Mark of Betrayal (Dark Secrets #3)(99)
Author: A.M. Hudson

He rolled his spine, making himself shorter. “Better?”

“No.” I laughed. “Now you just look like you have a hunch.”

He stood straight and tall again. “I’m afraid my century of birth suits my personality better.”

“Do you…do you think, if we find a way to turn vampires back to human, like, if the prophecy child was real, do you think you’ll ever fit into that world again.”

He sighed. “I’m sure of it. It might take practice, but I would be more than willing to try. However—” He slid his hand down my arm, making little bumps rise with his soft touch, and took my hand. “Your husband is gone, Amara. What hope is there of a prophecy child now?”

I shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll love again.”

“But the child would not be the one foretold; she would not be blood of Knight.”

“If that’s meant to happen, if the only child that can cure vampirism is one from that bloodline, then Fate wouldn’t have taken my husband—and Jason as well.”

He swiped his thumb over his chin and folded his arms, glancing quickly over at Mike then back again. “They were not the only blood of Knight, Amara.”

Before I could stop it, a snicker grumbled in the back of my throat. “Are you…are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“I’m glad the idea amuses you.” He turned away and leaned over the railing.

I thought he was upset, until I leaned beside him and noticed a smile in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Arthur. I didn’t mean to laugh. It’s just…you know…”

“It’s a little creepy.” His breath of laughter eased the tension.

“Uh, yeah. It’s, I mean…it’s not that I don’t find you sweet…and even attractive, it’s just…”

“David was my nephew.” He nodded.

“Yeah. That. It kind of makes you family.”

“It does make us family,” he breathed. “But, for us to have a child would not be incestuous, my dear. We’re not of the same blood.”

“I know. And…I’ll keep it in mind.” I laughed again, feeling way too much blood under my cheekbones. “But…I mean, we probably better not mention this to anyone.”

“Ha!” He stood tall again. “I agree. I imagine no amount of ancient experience would save me from the wrath of Mike if he were to find out.”

I laughed too. “No. But…thank you, Arthur. You know…for offering.”

“I’d say you’re welcome, but somehow, that just seems inappropriate.” He cupped both my arms and rested a gentle kiss on my brow. “I’m proud of you, Amara. And I love you dearly. I would do anything for you.”

I wanted to rub the kiss away, not because it was gross, but because it was a little chilly. But I let it rest there, knowing he could see the moisture his lips left on my skin, because it felt rightly placed. It was a kiss of friendship. And I liked this friendship. “You know I feel the same, right? And if—” If David wasn’t alive. “If the need ever arises and the prophecy child is possible, I would be proud for you to be her father.”

His eyes sparkled with tears; he didn’t even try to hide them.

I touched his face and let my hand slide down the gristly stubble on his cheek. “You’re a good man, Arthur.”

He cleared his throat and sniffed once. “We should head back in.”

“Yeah.” I took his arm and rested my head on his shoulder for a quick moment. “I better go dance with Mike.”

My footprints left a lonely trail in the sand—the only proof life here existed. The morning was new, but the red sky and wild winds gave warning that today would not display summer so much as it would the wrath of Mother Nature.

I closed my eyes and listened to the wind caution the rocks, roaring and wailing—each breath of its cry thrashing my hair out in claw-like fingers around my face.

Last night had passed like a softly spoken story to a child; I smiled and danced, playing the role of a queen, but inside, I felt only the heart of a girl—one who wanted nothing more than to mend the past and undo the future.

When Mike finally got the chance to dance with me, I nearly told him what Arthur offered, but bit my tongue instead. Poor Arthur would be so humiliated when he found out that David was actually alive, and with the secret of immunity out now, part of me wondered if he already suspected it. But, if he did, then why would he have offered a child?

“Hey, baby. I thought I might find you out here.”

“Hm.” I smiled, not turning around. “Or you just asked your knights where I was.”

He tromped up right beside me and cast his eyes to the sea. “Looks like rough weather?”

“Yep. A storm.” I rubbed my temples.

“Do you need me to come sleep by your window tonight?”

I drew my shoulder up to my cheek. “I’m okay. They don’t scare me so much anymore. Mostly, I just get headaches.”

“From the storm?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Probably something to do with static energy.”

I nodded. “That’s Arthur’s theory.”

“You’ve talked to him about it?”

“I talk to him about everything.”

“Including the secret of immunity,” he said drily.

“No. I didn’t. Not about that.”

“Ara, don’t lie to me, baby. You couldn’t hide a lie on that face if you wore a mask.”

My lips tugged on the corners, making me smile. “Okay. Maybe. But it was an accident. He said I let something slip, but I don’t even know what it was.”

Mike became smaller beside me, his arms hanging loosely by his sides. “Does he know about David?”

I shook my head, hugging my cardigan around me.

“You think we should tell him?” he asked.

My mouth gaped. “You’re asking my opinion?”

He looked back out at the grey day. “I know you’ll tell him if you want to—despite what I say. I’d just rather you told me if you were going to do that.”

“Okay.” I touched just under the sleeve of his shirt, where his Mark showed. “I’ll give you a heads-up if I do.”

“That’s all I ask, baby.”

I took a breath, feeling the slight warmth of it blow back in my face with the fierce wind. “Isn’t it strange that we don’t have to yell over the wind anymore?”

I heard a soft laugh beside me. “Yeah. It’s great. When we finally get a vacation one day, we should go back to Australia, go surfing. We’d be able to talk to each other in the barrel of a wave.”