Briar

by Ripley Proserpina

  Swallowing hard, she glanced at Valen before she cleared her throat. “Valen, your heart. First, you cared that Sylvain upset me. Then you took me to breakfast and gave me my first taste of friendship.” Her lip wobbled, though she didn’t mean it to. She hadn’t expected to get emotional. “So, that’s it.” The smile she gave was a little less genuine because she was trying not to cry, but she wasn’t sad. “Everything about you drew me in. All of you.”

  Sylvain tightened his hold on her but remained silent. “We’ve kept you out of the house longer than we meant to,” he whispered, changing the subject. Was the topic too hard for him to discuss?

  “Sylvain’s right,” Marcus said. “This is your first day of school, and I’m sure you have homework.”

  She thought about the syllabi in her bag. Before her next classes, she had hundreds of pages to read and questions to answer. In her art history class, she even had a paper to write. “I do,” she answered. “But you don’t have to come home with me. I can make it on my own.”

  “What about our conversation, and what we’ve revealed, makes you think that is a safe choice?” Sylvain asked.

  When she tried to turn to see his face, he squeezed her, as if he didn’t want her to move. Fine. “I’m not used to thinking about vampires,” she said, “if you’re referring to Asher. Which reminds me, do you have the medicine you mentioned earlier? I’d really like to see it with some of your equipment.”

  Hudson stood. He walked over to a small stainless steel refrigerator and reached inside to withdraw a vial.

  Briar tapped Sylvain’s arm, a sign for him to let her up, and he did. As she moved closer, she could sense the others watching her. “So this is it.”

  “Yes. It’s what allows us to walk in the sun.”

  The implications of what Hudson said weren’t lost on her. Her mind immediately connected the dots. Her DNA was similar to theirs—Chromosome 18, the marker which identified her as having vampire characteristics. It would stand to reason then that the medicine that kept them from burning could work for her.

  “Can we try it?” she asked, reaching out for the vial. Hudson let her take it, and she held it up to the light.

  “No,” Hudson answered.

  Hurt, she met his steady gaze. “Why not?”

  “Because you are not immortal. I was able to test it on myself, and Marcus, for years in order to perfect it. I’m not willing to give it to you, then let you walk in sunlight only to receive third degree burns.” He pointed to the bandage on her neck. “I’m not willing to risk that.”

  “I'm not going to take it and stand in the sun at noon. We can do skin tests. There are plenty of ways to try this.” If Hudson expected her to accept his reason, he had another thing coming. “I accept not trying it right this very minute. But you’ve studied the trials pharmaceutical companies did with afamelanotide. We can do something like that. I volunteer.”

  “No,” Sylvain interrupted. “You’re not testing it on her.”

  “I have to agree,” Marcus added. “Afamelanotide hasn't worked with you, right? That’s why you’re not getting it now.”

  “Right, and now we know why.” The vial in her hand caught the light from overhead, refracting through the glass and casting a beam of white light on the table. “But this is different.”

  “You’re different,” Hudson said bluntly. “Not to be unkind, Briar, but you’re not wholly vampire and not wholly human. I’m not saying never to this, just not right now.”

  Fair enough. She understood what he was saying, but she didn’t like it. It seemed like her cure was right in front of her. She’d never been so close.

  And she couldn’t have it.

  Hudson was right, it probably wouldn’t work on her since her mutation differed from theirs. Things were never easy.

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  “You can work on it with me.” Hudson took the vial carefully from her fingers. “I’ll talk to your advisor. It can be your graduate research if you want.”

  “I feel like I have an unfair advantage,” she said and slapped her hand over her mouth. Talk about making assumptions.

  Hudson considered her and shook his head. “I’ll admit, knowing you makes me want to have you close by. But I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t think you deserved it. Your emails, the papers you sent me, all of it speaks to an intelligence and drive I respect. But if you don’t want to work here, I understand.”

  “I want to,” she answered. “I do. But you promise you’d have asked me anyway?”

  “I wouldn’t have asked you anyway, but I’d have considered you. I probably would have asked you next year. But knowing you now, I want you.” Hudson held her gaze, and his words repeated over and over in her mind. I want you.

  “Yes, please,” she said. “I want to work with you, too.”

  “And you can work with me sometimes,” Marcus said. “I have a lab. My area of expertise might not be as sexy as Hudson’s, but I like your brain, too.” He blew on his nails and rubbed them on his chest. “It’s at Harvard.”

  “Oh ho!” Hudson crowed. “Here it comes!”

  Briar giggled. “Here what comes?”

  “What?” Marcus asked. “My lab is at Harvard. It’s a place. She’d get lost if I didn’t tell her where it was.”

  Sylvain and Valen chuckled. “Don’t these guys exhaust you?” Valen asked. “All this ego in one place? I know I’m exhausted.”

  The good-natured ribbing went on, and Briar leaned against Valen’s arm. He extended it, tucking her beneath it, and continued to tease his brothers. Her yawn caught her by surprise, but all at once, the guys stopped. “Come on,” Valen said. “Time to go home.”

  “Okay.” Too tired to argue, she let them bundle her up. She accepted her hat from Valen and tucked her hair beneath it before pulling on her gloves. “I’m ready.”

  “I need to do a little more work," Hudson apologized. “I’ll be home later.” He took the chair vacated by Sylvain, and rolled to his computer.

  As she passed by, Briar leaned over and kissed the top of his head before she could overthink it. “Don’t be too late.”

  He snagged her hand and pressed it to his lips. “I won’t.”

  She imagined she could feel his cool lips and wished she hadn’t already put on her gloves. With one more wave, she followed the guys out of the lab. The closer they got to the exit, the quieter they became. Sylvain was tense, and Valen seemed to be scanning the crowds of people. Even Marcus was off, glaring at people who crossed in front of them or accidentally knocked into Briar.

  At the exit, Sylvain hesitated and faced her. He studied her from head to foot, and she took the sunglasses from her backpack and put them on. “Ready.”

  Silently, he pushed open the door, walked through, and then held it for her. She went next, then Valen and Marcus. The three of them surrounded her, and she scoffed. “Guys.”

  They didn’t answer but kept walking. With Sylvain in front of her and Marcus and Valen on either side, she couldn’t see where she was going. Sylvain could lead her off a cliff, and she wouldn’t know she was there until the ground disappeared. “Sylvain. I can’t see over you.”

  “You don’t need to see over me. We’re walking to Marcus’s car, and then we’re driving home.”

  “But I want to see,” she argued. This was her school. She wanted to look around, see the sights. People watch.

  “Unnecessary,” he answered.

  She opened her eyes wide and glanced at Marcus, hoping he would see how silly Sylvain was, but he shook his head. Annoyed, she mashed her lips together and stopped completely. The guys took two steps without her, but she got what she wanted. Now she could see.

  It was a bright, warm evening, and students were milling about everywhere. Some of them were perched on the steps of buildings, while others had found shady nooks under trees. It looked exactly the way she imagined college would look. In fact, it was a pretty accurate reproduction of the booklet cover she received when she�
��d sent away for information from BC when she was a senior.

  “What are you doing?” Marcus asked, striding back toward her.

  “I want to see,” she said. “I told you. I can’t see over your massive shoulders and Sylvain’s big head.”

  The big head in question glared at her but didn’t attempt to bundle her up or throw her over his shoulder.

  “You’re right,” Valen said. “We’re sorry. I’m sorry. We’re not used to this, and our instincts can make us overprotective.”

  “Doesn’t mean our instincts are wrong,” Sylvain countered. “Why are we standing in the sun? Are we trying to tempt fate? Marcus’s car is two minutes away.” He clenched his fists, like it was all he could do not to grab her, and she decided to have pity on him.

  “Let’s go, Sylvain.” She linked her arm with his. “I’ll stay close, but I want to look around. This is my first day of school.”

  His muscle relaxed under her hand, and he sighed. “I’m sorry. You’re right.”

  The rest of the walk was much less tense, though she was out of breath by the time they reached the car. They were walking fast for sure, because she wasn’t so out of shape she couldn’t walk two minutes without panting.

  Briar climbed into the backseat when Marcus unlocked the car, and they drove home. Her appetite had returned full force, a sure sign she was healing, and she went straight to the kitchen.

  Even there, blackout curtains were in place. She stared at them, feeling guilty. Had Marcus done all this for her? Had she relegated the guys to the shadows now that she’d moved in their home? The thought made her stomach clench, chasing away her appetite.

  “Fridge is stocked,” Marcus said, passing by her to open the door to the giant side-by-side, stainless steel refrigerator. He glanced at her and paused. “What’s the problem?”

  Slowly, she took off her hat and gloves and placed them on the marble island. “I feel bad you did all this for me.”

  “Did all what?” he asked, looking around. “The food? Don’t. I have groceries delivered every week. They just won’t go to waste now.”

  “The curtains,” she said. “You have medicine so you can walk in the sun, and now you have the curtains drawn all over your house.”

  Marcus shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t care about that. They’re blackout curtains, yes, but I still would have the curtains drawn. This is Boston, sweetheart. You don’t want people peeking in your windows. Because they will if you’re not careful.”

  “Really?” Some of the tightness in her belly relaxed.

  “Really,” he answered. “It’s not a big deal.”

  It was a big deal. Not even her mother had gracefully done the things these guys had done for her.

  And her mother was supposed to love Briar unconditionally. It bothered her mom to no end to live in a cloudy city in a dark house.

  “What do you want to eat?” Marcus asked.

  Refocusing, Briar peered over his arm into the fridge and pointed to the apples and then the cheese. “Please.”

  Marcus took out the fruit, adding some items to the pile before shutting the door. He stacked it on the counter, and then nodded at the chair. “Sit. I’ve got this.”

  “I can do it.”

  But he shook his head. “I can cut up cheese and fruit.”

  His hands blurred and in a matter of seconds, he’d made her a plate of snacks. “Here.”

  “Were you showing off?” she asked, and he shrugged.

  “Maybe.”

  “Definitely,” Valen answered as she took her plate.

  “Do you mind if I eat and work?” she asked, and Marcus shook his head.

  “Go on.” He gestured with his chin toward the door. “I’ll bother you in a little while.”

  Standing, she shook her head. “You won’t bother me.” With her plate in hand, she left the kitchen and went into her room. Someone had brought her bag up, and she sighed, equal parts grateful and overwhelmed.

  Briar placed her plate on the desk and grabbed an apple slice. She needed to find some way to give back to the guys. Sylvain and Valen had dedicated their entire day to her. Hudson had set her up in his lab, and Marcus had pretty much redecorated and bought food he didn’t need.

  There needed to be more give and take because right now, all she did was take.

  Briar settled at her desk, syllabi on one side of the surface, books on the other, and got to work. Soon, she was deep into a chapter and blissfully unaware of anything except Roman bas-relief. She studied the photos in her art history book closely, amazed that someone with a chisel could add as many details into stone as the artists a thousand years ago could.

  She yawned, jaw cracking and laid her head on her hand as she turned the page. Her belly was full, and the room was warm. It got harder to keep her eyes open, and rather than fight it, she took her book to the bed and lay down.

  Chapter two. She’d made it pretty far into the assigned reading and could take a little nap. Curling on the side opposite her bandage, she snuggled into the pillow and shut her eyes. In a matter of moments, she’d fallen asleep.

  ✽✽✽

  “You’re the girl who has my sons tied into knots.”

  Briar blinked. She stood in a bright green field, the sun shining down on her. A dream.

  “Briar.” Someone snapped their fingers. “Focus.”

  A haze appeared in front of her, like the waves of a mirage. Slowly, it formed into a man shape. She could see through it at first, and then it became opaque.

  “I thought they said you couldn’t read minds.”

  The man laughed. Asher.

  “You’re their maker,” she whispered. “This is a dream.”

  “Not a dream, Briar,” he said. His features changed, morphing from human to vampire. He didn’t hide it the way the guys did. But even as he’d first appeared, she’d never have mistaken him for human.

  He was too golden, too ethereal.

  Too beautiful.

  Tall and long limbed, with dark hair that swept the middle of his back, he was otherworldly.

  Like an elf king.

  He could have stepped out of any fairy tale.

  But his eyes were cold, and his teeth, sharp. He walked toward her smoothly, and his feet didn’t touch the ground. “Not a dream.” He breathed in deeply. His eyes closed as he leaned closer to her. When he opened them, she froze. She was caught in the gaze of a snake, and all she could think was guys, you were wrong.

  Asher laughed. “I did not share all my tricks with my sons. And I won’t share them all with you. But I will give you a choice.”

  Wake up.

  “Listen, girl.” He sighed. “This is a place of in between. It is not dreaming. It is not awake. It just is. And I decide what is real. Shall I show you?” The scenery changed. The grass crackled and wilted. Green to brown, and then to ash, it disintegrated. Everything around them swept away until it was only the two of them on a barren, rocky plain.

  He held out his hands, palms up. “You’re going to be a message to my sons.”

  She shook her head, but he reached for her. She’d expected pain. Instead, his hands were gentle as they settled on either side of her face and moved her head up and down.

  “Yes. I want them,” he said slowly, as if he was speaking to someone of questionable intelligence. “I want them to return to me. They are mine.” He stepped back and brushed one hand over the other.

  “Why tell me? They’ve only just met me. What do you expect me to do?”

  Asher leaned closer. “They think they have a choice. Let this be a lesson. I take what I want.” He whirled away from her, and if he’d had a cape, she could have seen it billowing around him. “I am patient, and I am forgiving, but I am their maker. I am their master.”

  Briar shook her head without thinking. Their master? In no plane of existence could she imagine Sylvain and Valen, Marcus or Hudson being mastered.

  “You underestimate me as well,” he said.

  If onl
y they’d been right about him not being able to read minds.

  “Fine. Let this not be a message to tell, but to show. I’ll send you back to them in pieces.” He moved then, faster than any of the guys had ever moved. One second he stood in front of her, the next, he wrapped his cold hands around her shoulders and dragged her into his arms.

  Like Valen and Sylvain had earlier, he dipped his face into the curve of her shoulder. She froze for a moment, and then fought him. She wasn’t stupid, she knew what vampires did. But still, the first slide of his teeth against her skin, through her skin, stunned her.

  Fire spread from the bite through her veins.

  Was she always going to burn?

  It hurt as badly as anything had ever hurt before. The hands on her shoulders tightened, and then pierced her like claws. Against her throat, Asher moaned. She felt his tongue slick from her shoulder to her ear, and then he bit again.

  Unable to move, to cry out, to do anything to help herself, Briar stood paralyzed in his hold.

  “It’s the venom,” he whispered, withdrawing his fangs. He kept his lips against her, the words he formed moving them against her skin like a perverted kiss. “It holds you still, keeps you from running or screaming. I wish you could scream. Next time…”

  No next time.

  “Yes,” he answered. “Over and over. I promise to visit you here. You’ll close your eyes and see me. And feed me. God.” Asher groaned and embraced her, drawing her closer to his body. He held her so tight, and all she wanted to do was escape. Each brush of his lips was sandpaper, scraping the skin from her bones. “God. You taste so good. You make me rethink everything.” He drew back, his eyes wild and bright. “What do you think, vampire girl? Shall we see what it is Hudson’s discovery means? Could you and I be the creators of a new breed of vampire?”

  He may have been able to control her movement, but nothing could control the nausea that made her retch and heave. Immediately, he dropped her, and she fell to the ground, knees slamming into the rocky earth. Over and over, she gagged, body and mind in complete agreement, rejecting what Asher proposed.