Ashby swallowed, he rubbed his throat again, but he didn’t speak. Braith grabbed hold of his shoulders, slamming him off the wall as he shook him roughly. Ashby staggered slightly but swiftly caught his balance again. His lips curled into a sneer, his fangs extended but he did not come at Braith, he was too smart for that. They both knew that he would not win. Braith was older, stronger, and well sated.

“Where are the guards?” he demanded again.

Ashby straightened his shoulders, fixing his shirt as he straightened away from the wall. He had always been meticulously dressed and groomed. “Dead.” Braith nodded slowly as he glanced around the large room, he had already expected that answer.

His mother’s family had once had the home finely appointed with classical furniture, and works of art. All of those things had been stripped from the house when Ashby had been banished here. Now, though the room was still fairly bare, Braith was not surprised to see that Ashby had managed to find a few nicer things to decorate it with. Ashby had always had fine taste and liked the finer things in life; he would find a way to incorporate them into his home.

“Who speaks with the guards from the palace when they call?”

“I do.”

“So you discovered the code word, and killed them.”

It had not been a question, but Ashby answered anyway. “Yes.”

“When will someone from the palace be getting into contact again?”

“Not until tomorrow morning. They checked in about an hour ago. I won’t tell you the password.” Braith hadn’t suspected that he would. Ashby would stay alive for as long as he was needed. When Ashby’s gaze slid back toward Arianna he stepped in between them. “She’s human.”

“Very astute of you,” Braith growled.

Ashby’s eyes narrowed on Braith. “Why are you here Braith? What the hell are you doing with a human? Why is she not wearing a leash?”

Arianna bristled slightly as she stepped forward. “I am not a blood slave,” she coldly informed Ashby, her jaw clenched tight as she glared at him.

“Arianna.” Braith pushed her slightly back, wanting to keep her as far from Ashby as possible.

Ashby was studying her in surprise and disbelief. Then his gaze drifted down to her shoulder. Her loose shirt had slid slightly down, revealing the marks that marred her porcelain skin. Hunger flashed through his eyes, but something even more flitted across his features. “You’re not a blood slave, and you’re not a palace woman, yet you nurture him?”

Arianna was beginning to grow thoroughly annoyed with Ashby, her hands twitched upon her bow. Braith wouldn’t put it past her to draw an arrow and shoot him just to make herself feel better. He reached out, pulling the collar of her shirt up, stroking her skin for a brief moment before he covered the marks. Her eyes fired with love, her mouth parted slightly.

“How did you know her shirt was down?” Braith turned slowly back to Ashby, a small smile curved his mouth. Ashby’s mouth dropped, his eyes widened. “You can see!” Braith just shrugged in response. “What? How? I don’t understand.” Ashby’s attention turned back to Arianna, he shook his head, causing his dark blond hair to spill across his forehead. He seemed completely mystified by her. “I thought your eyesight was gone for good.”

“Do you have a place where she can lie down?” Braith inquired, unwilling to even begin to ease some of Ashby’s shock and questions.

“I’m not leaving you,” Arianna protested instantly.

“You’re exhausted.”

“I’m fine Braith.”

“Arianna…”

“No, I am not leaving you alone with him!” she retorted fiercely.

“What the hell,” Ashby whispered, his head bouncing rapidly back and forth between them.

“Shut up!” Braith snapped at him. “Arianna…”

“I’m fine Braith, really. I slept on the way here, remember. I don’t want to leave you alone, or be alone right now.” Her response was so honest, so vulnerable that it tugged at his heart. He didn’t want her anywhere near Ashby, but he couldn’t force her away. Especially not now that he realized that beneath her defiant expression and posture, she was terrified.

“Sit down.”

He wasn’t surprised when she didn’t move but simply stood immobile with her hands clenched around the bow. “Jesus,” Ashby said softly. “What the hell is going on Braith? Why are you here? And what the hell is she to you!?”

“That’s not your concern,” Braith informed him. “Who are you expecting?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Ashby replied, trying hard to appear nonchalant and failing miserably.

“You were whistling when you opened the door, you weren’t worried that there may be a threat on the other side. Who are you expecting?”

Ashby tilted his chin to glare at Braith. “You have your secrets and I have mine,” he responded softly.

“I have my secrets but I can, and will, rip your throat out.” Braith pushed him back, keeping him tight to the wall. “I already owe you one Ashby; you think I won’t take great pleasure in drawing your death out.”

Ashby’s turned toward Arianna, his eyebrows drew sharply together. “She doesn’t look too pleased by that notion.”

“I don’t have to watch,” Arianna informed him tautly.

Braith gave her an approving nod before turning his attention back to Ashby. The knock on the door snapped all of their heads around. Ashby opened his mouth to shout a warning, but Braith seized hold of his throat, cutting his cry swiftly off. Before Ashby could react Braith delivered a swift blow that knocked him out, rendering him unconscious. Arianna was gaping at him, her eyes wide with shock. He placed his finger to his lip, directing her to remain silent as he made his way toward the door. He heard the arrow being knocked back against the bow, but he did not look back.

He pulled aside the curtain a little. He could not see who was on the porch, but he was satisfied that it was only one person. He threw the door opened, not at all surprised to see the girl standing outside. She was, however, stunned to see him. Her mouth dropped, her eyes widened, a small cry escaped her as Braith seized hold of her arm and pulled her swiftly into the house.

Chapter 12

Aria sat on the edge of the couch, her hands clasped before her, the bow and quiver by her feet. She wasn’t taking any chances; she didn’t want them more than arm’s length away from her. Ashby was holding a rag to his cut lip; his gaze hooded as he stared hard at Braith. Aria leaned forward, not liking the look in Ashby’s bright green eyes.

He was exceptionally good looking in a very easy going, charming way. His dark blond hair was shaggy as it fell forward in waves, highlighting the carved planes of his face. There was an air of indifference surrounding him, and yet Aria sensed that there was something more to him, something that even Braith didn’t know about. Something that Ashby had managed to keep hidden from everyone that had ever known him.

She didn’t know why she was so convinced of this; perhaps it was years of honing her instincts within the forest. But she could not shake the feeling that there was far more to Ashby than met the eye.

The young girl sat across from him, her brown eyes wide as she nervously watched them. She was pretty, with long dark hair that fell in thick waves about her delicate shoulders. She was older than Aria, about twenty two or three in appearance. Though there was no way to know her real age, as she was not human. A fact that had been made clear when she had attempted to attack Braith, only to be swiftly rebuffed.

He had tied her hands behind her back, and then secured her to a beam in the ceiling with enough rope to allow her to keep her hands down. Her legs were also tied, with another length of rope that ran to a different beam. Aria was edgy, nervous about this situation, uncertain as to what they were doing here, and what Braith planned for these two.

Ashby appeared just as uncertain as he watched Braith wearily. “What have you gotten yourself into Braith?” he asked quietly.

“I don’t see how that is any of your concern.”

She felt the spark of hunger and curiosity that raced through Ashby as his eyes raked over her again. Aria shifted slightly, hating the way he continued to look at her like she was something to eat, or an oddity that he couldn’t explain. Aria forced herself not to squirm beneath his scrutiny, forced herself to return his gaze.

“You’ve come to me Braith; that makes it my concern. You have brought whatever trouble you are in into my world. I have a right to know what the hell that is.”

Braith turned to him, but his jaw was tight, and Aria was well aware of the fact that he was not going to talk to Ashby. She was just as curious as Ashby was, just as puzzled as to what Braith had planned, but if Braith didn’t want to say it in front of Ashby then she wasn’t going to press him. “This isn’t your world Ashby, it’s your prison. Or at least it was supposed to be. Who is the girl?”

“Who is your girl?” Ashby retorted.

A low growl of anger and frustration escaped Braith. The hair on Aria’s neck and arms stood on end as he stalked toward Ashby. She was afraid that he was going to kill Ashby; apparently Ashby felt the same way as he recoiled from Braith’s approach. Aria leapt to her feet, intending to stop Braith when the girl charged at her with a soft, violent hiss. Aria spun, but she was caught off guard by the girl’s sudden attack. Stunned by the brutality and hunger the girl radiated, Aria fell back as she lunged forward with a ferocious snarl, red eyes, and hooked fingers.

She was defenseless, having left her bow by the sofa. Reacting on instinct alone, she slammed a fist into the girl’s cheek, putting the full force of her weight behind it. Aria’s blow barely did anything to affect the vampire, but the ropes caught suddenly, jerking her roughly back. The girl fell back on her ass, a frustrated cry escaping her as she slammed her hands on the floor.

Aria took a small step back, her heart hammering with terror, her throat dry with the shock strumming through her. Braith was before her, his hands grasping hold of her arms. “Are you ok?” he demanded. Aria swallowed heavily, trying to calm the frantic beat of her heart, and her fear. “Arianna?”

“I’m fine. I’m fine,” she said softly.

He grasped hold of her chin, turning her face toward him. His eyes were intent, dark, and simmering with the barely contained fury and bloodlust pulsing through him. She had seen that look a few times from him, but it still scared her, mainly because she knew there was nothing that she could do to stop whatever it was he intended. “Braith…”

But it was not the girl that Braith took his anger out on, it was her. His mouth seized hers in a desperate, needy way that left her stunned and shaken. He took firm possession of her, pulling her roughly against him as he clasped her tightly. Though she was originally shocked into immobility by his fervent need, she felt herself melting against him. She gave into to his wild desire mainly because she couldn’t refuse him anything, but also because she needed this as badly as he did. His hand was firm in her hair; his fingers gently cradled her skull as he deepened the kiss.

He pulled slowly away from her, his arms trembling around her as he rested his forehead against hers. Aria struggled to catch her breath, struggled to calm the hum of desire his volatile kiss had ignited. She clung to his strong, well muscled arms, trying hard to keep herself grounded in this strange new world and the overwhelming sensations that he evoked in her. He clasped hold of her face gently, kissing her nose lightly as he held her for a moment longer.

“I need you to go into the other room for a minute.”

“Braith…”

“Just for a minute Arianna, I don’t want you to see this.”

Aria’s eyes widened. Horror, disbelief, and disgust tore through her as she realized what he intended to do. She wanted to argue with him, wanted to tell him no, but she couldn’t find the words. They were outnumbered here, between Ashby and the girl they were under constant threat of attack. But the girl was tied up, defenseless. It wasn’t right. She was shaking her head, trying to get the words out, but he was already pushing her toward the door of another room.

“Braith wait,” she said frantically clinging to his arms. “Don’t do this, not like this Braith.”

“I’m not going to kill her,” he assured her softly.

“But…”

“It’s ok Arianna; go on now, just for a moment.”

She was frowning fiercely at him, but he had already managed to navigate her through the doors and into a room that appeared to be a library. Braith glanced around, displeasure crossing his features as he took in the vast array of books. “Braith?”