Free Refugee (The Captive Series Book 3) by Erica Stevens Page A

now that she had gotten
the better deal. She knew what it was like to have people that
loved her. His siblings, at least Melinda and Jack, seemed to care
for each other, but they weren’t anywhere near as close as she was
with William and Daniel. Yes, her mother had been killed, but she
had died for her children. Her father had never hidden the fact
that he loved his kids, even if he had never been overly
affectionate with them, and even when the rebellion had too often
come first. Her entire life had been about love, his had been about
cruelty. It was amazing he had turned out as wonderful as he
had.
    “I’ll teach you,” she vowed.
    “You already have.” Tears spilled down
her cheeks as he lifted her face and kissed her tenderly. She
embraced him, reluctant to have the moment end, but knowing that it
must. It was time to return to reality. “We have to go
downstairs.”
    “I know.”
    He gently wiped the tears from her
cheeks before taking hold of her hand, and following the sounds of
voices back to Gideon’s study. Ashby looked up from his place by
the window where he had been staring outside, a drink in his hand
as he spoke quietly with Gideon. He grew silent the minute they
entered the room. Gideon was sitting behind the desk, his feet
propped on top and his hands folded on his stomach.
    “Where’s my brother?” Aria
demanded.
    “Relax Aria, he’s fine,” Ashby assured
her.
    “Where is he Ashby?”
    “Dara took him on a tour of the
town.”
    A cold chill crept down her spine, she
nearly sputtered in disbelief. “You let him go alone?”
    “There’s no need to fear anything here,
your brother is safe.”
    Gideon’s smug tone irritated her as she
turned her glare on him. “I don’t fear anything,” she retorted
sharply.
    Gideon quirked an eyebrow as Braith
shook his head. “She’s a feisty one.”
    “She is,” Ashby agreed. Though Ashby
was smiling, and Gideon seemed somewhat amused, they were both
studying her with an intensity that was a little unnerving. “I
wouldn’t let him go anywhere if I thought he was at risk, I
promise. Besides, he’s with a human.”
    Aria refrained from saying that didn’t
mean much, especially not in a vamp ruled world. She didn’t think
William should be wandering around alone; she tried to control her
panic at the mere thought of it. “I’d like to find him,” she said
softly.
    “Of course,” Gideon purred. “I can have
someone take you to him. We have some things to discuss anyway,
don’t we Braith?”
    Braith shook his head. “Aria will be
here for that discussion. We’ll find her brother first.”
    Gideon contemplated this before he
dropped his feet down and rose with an easy grace. “Why not?” he
asked nonchalantly. “I’d like to show you around anyway. I think
there is much you’d like to see here.”
    A small chill of apprehension raced
down her spine, she wasn’t sure she cared to see much of what this
town had to offer, but her need to find William outweighed her
trepidation. Gideon handed Braith a cloak, this one the same deep
blue color as her dress. “It gets cold at night around here,”
Gideon explained as she studied it. “The color doesn’t denote any
certain position. Not in these lands.”
    She nodded slowly and slipped it around
her shoulders. Braith tied it for her and pulled the hood up. She
was grateful the cloak hid the fresh bandages on her arms, and even
more grateful for its warmth as they stepped outside. After the
intense heat of the past week, the sudden chill was shocking to her
burnt skin. Goosebumps instantly broke out on her flesh, her teeth
chattered as she wrapped her arms around herself.
    “The water in the area causes the
nights to be colder here,” Gideon explained.
    Braith slid his arm around her waist,
pulling her firmly against his side in an attempt to offer her some
warmth. It did little good as the icy air licked at her. “Moving
will help,” he told her, seemingly unfazed by the