Refugee (The Captive #3)(47)

Braith was before her suddenly. She did not shrink from him, did not shy away from his frantic, yet tender touch. “Are you ok?” he demanded, his voice hoarse and raw.

“Yes.”

His hands moved steadily lower, stopping at the tattered remains of her shirt. “Get out of here!” he snarled at Ashby and Xavier.

They stood for a brief moment before slipping out of the tunnel. His hands trembled as he tugged the pieces from her hand and pulled them slowly apart. He was stiff before her, barely moving as he gazed upon her. While in the palace she had been forced to wear some of the silliest and most uncomfortable undergarments she had ever seen in her life. Once free of the palace she had resumed her habit of wearing an undershirt, sometimes a slip.

The slip she wore now had also been torn, but unlike the ruined shirt it was still intact enough to cover her breasts. It was nearly see through, even in the dim light of the tunnel, and especially to the acute vision of a vampire but she wasn’t embarrassed. Her breath froze, her heart hammered as he remained still as stone before her.

“You’re bleeding.”

The words were grated through his teeth. And then, before she knew what was happening, he lowered his head to the scratch marks on her chest. His warm mouth made her heart lurch and his tongue against her skin caused her entire body to simmer with pleasure. Her fingers curled into his hair, holding him close as he licked the cuts on her chest.

He pulled slowly away, embracing her as he kissed her neck, her ear, and finally her lips. The brush of his lips against hers made her forget the hideous assault of the pitiful man. The touch of his lips made everything that was so arduous and wrong in their lives, worth it.

“They’ll heal faster now,” he whispered against her mouth.

“What will?” she inquired, still dazed and adrift in the feelings he aroused in her.

His fingers were subtle, a mere butterfly caress against her raw flesh. “Your wounds.”

Aria shuddered at the reminder. Braith could make her forget almost anything but now that she wasn’t overwhelmed by his touch, the events of the past five minutes crashed back over her. His fingers wrapped around the back of her head as he pulled her to him. “Are you sure that you’re ok?” he asked worriedly. She nodded, unable to form words as her fingers dug into his back.

“I’m fine Braith, I swear; a little shaken, but fine.”

He rocked her soothingly, his cheek resting against her head as he swayed her back and forth. “Braith.” A low growl of displeasure escaped Braith as Ashby appeared at the end of the tunnel. Ashby was undeterred by it though. “They’re here Braith.”

A regretful sound escaped him. “Ok.”

“I brought a shirt.” Ashby didn’t come into the tunnel though; instead he threw it to Braith before turning away.

Braith grasped hold of her ruined shirt, his fingers quivered as he slid it from her shoulders. He tossed it aside and helped her shrug on the new one. Braith slid the buttons into place; his hands hesitated upon the last one as he lifted his head to hers.

“You’re beautiful.”

It wasn’t true, but he made her feel every inch as beautiful as he thought she was. She managed a wan smile as her fingers encircled his. “I love you.”

It was his time to smile now, it lit his face like a beacon and made her heart melt. It was magnificent, his smile, breathtaking even. “I love you too.”

And even though the troops had invaded the cave, he gave her one last, lingering kiss.





***





“Did you ever, in a million years think that we would be sitting in one of our cave systems surrounded by vampires?”

Aria cocked her head as she turned to look at her brother. The firelight played over his features, harder and more masculine than hers, but similar all the same. “No,” she admitted with a low laugh.

“Do you think they’ll eat us?”

“It’s a possibility,” she joked.

William chuckled, but she sensed the tension beneath the laughter. He still wasn’t entirely certain about this situation, or the vampires and humans surrounding them. “We’ve come a long way sis.”

“We have,” she agreed. William’s hand was suddenly holding hers. She looked at him in surprise. They were closer than most siblings, always had been, but it had been years since they had held hands. It appeared he was as troubled as she was. She squeezed his hand with both of hers and relaxed against his shoulder.

They stood at the edge of the circle that had been formed around the fire within the center of the cave. It was still summer above, but down here it was cool and damp.

She watched as Braith stood with his head bowed while he conferred with the other faction leaders. The firelight played off of his hair, highlighting his handsome features and broad shoulders. He was nodding as Gideon spoke in quick, hushed whispers that were accentuated by the constant flutter of his hands. Braith’s arms folded over his chest, he leaned briefly back on his heels and though she couldn’t see it, she felt it when his eyes landed on her.

Her hand constricted around William’s. “I’m afraid.” It was the first time she had said the words out loud, the first time she had admitted it, even to herself.

“I know. So am I.”

Tears bloomed in her eyes as she turned to her twin. She’d never expected such an admission from him. “Not of dying,” she whispered.