William leaned forward and Braith froze as William’s movement revealed Aria standing between him and Xavier. His deadened heart leapt in his chest. He almost lunged for her, but found himself rooted where he stood as he drank in the sight of her.
He’d never seen her so still, so rigid. Her hands were clasped before her, and her head was bent as she stared at the table. Dark glasses shaded eyes he instinctively knew were red. Her thick auburn hair hung in a braid over her shoulder. The cheekbones and figure that had filled out since she’d become his wife were gaunt and lean once more. She looked as if she weighed less now than when she’d first stepped onto that stage and into his life.
Yet, to him, she was still the most beautiful woman in the world. Love swelled within his chest. He yearned to touch her, to feel her skin against his, but he remained unmoving as he watched her. She didn’t interact with the others while she watched them.
She’s barely in control, he realized and had no idea how she’d managed to hang on for this long. Revenge was a strong motivator.
Her nostrils flared, and her head lifted in such a way that the movement seemed to pain her as her head slowly turned toward him. He felt as if he’d been punched in the gut when the left side of her face came into view. A black bruise marred the whole side of her face and a scratch sliced across her cheek; the scratch had once been deep enough to bleed. The dark color of the bruise stood out starkly against the pallor of her skin. A visible tremor went through her; it was the only movement she made.
“Not real,” she whispered and turned away from him once more. Her head bowed as another tremor went through her.
Anguish twisted through him. What has she been through?
William shot his sister a curious glance before his head lifted and he noticed Braith standing there. His jaw dropped so fast, Braith thought he might have dislocated it. The man who had been pointing to something on the table lifted his head. He stopped speaking mid-sentence and the stick fell from his hand to clatter against the ground. Xavier took a step toward Braith before stopping to gaze down at Aria.
Her shaking increased as she whispered. “Not real, not real, not real.”
She flinched away from Xavier when he rested his hand on her shoulder. Unable to stand her torment, or being apart from her for a second more, Braith closed the distance between them. William gawked at him as leaned back against the table to get out of his way and slid around it.
Aria whimpered when Braith stopped beside her. His hand trembled when he reached out to stroke his knuckles over her cheek. Her skin was chilled beneath his touch, but it sent a current of pleasure through him as the clawing in his chest finally eased. It didn’t go away completely. It probably wouldn’t until they were bonded once more, but he could at least think clearly again.
Bending, he kissed the top of her head, causing her to shudder as tears spilled down her cheeks. “I’m real, love,” he whispered while he nuzzled her ear with his lips.
She whimpered again and flinched away from him as more tears spilled from her eyes. He wiped her tears away when she turned toward him and her head tipped back to look at him. Her fingers stretched toward his cheek before she pulled them away.
He grabbed her hand and pressed it to his face. Her lips parted, and her fingers curled into his skin as her other hand came up to grip him. He caught her against him when her knees gave out. She clutched at his back and buried her face in his neck.
Her tears wet his skin as he held her closer, savoring the scent and feel of her against him once more. Encircling her nape, he pinned her against him as he swung to meet Xavier’s eyes. The man didn’t say a word, only nodded his head to the right.
Braith didn’t pay attention to anyone in the crowd that quickly moved out of his way as he carried her by them all. Xavier led them to a door and opened it. He stepped aside to allow them to pass. Braith kicked the door shut with the back of his foot and stopped to survey the small room with the straw mattresses lining the walls.
Aria’s lips skimmed back. Her fangs pricked his skin before they pierced his flesh. His body reacted as if he’d been hit by lightning. He jerked against her, his hand clenching her neck tighter as her fingers dug into his flesh. She tried to get closer to him while she drank from him in deep, satisfying pulls.
Easy, she’s been through so much.
Yet he found himself unable to restrain himself when she bit deeper. He pulled back her braid and sank his fangs into her throat, a groan of bliss escaping him as the hot wash of her blood filled his mouth and body. It seeped into his cells, warming him from the inside out. Adjusting his hold on her, he kicked one of the mattresses off the wall and onto the floor.
Renewed.