Mark of Betrayal (Dark Secrets #3)(4)
Author: A.M. Hudson

“Okay. Well, so, when do we tell them?”

He chuckled once, practically snorting. “Are you serious?”

I nodded.

“When we catch Drake, Ara. Until then, venom is our only weapon against him,” he said, his voice pitching like a schoolgirl’s. “If anyone at the manor were to let the secret of immunity slip into the wrong hands, people would not only ask why King David died when you bit him, but it might somehow get back to Drake that a; David might not be dead and that, b; armies, immune to our only weapon, could be created.”

“Oh.” I slid down further in my seat.

“Once you’ve taken your oath, that promise should give you increased powers. It’s rumoured that you would be as, if not more, powerful than Drake. We won’t need to worry as much if that’s true.”

I smiled. I liked the idea of that. Maybe then I could protect everyone else for once. “How do the Sacrificials get immunity from my venom if I’m not feeding them?”

He nodded at his own arm. “My blood.”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot your venom’s like mine.” I looked out the window for a second. “So, does that make you tired—donating blood to so many vampires?”

He shrugged. “I drink a lot of OJ.”

I laughed softly. I didn’t really feel like laughing, but I’d not heard the word OJ since I was living in Oz.

“We’re working on new weapons,” Mike said out of the blue.

“Huh?”

“Myself, Morgaine and a few others. We’re developing weapons that may be able to kill vampires, even if they were immune to venom.”

“Oh. Cool. What kinds of weapons?”

“Well, you know about how they invented Lilithian steel back in the late fourteenth century?”

“Yeah, the metal that’s strong enough to imprison vampires.”

“Yep, and also strong enough to cut them, even when wielded by the hand of a human.”

“Yep. Didn’t know that bit, but, anyway…?”

“We’ve had swords commissioned, but—and this is only in experimental stage—we’re hoping that if we cut in the right place and bleed the vampires out quickly, the venom tips of the swords might be enough to deteriorate them—kill them or at least render them useless long enough to escape—even if they had immunity.”

“That could work. But you’d have to bleed them out pretty fast.”

He nodded, smiling at the road. “There are certain points you can cut on the body that’ll bleed a human out in seconds. We’re finding that, with most things, thinking human seems to be giving us the advantage.”

I nodded and looked out at the rolling green hills.

“Of course, this is Private Council talk, right. You know not to say this to anyone else—especially Arthur.”

“I know.”

“Good. Make sure you don’t. Not even accidentally, or you could ruin everything. Drake is a master of strategy—we’re going to have enough trouble finding and catching him as it is. If he knows any of our plans, we’re finished.”

I nodded again. “Don’t sweat it, Mike. It’s all good.”

“Good. And, Ara?”

“Yeah.” I looked up to his sweet tone.

“Good girl for refusing my blood. That’s the first smart choice I’ve seen you make in a long time.”

I was sure he meant that genuinely, and that just made it even more condescending, but it also made me smile. He was kind of right. “Thanks, Mike.”

“You’re welcome.”

We sat in companionable silence for a while longer; the radio off, the sound of the tyres whirring over the road, until I looked at the clock and realised it was past three in the afternoon. “How much longer ‘til we get there?”

“Five minutes or so.”

“Really?” I said, yawning.

“Yeah, look.” He nodded forward.

I sat taller and peered out the front windshield at the wide expanse of countryside; lush, green grass lining endless fields, yellow flowers sprinkling a touch of colour across it, and a blue sky that went on forever over the distant trees. “It’s not what I imagined.”

“What did you think it’d be?”

“I don’t know. Maybe marshland, creaky branches and a grey sky.”

Mike chuckled. “Well, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The manor is all light colours and big windows, with gardens outside every door.”

“Sweet. I like gardens.”

“So did Lilith, apparently.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. And when Drake built the manor, he actually planted a special garden, just for her; it’s closed off by high walls. No one’s allowed in there except you and the gardener.”

“Wow. A secret garden.”

Mike nodded. “It was named the Garden of Lilith, but it’s been nicknamed Eden over the years.”

“So, why did Drake build her a garden if he hated her so much?”

Mike turned his head at a half an inch, then shook it.

“What?” I said.

“It just amazes me how you can switch off that much that you know absolutely nothing about Lilithian history.”

“Uh—did Morgaine add that in the politics speech?”

“Lesson, Ara. You mean lesson.”

I cleared my throat. Maybe I should have paid more attention. “I had a lot on my mind, okay, Mike. David was in agony in the next room. All I wanted was to be with him.”

“Well,” he said, shaking his head again. “You’re gonna have to take to the library and read some books, then.”

“We have a library?”

He just smiled, eyes on the road, while my blood rushed warm with excitement, imagining bookshelves to the ceiling and winding staircases leading up to them.

“Will I be okay?” I asked. “I mean, I don’t even know what the Upper Council is. Am I gonna make a fool of myself?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “And it’s Upper House. Not Council.”

“Oh.”

“Be sure you at least remember that much.”

“Okay. Upper House,” I said to myself a few times. “So, what do they do?”

“They have the same authority as your Private Council. Most of them were servants to the throne when Lilith was alive. Some of them are professors of politics or were generals in the human armed forces back in fourteen hundred. They’re old, traditional, and have strong political influence within our monarchy. You don’t want to mess with them.”