Unbound (The Captive #7)(100)

Braith yanked back, tearing the heart from Sabine’s chest, but she didn’t stop biting him. Disbelief swirled through Aria as she gazed at the heart within Braith’s hand. The loss of the organ had done nothing to slow Sabine’s feeding frenzy. Blood loss may not kill Braith, but if Sabine succeeded in taking him down by weakening him this way, they’d never stop her from doing whatever she sought to do here.

Realizing her attempts at dislodging Sabine from Braith with her hands were futile, Aria pulled an arrow from her quiver. The tip of the arrow was stained red, the scent of Braith’s blood drifting from it made her realize this was one of the arrows that had been used to kill her husband.

A cruel smile of satisfaction filled her as she turned the arrow in her hand and swung it forward. She drove it through Sabine’s right eye and straight into the tree. The woman howled, and finally released her hold on Braith as she clawed at the arrow pinning her to the tree.

Blood spilled down Braith’s neck. His fangs glistened in the fire as he grabbed Sabine’s head and wrenched it to the side. A wet cracking sound pierced the air as flesh and bone were severed. Aria stepped away from Sabine’s headless body when it slumped to the ground.

Braith’s shoulders heaved as he clutched Sabine’s hair in his hand. He handed Jack Sabine’s head before turning to Aria. His body moved with supple grace as he stalked toward her, lifted her up, and claimed her mouth in a bruising kiss that left Aria momentarily dazed by its intensity.

She sensed his barely controlled restraint behind the kiss and knew he needed her to calm him. Sensed how close he was to coming apart completely and giving himself over to the bloodlust shaking his muscles. Closer than he’d ever been to Lucifer, her husband was stronger, but violence and blood also beckoned him more than it had before.

His fangs scraped against her bottom lip, drawing blood. His hands clutched at her as his hard body enveloped hers. She gave herself over to him, and her own need to feel him against her. His tongue entangled wildly with hers as he licked away the drops of blood his fangs had created. His hand cupped the back of her head before his tongue slipped from her mouth.

An anguished groan escaped him as he lifted his head to look at her. His reddened eyes filled her vision when his forehead rested against hers. Beneath her hands, his body vibrated and beads of her blood glistened on his lips before his tongue slid out to lick them away. The red faded from his eyes and their beautiful gray color slid back into place. In that instant, she knew that no matter how close he’d become to Lucifer, he would never be anything like Atticus or Sabine, because he had her to calm him.

Reluctantly, he lifted his head and set her on her feet once more. “Are you okay?” he demanded as his fingers brushed over the gashes on her neck.

“Fine,” she croaked out, her voice hoarser than she’d expected.

A thunderous expression crossed his face before he held his wrist out to her. “Drink,” he commanded gruffly. She shook her head no. “You’re injured, Aria. Drink.”

“So are you,” she reasoned.

“I’m nearly healed.”

Knowing it was pointless to argue, she took hold of his arm and lifted his wrist to her mouth. She sighed when her fangs pierced his flesh and his blood filled her mouth. He drew her against his chest, cradling her there until she’d taken her fill and released him.

Pressing her head to his chest, he kissed her hair before turning to reclaim Sabine’s head from Jack. “Keep the body away from the head. I’m not taking any chances with this bitch until she’s nothing but a pile of ashes,” Braith commanded.

Jack grabbed Sabine’s arm and lifted her to toss her body over his shoulder. Aria glanced behind her, her brow furrowing when she realized the others were nowhere to be seen. If everything had been okay with Daniel, they would be here. She spun and fled through the trees with Keegan on her heels.

“Aria!” Braith shouted behind her, but she didn’t look back.

She burst out of the woods and onto the road. She spotted Max and Maeve still kneeling by the tree where Daniel had fallen. Behind them, Xavier, Timber, Tempest, and William continued to battle back the straggling remains of Sabine’s troops. Braith crashed out of the woods behind her. He reached for her shoulder, but she was already moving toward Daniel.

She crouched at his side, horror pooling through her when she spotted the blood coating his shirt, the pallor of his skin, and the awkward angle of his arm. His skin had been shredded open around his throat. His head lolled toward her. His glassy blue eyes met hers and he smiled at her.

“You’re alive,” he whispered.

“Because of you. You’re going to be fine,” she promised.

“Is she dead?”

“Yes.”

His heart gave a lumbering beat in his chest. Aria lifted her wrist and bit into it. “Drink,” she commanded when she held it before him.

Despite the growing weakness she sensed spreading through his body, Daniel’s voice was strong. “No.”

“Daniel, it will help you heal faster!”

“No, it won’t,” he replied. “It’s too late for that, Aria.”

“No, it’s not,” she insisted. “I won’t give you enough to change you, only enough to see you through this.”

His lips took on a bluish hue that caused her knees to give out on her.