For a moment he thought she was going to argue again but she finally relented. “Ok.” She kissed his nose tenderly, her fingers traced over the faded scars around his eyes. “I’m afraid Braith. I never thought I’d live long, I never thought I’d have this kind of life, and I’m afraid to lose it. I wasn’t afraid to die to be away from you, and I shouldn’t be afraid to die to be with you...”
“Great way to put it,” he muttered sardonically.
“But I am,” she continued. “I’m afraid to lose the years we could have if something goes wrong, and though I know I’ll survive, or at least I’m fairly certain I will…”
“I know Aria; you don’t have to explain it to me. I understand.”
He closed his eyes, his fingers slid through her hair before stroking over her shoulders. It was easy enough to jump all over this, to say yes to the promise of eternity, but to be faced with the certainty of death was frightening, and the last thing he wanted was for her to be frightened. He wanted eternity, but he wanted her happiness more.
“It doesn’t have to be now Aria, you don’t have to decide right now. We can wait and discuss it further once you’ve had time to think it over.”
She nodded; her eyes became distant and thoughtful. “Yes, I think that would be for the best.” He was relieved that she was actually going to think this through. Even so he felt the sharp knife of disappointment in his gut. “I’m not ready for children Braith. No matter what happens, if I change soon or if we wait a few years, I’m not ready for children.”
His arms clenched around her waist as he pulled her against his chest. “I want them with you!” she gushed out. “But not right now. We just discovered this world of relative peace and we’re finally able to be together without having to hide our feelings. I’d like the time to enjoy it, and you. Human or vampire, children are a lot of work.”
“That they are,” he murmured.
She peered up at him from under lowered lashes. “I’d like a brood one day though.”
“A brood?”
“Well at least three.”
He laughed as he rested his chin on her head and nestled her closer against him. “I can handle three, but there’s only one way to guarantee we don’t have children right now,” he reminded her.
She shot him a disgruntled look. “Well that’s just not going to happen.”
He laughed as he rocked her a little. “Minx.”
“My birthday’s next week.”
“I didn’t know that.”
She smiled as she shrugged. “William and I don’t really celebrate it; it’s just another day in the woods, and this year… Well this year, with dad being gone, it seems like even less of a reason to celebrate. I never thought I’d make it to eighteen, especially after I was captured.”
“I think we should celebrate it this year.”
“Maybe it would be nice,” she murmured though she didn’t look convinced.
“Are you sure you can live with this life?” She frowned at him as she leaned back. He rose and placed her down as he gestured around the garden. “This isn’t your world Aria; I know that, you know that. I remember how unhappy you were in the palace, how much you missed your woods, your freedom. There will be many demands placed on us, lots of pressure, and even less freedom. Even if you choose to stay human this is not the life you expected.”
“Braith…”
“I mean to make sure you understand that Aria. I won’t force you to stay. If you choose to leave because you won’t be happy here, I won’t make you stay. I’ll abide by your wishes, but I can’t, I simply can’t go right now, maybe not ever.” He choked on the words; it took all he had to get them out. “Sometimes love…”
“Isn’t always enough,” she whispered.
“It’s always enough, but sometimes it’s learning to put someone else’s happiness ahead of your own. It’s learning to let go Aria, if it’s necessary, and I will let you go if you ask me to. I’ll set you free if that is what you require. It will destroy me to lose you, but I will not harm anyone, and I will let you live the rest of your life in peace. I will not take your freedom from you.”
“I know.” She rose to her feet and walked over to him. Her arms encircled his waist, her head tilted back to study him as tears slid down her cheeks. “I know you would let me go but I don’t want you to.”
“You can’t rush into this decision.”
“I’m not rushing into this,” she whispered. “And I can go into the woods once in awhile, can’t I?”
“As often as I can I will take you into the woods,” he vowed.
“Good. I think I can keep my sanity then,” she grinned up at him as she nudged his hip.
Braith groaned as he pulled her tight against him and stared at the sculpted figure of the couple in the fountain. The couple that was forever fated to look but never touch. He never wanted to let go of her, and yet he may be the very one that destroyed her if she decided to choose eternity.
CHAPTER 19
The celebration was far larger than she’d expected. Before this day she and William had celebrated their birthdays by receiving larger slices of meat, usually a new bow and arrows, and being serenaded with a silly song they hated. Now they had more food than she’d ever seen in her life, a small band playing instruments, and a massive cake that she couldn’t tear her eyes away from. Her mouth watered every time she looked at the elaborately decorated thing, and all she craved was a giant piece of it.
“I think I’m jealous of the cake.”
“Huh?” Aria muttered as she tore her gaze away from the massive creation of sugary goodness in the middle of the table.
Braith laughed as he slid his arm around her waist. “I’m jealous of the cake; you can’t take your eyes off it.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” she marveled. “It’s amazing.”
“Even more so than me?”
She waved her hand dismissively at him. “Of course not, but wow.”
“Would you like a piece?”
“Aren’t we supposed to eat first or sing or something?”
“It’s your birthday; you can do whatever you like.”
William shouldered in between them. He placed his crutch in front of her, blocking her path. He was perfectly willing to trip her if she even attempted to get a piece before him. “It’s my birthday too, and as the older, wiser sibling I should get the first piece.”
“I’ll give you older, but you are most certainly not wiser,” she retorted. “And as the younger, female sibling, I should get the first piece.”
“As the still crippled and hobbling sibling, I beg to differ.”
Aria snorted. “I could just kick the crutch out from under you.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.”
“Why don’t you just each get a piece at the same time,” Braith inserted reasonably.
Aria shot him a look. “Reason doesn’t apply to the twins, brother. They won’t shut up till their stuffing their faces,” Jack informed him as he sauntered toward them.
William shrugged casually but nodded enthusiastically in agreement. “The man has a valid point.”
Braith looked confused but shook his head and headed to the table. She watched Braith’s deft hands as he slid the knife through the bottom of the cake, cutting off one pink rose and one red one. She became more fascinated with those hands than she had been with the cake. Strong and brutal when they had to be, and yet so achingly tender and loving when they slid over her. Aria mentally shook herself from her thoughts before they wandered to things that were far from appropriate here.
He started back with two large pieces. “Can I mess with him some more?” William asked.
“Sure,” she replied laughingly.
Braith handed her a slice of cake before giving William his. “Hers is bigger.”
“Excuse me?” Braith inquired in surprise.
“You gave her the bigger piece.”
Jack burst into l
oud laughter as Braith stared incredulously at William. Aria bit her upper lip as she tried not to laugh. “You two are just freaking hilarious,” Braith muttered.
Aria couldn’t stifle her laughter anymore but her attention was quickly diverted by the giant slice of cake in front of her as William eagerly dove into his piece. “Delicious.”
Aria eyed her brother with envy as she grabbed her fork. She still found utensils to be annoying but at least she was getting better at using them. “Amazing,” she agreed.
Braith was watching her with a raised eyebrow and a small smile on his face. “Hopefully you’ll like our wedding cake as much.”
She choked on her cake; William froze with his bite halfway to his mouth. “Excuse me?” she managed to get out around Daniel’s solid thumps on her back.
Braith just grinned back at her, in the same annoying way that William had been smiling at him. “You heard me.”
She glanced at her brothers not sure she was actually understanding him right. Marriage wasn’t something she’d ever really thought about before, but then how else did someone become a queen? She realized she’d never put a whole lot of thought into it, but it would be marriage that solidified her position. When he’d told her that he wanted her as his queen, and they would accept her, he’d also been saying that he planned to marry her. She felt like an idiot.
She couldn’t think of anything better than being his wife for the rest of her life. A flood of childhood dreams came rushing back. There had been a time when she’d dreamed of a husband and children, and a marriage ceremony underneath the banquet tree. With her family surrounding her…
A hot rush of tears filled her eyes. She’d been doing well today, trying to stay upbeat; enjoying her time with her brothers and Braith, trying not to think about the fact that their father wasn’t here to celebrate it with them. The smile slipped from Braith’s face as he watched her.
“I’ll give you away Aria,” Daniel offered.
“We both will,” William interjected forcefully.
“Easy there hop along. She’s not used to dresses and between the two of you one of you would end up falling over.” Jack smiled at them as he tried to ease the mood again.
“Especially if she’s wearing heels,” Braith added with a small wink. Aria forced herself to shake off her melancholy. It was so rare Braith was lighthearted, and he was trying to be so now, she had to try also.
“Oh that must be like a fish out of water!” Max declared with a loud laugh. “I actually wouldn’t mind seeing it!”
“I would kind of like to see that too,” William said.
“It’s not pretty,” Aria admitted and her smile didn’t feel as forced.
William and Max laughed as they poked at each other and then snickered at her. She rolled her eyes at them as she fought the urge to kick William’s crutch out from under him. Braith took the empty plate from her hand and slid his arm around her waist. She was a little confused as she stared up at him. Had she just been proposed to, or was he only teasing her as she and William had been teasing him? She didn’t have time to ponder it as he swept her off her feet and actually twirled her out to the dance floor.
Aria was laughing as he eased her back down. “I don’t know how to dance.”
“I’ll teach you.”
She glanced around the room; though the party was elaborate there were few people in the room she didn’t know. A fact she was relieved about. They weren’t staring at her and whispering behind their hands as some of the others in the palace did. Though most of the attention she received seemed more curious than malicious, she was still a little troubled by it, and happy she didn’t have to deal with it today. Today was a celebration, and that was what she aimed to do. There would be no more sadness, she decided firmly. Not today.
He pulled her close against him, wrapping one arm around her waist as he took hold of her hand and pressed it to his chest. “Isn’t there supposed to be some room between us?”
“That’s what they say but I don’t agree,” he told her.
“That’s good.” She rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes she savored in the delicious scent of him and the sense of security that enveloped her. “The people within the palace, and the vampires that fought with us, are curious about me.”
“They are.”
“They don’t understand us.”
“They don’t,” he confirmed. “But it doesn’t matter. We do, and eventually they will too. I have a surprise for you later.”
She lifted her head to look up at him. “What is it?” she asked eagerly.
“It’s not a surprise if I tell you.”
“I’m not very good at waiting.”
“I won’t make you wait long, I promise.”
She was going to hold him to that promise. “A bigger surprise than talk of wedding cakes?”
He lifted her up and spun her around. A small gasp escaped her as for a moment she felt like she was flying. “I meant it too,” he informed her as he stopped spinning her but didn’t place her back on the ground. “I am going to marry you.”
“Aren’t you supposed to ask me first?” she inquired.
“I thought that would be redundant.”
“So you just assumed I would say yes.”
“Of course.”
Well how the hell was she supposed to argue with that, especially with him grinning down at her like that, and a happy sparkle in his vivid eyes? “You’re arrogant.”
“Hmm.” He shrugged as his hands stroked over her back. “And you love it.”
She shook her head as she rested her hand on his chest again. “When I was little, before I gave up thoughts of marriage, I always pictured being married under the banquet tree.”
“The banquet tree?”
“It’s a giant apple tree that William and I discovered. We were the only two that ever knew its location.”
“Then you’ll have it, just tell me where to be,” he murmured against her mouth.
She shivered as thrills of pleasure swept up and down her spine. Her fingers curled around his solid biceps as he continued to dance with her feet off the ground. Closing her eyes, she let the melodious music drift over her as she lost herself to the feel of him against her. They danced through three more songs before returning to where William stood propped on his crutch between Max and Daniel.
“I’ll be right back.” Braith kissed the top of her head and left the room.
She watched him go before leaning against the table. “Where did everyone go?” she inquired as she realized that Ashby, Jack, Xavier and Gideon were no longer present. A cold chill crept down her spine; she stepped away from the table. He’d handled her revelation well, but she knew Braith had been furious when she’d told him about their plan. “I’ll be right back.”
Daniel stepped in front of her. “We were told to keep you here, something about a surprise.”
Was it really a surprise or was he going to confront them? She glanced nervously from Daniel to the door Braith had disappeared through. “Daniel…”
“It’s fine Aria, really.”
“I hope so,” she muttered.
“It’s been over a week since you told him,” William reminded her as he leaned forward on his crutches. “Don’t you think he would have done something by now?”
“Or he’s just let the anger fester.”
“Nice Max,” Daniel said brusquely.
Max shrugged as he picked at some cheese and crackers. Aria twisted her hands before her as she shifted from foot to foot and watched the door. “Getting married soon?” William tapped her calf with his crutch to get her attention.
“I think so,” she muttered.
“Becoming a vamp soon?”
The three of them became quiet as they exchanged a look. She had a difficult time meeting William’s gaze. It would kill him if she decided to try and make the change and didn’t survive. The thought of it caused a hard lump to form in her throat. “I don’t know,” she adm
itted. “I was going to wait till after our birthday before deciding anything.”
William nodded, his gaze traveled to the cake. “Who knew we’d be hoping that we actually did have vampire blood in us.”
Aria chuckled softly. “Not me. Do you still have Daniel’s drawing?”
He shook his head; sadness crept over his features as he hesitatingly met her gaze. “No, dad saw it one day, he asked me for it. He, uh, he really liked it.”
“Oh.” The sudden pressure in her chest made it difficult to speak.
William squeezed her arm. “I’ll give you away you know, I’ve been trying to do it for eighteen years now.”
She managed a small laugh as she clasped hold of his hand.
***
Braith ran the key Ashby handed him over his fingers. “It’s all set up like you asked for it to be.”
“Good.”
“Are you going there to change her?” Jack inquired.
“I’m not sure about anything when it comes to that,” he admitted.
“She is stronger and more impressive than any other human I’ve ever met,” Gideon said.
Braith glared ferociously at Gideon. “We believe there is a reason for that. Xavier, if you would please tell them.”
Xavier’s dark eyes were reproachful as they scanned over Ashby, Jack, and Gideon. In his firm, even tones, he told them exactly what he had told Braith, and what Braith had in turn related to Aria. Gideon and Ashby’s mouths dropped, Jack seemed to have an, ah-ha moment as he placed his hands over his face and began to nod.
“It makes so much more sense now,” Jack muttered. “There were so many things…” Jack broke off as his hands fell away. “I should have suspected something like this. The four of them were always so talented with weapons, so fast. We’ve all seen the way Aria moves through the trees and she helped to bring Caleb down. You’ve never seen Daniel or David on a horse though, they’re amazing, and William may very well be the fastest human I’ve ever seen when he runs.”
“That completely explains the bloodlink,” Ashby breathed in awe. “And your eyesight. You were able to link because she has vampire blood in her, and I am certain of that, even if you’re not. Your eyesight came back when she appeared, because something inside of you recognized her as your link, and you had to be able to see her in order to claim her as your soul mate and link.