Renegade

“We did not want power Braith, we only wanted to be free. I only wanted to be free. Apparently you have decided the same or else you wouldn’t be here.”

Braith did want the same thing, but he wanted Arianna to be free even more. He wanted her to experience a world that she had ever known, one that was safe and secure. One where she did not have to fear his father and brother, one where she did not have to fear him. “Will they be coming here Braith?” Ashby asked softly.

“I don’t know,” he admitted.

Ashby jerked against his ties, lurching slightly forward. “You cannot leave me here if they do! I am sorry for what was done to you, I always did like you; you know that. You were an unwanted casualty Braith; you were not the intended victim. Your father was.”

“That is supposed to make things better?” Braith growled.

“You care nothing for the man either,” Ashby snarled. “I lived within those walls, I knew you from a young age; I know what that bastard did to you! I know what you endured at his hands!”

Arianna turned slowly toward him, she was still abnormally pale, and there was an emptiness in her eyes that shook him. Though he had not completely kept the abuse he had taken from his father from her, he had not elaborated upon it either. She did not need to know about that horror on top of all of the others she had endured. “Braith?”

He shook his head; he was not going to go into details about it, not now. “They are going to come here?” the vampire girl croaked. When no one answered, she lurched forward, a terrified scream erupting from her. She ripped and jerked against her bonds, her head whipping back and forth as she continued to scream wildly. Arianna recoiled in horror, the woman was wild, crazed, her fangs had extended, and her eyes were a violent shade of red.

The woman could very well get free if she continued on this way, and she was going to go after Arianna if she did. “Don’t!” Arianna cried launching to her feet as Braith strode toward the crazed vampire. She stumbled forward, unnaturally clumsy as her foot got caught up on the corner of the table before her. Ashby launched at her, pulling her back as the girl took a swipe that missed her by inches.

Red flooded Braith’s vision, fury ripped through him. He grabbed hold of the girl, shoving her roughly back against the wall. Terror widened Ashby’s eyes as Braith charged at him. Using Arianna as a shield, Ashby thrust her before him. His hand wrapped swiftly around her throat, pulling her head back as he clamped down on her. A bellow of rage erupted from Braith, he stalked toward Ashby, determined to destroy the man that held the only person Braith cared about anymore.

Ashby did not make a move to hurt her, but he did keep himself planted firmly behind her. Braith could not get at him without hurting Arianna. Frustration filled him; he could feel the swelling rise of bloodlust tearing through him. “I’m not a fool Braith, I’m not going to kill her unless you force me too,” Ashby said softly, barely poking his head out from behind Arianna’s back. “I just want to talk reasonably, and you need to listen.”

Arianna tilted her chin, her eyes blazed with pride. There was no fear in the firm set of her jaw, but it was apparent that she was irritated at having been snagged and used as a shield. She tried to shrug Ashby’s grasp off of her, but he would not let go. “You don’t have to manhandle me!” she snapped.

His hand eased its grip on her throat, for a moment amusement flashed through his bright eyes. But beneath the amusement, Braith could see his fear. And he had every right to be afraid; Braith was going to kill him for even daring to touch her. “Well aren’t you the little spitfire,” Ashby whispered.

Arianna turned her head to glare at him, Braith did not miss the fact that her hands fisted at her sides. “Arianna don’t,” he warned, frightened that she might try something reckless. It’s who she was after all. Her bright eyes came back to him, they simmered with anger. “Give her back to me and we can talk.”

“I know that look in your eyes Braith,” Ashby said softly. “I know what you’ll do to me if I release her. Just stay calm and everything will be ok.”

Braith took another step toward them, Ashby took one back. He pressed against the wall, keeping Arianna before him. “Ashby…”

“I just want out of this alive Braith. That is all. I’ve become content with this simple life; it is not a bad existence. I only want to keep it.”

“If they come here…”

“I don’t intend to stay here Braith, I’m not an idiot.”

“If that were true then you never would have touched her.” Ashby’s hand tightened briefly on Arianna, causing her to jerk slightly as her eyes widened. “Don’t!” Braith snarled.

Ashby’s grip eased on her. “I just want your word that you will not hunt me; that you will let me leave here, alive.”

“You have it.”

Ashby hesitated, his hand shook slightly. “I’ll need more than you just saying it Braith. Once I release her…”

“Then what do you want?” Braith demanded, panic tearing at his insides. His fingers itched to get a hold of her, itched to get her away from Ashby’s grasp.

“I want her word.”

“Excuse me?” Braith asked in surprise.

“I won’t let Braith hurt you,” Arianna breathed. “Is that what you want? Is that what you need to hear?”

Braith balked at such a thought. Arianna held more power over him than anyone he had ever met, but if he truly wanted to do something she could not stop him, could she? The thought was ridiculous to him, but even more ridiculous was the stunning realization that it might be true. “You seem like a nice enough girl, I believe you when you say that, but do you really think you could stop him?” Ashby asked softly.

“I don’t understand what you expect from me then,” she retorted, her annoyance surging to the forefront again.

Ashby poked his head out from around her again; he turned her face slowly toward him. Braith took another step forward, terror hammering through him. “Don’t.” He was stricken by the fear and desperation that rattled through his voice. If Ashby wanted Arianna dead, she would be dead before Braith could reach them. He was shaken, the monster inside of him was clawing to break free, while the man inside of him wanted to fall to his knees and beg Ashby to give her back to him unharmed. He had never been this rattled and terrified before. “Just give her back to me Ashby, I won’t hurt you. Just give her back.”