"You have to stop taking off like that," he said.
"I can take care of myself." She grabbed her shoes from his hand but didn't put them on. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you."
"Did my father send you?"
"No, they're still making plans. What are you going to do, Aria?"
"What do you mean?"
"Are you going to tell him?"
Aria couldn't meet his gaze. The water had managed to calm her, but now she was back in the harsh reality of her life. "Are you?" she whispered.
"He is my brother, but I chose my loyalties when I took you from the palace. I cannot go back on that now."
"You would allow him to be killed?"
He shifted in distress, but his eyes were sad and accepting. "He would allow the same thing to happen to me if the roles were reversed. He would hate it as much as I do, but we are on separate sides of this war. There is nothing we can do about that. Now you have to choose a side, Aria."
She shook her head, hating that she had the urge to cry again. "How can I choose a side, Jack? It's not so simple. If I choose him then I forfeit my life; there would be nowhere for me to go after that. If I choose my family then I am giving up the only man who has ever made me feel this way, the only person I’ve ever been in love with."
She followed as he made his way through the forest. "I didn't say it was going to be an easy choice; it wasn't for me either. But it is one you are going to have to make... and soon."
"I don't know when he'll be back," she whispered.
"He won't stay away for long—"
"You don't know that."
Jack stopped abruptly and turned to face her in the dwindling daylight. The strong resemblance he bore to his brother tugged at her heart. He watched her with the same intensity his brother always did, studied her with the same confusion she’d often seen on Braith's face. It seemed neither of them knew what to make of her. But then, she didn't know what to make of them either.
She'd thought Braith a cruel, monstrous bastard, and now she was in love with him. She'd considered Jack a human, her friend, and rebel companion, but it turned out that he was a vampire and a member of the royal family. She'd been kept in the dark about Jack's identity because they all thought her too weak to handle the truth.
In truth, she was far stronger than any of them knew. There was far more to her than they ever imagined. The only one who seemed to understand, and accept the real depth of her strength, was Braith. He was the only one who didn't try to coddle or shelter her from the harsh realities of their existences. He was the only one who knew she was strong enough to handle it.
And if there was one thing she was becoming very tired of, it was being coddled.
"I do know it, and by the time he comes back you are going to have to make your choice,” Jack said.
"What if I choose wrong?"
His eyebrows lifted as he studied her. "I don't think you have a right choice here, Aria."
"You're right. Are you going to tell my family about this?"
Jack shook his head as he started walking again. "No. Braith is not a threat to them. Even if you choose them, he will not go after them, that's not who he is. If you don't choose him, he would not purposely hurt you in such a way. No matter how much it will hurt him if he loses you."
She grasped Jack's arm and pulled him to a stop beside her. "I do love him," she said forcefully.
He managed a small smile; his hand enclosed hers. "I know that, Aria. And though it is baffling to me, I know he loves you."
She frowned at him, not at all liking his comment. "Thanks."
He grinned and squeezed her hand before releasing her. "As the future king, Braith always kept a part of himself distant, aloof. It would always be his job to uphold his duties and responsibilities, and to Braith those responsibilities always came first. I didn't think he would ever be capable of loving someone; he kept himself too separated for that. You may be the first thing he has ever chosen over his obligations. The first sign of disloyalty he's ever exhibited toward our father."
Aria was silent for a moment, and then she resumed her pace at his side. "But he hasn't chosen me."
"He's chosen you more than I've ever seen him choose anything else. He came here for you, didn't he?"
Aria shook her head. She watched her bare feet as they moved through the forest, avoiding any obstacle that may pop up. She didn't tell him she was sure Braith initially came here to kill her, or at least make her pay severely for her disobedience.
"I choose your side over my family,” Jack said.
Aria brushed aside her damp hair as she glanced up at Jack. "Why?" she questioned, still not entirely understanding why he had taken their side.
"Because once I was here, I realized I’d been on the wrong side. There's no reason for anyone to be living like this, there is no reason for the cruelty humans endure. Not anymore."
"It sounds like you picture a world where we can all happily coexist."
He shrugged. "I'm not delusional. I don't believe it will be easy, but I do think things could have been different, maybe even still could."
"Perhaps." Though, she didn't hold out much hope for that.
"You are going to have to stop taking off on your own though. Not even Braith can help you if you get caught again, and what Caleb would do to you..." His voice trailed off; his eyes were distant as he stared at the woods around them.
Aria didn't want to imagine what Caleb would do to her. He'd unnerved her from the moment she met him. There was something wrong with Caleb, something sadistic and cruel. He would take great pleasure in making her scream, in making her beg for mercy. Caleb would delight in making her suffer.
Aria shuddered, she tried to shut the thought down, but it wouldn't stop. "Okay?"
She hated being monitored, but Jack was right. "Okay," she agreed.
He slid his arm through hers and pulled her against his side. "I think of you like a sister."
She managed a weak smile as she leaned against his side. "An annoying one?"
"Yes. You are also going to have to do something about Max."
"Max?" she asked in confusion.
"He's in love with you."
Aria’s hand tightened on Jack's arm. Jack was right; she had to make it clear to Max there would never be anything between them. She hadn't been fair to him lately. Telling him no, while still leaning on him to help get her through the past few months.
Guilt and self-hatred twisted through her stomach, Max was going to be hurt again because of her. She knew now though, that even if she never saw Braith again, he would always own her heart. There could never be anything between her and Max.
"And he's not very stable right now," Jack said.
"The woman who held him, she was awful to him in there, wasn't she?"
Jack seemed hesitant to confirm her words, but he'd never sugarcoated anything for her before. "She was, and Max is convinced it was the same with you."
"I've told him it wasn't."
"It's easier for him to think of us as monsters. If I hadn't pulled the two of you out of there, he would hate me too. He still doesn't trust me."
Aria frowned as she glanced up at him. "Do you think he would do anything to hurt you?"
Jack shrugged. "He might try, but not for a while, not until things are more established. He knows I'm needed right now, but after..."
Aria stared at him in surprise. "And you're not angry about this?"
He glanced at her. "What was done to him in there was something awful, Aria. We will never know the extent of the cruelty he experienced, of the abuse he took. No one comes out of that completely normal. I understand his resentment and his hatred, but if he tries to kill me, I won’t hold back."
Aria loathed the awful situation they were all stuck in. Hated she would have to choose between Braith and her family and the fact she was becoming increasingly worried and fearful of Max.
Chapter Eight
"Do
you ever do what you're told?"
Aria didn't bother to look up from the berries she was collecting. "Not usually."
"You know you're supposed to stay close."
She glanced up at Max as he stopped at her side. His shadow fell across her, blocking out the sun. "I'm close."
"Within eyesight, Aria," he said brusquely.
She dropped the berries into her bucket as she fought to maintain her patience. She wasn't far from the caves, everyone knew where she’d gone and had been okay with it, except, apparently, Max.
"I have my bow," she reminded him.
"That will do a lot of good against a group of marauding vampires."
Aria rolled her eyes as she wiped her hands and rose to her feet. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself," she reminded him.
"So capable you were caught already."
Aria heaved an impatient sigh; she grabbed her bow as she tried to ignore the tugging waves of guilt crashing through her. She didn't think she would ever forgive herself for what happened to Max, but she couldn't live under the weight of that guilt. She also couldn't allow him to continue thinking there was any hope for them. Even if she gave Braith up, she wouldn't choose Max.
"I'm fine, Max."
"I understand you require solitude, Aria. I do, but you have to understand that I'm only concerned about your safety."
"I know." She just agreed with him in the hope he would back off. Aria jumped in surprise when he seized her chin. She frowned fiercely at him and tried to keep her temper.
"I know you feel this raid is a bad idea; I know you think he treated you kindly in there, but—"
"Max, I can only tell you so many times that I was treated kindly in there. I know you had an awful time, but you have to believe me when I tell you that I didn't. This raid isn't just a bad idea; it's an awful, horrible idea. I know you want revenge, but risking innocent lives isn't the way to get it."
He glared at her. Jack thought Max was in love with her, but she felt he might hate her more. "Max," she whispered.
His shaggy blond hair fell across his forehead as he shook his head. "You don't know what you're talking about, Aria. What they did to you in there, it's confused you."
Aria wanted to argue with him further, but it was useless, and something else had caught her attention. She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as all her senses focused on the forest. Aria glanced around the shadowed woods, panic hammered through her as she realized the birds had stopped singing and the squirrels no longer ran through the trees.
"One day you'll realize—"
Aria slipped her hand over Max's mouth and placed her finger over her lips as she motioned for him to be silent. He frowned at her, but she'd stopped paying attention to him. She could read the woods better than a book, and right now they were telling her something wasn't right; there was a threat out there.
She just didn't know what direction it was coming from, didn't know which way to flee. She tilted her head back, glancing into the high branches of the tree.
She pointed up as she took her hand away from his mouth. Moving silently, Aria grasped the lowest limb and hurried her way through the branches. Max wasn’t as quick, but he followed her.
Aria climbed higher, burying herself within the thick foliage. She searched the forest but still saw no cause for the odd silence that descended over it.
She bent down to grasp Max's hand and help pull him onto her branch. His skin had paled, and he looked about ready to throw up; he’d always hated heights, but they didn't have many options right now. He opened his mouth to speak, but she shook her head at him. She still couldn't find the danger hidden within the shadows.
And then she saw them. They had come from behind the tree and were underneath it before she knew what happened. She plastered herself against the trunk of the tree, grasping it as Max pressed against her. Aria was shaking. If they looked up...
If they looked up, she and Max were dead. Max couldn't move through the trees as she did, and even she couldn't outmaneuver a group of vampires forever. They would catch her eventually.
Her heart thumped so loudly she was sure they would hear it, certain they would look up and spot them within the foliage of the tree. Aria's breath caught in her throat; she could barely breathe as Caleb appeared beneath them, moving leisurely behind the six soldiers before him. His head steadily moved as he searched the woods. The excitement thrumming through his body was nearly palpable.
Her legs trembled so bad she could barely stand anymore. Max was frozen before her, his lean body hard as a rock as he pressed against her. If Caleb was here, then only bad things could follow.
Aria froze, her mouth dropped as Braith stepped into view behind his brother. Her heart leapt wildly as she took in his magnificent form. Longing erupted through her; she almost called out to him, flung herself from the tree, and into his arms. And if it hadn't been for Caleb mere feet in front of him, she probably would have.
It had been a week since she last saw him; a tortuous week filled with uncertainty, trepidation, and a desperate yearning shaking her now. She had gone two months without him, spent two months trying to forget him, but this past week had been far more grueling.
There was no hatred and anger within her to fall back on now when she craved his touch. Her fingers twitched; she almost cried for the unfairness of this whole situation. She remained frozen instead, motionless with the dread locking her muscles into place.
Braith stopped; his head turned from side to side and then tilted back. She knew the minute his shaded eyes locked onto them. Max took a small step closer to her. She could barely breathe as she was squished against the trunk of the tree. Though his jaw clenched and a muscle jumped in his cheek, Braith showed no other sign he'd seen them.
He turned away from them, moving onward through the forest as the small troop disappeared.
Max relaxed against her and breathed a sigh of relief before speaking. "Good thing your former master is blind."
Aria ached to tell Max that Braith had seen them; he knew they were there, and he would keep them safe. She thought it might help him to understand Braith wasn't bad, that he was a good man, and he loved her.
She thought it might help Max to understand not all vampires were evil, but she couldn't bring the words to leave her throat. She had promised Braith she wouldn't tell anyone his secret, and she would uphold that promise, even if it meant continuing to alienate her friend.
"We have to warn the others," Aria whispered.
Max moved away from her as he gingerly made his way down the tree. Aria hesitated as she searched for any sign of Braith and the others. They had moved on though. She descended rapidly and dropped silently to the ground beside Max. They moved swiftly through the forest toward the campsite they’d left behind.
"What are they doing here?" Jack asked.
Aria shook her head helplessly. How was she supposed to know what they were doing here? "I don't know, Jack."
"Did Braith tell you about this?"
"No," she retorted in exasperation. "I would have prepared people if he had. I sure wouldn't have been hanging out in a tree with Max if he had! In case you didn't realize it, they don't exactly like each other."
The look he shot her was more than a little irritated. His eyes were cold and thoughtful; his face dark. "He may not have known Caleb planned to come here," Jack said.
"Of course he didn't know! He wouldn't have left me out here unprepared if he’d known."
"Aria—"
"He wouldn't have, Jack," she insisted, infuriated Jack would think such a thing. Enraged that she was also considering it, even though she knew it was wrong.
"He knew we were in that tree, Jack. If he were here to harm or recapture us, he would have turned us in. I couldn't have escaped them all, and I wouldn't have left Max behind."
"He might not have seen you. He said himself his vision comes and goes; we have no idea of knowing how good it is when he does have it."
"I
know he saw me," Aria insisted unwilling to discuss how she knew this.
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 it has put us all in peril. Especially if Caleb came 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 he’s here to offer what protection or help he can?" she demanded. "You say you and Braith were close, and 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. Aria was unwilling to follow him as he headed toward the dark caves. The last thing she wanted was to be trapped in the caves again, but that was where everyone had already retreated with the hope they would be safe. He turned back to her, but she remained unmoving, feet from the cave.
"Aria!" he hissed.
It was a challenge to keep breathing through the constriction of her chest. She had never liked the caves, but now she found herself terrified by the prospect of going back in there. Her skin was clammy; she’d started shaking. She found she would almost prefer to be in the hands of Caleb than trapped amongst the cold rock.
She took a small step back as Jack came toward her. "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 and stepped back. Her heart thrummed, and her whole body shook. His gaze raked over her and then 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 caught 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 and forcefully carried her toward the caves. Aria thrashed against him, trying to break free of his ironclad hold.
The Captive Series 1-5 Page 26