"Well, of course, you wouldn't know, but Braith…" Ashby's voice trailed off; his eyebrows drew together as his head tilted curiously. "No, you wouldn't know either, would you?"
"Ashby, I swear I'll snap your neck just because you're annoying me." Braith was rapidly 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 worse trouble then I suspected. It's not just your family you have to protect her from; it's also you."
"What the hell do you mean?" he all but roared at the infuriating man.
"He means the royal offspring is royally screwed." Braith froze when the new voice drifted through the house. A hauntingly familiar voice.
He held Arianna's head against him as he turned toward the woman standing in the doorway. He hadn't heard her arrive, didn't know how long she’d been standing there, or where she came from.
He cursed himself for such a blunder and blamed his rapidly unraveling control for this mistake. Arianna could have been hurt; she could have been killed, and all because he let down his guard.
Disbelief promptly replaced his amazement at seeing her appear in the doorway. What was going on?
"Melinda," he greeted.
She smiled; her gaze lingered on Arianna before turning back to him. "Hello, brother."
Chapter Fourteen
Aria couldn't help it; she felt her mouth drop in disbelief. Her fingers curled into Braith's back. He pulled her toward the main door, the one the woman hadn't entered. The strange woman, Braith's sister, had appeared thru the door leading to the other rooms. The rooms Aria knew there was no entrance into, or at least she'd thought there was no other entrance into them.
Apparently, she'd been mistaken. Ashby was a prisoner; of course, he would create other escape routes from the tree house. Routes this woman apparently knew well.
Aria couldn't take her eyes off the beautiful woman across from them. She was watching her and Braith with rapt attention, her gorgeous gray eyes bright in the glow of the room. Her golden hair tumbled about her shoulders, spilling down her back all the way to her knees. Though she didn't seem to resemble any of her brothers, Melinda did resemble the sister Aria had met in the palace, Natasha, Ashby's ex-wife.
"I'm not going to harm her, Braith."
"What are you doing here, Melinda?" Braith spat.
Melinda gradually moved into the room. Her gaze briefly darted to Ashby. Braith may be confused by his sister's presence here, but Aria knew what had brought her—or who.
"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 Ashby did that all by himself?"
"I am very talented," Ashby replied smiling as the beautiful blonde stopped beside him.
She quirked a dark eyebrow, and 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 a huge ado amid the palace walls. No one seems to know where the eldest prince has gone. Our father is in the process of tearing the town and the woods apart in search of his missing son. It seems he is blaming the rebels for this affront."
Aria gasped; her hand flew to her mouth as nausea rushed up her throat and she took a hasty step forward. "No," she breathed.
Her friends, her family, they were all being punished because of her and Braith. She didn't want to think about what was happening to them, but she couldn't get her mind off the consuming knowledge they were suffering because of her. Braith squeezed her arm, but it did nothing to soothe her.
"Well imagine that," Ashby said darkly.
Melinda's smile faded, and she caressed Ashby's face. "Did he hurt you?"
Ashby shrugged, but there was nothing carefree about his demeanor now. "Just my pride. You going to untie me?"
Melinda planted her hands on her hips as she surveyed him with interest. "I think I might like you this way."
"You would."
Though Aria was lost in dismay, heat crept into her face at their words.
"Don't," Braith advised when Melinda's fingers dropped to the ropes restraining Ashby.
"Braith," Melinda said plaintively, her demeanor changing rapidly as pure despair shone in her eyes.
"Do not untie him, Melinda," Braith replied forcefully.
"He won't go after her."
"No, apparently you were always the true traitor amongst us. If you make one more move to untie him, it won't be Arianna that will have to worry about getting hurt."
Ashby’s eyes briefly flashed red as his upper lip curled at the threat. He didn't lunge against the ropes, didn't make a move as he eyed Braith for the first time with genuine vehemence.
Melinda touched Ashby's arm soothingly before folding her hands in front of her. Though she appeared demure, Aria knew it was only an act. She'd often used the same conduct in the palace when she was trying to seem far more docile than she was. It hadn't fooled Braith then; it wouldn't trick him now.
"You don't understand," Melinda said pleadingly.
"That you and Ashby conspired to overthrow our father and blinded me in the process. Yes, Melinda, I understand, even if I don't understand the motive behind it."
For the first time, Melinda looked desperate and frightened as she glanced anxiously at Aria. "If it was her—"
"You don't know her!" Braith snarled.
Melinda tilted her chin up; her jaw clenched as her eyes glimmered with fire. "You're right I don't know her, but I do know if she were in danger you would do whatever it took to save her."
"Neither of you were ever in peril inside the palace."
"I was married to Natasha, Braith," Ashby reminded him. "We were in danger."
"So you were having an affair and were worried about your lives?" Braith's body was fairly vibrating with rage.
Aria tried to ease his betrayal and indignation by stroking his back, but she didn't think there was much she could do in this situation. If it was her, and William or Daniel betrayed her in such a way, she didn't think she would ever be able to get over it.
"No, there was no affair. From the moment we met, there was no longer a Natasha. There wasn't any other woman. It was just us, and if anyone else knew that, if your family knew that, they would have done everything they could to destroy what was between us,” Ashby said.
Braith appeared doubtful as he raked them both with scathing glances. Melinda's eyes were desperate as she looked briefly at Aria before focusing her full attention on her brother once more.
"Do you really think you could marry Gwendolyn?" she whispered forlornly. "And even if you did manage to force yourself to marry her, do you think you could have lain with her and exchanged blood with her?"
At those words, Aria’s stomach lurched, and Braith looked almost as repulsed as she felt.
"I didn't think so. If you could, then you would still be in the palace and preparing for your wedding. In fact, I've noticed that for the past week, you didn't return to your parade of blood slaves. I didn't put two and two together until now, but how was I supposed to know you had found your escaped little blood slave again, and that you were once again using her to nourish you?"
"I'm not a blood slave!" Aria retorted sharply, growing highly annoyed she was still thought of as a piece of property.
Melinda raised a haughty eyebrow at her, but there was a gleam of admiration in her eyes.
"She's a feisty one," Ashby murmured approvingly.
Melinda managed a tiny smile as she folded her arms over her chest. "I see that."
"I don't use her," Braith grated.
"You feed on her, do you not?"
"That is not using her!" he barked.
Melinda rolled her eyes; she tapped her foot impatiently on the ground. "I understand that she is willing, or I assume she is."
"Of course I am," Aria told her.
"Why?"
"Excuse me?" Aria was st
artled by the question.
"Why are you willing? You are a human; you are a rebel, why would you give yourself to my brother like that?"
Aria looked at Braith; she was captivated by his masculine beauty, and the tender soul he revealed only to her. She thought of him on his knees before her, humbled by her, his heart and soul bared for her to take or turn away. She considered all his gentleness, the care, and protection he always offered to her even when he owned her. He was wonderful, he was everything, and he was hers.
"Because I love him," she whispered. "I always will."
"How sweet," the girl vampire drawled, drawing harsh looks from everyone else in the room. She glowered back at them but wisely remained silent.
"Can you believe it?" Ashby inquired blithely.
"No," Melinda responded.
"I don't care what you believe! It's the truth!" Aria snapped at her.
Melinda's mouth twisted into a smile, and Ashby chuckled annoyingly. Aria took a frustrated step forward, but Braith pulled her back.
"Stay behind me," he grumbled in warning.
"I believe you love him, I truly do," Melinda pacified. "I just can't believe it has happened to Braith, of all vampires. Mr. Duty, Mr. Responsibility, Mr. Walk a Straight Line has succumbed to the darkest side of himself."
"Like hell," Braith grated.
Aria was surprised to realize his fangs had extended again. His anger and frustration were rapidly unraveling the firm control and restraint he exhibited over himself around others.
Melinda quirked an eyebrow; her head tipped to the side as she rested a hand on her hip. "Like hell, Braith? Like hell? Do you forget I live in that damned palace too? Are you forgetting I was there after she escaped with Jericho? It was a bloodbath. You were a one vampire destroyer, one who made even Caleb and father proud. They thought you were finally becoming like them, and in all honesty, Braith, so did I.
“I never suspected you might actually care for the girl. I thought you were reacting in such a way because your pride was wounded. If I had known the truth, I would have tried to explain it to you, but I don't think you would have listened to me anyway. Especially not while you were immersed in the glut of blood and death you engrossed yourself in."
Aria’s fingers dug into the rigid muscles cording his arm. He was trembling; his self-loathing evident as he glared at his sister. Melinda painted a vivid picture of what he had been like after she fled, and though Aria knew it all, she still hated to hear it.
"I'm not like that," Braith hissed.
"Maybe not normally, and most definitely not before you met her.” Melinda’s gaze pinned Braith. Even Aria was surprised by the force of her steely stare. "I'm fairly certain if I made one threatening move toward her, you would kill me, sister, or not."
Aria waited for Braith to protest that statement; of course he wouldn't kill his sister. She found herself waiting until she had to turn her attention back to him.
"Braith?" She finally inquired, stunned by the fact he hadn't responded yet.
He seemed hesitant to answer, and when he did, he didn't sound all that convincing. "I wouldn't kill you."
"You would if you had to,” Melinda said. “You would if it became necessary to ensure her survival."
"No, he wouldn't," Aria insisted.
"Is that true, Braith, you wouldn't?" Melinda demanded. "Are you going to stand here and lie in front of her, to her?"
Aria's heart pumped laboriously. Her soul ached for him, for herself, for the sister staring so forcefully at her brother.
"I won't lie to her," Braith grated. "Yes, I would kill you if it meant her life."
Aria inhaled sharply; she could barely breathe through the disbelief rocking her. "Braith?"
"Don't be so appalled," Melinda told her. "I would try to kill him too if it came to Ashby. We can't help it. You are his bloodlink; Ashby is mine. We don't have a choice; if you were a vampire, you would understand the driving force propelling us to make sure they are safe and kept with us. You would also understand the fact your humanity tests every boundary of his control. I saw what happened in that palace, what he did. You were still alive then, if you were to die..."
Melinda’s eyes grew briefly distant, she shuddered. "If you were to die then it would be as if hell itself had unleashed its wrath upon this earth. No one would be safe."
Braith trembled with barely leashed power. Aria rubbed his arm lightly, trying to calm him, but she wasn't getting through. It wasn't his sister's words so much that were upsetting him; it was the fact she mentioned Aria's death.
"Braith—" Aria started.
"She's not going to die," he said.
"Not for a long time," Aria assured him.
"Ever."
The room became silent as the low spoken word staggered everyone within. Aria's heart hammered. She knew he would like her to change, but to do so... to do so would be to become everything she had ever hated and fought. To do so would be to turn against her kind, her own family. Her chest was tight; tears burned her eyes.
"Braith," she breathed.
He turned toward her, his arm shaking even more; the muscles within it were trembling in her grasp.
"You know how dangerous that is," Ashby said.
Aria was sure Braith hadn't heard him though. His attention was focused on her. She could become a vampire and stay with her family; they would forgive her eventually, maybe.
She would also be a strong ally for them; Braith would be a powerhouse on their side. She could become a vampire and stay with him forever. If this was what he so desperately needed, she could give him this because he would give her anything he could.
He had not chosen whatever was happening to him, to them. Braith prided himself on control, stability, and self-reliance. He prided himself on being powerful, yet understanding. Since she'd left the palace, he'd been none of those things. He had become angry, unstable, and the murderous monster he despised his father and brother for being.
Melinda and Ashby understood what was going on, and perhaps if Braith did he would be a little more stable, but right now his confusion over his wild emotions was only adding to his volatility.
"Arianna?" his voice, so deep and beautiful, was ragged with feeling.
"It will be fine," she promised fervently. His eyes, fevered and desperate, softened. In their bright depths, she saw his confusion, but she also saw his craving and his love. "We can do this; we can do anything."
"It's not that simple," Ashby interjected. "Braith knows that. You aren't a vampire, that's why I’m so surprised this has happened to you. It's never happened with a human before, never."
"I think you have to tell me exactly what is happening here," Braith said coldly.
"Can I untie him first?" Melinda inquired.
"No."
Annoyance flared through her steely gaze; her hands fisted at her sides in futility. They may be siblings, but it wouldn't be an equal fight. Braith was older, stronger; he radiated a depth of power Melinda didn't seem to possess.
"Imagine if it was her who was tied up, how you would feel then, Braith?" she pleaded.
"It's not her, and it never will be."
"Braith!" Melinda's frustration was mounting; her eyes were growing darker, redder. Her emotions were wildly swinging toward the breaking point.
"Easy love," Ashby comforted. "It's okay; I'm fine. Braith doesn't know how to tie someone up all that well anyway."
His eyes gleamed with amusement, but Aria could sense the tension beneath his blithe façade. The last thing he wanted was to see Melinda try and fight her way through her brother.
Melinda remained wary; she leaned over and placed a quick kiss on Ashby's mouth. Aria pitied them; she couldn't imagine being kept from Braith in such a way. Yet there were two of them; separately they weren't much of a threat to Braith, together they could be.
"Let your brother know what is going on, maybe then he won't look like he's about to go on a rampage and slaughter us all," Ashby urged.
Aria stepped closer to Braith; she needed to feel and touch more of him. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like what Melinda and Ashby had to tell them. He wrapped his arm around her waist. His body was colder than hers, but heat still flooded through her as her chest was brought up flush against his side. His hand briefly stroked her, his eyes burned into hers.
"Have you ever heard the term bloodlink?" Melinda inquired, breaking into their moment.
Braith reluctantly turned away from her. "No, I haven't."
"Neither had I until I met Ashby." Her gaze traveled leisurely to him, she reached out a delicate hand and clasped hold of his outstretched one. They seemed to take solace from the feel of one another as their hands entwined. "And then the whole world was completely right and so completely wrong."
"I was already married to Natasha," Ashby continued.
Melinda's face scrunched up; disgust flitted over her delicate features. "If you recall, I was with mother when their wedding occurred. I was too young to stay behind when father banished her, and he didn't want the responsibility of taking care of me. It wasn't until she was killed that I was allowed back into the palace."
"I had been married to Natasha for five years at that point," Ashby said.
"I remember," Braith interjected coldly.
Ashby grinned at him. "We used to have fun in those days. Before the war, when everything was still easy. You were the reigning heir, and I was a vampire with a title, money, women, and a wife who cared as little for me as I did for her. Okay, well the wife part may have sucked, but mostly we avoided each other. All we had to do was conceive a son to make your father happy, and then we wouldn't have to be with each other again. It just wasn't working for us."
Melinda's eyes had grown darker at the mention of her sister; her face was as stormy as a tumultuous sky. Ashby brought Melinda's hand to his mouth, kissing her as he sought to ease her tension.
"Then mom was killed, the war broke out, and I returned to the palace," Melinda said tersely.
"Your father was always greedy. He just never banked on so many vampires being content with their way of life. He never considered some of the other powerful families might not go along with him. And he never expected that I planned to get out of my marriage from one sister because I had lost my soul to the other one."
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