Dark Secrets Box Set

by Angela M Hudson

  I walked over and twisted the crank at the base of the box, then set it down, pausing before completely lifting the lid.

  “Ara?” Emily popped her head in the door.

  I snapped the lid closed. “Yeah.”

  “Time to wake up, girl. We got a wedding to attend.”

  I looked at the clock on my nightstand. “Oh my God, Emily. It’s ten o’clock! You didn’t wake me.”

  “It’s fine, Ara, stop worrying,” she said, walking away from me, her hands full of crisp white linen.

  “But I am worrying. I don’t know what to do or where to go or what to eat or—”

  “Ara.” She huffed impatiently, dumping the stack of napkins on the hall-stand. “Take a breath.”

  “Okay.” I folded over a little. “Breath. Good idea.”

  “All good?” She leaned down a little to meet my eyes.

  “Yeah. Yeah, I think so.” I straightened up. “No paper bag necessary. I’m just so excited. I’m afraid I might just run down the aisle.”

  Emily laughed, using my shoulders to direct me to the stairs. “I’m sure David will be more than happy if you do. Nothing can ruin this day for that man.”

  As we reached the base of the stairs, memories of my childhood, of Mike, of David, skittered into my mind, echoing off just about every object in the house and then filling me up with more excitement than I could carry on two legs. By the time Emily pushed me into the kitchen, my knees were wobbling.

  “One bride coming up,” she announced.

  “Oh, good.” Vicki placed a plate of scrambled eggs on the table in my spot, the smell of toasted bread and salt drawing me toward it by my nose. “I was just about to come wake you.”

  “I wish you’d woken me sooner.” I shuffled into the chair, pulling my sleeves over my hands.

  “Why?” Vicki put a coffee cup beside my plate. “So you could drive us all crazy with your panicking?”

  “Of course.” I frowned. “Why else?”

  “Give me that.” She ripped the salt from my hand and put it on the counter across the room. “You are as bad as your father, Amara-Rose.”

  “Hmpf!” I folded my arms in protest, but only until the hunger overtook and forced me to swallow my temper with my toast.

  “Morning, honey.” Dad kissed my head and sat beside me, unfurling his newspaper.

  “Hi, Dad.”

  “Ready for this one?” he asked his paper.

  “This time—so, so ready, Dad.”

  “Glad to hear it.” He winked, then disappeared behind the daily news again.

  “Dad?” I said, looking at the blinking light on the camera by his arm. “If you don’t turn it off, we’ll run out of battery for the ceremony.”

  “It is off.” He rolled a corner of his read to look at the camera. “That’s what the little light is, isn’t it?”

  Groan.

  “No, Greg.” Vicki swapped a plate of toast for the camera. “That means on.”

  “Oh.” He hid behind the paper.

  “You are a brilliant History professor, my darling husband,” Vicki said, placing the camera back on the table. “But sometimes I think your mind lives there as well.”

  “Only when it comes to anything modern, dear.”

  “So, Dad, how’re the guys this morning?” I cut in.

  “One’s pacing, the other’s sitting down and standing up every thirty seconds.” He kept his eyes on the paper. “I’ll leave it to you to figure out which is which.”

  “Did their suits fit? Do they need any help with their ties? And what about—”

  “Well, they’re closer to being ready than you are.” Dad looked at me, his brow arched high.

  “I won’t take long. My dress pretty much just slides on and this mess of braids is coming out, so—” I left it at that and popped a fork-tip full of Vicki’s fluffy scrambled eggs onto my tongue.

  “Don’t mind me.” Emily appeared out of nowhere and tugged at my plaits. “I’ll just get the ends of these braids out now, it’ll save time later.”

  “Ouch,” I protested, trying to co-ordinate the fork with my jerking head. “Em, can you be gentle?”

  “No.”

  “Ouch!”

  “Stop wriggling.”

  “I can’t. God! Some of us around here are human, you know.” Emily stopped tugging and held still. Dad and Vicki didn’t even look up. I did mean that as a joke, and if I’d never met David, the possible implications of my attempt at comedy would’ve been nil, but we paused a moment longer anyway until the satisfaction of normality quenched our concern.

  I shoved another heap of toast toward my mouth, missing the cave and hitting my teeth a little, then dropped my fork onto my plate. “I’ll just eat when you’re done yanking my hair out, shall I?”

  “If you like,” she said casually, continuing her assault on my scalp.

  “Well, it’ll be your fault if I pass out from hunger half way down the aisle then.”

  “I’m not the one who decided on a different hairstyle at the last minute.”

  “Is that really what you’re so pissed about?” I moved my head to the side at command of her tugging.

  “Yes!” She released my hair and stormed off with a huff. “What else would it be?”

  Dad and I watched the light in the entrance disappear behind the front door.

  “What’s that all about?” I said.

  Vicki went back to the stove and Dad rose from his seat, placing the camera on the table in front of me. “You know, I’m not too good at running this thing. You never know what might be on it.”

  “What do you mea—” I started, but Dad was gone, the front door closing behind him. I looked outside to Emily again as my dad wrapped her up in his arms like a daughter, my eyes straying slowly back to the camera after. “Why are you staring at me?” I whispered to it, wondering what Dad meant by You never know what might be on it.

  I looked over at Vicki, then back at the object in question. There was only one way to find out.

  I snaffled the camera under my shirt and ran upstairs, slamming my bedroom door shut with my heel as I pressed the on button and flopped onto the bed.

  Several thumbnails showed images of the setup outside, Vicki’s face, Skittles, Sam, and then a grainy dark room with two figures in the frame, the image at an acute angle, half masked by a zipper and a dark patch of leather. Dad must have left it on top of the camera bag. I pressed play, listening carefully through the static to hear the muffled voices.

  “This must be hard for you,” David said, and I think he placed his hand on Mike’s shoulder. The bright morning sun dominated the background, turning the boys into silhouettes.

  The taller guy looked down and nodded. “Understatement.”

  “You know I’ll take care of her, right?” David said, gently shaking Mike’s shoulder.

  “Yeah, I know.” He nodded, then they linked hands in a weird upside-down gesture: the ‘brotherhood handshake’. “You’re like a brother to me, man, and if I had to choose any guy on the planet to marry that girl, I’m glad it’s one who loves her as much as I do.”

  David nodded solemnly, then wrapped his arms around Mike. They hugged, patted each other’s backs loudly and broke away, clearing their throats.

  “Come on then.” Mike and David walked out of the frame. “It’s time to get our shoes on.”

  The scene went silent, a washed-out hum the only sound remaining as the camera fell into the darkness of Dad’s leather bag. I closed the screen and looked up at Emily, who stood in the doorway, covering her face as she burst into tears.

  “Aw, Emily.”

  “I’m never going to be the only one, am I?” She landed beside me, falling straight into my waiting arms.

  “Em.” I sighed.

  “What do I have to do to fill your shoes, Ara? I can’t compete anymore. When he sees you, his heart picks up. I can hear it, and I can feel the way his body gets hotter when you’re near him.”

  “Doesn’t
that happen when he’s with you?”

  “Yes. But you’re missing the point.”

  “No, I’m not, Em.” I chuckled softly. “Mike and I loved each other all our lives. This is gonna be a long transition, especially since we all live together. Look”—I brushed her hair from her face—“when David and I leave for Paris today it’ll give you and Mike a chance to fall in love properly, okay? Like it should be, away from exes and all. This’ll be good for you.”

  Emily nodded. “Yeah, if he doesn’t jump on a plane after you.”

  “Emily, Mike loves you.”

  “No. He needs me, he likes me, but not love. I’m sure of that now,” she said with a nod.

  “What makes you think that?”

  “He still hasn’t said it.”

  “What?”

  “I told him I love him, and he just kissed the top of my head and rubbed my arm.”

  I slapped my forehead. “Em. Mike loves you. He’s just an idiot, that’s all. He told me he loves you.”

  “Really?”

  I took a deep breath, shaking my head. “Talk to him. Ask him if he loves you.”

  “But, what if he says no?”

  “Then you’ll know. And you won’t have to agonize over it any longer.”

  Emily smiled, gently pinching the ends of my hair. “I love it when you make sense.”

  “How’s my little bride-to-be going?” Vicki sang as she waltzed in.

  “Great.” I stood up. “I’m just heading for a shower.”

  “A shower?” Her lips twisted. “Ara, you had one last night, remember? So you wouldn’t ruin your hair, today.”

  “Oh, right.” I rubbed my brow. “I just don’t know what I’m doing. I haven’t been able to think clearly all morning.”

  “That’s because you rushed into this,” Vicki said, sitting on my bed. “You planned and executed a wedding in a few weeks. You didn’t even have an engagement party or a bridal shower or—”

  “Vicki.” I turned away. “I told you, and I’m not going to argue with you about this today. I don’t want any fuss. I just wanna get married and—”

  “But you didn’t even paint your nails, or get a tan this time.”

  I looked down at my pretty rounded nails. “David wants to marry me, Vicki, not some primped-up, polished, plastic-doll version of the girl he loves. Just me: simple, elegant me.”

  “But—”

  “Argh! Weddings don’t need to be a big deal,” I said, balling my fists.

  “I’m sorry, Ara.” She looked down at her twiddling thumbs. “I just don’t want you to regret it one day when you grow up and realize that a wedding means more than you thought.”

  “I’m sure if that happens we can always renew our vows.” I sighed and looked at Emily. “I need to get my dress on. It’s nearly time.”

  “Okay, get out of your pajamas, I’ll go get it.” She scuttled off to the wardrobe.

  I looked at Vicki; she smiled softly—her white flag—and stood to hug me. “I’m sorry, Ara. You already look beautiful, and I’m so happy for you. David’s a very nice boy. I don’t think you could’ve done better if you’d married Mike.”

  “Thanks, Vicki.” I hugged back.

  “Okay.” She stepped away and wiped her face. “I’ll go greet the guests, and we’ll see you down there in twenty minutes.”

  I nodded.

  When the door closed, I quickly shimmed out of my pajama top, bumps of cold rising up my legs as my pants went down too. I crossed my arms over my waist and looked out the window, tapping my foot to get warm. We couldn’t really class this as spring, but according to the groundhog’s opinion, it was the official first day. There was still snow outside last week, and only a few leaves on the trees. But we didn’t have time to wait for the sun. Immortality awaited, as did a band of bloodthirsty, hate-fueled vampires.

  “Nice underwear,” Emily announced, coming back in with a pile of lace over her arm. “David’ll like those.”

  “Okay, I’m not even going to ask how you know what his undergarment preferences are.”

  She laughed. “He’s guy. Your undies are lace. It’s a no-brainer.”

  “Fair enough.” I cupped my hands over my bare breasts, the icy touch of my fingers bringing warm blood to the surface in a rush.

  “Besides”—Emily dropped my dress to the floor and made a circle in the waist for me to step into—“I’ve known David longer than you.”

  I threaded my arms into the sleeves as Em slipped the dress up my waist. “Tease.”

  The fabric pulled, closing firmly around my ribs as the zip stopped just under my shoulder blades, the cut dropping loosely from the bra-line down.

  “David will love this,” I said, running my fingertips along the rounded neckline.

  Emily nodded and tied the crimson sash at the high waist, pinching the delicate lace of the skirt to tidy the folds after. It moved, flowing softly like silk sheets on a breeze. “Hold out your arms.”

  I slipped my moonstone bangle off and took a zombie pose so Emily could loop the elastic of the sleeve over my index finger, forming a peak across the back of my hand.

  “Now, sit.” She pushed my shoulders. I plonked onto the stool, cupping my bangle over the lace sleeve. “I need to take the rest of these braids out.”

  “Gently, this time.”

  “I make no promises.” I could hear a smile in her tone.

  The ease of the day had settled into her face, into the energy in the room and the tone of everything around us. The strict condition I’d set for today—for having a wedding at all—had been No fuss. No giant cake, no reception—well, I didn’t win that one, but cocktails and hors d’oeuvres didn’t really count as a reception—no wedding cars, but lots of red roses.

  Upsetting Emily over Mike had not been a part of the plan, and all I could think of as she gently unwound my braids was that, after David and I left for Paris today, there was a possibility I might never even see her again. If something went wrong, if the Set were on our heels, we might have to run longer than we planned. For all I knew, this might be the last simple moment Emily and I ever have together.

  “Honestly, Ara,” she said, tugging out the last of the plaits, “I wish you had’ve let me tie this up. But then again”—she stood back and then leaned forward, quickly fluffing the front of my hair—“maybe not.”

  “Is it good?” I asked nervously.

  “See for yourself.” She tilted the tall mirror down, and as I stood, saw the unnaturally beautiful girl in the reflection. “Now, I left the top braids in, and look,”—Emily pointed to the crown of plaits atop my skull where little fake ruby stones colored each cross-section—“pretty, right? Since you’re not wearing a veil this time, I get to use bling.”

  “Em, it looks…” I touched the tips of my curls, turning to see more cascading over the low back of the dress. “I look good enough to marry David.”

  “I dunno.” She pressed her finger to her chin. “I think all you need is bonnet, and you could be marrying Mr. Darcy.”

  “Well, I have my own Mr. Darcy now, Em.” I smiled, flattening the front of my dress. “And this time I’m not letting him go.”

  “Then you’ll be needing this.” She held out a bunch of completely red roses, bound only by a white ribbon.

  “Thanks.”

  “You look perfect.”

  “So do you, Em. I like red on you.”

  She smiled down at her knee-length dress, her face awash with a wistful expression, then shrugged off whatever thought she had, returning to the now with a smile. “Are you wearing this?”

  “It’s appropriate, I think.” I took my locket from her fingertips, dropping it back into place.

  “Yeah, it is, I suppose. What about this, I’ve never seen this before?” Her eyes stopped on my silver bangle.

  “It’s new—sort of. It was David’s mother’s.”

  “He gave you his mother’s bangle?” she squeaked.

  “Yeah, why? What’s wrong
with that?”

  “Nothing.” Em swallowed, the corners of her lips twitching as she quickly looked away.

  “Em, are you okay?”

  “It’s just… You know how I feel about David.”

  “Do I?” Because, right now, it felt almost like she was jealous of the bangle.

  “Yes,” she rebuked. “He’s always been a good friend to me. I”—she straightened the ribbon on my bouquet—“I just never imagined I’d be at his wedding, standing next to his bride.”

  I grinned. “Oh. You fantasized about being his bride?”

  “We all did.” She laughed. “Every girl at school.”

  Yeah, especially you. “Do you love him, Em?” I asked carefully, tension squeezing my lungs like a bolt being tightened.

  Emily took a short, ragged breath through her nose. “No. Not like that, but… he’s special to me.”

  “I’ll be good to him, Em.” I tilted my head to the side. “You know that, right?”

  “I do know. Besides”—she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye—“I’ve got an eternity to make sure of it.”

  “Well, not yet. David’s friend might decide not to change me.”

  “If you don’t get caught by the Set first,” she joked. “Hey, did he tell you she was called out to New England?”

  “Who?”

  “His contact. She won’t be there when you guys arrive. She was called over here for some major case.”

  “Case?”

  “Yeah. She’s the Head Torturer of the Lilithian Order. Didn’t you know?”

  “Ooh, that’s just so freaky.” I swallowed, feeling the freakiness prick my shoulders. “And no, David didn’t tell me that.”

  “Oh. Maybe you weren’t meant to know.” She bit her lip.

  “It’s okay. He won’t be mad you told me. I mean, what I know and don’t know is the least of his problems, right?”

  Emily forced a smile in reply. “David will look after you, Ara. He won’t let them catch you.”

  “I know. Doesn’t mean I’m not terrified.”

  “Only because you don’t really know what he’s capable of, do you? I hunt with him. I’ve seen what he can do. You shouldn’t be afraid.”