The Captive Series 1-5

by Erica Stevens

  "She already has," Braith admitted.

  Gideon's eyes widened before he burst into laughter. "Ah, it is amazing what life throws your way, is it not?"

  Braith pondered the truth of those words. Life had been so different a few months ago; he’d been blind, alone, and content to go through the motions of what he now realized was an empty life. Then, he'd seen Aria standing on a stage, filthy and proud, and forcing him to see in more ways than one.

  "It is," he agreed.

  Braith took in the destruction littering the street and the mess of bodies surrounding them. Not all were those of the strange creatures, nor were they all human, some vampires had fallen here too.

  He braced himself before looking at Aria again. Her bow hung at her side, and the long ends of her hair were tucked into the collar of her dress. The hem of her dress was still stuck within her belt and revealed her legs to her knees. She looked wild, almost savage, but beneath it all, he sensed her sadness as she stared at the carnage in the streets.

  His remaining annoyance with her faded when her eyes met his. Braith once said he wouldn’t chase her into the trees she moved through with the ease of a monkey; he assumed that would extend to rooftops as well, he'd been wrong.

  He grabbed a ladder and pulled it down with a clatter of metal. She stood at the edge of the roof when he arrived at the top and came eagerly into his arms. He clutched her against him as he sought to ease her sorrow.

  "Is she sleeping?"

  "Finally," Braith answered in response to William's question.

  William nodded as he ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "She's been through so much that I sometimes forget she's not as tough as she acts." His eyes, so similar to his sister’s, were much harsher. "She's always hated to kill things, she'll do it, but she hates it. I should have been there."

  Braith bit back the retort that William was right, he should have been there. He could smell the alcohol and the woman on him, but this wasn’t William's fault. None of them had expected the events of this night.

  "How often does this happen?" Braith inquired as he accepted a glass of whiskey from Gideon.

  Gideon shook his head; he was still bruised and bleeding from his split lip, but he was healing quickly, and the marks would fade within the hour. "It used to happen once every couple of years, but this is the third raid in the past eight months."

  "What caused such an increase?" William asked.

  Gideon was thoughtful. "In the beginning, there weren't many Forsaken Ones, but over time more have been banished. They've grouped together, they're angry, and they're taking that anger out on the ones who put them in this situation. The other factions are experiencing the same problems with The Forsaken Ones."

  "How many are out there?" Braith asked.

  "I don't know for sure; like I said, other towns work under the same rules. We've banished six from here over the years. Some towns are rigid in their rules, others are less strict, but after the ones destroyed tonight, I would guess there are approximately twenty-five to thirty of those creatures left."

  "Why didn't you kill them instead of banishing them?" Ashby inquired.

  "No one here wanted the king's rules, at all. We thought we would give them a fair shot at survival."

  Ashby quirked an eyebrow and downed his drink in one long swallow. "I'd rather be dead."

  "If it hadn't been for Melinda, that could have been you," Braith reminded him.

  "And as I said, I would rather have been dead. Those things are a monstrosity, Braith. They are a shell of what they used to be. I would have much preferred to be put out of my misery."

  "It's too late to change the punishment handed to them, and perhaps the time has come to take care of them. If we are successful in the endeavor of war, they won’t be necessary as a security measure anymore, and perhaps death would be kinder. I can get you support, Braith. Four other aristocrats survived and have their own villages, and the fifth village is solely human."

  "Who are the four survivors?"

  "Xavier, Saul, Calista, and Barnaby."

  "Barnaby," Ashby groaned. "I hate that self-pretentious ass."

  "As do we all," Gideon agreed. "And though I wish it had, a hundred years hasn't changed him much. He is somewhat more humbled by his circumstances, but you wouldn't know it to talk to him. He does well with his village though, and I haven't heard anything bad about him, but I've tried to stay away from him as much as possible."

  "Who wouldn't?" Braith muttered and downed the remains of his whiskey. William frowned as he tried to follow the conversation. "Barnaby is a jerk, he's always been a jerk, and I doubt much could change him. He didn't choose a side to fight for but stood idly on the sidelines to see who would win the war before choosing. My father was not oblivious to this fact and evicted him from the palace as soon as the war was over,” Braith explained to William. “I don't see him being much help now, Gideon."

  "He has followers who aren’t as cowardly as he is, and you know this is not the life of luxury Barnaby covets. We are not without here, but it is far less than we once had. He won't stand on the sidelines this time."

  Braith wasn't sure he wanted Barnaby involved at all. He would take Saul, Calista, and Xavier though. Saul and Calista had fought with Gideon, had chosen the losing side, and barely escaped with their lives.

  Xavier had stood by the king's side, been rewarded when the war was over, and given the opportunity to remain in the palace. He had, however, disagreed with the king's policies toward humans and his fellow vampires.

  Fearing for his life, he'd fled within a year of the king's new rule. Xavier was an honorable man, and Braith admired that he’d stood up to the king, even after being rewarded. Xavier was also the only history keeper left as far as Braith knew, and that could come in handy for them.

  "Can we do this without Barnaby?" Ashby asked.

  "I think we need as much help as possible," Gideon remarked. "But it's up to Braith."

  "We'll take him, for now,” Braith said. “But we'll keep a close eye on him; I trust him about as much as I trust those things that came in here tonight."

  "That can be done. I've already sent word that I would like to meet with the other leaders. I think the human leader, Frank, is a good, upstanding man. I'm not sure what his response will be though. Their greatest concerns now are the creatures out there," Gideon said.

  "Those creatures must be handled," Braith muttered. He agreed with most of what Gideon had done here and understood his aversion to handing out the death sentence, but those things were not rational beings anymore.

  "There is something else we must discuss, Braith," Gideon said.

  Ashby and Gideon exchanged a look that caused Braith to stiffen. Whatever Gideon was about to say, he wasn't going to like it.

  "It's about the girl," Gideon continued.

  "She's not open for discussion," Braith stated.

  Intrigued by the topic of his sister, William stepped forward.

  "Braith you must understand—"

  "What I understand, Gideon, is you better think about what you’re going to say before you continue."

  Gideon swallowed heavily; his hazel eyes were turbulent. Braith thought he'd finally gathered enough sense to remain silent. He was wrong.

  "I understand you care for this girl, love her even," he amended quickly when Ashby shook his head. "But you must understand that no matter how powerful you are, vampires will not accept a human as their queen."

  "They don't have to," Braith said.

  "You plan to try and change her then?"

  William inhaled sharply, and his questioning eyes bounced between them. Braith shook his head sternly as something curled through his belly and clutched at his chest. He would love nothing more than to spend an eternity with her, give her the strength that came with immortality, protect her from her recklessness, and ease the instability the thought of her death created in him, but he couldn't take the chance she wouldn’t survive the change. He would not b
e the one who destroyed her.

  "No. I will not risk her life in such a way," Braith said.

  Gideon and Ashby shifted uncomfortably, William's eyes were beginning to resemble an owl's.

  "She is strong, she's brave, and she has earned my respect, but you cannot rule with a human, Braith,” Gideon said. “The others will not fall in line for a human, and they will not follow your children."

  “Are children even possible?" William blurted.

  Braith shot him a dark look as the boy gawked at him in something akin to horror.

  "Yes," Braith sneered.

  "The child will be either vampire or human," Ashby elaborated. "The vampire children are often ignored, exiled, or ridiculed. The humans don't fare any better, but some are given positions as servants within the palace. It's always been that way, even before the king ruled."

  "There are some of those children here; they were created here, or they fled the persecution they received while in the palace. Here, no matter what they are, they are treated as equals, but we still wouldn't accept them as a ruler unless they were full vampire,” Gideon said. “They are slightly stronger than a human but not as strong as a full vampire."

  "Does that include you, Gideon? Would you also not accept them as a ruler," Braith sneered.

  He shifted nervously. "You can't hold the truth against me, Braith. We are a just government here, give us credit for that, but do not blame us for the truth. Unless she survives the change, she will not be accepted, and neither will your children."

  Braith shifted as he folded his arms over his chest. "If Aria and I have children, then I can assure you they will meet no such fate."

  "Life in the palace—" Gideon started.

  "They will not be raised in the palace," Braith interrupted.

  Gideon gaped at him. "What do you plan on doing with them, Braith? With her? Perhaps you could marry another and keep her as your mistress."

  "No."

  "Braith, be reasonable," Gideon urged.

  He was being reasonable; he wasn't beating the shit out of them right now. He considered that pretty damn reasonable considering the burgeoning rage he felt. "Ask Ashby to marry another."

  Ashby shook his head fiercely as he stepped back. "No."

  "Ashby doesn't have to marry another!" Gideon snapped. "His marriage to Natasha is over. No one will question him if he takes Melinda as a wife. She is your sister; her blood is pure. It's a fine match. She's not a human, Braith!"

  Braith moved so rapidly that Gideon didn't have time to react before he seized Gideon's neck. He slammed him against the wall with enough force to crack the plaster. Gideon's eyes bulged; shock caused his face to go slack as Braith squeezed hard enough to draw blood.

  "I told you to watch what you said, and this will be your final warning. This topic is not up for discussion. There will be no other woman, there will be no talk of changing her, and our children will not know the life you have described. I will fight with you; I will help lead this battle, but someone else will rule. When this is over, I am taking her, and we are leaving that place. I promised her a life of peace, and I will give it to her!"

  He slammed Gideon against the wall again before releasing him. Gideon's hand flew to his throat, and he bent over as he warily watched Braith.

  "Who do you expect to lead?" Gideon choked out.

  Braith shrugged. "You do it, or even Ashby; you said my sister is of sound bloodlines. Perhaps even Calista or Xavier would be a fine choice. I don't care who you pick, just as long as we are left alone."

  "She will still die."

  "I'll be there beside her when the time comes, and I will find a way to join her after."

  Gideon’s mouth opened and closed a few times before he finally spoke again. "You are the next in line, Braith. The one everyone, including the humans, expects to take the throne. The infighting such an abdication would cause—"

  "I'm sure it will all work out," Ashby inserted quickly. He shot Gideon a silencing look as he stepped forward to break up what was sure to be a battle if it continued. "We must win the war out there first, let us not start one here."

  Gideon opened his mouth to say something more, but Ashby grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

  William leaned against the wall as he spoke. "This child thing, a baby—"

  Braith's temper hit its boiling point. "I'm not sleeping with your sister!"

  The remaining color drained from William's face before it flamed bright red. Ashby and Gideon's mouths dropped.

  "I don't want to hear one word from any of you again tonight," Braith said before stalking from the room.

  Chapter Seven

  Aria stood silently in the corner of the room. Thankfully, they hadn’t retreated to Gideon's "study," but to a large dining room in the back of the house. Braith sat at the head of the large table with his hands clasped before him. He was leaning forward, his tone low and fervent as he spoke with the vampires gathered around him.

  They listened to him with rapt attention—ensnared by his words and the aura of power he emitted. A lump formed in her throat as pride bloomed in her chest. It amazed her to watch him like this.

  She knew he didn't consider himself a leader, but he already was one. And they would follow him; she was certain of it.

  Her gaze scanned the group gathered around him. They were an eclectic lot. Gideon and Ashby sat on each side of Braith, beside Ashby sat Barnaby, a vampire even fairer than Ashby. His hair was nearly white and his eyes a washed out, watery blue. Tall and thin, he possessed a regal air that marked him as the aristocrat he was.

  Xavier sat beside Barnaby and leaned forward as he listened to Braith. His head was completely bald, and his dark skin gleamed in the light filtering through the windows. Tattoos marked the backs of his hands and ran up his solid arms before disappearing beneath the sleeves of his shirt. Strange designs and flames reappeared on the side of his neck before ending at his right ear and the bottom of his chin.

  Xavier might have been one of the most intriguing looking men she’d ever seen, with his various tattoos, but it was Saul who repeatedly drew her attention. Unlike the others, who all appeared to be under the age of thirty, Saul had salt and pepper hair falling around his sharp face. His nose was hawkish and his eyes a darker shade of gray than his hair.

  She knew Frank was the human leader, but what was Saul?

  He was the first vampire she’d ever seen who appeared at least fifty judging by the lines around his eyes and the corners of his mouth.

  Had he once been human? Had this man survived the change? She couldn't wait to get Braith alone to find out the details, but it would be a while before that happened.

  Calista sat regally beside Saul, her head held high on her slender neck. Her skin was not as dark as Xavier's, but a soft brown hue that matched her eyes. Cropped close to her skull, her short hair highlighted the intriguing angles and planes of her features.

  "Braith reminds me of father," William whispered. "People listen to and follow them."

  Besides being a little disturbed by the association William had made, Aria nodded in agreement and turned toward William when she caught the hint of something in his tone. He seemed to have come to a realization that saddened him. He smiled wanly at her, but it was forced and uncertain.

  "They will follow him," she agreed. "William, what is it?"

  He shook his head and looked about to say something, but Braith interrupted him. "Arianna, William."

  Forcing her face to remain impassive, she straightened her shoulders before turning away from her brother and walking unhurriedly toward Braith. She was aware everyone in the room was watching her and William questioningly.

  "Their father is the leader of the rebel cause closest to the palace. David is gathering support there for what we are about to undergo." Aria met each of the curious gazes as Braith continued. "Jericho, who now goes by Jack, has been working with David for a while now and is helping with this undertaking. Melinda has returned to the palace
to be our eyes and ears on the inside."

  "Will the humans follow this David?" Xavier inquired.

  "People already follow our father," William informed him. "They've followed our family in one form or another for almost ninety years, and they will continue to do so. Especially if there is a chance to end the fear, starvation, and death we live with every day."

  "I met your father once," Frank said as he ran a hand through his dark hair. "It was years ago, but he was a good man, and I remember being impressed by him. I think your mother was pregnant with you both at the time. He is right; David will be able to rally many to the fight."

  "Are you willing to fight?" Gideon asked Frank.

  Frank fixated on a spot behind Braith's shoulder. Then he looked at William, and finally her, before speaking. "I'm not sure how many of my people will be willing to jump into this fray. We don't know what you know; we've never experienced the life you have. Though, it would be nice to put an end to the fear that the king may one day discover us."

  "What about you, Frank, are you willing to join us?" Braith pushed.

  "I am willing to help. I can't say how many will come with me, but my second in command, Marshall, can run things while I'm away. I'd like to move the rest of my people into the vampire towns until this is over, and I'd like to keep them all together, if possible."

  "There will be room for them here," Gideon offered.

  Frank nodded. "Thank you."

  "There is also the matter of the king himself," Saul said. "It will not be easy to remove your father, Braith. He hasn't managed to stay alive and retain such an iron-tight hold because he is weak. I don't know anyone who could take him out one on one—"

  "Braith can," Ashby interrupted.

  Aria's breath froze in her lungs; every muscle in her body went rigid. There was no love lost between Braith and his father, but for the son to destroy the father...

  It was unthinkable. And she wasn't sure Braith could do it, that he could survive the consequences of it. Their probing gazes latched onto Braith.

  "Braith is powerful, yes, but the king has years on him, experience and cruelty, and a viciousness none of us possess. Those are all driving motivators which make the king the deadliest one of us," Saul continued.