Vengeance (The Captive #6)(42)
She’d rest for a few minutes before going into the back to give herself a sponge bath. She may not be able to soak in some water right now, but she could at least clean the sweat from her body. Turning away from the wall, she slid down the stone to sit on the ground. Across from her, William threw a single branch onto the dwindling fire.
She knew there wasn’t much wood left. It might get them through two days at this rate, but she doubted it. The idea of being thrust into the dark in this cave, with the wind howling outside, and those things running free cooled the rest of her heated flesh.
CHAPTER 15
The next night, William stared up at the ceiling of the cave as he listened to the distant sounds of the wind blowing against the snow wall they’d created yesterday. Not sleeping was something he’d grown accustomed to over the years. When he’d been a rebel in the forest, he’d trained himself to awaken at the slightest noise. After his life had become more secure -though he had to use that term loosely considering he’d been killed after his days as a rebel and the war were over-he’d never been able to let his guard down enough to break the habit.
When he did sleep, the nightmares plagued him. Staring at the wall, he could hear the echoing shouts and clash of steal resonating throughout the king’s throne room during that last battle. He’d never seen his father fall, but in his nightmares he did, over and over again. Tonight he hadn’t dreamt of his father again, but of smoke and screams filling a street as vampires and people fled to escape the growing flames.
He’d dreamt of looking down at the razor edge of a sword driven through his back and straight out his stomach. He’d barely felt the pain through the disbelief and anger. Too young, had been his first thought, too young to die. His second thought had been that he’d always known he’d die young, but he hadn’t been ready to die, and he’d been unwilling to let his death be a result of being stabbed in the back by a coward who had been too afraid to face him.
It had been the main reason he’d said yes to Aria; he was going to make Kane pay for his cowardice. He wasn’t frightened of death, never had been, but he’d had so much more left to accomplish. The other reason he’d said yes had been the look in Aria’s eyes. The devastation and loss, the hope he would accept what she offered to him. He’d always had the hardest time telling her no, and she knew it.
Beside him, the small fire cast shadows over the walls and barely warmed the side of his face. He’d hoped the storm would break sometime during the day, but it had continued unyieldingly on through the day and into the night.
He’d done more training with Tempest earlier. They’d shared more stories about their lives in the forest and orphanage. He knew more about her than he did most others, and he’d revealed more to her about his life than he’d revealed to anyone outside of his family and friends. He found her extremely easy to talk to, and she could make him smile without even trying; something he hadn’t done much since his father’s death, and had done even less since his own.
No matter how much he enjoyed being around her, he also had to keep his distance from her, and had retreated to his side of the cave a few hours ago. Being so close to her, smelling her crisp, wintry scent was a distraction he didn’t need. She was also a vampire; he’d never been involved with a vampire before, but then humans weren’t exactly for him anymore either.
Since the change, he didn’t know where he fit in anymore. He was one of two living oddities amongst vampires and humans. He didn’t feel as if he belonged in either world, and maybe he didn’t. The funny thing was he and Aria had always been oddities. There had been few redheads in the woods, and they were the only set of boy/girl twins amongst the rebels. It made sense they’d still be the oddities now, but she had a crown and a palace to help run, he had…
Vengeance.
That was what he had; it was what kept him going, and what drove him relentlessly through his days. The idea of getting his hands on Kane made his fangs elongate to razor points that pressed against the inside of his lip. The man was so close, almost within his grasp, but he had to think about Tempest now too. She needed his help and he had to keep her safe.
He also had to figure out who was threatening the peace they’d all fought to attain and keep. His father had died to help create the world they now lived in; he wasn’t going to let anyone destroy that. No matter how badly he wanted to get to Kane, he had to make sure his father’s death wasn’t in vain.
Kane could wait, murdering him would have to come later, for now. First, he would make sure Tempest was safe and the kingdom secure, no matter what it took to do so. Turning his head, he looked across the fire at where Tempest lay. Her head rested on a rolled up cloak; her silvery hair spilled around her, partially obscuring her pretty features. She wasn’t beautiful, but there was something so intriguing about her that he couldn’t stop staring at her.
He could still feel the warmth of her flesh against his; hear the sound of her tinkling laugh when she’d danced around him, growing more confident in the punches she threw at his palms. The woman excited and drew him to her in a way no other had. She made him feel protective and uncertain all at once.
All he longed to do was kiss her, but he knew he couldn’t. With the way he was now, he could lose control and injure her. He’d believed he’d had a better grip on himself until those creatures had attacked them in the snow, and he’d smelled her blood. There had been no restraint after that. He couldn’t take the chance of losing control with her; he’d never forgive himself if he ever hurt her in any way.