gideon?” Braith sneered.
He shifted nervously. “You can’t hold the truth against me Braith. We are just here, give us credit for that, but do not blame us for the truth. Unless she survives the change, she will not be accepted, and neither will your children.”
Braith shifted as he folded his arms over his chest. “If Aria and I have children then I can assure you they will meet no such fate.”
“Life in the palace…”
“They will not be raised in the palace.”
Gideon gaped at him. “What do you plan on doing with them Braith? With her? Perhaps you could marry another…”
“No.”
“Braith, be reasonable,” Gideon urged.
He was being reasonable; he wasn’t beating the hell out of them right now. He considered that pretty damn reasonable considering the burgeoning rage he felt. “Ask Ashby to marry another.”
Ashby paled, he shook his head fiercely as he took a step back. “No.”
“Ashby doesn’t have to marry another!” Gideon snapped. “His marriage to Natasha is over. No one will question him if he takes Melinda. She is your sister, her blood is pure. It’s a fine match. She’s not a human Braith!”
Braith moved so swiftly that Gideon didn’t have time to react before he seized hold of Gideon’s neck. He slammed him against the wall with enough force to crack the plaster. Gideon’s eyes bulged; shock caused his face to go slack as Braith squeezed hard enough to draw blood. “I told you to watch what you said, you were warned, and this will be your final one. This topic is not up for discussion. There will be no other woman, there will be no talk of changing her, and our children will not know the life that you have described. I will fight with you, I will even help lead this battle, but someone else will rule. When this is over I am taking her and we are leaving that place. I promised her a life of peace and I will give it to her!”
He slammed Gideon against the wall again before shoving him violently and
finally releasing him. Gideon’s hand flew to his throat; he bent over as he watched Braith warily. “Who do you expect to lead?” he choked out
Braith shrugged. “I don’t particularly care. You do it, or even Ashby, you said yourself that my sister is of sound bloodlines. Perhaps even Calista or Xavier would be a fine choice. I don’t care who you pick, just as long as we are left alone.”
“She will still die.”
“And I’ll be there beside her, and I will find a way to go with her.”
Gideon was completely flabbergasted; his mouth opened and closed a few times before he was finally able to speak again. “You are the next in line Braith, the one that everyone, including the humans, has expected to take the throne. The infighting that such an abdication would cause…”
“I’m sure that it will all work out,” Ashby inserted quickly. He shot Gideon a silencing look as he stepped forward to break up what was sure to be a battle if it continued. “We must win the war out there first, let us not start one here.”
Braith waited for Gideon to say more, but he finally just shook his head and took a step back. Gideon turned back, opened his mouth to say something more, but Ashby grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him back. William remained silent as he leaned against the wall.
“This child thing, a baby…”
“I’m not sleeping with your sister!” Braith’s temper had hit its boiling point, he’d had enough. The remaining color drained from William’s face, and then it flared bright red. Ashby and Gideon’s mouths dropped. “I don’t want to hear one word from any of you again tonight,” he grumbled as he stalked from the room.
CHAPTER 7
Aria stood silently in the corner of the room. Thankfully they had not retreated to Gideon’s “study,” but to a large dining room in the back of the house. Braith sat at the head of the large table, his hands folded before him. He was leaning forward, his tone low and fervent as he spoke with the vampires gathered around him. They listened to him with rapt attention, ensnared by his words and the aura of power he emitted. A lump formed in her throat as pride bloomed in her. It was amazing to watch him like this.
She knew he didn’t consider himself a leader, but he already was. And they would follow him, she was certain of it.
Her gaze scanned over the group gathered around him. They were an eclectic lot. Gideon and Ashby sat on each side of Braith, beside Ashby sat Barnaby, a vampire even fairer than Ashby. His hair was nearly white, his eyes a washed out watery blue. Tall and thin he possessed a regal air that marked him every inch the aristocrat he was. Xavier sat beside Barnaby; he was leaning forward as he listened to Braith. His head was completely bald and his dark skin gleamed in the light filtering through the windows. Tattoos marked the backs of his hands and ran up his solid arms before disappearing beneath the sleeves of his shirt. Strange designs and flames reappeared at the side of his neck before ending at his right ear and the bottom of his chin.
Xavier might have been one of the most intriguing looking men she had ever seen, with his eclectic tattoos, but it was Saul that she found her gaze drawn repeatedly toward. Unlike the others, who all appeared to be under the age of thirty, Saul had salt and pepper hair that fell around his sharp face. His nose was hawkish, his eyes a darker shade of gray than his hair. She knew that Frank was the human leader, but what was Saul? He was the first vampire she had ever seen that appeared aged, at least fifty judging by the lines around his eyes and the corners of his mouth. Had he been human once? Had this man survived the change? She wanted to ask Braith about it, couldn’t wait to get him alone to find out the details, but it would be awhile before that happened.
Calista sat regally beside Saul, her head held high on her slender neck. Her skin was not as dark as Xavier’s, but a soft brown hue that matched her eyes. Her hair was cropped close to her skull, highlighting the intriguing angles and planes of her features.
“He reminds me of father,” William whispered. “People listen to and follow both of them.”
Besides being a little disturbed by the association William had just made, Aria couldn’t help but smile as she nodded in agreement.
“They will follow him.” Aria turned toward William as she caught the hint of something in his tone. He seemed to have come to some sort of realization, one that saddened him. He smiled wanly at her, but it was forced, awkward and uncertain.
“William, what is it?”
He shook his head, looking like he was about to say something, but Braith interrupted him. “Arianna, William.” Forcing her face to remain impassive, she straightened her shoulders and appeared indifferent toward Braith as she moved slowly toward him. She was well aware of the fact that they were all watching her and William questioningly.
“Their father is the leader of the rebel cause closest to the palace. David is gathering support there for what we are about to undergo.” Aria met each of their gazes as Braith continued on. “Jericho, who now goes by the name Jack, has been working with David for awhile now and is helping with this undertaking. Melinda has returned to the palace to be our eyes and ears on the inside.”
“Will the humans follow this David?” Xavier inquired.
“People will follow our father,” William informed him. “They’ve followed our family in one form or another for almost ninety years, and they will continue to do so. Especially if there is a chance to end the fear, starvation, and death we live with everyday.”
“I met your father once,” Frank said. He rose slowly as he ran a hand through his dark hair. “It was years ago but he was a good man and I remember being impressed by him. I think your mother was pregnant with you both at the time. He is right; David will be able to rally many to the fight.”
“Are you willing to fight?” Gideon inquired.
Frank was fixated on a spot behind Braith’s shoulder. Then he slowly looked at William and finally her. “I’m not sure how many of my people will be willing to jump into this fray. We don’t know what you know; we’ve never experienced the life that you have. Though, it would be nice to put an end to the apprehension that the king may one day discover us.”
“What about you Frank, will you join us?” Braith pushed.
“I am willing to help. I can’t say how many will come with me but my second in command, Marshall, can run things while I’m away. I’d like to move the rest of my people into the vampire towns until this is over, and I’d like to keep them all together, if possible.”
“There will be room for them here,” Gideon offered.
Frank nodded. “Thank you.”
“There will be the matter of the king himself,” Saul said. “It will not be easy to remove your father Braith. He’s the strongest one of us; he hasn’t managed to stay alive and retain such an iron tight hold because he is weak. I don’t know anyone who could take him out one on one…”
“Braith can,” Ashby interrupted.
Aria’s breath froze in her lungs; every muscle in her body went rigid. There was no love lost between Braith and his father, but for the son to destroy the father…
It was unthinkable. And she wasn’t sure that Braith could do it, that he could survive the consequences of it. Their probing gazes latched onto Braith. “Braith is powerful, yes, but the king has years on him, experience and cruelty, and a viciousness that none of us possess. Those are all driving motivators that make the king the deadliest one of us,” Saul continued.
“They are,” Braith confirmed. “We’ll just have to make sure that more than one of us goes after him when the time comes.”
“Even then…”
“Braith can take him,” Ashby cut Saul off firmly. Aria shot him a dark look, irritated that he kept pushing the issue. She ground her teeth, clenching her jaw as she bit back a sharp retort.
“It’s his father,” William blurted.
“And he wouldn’t hesitate to strike down his son,” Ashby reminded him.
William looked sickened by the thought. “First we have to worry about getting i
nto the palace, and then we will worry about my father.”
“There is also the matter of The Forsaken Ones,” Calista inserted, her hooded gaze was wicked as she stared at Braith. “They have to be stopped before we can leave our towns. We cannot leave the ones that remain behind susceptible to them.”
“Yes,” Frank agreed emphatically.
“We’ll try and group these creatures together and destroy them. It needs to be done quickly before they cause more damage.” Braith spoke the words flatly, but his muscles flexed briefly beneath his shirt. Anxiety trickled through her; no matter how many went out there after them, those things were unsafe, deadly. “I would like to do this tomorrow, if at all possible. We’ll move out as soon as we can.”
Aria kept her face as emotionless as possible. She was acutely aware of the fact that Xavier’s deep brown had fixated upon her. His dark brows drew sharply together over his broad nose. Something slithered down her spine, something cold and numbing as his eyes slowly swung toward Braith.
“Why now?” Xavier inquired a little too loudly. “Why do you desire to overthrow your father now?”
The coldness spread to her belly, she couldn’t breathe. “I have learned of my father’s plot against my mother.”
“How did you come to learn of this?”
“Melinda, fearing for her life after Jack’s defection to the rebellion, came to me and told me the truth. I was able to find Jack afterwards, and was finally led to David and his children. I may not have known my mother well, but such a deception cannot go un-avenged. I’m sure you all understand how I feel as most of you are here to avenge your own families, though none of you were ever close with them. It is the principle of the matter.”
They all nodded eagerly along to Braith’s very abridged and not entirely true version, Xavier remained unmoving as he stared at her.
***
Aria was beginning to hate The Barrens with its endless sun and sand. The woods were cool even on the hottest of days and shady when the sun was at its brightest. She missed the smell of them, that invigorating blend of earth, fresh air, and wilderness. There was nothing like that here.