CHAPTER 14
Aria couldn’t help it; she felt her mouth drop in shock and disbelief. Her fingers curled into Braith’s hard back. He pulled her back, pushing her toward the main door. The door the woman had not appeared in. In fact the strange woman, Braith’s sister, had appeared at the door to the other rooms. The ones that Aria knew there was no other entrance into, or at least she had thought there was no other entrance into them.
Apparently she had been greatly mistaken.
Aria couldn’t take her eyes off of the beautiful woman across from them. She was watching them intently, her stunning grey eyes bright in the light of the room. Her golden hair tumbled about her shoulders, spilling down to her knees. Though she didn’t seem to resemble any of her brothers, Melinda did resemble the sister that Aria had met in the palace, Natasha, Ashby’s wife.
“I’m not going to hurt her Braith.”
“What the hell are you doing here Melinda?” Braith snarled.
Melinda moved slowly into the room. Her gaze darted briefly to Ashby. Braith may be confused by his sister’s presence here, but Arianna knew what had brought her. Or who. Braith released her suddenly, pushing her behind him. “Come on Braith, who do you think killed the guards? Who do you think found out the password to relay to the palace? Did you really believe that Ashby was able to do that all by himself?”
“I am very talented,” Ashby replied smiling as the beautiful blond stopped beside him.
She quirked a dark eyebrow, her eyes sparkled merrily up at him. “Not that talented love,” she assured him.
“Where have you been minx?”
“Well, in case you haven’t heard, there’s been a huge upset amongst the palace walls. No one seems to know where the prince has gone. Our father is in the process of tearing the town, and the woods, apart in the search for his missing son. The one who mysteriously disappeared from the forest. It seems he is blaming the rebels for this affront.”
Aria gasped, her hand flew to her mouth as nausea rushed swiftly up her throat as she took a swift step forward. “No,” she breathed.
Those people. Her friends, her family, they were all being punished because of her and Braith. She didn’t want to think about what was being done to them, but she couldn’t get her mind off of the consuming knowledge that they were suffering because of her. Braith squeezed her arm gently, but it did nothing to soothe her.
“Well imagine that,” Ashby said darkly.
Melinda’s smile faded, she reached out to stroke Ashby’s face. “Did he hurt you?”
Ashby shrugged, but there was nothing carefree about his demeanor now. “Just my pride. You going to untie me?”
Melinda planted her hands on her hips as she surveyed him with interest. “I think I might like you this way.”
“You would.”
Though Aria was lost in dismay, she could feel the heat creeping rapidly up her face as their conversation and looks turned sexual. “Don’t,” Braith warned when Melinda reached for the ropes restraining Ashby.
“Braith,” Melinda said plaintively, her demeanor changing rapidly as pure despair blazed from her.
“Do not untie him Melinda,” Braith replied forcefully.
“He won’t hurt her.”
“No, apparently you were always the true traitor amongst us. If you make one more move to untie him, believe me it won’t be Arianna that will have to worry about getting hurt.”
Ashby straightened, his eyes flashed briefly red as his lips curled in a snarl at the threat. He did not lunge against the ropes, did not make a move though as he eyed Braith for the first time with anger. Melinda touched Ashby’s arm briefly before folding her hands before her. Though she appeared demure, Arianna knew that it was only an act. She had often used the same conduct in the palace when she was trying to appear far more docile than she was. It hadn’t fooled Braith then, it would not fool him now.
“You don’t understand,” Melinda said softly.
“That you and Ashby conspired to overthrow father, and blinded me in the process. Yes Melinda, I realize that now, and I do understand it. Even if I don’t understand the motive behind it.”
For the first time Melinda looked truly desperate and frightened as she glanced anxiously at Arianna. “If it was her…”
“You don’t know her!” Braith snarled.
Melinda tilted her chin up, her jaw clenched tight as her eyes narrowed in fury. “You are right I don’t know her, but I do know that if she was in danger then you would do whatever it took to save her.”
“Neither of you were ever in danger inside the palace.”
Melinda glanced longingly at Ashby; her heart was in her eyes as she gazed at him. “I was married to Natasha, Braith,” Ashby said softly. “We were in danger.”
“So you were having an affair and feared for your lives?” Braith’s body was fairly vibrating with the anger rattling through him. Aria wanted to soothe him, wanted to ease his betrayal and hurt, but she didn’t think there was much she could do in this situation. If it was her, and William or Daniel had betrayed her in such a way, she didn’t think she would ever be able to get over that.
“No, there was no affair. From the moment that we met, there was no longer a Natasha. There was no longer any other woman. It was just us, and if anyone else had known that, if your family had known that, they would have done everything they could to destroy what was between us.”
Braith appeared doubtful as he raked them both with scathing glances. Melinda’s eyes were fervent, desperate as she looked briefly at Aria before focusing her full attention on her brother once more. “Do you really think you could have married Lilith?” she whispered forlornly. “And even if you did manage to force yourself to marry her, do you think you could have lain with her, exchanged blood with her?” Aria hadn’t known who Lilith was until that description. At those words her stomach twisted, and Braith looked nearly as repulsed as she felt.
“I didn’t think so. If you could, then you would still be in the palace, still be preparing for your wedding. In fact, I’ve noticed that for the past week you didn’t return to your parade of blood slaves, and women. I didn’t put two and two together until you disappeared into the forest. But then, how was I to know that you had found your escaped little blood slave again, and that you were once again using her to nourish you?”
“I’m not a blood slave!” Aria retorted sharply, growing highly annoyed by the fact that she was still thought of as piece of property.
Melinda raised a haughty eyebrow at her, but there was a gleam of admiration in her eyes. “She’s a feisty one,” Ashby said softly.
Melinda managed a wan smile as she folded her arms over her chest. “I see that.”
“I don’t use her,” Braith grated.
“You feed from her, do you not?”
“That is not using her,” he snarled.
Melinda rolled her eyes; she tapped her foot impatiently on the ground. “I understand that she is willing, or I assume she is.”
“Of course I am,” Aria told her.
“Why?”
“Excuse me?” Aria asked in surprise, startled by the question.
“Why are you willing? You are a human; you are a rebel, why would you give yourself to my brother like that? Why did you give yourself over to what I am certain you considered your greatest enemy when you brought into that palace?”
Aria looked up at Braith, captivated by his masculine beauty, and the tender soul that he only revealed to her. She thought of him on his knees before her, humbled by her, his heart and soul bared for her to take, or to turn away. She thought of all of his gentleness, the care and protection he had always offered to her, even when he had owned her. He was wonderful, he was everything, and he was hers.
“Because I love him,” she whispered. “I always will.”
“How sweet,” the girl vampire drawled, drawing fierce looks from everyone else in the room. She glowered at them but remained wisely silent.
Melinda was silent, her grey eyes as cold as steel. “Can you believe it?” Ashby inquired softly.
“No,” Melinda responded.
“I don’t care what you believe! It’s the truth!” Arianna snapped at her.
Melinda’s mouth twisted into a smile, Ashby chuckled annoyingly. Aria took a frustrated step forward, but Braith pushed her swiftly back. “Stay back,” he growled in warning.
“I believe you love him, I truly do,” Melinda soothed. “I just can’t believe that it has happened to Braith, of all vampires. Mr. Duty, Mr. Responsibility, Mr. Walk A Straight Line has succumbed to the darkest side of himself.”
“Like hell,” Braith grated. Aria was surprised to realize that his fangs had extended. His anger and frustration was rapidly unraveling the firm control, and restraint he exhibited over himself around others.
Melinda quirked an eyebrow, she shifted slightly, her head tipping to the side as she rested a hand on her hip. “Like hell Braith? Like hell? Are you forgetting that I live in that damned palace too? Are you forgetting that I was there after she escaped with Jericho? It was a bloodbath Braith; you were a one vampire destroyer, one that made even Caleb and father proud. They thought you were finally becoming like them, and in all honesty Braith, so did I. I never suspected that you might actually care for the girl. I thought you were reacting in such a way because your pride had been wounded. If I had known the truth I would have tried to explain it to you, but I don’t think you would have listened to me anyway. Especially not while you were immersed in the gluttony of blood and death you had engrossed yourself in.”
Aria swallowed heavily, her fingers curled around Braith’s massive arm, digging into the hard muscles cording it. He was trembling; his self-loathing evident as he glared hard at his sister. Melinda painted a vivid picture of what he had been like after she’d fled, and though Aria knew it all, she still hated to hear it.
“I’m not like that,” Braith hissed.
“Maybe not normally, and most definitely not before you met her.” Melinda took a small step forward, her gaze pinning Braith sharply. Even Aria was surprised by the force of that steely stare. “I’m fairly certain that if I even made one threatening move toward her, you would kill me, sister or not.”
Aria waited for Braith to protest that statement; of course he wouldn’t kill his own sister. But Aria found herself waiting until she finally turned her attention back to him. “Braith?” She finally inquired, stunned by the fact that he had not responded yet.
He seemed hesitant to answer, and then when he did, he didn’t sound all that convincing. “I wouldn’t kill you.”
“You would if you had to. You would if it became necessary to ensure her survival.”
“No, he wouldn’t,” Aria insisted.
“Is that true Braith, you wouldn’t?” Melinda demanded, her eyes narrowed, her jaw tight. “Are you going to stand here and lie in front of her, to her?”
He was silent for a long moment, Aria’s heart pumped laboriously. Her soul ached with hurt for him, for her, for the sister staring so fiercely at her brother. “I won’t lie to her,” Braith grated. “Yes, I would kill you if it meant her life.”
Aria inhaled sharply, she could hardly breathe through the shock rocking her. “Braith?”
“Don’t be so shocked,” Melinda told her. “I would try to kill him too, if it came to Ashby. We can’t help it, you are his bloodlink; Ashby is mine. We don’t have a choice, if you were a vampire you would understand the need, the driving force that propels us to make sure that they are safe, and kept with us. You would also understand the fact that your humanity tests every boundary of his control. I saw what happened in that palace, what he did. You were still alive then, if you were to die…” Her eyes grew briefly distant, she shuddered slightly. “If you were to die then it would be as if hell itself had unleashed its fury upon this earth. No one would be safe.”
Braith was trembling with barely leashed power. Aria rubbed his arm lightly, trying to soothe him, but she wasn’t getting through. It wasn’t his sister’s words so much that were upsetting him; it was the fact that she had mentioned Aria’s death. “Braith…”
“She’s not going to die,” he said simply, lost to the haze of emotions clouding him.
“Not for a long time,” Aria assured him.
“Ever,” he growled.
The room was silent, stunned by the low spoken word. Aria’s heart hammered, she knew that he wanted her to change, but to do so… To do so would be to become everything she had ever feared, hated, and fought against. To do so would be turn against her own kind, her own family. Her chest ached, tears burned her eyes.
“Braith,” she breathed.
He turned slowly toward her, his arm was shaking even more; the muscles within it were trembling in her grasp. “You know how dangerous that is,” Ashby said softly.
But Aria was fairly certain that Braith had not heard him. His attention was focused upon her, his entire being was connected to hers, linked with hers. She could become a vampire and stay with her family; they would forgive her eventually, maybe. She would also be a strong ally for them; Braith would be a powerhouse on their side. She could become a vampire and stay with him forever. She could give him this, if it was what he so desperately needed. She could give him this, because he would give her anything that he could.
He had not chosen whatever was happening to him, to them. He did not want to hurt her, did not want to feel like this. Braith prided himself on control, on stability, and self reliance. He prided himself on the fact that he was powerful, yet understanding. Since she had left the palace though, he had been none of those things. He had become angry, unstable, and the murderous monster he despised his father and brother for. Melinda and Ashby understood what was going on, and perhaps if Braith did he would be a little more stable, but right now his confusion over his wild emotions was only adding to his volatility.
“Arianna?” his voice, so deep and beautiful was ragged with feeling.
“It will be ok,” she promised fervently. His eyes, hard and desperate, softened. In their bright depths she saw his pain and confusion, but she also saw his need, his desire; his love. “We can do this, we can do anything.”
“It’s not that simple,” Ashby said softly. “Braith knows that. You aren’t a vampire, that’s why I am so surprised this has happened to him with you. It’s never happened with a human before, never.”
“I think you need to tell me exactly what is happening here,” Braith said coldly.
“Can I untie him first?” Melinda inquired.
“No.”
Anger flared through her steely gaze, her hands fisted at her sides in futility. They may be siblings, but it would not be an equal fight. Braith was older, stronger; he radiated a depth of power that Melinda did not seem to possess. “Imagine if it was her that was tied up; imagine how you would feel then Braith!” she pleaded.
“It’s not her, and it never will be.”
“Braith!” Melinda’s frustration was mounting; her eyes were growing darker, redder. Her emotions were swinging wildly toward the breaking point.
“Easy love,” Ashby said softly. “It’s ok, I’m fine. Braith doesn’t know how to tie someone up all that well anyway.” His eyes were gleaming with amusement, but Aria could sense the tension beneath his lighthearted façade. The last thing he wanted was to see Melinda try and fight her way through her brother.
Melinda remained wary; she leaned over and placed a soft kiss upon Ashby’s mouth. Aria pitied them, she wanted to let Ashby go, wanted them to be able to hold each other. She couldn’t imagine being kept from Braith. Yet there were two of them, separately they were not much of a threat to Braith, together they would be.
“Let your brother know what is going on, maybe then he won’t look like he wants to go on a rampage and slaughter us all,” Ashby urged.
Aria stepped closer to Braith; she needed to feel more of him, needed to touch more of him. She had a feeling she wasn’t going to entirely like what Melinda and Ashby had to tell them. He wrapped his arm around her waist. His body was cooler than hers, but heat still flooded through her as her chest was brought up tight against his side. His hand stroked briefly over her, his eyes burned into hers for a long moment.
“Have you ever heard the term bloodlink?” Melinda inquired softly, breaking into their moment.
Braith turned reluctantly away from her, his hand tightened briefly on her stomach. “No, I haven’t.”
“Neither had I,” Melinda admitted. “Until I met Ashby.” Her gaze traveled slowly to him, she reached out a delicate hand, clasping hold of his outstretched one. They fit well together; they seemed to take relief from the feel of one another as their fingers stroked each other. “And then the whole world was completely right, and so completely wrong.”
“I was already married to Natasha,” Ashby continued.
Melinda’s face scrunched up, anger and disgust flitted briefly over her delicate features. “If you recall, I was with mother when their wedding occurred. I was too young to stay behind when father banished her; he did not want the responsibility of having to take care of me. It wasn’t until she was killed that I was allowed back into the palace.”
“I had been married to Natasha for five years at that point,” Ashby said softly.
“I remember,” Braith interjected coldly.
Ashby grinned at him. “We used to have fun in those days. Before the war, when everything was still easy. You were the reigning heir and I was a vampire with a title, money, women, and a wife that cared as little for me as I did for her. Ok, well the wife part may have sucked, but mostly avoided each other. All we needed was to conceive a son in order to make your father happy, and then we wouldn’t have to be with each other again. It just wasn’t working for us.”
Melinda’s eyes had grown darker; her face was as stormy as a tumultuous sea. It was more than apparent that she did not want to hear about Ashby with her sister. Ashby brought Melinda’s hand to his mouth, kissing her softly as he sought to ease her tension. “Then the war broke out, mom was killed, and I was sent back to the palace,” Melinda said tersely.
“Your father was always greedy, always wanted more. He just never banked on so many vampires being content with their way of life. He never even considered the fact that some of the other powerful families might not want to go along with him. And he never expected that I would want out of my marriage from one sister, because I had lost my soul completely to the other one.”
They stared at each other for a long moment before Ashby turned his attention back to them. “A bloodlink is something that happens between vampires, and apparently with humans also. It happened to my parents; that is how I knew about it, and what the signs of it were. Most vampires believe it is a myth because it is so rare, but I knew that it was true, I just never thought it would happen to me. My parents were fortunate enough to find each other, and not have any obstacles in their way. Unfortunately we weren’t, and neither are you.
“My parents saw the war as a chance to escape the tyrannical rule of your father; I saw it as a chance to break free of my wife. A chance to start anew, and build a better life with Melinda. I took that chance. You were caught in the crossfire Braith, but I really didn’t mean for you to get hurt. As retribution for our mutiny my family was killed, but your father thought this was a better punishment for me.”
“Thankfully,” Melinda breathed.
“What exactly is a bloodlink?” Aria inquired.
“It’s a deep and instant connection between vampires. Our blood calls to each other, it needs each other. We grow stronger off of it, feed off of it. The connection is instantaneous, as Braith well knows, and it is unbreakable. It will eat you alive if you’re kept from each other, something else that Braith seems to have discovered.”
“Stronger,” Aria mulled.
“Of course dear,” Ashby purred. “It’s why Braith can see again, but I’m guessing it’s only when you are near.”
“What?” Melinda gasped, her eyes widening, her mouth dropping. “Braith?”
Braith was silent for a moment; the tension in him was growing by the second. “Yes, I can see when she is near. What about the two of you?”
Aria swallowed nervously. Braith could see, and it was a miracle, but could they also perform miracles? Had she completely misjudged this situation, was Braith weaker than them? She glanced between Melinda and Ashby, and then turned slowly back to Braith. No, it was obvious who the strongest was, but if Ashby were to get free…
Melinda was frowning intently. “Ashby…”
“I know love.”
“Melinda, you may be my sister but if you don’t tell me I will rip his throat out,” Braith growled.
Aria shuddered, her hands tightened on Braith’s arm. She wanted to promise that she would never let that happen, the last thing she wanted was to ruin their love, but if there was any chance they might hurt Braith, she was not going to say anything. It was better that they were afraid of Braith, if that was the case. Melinda’s eyes widened in horror, she took a step closer to Ashby.
“We don’t have anything like that Braith. We’re stronger because we have each other; we’re stronger because the bond between us has made us stronger. We feed off of each other, which is something that most vampires will not allow to happen, our blood helps to enhance our power and speed. As a united front we will prevail over a lone vampire, and death is the only thing that will divide us. But you…”
“You are different,” Ashby finished for her. “Maybe because she is human, maybe because you are the prince apparent, the first born, and your blood is more powerful than your siblings but you’ve had a stronger reaction to the link than any I’ve ever heard of.”
“You’ve actually had a physical strengthening reaction,” Melinda said softly.
“Imagine if she becomes a vampire?”
“Is it possible?”
Aria frowned at the two of them, startled by the intense conversation that suddenly became just between the two of them. “I don’t know,” Ashby admitted. “But I think they have more than a bloodlink. I think they may have an even stronger bond.”
“You may be right,” Melinda agreed. “For him to get his eyesight back like that. So strange.”
“It is,” Ashby confirmed.
Aria sensed Braith’s mounting aggravation. She wished to soothe him, but she was growing just as frustrated by the couple as he was. “Enough!” he snapped, causing Melinda to jump slightly. “Enough, the both of you, enough. If you are so close, then why is there another vampire here?”
They both frowned in confusion then their gaze drifted slowly to the girl who had stayed utterly silent, though she was listening raptly to them. “Oh her,” Melinda replied, giggling softly. Ashby brought her hand up to his chest, holding it tight with his. Aria could feel Braith’s rapidly unraveling composure. They didn’t know what they were messing with right now, didn’t know that he was close to losing all control. Aria knew though. She had seen him in the woods with those vampires. She had seen what he was capable of, the punishment and death he could deal out so swiftly and without remorse.
“Melinda,” Aria reprimanded softly.
The smile slipped from Melinda’s, her eyes widened slightly as she finally focused on Braith again. “She’s just a girl from town; they knew that I would be coming back soon.”
“How?” Braith growled. “And why would she come here?”
“I manage to sneak out of the palace more often than you know. As the youngest and most ineffective child, no one ever pays attention to my comings and goings. I bring back blood slaves with me when I can, in order to keep the people in the area quiet about the fact that there are no guards anymore. She is here in the hopes of returning to town with whatever I have managed to smuggle out.”
“Why?” Braith demanded.
“To keep Ashby safe of course. I killed the guard’s years ago, but Ashby could not escape. There was nowhere for us to go. Every village knows who Ashby is, father made certain of that, and the reward on him is large enough for any starving vamp to hand Ashby over, no matter how much they may hate father. But only one person, or one family, could get that reward not the entire village. And no matter what, there was no guarantee that father would actually give them the money. I bought the loyalty of the people closest to here by promising them a steady supply of blood if they kept their mouths shut. It was more than father could promise all of them. She came to see if her dinner had arrived.”
Aria bowed her head beneath the implication of those words, nausea twisted through her. She was certain she was going to be sick. Her people had been used to buy silence; their lives had been freely traded away as if they meant nothing. “Awful,” she breathed.
“Life is not roses and sunshine dear,” Melinda retorted, her grey eyes as hard as steel as they focused sharply on Aria. A chill crept down Aria’s spine, she found herself unable to hold Melinda’s cold gaze. “And I would do anything to keep Ashby alive, just as I am assuming you would do the same for Braith.”
Aria bit on her bottom lip, she couldn’t look at any of them. She would do anything for Braith, but to freely trade lives for his, she didn’t think she could do that. But then, she was human, and they were not. They thought little of her species; humans were beneath them, they did not care what happened to them. And Aria knew she would freely trade a vampire life for his, she was certain of that.
“There are things that need to be done in order to secure the bond between bloodlinks,” Ashby explained.
Braith squeezed her hand gently. He was trying to soothe and comfort her, but Aria could not shake the horror and fear rolling through her. This was not her world, she did not belong in this place of blood and death and strange bloodlinks that allowed the blind to see. What the hell was she doing here? How did she get involved in all of this?
But the answer to those questions was standing before her, willing to die for her, as he used his body to block her from whatever attack might come their way. Her heart swelled, tears burned her eyes. She did not belong in this world, but she realized now that she would never be leaving it again. She hadn’t realized at the time, but when she’d chosen to leave the woods with Braith, she had sealed her fate. There was no turning back, and even though she was frightened by the uncertainty of their future, she was willing to endure the hardships that were still to come.
“And those are?” Braith inquired.
“Exchange of blood, sex,” Ashby continued. Aria’s face burned, it was all she could do to keep standing before them. “But those are vampire interactions. With this, I’m assuming that the change will also be necessary.”
“And if she doesn’t survive it?” Melinda asked.
“Then I doubt any of us will,” Ashby muttered.
Aria finally managed to lift her head to stare at them. “I’m not going to die,” she told them.
Ashby and Melinda leveled her with identical looks of hopelessness. “Most do not survive the change. The human body is too frail; it simply cannot take it. If you stay human it is certain that one day you will die. And Braith will go crazy from it.”
“And that’s only if you are willing to become a vampire,” Melinda elaborated.
Braith turned toward her, she could feel the full force of his gaze upon her, but she couldn’t find the words to answer his unspoken question. Was she willing to become a vampire? Was she willing to live in that world? Was she willing to die? Willing to drink blood and feed from her people? She lifted her gaze to Braith, she could feel the tears burning in her eyes, but they did not slip free. He was so strong, so powerful, and wise. He was ancient compared to her, a near God in his world. She was a fighter, and she was strong, but he could snap her bones with a flick of his wrist. And yet, as he looked upon her, she could see the weakness in his gaze, the uncertainty and need that blazed from him, and made him just as weak as she was.
She did that to him, she was doing it to him, and she hated herself for it. She touched his face lightly, loving the feel of his hardness beneath her hand, loving the stroke of his stubble against her fingertips. He awed her, and inspired her in so many ways. “You humble me also,” she whispered.
A low groan escaped him; he lifted her as if she weighed no more than a feather, pulling her tight against him. His hands were in her hair, his lips against her cheek and ear. “It will not be so Arianna,” he whispered. She pulled slightly back to stare at him questioningly. “I will not take the risk of killing you. I will not be the one that kills you.”
Aria frowned at him; she bent her forehead to his. “I will survive it.”
“There is no guarantee. I will not risk it.”
“But I will die no matter what!”
He managed a wan, halfhearted smile. “Then I will just have to make sure it is not for a very long time.”
“I will grow old.”
“You will grow even more beautiful. And when you are gone, I will follow you.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks. She was far more accepting of her own death than she was of his. But then again, she had expected to die every day since she was old enough to realize what death was. “No Braith. No. I see the way you are now, what you said earlier…”
“I was wrong,” he said firmly. “It was a moment of weakness, it won’t happen again. I will not do that to you.”
His eyes were beautiful, bright as he watched her, smiled at her, and loved her. He kissed her lightly, his mouth warm and hard against hers. For a moment Aria allowed herself to forget there were other people in the room. For a moment there was only the two of them, and none of the pressure. For a moment, just a small fraction of a second, there was total joy, total happiness, and true wonder in a world that often lacked such things.
And then Braith was pulling away and the world was once again intruding upon them. Aria wrapped her arms around his neck, dropping her head to his shoulder she buried her face in his neck, wanting to keep the world at bay for a little longer. He continued to hold her tight, but she knew his attention was not solely focused upon her anymore. As prince, as the future ruler of his world, and hers, he had other matters to attend to. But for right now she just wanted to hold him, just wanted to feel safe, and loved.