Jack paced away before rapidly coming back. He stopped before her. "I don't know what this bond is between the two of you, I don't know what to say about it or what it means, but I do know that it has put us all in peril. Especially if Caleb has come with him."
Aria glared at him. "Did you stop to think that maybe Braith is here because Caleb decided to come here first? Did you ever think that he is here to offer what protection, or help, he can?" she demanded. "You say you and Braith were close, and that you were good friends, yet you have no faith in him. You have no idea what kind of a man he truly is!"
"And you do?" he demanded.
Aria stared defiantly back at him. "Yes."
He cursed loudly before anxiously pacing away again. Aria was unwilling to follow him as he headed toward the dark, cavernous area of the caves. The last thing she wanted was to be trapped within the caves again, but that was where everyone had already retreated with the hope that they would stay safe. He turned back to her, but she remained unmoving just feet from the cave.
"Aria!" he hissed.
It was a challenge to keep breathing through the constriction in her chest. She had never truly liked the caves, but now she found herself terrified by the prospect of going back in there. Her skin was clammy, she was shaking. She found she would almost prefer to be in the hands of Caleb than back in there, trapped amongst the cold rock.
She took a small step back as Jack came toward her, frowning in puzzlement. "Aria?"
"I can't," she whispered. "I can't go back in there."
He stared at her in disbelief. "Aria you must," he insisted.
She shook her head again, taking another step back. Her heart was thrumming, her whole body was shaking. His gaze raked over her, then turned back to the caves. "I'll be fine in the trees," she told him.
"Like hell," he retorted.
"I'll be safer in the trees than in there! I can move through the trees faster than I can through the caves."
"You can't stay out here Aria; we can't take the risk of you being captured again."
He was coming at her before she even had time to blink. A scream welled in her throat, but his hand was over her mouth as he lifted her up and forcefully carried her toward the caves. Aria thrashed against him, trying to break free of his ironclad hold. Then he entered the cave and she was consumed with the urge to be free of the confining space, and stale air. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think as her head began to spin rapidly. She went limp against him, struggling to inhale through her nose as he carried her deeper into the earth.
They were half a mile down before he finally released her. Aria fell to her knees, trying to catch her breath, struggling to control the rapid beat of her heart as a scream rose in her throat. She didn't know what was wrong with her, what was happening to her, but she couldn't control the wild, frantic sway of her body. She tried to choke back the scream, but she couldn't keep it bottled within her anymore.
It ripped free of her, echoing loudly through the cavern, bouncing off of the rock walls in an endless wave that sharply pierced through the air.
- CHAPTER 9 -
Braith froze in mid step, his foot hung in the air as his head turned to the side. He tuned out the normal sounds of the forest, filtering through the noise as he strained to hear what had caught his attention. He was certain that it had been a scream, certain that it had been Aria's scream. His foot dropped upon the forest floor, crackling the leaves and sticks beneath his boot. The men with him stopped walking as they turned back to him.
"What is it?" Caleb demanded.
Braith shook his head. His brother hadn't heard the scream, neither had the others. He didn't know if it was because they weren't as attuned to Aria as he was, or if it was the fact that his hearing was more acute due to his blindness. At his side, Keegan bristled, turning to survey the area of the forest Braith was certain that scream had come from. "It's nothing," he replied.
Though it was far more than nothing; that scream had been echoing and terrified. And it had come from the only person that he cared about. "I have to go."
"Wait what!?" Caleb stammered.
Panic seized hold of him; it clawed at his chest, and tore through his insides. He had to get away from his brother, and he had to find her. He had seen her in the tree with that boy and if he had done anything to hurt her Braith was going to destroy him. He moved rapidly through the trees, blurring as he raced across the forest. Though he could not see his surroundings, he could sense the obstacles in his way and easily dodged them. Keegan was unable to keep up with him, but Braith knew when the wolf broke off and retreated deeper into the woods.
The others tried to keep up with him, but he was faster and stronger than them, and he lost them easily amongst the forest. He jumped on top of a boulder, racing up the side of it before leaping off the top. Trees began to blur into focus, wavering on the outskirts of his vision. He could smell her blood, taste it in his mouth again. He was getting closer to her.
Thirst spurted through him, his veins burned with the intense need to feed. He hadn't fed since he'd left her a week ago. He'd returned to the palace, but no one appealed to him anymore, not even the willing humans he'd fed from before. In fact, he was surprised to realize that the mere thought of feeding from anyone else was repulsive to him. It was her blood he required and until he could feed from her again, no one else would do.
Then, for some strange reason, Caleb had insisted upon going on one of the hunting parties. Braith had known that he'd have to go with him, he couldn't take any chances that Caleb might accidently find her without him being there. The thought was horrifying to him. He'd come with Caleb to make sure that such a thing didn't happen, and it nearly had earlier, and might still happen if Caleb was somehow able to track him.
He skidded on a patch of leaves as he came to an abrupt halt outside of a tapered crevice between the rocks. He would have missed it if he hadn't been tracking her. He slipped into the hole, barely fitting in between the boulders surrounding it. His eyes adjusted to the blackness, picking up the small bits of illumination within the enshrouding dark. Her sweet scent became stronger; her fright was nearly palpable within the confines of the cave.
Braith moved through the winding, snug turns, keeping his senses attuned to other presences as he moved through the cave. He had to get to her, but he knew he had to proceed with caution. He had just placed himself right into the heart of the lion's den, he was certain of that. He was surrounded by rocks, walls, and his enemies. He felt like a rat trapped within a maze as he stalked her scent. He couldn't believe that they lived down here. That Arianna lived down here.
She hated to be confined, hated being trapped anywhere. She was everything that the woods were; open, wild, and free. It was confounding to him that she could be beneath the earth within these stale confines.
Her scent enveloped him as he turned another corner, he could hear voices as they carried through the tunnels in the cave. He stopped, his head tilting to the side as he picked up three male voices. One of them was Jack, but the other two he didn't recognize. He crept closer, straining to hear the words.
"What happened?" one of the strange voices demanded.
"I don't know," Jack answered. "But we have to get her out of here. We have to move, now."
Braith bristled, he assumed the her was Arianna as her scent was exceptionally strong here, and his vision was nearly perfect again. He hesitated within the shadows. "Be careful with her Jack! Watch her head!" the other strange voice commanded. "Damn it, give her to me."
"I've got her Max."
"Give her to me!" Max snapped back.
"Just give her to him Jack; you're going to have to keep your hands free if they come in here."
Braith's hands fisted, a haze of red shaded his vision. It was bad enough that his brother was touching her, but he definitely didn't like that boy holding her. There was a muted rustling, and then Arianna made a low, disgruntled sound. "Put me down!" she ordered. "Max, put me down!"
>
"Aria…"
"Let go of me! Let go of me!"
"Aria…"
There was the sound of scuffling and then she groaned loudly. "Stop, please." Her voice was a low moan of anguish. And it was more than he could take; he was going to kill someone.
He stepped around the corner, bloodlust surging through him as he took in the spectacle before him. Jack was standing toward the back of the small opening, his face like stone, and his jaw clenched. Arianna was struggling against the boy holding her, Max, as she tried to tug her hand free of his restraining grasp.
"Stop Max, let her go." The other boy stepped forward, he reached for Arianna as her struggles to break free became more frantic. "Aria, you have to calm down. Please."
"Let me go!" she snapped as her breath came in rapid pants. Braith had only ever seen her like this once before, and it had been when she'd thought that Max's life was in jeopardy. Then, she had been terrified for her friend. Now the terror was all her own, something he had thought was impossible until this moment.
"Let her go."
Their heads snapped toward him, their mouths dropped in surprise. "Braith," Jack whispered in dismay.
A small cry escaped Arianna; she was finally able to tug her hand free of Max's as he relaxed his grip. She ran at him and flung herself into his arms. He lifted her, cradling her against his chest as she buried herself against him. Wrapping his hand around the back of her head, he threaded his fingers through her silken hair as he briefly savored the feel of her in his arms again. She pressed closer to him as she shook within his grasp.
"Shh Arianna, shh," he soothed. "What happened?"
"Braith what are you doing here?" Jack demanded.
He bowed his head briefly to hers, pressing his mouth against her silky hair as he eagerly inhaled her sweet scent. She was the best thing that he'd ever felt, the best thing he'd ever held. Jack moved away from the wall, the astonishment of Braith's sudden appearance was beginning to wear off of the other two. He didn't miss the stake that appeared within Max's grasp. Jack grabbed hold of Max's arm, holding him back as his Max leveled him with a killing glare.
"You know what I'm doing here," he said to his brother. He adjusted his grasp on Arianna in order to keep his body in between her, and the growing hostility of the men across from him. He grasped hold of her face, smoothly pulling her away from his chest. Her shoulders were still heaving but she seemed to have regained some control of herself. "Are you ok?"
She managed a nod, her bright eyes were questioning as she studied him. "It's not safe for you here," she whispered.
"I know." He looked back at the others, his eyes resting upon the redhead who was gaping at the two of them in shock. His gaze deliberately turned toward Arianna before coming back to Braith. Max looked like he was about to snap, anger radiated from every inch of him as he glared furiously at the two of them. "Did they hurt you?" he growled. He didn't care if they were her friends and family, he was spoiling for a good fight.
"You shouldn't be here," she whispered fervently, her hands clutching at him as her eyes became frantic. "Braith…"
"It's ok Arianna," he told her. "I'll be fine."
"She's right Braith, you have to leave," Jack insisted. "Where's Caleb?"
"Elsewhere."
"Braith…"
"He doesn't know where I am," he interrupted sharply.
"But he could find you, and by doing so, find us."
"He could also find you." Jack became silent; his eyes were hooded as he gazed at Arianna. She was still shaking, but her tremors were less severe now. "Did they hurt you?" he demanded again. He would hate to do it, but he would kill Jack if he had harmed her in anyway.
She shook her head, biting on her lip as dread shimmered in her eyes. "I don't like it down here."
Of course she hated it in here. He had known that she would. "I'll take you out then."
"No," Jack inserted sharply as the other two men took a step forward. "She has to stay with us, and she needs to be somewhere safe. It is not safe above ground right now."
"I'll be safe in the trees," she told him.
"No Aria, absolutely not. We have to meet up with your father."
"No, no, no. I am not going deeper; you can't keep forcing me to!"
Braith ran his hands over her hair, trying to calm her, but failing as she continued to shake like a leaf against him. "He forced you down here?" Braith demanded.
"Braith…"
"Back off Jack or I'll snap your neck if you take one more step toward her, if you touch her one more time!"
"No," Arianna interjected. "You can't fight, not here, not now. Please."
Braith's hands tensed on her shoulders, he was trying to keep her behind him, but she kept insisting on trying to get in front of him. "Who do you think you are?" Max demanded.
"Don't push me!" Braith snarled at him, fighting the rising tides of hostility surging through him. They had forced her down here, forced her into this place that was obviously terrifying to her. Jack pulled Max back a step, but the other man remained immobile as he watched them intently.
"Don't push you!" Max snapped back as he fought against Jack's restraining hand. "You're lucky I don't kill you!"
"You could try, but you will not succeed."
Rage flashed across Max's face. Jack pushed him back as he tried to lunge forward. Max strained against him, but Jack was successful in keeping the smaller man pinned against the cave wall. "Stop it!" Arianna commanded loudly. "Stop!"
She was still shaking, but he could also sense growing exasperation beneath her terror. Max's gaze raked scathingly over her, glaring at her from head to toe. Braith bristled beside her, pulling her further back from the infuriated boy. He didn't trust Max. He knew that Max would kill him in a heartbeat, but he was beginning to worry that he might also injure Arianna in his rage and hatred.
The other boy shot Max a dark look as he placed himself in between them. "I'll go up with her."
"No William," Arianna told him as she shook back her dark hair. Braith took note of the striking similarities between Arianna and this boy. He remembered Arianna telling him about her twin, remembered Jack talking about the similar hair color; it was more than obvious that this was him. "It's safer for you to stay here."
"I'm not letting you go up there alone." His sapphire eyes were intense as they turned toward Braith. He considered Braith, his gaze not trusting, but not hate filled either. Not like Max's.
"I won't be alone," she reminded him.
"Aria…"
"I'll be ok William, really."
William remained hesitant. "No Aria that is not going to happen."
"I can keep her safe, I can't promise that for you," Braith told him.
William nodded. "That's fine."
"No," Jack said forcefully. "I can't risk the two of you being captured. That is too much leverage over your father should something go wrong."
"I will keep her safe," Braith said in a low, deadly tone. "And you don't have an option here Jack; I'm taking her out of here no matter what you think."
Arianna's fingers curled in his shirt, she pressed closer and her forehead rested briefly upon his chest. "You're being foolish Braith. I know you don't like seeing her upset, but would you rather see her dead? Be logical about this, she is safest down here!" Jack protested.
"I am being logical about this, and I am telling you what is going to happen. I will keep her safe. When you return above ground, you know where we'll be."
"You can't take her to mother's house. Caleb will go there."
"I'm not taking her to the summer house."
Jack was silent for a moment, and then realization dawned in his eyes. His mouth dropped, his fingers twitched at his sides. For a moment, his grip on Max eased. "You know what that means if you go there Braith."
"I do. Find us when you are able to." He turned his attention back to William. "You must stay here. She will be fine, but I can't protect you both."
"No." Wil
liam was shaking his head forcefully. "Absolutely not. She may trust you, but I don't."
"You have to," Jack told him. "You can't go with them William."
"You can't seriously be considering letting them leave here! Of letting this monster take her back!" Max exploded his face was florid. "Have you lost your mind?"
"Go," Jack encouraged.
"No way!" William was coming at them, his jaw locked in determination. Jack grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him back.
"He's not going to leave here without her," Jack's gaze was steady, yet sad as he stared at the two of them. "He won't be separated from her again, and he'll kill you if you try to stop him. You can't go William. This has to happen," Jack said forcefully.
"We should kill him!" Max snapped.
Jack was pulling a struggling William back, pushing him toward Max as he fought to keep them away. "That will not be possible," Jack muttered, his frustration growing.
"I knew it, you are a traitorous bastard. You are on their side, not ours. You're giving her to him!"
"No Max," Arianna's fingers dug into Braith's shirt and skin as she pressed closer. "I gave myself to him, long ago."
Max went limp, his mouth dropped as his eyes bugged out of his head. "Aria," William breathed.
She bowed her head for a moment before lifting it to gaze at her brother and friend again. "I'm sorry, but I tried to tell you." She broke off, a single tear slipped down her cheek as she swallowed heavily. "Neither of us intended this, but it's happened, and I can't… I can't let him go."
Braith cradled her cheek for a moment, seeking to give her comfort in this tumultuous situation. "We must go," he urged.
"Wait." Arianna broke away from him. Braith tried to catch hold of her, but she deftly moved out of his reach. Jack caught hold of her, grasping her arms, he held her back as she tried to shove past him. She glared fiercely at Jack as she struggled to get free of his grasp. Braith reclaimed her, taking her gently from Jack's grasp. "Let me say goodbye to my brother!" she protested angrily.
Braith glanced at her brother, he was afraid that William wouldn't let her go. However, Jack had been right about one thing, Braith hated to see Arianna unhappy, and she would be miserable if he didn't allow her to do this. He briskly nodded at Jack, who stepped aside to let William come forward. The siblings embraced while Max glowered at them both.