Dark Secrets Box Set

by Angela M Hudson

  “I’m not untouchable. You can drink my blood.”

  “No way.” He sat back a little. “Not worth my life. And Mike says the same. You’re off limits to all vampires.”

  “Great. I’m a shrine.”

  “Yes. A royal shrine.” He laughed.

  “Well, can’t you get immunity from Morgaine?”

  He shook his head. “She’s a Created Lilithian. If you bit me, I’d still die.”

  “Even then, it’s better than nothing. At least you couldn’t be paralyzed by the Created.”

  “True. I don’t know, maybe I will drink it, but just not from Morgaine.” He shuddered a little.

  “You don’t like Morgaine?”

  “She’s okay. She’s just a little bossy. I don’t wanna accidentally have sex with her.”

  “Hu!” I leaned back. “What does that mean?”

  “Blood lust.”

  “I thought you said it doesn’t have to be about the lust?”

  “It doesn’t. You can drive the lust to the back of your mind when you have to. You and I?” He motioned between us. “We have to. Morgaine and me? We don’t. It’d be too tempting to just give in.”

  “Oh.” I nodded.

  “Just drink. Talking about Morgaine and sex makes me queasy.”

  “Okay.” I laughed, then pressed my fingernail to Eric’s skin, but nothing happened. “Um. I don’t think I’m strong enough to cut you yet, not without my teeth.”

  “Oh, sorry.” He made a short slice, and I closed my eyes, breathing the sweet, heady scent of warm sugar.

  The white cloud of hunger consumed everything else in the room then. I leaned forward, formed a seal around the wound and rolled the blood to the back of my throat with my tongue.

  Unlike the night he fed me when I was first rescued, the absence of fear and grief opened up a new kind of world. A hot-cold sensation travelled along my arms and legs, pulsing blood that couldn’t decide on a climate. I could hear every sound around me, even the scuffling of a mouse in the roof somewhere on the edge of the house over Emily’s room. The sensation in my legs bubbled up a little higher, finally deciding on heat in the form of excitement. Then, as the hunger eased, a soft moan escaped my lips, impure thoughts stirring within me.

  “Amara,” Eric said with a laugh, “I’m trying not to think inappropriately right now, and those noises aren’t helping.”

  I pulled my tongue from the small wound and sat back, wiping my mouth on my arm. “I’m sorry. It’s just… it feels like forever since I’ve had blood.”

  “Did you enjoy it?”

  Breathing through a smile, I said, “Yeah. It’s different drinking from you though.”

  “Because I’m a guy?”

  “Yeah. I see what you mean about pushing the lust back. I don’t get that same feeling with Em.”

  “Give it time.” He nodded. “You will.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded again, his eyes glistening with a grin.

  I looked up at my unmoving David. “Do you think he knows what we were doing?”

  “Yeah, I’d say he’s pretty clued in.” Eric nodded at David’s only un-charred body parts.

  “Oh my God. Is he clenching his fingers?”

  “Yup.”

  “Well”—I rolled my shoulders back, stifling my over-excitement—“if you don’t want me to drink Eric’s blood, David, you’re just gonna have to get better and feed me yourself.”

  Eric laughed. “Let’s see what he does if I drink yours.”

  “He’d probably go all “Return of the Mummy” and start zombie-walking after you.”

  David took a short, raspy breath, and Eric and I held ours until it stopped again. “Do you think that was a laugh?” I asked.

  “Laughter is the best medicine.”

  “Yeah, and I bet worrying your wife’s gonna munch on some guy’s arm is probably a good motivator for recovery, too.”

  “Perfect, I’d say.” He licked his thumb then swiped a smear of blood away from his wrist, cleaning it up before rolling his sleeve back down. “In all seriousness though, Amara, I mean no offense to David by giving you blood. I just… you needed it.” He shrugged one shoulder.

  “I’m sure it’s okay. Surely he won’t expect me to eat only him for the rest of forever.”

  A singular brow arched on Eric’s face, a tight smile on the edge of escape. “You don’t know David very well then.”

  “Well, right now, he has to deal with it. It’s not like he can tell me how he’s feeling.”

  “Emily can,” Eric said.

  “Yes,” I said spitefully. “So I’ve been told.”

  “You’re not happy about it—that she can read his feelings?”

  “I just… does that happen a lot with vampires?”

  “What?”

  “Connections. I don’t know. Is it normal for a vampire to have a special connection with one who hasn’t turned them?”

  “It’s rare,” he said, and his tone indicated an elaboration, but he left the sentence hanging.

  I sat back down and sighed aloud. I knew David would never be unfaithful, but this bond between him and Emily had me concerned. I mean, if he had nothing to hide, why hadn’t he told me he was drinking her blood, and why did he avoid talking about the fact that he could still read her mind and that she could ‘feel’ him?

  “What ya thinkin’, beautiful girl?” Eric asked, leaning his back against the mattress, his feet facing mine.

  “Just the whole David and Em thing.”

  “Amara?” Eric waited until I looked at him. “David loves you, okay. Everything he does, every thought he ever has is for you. I don’t need to read minds to know that. He and Emily have a connection and, yeah, we don’t know what that is—maybe it’s a distant ancestral one, who knows—but he loves you. Only you. Okay?”

  “You seem pretty sure about that.”

  He glanced once over his shoulder at David, lowering his voice as he spoke. “Do you understand that he knew they’d throw him on the fire?”

  “He knew it was a risk.”

  “No. He knew it was a fact,” he said, allowing me a small moment to process. “Back in the days of the Lilithian reign, when a vampire was killed by Lilith she threw them on the fire to be sure. I wasn’t even born then, and even I know that.” Eric looked at David again. “And he knew that. He did it for you. Not just to save you, but to keep you safe.”

  “Couldn’t we have just told Drake that David was dead, told him he was burned?”

  “He’d never have believed it. He needed to be sure true death could be achieved by your bite.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it’s been centuries since it was possible,” he said, running a hand over his longish hair. “Vampires will pay good money for your venom.”

  I pressed my thumb to my fang, remembering how Jason stole the venom. “Do you think it was Drake that pulled David from the fire, to test if he was dead?”

  “No.”

  “But, it could’ve been. I mean, it’d make sense.”

  “No. It wasn’t him. I’m sure of it.”

  “How?”

  “Because I followed Drake once he left the courtroom.”

  “To where?”

  “He and a group of BWs went through a panel in the wall behind a painting. There was this tunnel that led under the castle, and I half expected to see a grate at the end where we could get outside, but it ended on a brick wall. I stood back to see if there was a secret door, then one of the Warriors grabbed Drake and another pulled a blade—stabbed Drake through the chest.”

  “Stabbed?”

  “Yeah.”

  “He can be stabbed? I thought he was the all-powerful.”

  “Every vampire can be stabbed by vampire, and with the right kind of metal and a little lethal venom, they don’t get back up again.”

  “Lethal?” My eyes widened. “My venom?”

  “I guess so.”

  “How did the Warrior
get it?”

  Eric shrugged. “All’s I know is the traitors were executed with their own swords, and the rest of them picked Drake up, headed back toward me. So I left in a bit of a hurry, and that was that.”

  I blew out the breath I’d been holding. “Did you tell Morgaine about that?”

  “Course. Had a full debrief. But it’s not Morg I report to, it’s Mike.”

  “Why Mike?”

  Eric blinked a few times slowly, a rise of obvious sarcasm moving in to his eyes. “Who else, Amara? He’s Chief of the entire Knight’s Core.”

  “I didn’t know that.” I shook my head. “That’s still so weird.”

  “Weirder for me,” Eric scoffed. “The knights aren’t supposed to exist. The Blood Warriors killed them all six-or-so centuries ago, or so we thought. Turns out Morgaine and a few other Lilithians formed a secret society. They were few, but enough to storm the castle on an unsuspecting king.”

  “So, all this”—I held my palm out to the burned body—“is so we can sneak into power, trap Drake, then have a super-baby that can turn vampires back into humans?”

  “Well, that’s scraping the surface, but yes. He would’ve taken any pain to save you.” Eric looked up at David too. “I’ve never seen a man more distraught as when I told David what you are—what the real reason you were kidnapped was.”

  “What did he say?”

  “At first?” Eric said, and shook his head. “He smiled, completely lost for words. Then, as the realization of what they’d do to you sunk in, the smile faded, and I’m pretty sure I saw his soul become a ghost. Then, he just dropped to his knees and…”

  “And?”

  “Well, let’s just say that the holding chamber at Loslilian needs a little redecorating now.” Eric laughed softly. “But, all’s well that ends well, right?”

  “I don’t call this ending well.”

  “That’s because you’ve been kept from much of the truth about what could have happened, Amara.”

  “Like?”

  “You’re not my wife.” Eric shook his head. “It’s not for me to say. I’ll leave it to David if he wants to tell you.”

  “Eric?” I rolled my eyes, flicking my sarcasm switch. “This is the twenty-first century. You can tell me whatever you like.”

  “Where I come from—the era and place—you don’t cross those boundaries with another man’s wife, okay? He has to protect you not just from the dangers of the world, but the cruelty of it too. If he wants you to know, he’ll tell you.”

  “Well.” I folded my arms. “That is annoyingly honorable of you, Eric. Didn’t know you had it in you.”

  He smiled. “You’re married now, kiddo. That changes everything. Besides, you’ll be my queen soon. I don’t wanna be beheaded for treason.”

  “Beheaded? You can’t be beheaded.”

  “I know. I was being funny. You know, the off with his head; painting roses red?” He smiled. “Because you like red roses…”

  “Oh, ha-ha. Funny.” Not, but I smiled anyway. It was a little funny, I suppose. “Maybe my first decree as queen will be that if you’re about to make a joke, you have to announce that it’s a joke before you say it.”

  “Or”—Eric grinned, shuffling a little closer—“you could make a rule that you and Mike don’t attempt comedy in any way, shape, or form.” He shrugged. “That should protect your people from the worst of it.”

  “Hmpf.”

  Eric laughed, his easy smile giving me the sense that everything would be all right.

  * * *

  Mike and I burst through the front door, hilarity roaring between us. “I’ve never seen a look like that on anyone’s face before, Ara. It was classic.” He wrapped his arm over my shoulder and kissed my head.

  “That poor, poor old lady. She’ll never recover from that, you know.” I stopped laughing long enough to look at Mike’s face, then burst out with a gust of spit and air again, covering my mouth.

  “Something funny?” Emily stood in the archway, her arms folded.

  “Yeah.” Mike unwrapped his arm from me, his wide grin reaching out to include Emily. “But it’s really one of those had-to-be-there things.”

  “Hm.” Emily flicked her hair and spun on her heel. “Like most things with you two.”

  “Em?” Mike walked after her but stopped dead as Morgaine popped up in front of him, holding out a phone.

  “It’s Aaron,” she said.

  “Aaron?” Mike took the phone, frowning a little. “I was wondering what happened to him.”

  “Who’s Aaron?” I whispered to Morgaine.

  “He’s the scouting officer helping put the army together.”

  “Oh, right.”

  “Aaron. Long time.” Mike walked into Emily’s room with one finger in his ear, the phone against the other.

  “So, where do you go to recruit a bunch of vampire killers?” I asked. “I didn’t know Buffy had kids.”

  “Ha!” Morgaine laughed. “No, we um… well, when you’ve been alive for a couple centuries, you make a few connections. I have a friend in a ‘certain’ government authority.” She grinned. “He’s helping us recruit. You might say we’re a ‘special branch’ made up of the best of the best.”

  “Seriously?” I raised one brow. “The government are in on it?”

  “No. Just a few people within a certain branch.”

  “Oh, okay.” I nodded.

  “Yeah, we get their assistance in personnel, weapons, all sorts of things, in exchange for our assistance with the mediocre human issues, you know, terrorist attacks and stuff.”

  “Oh right, the mediocre issues.” I nodded again, more sarcastically than the last time.

  “So, anyway,” she said with a little flick of her short hair. “You know how we’ve been looking into your family tree to see if there are more out there like you?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, I traced back as far as your ancestors in the early eighteen hundreds, but there’s really not much before that. I did find one thing though.”

  “Why do I get the feeling this is bad news that you think is good?”

  She laughed. “Your mother’s grandmother is still alive.”

  “Really? But… she must be ancient?”

  “That’s just it.” Morgaine smiled. “She’s nearly a hundred-and-ten years old, Ara.” The smile widened. “I think we found another Lilithian.”

  A rush of cold went through me. “Do you think she knows what she is?”

  Morgaine shook her head. “If your mom didn’t, I’d say the chances are slim.”

  “So, is she in any danger then, will Drake come after her?”

  “Doubt it. She clearly never triggered the change.”

  I thought about that, about how easy my life would’ve been if I’d never met vampires. I’d still have lost my mom, still be miserable and grieving. But it’d be normal. Except, I’d never have known David. Hm. Guess a bit of torture and running from murderous vamps was better.

  “Ara?” Morgaine waved a hand in front of my face. “You in there?”

  “Yeah. Sorry.” I shook my brain awake. “I was just imagining being old—being normal.”

  “Well, don’t stay in dreamland too long. I want you awake for this afternoon’s lessons.”

  “Okay.” I cringed, then looked up at Emily, who perched herself nearby, pretending to be reading a magazine but so obviously not. She just looked so sad and distracted lately. I grabbed Morgaine’s arm and dragged her behind the wall a little. “What’s up with Em and Mike?” I asked. “They seem a little…”

  “Hostile?” She grinned. “Yeah. Emily wants to talk to you, actually.”

  “Why?”

  “Wants your advice.”

  “Morgaine, you’re not giving me much here. Advice on what?”

  “She’s thinking about breaking it off with Mike.”

  “What?” I practically yelled.

  “You know, I can hear you two,” Emily called from the kitch
en.

  We stepped back in. “Em? Why would you want to…?” I lowered my voice, looking over at Emily’s closed bedroom door. “Break up with him?”

  “I’m tired of fighting for his attention, Ara.” She placed the magazine on the counter behind her, folding her arms. “He doesn’t love me. It’s simple.”

  “But, have you talked to him?”

  “Mike won’t talk to her about it,” Morgaine said.

  “He’s just been really distant.” Emily glanced at her door again when it opened slightly, Mike’s loud phone-voice invading the room.

  “Serious?” I walked a few steps closer. “I didn’t even realize you guys weren’t okay. I mean, Mike’s been so normal and fun. I didn’t notice he was down.”

  “Exactly.” Morgaine’s face lit with resolution. “He’s not down, and he doesn’t seem to care that Emily is.”

  “Oh.”

  “Okay, Aaron,” Mike said loudly, walking back into the room. “I’ll see you Tuesday. Bye.”

  “All good?” Morgaine said as she took the phone back.

  “He’s got five guys he thinks might be good for Queen’s Guard.”

  “Queen’s Guard?” I said.

  “Your personal bodyguards,” he stated before quickly sidestepping my protest about not needing bodyguards and directing his gaze to Morgaine. “I’m leaving tomorrow to meet ’em. Wanna come, Morg?”

  “Yeah. Hell yeah.”

  “What about training?” I piped up.

  “I’ll leave instructions with Em or Eric.”

  I pouted. “Okay then.”

  Mike nodded, resting his hands on his hips, then looked across the kitchen at Emily. “Em?”

  She turned around and rested both hands on the counter.

  “I’m just gonna…” Morgaine let her sentence trail off to where her finger pointed, then walked away.

  I wasn’t sure if I should follow, and by the time I looked back at Mike to gauge the situation, he was already standing behind Emily.

  “What is it, Em?” he asked so softly he could’ve been speaking to a child.

  “I can’t compete, Mike.” She folded her arms, dropping her chin to her chest.

  “Compete with what?”

  “With her!” I practically felt her pointed finger stab me.

  Mike slowly spun Emily around, lifted her to sit on the bench, then parted her legs and stood between them. “Emily. There’s no competition. Ara has always been my friend. It’s the same with you and David.”