"Did I hurt you?" she asked.
"Nowhere near as much as I hurt you."
"You didn't do anything I didn't ask for. We both wanted this." She managed a wan smile. "And it worked."
He still looked as if he wasn't convinced. "It appears to have."
She seized his hand and winced as the motion made her abused muscles throb.
"You're still in pain," he accused.
"I'm sore," she admitted. "But it's much better than it was."
His hand spread out across her face as he cradled it. "Perhaps a bath."
"Sounds incredible," she agreed eagerly.
He moved gingerly from the bed, careful not to disturb her as he left the room. She listened as he walked around the attached bathroom, surprised by the intensity of the sounds, the acuteness with which she heard them.
She'd been so determined to get it over with, to do it, that she hadn't thought about what it would be like afterward. What the world would become to her newly deadened yet enhanced body. It was as frightening as it was astonishing.
Water was turned on; she could almost feel the heat of it already blessedly encompassing her tender body. He was back beside her; his eyes troubled as he knelt next to her.
"Can I?" he asked as he held his arms out to her.
Aria remained unmoving as she warily stared at his arms. She desperately longed to be in them, but the memory of the pain was still fresh in her mind. She gathered her courage as she managed a small nod.
She braced herself as his arms gingerly slid underneath her. It was a little uncomfortable, but the rush of pleasure flooding her sensitized skin buried it. Her toes curled as she pressed closer to him and felt his bare skin against hers. Skin, she was beginning to realize, that might always feel this electrified by his touch.
"It's different," she breathed. "It's all so much more… intense."
His brow furrowed and he stopped walking to study her. "Is it unpleasant?"
"No, just somewhat overwhelming. The world is clearer and louder; my skin feels as if lightning bolts are zapping through it. It's an amazing feeling, but it's, ah it's…"
"It's inhuman," he supplied.
"Yes," she whispered. "Is this what you feel like all the time?"
"I was born this way, Aria, I've never known anything different. I'll help you through it though; we will get you through this."
"I've no doubt," she replied with a small smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head into the warm hollow of his throat.
"Can you stand?"
The question, asked days ago, would have offended her. Now she had to think about it. "I'm not sure," she hated to admit.
He sat her on the edge of the tub. Steam rose around her, warming her as it floated in the air. He knelt before her and reached around to test the heat of the water. His hands rested on her knees as he leaned closer to her. The feel of him enveloped her; it warmed her more than the heat of the bath on her back.
He pushed the hair over her shoulders; his fingers lingered on his marks on her skin. The bites left by his father and brother had faded rapidly during her transition and were barely visible anymore. She didn't think she'd be able to see them anymore if she was still human.
His hands were gentle as he helped ease her into the tub. A moan of pleasure escaped as the blessed heat of the water engulfed her.
"We stink," she mumbled.
"We do," he agreed as he grabbed a bar of soap and shampoo from the sink. "It's been an endless three days."
"Is that how long it was?"
"Yes."
"It seemed like forever."
She swallowed heavily as he came back to her. She watched as he placed the shampoo and soap down and quickly shed his pants. Her mouth went dry when she took in his magnificent body. He slid into the large tub behind her and his legs clasped her sides.
Pulling her into his lap, he rested her back against his chest as he leisurely began to rub and massage her aching muscles. She leaned into him, savoring the tender way he touched her and the exciting new way he felt against her skin. He worked steadily over her body, rubbing and kneading her with a tenderness no one else had ever seen from him or ever would.
"You stayed with me," he whispered as his fingers worked over her arms.
"I told you I would."
His hands stopped moving over her as they enfolded her against him. "I was still worried."
"I know; so was I," she admitted.
He turned her head toward him and nibbled on her lower lip as he kissed her. Heat sizzled through her as a rocking sensation, unlike anything she'd ever experienced, shot through her. His kisses had always melted her, but this was different, it felt as if she were dissolving against him.
She needed to feel the reality of the press of his lips against hers, of the warmth of his tongue caressing her mouth. She'd been frightened she would never feel anything like this again.
He pulled away slowly, his eyes intense and fiery as they bored into hers. The dark shadow lining his jaw made him appear harder and more dangerous as her fingers trailed over the bristly hairs. He was glorious though, and he was hers, forever.
Everything she had endured was entirely worth it.
His fingers started to work over her muscles again; he washed her hair and cleaned the shampoo from it before washing his own and helping her from the tub. Her legs were shaky, she felt like a newborn colt, and she supposed in some ways she was. She was able to stay on her feet as he towel dried her, wrapped a robe around her, and loosely knotted the belt.
"Do you want me to brush your hair for you?" he asked.
Though it sounded appealing, she didn't like feeling this helpless and needy. "No, I think I can handle it."
He nodded but leaned against the counter to watch her. She felt slightly uncomfortable with his scrutiny.
"I'm not going anywhere," she assured him.
"I don't know that yet, Aria, not for sure."
"I'm sorry for what you went through."
He frowned at her as he folded his arms firmly over his chest. "What I went through was nothing compared to what you went through. I would do everything in my power to take away what you just experienced."
"It was worth it."
He remained doubtful looking as his eyes scanned her.
"I would do it again for this result, Braith. Don't ever doubt that. The memories of the pain will fade; the millions of memories we'll make together will last forever. Life is so fragile and delicate all the time, we have to seize every moment we have together and cherish every gift given to us, and this is one such gift. We can be together forever."
She didn't realize she was crying until he leaned across the counter and wiped the tears away with the pads of his thumbs.
"I do cherish it," he whispered against her lips as he rested his forehead on hers. "And you. I look forward to every one of those memories."
"Good. Now, can you stop watching me as if you're afraid I'm going to go toe up again at any moment?"
He laughed as he kissed her. "Okay."
She reluctantly pulled away from him and wiped the steam from the mirror. She stared at her reflection, surprised by the sight of the woman staring back at her. It was her still. She was tired, drained, and beaten looking, but it was still her. Relief filled her.
Despite what Braith had said about her being the same, she'd still been terrified she would turn into a half-crazed beast with red eyes and fangs, or become a shadow of the person she'd been. Instead, it was merely a girl with auburn hair made darker by the water, brilliant blue eyes, and a face that had thinned out from grief staring back at her.
Braith rested his hands on her shoulders. "Are you okay?"
"It's still me," she breathed.
"It is." Her fingers slid over the mirror as she traced her features. "Let me."
She didn't argue when he took the brush from her hand and began to work it through her hair.
"Were you expecting someone else?" he a
sked.
"I didn't know what to expect," she admitted. "I half feared I'd be a monster."
He met her gaze in the mirror, holding it for a poignant moment. "You could never be a monster, Arianna."
She smiled shakily at him, acutely aware that when it came to him, she could be a monster to ensure he survived. She closed her eyes and relished the comforting feel of him pulling the brush through her hair.
She was also becoming aware of a new scent and an unfamiliar discomfort growing in her belly. She didn't understand what it was though, and as she hesitatingly scented the air, she couldn't place the delicious aroma.
Braith placed the brush down and led her into the bedroom. She slumped onto the bed, tired and still a little sore. That growing twinge in her stomach was starting to spread outward. It was becoming uncomfortable when she shifted on the bed in an attempt to ease some of the discomfort growing within her.
Braith's eyes narrowed. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know," she admitted. Her hand fluttered to her chest, and a rush of saliva filled her mouth. "But I don't feel right. There's something; it's here and aching." She pressed her hands to her stomach and chest. She couldn't find the words to describe the growing distress of her body.
"Ah," he said with dawning realization. "You're hungry."
She frowned at him as she shook her head. "No, I'm surprisingly not hungry."
His smile was sad and understanding. "Yes, Aria, you're just not hungry for mortal food, not anymore."
She felt like an idiot as her mouth parted. "Oh," she breathed as understanding filled her. "I see."
Her gaze strayed to his neck, the solid muscles cording it, and the vein she saw running just beneath the surface. She tore her gaze away from his dampened skin as the discomfort bloomed into a scorching fire.
"Is this what you experience all the time?"
"Not all the time."
"Since you met me?"
He brushed the hair back from her face. "Not all the time."
She ached for the torment he had gone through and that she wasn’t able to understand until now. "It's an awful feeling, how did you deal with it?"
"Years of experience, and you. Just being with you made it all worth it."
She forgot her discomfort as love streamed through her. She kept thinking it wasn't possible to love him more, but he always managed to prove her wrong.
"I'll teach you how to control it, but if you feed well and often, it will be easy to control. You won't have to feel this way again, Aria," he vowed.
Her gaze drifted back to his vein. She shuddered as desire tore through her and left her shaken. It was not his body she hungered for right now but something more, and it frightened her. She'd fed on him once, but she didn't recall it and didn't know how she'd done it, or if she'd even done it right.
"Braith," she gasped.
"It's okay." His hands were on her waist; he lifted her and eased her onto his lap. "It's okay, Aria."
His hand wrapped around her head. She remained unyielding in his grasp as uncertainty, dread, and a coil of disgust warred incessantly within her.
"What if I hurt you?" she asked.
"You won't."
She licked her lips and started in surprise when she felt the sharp prick of her teeth. A whimper involuntarily escaped her.
He turned his wrist over, revealing the marks to her. "This didn't hurt," he said.
"I was completely out of it; I didn't know what I was doing."
"You knew what you were doing then, and you'll know what you're doing now. Just let your instincts take over; they'll guide you through this."
He guided her head to the hollow of his neck and rested it there. She could smell the sweet scent of his blood as it wafted out of him. It was delicious, enticing as it ensnared her within its scent of spices and earth and her.
She pressed her lips against his warm skin; he tasted of soap and something more, something masculine and dark and powerful. Something she craved with a driving frenzy that frightened her, but it wouldn't be denied.
How had he ever controlled this consuming thirst around her?
She tried not to think as she let the instincts he spoke of take over. Her lips pulled back, her teeth—no they weren't just teeth anymore, they were razor sharp fangs, and right now they were aching to be buried in his tender skin.
A small shudder of anticipation rocked him as she pressed her fangs against his skin. She kissed him before she bit down. His hands clenched on her back; a low groan escaped him as she pulled his blood from him.
When pleasure swamped her, she pressed closer as the sweet flow of his blood filled her mouth. She didn't feel repulsed; she wasn't sickened by the flavor and heat of it within her mouth. It was the most delicious thing she'd ever tasted as she felt their minds surging forth to mingle together.
Her fingers dug into his back as his joy mixed with hers. She'd experienced it as a human, but now, as a vampire, it was more profound and more open. There weren't any barriers between them. He was completely bared to her; she felt the ebb and flow of the darkness within him. Felt the lengths and depths of brutality he would go to for her and the others he sought to protect. He revealed to her the true depth of his fear for her, the extent of his instability within The Barrens, and when Caleb had taken her.
It shook her, humbled her, and brought her to tears. She'd always known he was powerful, always known it was stressful for him when it came to her, but he hadn't revealed the true depth of that strain until now. He hadn't shown the depths of his dislike and lack of pleasure and satisfaction he experienced with anyone else's blood.
Aria pressed closer, unable to get enough of this glimpse into him, of this complete baring of the soul of the man she loved so desperately. She couldn't get close enough as she exposed everything she had and revealed all her love and concerns to him as he did to her.
She was enmeshed in his pleasure and caught up in his love as she nestled closer. The soreness in her body eased, and her muscles loosened further the more she consumed. She bit deeper into his neck and relished the blood and energy infusing her.
A low groan escaped him; the headboard crashed off the wall as he slammed his hand against it in an attempt to curve the burgeoning desire she felt swirling up through his body and into hers. She whimpered as he released the headboard and buried his hand in her hair.
His mouth pressed against her shoulder; his fangs nipped at her skin before biting. If she had any doubt he wouldn't find her blood as appealing, it was squashed by his intense delight as it engulfed her.
She wrapped her legs around his waist as he shifted her in his lap. Aria was consumed with love as she lost herself to the touch and feel of him. The pleasure he took from her engulfed her, she couldn't separate her ecstasy from his as his infinite wonder and fulfillment consumed her.
The rest of the world faded away as, for the first time, she gave herself to him with no fear of what the future held. For the first time, she knew complete safety and security. She knew nothing could ever tear them apart again.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Aria fiddled anxiously with the sleeves of her shirt. Braith quirked an eyebrow as he grabbed her hands and held them in his own. "It will be fine."
She gulped and managed a small nod as Braith opened the door to his newly fixed and refurnished apartment. The furniture was a deep forest green now, and the carpet had been replaced with a gleaming wood floor. The apartment was beautiful before but more masculine. Now, it was more feminine, and she suspected Melinda had a hand in picking out the furniture and the colors.
"I thought you would like to pick out the paintings," Braith told her.
She nodded as she glanced at the bare walls. She hadn't put much thought into what the apartment would look like, or how it should be decorated. She'd been too consumed by her grief and uncertainty. As she glanced at the walls, she itched to cover them with some of the beautiful paintings and artwork Daniel had created since moving into the palace
.
Braith pulled the drawing of the two of them free of his coat. Tears burned her eyes, but she kept them suppressed as she took it from him. It would be the first thing she put on the wall. A subtle knock on the door reminded her of what she'd been so nervous about just moments ago. She rolled the drawing back up and placed it on the desk.
Braith opened the door to William, Daniel, and Max. If she still had a heartbeat, she knew it would be thumping riotously in her chest. The stillness was a little unnerving, but nowhere near as unnerving as facing the three of them. Braith grabbed her hand as she started to fiddle again.
Aria worried they'd be mad at her, not because she was a vampire now, but because she hadn't told them she was going to do it. She worried Max would resent her. He'd been doing so much better, but she still didn't know how he was going to react to this news.
William, finally free of his crutches, grinned at her as he swooped into the room, lifted her into the air, and gave her a crushing hug. He dropped her down and seized her hand, seemingly oblivious that she wasn't human anymore.
"Nice ring," he remarked.
"I'm glad you approve," Braith commented dryly.
Aria smiled shyly at William as he grinned at Braith and twisted her hand within his. Max and Daniel came forward to hug her and offer their congratulations. She went to fiddle with her hands again but thought better of it as Braith shot her a look. She didn't know how to tell them, did she blurt out, 'oh by the way I died?' Or perhaps the, 'I'm not a human anymore' approach would work better.
"I uh…I'm…" the words caught in her throat, she couldn't stop her gaze from going to Max.
Max’s forehead furrowed as he stared at her questioningly. Then his brow cleared as realization dawned in his eyes. "A vampire."
William and Daniel's heads snapped toward her; their eyes perused her. Braith took her hand and encased it in both of his.
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