by Kita Bell
She glanced back at Bryan as Brand settled across from her and closed the door. As the vehicle pulled away, the red-haired man gave a slight smile. “My son Kevin,” he said, interpreting Eva’s curiosity. “I’m Bryan Ysperin, in charge of security at Stronghold. You must be Eva Turner. I’m sorry for what you went through.”
“You aren’t a Kade?” Eva frowned as she turned her mind away from his last comment. “Are you related then, like Joshua is?”
Bryan’s smile warmed. “Yes. Distantly. But my amati is Gaviros’s line, and we like the safety Stronghold provides our family.”
Eva blinked. Amati? Gaviros’s line? Like it was separate. But didn’t Stronghold belong to Kade Gens? It made no sense unless…“Gaviros isn’t a Kade? He’s not related to the Kades?”
Brand braced himself against Joshua’s seat as they took a sharp corner, his long legs cramped in the foot space as he turned to Eva. His blue eyes smiled at her confusion. “Both the Gaviros Gens and the Kade Gens stay at Stronghold, Eva. Before my father died, Gaviros was his Shield. After my father died, we kept up the arrangement. Our families have always lived close. Gaviros keeps Stronghold safe with his ability and,” Brand shrugged, “we keep Gaviros safe with our resources.”
“Oh.” Eva wasn’t sure what to say. She had already known that Brand – and his home – were different from hers, but… “I don’t think my Gens could do that,” she said, dropping her gaze, “Share. We’re…not like that.” Maybe if they had been, things would have been better. For her family – for her mother.
Brand touched the back of her hand. “You’re like that, Eva.” His voice was quiet, and Eva clenched her fist as she stared at her lap and felt something thick and dangerous well inside her throat. Affection. Or just plain gratefulness. She nodded, trying to disentangle herself from the emotion, and Brand turned to speak to Bryan Ysperin.
They turned onto a highway, heading north. Eva studied the dark interior of the SUV then glanced out window. The landscape was so empty. Vacant. Almost eerie. Eva shivered, turning back to Brand. She studied the strength in his jaw, the power of his body, the depth in those dark blue eyes. Brand looked at people as if he cared about them, as if he knew them…as if anyone could tell him anything, and he would understand. It unnerved her. Eva shouldn’t feel this way about Brand. Not like this. They hadn’t even slept together.
Eva swallowed. “Can I borrow your cell phone? I need to call Rainey.”
Brand broke off what he was saying and nodded, pulled out his phone and glanced at it. When he looked up, his face was rueful. “We’re out of the coverage. Once we’re at Stronghold, Seth can patch you through to anywhere, though.”
Eva nodded and curled back into the seat. Even after what had happened on the train she wanted to reach out to Brand, to trace the line of his jaw, follow that sharp curve with her lips. The attraction she felt for him wasn’t right. Maybe it’s some sort of Stockholm Syndrome…except Brand wasn’t her captor. Rohe was the one who had kidnapped her, hurt her. Eva could leave Brand any moment. In fact, she was the one who had chosen to go on to Stronghold.
That’s it. I’m loosing it.
Not even when Eva was going through Initium had she wanted to touch a male body so badly.
She was afraid. Because there was something about Brand, and about herself when she was around him, that told Eva this might be more than attraction. More than passion, or sex. More than kisses and condoms and release followed by a quick slide from a disheveled bed, the tying of her tennis shoes and the jog home before morning.
If Eva tried to slip out of the bed Brand was in, out of the house Brand was in, he would know what she was doing.
He would know – and he wouldn’t let me go.
The thought terrified Eva. It made her think of Rohe, and the cell, of being strapped down to that table, laid out to the world and vulnerable; Rohe would be able to do anything to her, take anything from her, have her guards do anything to her, and Eva wouldn’t be able to fight back. She would lose.
Every time.
Only worse. Because, with Brand, Eva wasn’t sure she could fight. She didn’t even want to fight. But she had that memory, that terrible sensation of exposure. The stomach-wrenching fear that came from lying on a cold metal table, watching a stark white ceiling and knowing that only pain would follow.
Yet a stupid part of Eva argued that Brand wouldn’t hurt her. He would hold her, not cut her. He would protect her, and pleasure her, and that – between the two of them – it would be…
Eva shivered. Impossible.
They were Kaspian. She and Brand might be immortal, but when it came to love, neither of them knew the meaning of forever. That kind of bonds just didn’t exist. Kaspian took their lovers, bore the rare Kaspian child, and just…lived. That was all. Nothing special, nothing more. Just…life. Uneventful. Unexciting. Going on.
Forever.
Eva hunched into herself, curling her arms around her waist at the empty painful feeling that rose inside her. She stared out the window at the barren snow-covered landscape and tried not to think.
It was warm in the SUV, but she wished someone would turn the heater up. Or that Brand would put his arms around her and drive that cold feeling away.
That’s it. I’ve officially watched one too many of Rainey’s sappy movies.
She needed to get her head on straight. She needed to talk to her sister.
Eva needed…she needed to be ready to return to real life.
Without Brand.
Brand had handed Eva her passport when they stopped at the Canadian border. She opened it and stared, trying to understand, so he tapped the picture and explained, “Seth doctored it from the picture I snapped in Chicago. He sent the documents with Bryan. We’d rather not,” he explained dryly, “spark an international incident. Not with the humans, and not when we’re trying to return home.” After the checkpoint, Eva slept the rest of the way, but now, as they parked in Stronghold’s main garage, her silver eyes told him that she had picked up on his tension.
Brand’s shoulders tightened further as he stepped from the SUV, waiting for Eva to join him. The garage was dark around them, large and spacious, but the lack of lighting didn’t bother him.
Dmitrei came to Stronghold. At least Seth hadn’t fought him, but Dmitrei must have spoken to Nikandria.
Brand’s jaw tensed; he caught Eva’s bewildered look as she carefully examined the interior of the garage, noticing Stronghold’s small jet and bush plane, the line of land rovers and personal vehicles. He forced himself to slow his pace.
“This is…” Eva sounded stunned, and Brand almost smiled. Almost.
“A garage,” he supplied. “You slept the entire drive.”
“I was tired,” she murmured, seeming unsettled, and ran a hand through the luxurious waves of her dark hair, sparking Brand’s hunger. They reached the southern door, and Brand opened it to let her exit.
When she shivered, Brand silently passed Eva the blanket he had asked Bryan for; her breath bloomed into a cloud in the nighttime air. Eva took the blanket distantly, wrapping it around herself as she stared around. Clear amazement settled over her features as the two of them stepped onto the cleared path; two feet of snow formed low walls around them as Brand led her toward Stronghold’s inner perimeter.
“This is Stronghold?” Eva darted him a glance, her large eyes liquid silver in the moonlight.
Brand paused, frowning. She looks afraid. He looked out at the landscape, trying to see it from Eva’s perspective. He had walked this path so many times that he didn’t notice it anymore.
Thick trees formed a barrier in the distance, rising up and out of the dark hills; they were on a smooth tract of land. Snow obscured everything, the north garage forming a large bulk at their backs. Stronghold was miles from any city, so the stars were pristine and bright, shimmering in clear blue depths. Ahead, the Inner Perimeter cut across the landscape like a bailey wall, over which Brand could just see the dark roof of t
he Supplies Building. The Operations Building rose beyond that. Finally, he responded. “Yes. Eva, I vow you will be safe here.”
“That’s not what I was worried about,” Eva muttered, and paused. “What is that?”
Brand turned, saw a large shadow shift beneath one of the trees before moving away. One of the panthers, he thought. “Gaviros keeps pets. Don’t worry. They’re safe.” Her breath huffed out and Brand reached to take her fingers in his own, wrapping their slender lengths in his hand. The gravel of the path crunched beneath their feet.
“It’s not much farther,” he said, tugging her closer. “I’ll give you a tour tomorrow.”
“The girl Bryan was talking about. Are you going to heal her?”
Brand’s tension returned, and he quickened his pace. “There are far better healers at Stronghold than I am. Samuel, for one. He is of Gaviros’s line. He heads the Infirmary and will check you out tomorrow.”
“Why? Oh…because of Rohe…”
Brand watched Eva pale, and consciously gentled his voice. “You’re fine, Eva. You’re strong and you’re healthy, but after what you went through…” he shook his head, bottling his rage. “It’s better to be sure.”
“She only ever used knives,” Eva whispered, hunching as they came to the gate. “The scars are mostly gone.”
Brand struggled with himself, with the rage that welled up every time he thought of what had happened to Eva – his Eva – at Rohe’s hands. Of Eva being abused, tortured, cut into…Brand had seen this before. He had memories, too many memories, and the thought of that happening to Eva…
“Brand? Brand.”
Brand came back to himself, realized that he was growling, and consciously relaxed his grip on Eva’s fingers as she frowned at him. The Kaspian at the gate raised eyebrows at Eva, then glanced at their clasped hands before letting them through. “They’re waiting for you at the Infirmary,” the warrior said, and Brand nodded sharply, pulling Eva along on the shallow path.
“Who was that?” Eva asked quietly, as Brand opened the door to cut through the Supplies Building.
“Simon Francis.” They moved outside again. “He must have drawn guard duty tonight. He helps Bryan watch Stronghold’s perimeter.” Eva clutched the blanket tighter about her shoulders. They strode across the snow-covered walk to the main training building where the Infirmary was located. He opened the door and saw Eva relax at the warmth that rushed at them.
Eva didn’t say anything as he led her up to the well-lit second level of the building. Brand turned left toward the holding rooms…and stopped.
Khael faded out of an empty doorway, thick arms crossed, blocking the corridor with his massive frame; even in a faded black t-shirt and jeans, his brother was imposing and Brand heard Eva gasp behind him. He took firm hold of his self-control and kept his body between the two of them.
Hell if his instincts didn’t choose that moment to rise – for even though Brand logically knew Khael would have no sexual interest in Eva, he also knew that – if it came to a fight between the two of them – his brother could pound him into the floor.
Keep between Khael and Eva. That was all that mattered right now.
“Dmitrei was here.” Brand said evenly, studying Khael’s features, the leashed gold-tinged wildness in his brother’s stone-colored eyes; he tallied the flecking of red in that gaze and mentally braced for whatever might be coming next. There was no leeway in Khael, no give. Just close-leashed violence. “He spoke with Nikandria?”
“Briefly,” Khael rumbled, his voice rough as if from lack of use. It probably was. “When he brought the cub in.”
“What about?”
“The girl’s circumstances.”
“Nothing more?” Brand gritted his teeth in annoyance at Dmitrei while Khael gave the slightest negatory shake of his head. “Did they even acknowledge each other?”
“They knew each other,” Khael said impassively, his gaze dangerous as he surveyed Brand. “That was enough.”
Brand swore. Dmitrei had spoken to Nikandria only three times in the past three centuries. They were siblings, and yet, no matter what Brand tried to do, Dmitrei refused to know his sister.
“It’s not her fault she was born,” Brand growled, more than irritated. “The least he could do is acknowledge that.”
Khael’s gaze traveled to Eva; his expression didn’t change as he studied her. Brand tensed despite himself. If Khael knew Eva was his amati, Brand had no idea what his brother would say. What his brother would do. Khael’s flickering eyes came back to Brand and pierced through him. They saw too much.
“I doubt that is Dmitrei’s problem with her.” Khael rumbled. “Best remember Brand, the aversion between them isn’t one-sided.” Then Khael slowly uncrossed his arms and shifted aside just enough for Brand to continue down the corridor. “Nikandria is with the cub. I will be waiting for you in the training room. Afterward.”
Brand judged his brother’s mood – then moved past. He looked back to see Eva hesitate. Her eyes had latched to Khael’s, wariness filling her silver gaze, but his brother didn’t so much as twitch as she slipped past him to rejoin Brand.
“Who was that?” Eva whispered after they turned down the next hall, glancing nervously back. She tucked her hand in his. “His eyes. They were…they looked…with the red in them, they almost looked like he was on the edge of…” She shuddered. Brand couldn’t blame her.
“That was Khael. My oldest brother.”
“You mean Khael, your Resh?”
Now she sounded panicked. Brand shrugged and tightened his hold on her fingers. “He’s less civilized than most.”
“Less civilized?” Eva huffed a soft, nervous laugh. “That’s one way to put it.” She swallowed. “Is he okay? Did something happen to upset him – does it have to do with the girl? The one Bryan was talking about?”
Brand didn’t immediately answer. Had something happened to Khael? Yes – centuries ago. Did it have to do with the girl he was going to help? No. But a girl? Yes…yes, but Khael’s secrets weren’t for Brand to explain. Not even to his amati.
And, Brand knew, the time for his own explanations was close at hand.
“It is an old pain, Eva,” he said as they took a quick flight of steps. “All that matters is that Khael is in control of it. Still, I’ll ask you to stay away from him. For right now, at least.”
As Eva mulled over that, Brand quickened his pace until he picked up the sound of Nikandria and Samuel’s low voices in far hall. Then he made the mistake of glancing down to meet his amati’s too-curious, too-discerning gaze.
“Your brother had a tattoo. On his neck,” Eva’s expression was baffled as her hand rose to cover the right side of her throat. Brand flinched, caught her fingers and pulled them away. He understood her confusion: Kaspians couldn’t be tattooed. Their skin healed too quickly and rejected the inks. But what Khael displayed on the right side of his neck wasn’t anything so simple as a human’s tattoo.
It was a Marque.
Every time Brand saw that Marque, he cursed himself.
Partially for the death of Khael’s amati – he should have helped Lis. He should have listened to her. But mostly, Brand blamed himself for what had happened to Khael after. Brand blamed himself for that…and for what he was about to do again, in only a matter of moments.
Sometimes his ability helped, sometimes it hurt. Brand was never quite sure which he was doing.
Khael should have hated him. But he didn’t, and Brand never understood why.
Brand stopped outside the connecting door, shaking his head as age weighed on his soul. Age and a thousand’s-thousand memories, none of them his own.
“Brand? Are you okay?” Eva tentatively touched his arm. She needs to be warned. Before I go in there, she needs to know.
Brand turned to grip Eva’s slender fingers – they were the same ones she had touched her throat with; her silver eyes gleamed in the dim lighting. There was one thing she needed to understand, one thing
she could never forget when dealing with Khael. For both her and Khael’s sakes. And Brand’s own.
“Never ask Khael about that Marque, Eva,” Brand ordered. Eva’s eyes widened. “Never try to touch it. Not even by accident. It’s not a tattoo. And if you have any sort of mercy in your heart, any sense of self-preservation, you will never ever risk mentioning that Marque in his hearing again.”
Eva looked bewildered. “But if he doesn’t like it, why does he display it? Why not get it removed?”
She still thought it was a tattoo. Difference being, it couldn’t be removed.
“Khael displays it so he will never forget.” It is all he has left.
Brand felt the smoothness of Eva’s skin beneath her shirt, smelled the lush clean scent of her. If he wanted, he could lean forward and take one of those beautiful lips between his teeth, nibble his way over her mouth and down her throat. Brand could breathe in her scent so deeply, so fully, that he would never risk forgetting her. Perhaps it would wash his own memories away.
He stepped back and dropped his palms.
Don’t fucking deserve to.
He wanted to cry. To roar. To kill something.
He wanted to Marque her. To fuck her. To consummate the bond.
He wanted…many things.
“You’ll remember, Eva?” Brand asked finally, roughly, but he was no longer asking about Khael. But Brand needed her to agree, he needed the reassurance of her nod before he went and did what he had to do.
“Yes, of course.” Brand watched Eva’s delicate forehead crease as she studied him. As if – suddenly – she saw too much. Before she could say anything, Brand turned away, pulled open the door and entered the outer area of the holding room the female cub was in. Can’t answer any questions now. Brand didn’t want to go into other people’s memories, much less his own.
Nikandria turned when they walked in, her purple gaze falling on Eva, and her eyebrows arched: amazement grew on his sister’s tired face, transforming into a rare brilliant smile. She walked across the room to wrap Brand in a hug.
