Lies in Blood (Dark Secrets #4)(47)
Author: A.M. Hudson

“And he’ll be back next week?”

“Yeah.”

“This time,” she said.

“What do you mean?”

“This time, he’ll be back, but one day he’ll go on the next mission, and he won’t return, Amara.” She took a step toward Mike as he appeared down the other end of the hall. “I wasn’t joking about calling Drake. I think you should consider it.”

“Maybe I’ll think about it,” I said.

“Good. Then I’ll text you his number.” She turned and walked backward for a second, her arms folded. “Because I don’t want David to die either.”

I watched her walk away, wondering which part of her recommended the call to Drake: the betraying traitor we suspected she was a few weeks ago, or a true friend who wanted to help me stay on the throne. Either way, we shared one common belief: killing Drake was not the best option, even if he wanted to insert an evil witch’s black soul into my not-yet-conceived child.

***

Midday sun streamed down through the glass dome above me, casting coloured light across my forearm and David’s chest. I frayed the tips of my fingers through the reds and blues, turning my hand to angle the colours into my palm. The world could just feel so simple at times, but not more than it did when I was in David’s arms this way. Somewhere outside, though, down the long, winding road leading to the manor, a car was edging closer, all fuelled up and ready to take my husband away for the week, turning this precious moment into one of our last.

I traced a circle around the hollow between David’s collarbones, feeling for a pulse I knew I’d never find. I’d hoped that one day Jason and I would figure out the key to reversing vampirism and that maybe I’d know what it was like to hear David’s heart beat under my ear, but the truth of that wish occurred to me only then: even if those power were still possible, David would be long dead before I figured them out.

My heart sunk, its roots reaching out for something to hold onto inside me. But without hope to find them, they were left floating around like unbound tendrils, lost.

I did feel some relief, though, finally knowing the truth about all this prophecy stuff, and it was much easier being around David with no secrets between us. I could breathe for once, and just exist with him; no longer afraid he’d read my thoughts and find out I knew more than he wanted me to. However, I did still wonder how he learned about his bloodline being cleansed. If Arthur knew, was it something David had always known, too, and was it even true that he and Lilith were meant for each other, or was it just another unfounded theory?

“How do you feel about the prophecy now?” he asked.

“I . . . good, I guess.” I nodded. “I mean, it’s tricky, because I nearly slipped up and said something to Margret and Walt the other day.”

“What?”

“What’s what?”

“What did you nearly say?”

“Oh, I nearly said that it was a relief not be tangled up in some prophecy I didn’t want a part of.”

David laughed.

“I corrected myself, though,” I added. “And said I was relieved that we were finally seeing to the prisoners at Elysium.” I grinned. “But I accidentally called it La Chateau de la Mort.”

He laughed again, propping his arm behind his head. “Was Arthur around?”

“No. Thank God.”

“Speaking of Arthur.” He lifted my top a little, rolling up to look down. “That rash you woke up with after you fell from the lighthouse is still there.”

“I know.” I cupped his hand, stopping him from touching it.

“Is it sore?”

“No. Just itchy. Like I can feel something crawling out through my skin.”

“Well, I want you to go see my uncle and get something for it. It looks as though it’s turning black.”

I cringed. “Okay. I’ll go see him once you’re gone this afternoon.”

“Okay.” He drew his arm from under his head and checked his watch, then tucked it back again. “Then call me right away and tell me what he says.”

“Won’t you be out of service at Elysium?”

“Only in the tunnels.”

“You mean dungeons.”

“Yes.” He nuzzled my head for a second. “Dungeons.”

“Will . . . when you free. . .” I swallowed my heart back down from my throat. “When you free her, will she. . .?”

“Ara, Pepper and I are done.”

“But she doesn’t know that. She doesn’t know you dumped her and fell in love with—”

“Ara, enough.” He slid out from under me and hooked his legs over the side of the bed. “This is hard enough as it is, without you adding your concerns.”

“David, I’m sorry. I—”

He stood up as. “Pepper is a part of my past. Were it not for the fact that she is one of the prisoners granted pardon, I’d not have any contact with her.”

“Why?”

“She broke the law.”

“So she’s nothing to you now?”

He turned away. “It’s just how I feel.”

“Harsh.” I crawled across the bed and hopped out, coming to stand next to David. “Would you hate me if I did something illegal?”

“Just . . . don’t.”

I half laughed. “Why are you so serious when it comes to the law?”

“It’s just the way I am, Ara.” He walked to the blanket box and zipped up the duffel bag there. “It’s the way I’ve always been. You know that.”

“I know.” I stopped behind him, searching the set of his shoulders for an answer I wasn’t sure I wanted. “David?”

“What?”

“You—” Carefully and cautiously, I reached across and touched his back. “You are only going to Elysium, right?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Just . . . you’re not sneaking off to kill Drake, are you?”

He turned with a smile and reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. “I will return to you this time, mon amour. You have my word.”

Chapter Six

No one could imagine from looking up at the beige wall around the Garden of Lilith that a menagerie of life thrived behind it. Yellow beams of summer light reached down through the pink leaves of oddly shaped trees, turning the shrubs along the path purple, like a canvas of endless colours to distract my lonely thoughts. I balanced my toes over the cobblestones, avoiding the cool, slippery moss growing between each one, and made my way slowly to the water fountain at the centre of the garden. Tiny dots of water rose from the stone statue to catch a ride on the breeze, greeting my cheeks with cool kisses before sweeping out of the garden and far away.