Her hand constricted around William's. "I'm afraid." It was the first time she’d said the words out loud; the first time she admitted it, even to herself.
"So am I."
Tears bloomed in her eyes as she turned to her twin. She'd never expected such an admission from him. "Not of dying," she whispered.
"No shit," he retorted.
She couldn't help but laugh as their hands began to swing back and forth like they had when they were children. "You're not either."
"Never have been."
"Then what are we afraid of?" She asked because she didn't know. She knew she feared losing Braith, this war, and a family member, but those were worries she'd always had or learned to deal with since meeting Braith.
This fear was something different; it sat in the pit of her stomach and had burrowed its way into the back of her mind to fester like an infected lesion.
William was thoughtful before he answered. "The unknown."
The hesitation in his words made it clear he wasn't entirely sure about his answer, but the minute she heard it, Aria knew he was right. They had struggled with death and loss, starvation and thirst, dirt and homelessness their entire lives, but they always had some sense of knowing. They'd had their father, Daniel, the other rebels, the caves, the woods, and the knowledge vampires were the enemy.
Now, they were on their own, surrounded by vamps once considered the enemy, in a cave system Aria had grown to hate, and filled with nothing but uncertainty.
"Yes," she agreed. "The unknown."
"It's not the same now."
"And it never will be again."
"Do you want it to be?" he asked.
"Sometimes."
"And other times?"
"I wouldn't change a thing," she admitted. "Not one thing."
"Because of Braith?"
"Yes, but also because of the hope the unknown brings us now and the promise of something better for everyone. No matter how much we knew before, the outcome was always the same. If we were lucky we would grow older; if we weren't, then we died young."
"Or became blood slaves."
"Yes." She did not shy away from it anymore. "You're not still angry at Braith because of that, are you?"
William hesitated before he shook his head. "No. If it hadn't happened, then we wouldn't be here."
"Afraid?"
"Afraid and full of hope," he responded with a twinkle in his bright blue eyes.
Aria's gaze locked on Braith as she recalled their encounter in the hallway of the dilapidated house. She had one more thing to fear; what would become of them? Of him? Of her?
She knew Braith planned to leave when this was over, and the vampires wouldn’t accept her if she stayed. But he couldn't leave. They had voted him in for a reason, and even if he didn't see it, or refused to see it, it was evident to everyone else that he was a born leader. Braith had done some things he wasn’t proud of, he'd hurt innocents, and been a monster for a brief time, but at heart, he was good and would do right by as many people and vampires as he could.
He may not intend to be the leader, but he already was. He may not see it, but she did, and so did everyone in this room.
Their hands stopped swinging when Braith beckoned them forward. William squeezed her hand before releasing it as they walked over to join him.
"How long do you think it will be before you can find your father?" Braith inquired.
"Aria can usually track him within a few days," William answered.
"I don't know how far into the forest he’s gone,” Aria said, “and if there are a bunch of us—"
"There won’t be," Braith inserted.
She realized there was more to his clipped tone than trying to appear distanced from her. Something had aggravated him.
"That will make things easier. Even if he's gone into regions we've never explored, I can find him in a week," Aria said.
"Are you certain of this?" he asked.
"Two tops."
"Which is it?" Barnaby inquired sharply.
Aria's gaze darted nervously to him.
"I think she's already answered that question," Ashby said. "The longest it will take her is two weeks."
"So that means it could be almost a month before you return. And if there is a large group of them, even longer," Calista replied coldly.
"We were raised in these woods, and we know them well. A group of us moves far easier than you think. It will not be a month," Aria said firmly.
"Even if it is a month, Calista, you will survive. It's not the ideal situation, but we knew it wasn't going to be easy," Braith informed her.
Calista’s dark eyes narrowed before she gave a quick nod. "We can make do, and the human knows this cave system."
Aria's head snapped around. There were only two humans here who knew this cave, and she didn't want either of them staying here. Braith shifted, and she suddenly understood the tension in him and the terseness of his words. William didn't know how to track their father as well as she did, he wasn't a big fan of the trees, and he wouldn't be as quick as she would at locating him.
William glanced anxiously at her when she seized his hand again.
"He'll come in handy for getting us out of here if it becomes necessary," Calista continued.
Aria found it difficult to breathe as Braith's gaze bored into her. He silently pleaded with her to understand and not fight being separated from her brother, again. She tried to be strong, but she was terrified of leaving William with a bunch of vampires.
Everything in her body screamed against it. The other humans were used to the vampires surrounding them, she and William weren’t. The rigidity in her brother made it clear he wasn't pleased with the idea either, though she didn't know if it was because he was staying or because she was going.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Who will be going with me?" she inquired with more strength than she felt.
"Ashby, Gideon, and I." Braith's voice remained cold, but some of the strain had eased from it.
"I plan to go also," Xavier informed him.
Braith showed no surprise at his statement, but Aria felt a flicker of it.
"Fine," Braith grated. "William will stay behind with the others to help keep order and to find food if it becomes necessary. If they're forced to abandon these caves, will you be able to find each other again?"
"Yes," Aria answered.
"Then we leave at nightfall."
Aria knew he didn't mean to be harsh, but the knowledge didn’t ease the knot of sorrow in her chest. She craved his comfort more than anything, but she reluctantly accepted he couldn't give it to her right now, maybe not ever.
"Are you okay with this?" she asked William when the others turned away and shut them out again.
"I'd be more okay if I were going with you, but it doesn't seem we have a choice."
"No, it doesn't."
Chapter Thirteen
After eight days Aria was exhausted, aching, and a little disheartened. She was also in desperate need of a shower or the very least a bath. Her hair was a matted mess she wasn't certain she'd ever be able to untangle, and she had more mosquito bites than hairs on her head. She loved her woods but despised this area of Hell they’d wandered into.
She'd never ventured into the swamplands before, and she couldn't believe her father had chosen this part of the forest to take refuge. She would like nothing more than to find him and escape from this land of muck and filth.
Her shoes hadn't been dry for three days, and her blisters had blisters. Yet they trudged endlessly onward through acres of dirty water. Ashby had given up complaining, but Gideon muttered about how he wished he killed humans. Xavier remained blessedly silent, though he grimaced often.
She could handle the mud and dirt, it wouldn't last forever, and she'd been filthy plenty of times in her life, but the smell...
The smell was enough to make her want to vomit, and it had induced plenty of gagging. She couldn't get away from the stench, an
d it twisted her stomach in ways she’d never thought possible.
But then again, that could also be the incessant hunger tearing at her. She'd only planned on seven days of supplies; she’d realized three days ago she should start rationing her food. She was becoming increasingly hungry, and she was beginning to agree with Gideon's craving to kill something.
Braith was becoming steadily agitated. Then again, they were all short-tempered and frustrated. He'd carried her more than a few times, but she didn't want to seem weak in front of the other three, so she insisted on walking most of the time.
The suction from the thick mud caused her feet to make a loud popping sound as she stepped onto solid ground to stand before a dying pine with its branches lifted toward the fading light. Light refracted off something higher in the limbs. Heaving a tired breath, Aria's shoulders slumped.
Braith grabbed her arm when she grasped the scratchy bottom limb. "Are you okay to do this?" he demanded. She managed a small nod and a smile. "I'll go," he offered.
"It won't hold your weight, and you don't know what to look for once you're up there."
"Something shiny."
"Yeah, something shiny," she agreed tiredly. "Which none of us will see if the tree collapses beneath your weight."
Thankfully, despite his foul mood, reason prevailed, and he released her arm. The blisters on her feet, along with her weighted clothing, made it difficult for her to move as freely as she usually did through the tree.
When she was almost to the top, her hand curled around the piece of tin hanging from a thin line. She lifted herself further up and braced herself to stare over the treetops. Relief shot through her when she spotted the next marker only a mile away.
Pulling the piece of tin free, she made her way sluggishly back down the tree. "About another mile," she said when her feet touched the ground.
"How long is this going to continue?" Gideon demanded.
Aria shrugged as she wiped the matted hair from her forehead. "I don't know. Hopefully, we'll get there soon."
Her head pounded and her stomach rumbled. Braith cursed as he pulled her pack from his back and tugged it open. Rummaging inside, he pulled out her meager assortment of supplies. He shoved some dried meat, a canister of water, and a bag of nuts into her hands.
"Eat."
Saliva rushed into her mouth, and the rumbling in her stomach increased. "I have to ration the supplies."
"I'll find you more food."
The swamp was vast and imposing, but so far they’d encountered little wildlife, and there were few plants she was confident she could eat in this unfamiliar area. She'd seen what could happen to a person when they ate something they shouldn't, and though they survived it, they'd been sick for a week. Besides, she wasn't the only one going hungry right now.
His hands enveloped hers. "Eat."
She strived to stick to what she knew was right, but in the end, hunger won. Shaking a little, she broke off a piece of meat and lifted it to her mouth. Braith's shoulders fell in relief.
"We'll make camp here for the night," he said.
Aria watched as the four of them set about establishing a small camp. She wiped the salt from her fingers and took a sip of lukewarm water. They conferred with each other, but Aria wasn't paying attention as she slowly chewed the nuts to make them last.
"I'll be back."
Aria blinked at Braith in surprise when he stepped in front of her. "Back?"
"I'm going to search for some food. Ashby and Gideon will stay with you. You'll be safe."
"I know."
Kissing her tenderly, his fingers lingered on her cheek before he reluctantly released her. She munched on the rest of her nuts while she watched Xavier and Braith head into the swamp. There weren't as many places here to hide and find shelter, but they soon disappeared behind some high grass and rotten trees.
Finishing off her nuts, Aria wiped her hands on her filthy pants and turned her attention to the pack Braith left behind. She didn't speak with Ashby or Gideon while she pulled out a pair of lightweight pants that were dirty, but nowhere near as nasty as the ones she wore now.
"I'll be back," she said.
They didn't try to stop her when she slipped away in search of a place that would offer her some privacy. She found a spot behind a drooping willow with its branches dangling into the swamp water. She cleaned the muck from her filthy pants before slipping her other pants on. Remaining blessedly barefoot, she made her way back to the camp with water to boil.
Gideon and Ashby were sitting by the pine; Gideon leaned tiredly against it as he watched her from under hooded eyes. Ashby looked haggard; even when he was exiled to a life of solitude and deprivation, he'd never endured this kind of hardship. He wasn’t prepared for it, and it was apparent he didn't like it.
Making a small fire, Aria heated the water and retreated to the willow again to wash her body the best she could before returning to the camp.
She didn't think she'd ever been this exhausted before. She meant to stay awake until Braith returned, but when she laid down on her blanket, exhaustion took over. It was dark when she woke again.
Braith's arms tensed around her when she attempted to sit up. A sigh of relief escaped as she rolled onto her back to see him. She didn't know when he returned, but he was nestled against her with his arms wrapped around her.
The numerous stars were bright in the vast sky. She'd never seen anything like it before. The trees blocked the stars in the forest, the light reflected them in the palace, and she hadn't bothered to take the time to look while in the desert. Now, she found herself awed and fascinated by the seemingly endless sky.
"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Braith asked.
"It's beautiful," she breathed.
He turned onto his back too. His fingers found hers, and they entwined as he pulled her against him. "It is."
She rested her head on his chest as the moon poked its head over the horizon. It was nearly full and the color of blood. Aria shuddered; it seemed a bad omen to her. Braith ran his hand nimbly up and down her spine; goose bumps appeared on her skin when he pushed the edge of her shirt up and his fingers found bare skin.
Her eyes drifted closed, and pleasure swamped her. She pushed at the edge of his shirt, eager to feel his bare skin beneath her touch as she melded against him. Her hand splayed against his firm stomach, and she was consumed with the need to explore more of him as she stroked the solid flesh of his chest.
His mouth was tender against her cheek, then her ear, and finally her lips. Heat spread through her; she couldn't hear anything over the rush of blood in her ears. He pushed her back, leveling himself unhurriedly over her as he pressed her into the spongy ground. Clasping her face, he kissed her with a reverence that left her breathless.
She couldn't think straight. He encompassed all her senses as his hand enclosed her breast. Something inside her seemed to snap; her fingers dug into his firm back, and she became lost in a sea of need. He was so strong and powerful, yet he touched her with a tenderness that shook her to her very core.
His arm wrapped around her waist and he lifted her as he pulled her against him before leveling himself more firmly between her legs. The buttons of her shirt had come undone, and he bent to press butterfly kisses against her chest.
His dark hair blended in with the night, but the illumination of the moon highlighted the planes of his face. She couldn't get enough of watching him while he moved over her. She dimly thought she should stop this; they'd never gone this far, but then Aria realized she didn't want to stop it. She wanted him, more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life.
Then, he was settling himself back over her. His mouth claimed hers as she shook and trembled beneath him. She was unfamiliar with the sensations coursing through her as she grasped his solid biceps and tried to keep from completely falling apart. Right now, in his arms, there was no fear but only the love they shared.
And then Gideon released a snort. Braith froze with his mouth on
hers before his head slowly lifted. His bright gray eyes burned with excitement and frustration when they latched onto hers. She was torn between continuing, and the reality they were not alone.
In the end, Braith made the decision. His hands trembled as he buttoned her pants and shirt back into place. A sense of loss filled her when he moved off her. A muscle ticked in his cheek as he pulled her to his side, pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, and lay next to her.
"I lost my head; I shouldn't have let it go so far. I tend to lose myself in you," he whispered.
She thrilled at the admission. "I wish it had gone farther," she confessed.
He chuckled as he nuzzled her hair. "Do you know the constellations?"
She shook her head as she returned her attention to the brilliant sky above them. She struggled to ignore the yearning still thrumming through her body, but a deep ache remained inside her.
"That one, with the three stars at the end and the four grouped like a cup is the Big Dipper," he said.
Aria curled against him; the deep timbre of his voice as he pointed out the different constellations comforted her.
"Dad!" Aria squealed with delight as she raced across the clearing to the man standing in the middle of it.
David's face came alive with pleasure; his smile lit his features as he braced himself for the impact of her body. Grasping his daughter, he laughed as he enveloped her in a hug and spun her around.
Braith eyed the people surrounding them as he made his way forward. He wanted to grab Aria from her father, pull her back, and nestle her at his side where she belonged, but he fought the urge as her father placed her down and cradled her cheeks his hands.
The humans studying him shifted uncomfortably as they whispered among themselves. These were not the humans of The Barrens; these humans had been abused and terrorized by vampires. They knew only fear for his kind.
"Are you okay?" Aria's father demanded of her.
The Captive Series 1-5 Page 50
