Mark of Betrayal (Dark Secrets #3)(105)
Author: A.M. Hudson

“All we’re saying, young man, is that you should give more value to what our associate here said about Drake seeking to kidnap a Pure Created and drain it.” Walter motioned to the vampire side of the table.

Arthur looked up from his dinner as though he’d been dragged into a conversation he didn’t want to be a part of. “It is not for us to decide, Walt,” he said. “Whether I am right or not is irrelevant.”

“It is more than relevant, Arthur,” Walter said. “Immunity could mean a war that tips in Drake’s favour.”

“Then we need to work harder to find other ways to kill vampires,” I said.

“If The Department for Vampiric Research has not been successful in that venture after all these centuries, what makes you think we will find a way within a month?” a man said.

“What about my electric power thing?” I held my hand up. “Can’t we look into that?”

“There’s no need, Ara,” Mike cut in, pushing my hand down. “Drake is not out to kidnap a Pure Created, nor will he actually catch one.”

“When do they leave?” Nathan asked.

“In a few days. I’m waiting on word from an informant of mine—” Mike meant David, “—to let me know when Drake leaves the castle.”

“I thought you were keeping that informant away from Elysium,” I said.

Mike shook his head. “He’s just sweeping past, Ar. Don’t worry.”

“And who is this informant you trust so much?” Walter asked.

“You’re not privy to that information.” Mike went back to eating his dessert, ignoring the insult his little remark caused.

“And what then?” Nathan asked, sitting forward. “Once the knights return—what are you doing about Drake?”

Mike sighed, dropping his fork with a bit too much agitation. “We may still attack—we may not. It depends what the knights find. Why so many questions, mate?”

Nathan shrugged, looking down. “Just curious. Kinda worried we might have a battle or something. I mean, I like war movies and stuff, but I never wanna be in one.”

Mike eased off then, laughing to himself. “You’ll be right, mate. We won’t bring a battle to Loslilian.”

Nathan nodded, seemingly satisfied with that, and went back to eating.

I brushed my fork along my plate and scooped up a heap of apple pie, smothered in sweet vanilla custard, then popped it in my mouth, smoothing the fork past my lips really slowly. It tasted divine—like forbidden fruit with the creamy sap of the world’s truth. That chef was a culinary master. I could even taste the cinnamon infused in the apple. “Mike?”

“Mm?” he said with his mouth full.

“Can I go down and meet the chef?”

“Course. Why?”

I shrugged. “Just wanted to tell him how good his food is.”

Mike laughed. “He’d love that, Ara.”

“Cool. I’ll go see him after dinner?”

“Okay. But the staff usually go down to the ground floor once they’re done for the day. You’ll need Quaid to show you down—he’s on duty tonight.”

“I need him to show me which one is Chef, too. It’s pretty bad if I have to ask my own staff who cooks all our food.”

“He’s the big black guy—the rest of them are white.” Mike chuckled. “You can’t miss him.”

“Okay. Cool. And…thanks, Mike.”

“Why are you thanking me?”

I shrugged one shoulder. “For letting me go down there, I guess. You usually say no to everything I wanna do.”

He bumped my knee with his under the table. “I’m fine with anything you want, if you’re fine with taking a knight.”

“But not an Arthur Knight.” I grinned.

“Ha-ha. Funny.”

I smiled into my plate. I thought it was funny.

Chapter Thirteen

Quaid guided me back to the grand staircase and stepped back into guard mode once I knew my way around. I spotted Mike heading up to the east wing and darted after him, grabbing his sleeve. “Hey, Mike.”

“Hey, baby, what’s up?”

“Chef said we got popcorn in the pantry. You wanna watch a movie or something tonight?”

“Aw, baby, I can’t. I got a thing with the boys.” He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb, as if the knights were standing there, which they weren’t.

“Oh.”

“But, I could cancel—if, you know, if you’re feeling really lonely or—”

“No. It’s fine.” I smiled, waving a hand. “I’m actually pretty tired anyway. I might just get an early night.”

“Okay,” he said softly as I walked away, holding my breath.

“Everything all right, my lady?” Arthur’s smiling face met mine at the base of the stairs, his eyes warm, as if he’d smelled me coming around the corner from a mile away.

“I’m okay,” I said, but knew it wasn’t convincing. I crossed my arms and walked past him. “G’night, Arthur.”

“I was just headed down to the kitchen,” his suggestive tone rose an octave. “I hear they have popcorn in the pantry. Would you like to watch a film with me tonight?”

I stopped walking, smiling to myself before turning around. “Did you just hear me talking to Mike?”

He grinned, looking at his feet, his blue eyes sparkling under those thick lashes. “Maybe. But I was planning to watch something anyway. I’d like the company.”

I huffed. “Yeah. Okay. I’d love to.”

He held out his hand, and I took it, instantly feeling better—a little less…lonely.

“You’re a good friend, Arthur.”

He smiled to himself as we wandered slowly down the stairs. “I know.”

And it was pleasant. Turns out he and I like all the same movies, too. I even quizzed him a few times just to see if he was lying. But he passed every time.

“Okay, so you say you liked Kate and Leopold. Why?” I said, while Arthur, sitting beside me, scrolled through the files on his iPad.

“Leopold reminds me of myself, I guess, in many ways.”

“And Kate?”

He smiled at the screen resting on his knee. “I like her boisterous personality. She’s not like other girls and, as hideous an attribute as that can be, it is also incredibly charming.”

I settled back on his pillow and dusted some popcorn and salt off my shirt. “So, what are we watching next?”