“It makes so much more sense now,” Jack muttered. “There were so many things…” Jack broke off as his hands fell away. “I should have suspected something like this. The four of them were always so talented with weapons, so fast. We’ve all seen the way Aria moves through the trees and she helped to bring Caleb down. You’ve never seen Daniel or David on a horse though, they’re amazing, and William may very well be the fastest human I’ve ever seen when he runs.”
“That completely explains the bloodlink,” Ashby breathed in awe. “And your eyesight. You were able to link because she has vampire blood in her, and I am certain of that, even if you’re not. Your eyesight came back when she appeared, because something inside of you recognized her as your link, and you had to be able to see her in order to claim her as your soul mate and link.
“The minute I saw Melinda, I knew my life would never be the same. Because you were blind you weren’t able to find her immediately, so something inside of you made it possible for you to do so. It makes sense you would have such a reaction to it considering she isn’t a vampire, but does contain some of the genetics. The sharing of your blood, and the increasing intensity of your bond, has improved your vision, and for all we know may one day cure it completely. Your bloodline is the most powerful and the purest; your father was the oldest vampire ever. We’ll never know what he may have been capable of, and we may never know what you are fully capable of, especially when it comes to her.”
“How did we miss this?” Jack demanded.
“You were too busy plotting how to take her away,” Braith snarled. He had promised Aria he wouldn’t break anything, had promised her he wouldn’t lose complete control, and he meant to keep that promise, but he hadn’t promised he would simply let it go. His gaze fixed pointedly on Gideon. “Or even killing her.”
Ashby took an instinctive step back as Braith pressed closer to them. Braith’s hand shot out, he seized Gideon by the throat and shoved him into the wall. Gideon remained immobile as he stared unblinkingly at him. “Braith be reasonable,” Jack urged.
“I am being reasonable Jack, he’s still alive.” Gideon’s hazel eyes narrowed. “For once I am not simply just reacting, right Gideon?”
“You have to admit Braith you backed us all into a corner,” Gideon grated.
“I admit it, and because of that, I’m not going to kill you. I swear on her life that if you ever go behind my back again, if you ever think of hurting one hair on her head, I will do things to you that even my father would have been jealous of. Do you understand me Gideon?”
Gideon’s eyes were hooded as he stared at Braith. “I understand. It’s not like I actually wanted to kill the girl, and she came to me.”
Braith jerked his hand away before he accidentally snapped Gideon’s neck. “I know she did.”
“If any of you had come to me, this never even would have been an issue,” Xavier admonished. Ashby had the grace to appear chastised, Jack and Gideon wouldn’t meet Xavier’s gaze.
Braith’s hands fisted, he stared down the hall as his stomach twisted. “There will be no more plotting, not amongst us, and not if we are to have any chance of making it a better world than my father did.”
“Agreed,” Gideon murmured.
“If she does agree to the change what are you going to do if she dies Braith?” Ashby inquired.
“Survive,” he muttered.
“Braith,” Ashby’s eyes flickered briefly over the others. “I don’t know if that’s possible.”
“It has to be possible. I promised her I would, and I will keep that promise no matter what happens.”
“I don’t envy your position,” Jack said.
“No one would.”
“Perhaps someone else could do it if she decides to try,” Ashby suggested. “Jack even, he’s your brother.”
Jack’s mouth dropped as he shook his head forcefully. “No,” Braith said firmly.
“For you to be the one that causes her death is a different kind of monster,” Ashby persisted.
Braith turned as Aria stepped into the hall; he should have known her brothers wouldn’t be able to keep her away for long. Apprehension etched her features, she stared at him for a moment before her gaze flickered over the others and her delicate eyebrow shot up questioningly. “It will be me,” he informed them, unable to take his eyes from her. “No one else will touch her in such a way again.”
They exchanged a disconcerted look before Jack turned to him. “I’ll be by tomorrow.”
“Don’t destroy the kingdom while I’m gone Gideon,” Braith told him.
Gideon laughed as he rubbed his reddened throat. “Don’t destroy our future queen, Braith.”
“You’re an ass**le,” Braith hissed as he shoved past him.
“So I’ve been told.”
Braith didn’t look back as he hurried down the hall toward her. “Is everything ok?” she demanded.
“Fine. Are you ready for your surprise?”
She glanced at the men behind him and nodded. He smiled reassuringly as he held his arm out to her and waited for her to take it.
Chapter 20
“Where are we going?” she demanded laughingly.
“I told you, it’s a surprise. Keep your eyes closed.”
It was impossible to see anything anyway. Braith didn’t seem to trust her not to peek as he’d placed his hands over her eyes to ensure her blindness. They were in the woods, and though she couldn’t see the leaves, she knew they were beginning to turn as the smell of them hung heavily in the crisp air. Keegan pressed close to her side for a moment, she felt the goodbye in the gesture before he slipped away. She knew they would see the wolf again, but for now he was returning home to his family.
Braith adjusted his hands to slip one away from her eyes as he pushed back a limb. He stopped suddenly, pulling her back against his chest as he held her. The hum of anticipation raced through her as she practically bounced on her toes. “Are you ready?”
His lips brushed against her ear as he bent close to her. Her heart pulsed with excitement but she wasn’t sure if it was for the surprise, or for him. “Yes.”
He slipped his hands away from her eyes. For a moment she stared around the darkening forest in confusion as she saw only the flickering fireflies and a fox hiding amongst the trees. Braith reached around her, his chest pressed against her back, and his cheek briefly brushed against hers as he pointed upward. Aria’s head tilted back, her mouth dropped as shock and incredulity swamped her.