her hands.
Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer against her as he groaned low in his throat and nipped at her lip. Her mind and body spun out of control. She was in over her head, but she found she didn't care as she gave herself over to the emotions running wildly through her.
She squirmed against him, aching and unfulfilled as her body longed for more. She couldn't breathe, and she didn't care as his tongue slid into her mouth, becoming more fervent and demanding as he caressed her. Aria moaned in delight, her still somewhat numb fingers curled into his back. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream with joy, she simply wanted to never have the moment end, to forget the world around them and just be with each other. Buttons slid free as he pushed her shirt aside to press his hand against her breast. Pleasure swept through her with the consuming intensity of a wildfire. She didn't care where they were or what was happening around them, not anymore.
"Braith." At first, she was so lost in him, so swept up in the surging needs of her body that Ashby's voice barely penetrated her mind. "Braith." Loss, acute and profound, filled her as Braith's hands stilled on her and he pulled a little away. She stared breathlessly up at him. Joy and love filled her as she saw the beautiful gray of his eyes once more. He stared at her with a mix of awe and love that caused her legs to quiver around him. "Braith."
His eyes flashed briefly red again, his hand slid free as he moved her into a position that protected her from Ashby's gaze. Aria felt her face heat at the thought of what Ashby may have seen as she quickly re-buttoned her shirt. "So help me Ashby if you don't leave us be for five minutes..."
"There's someone coming."
In a split second everything about him changed. Gone was the laziness of his posture along with the small half smile that had curled his mouth. Before her now was the man that would one day rule if they succeeded. He lowered her slowly and turned away. "Who is it?" he inquired as he replaced his glasses.
Ashby shook his head appearing disconcerted as he glanced between the two of them. "I don't know. A figure just appeared over the horizon. I'm not sure if there are others with it."
Braith glanced back at her, for a moment she thought he was going to order her to stay, but then he held his hand out to her. Relief filled her as she slid her fingers between his and he led her from the room. Aria was able to get a good look at her surroundings as they stepped into the hall. The room she'd been in had no windows in it, and it appeared that none of the other rooms up here did either.
Braith led her down a rickety set of stairs that seemed to drop from a hole in the floor. She stopped at the bottom, staring up as she examined the darkened area above her. It took her a moment to realize that it was an attic, she hadn't seen one in years.
His hand squeezed hers as he led her down another set of stairs to the first floor. Unlike the attic, this area was covered in dust and sand. It coated what remained of the furniture and was piled against the back wall. William turned from the doorway as they crossed the room.
"It's alone, as far as I can tell," William informed them.
Braith squeezed Aria's hand before releasing her. "She has to have her arms wrapped back up."
William stared at him for a long moment, his eyebrows furrowed questioningly before he nodded. William glanced at her arms, shaking his head as he pulled the remains of her ruined cloak from the bag on the floor. "Leave it to you sis to nearly get killed by one vamp and make out with another." Braith shot him a lethal glare as Aria felt her face flare red again. She remained silent though as William tore pieces of cloth with his teeth and hands. "We should find something to clean it with."
"It won't get infected," Ashby assured him as he moved slowly past them.
"And how do you know that?" William demanded.
"Infections don't live in us."
William and Aria studied him. "You don't get sick?" Ashby shook his head in response to William. "Ever?"
"No."
Aria stood