Captured (The Captive #1)(41)
She grabbed hold of the library door, slamming it shut behind her as she leapt forward. Out of the corner of her, she caught a rushing blur coming at her. Aria ducked low, darting to the side as the blur dove at her. A small gasp escaped her as a hand skimmed over her back, but she dove forward, just barely managing to escape its seeking grasp. It was not Braith that had leapt at her, for she knew his touch anywhere, but his brother the traitor. She scrambled back to her feet, lifting the annoying hindrance of her dress as she leapt onto one of the sofas, jumping over the back of it in an easy, graceful motion.
There was a frustrated growl behind her, but she ignored it as she bounded forward. The door was right there, just feet away from her. For the first time since the chase had started, true hope bloomed in her chest, excitement pounded through her. She had managed to avoid two mature vampires in an enclosed space, surely she could get free. Surely she would escape this never ending nightmare.
Her fingers scrambled over the doorknob, she worked swiftly through the locks that had been thrown. Locks that were rarely ever in place, as she had learned earlier when Caleb had walked in on them. Locks, she realized, that Braith’s brother had put into place. The door was almost a foot open when a hand slammed hard against it, banging it shut with a resounding crash that echoed throughout the room, but did little to drown out the shattering of her heart. She tugged uselessly on the handle for a few moments more, feeling like a fool, feeling like a helpless idiot as frustration, despair, and anger filled her.
She wanted to scream for help, but there would be no one to come to her aid. No one to save her, she was trapped, and she was discovered. There was no escaping that fact. Not with Jack here now. Except his name wasn’t Jack, was it? No, it was Jericho, and he was not one of her allies, but a member of the damn royal family. And he had come here to root her out, hand her over, and use her as a weapon against her own family.
Well the joke was on him then wasn’t it? Because no matter what they did to her, her family would not come here. It would be a suicide mission, they knew that, and there were far more other people’s lives at stake, than just hers. She was willing to accept that fact. She just wished it hadn’t come to this. The sense of betrayal was sharp, she had always liked Jack, she had trusted him, enjoyed spending time with him, had learned from him, and in return had taught him a few tricks of her own. Her father had liked the man, had trusted him, and brought him into his confidence. And the entire time Jack, no Jericho, had been planning to betray him. She was shaking, her body trembling with the anger radiating through her.
A hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her tight against a hard body she recognized instantly as Braith’s. She remained stiff, wooden within his grasp. She did not try to kid herself, they had grown close, she believed he might even care for her, but his loyalty would always be to his family, and his kind. He could not protect her from this, even if he did want to, which she wasn’t quite sure he would. He turned her away from the door, spinning her to face Jack.
Maggie was right he was handsome, though she didn’t think him as handsome as Braith. He was as tall as Braith, with a slightly leaner, more whipcord build. His hair, lightened by his time in the sun, was not as dark as Braith’s but had lighter streaks of brown and gold highlighting it. His eyes were steel grey, piercing, and severe as his gaze locked on hers. She glared fiercely back at him, anger curling through her as she tilted her chin defiantly.
“I take it you two know each other,” Braith grated, his voice low in her ear. She clamped her jaw shut, resisting the urge to swing her hanging feet back and kick him in the shin. But pissing him off right now would do her little good. “Is she who you’re looking for?” he demanded harshly.
Aria remained unmoving in his grasp, her hands fisted tight as she stared hard at Jack/Jericho, her new greatest enemy. His eyes remained on her, narrowed slightly as he took her in. “One of you answer me!” Braith snarled, shaking her slightly within his grasp.
“Put me down!” she snapped. His grip simply tightened on her. Anger and frustration boiled through her, everything inside of her seemed to explode at once. She wanted to scream, wanted to kick and claw and go wild, but she did none of those things, she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing her broken. She folded her arms over her chest as she focused her gaze behind Jack, and on the gardens.
Seeming to realize that she was not going to bend, Braith placed her slowly down but did not release her. He kept his arm latched around her waist. “My family will not come for me,” Aria said softly. “No matter what happens, what is done to me, they will not come for me. They can’t.”
Braith hissed softly, his fingers clutched on her stomach. He pulled her tighter against him, pressing his body flat against hers. Jack’s eyes widened slightly as he surveyed her and Braith. “Damn it Arianna! You should have told me!” Braith growled.
She shuddered, wishing she could take solace in his arms, like she had before, but she knew there was no solace to be found this time. Telling him wouldn’t have changed any of this; it only would have denied her the few moments of happiness she had found with him. And no matter what, she would not forsake those moments for anything, not even to avoid this. He could not protect her from this; he could not stop his family from hurting her, not once his brother revealed who she truly was. She did not even pretend to kid herself that he could, it would be impossible.
Aria closed her eyes, fighting the hot wash of tears in her eyes. “I can’t let you turn her in Jericho.” Aria’s eyes flew open in shock, Braith’s hand brushed briefly across her stomach, stroking her gently. She was trembling, shaking within his grasp, uncertain as to what he was saying. He released her slowly, pushing her behind him, pinning her against the door. “I can’t let you tell them.”