“Are you going to stop me?” William demanded.
“You’re not going to take Tempest into those woods, and you’re not going to leave her behind,” Daniel replied.
With a volatile curse, William spun away from him and stalked over to the closed barn door. Tempest’s eyes filled with worry as she watched him. Daniel gave a subtle shake of his head at her when she looked like she would go after him, and she remained where she was.
William swung back toward them. “Max and Xavier are with her?”
“They are,” Daniel said.
“When she gets back, I’m going to kill her.”
“I’m sure she felt the same way when you took off after Kane.”
“You followed me, if I remember correctly!” William retorted.
“Things are different now, William. Many lives hang in the balance here. As much as I don’t like it, Aria is right. We have to know everything we can about this woman before we make a move against her.”
“Aria will go for her if she gets close.”
“She’s not going to do anything reckless, not this time.”
“How can you be so sure?” William inquired.
“Because she knows she’s needed here, and no matter how much trouble Aria has gotten herself into in the past, she’s never done anything to hurt the ones she loves. She’s doing this for us, not for her revenge. She’ll try to kill that woman when she thinks the time is right.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I know I am.” Mostly.
William’s gaze swung to Tempest who stood watching their interaction, waiting to see what he would do. Finally, his shoulders sagged and he walked over to her. Daniel focused his attention elsewhere when William wrapped his arms around Tempest and drew her against his chest. That had gone as well as he’d thought it would. Thankfully, Tempest calmed his brother; otherwise, he had no doubt William would have charged out of here after Aria.
Daniel froze, his head tilting to the side when he heard voices coming closer. Humans wouldn’t have approached so brazenly or with so much noise, as twigs and leaves crunched. Daniel’s heart leapt into his throat. He pulled the bow he’d taken from the weapons room of the safe house below from his back.
William spun Tempest around and almost shoved her down the stairs. He closed the door as the barn door slid open to reveal the three vampires standing there.
***
Aria
Aria settled at the edge of the small town they’d arrived at. The trail Sabine and her followers had left ended here. Max knelt beside her; his hair was damp with sweat and stuck to his face. His breath came in short pants, but he hadn’t argued with her brisk pace or asked to take a break. Beside him, Xavier surveyed the vampires moving throughout the town.
Aria dimly recognized it as a border town she’d seen a couple of times as a rebel. It was one of the places where rebels sometimes interacted with humans who hadn’t sided with the vampires in order to have a better life, but who hadn’t fully committed to the rebellion either. The people in those towns were often helpful and protective of the rebels, but she’d never fully trusted anyone who wasn’t willing to risk it all.
Her father would sometimes use towns like this when he was bringing in new recruits. These towns were a helpful way to keep the rebel locations hidden, but still offered some measure of protection for him.
“Qualdon,” Max said.
“Is that what this place is?” Aria asked.
“Yes. I spent a few nights in the tavern over there,” he said and pointed at the small, gray shingled building. “Before I was captured. That’s also where your father first met with Jack.”
So long ago. Their lives had started to change that day, when their father had unwittingly brought a vampire into their midst. A fact he would later discover and keep to himself, as Jack became one of their strongest allies and her father’s close friend.
Aria turned her attention back to the town again. Like William and Tempest had said about Badwin, she saw no humans in the streets with the vamps. At the end of the street, a wire had been stretched across the road. Something dangling from the wire turned slowly in the wind blowing down the street. Horror curdled through her when she recognized it was people hanging from the wire by a chain around their throats.
No, not people, she realized when one of them kicked a leg out at a passing, brown-cloaked vampire. They’re vampires.
Tempest had said the influential vampires and the ones loyal to Braith were imprisoned, put into stocks and burned alive in Badwin. Apparently, they’d figured out a new way to restrain and torture vampires since then. It took everything she had not to storm down the street and slaughter every brown-cloaked vampire who tried to stop her from freeing the vampires spinning at the ends of their chains.
“Come on. Let’s circle around and see if we can figure out where she’s holed up,” Aria finally managed to get out.
She remained crouched as they made their way through the woods enshrouding the back of the buildings lining the main street. It took them almost an hour, but eventually they located a large building surrounded by a heavy contingent of vamps. The windows of the home were all covered with thick drapes, making it impossible to see any movement within.
Aria studied the back of the faded blue home. There were ten windows on the wall, but no way to get to any of them with all the vampires standing guard. Even if she could somehow lead them away, the five bottom windows were covered with bars. She may be able to tear the bars free, but not without alerting someone to her presence. There was no way to get to the windows on the top floor, no trees near them or any sort of vine climbing the house. Her eyes settled on the two chimneys on the roof.
The entire building was surrounded by vampires on the ground, but no one was on the roof. Her eyes darted to the buildings on each side of the home. One was too short, she’d never be able to get from that roof to this one, but the building next door was a little higher. The only problem was the pitch of the roof on the house before her.
She bit her lip as she studied the rooftop. It was one thing to hop between trees; it was another thing to run up and across such steep angles. She could do it if she could find some nails or tacks to stick through the soles of her boots; she would have an easier time gripping the shingles then and wouldn’t alert anyone to her presence. If someone did hear her, they’d most likely think she was a raccoon or a squirrel.
“You can’t seriously be considering that,” Max said when he caught the direction of her gaze.
“If she’s in there, I can do it,” Aria replied. “Tacks will help me grip the roof.”
“Let me pull those out of my ass for you,” he retorted and she glared at him though he couldn’t see it from behind her glasses. “You said nothing reckless.”
“It’s not reckless, not if I plan it right. Now shush, we have to keep watch.”
“You’ll break your neck,” Max pressed.
“Good thing that won’t kill me anymore.”
Now he scowled at her as his hands fisted. “I might.”
“Get in line,” Xavier muttered under his breath and Aria glowered at him. He didn’t look at all repentant as he glowered back at her.
Aria turned away to study the vampires surrounding the building. This home was the only one with such a large number of vamps outside of it. It had to be where Sabine, or whoever she was, was staying, but she couldn’t do anything until she knew for sure. “I have to know if she’s in there first,” she murmured.
***
Daniel
Daniel watched the vampires in the doorway as the first one broke into a grin and stepped inside. “Three trapped little piggy’s,” he said.
Behind him, William adjusted his stance to keep the door beneath him from opening again if Tempest should try to come back out. The other two vamps stepped into the barn as Timber pulled the staff from his back and brought it before him, to hold it there. He grinned back at the vamps beckoning the first one fo
rward with a wave of his fingers.
The vamps hesitated when confronted with Timber’s eagerness for a fight. They exchanged a look. “Easy prey,” one of them said to the others, and Daniel nearly laughed out loud.
Behind him, William chuckled, drawing the vamp’s attention to him. “Vampire,” one of them said to the others.
“Give this guy a cookie. You’re pretty observant, aren’t you?” William inquired of the vampire as he nocked his arrow against his bow.
The vampire’s lips skimmed back to bare his lethal fangs at William.
“About as observant as a rock,” Timber replied.
Daniel remained unmoving, studying his opponents as they fanned out farther. Judging by their lumbering gait, their lack of weapons, and the way they all moved separately from each other, they had no formal training in weapons or defense. They also hadn’t been working together for long. Otherwise, they would know not to let the one with the blond hair go to the right. He had a barely noticeable limp, but he would be slower to move off his right foot and was a weakness to their line.
They relied on their vampire strength to carry them through any battle they encountered with a human, but they were awkward for vampires. Strength meant nothing if they couldn’t catch their opponent. Even Timber, for all of his lumbering size, was quick from years of having to be. He could pick a pocket before anyone ever noticed him in a crowd, a seemingly unattainable feat considering he was impossible not to notice, but Daniel had seen him do it many times before.
These three vampires would tear someone’s jacket off while trying to shake their hand. Daniel couldn’t help but smile at the men. This was going to be a good time.
He pulled an arrow from his quiver as William released his string. His arrow pierced through the shoulder of the first vamp, who yelped as he stumbled into the wall. Daniel released his arrow, effectively silencing the vamp when his arrowhead pierced through his heart and pinned him to the wall. The vamp’s legs kicked against the wall before going completely still.
The one with the limp and the other vamp exchanged a frightened look before Timber leapt forward and swung his staff out, taking out the legs of the other vamp. The vamp spun away, scrambling to get back up. Timber spun the staff around and lifted it over his head. Like he was cutting wood, he swung it down and smashed it off the back of the vamp’s head, shattering his skull.
The vamp howled as he threw his hands over the back of his head, trying to protect himself from any further blows. “Shut up!” William leapt onto the back of the vampire, slicing his neck open in one clean stroke with the knife he wore at his side.
Limpy was trying to make it to the door, but Daniel followed his every move, stalking him like a cat after a mouse as he kept his arrow aimed at the vamp. He would be fast enough to dodge the arrow if Daniel shot it straight at him but not if he…
Daniel released the arrow. It thudded into the wall of the barn, one foot away from the door. He grabbed another arrow as the vamp leapt back, like he’d anticipated, and fired again. The arrow pierced straight through the vamp’s side, pinning his right arm to his chest and coming to a stop in the center of his heart. The vamp lurched awkwardly, thrown off balance by his pinned appendage. Blood gurgled from his lips before he slammed face first into the ground.
“Nice shot,” William commented as he walked over to retrieve the arrows they could use again. “Now let’s get this garbage out of here.”
CHAPTER 20
Aria
“I love this place,” Aria whispered as she settled on the bench before the fountain. The couple within the center of the fountain, forever gazed yearningly at each other, but they would never be able to touch. Braith had once told her that in the beginning of their relationship, he’d thought of the couple in the fountain as them and had understood the torment on the faces of the couple as he’d been afraid to get too close to her.
She’d later learned Atticus had built the fountain because of Genny.
How fitting now.
“I know you do.”
She tilted her head back as Braith settled onto the bench beside her. This close, she could clearly see the beautiful blue of the band encircling his iris. Black stubble lined his square jaw as his eyes held hers. The heat of his body warmed hers, the love in his gaze making her sigh as she leaned against him.
“I love you,” she whispered.
His fingers slid over her hair, lifting it up and letting it fall back down. “And I you, more than you could ever know.”
“Oh, I know.”
Releasing her hair, his fingers stroked over her cheek, turning her head toward him. Behind his back, hundreds of red roses climbed the trellises and spilled over the walkways of the garden. She didn’t recall there being so many roses before, but now they were everywhere she looked. Their heady fragrance tickled her nostrils, but his scent enveloped her when he leaned down to kiss her. Her hands encircled his forearms as something tugged at the back of her mind.
She couldn’t let him go. She could never let him go. If she did…
What? What would happen? She should know the answer to that, but she didn’t, and right now she didn’t care. Not when his tongue was moving over her lips in that demanding way. She opened her mouth to his heady invasion, her toes curling and a moan escaping her when she felt his fangs against her lips.
Need the connection.
Her fangs lengthened, and she bit down on his lip, but no blood filled her mouth. Pulling away, she gazed up at him as he cradled her cheeks within his hands. “Why can’t I taste you?” she asked.
Sadness filled his eyes as he bent to rest his forehead against hers. For a minute, she simply savored their closeness before his hands lessened their grip on her face. “You know why,” he whispered.
Over his shoulder, the roses drooped. The edges of their petals wrinkled as the vibrant red color darkened in hue. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him as the once vibrant red roses became the color of midnight. Blood pooled in their centers before sliding down to drip off of their black petals. The pristine, white rocks of the garden pathway turned crimson with the blood spilling over them.
“Don’t make me leave here,” she pleaded.
“You can’t stay here, Aria. You have to go back.”
Her hands flew up to cover his on her face. She tried to press them closer again, but they were fading away as his appearance wavered before her. “Braith,” she choked out.
“I’m always with you,” he said, and she felt the feathery caress of his ghost lips against her forehead. “Always a piece of you, and I will come back for you, not even death will keep us apart.”
Tears dripped off her chin as he shimmered before her and vanished.
***
Aria
Stars twinkled against the midnight backdrop of the sky as Aria lay on her back, staring up at them. She propped her hands behind her head while she tried not to recall the dream that had woken her over an hour ago. She cursed herself again for falling asleep, but exhaustion had drawn her under.
Not even death will keep us apart.
How desperately she wished those words were true, but the emptiness inside her made believing in anything nearly impossible right now. She watched as the stars changed position in the sky and tried not to think of the many times she and Braith had lain out beneath the stars together. It was impossible not to recall those nights, his kisses, the scrape of his fangs against her skin, his body moving over hers…
Aria rolled over and shoved herself into a seated position. She shook her head to clear it of the memories. Recalling happier times did not make things better; they made it far worse. Lifting her head, her gaze fell on the trees. From within their dark depths, Braith stood staring at her, watching her in that fascinated way he had so often since she’d met him.
For a second, she swore her deadened heart gave a lumbering beat once more. She rose to her knees and almost leapt to her feet to run to him. Then the image faded away, as it had in her
dream. She was left with nothing but the shadows of the trees and her encroaching insanity.
Her fingers dug into the earth, tearing away pine needles and leaves as dirt embedded beneath her fingernails and the world became filled with a reddish haze. Her fangs lengthened when bloodlust surged to life within her.
He could still be coming back for me.
Don’t think it. Don’t get your hopes up. You won’t survive the loss of those hopes.
That little inner voice was right and she immediately shut down any belief of Braith’s return.
Xavier lifted his head from where he sat against the trunk of an oak when she took a ragged breath, then another. She hadn’t required air in some time, yet she kept trying to draw it into her lungs now as her gaze remained riveted on where she thought she’d seen Braith standing.
Xavier rose and walked over to kneel beside her; he rested his hand on her back. She wanted to shy away from his touch, but she found herself unable to move enough to do so.
“Easy,” he soothed.
She took another rattling breath before closing her eyes and carefully reining in all of her unstable emotions. Lifting her glasses, she rubbed at her swollen and gritty eyes.
“I’m okay,” she whispered when she had herself back under control.
“If you’re not, that’s okay too,” he said.
She lifted her head to look at him. They’d come from two completely different worlds, yet he was her friend and protector. “No,” she said. “It’s not, and we both know it. Queens are not allowed to fall apart.”
He rested his cheek against her hair and rubbed her back. “That is not always true.”
“It is now.”
He kept his hand on her back as she rose to her feet and carefully made her way toward where Max was keeping watch over the house. He turned toward her when she knelt at his side. “Anything new?” she whispered.
“I haven’t seen her and none of the guards have changed,” he replied.
Aria settled in beside him. “If you want to sleep, I’ll watch.”