Recognition seemed to shimmer through him, there was a wavering, a softening that sparked some hope inside of her. His fingers splayed against her, they twitched faintly and then curled into her shirt, into her flesh. Pulling her against him, his forehead fell to hers. Relief flowed through her; she clutched his hand as air rushed into her empty lungs.
"Alive," he breathed.
"Yes, of course."
Then, before she knew what he was doing, he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her close. His mouth was in the hollow of her throat, his lips pressed against his marks on her skin. Aria went completely still, she would give him whatever he needed, but she sensed more behind this. She sensed something dark and desperate as his lips pulled back. A shiver worked through her as his fangs skimmed over her flesh, pressing against her. His arm latched around her waist, dragging her against him, pressing her body flush to his.
Her heart leapt wildly as she waited for his bite. She yearned for this so badly, perhaps even more so than him. Her fingers curled into his back, she forgot about the others within the hall, she didn't care about them anymore. She was too swept up in him, too caught up in the teasing pressure of his fangs.
And then, just when she thought she might scream from the longing building within her, he finally bit deep. A gasp, more of pleasure than pain escaped her. Her fingers curled into his hair, she held him tighter against her as she felt the tantalizing pull of her blood in deep, leisurely waves. Her head fell against him, she clung to him as beyond the concern for her safety, the pleasure her blood gave him ensnared them both.
She had just started to lose herself to him when he severed the bond between them. She felt the loss acutely as he cradled her against him. "You terrify me," he breathed.
She managed a small laugh. "The feeling's mutual."
She realized she'd said the wrong thing as he stiffened against her. "I would never harm you Aria," he grated.
She was not surprised to discover that they were alone in the hall; Ashby had been smart to use Braith's distraction as a chance to escape… so had the others. "I know that." She ran her fingers over the firm planes of his face as she pulled the glasses away and dropped them into the sand. "I know you would never hurt me," she assured him. "But Ashby, what was that? What were you thinking? You were going to kill him."
He opened his mouth; she thought perhaps to protest her statement. Instead he closed it again and tenderly rested his fingers over the fresh marks he'd left on her neck. "I would have, yes," he admitted.
She was not taken aback by the admission. "Why?"
He shook his head; his eyebrows drew together as a brief look of confusion crossed his face. "I don't know." She knew it killed him to admit that, but there was no denying it. "I saw you, on that roof, bleeding. I thought you were going to die. I left you with him, to protect you, and…" His voice broke off. Aria stroked him, looking to calm him as his distraught eyes met hers. There was so much anguish and confusion in his gaze that it robbed her breath. "I just lost it."
He hated acknowledging any weakness, and that's just what she was, a weakness that he couldn't keep completely protected no matter how much he tried. And no matter how strong or how fast or how capable she was, she was also a mortal. She had a lifespan clock that she suddenly heard ticking very loudly within her chest.
"There's so much risk for you here. I shouldn't have left you, but I trusted Ashby to take care of you…"
"It wasn't his fault Braith, he did protect me."
"You were on the roof Arianna."
She forced a smile, hoping to ease him in some way. "It's not that different than a tree, little more of a pitch, little less bark but still wood."
He wasn't amused. "You could have broken your neck."
She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Hardly," she snorted.
"That wood is over a hundred years old…"
"I know where to put my feet," she interrupted sharply not at all phased by the irritated look he shot her. "You have to stop treating me like I'm incapable. I may not be as strong as you, I may not be immortal, but I am far more capable than most of taking care of myself. I just beat a vampire in hand to hand combat. No one does that Braith, no one. And you shouldn't talk; you left me in the dark about your suspicions for you out there! You put yourself at risk also!"
His jaw clenched as his teeth ground. She was braced for a fight. She was not braced for the brush of his lips against hers, or the surge of heat that pooled in her belly, causing a small sigh to escape. "I need Ashby, Jack, and Gideon, and yes I trust Gideon enough to trust him with you, to help protect you. When they fail…"
"Ashby didn't fail. We were ambushed Braith, there was no way for anyone to know that they would sneak up behind us like that. He saved me."
"I'd say you saved him," he retorted.
Aria smiled as she poked him in his rigid stomach. "Who knew that I, of all people, would have a habit of saving vampires?"
She was finally able to coax a smile from him, one that melted her heart and caused her own grin to expand. It was so rare that he smiled. It lit his flawed eyes and eased the hard angles of his face. If the smile were big enough, every once in a while a dimple would appear. She was the only one that ever got to see him like this, relaxed, almost vulnerable, and oh so wonderfully, almost trouble-free.
"Certainly not me."
"I didn't think so."
She was saddened when his smile faded and his face became tense again. One day, she vowed, one day he'll smile more often. She'd make sure of it. And he'd laugh, at least once a day, preferably more. "Is it always going to be like this Braith? Ashby said you were volatile, I told him no, but he was right wasn't he?"
"I think he is."
She peered up at him, hoping he would say more but he remained silent. "Because of me?"
"No." He frowned, shaking his head. "Well, yes, but it's not like you think Arianna." He grasped hold of her hands, pressing them flat to his chest. "Here, my heart may not beat but it's there, I'm aware of it now because of you. I can't stand the thought of losing you, it just…" He broke off as his gaze drifted to the window at the end of the hall. "I would die for you and not think twice about it. I won't, I can't, risk losing you. I need you to stay with me."
She was awed by his words. "Of course I will."
"Alive Arianna, I need you alive and there are so many things against you staying that way."
"If I became a vampire…"
He stiffened so suddenly that she stopped speaking mid-sentence. "No."
"But…"
"I said no. It's too much of a risk, I won't take it."
He went to turn away from her, but she grasped hold of his arm. "Braith, I'll die no matter what."
He flinched as pain flickered through his eyes. "Most humans do not survive the change."
"But some do," she pushed.
He ran a hand through his thick hair in aggravation. "Yes, of course, some do."
"What makes them different?"
He shrugged and took hold of her hand. His thumb ran leisurely over the back of her knuckles, causing shivers of delight to run up and down her spine. She didn't think he was aware of the effect he was having on her though as he seemed distant and remote. "I don't know. No one really does. Perhaps it's just sheer strength."
"Strength?" she prodded when he didn't continue.
He shook his head; his eyes finally seemed to focus on her again. "It's extremely painful for a human Aria. I've only seen it occur once and the man did not survive it. I won't put you through it."
"Who did you see it happen to?"
He waved a hand absently. "Some young peasant that a vampire was playing with. It was years ago, before we had even taken control."
Aria swallowed heavily. "But there is a chance…"
"No."
"I'm strong Braith, stronger than most. I can handle pain…"
"This is more than just pain, this is death."
"Better than most people,"
she continued as if he hadn't spoken.
"Your insides twist into something different, your heart ceases to beat; your body goes into rigor mortis…"
"I'm stronger than most people! I just beat a vampire in hand to hand combat. I can survive this."
"You won't have the chance to find out."
Aria sputtered as indignation filled her. His stubbornness was truly beginning to grate on her nerves. "If Saul can survive…"
"Saul?" he asked in surprise.
She folded her arms over her chest and began to tap her foot. "Yes, Saul. I assume he was once human, he's older."
Braith's full lips quirked in a small smile. "Saul was never human."
"I don't understand. He has gray hair, wrinkles. Do you eventually age?"
His thumb stopped stroking her skin, his hand turned in hers as he held her. His gaze was focused on her hand for a moment. He was studying it as if he had never seen it before. Aria leaned forward to peer up at him, surprised by the distant look on his face. He moved her fingers apart, deliberately tracing the bones of each one.
"Braith," she whispered, fighting against the reaction her body had to his tender touch.
"No, we don't age," he finally stated. "At some time in our twenties we reach maturity, and we stop aging. I was twenty two when it happened. For some reason, Saul didn't stop aging until he was almost fifty. It's happened before, rarely, but it has occurred."
Aria's mouth parted on a small breath, what a strange and oddly fascinating bit of information. She never would have suspected that such a thing could occur. "Has there ever been one that has just never stopped aging and died?"
Braith shrugged, his hands moved leisurely up her arms as he pulled her a step closer to him. "It's a possibility, there were some before me," he said with a teasing smile that melted her heart. "I suppose it could have happened then, but since I've been alive I've never heard of it. One aged until he was almost seventy before stopping, but that's the oldest I know of."
"How is that possible?"
"Do you know the legend of the vampire race?" She shook her head no. "Have you heard of God?"
She frowned, confused by the question. "I've heard of him, it, her? Some of the people in the woods would talk of God, they even had ceremonies, but most didn't really understand what it was."
"That's one thing that hasn't changed in a hundred years." Dry humor that seemed oddly out of place tinted his voice.
"Was it supposed to?"
"No."
"Then what does this God have to do with anything?"
"It's said that God created the first man, humans, in his image. God also created angels to serve him, and to protect and guide the human race, but between the two, man was God's favorite. One such angel, Lucifer, was cast out of heaven because he didn't want to play second fiddle. It is said that on his way to Hell, in order to punish God, and inflict pain and fear amongst the human race, that Lucifer also created something in his own image to walk the earth. A demon that looked like man but had the vast power of the angels, and fed upon man. He created the first vampire."
"Your speed and strength," she muttered.
"Yes, our immortality, our thirst for blood is all said to be tied to the demon that Lucifer became. The quirks that sometimes affect our race are supposedly because there is also man within us."
Aria's head was spinning. "You believe this?"
He shrugged absently. "It's what has been told over the years, but I don't know for certain, no one does."
"And if you change me, you believe I will become a demon or the demon is what will kill me?"
"You already are a little demon." He chuckled at the stern look she shot him. "But no, I don't believe that. I believe that the loss of your blood, and the sudden influx of mine, is what will kill you. I believe the trauma to your system, the changing of your system into ours is what will kill you, but I do not believe you will become a demon, or become infected by one. Most of us are colder and more callous than humans, we feel things more acutely, our needs are more intense, but we control our actions and we are not ruled by some demon inside us. It is why Ashby loves Melinda, why my mother died for Melinda, why Gideon has established a system of equality. It's why I love you. If we were ruled by a demon none of that would be possible. Some of us seem to relate more to their angel or human side, and some to the demon one though."
"I see." Though she was fascinated by what he was telling her, she was barely paying attention to the conversation anymore as his hands clasped hold of her face and he kissed her lightly.
- CHAPTER 9 -
Braith stood silently, his arms folded over his chest as he watched Aria move about the room with subtle grace. She didn't know he was there as she studied the bindings of the books with interest. Her hands were folded behind her back as she leaned back on her heels before tilting forward again. There was a wistful smile on her face that enchanted him.
He didn't think he would ever get over the powerful effect she had on him. The sway she had over his deadened heart. She leaned back on her heels again. "Are you going to stand there all day?" she asked.
"I didn't realize you knew I was here."
The sunlight lit her features as she tilted her head to study him. "I'd know you anywhere." For a moment he was robbed of all sense of reason. His fingers ached with the need to touch her, to hold her. Standing on her tiptoes she pulled a book from the shelf. "Would you like to read with me?"
He would like nothing more than to curl up and read with her, but that was not why he'd come here. She seemed to sense that as her smile slipped away and she tucked the book under her arm. "What is it?"
"They're going to vote on whether or not they're willing to join us. I thought you would like to be there."
"I would," she agreed. Her hand slid into his extended one. He held her for a moment, simply savoring in her as she watched him. "What do you think they'll vote?"
Braith shook his head. "I don't know. Those creatures have been taken care of, there may be a few left out there, but they're not much of a threat. I think I passed their test. I think I proved that though I was blinded, I am still deadly enough to lead."
"Do you think they suspect you can see when I'm near?"
He shrugged. "I don't think so, though Xavier saw far more of our relationship than I intended for him to. I don't think he will say anything. For now he prefers to watch, listen and learn."
"What does he want to learn?"
"Everything and anything. Xavier's bloodline has always been the record keepers; he knows more of our history than anyone. His leaving was a huge blow to my father. Xavier sees far more than most, he processes things differently. He'll keep what he saw to himself until he can figure out what to do about it."
"Do you think he'll do something bad with it?"
"Not if he wants to live. Xavier, though his original loyalty was to my father, is a man of thought and learning, not one of action and violence. He is logical and fair. He will come to me when he is ready to confront me about you, before he goes to them. He'll look for answers first."
"I think you're right, he seems very curious about us." She rocked back on her heels again. "They will agree to help us."
"And what makes you so certain?"
"Because it's impossible not to follow you."
He chuckled as he folded her arm within his. "I'm glad you believe so."
She tugged on his arm for a moment, causing him to stop in the doorway of the library. Her hand tightened around his arm, her eyes were filled with determination. "I don't believe so Braith, I know so. They'll follow you because they know strength when they see it, because they'll believe in you, and you'll win." He was awed and humbled by the amount of faith she had in him. She grinned at him, a smile that lit her face and caused her eyes to sparkle as she playfully bumped his hip. "Just don't let it go to your head when you become king."
He couldn't find the words to remind her that he had no intention of becoming king; he was too stunned
. She turned away from him, her gaze darting toward the dining room that they had been meeting in. She squeezed his hand before reluctantly releasing it and nervously tucking the book under her arm. "You can do this Braith," she whispered.
He was pretty sure he could do just about anything if she was standing at his side. He wanted to reach for her again, wanted to pull her back against him, wanted to walk proudly into that room with her, but he knew he had already allowed too much to slip in front of Xavier.
Aria entered the room first and walked to her brother's side. William studied her before nodding to Braith. The others had already gathered around the table, the chair at the head was empty as it waited expectantly for him. Braith rested his fingers on the top of the table as he faced the powerful people whose help he desperately needed if they were going to have any shot of winning this war.
"You've all made your decisions?" he inquired.
"We have," Xavier confirmed as his dark eyes flickered briefly to Aria. Frustration filled Braith; his momentary loss of control in the hallway earlier had placed Aria in even greater peril. She met Xavier's inquisitive glance with a lift of her brows that somehow managed to make her appear even more innocent and unknowing. But Braith could see that Xavier didn't buy it, not for an instant.
"I'll fight with you," Xavier confirmed. "You've proven that you are capable enough to earn my allegiance, and I have never agreed with your father's policies. I believe yours will be more just." His eyes flickered briefly to Aria again.
Braith had to force himself not to look at her. "They will be," he assured him.
"I will also fight with you," Barnaby confirmed. Braith felt a momentary tug of apprehension, he still didn't know how to feel about Barnaby, but at least this time he was actually taking a stand instead of cowardly waiting until the end. Perhaps the past hundred years had actually changed him. Ashby made a slight face but remained silent. "I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time."
"I would like to confer with my people, but I believe they will agree to help." Saul folded his hands into the sleeves of his cloak, his head was bowed. He had always been tranquil, reserved, with an air of dignity that was enhanced by his seemingly vast years, even though he was almost two hundred years younger than Braith. "We've built a good home here, but we are well aware of the fact that it is tentative at best. The king still randomly sends search parties after us, there is no guarantee we will not be uncovered and ousted at some point. War offers no promises, no peace or stability, but the hope of a future filled with security will probably sway them, as will the chance to leave The Barrens and return to a home that most of us still miss."