Chapter Eight
Ashby released her as he strode across the room. Broken pieces of furniture were stacked in the corner, buried beneath years of dust and sand. Dismay filled her when her gaze drifted down. Their shoes had left footprints in the sand.
"Ashby."
He turned to her and placed a finger against his lips as his eyes narrowed into a glare. Impatience filled her as she pointed angrily at their feet and then the trail of prints they left behind. Apparently being banished to a tree house for the past hundred years had dulled Ashby's senses as it took him a few seconds to understand what she was trying to convey. His mouth dropped at the same time the knob began to rattle.
Aria lurched forward and thrust her weight against the door when it started to creak open. It slammed closed. There was a hushed moment of silence, and then excited grunts issued from the other side.
Ashby appeared beside her and thrust his weight against the door as the creatures pushed eagerly on it. One of these things would be easy to take care of, Ashby could do it himself, but judging by the sounds, there were at least three out there.
Her fingers itched for her bow as a crack appeared at the top of the door. It was old and wouldn’t hold against the force of these creatures. Aria's gaze fell to the pile of furniture in the corner, but even if they stacked it against the door, it would do little good. Then, she spotted the window.
"Stay here," she said.
"What?" Ashby gasped. He struggled to keep the door closed when she released it suddenly. "Aria! Arianna!"
She didn't hesitate as she raced across the room, grasped the windowsill, and plunged onto the porch roof. It creaked beneath her weight, and for a moment she was certain the old wood wouldn’t support her. It wouldn't do either of them any good if the thing collapsed beneath her.
It groaned again but held steady. Holding her arms out, she maintained her balance on the steep pitch of the roof as she hurried to the back of the house. When she heard something beneath her, she looked down to find two more creatures following her movements; they jumped up and down as they waited for her to fall.
Reaching the back side of the house, she plunged into another broken window and found herself in another room with a broken shower. She gave little thought to her favorite contraption as she pulled the bow from her back. Nocking two arrows against it, she used the tip of one to nudge open the door.
She stuck her head out enough to see there were four of those things down the hall, beating on the door, and grunting as they crawled on top of each other in an attempt to be the first one inside the room. They would turn on each other if given a chance.
She turned the bow sideways, she had no clear shot at any of their hearts, and with two arrows she was unlikely to hit the heart anyway. But at least she would impair two of them, and perhaps the scent of blood would propel them into turning on each other. Aria used her elbow to open the door the rest of the way. Four heads snapped toward her as she stepped into the hall, took aim, and fired.
A squeal erupted from one of the creatures as it stumbled back with an arrow embedded firmly in its throat. Another one was brought to its knees by the shaft in its shin. Blood spurted forth, but the other two didn’t go after their fallen brethren as she'd hoped.
Instead, they focused more intently on her. Their eyes glistened like rubies; their fangs hung over their lower lips as one of them shoved aside the creature she'd shot in the neck.
Aria pulled two more arrows and fired them rapidly. She caught one in the upper arm, but it didn't slow him, and the other arrow slammed uselessly into the wall. It quivered there, a trembling reminder of her error.
Aria stepped back to put more distance between them. When they raced at her, she fired. This time she hit them both; one was a deathblow that made the creature howl in pain as it thrashed on the floor. The other one was nicked in the ear as it launched at her with clawed fingers and an eager hiss.
She barely had time to toss her bow aside and grab her stake before it was on her. Tumbling backward, she bounced across the sandy floor as they skidded into a wall. Stars burst before her eyes as her head crashed into the wall.
Struggling to remain conscious, she managed to get her hands up between them as the thing lurched forward. Its fangs snapped just inches from her face. It was far stronger than her, and she could already feel the weakening in her arms as it lunged at her again.
Her fingers scrambled over the stake as she tried to twist it into an angle that would be beneficial for her. It was nearly impossible as the thing clawed eagerly in its excitement and bloodlust. When her survival instinct took over, they gave her a strength that enabled her to get the stake fully twisted around. The creature's lurching momentum drove it into the sharp weapon.
Its scream pierced her eardrums and blew her hair back as it wailed in agony. She turned away as it convulsed before finally collapsing before her. She couldn't move as her fingers curled into the thick sand beneath her.
When the creature went still, behind her revulsion and terror, a strange sense of exhilaration flooded her. She had just beaten a vampire in hand to hand combat. Granted, it was an emaciated, weakened vampire, but she had still defeated it, and she was alive.
She pushed herself up on the wall as Ashby yanked the arrow from the throat of the other one she shot and drove it into the creature's chest. When he shoved the thing away, Aria saw that he’d already dispatched the other one. Ashby's eyes were red, and blood marred his right cheek when his eyes met hers.
"You okay?" he asked.
Aria managed a small nod. "Yeah."
He wiped the blood from his face as he surveyed the damage around him. "Impressive, but let's not tell Braith about this."
A low laugh escaped her, and she sat up straighter against the wall. She was about to agree when a growl from her left froze the words in her throat. "Too late."
The color drained from Ashby's face as he stepped back. The hair on her nape rose as she slowly turned toward the stairs. She felt the fury radiating off him when her eyes latched onto Braith's. His broad shoulders took up most of the stairwell; blood stained his shirt and pants, streaked through his hair, and splattered his face.
Terrified by what she sensed inside him, Aria was immobile. She knew he was hot-tempered, but he seemed utterly savage. His glasses were in place, but even behind the dark lenses, she could see the shadowed hue of his crimson colored eyes. Standing just behind Braith, Xavier stared at her in amazement. Behind Xavier, she spotted William and Gideon as he fought to shove his way past her brother.
The alarm on Gideon's features drove her to her feet. Unfortunately, she forgot about the blow to her head and became somewhat dizzy when she rose. She staggered forward before falling against the wall.
Ashby retreated further when Braith came out of the stairwell. She didn't blame Ashby, she'd never been afraid of Braith before, but at this moment, he was terrifying in his anger. That fury wasn’t directed at her, but it was explosive, and it was looking for a release.
Aria pushed herself off the wall as Gideon reached Xavier. Gideon's eyes found hers as he rested his hand on Xavier's shoulder. Xavier wasn't moving though; he was too focused on the events unfolding in front of him.
"I'm fine, Braith.” Aria gulped as she held her hands up before her. "See, I'm fine."
His jaw clenched and unclenched as the red of his eyes deepened. "You're bleeding."
She'd forgotten about the cuts on her hands from the broken glass. "It's from the window frames, Braith. I didn't realize there was glass still in them."
It didn't seem to matter though as his head twisted toward Ashby. He was like a wolf stalking its prey. Ashby took another step back as Braith stalked further into the hall. He was only two feet away from her now, but the distance seemed far more immense, and she was scared she wouldn't be able to reach him in time.
What was wrong with him?
She didn't know the answer, but it seemed as if he was directing everything at Ashby.
>
"You had one job, one thing to do," Braith accused.
Ashby edged further back as Braith honed in on him. Panic filled her when she realized he was going to attack Ashby. It didn't matter she was fine or that they had succeeded in killing four of those creatures.
"All you had to do was make sure she stayed safe," Braith growled.
Aria shoved off the wall. If Braith rushed Ashby, there would be no stopping him from killing his brother-in-law. Xavier entered the hall to watch what was about to unfold.
When Gideon tried to get past him, Xavier thrust out his arm to block him. "I want to see what happens," Xavier stated.
Aria was confused by the vampire's words. Gideon looked as if he was about to protest but remained silent. William tried to get past them, but Xavier and Gideon blocked his attempt. Weren't they going to help her or at least help Ashby?
She didn't have time to contemplate the answer as Braith continued to prowl toward Ashby. Melinda! She barely knew Braith's younger sister, but she'd felt a bond with the proud, beautiful woman. If Ashby were destroyed, then Melinda would also be. Plus, she'd grown attached to the cocky vampire currently backed into the corner at the end of the hall.
Scrambling forward, Aria threw herself in front of Braith. She flung her arms wide as she strained to get air into her suddenly constricted chest.
"I'm fine!" she wheezed. "Look at me, Braith. Look at me!"
It seemed like forever before those red eyes shifted toward her. There was no softening in them and no acknowledgment of her words. Without thinking, she ripped the bandages from her hands to reveal the shallow cuts. His eyes blazed even brighter as they latched onto the drops of blood glistening on her skin.
Is he hungry? Is that the problem?
No, this was something more. He was caught up in something, and for the first time, she wasn't sure she would be enough for him.
"Braith." It was a low plea.
He grabbed her arms as she reached for him. His muscles were locked, but his grip was surprisingly gentle. She hoped he’d come to his senses, but then he was moving her out of his way.
"Braith, wait."
Aria strained in his grasp as she tried to get him to snap out of whatever had him ensnared. Her fingers shoved aside the sleeves of his shirt to feel his skin; she hoped the contact would bring him back to her, but it didn't seem to be helping.
"Here," she breathed fervently. Grabbing his hand, she pressed it over the spot where her heartbeat. She had no idea what she was doing. "Here, Braith, feel my heart beat, I'm fine."
Recognition shimmered through him, and there was a softening that sparked some hope inside her. His fingers splayed against her chest; they twitched faintly and then curled into her shirt. Pulling her against him, his forehead fell to hers. Relief flowed through her, and she clutched his hand as air rushed into her empty lungs.
"Alive," he breathed.
"Yes, of course," she whispered.
Then, before she knew what he was doing, he wrapped his hand around her neck and pulled her close. His mouth was in the hollow of her throat and his lips pressed against his marks on her skin.
Aria went 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 when his fangs skimmed over her flesh. His arm latched around her waist and pressed her body flush against his.
Her heart leapt as she waited for his bite. She yearned for this so badly, perhaps even more so than him. Her fingers curled into his back, and she forgot about the others within the hall. She was too swept up in him and 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, and she held him tighter. She clung to him as, beyond the concern for her safety, the pleasure her blood gave him trapped them both.
She had 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 when he stiffened against her. "I would never harm you, Aria," he grated.
She wasn’t surprised to discover 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 his glasses away and dropped them onto 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 new marks he'd left on her neck.
"I would have, yes," he admitted.
She was not taken aback by the admission. "Why?"
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 the roof, and bleeding. I thought you were going to die. I left you with him, to protect you, and..." His voice broke off.
Aria stroked his face in the hopes of calming him as his distraught eyes met hers. The anguish and confusion in his gaze stole her breath.
"I just lost it," he admitted.
He hated acknowledging any weakness, and that's just what she was, a weakness he couldn't keep wholly 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 suddenly heard her lifespan ticking loudly in 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.”
"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 at 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 about putting yourself in unnecessary danger; you left me in the dark about your suspicions for what the other vamps intended for you out there! You put yourself at risk also!"
When his jaw clenched, she braced for a fight. She did not brace for the brush of his lips against hers or the surge of heat that pooled in her belly and caused 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,” he said. “When they fail—"
"Ashby didn't fail. We were ambushed, Braith, there was no way for anyone to know they would sneak up on 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 finally coaxed a smile from him that melted her heart and caused her grin to expand. It was so rare when he smiled, and it lit his flawed eyes and eased the hard angles of his face. If the smile were big enough, occasionally, a dimple would appear. She was the only one who ever got to see him like this, relaxed, almost vulnerable, and oh so wonderfully, almost trouble-free.
"Certainly not me," he said.
"I didn't think so."
It saddened her when his smile faded, and his face tensed 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 and shook his head. "Well, yes, but it's not like you think, Arianna." Grasping her hands, he pressed them flat against his chest. "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..." 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."
His words awed her. "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 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 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 clasped her hand. When his thumb ran leisurely over the back of her knuckles, it caused shivers of delight to run up her spine. She didn't think he was aware of the effect he had on her though as he seemed distant and remote.
"I don't know,” he said. “No one does. Perhaps it's sheer strength."
"Strength?" she prodded when he didn't continue.
His eyes finally focused on her again. "It's excruciating 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."
The Captive Series 1-5 Page 46