Oh well, there were many things she wished were different right now. She missed her father; she barely had time to speak with him before they were separated again. He had been uneasy and somewhat uncertain as to what was going on between her and Braith.
Her father seemed to want to believe she did love Braith, and that Braith returned her love. However, she worried a part of him still thought the bond they’d forged was only due to her time spent as Braith's blood slave.
She may be almost eighteen, but her father was still wary of letting her go with Ashby and Braith. He’d refused to allow it until Braith finally relented and agreed to let William join them. Even then, her father was still hesitant to let them go.
However, this mission was necessary to gain some much-needed vampire support for a war against the king, and there was no way Braith would leave without her.
The whole situation nearly turned into a debacle that threatened to unravel the tentative plans they had formed to overthrow Braith's father. Cooler heads finally prevailed, mainly Jack's and surprisingly, William's. Her father had wanted Jack with them on this journey, he trusted Jack, and so did many of her father's followers in the rebellion.
However, if any of the people in the rebellion were going to believe vampires were willing to ally themselves with humans, then her father would require Jack's help to convince them. Jack would also be essential to help convince the young vampire girl's village, and other vampire villages, to possibly aid them in their quest.
Her brother, Daniel, as their father's second in command, had also been needed to help gather human forces. And Max, poor Max, well he couldn’t get away from her fast enough.
Tears clogged her eyes and throat at the thought of Max. He’d sacrificed himself to try and save her when she was taken as a blood slave, and now he hated her. So much, in fact, that Aria was terrified he would despise her and everything she was for the rest of her life.
She loved Max, and this whole situation broke her heart. He had been her first crush, her first kiss, and her best friend when she was alone and shattered by the revelation of Braith's engagement to another vampire.
Max understood what she endured as a blood slave, even if it was nowhere near as hideous as the torture and abuse he’d suffered. And now he didn't understand or even tolerate her existence at all. He saw her love for Braith as a betrayal, one she didn't think he'd ever forgive.
Braith's sister, and Ashby's bloodlink, Melinda, had reluctantly agreed to return to the palace to be their inner eyes and ears. Aria understood Melinda's pain as she and Ashby embraced and touched and cried with each other. She knew how they felt; she couldn't bear the thought of being apart from Braith for so long, even if it were for a good cause.
Ashby had agreed to come with them because, if they succeeded in their goal, he and Melinda would never have to be separated again, or risk their lives to see one another. Ashby was almost as determined as Braith to overthrow the regime.
That was if their plan succeeded and if they could somehow convince these possibly half starved aristocratic vamps to aide in their quest. She hoped they weren't completely crazed and that a hundred years in this sweltering heat hadn't fried their brains. More so, she hoped the four of them weren't walking into a death trap.
She didn't mean to do it, but without thinking her head rose to Braith. She needed to see him and be reassured by his presence. Even though his dark glasses shaded his eyes, she knew the moment they latched onto hers. Her heart lurched; she could barely breathe beneath the weight of his stare. He was magnificent, and he was hers.
She knew he wanted to tell her to look down. She saw it in the tight pinch of his mouth and the muscle jumping in his cheek. He remained silent with his eyes locked on hers and, for a single moment, it was only the two of them. His hand stroked her arm as he pulled her a step closer.
"We're almost there," he murmured so quietly she barely heard him. "Please, Aria, look down."
Ashby quirked an eyebrow but refrained from saying anything. It was strange to hear the prince say please to anyone, let alone her, a human, a blood slave, a rebel. She was still surprised to hear him call her Aria, as he had always used her full name, but being around people who didn't use it had started to rub off on him.
She sighed and reluctantly did as he asked. The tension in his body notched up a level; she knew he was struggling not to grab her and run out of this town. To run would only attract more attention, and possibly entice the thrill of the hunt.
There would be no more running for them, not anymore.
Aria shifted uncomfortably. She hated the coarse wool and dull color of the servant's class cloak; she despised even more what it represented. She had resented the golden chain binding a blood slave to their master, but this cloak was worse.
At least the chain had marked her as a fighter, someone not to be trusted, someone who rebelled and was made to pay for her rebellion. As far as she was concerned, the cloak signified a coward and a traitor who bowed to the vampire race.
More legs gathered by the side of the road and whispers spread through the crowd. These outer vamps weren't used to strangers, and they were distrustful of them. Though they hadn’t encountered any problems so far, Aria doubted they would be so lucky all the time.
The vampires living here were hungry, and so were the people. They were poor, and strangers offered them a new opportunity for fresh blood and perhaps money. If Braith didn't emanate such an aura of power and dominance, she was sure they would have been jumped before this town, even with Ashby at their side.
The whispers grated against her skin as harshly as the coarse cloth covering her head. Dust drifted up around them and stuck in her nose and throat. The town smelled of blood, body odor, and death.
Her woods weren't like this. Though they held the smell of rot, it was the earthy decay of leaves and dirt. What she required was fresh air, freedom, and Braith.
Braith suddenly grasped her hood and jerked it forward. So entrenched in her thoughts, Aria hadn't realized it had slipped back to reveal her hairline and some of her features. It wasn't that anyone would know her, they were far more likely to recognize him, but Braith was adamant she stay as covered as possible.
He thought her blood was too big of a lure; Aria felt it was only a lure to him, but she wasn't going to argue in case he happened to be right. She wasn't in the mood to be a snack for a pack of bloodthirsty vampires, none of them were. She moved to adjust the hood, but he grasped the hand exposed by the movement and pulled it smoothly down to her side.
"Remain covered, Aria," he commanded.
This time it wasn't his touch that caused her heart to leap and her chest to constrict, but the tone of his voice. She was frightened by what might be unleashed if she looked up. A tremor worked through her.
Braith was strong and powerful, but the circumstances of the past two weeks had forced him to feed on animals instead of her. Animals sustained him, but human blood was better, and her blood strengthened him more. She had a strange effect on him and empowered him in ways neither of them had ever imagined possible.
And now, when he needed her blood most, he was being denied it. And they may all be about to pay for that if the increasing crush of bodies around them was any indication.
"Are you willing to sell one?" a loud voice inquired.
Raising his arm, Braith pushed it against her chest as he halted her beside him. It went against everything she was, but somehow she managed to keep her head bent and her appearance demure.
William took two more steps before Ashby, in a far less graceful manner than Braith, jerked him to a stop by the collar of his robe. Though Ashby remained expressionless, his bright green eyes twinkled with amusement when William grunted.
The two of them had gotten along well enough, but they tended to pick at each other, sometimes to the point Aria became exasperated with them. William bristled against the highhanded treatment, but thankfully her hot-tempered twin managed to keep his calm.
The town became hushed in expectancy of Braith's answer. He didn't know these lands and the people or etiquette that prevailed here. In their land servants were not sold, they were not owned or traded like the blood slaves. That may not be the case here.
"They are not for sale," Braith finally answered.
A pair of legs stepped forward, separating themselves from the crowd. The clothing on these legs was of much higher quality than the ones surrounding it. Even with the sand swirling around them the shoes somehow remained black and shiny.
"You look hungry," the legs stated. "I will make a trade. Two for one."
Her heart was in her throat as goose bumps tickled her skin. "Why would you make such a trade?" Braith demanded.
Though she couldn't see it, she could almost feel the man's casual shrug. "I have grown tired of them. You know how that is, I'm sure."
Sorrow stabbed her as she realized Braith knew exactly how that was. She tried not to think of his past or the blood slaves he’d gone through when she escaped the palace, but occasionally, a stark reminder of it slapped her in the face. She may have been his first blood slave, but she wasn’t his last, and he hadn’t treated the others anywhere near as kindly as he’d treated her.
Braith's arm pressed closer to her as if he were trying to offer her some comfort, but she found none. Her face was on fire; William was as still as stone before her, and his breath had frozen in his chest.
"I do know how it is, and I have not yet grown bored with mine,” Braith replied.
Aria's breath sucked in; her stomach cramped. No matter how much time she spent amongst them, she would never become accustomed to the cruelty of some of the vampire race.
She was not naïve enough to think all humans were good either. After all, the only real abuse she’d suffered as a blood slave was at the hands of a human, but it never seemed as overt amongst the humans as it was with the vampires.
She wasn't a possession though, and she bristled at being thought of as such. Braith must have sensed something in her pulse or a shift in her demeanor because he pushed her back another step. It took everything she had to appear outwardly tranquil while inside she seethed.
She was tempted to pull out the hidden bow strapped to her back, but she wasn't sure who she wanted to shoot more... Braith or the man trying to bargain for her.
"Let me at least get a look at her," the man prodded.
"I think not,” Braith stated.
A collective inhalation from the crowd accompanied his answer. Aria's annoyance vanished as apprehension surged to the forefront. They were in danger here if Braith didn't tread the right path, and judging by the crowd's reaction, he had made a grave misstep by disobeying the request.
"No?" Though he tried to hide it, Aria detected disbelief in the man's voice.
"No,” Braith said flatly.
She cringed. Braith wasn't used to being ordered about, nor was he used to anyone questioning him, except maybe her, and he didn't react well to it. He was not versed in diplomacy like her father, Daniel, Jack, and Ashby. Braith gave an order and expected to have his order obeyed. As a prince, he'd never had to learn anything different, and he wasn't willing to tolerate insolence now.
Aria wished she could reason with him, but if she opened her mouth and exposed any feeling between them, they would be in more peril than they were now, if that were possible.
"I'm sure you understand that sometimes when your toys are shiny and new, you like to keep them to yourself," Ashby interjected smoothly.
Aria took no offense at being called a shiny toy. She felt only relief at Ashby's light tone and easygoing demeanor.
"She is new then?" the vampire inquired.
"Oh, not brand new," Ashby replied flippantly. "Are any of them anymore? It's hard to find someone who hasn't been battered and tossed aside now." His comments were met with snickers and muttered agreements from the crowd. "But she is new to my friend here, and as I'm sure you realize, he's none too bright and hates sharing."
Irritated by Ashby's words, Braith stiffened beside her. Aria held her breath in the hopes Braith would keep his composure as the muscles in his arm rippled against her. The man, who had inquired about buying her, pondered Ashby's words.
"No, none of them are untouched anymore," the man said with a regretful sound. "Damn shame too. What about yours?"
Ashby jerked the hood back from William. "It's a boy, and a redhead to boot."
The hideous vampire chuckled. "Ah, neither of those attributes appeal to me."
Aria held her breath as she prayed William would hold his tongue despite his pride and arrogance.
Ashby jerked the hood back over William’s head as he spoke. "Not my preference either, but I don't have to look at him to enjoy him."
There were a few titters from the audience. The tension in the air eased.
"Ah well, perhaps if you pass through again..." the man’s voice trailed hopefully off.
"I'm sure my friend will be far more willing to discuss a deal then," Ashby said.
Some of the crowd dispersed when it became apparent no blood would flow today. Ashby and the man exchanged a few more words before they finally said their goodbyes.
Braith was so rigid she was frightened he might break his teeth if he didn't unclench his jaw. The buildings fell away, and they slipped free of the confines of the town. The bleak landscape enveloped them as the Barrens encompassed them.
Aria barely had time to take her first easy breath before Braith's arm wrapped around her waist. He pulled her firmly against him and kissed her with an intensity that left her breathless and limp. His fangs pressed against her bottom lip, nicking it enough to draw a drop of blood.
He groaned as he nibbled her lip before his tongue swept in to claim possession of her mouth. Pulling her hood back, he burrowed his hand through her hair and tenderly cradled her head.
His love enveloped her as she clung to him in a desperate attempt to stay grounded despite the rising desire threatening to engulf her. She forgot about everything that had just transpired in her desperation to get closer and feel more of him.
William coughed faintly and then more loudly as neither of them acknowledged his existence. He cleared his throat before grunting his displeasure. Braith was the first to pull away; his lips were still wet when he buried his face in the hollow of her neck. Aria brushed his dark hair back with her fingers; she relished the softness of it as she sought to ease the tension clinging to him.
"I never should have brought you with me," he said.
Panic tore through her as her hands stilled in his hair.
"It was selfish." He shook his head, and his fangs pressed against her oversensitive, heated skin.
"There were no other options," she assured him when he pulled away.
His moment of weakness had vanished, and she found herself faced with the inflexible, seasoned vampire she knew well. A vampire she could sense trying to distance himself from her as he attempted to formulate a new plan. Aria braced herself for the battle she knew was about to ensue.
"I should have left you at the tree house," he said.
She snorted. "Like I would have stayed."
"Arianna."
Her name was a low growl of warning; one she was sure would have sent many a man and vampire running, but it only served to infuriate her further.
"You're not going to figure out some way to keep me out of this, Braith. I've been fighting my whole life for this war, for this chance at freedom, and I've made it this far—"
"You're seventeen!" he snapped.
Her eyes narrowed as she slammed her fists on her hips. "That's old enough for you!"
Ashby and William inhaled sharply as they took a big step away. Aria didn't blame them, Braith was wound taut as a bowstring. He loomed over her and bent low, so his face was only inches above hers.
"If I decide you are to stay somewhere safe, then you will stay there," he said.
Aria wanted to scream in frustration and punch him
in the gut or kick him in the shins. Instead, she glared back at him as she tilted her chin defiantly. "You try it, Braith, and see what happens."
"What? What will you do?"
"If you try to abandon me somewhere, I will not stay there. I'll find some other way to help this cause. I will not be pushed aside."
Their noses were almost touching now. "Don't threaten me, Aria."
"Don't threaten me, Braith!"
He cursed as he spun away from her. Aria jumped in surprise, wincing as he smashed a fist into the side of an abandoned brick building. The wall shook, for a moment she was terrified it was going to tumble down as dust cascaded around him.
Braith stood with his hands fisted and his shoulders heaving as he tried to regain control of himself. Ashby and William stared at her like she had two heads. Refusing to back down, she stared insolently at them. No matter how infuriated Braith became with her, he wouldn't hurt her. These two may be intimidated by him, may even have something to fear from him, but she didn't.
Not unless he did try to leave her somewhere.
"There is nowhere safe, Braith. There never has been, not for me or William," she continued more reasonably.
Braith’s fear for her made him volatile, she understood that, but she wasn't willing to be shut out of this fight. When he turned back toward her, frustration filled her. She wished she could see his eyes; she hated those glasses.
"We're human, Braith. We were born into the rebellion; this has always been our life. We'll be okay; I'll be fine. We knew when this started it wasn't going to be easy. Braith—"
She hardly saw him move before he stood before her and grasped her shoulders. She didn't think she’d ever get used to his speed and power. It was as thrilling as it was frightening. He bent over her, but this time it wasn't in anger. He was going to kiss her again. Her toes curled, and her lips tingled with anticipation.
"We should get going," Ashby interjected before Braith’s lips touched hers.
Aria blinked as she was startled out of the reverie enveloping her. Braith's hands tensed on her shoulders, and she felt his frustration as he focused on Ashby. Ashby gulped but forced a smile. It was nowhere near as cocky as usual though.
The Captive Series 1-5 Page 37