Melinda quirked an eyebrow, she shifted slightly, her head tipping to the side as she rested a hand on her hip. “Like hell Braith? Like hell? Are you forgetting that I live in that damned palace too? Are you forgetting that I was there after she escaped with Jericho? It was a bloodbath Braith; you were a one vampire destroyer, one that made even Caleb and father proud. They thought you were finally becoming like them, and in all honesty Braith, so did I. I never suspected that you might actually care for the girl. I thought you were reacting in such a way because your pride had been wounded. If I had known the truth I would have tried to explain it to you, but I don’t think you would have listened to me anyway. Especially not while you were immersed in the gluttony of blood and death you had engrossed yourself in.”
Aria swallowed heavily, her fingers curled around Braith’s massive arm, digging into the hard muscles cording it. He was trembling; his self-loathing evident as he glared hard at his sister. Melinda painted a vivid picture of what he had been like after she’d fled, and though Aria knew it all, she still hated to hear it.
“I’m not like that,” Braith hissed.
“Maybe not normally, and most definitely not before you met her.” Melinda took a small step forward, her gaze pinning Braith sharply. Even Aria was surprised by the force of that steely stare. “I’m fairly certain that if I even made one threatening move toward her, you would kill me, sister or not.”
Aria waited for Braith to protest that statement; of course he wouldn’t kill his own sister. But Aria found herself waiting until she finally turned her attention back to him. “Braith?” She finally inquired, stunned by the fact that he had not responded yet.
He seemed hesitant to answer, and then when he did, he didn’t sound all that convincing. “I wouldn’t kill you.”
“You would if you had to. You would if it became necessary to ensure her survival.”
“No, he wouldn’t,” Aria insisted.
“Is that true Braith, you wouldn’t?” Melinda demanded, her eyes narrowed, her jaw tight. “Are you going to stand here and lie in front of her, to her?”
He was silent for a long moment, Aria’s heart pumped laboriously. Her soul ached with hurt for him, for her, for the sister staring so fiercely at her brother. “I won’t lie to her,” Braith grated. “Yes, I would kill you if it meant her life.”
Aria inhaled sharply, she could hardly breathe through the shock rocking her. “Braith?”
“Don’t be so shocked,” Melinda told her. “I would try to kill him too, if it came to Ashby. We can’t help it, you are his bloodlink; Ashby is mine. We don’t have a choice, if you were a vampire you would understand the need, the driving force that propels us to make sure that they are safe, and kept with us. You would also understand the fact that your humanity tests every boundary of his control. I saw what happened in that palace, what he did. You were still alive then, if you were to die…” Her eyes grew briefly distant, she shuddered slightly. “If you were to die then it would be as if hell itself had unleashed its fury upon this earth. No one would be safe.”
Braith was trembling with barely leashed power. Aria rubbed his arm lightly, trying to soothe him, but she wasn’t getting through. It wasn’t his sister’s words so much that were upsetting him; it was the fact that she had mentioned Aria’s death. “Braith…”
“She’s not going to die,” he said simply, lost to the haze of emotions clouding him.
“Not for a long time,” Aria assured him.
“Ever,” he growled.
The room was silent, stunned by the low spoken word. Aria’s heart hammered, she knew that he wanted her to change, but to do so… To do so would be to become everything she had ever feared, hated, and fought against. To do so would be turn against her own kind, her own family. Her chest ached, tears burned her eyes.
“Braith,” she breathed.
He turned slowly toward her, his arm was shaking even more; the muscles within it were trembling in her grasp. “You know how dangerous that is,” Ashby said softly.
But Aria was fairly certain that Braith had not heard him. His attention was focused upon her, his entire being was connected to hers, linked with hers. She could become a vampire and stay with her family; they would forgive her eventually, maybe. She would also be a strong ally for them; Braith would be a powerhouse on their side. She could become a vampire and stay with him forever. She could give him this, if it was what he so desperately needed. She could give him this, because he would give her anything that he could.
He had not chosen whatever was happening to him, to them. He did not want to hurt her, did not want to feel like this. Braith prided himself on control, on stability, and self reliance. He prided himself on the fact that he was powerful, yet understanding. Since she had left the palace though, he had been none of those things. He had become angry, unstable, and the murderous monster he despised his father and brother for. Melinda and Ashby understood what was going on, and perhaps if Braith did he would be a little more stable, but right now his confusion over his wild emotions was only adding to his volatility.
“Arianna?” his voice, so deep and beautiful was ragged with feeling.
“It will be ok,” she promised fervently. His eyes, hard and desperate, softened. In their bright depths she saw his pain and confusion, but she also saw his need, his desire; his love. “We can do this, we can do anything.”
“It’s not that simple,” Ashby said softly. “Braith knows that. You aren’t a vampire, that’s why I am so surprised this has happened to him with you. It’s never happened with a human before, never.”
“I think you need to tell me exactly what is happening here,” Braith said coldly.
“Can I untie him first?” Melinda inquired.
“No.”
Anger flared through her steely gaze, her hands fisted at her sides in futility. They may be siblings, but it would not be an equal fight. Braith was older, stronger; he radiated a depth of power that Melinda did not seem to possess. “Imagine if it was her that was tied up; imagine how you would feel then Braith!” she pleaded.
“It’s not her, and it never will be.”
“Braith!” Melinda’s frustration was mounting; her eyes were growing darker, redder. Her emotions were swinging wildly toward the breaking point.
“Easy love,” Ashby said softly. “It’s ok, I’m fine. Braith doesn’t know how to tie someone up all that well anyway.” His eyes were gleaming with amusement, but Aria could sense the tension beneath his lighthearted façade. The last thing he wanted was to see Melinda try and fight her way through her brother.