Jack was trying to ignore the crimson eyes glaring at him from behind those lenses. It was a disconcerting, awful spectacle that left him a little rattled. For the first time he truly realized the cruelty Braith was willing to unleash and inflict for her. Braith was holding onto control because he knew where she was, knew that she was still alive. Although they all suspected what might be happening to her, it wasn’t confirmed, and Braith was certain that he would get her back. If something were to happen to her before then…
There would be no control, and there would be many deaths before Braith was stopped.
Jack realized that he’d been completely wrong; his plan with Aria and Gideon never would have worked. Braith would hunt her to the ends of the earth and back, they never would have been able to get far enough away from the rampage Braith would go on. And when he found her, Jack shuddered at the thought. It wasn’t a side of Braith he ever wanted to encounter. Braith hadn’t killed him when he’d taken Aria before; he wasn’t fool enough to believe he would be so lucky a second time.
That was a problem for another time though. For now they had to keep Braith calm enough to see reason, to wait and organize, and to get them successfully into the palace. To get Aria back from Caleb.
“She’s my daughter.” Though David spoke, Braith’s gaze lingered on Jack before he turned away. To David’s credit he didn’t flinch when those glowing red orbs turned on him, but his eyes did widen slightly. “I want her back as much as you do. I can’t bear to think about what she’s going through, I’ve already imagined every horror known to man when she was in that palace before, and she was lucky that time. From the way you talk about this Caleb…”
He broke off as his voice hitched, his throat worked furiously as he fought back his tears. “She is my daughter, I created her, the circumstances of her life and her family have formed her, and one thing she understands and accepts is sacrifice. She knows that we won’t be coming for her, at least not right away, and she will forgive us for that. She won’t forgive us if we fail because of her.”
“You don’t know Caleb,” Braith grated.
“I don’t, but I know my daughter and she will put the greater good above herself.” Jack glanced at Gideon as he shifted nervously and lowered his head. “She would never forgive us if we rushed in and ruined everything. I want her back as badly as you do, but we will fail if we aren’t prepared. If we lose because we’re careless, what will they do to her after…?” It took a moment for him to regain his composure again. “I know you understand her; it’s why you let her go into that town in the first place. She won’t be caged, and she can’t be broken, no matter what they do to her. We must be organized, and fully equipped, if we’re going to have any hope of getting her back alive.”
Braith remained still for a moment, then faster than the human eye could see he picked up the table and heaved it. The heavy slab of oak flew through the air before shattering against a tree across the clearing. Daniel and William jumped back as papers and debris scattered about their feet. David closed his eyes as his head bowed. He had stated his opinion, but he’d still hoped that Braith might choose the course of action they all knew to be wrong.
“Get the supplies and make sure those vampires are here soon!” Braith snarled before he disappeared into the woods.
CHAPTER 2
Jack nervously glanced at the aristocrats gathered near the woods with Frank to the side of them. Their eyebrows were raised questioningly as they watched Braith fade into the woods with Xavier trailing behind. Jack didn’t know what the strange vamp expected to learn or see with Braith right now, but he thought Xavier may be the bravest of them all. He wasn’t going anywhere near his brother again for a while.
Gideon opened his mouth to spin some tale but closed it and threw his hands in the air. “Oh, what does it matter anymore?” He turned away from them and walked over to join Jack. “Cat’s pretty much out of the bag anyway.”
“The cat shredded that bag,” Jack muttered in return.
“He cares for the girl more than you let on.” Jack met Calista’s dark eyes but didn’t speak. As the oldest amongst the group of aristocrats surrounding her, she would speak for them. “How deep is their bond?”
“They are close,” Jack hedged.
Calista lifted a sleek eyebrow, her hands folded before her. In the dim glow of the moon her dark skin gleamed. “There are many that will not accept her, not as a human.”
“Braith is aware of that fact, as is the girl.” Jack ignored the startled looks from her father and Max. Daniel and William remained unspoken and expressionless.
“This information would have been useful before we agreed to join in this endeavor; before we threw our support behind a leader who is volatile, and attached to a human.”
Apprehension trickled through Jack, they couldn’t back out now. “The girl has agreed to leave when this is over,” Gideon inserted forcefully.
The aristocrats pondered this revelation as David and Max absorbed it. “Go where?” David demanded as he broke the heavy hush.
“She realizes that as a human, she will not be accepted as our queen, and she is also aware that most humans do not survive the change,” Gideon continued as if David hadn’t spoke.
“It doesn’t seem as if Braith would agree to let her go,” Calista said.
“As he has just proven, Braith will put the greater good, and our needs above his own. He may not like it, but he has agreed that it’s what must be done. He has chosen to lead us over his desire to rescue the girl, and the girl has also chosen the greater good over him.”
Jack winced at Gideon’s blunt words; he sometimes forgot what a cold bastard Gideon could be. The aristocrats turned to each other and began to talk in hushed whispers as Frank edged closer to Daniel and William. Jack’s hands twitched, it took all he had not to look at Gideon, not to reveal that what Gideon had just said was a blatant lie. He had a feeling Gideon knew that too, he had to after everything that had just happened.
“You knew about this?” David hissed at his sons.
“Yes.” William didn’t back down from the glare his father shot him. “I planned to go with her.”
“And when were you going to let me know about it?”
“We haven’t exactly had much of a chance to talk in private.”
The aristocrats split apart, their gazes focused on Gideon as they studied him keenly. “We have made it this far, we will see this through. But only if we have your word that the girl will leave after this is over,” Calista stated. “Or your word that she will not remain human if she chooses to stay and become queen.”
Jack didn’t look at the humans; he was terrified of what their reactions would be to this statement. Stay quiet, he pleaded, knowing that Max or William would be the first to erupt. “I agree to those terms,” Gideon murmured.
“It is not your agreement we care about,” Barnaby inserted. “It’s Braith’s. These terms will be met Gideon, one way or another.”
“They will be met,” Gideon assured them.
“How can you be so certain?” Calista demanded.
“I’ve spoken privately with the girl and we’ve arrived at a mutual agreement. She has agreed to forfeit her life, if it becomes necessary to separate them.”
Somehow Jack managed to keep his face impassive after Gideon’s revelation. David wasn’t so quick as his mouth dropped, but it was the stunning lack of surprise surrounding William and Daniel that rattled Jack the most. Jack seized hold of Max’s arm and squeezed forcefully as Max stepped forward. He would shatter the boys arm if it would silence whatever words Max was about to spew. Max’s mouth pursed but he wisely kept quiet.
The aristocrats exchanged another look before nodding. “Make sure this happens as you say Gideon, or we will hold you accountable,” Calista vowed, her eyes momentarily deepening to blood red in color.
Gideon’s face was serene as he nodded his agreement. “That is acceptable.”
“No child of theirs
will be acknowledged as an heir if it is born while she is still human.”
“There will not be a child, I can guarantee that much. At least it will not be Braith’s child.”
Jack almost swung his fist into Gideon’s exposed face. It was only the fact that he had to snag William back and throw him at Daniel that stopped him from doing so. His stomach twisted as the implications behind Gideon’s words sank in. It would not be Braith’s child, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t belong to another member of his family. Jack shuddered; he had to forcefully loosen his grip on Max’s arm before he accidentally shattered it.
The proud thrust of Calista’s shoulders highlighted the length of her slender neck and elegant features as she leveled Gideon with an unwavering stare. “You sound awfully certain of that.”
“I am completely certain that it will not be Braith’s child.”
“This will only matter if Caleb doesn’t destroy her first,” Barnaby reminded them.
“Very true,” Saul agreed as he folded his hands into the sleeves of his robe.
“Would be a pity, I rather liked the girl.” Calista shrugged as she rolled her shoulders and stretched her back. “I am hungry now though.” The others nodded their heads in agreement. “Will the three of you be joining us?”
Jack shook his head not at all surprised by their abrupt change in discussion. “Not right now.”
“Suit yourselves.” Calista nodded to the others and they fell into step behind her.
Jack waited till they were out of earshot before he turned on Gideon. “What was that nonsense about an agreement between you and Aria?”
Gideon’s gaze didn’t waver; there wasn’t even a flicker of remorse in his hazel eyes. “Aria came to speak with me; she agreed that their bond was not to develop further. She was also aware of the fact that if we are unable to separate them, it may mean her death.”
Jack was staggered; Max took a threatening step forward but Jack jerked him back as Gideon’s eyes focused harshly on him. “I never agreed to that. I would never allow such a thing!” Jack shouted.
“She knew that, it’s why she came to me.”
Jack felt as if he’d been punched in the stomach. A low curse escaped him as he released Max’s arm. “My daughter will not be sacrificed in this!” David snapped.
“Your daughter has already been sacrificed for the greater good. You have already agreed that she wouldn’t want us doing anything reckless, that winning this war is far more important than any one life.”
“She has not been sacrificed!”
“Caleb has her in his possession. She may be alive, but you must face the fact that she will not come out of there the same. Caleb is not Braith; he will not be kind, especially if he has any idea how much Braith may care for her.”
“Jesus Gideon,” Jack muttered. He wished the vampire had one ounce of tact and decorum in him. Gideon didn’t understand the close bonds between these people, much as Jack hadn’t when he’d arrived to spy on them. However Gideon had to understand that though Braith and David had backed off, for now, they wouldn’t stay that way if they were pushed.
David was as white as a ghost, William and Daniel remained quiet, but their faces had become nearly as pale as their father’s. “Your daughter was strong enough to realize that her life isn’t worth the lives of so many others, including yours. You should be strong enough also. If Braith ever found out about our agreement, my life would be forfeit too. I was willing to accept that, and I still am if it becomes necessary.”
Jack groaned; he was tempted to rip Gideon’s tongue from his relentless mouth. For a moment Jack thought David was going to fall over, and then he rounded on his sons. “You knew what she intended!” he exploded.
“Not this much of it,” William admitted as he glared at Gideon. “But we knew she proposed to leave after the war. I was going to go with her.”
“And you? Were you going to leave also?” David demanded of his eldest.
Daniel shook his head. “No, I intended to stay.”
“This was the only option dad,” William said softly.
“Letting her die is an option?”
“We didn’t know about that part.” William’s gaze flickered resentfully to Gideon again. “But I suspected Aria might do something this drastic if it became necessary to sever her bond with Braith.”
“The needs of many outweigh the needs of one, or two.”
“For God’s sake Gideon, shut up!” Jack yelled at him when all of the humans turned to glower at Gideon.
“And Braith, what of him?” Max inquired.
“He can’t know about this, any of this.” Ashby moved from the shadows. He face was hollow, and ashen, but his shoulders were set in determination. “I know better than any of you what the two of them are going through, but Braith cannot know about this plan. He’ll destroy us all, he’ll storm that palace with little thought to anyone else, and he’ll get them both killed in the process.”
“You know that I disapprove of this whole situation more than anyone, but what do you think is going to happen to him when this is over? What will happen to him if Aria dies? In case you haven’t noticed he’s a little unstable right now, and she’s still alive,” Max retorted.
“And in case you didn’t notice he still chose the right path. Braith has been raised since birth to be a leader, he’ll be unsteady in the beginning, but reason and centuries of preparation will eventually win out.” Max’s lips compressed, his gaze turned to the woods as Gideon continued to speak. “Especially if there’s no way for him to get her back.”
“I’m not going to let you kill my daughter!” David exploded.
“Are you telling me your daughter is a stronger person than you are?”
David’s hands fisted as he began to shake. “Gideon stop talking!” Jack snapped. He stepped forward to block David if he flew off the handle and attempted to attack Gideon. “I am not going to let that happen, David.” He shot a pointed look at Gideon. “I never agreed to Aria dying. I will take her; I will keep her safe…”
“I thought he could track her anywhere if his blood was inside her,” Max interrupted.
“We’re hoping that diluting his blood with that of another vampire, probably the three of us in order to confuse Braith further, will help with that.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
“Don’t!” Jack thrust a finger at Gideon when he opened his mouth to speak again. Gideon glowered at him but remained silent. “We will cross that bridge when we come to it.”
“You’re not promising to keep her alive.”
“I will keep her safe,” Jack vowed. “I swear it. She’s important to me as well.”
David was shaking his head, “So her life is sacrificed no matter what.”
“None of us like it,” Ashby agreed. “At all. This was not an easy decision and it was not made carelessly.”
Max stared blankly at him for a moment before turning to Gideon. “I don’t trust you.”
Gideon lifted an eyebrow as he quirked his head in a small nod. “Fair enough, I’m not exactly certain about you either, but you must realize that we’re not doing this to be cruel. You heard what Calista said, they will not accept her as a human. They admire her, hell, even I admire the girl, but admiration does not make her a vampire.”
David turned away; he walked to the edge of the clearing where he leaned tiredly against a tree. “She’s my daughter, she deserves happiness. I want happiness for her, more than anything.”
“We all do dad but they’re right, Aria’s right, there are some times when our wants no longer matter,” Daniel said softly.
David wouldn’t look at them; Jack could smell the scent of tears in the air as his head bowed and his shoulders shook slightly. “If she is to leave after so be it, but we have to get her soon. She can’t be kept in there…”
“We’ll get to her soon,” Jack promised.
Max shook his head ardently. “No, now. You didn’t see what Caleb was doin
g to her; I don’t think he’ll keep her alive…”
“He’ll keep her alive,” Jack asserted.
“He was draining her!”
David finally turned away from the tree, tears didn’t streak his face but his eyes were watery. “He’ll keep her alive,” Jack insisted.
“How can you be so certain?” Max demanded impatiently.
“Because he’ll smell Braith on her, in her. He won’t kill her.”
“So he’ll just torture her?” Max accused. Jack’s eyes flitted nervously to David as he stepped away from the tree. William and Daniel were beginning to shake as their jaws clenched and a muscle jumped in William’s cheek. “Abuse her? I know that you’re one of them Jack, but you have no idea what goes on in there from our viewpoint. Aria was lucky last time, but by all accounts Caleb is a sadistic son of a bitch.”
“We will get her back,” Jack assured him.
“Braith has to know what Caleb is doing to her. He has to be aware of everything before he makes the decision to wait,” Max insisted.
“I’ll break your neck before I allow you to tell him that,” Gideon vowed.
“Jesus Gideon shut the fuck up!” Jack barked in frustration. “Max, we can all guess at what might be happening, but you can’t just go and shove it in his face. He may think he knows, may think he realizes it, but if you confirm it, there will be no stopping him. If there is to be any chance of getting her back alive we have to do this right.” Max looked away from Jack. “You can’t tell him what you know; we’ll lose them both if you do.”
“I don’t like this.”
“None of us do but I need your word that you won’t do anything reckless, yours too William.” He added with a pointed look in William’s direction.
“I won’t,” Max muttered resentfully.