William tripped and nearly fell as he gaped at Braith. “And that’s where we’re going?”
“It is.”
He strode out of the kitchen, breaking into a brisk jog as his body thrummed with anticipation and bloodlust. She was so close; he could feel her there, just beyond his grasp. Fire licked over his skin with his driving urge to see and touch her once more. He needed it more than he needed blood to survive. He burst into the palace foyer, startling the ten guards stationed outside the throne room.
The guards leapt into action as they jumped forward to try and block him from the room. Braith grabbed hold of one, shoving him back against the door as he drove a fist into the side of another guard’s cheek. The man grunted as he fell back beneath the blow. Another guard began to shout loudly as he called for more of his brethren. Braith seized hold of his neck and ruthlessly tore the guard’s throat out before he could raise too much of an alarm. An arrow whistled over his shoulder and pierced another guard in the forehead.
Xavier was suddenly beside him as a soldier grabbed hold of Braith’s shoulder and tried to pull him back. Braith drove his elbow harshly into the man’s chin and snapped his head back. The dull thud of arrows hitting their targets filled the hall, and the shouts died away as Braith took down the last standing guard.
Rising to his feet, he wiped the blood from his face with the back of his arm. He doubted he got it all, but he didn’t want to be completely drenched in blood when he saw her again. Braith grabbed the handles and flung the massive wooden doors open on the hideous room that his father cherished.
The king was at the end of the vast room, lounging in his throne, seemingly unaffected by the fact that Braith was here to kill him. He didn’t appear at all concerned about the fact that his soldiers had just been dispatched of with relative ease as he grinned at Braith and gave a small wave of his fingers. Braith’s jaw clenched as he nodded a brief greeting in return.
Even with the light from the massive chandelier, his father had always insisted upon having torches lit across the walls in order to highlight every gruesome, emaciated, and unwilling occupant of his trophy room. William inhaled sharply, Max’s step faltered while Daniel studied the room with obvious revulsion. Keegan growled as he crouched at Braith’s side.
“Awful,” William breathed.
Braith hadn’t seen the room with his own eyes in over a century, but it was just as hideous as he remembered. In fact, it was worse. There were even more vampire and human remains preserved within the room now. He also saw the reason for his father’s nonchalant demeanor as guard’s slipped from the alcoves within the room. They moved noiselessly forward to protect the man they served.
“I was wondering when you’d join us,” his father called to him. “Come closer son, I think our girl will be joining us soon. I sent Caleb to retrieve her for us.”
Braith’s gaze moved over the guards gathered within the room. There were at least thirty of them, and he wouldn’t be surprised to learn that even more were hidden throughout the room. He felt no concern over the fact that they were outnumbered, he had no fear anymore; he only had the burning urge to have Aria back and the vampire before him dead. He’d kill all of these men if that was what it took.
“Is that Xavier with you?” The king leisurely rose to his feet and straightened the rich, voluminous maroon robe he wore. He scanned Xavier from head to toe as his eyebrow quirked and a smile flitted across his mouth. “You’ve sunk even lower than I thought Braith if this is the pitiful company you’ve started to keep. You thought you could beat me with this pathetic excuse for a vampire.”
Braith refused to rise to his father’s baiting. Xavier stepped forward, his hands were enfolded within the sleeves of his robe and his shoulders were thrust back as he stared wordlessly at the king. Max and William were beside him, but Daniel had moved a little bit away, he seemed oddly fascinated by the withered vampires. Braith had to restrain himself from grabbing hold of the kid and forcing him to stay near them.
“What exactly was your plan here Braith?” Aria was close; he could feel it, she was almost within his grasp. He just wasn’t certain which passageway door she would be coming through as there were at least three that he knew of within the throne room. “Did you honestly believe that you could come in here and what, overthrow me? Kill me? With this sad assortment? They’re not even vampires, what were you planning on doing with these humans, distracting me with them as a snack?”
He didn’t know what the plan was; he simply knew that he had to get her out of here, alive, if at all possible. “They’re still alive,” Daniel muttered as he hastily stepped away from one of the desiccated remains.
“The vampires are,” Xavier confirmed. “The king has always liked his trophies.”
Daniel’s eyes were huge as his hand twitched on his bow. Braith moved somewhat to the side, stepping partially in front of Daniel. Daniel was usually stable, analytical, and rational to the bone, but this room seemed to have rattled his restraint completely. Braith was fearful Daniel would do something irrational before they had a chance to get Aria back.
“Where is your poor excuse for a brother?”
“Caleb is chasing down the human that escaped him at the moment,” Braith answered, knowing full well that was not the brother the king had meant.
A small flicker of a muscle in his cheek was the only reaction the king had to this revelation. “Ah the human,” the king purred as he licked his lips. “She is quite the tasty little treat Braith. I’m actually amazed by your astoundingly good taste, or should I say her taste and your restraint with her. I was unable to be so restrained with such a morsel.”
“Easy Braith,” Xavier urged as Max stepped in front him.
It took all he had not to launch across the hundred feet separating them and pound that smile from the man’s hideous face. His vision clouded with red again, his hands fisted. Father, or not, he was going to enjoy destroying this vampire, enjoy ripping his heart out and stomping on it.
“Yes Braith, easy. We don’t need you getting all worked up before our girl is here to enjoy it. Oh the fun we three will have.” He paused for a lengthy moment, rocking on his heels as he smirked at them and rubbed his fingers together before him. “I assume that since he isn’t here, Jericho is amongst the group being decimated outside the palace walls right now.”
Daniel and William exchanged an uneasy look. “I have no idea where Jericho is, and he goes by Jack now,” Braith managed to grate out.