A cry escaped her as she jumped. She’d been too startled by the realization of where she was to hear Caleb’s approach. His word, whispered near her ear, sent a fresh flood of adrenaline crashing through her and with her hands fisted, she spun to face him. He was better prepared for her this time, but even so she was able to get in a glancing blow to his chin. He danced back for a moment before coming at her again.
With an infuriated cry, she kicked him in the knee with enough force to knock his leg back and pushed herself off of him as hard as she could. She was fast, she knew it, but she wasn’t faster than a vampire. She was just hoping to give herself a little bit of a head start as she turned and bolted out of the passageway. The king had to be somewhere nearby; she had a feeling that he spent most of his time in this throne/trophy/monstrosity room he had created for himself.
She bolted into the room, nearly tripping over her own feet as the king’s soldiers spun toward her. She froze, her eyes widened, her mouth dropped as the king turned to look at her. There was a malicious smile on his face as he leered at her with far too much amusement for her liking. Then over the sea of heads, across the massive hall, she saw him.
Her heart leapt into her throat, tears burned her eyes as her gaze clashed with Braith’s. The soldiers lifted their spears and moved to block him as he took a step toward her. Braith’s vivid gray eyes became the color of glistening rubies as his long fangs extended past his lower lip. Though there were far more soldiers than him, judging by the look on his face he might actually be able to plow his way through them to get to her.
Arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her up before flinging her to the floor. A strangled cry escaped as her body bounced off the marble and her teeth clamped down on the inside of her bottom lip. She had completely forgotten about Caleb in her astonishment and delight over seeing Braith, but he hadn’t forgotten about her.
She scrambled back, trying to regain her feet as Caleb came at her. Braith’s ferocious bellow ripped across the room as Caleb seized hold of her arms and yanked her to her feet.
Chapter 11
Jack led the way through the streets, fighting off the soldiers that came at them while trying to avoid the unsuspecting souls that scrambled to get out of the way. The only ones he truly cared about not killing were the children. Though some of the king’s noblemen resided within the palace itself, most had residences within the large town and bailey outside of it. It was those residences that Jack targeted now. He was sure most of the nobles had fled toward the palace when the attack started, but some would have stubbornly remained in their homes.
Wood cracked and popped as flames licked at the stores and homes. The stage where the slaves were auctioned was already fully engulfed. Screams echoed over the cobblestone and down the roads of the town as vampires and humans attempted to flee the devastation. He wanted to be repulsed by the death, but a part of him was thrilled by the brutality of it. He was surprised that most of their vampire’s were doing so well, especially the starving masses from the outlying towns. There were few here that wanted to win more than the broken masses the king had created though.
Drops of David’s blood dripped onto the streets as he fought close at Jack’s side. Though Jack had his baser instincts under control, the past few days had been a trying time and David’s blood seemed more distinct than the human’s around him. Jack realized he’d never smelled it before, in all of their adventures and trials together David’s blood had never been spilled before tonight. The man was too quick for that most of the time.
David lifted his bow and fired at a soldier that emerged from the smoke and fire. The arrow pierced deep into the soldier’s heart and knocked him back as he kicked and groaned in the final moments of his life. Though David’s jaw was locked, and determination radiated from his eyes, his arm trembled as he dropped it slowly back to his side.
“It is essential you take care of that wound,” Jack informed him.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine.” David shot him a look as he lifted his bow and fired another arrow into a cluster of soldiers. Jack ignored the furious look his friend gave him as he seized the bow from David. “Do something about it before you bleed to death,” he commanded gruffly. “Your children will kick my ass if something happens to you.”
David glowered at Jack as he reached out and grabbed Jack’s shirt. Jack wasn’t expecting it when David brandished a knife and cut a large piece of cloth from the last shirt Jack had that was still in one piece. Clothing was hard to come by in the woods, and over the years Jack had become accustomed to the lightweight tunics and baggy pants that were woven out of flax for the summer, and the heavy woolen articles that were created for the winter.
David’s eyes sparkled as he deftly tied the shirt around his injury and used his teeth to pull the knot tight. “I liked this shirt,” Jack grumbled as he handed the bow back.
“It was nice,” David agreed.
Jack’s attention was diverted from the blood soaking through his friends bandage as a shout of victory rang throughout the street. He turned to discover that Victor, one of his father’s right hand men, and one of the cruelest vampires Jack had ever had the displeasure of meeting, had been taken prisoner. The man was beaten and bloody as he was pulled down the street by a group of soldiers that were led by Saul and Barnaby. Saul stepped back and pointed toward one of the growing fires and the soldiers pushed Victor into the inferno. Jack didn’t feel an ounce of remorse as Victor’s agonized shrieks pierced the night.
Rounding a bend in the road, the palace came fully into view. It loomed over them, ominous and imposing as it stretched high into the night sky. Illumination from the leaping flames of the town shimmered off of the pale palace walls as they approached.
Almost there, they were almost there. He could only hope that his brother hadn’t managed to get himself killed as the massive gold doors of the palace swung open and a new horde of the king’s soldiers spilled out to challenge them.
***
Braith could barely believe what he was seeing as Aria burst free of the servant’s tunnel. Seeming to sense his presence, she turned toward him. Hope and terror radiated from her brilliant blue eyes as she gazed at him. Even filthy, with her hair tangled around her dirt streaked, porcelain skin, she was still the most exquisitely beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
Beneath the dirt he saw the bites, bruises and blood that ran up and down her arms and across the column of her throat toward her neck. He couldn’t bring himself to think about where else she might have bite marks, where else they might have touched her, and what else they might have done to her. All he longed for was to get his hands on her again, and to get her out of here alive.