“We’re going to announce it next month,” I said.
“What?”
“A pregnancy.”
“You can't,” he said, sitting down, the weighted, stiff version of David taking over the light-hearted act of his brother.
“Why?”
“They’ll check you if there’re no obvious signs.”
“But—”
“I know.” He held his hands up. “I know we said it would be good to flush out ulterior motives and to get Ja…me crowned, but things have changed. It won’t be so easy.”
“So, what do we do?”
He sat back. “Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“Nope. There’s nothing to be done. We’ll just catch Drake and leave it at that. If we drain him and starve him, his immunity will fade and then we can kill him.”
“So that's the plan? Just catch him and kill him?”
“Right now, yes.” He frowned down at his hands. “I just…I don't think you're ready for a child, Ara. And I know you’ll do it for the sake of your people and the Immortal Damned, but they’re not suffering right now and there are other ways we can kill Drake. I don't want to put you through a teen pregnancy if I don't have to.”
“So you think I can't handle it?”
He scratched his cheekbone. “It’s not to be insulting, my love. I just…you’re only nineteen.”
I wanted to be insulted, but I was a little bit too happy for that.
“What?” he said. “Why are you smiling?”
I jumped up and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Thank you, Da—son.”
“For what?” He laughed, patting my elbow.
“You’re right. I'm not ready to have a baby, but I…I just didn't want to let everyone down.”
He squeezed me tight. “I know.”
I smiled into his neck. “You always know.”
“But, for now, I need you to continue this fake relationship.”
“Why?” I gasped, sitting back.
“It gives me time. While the people are waiting for you to turn up pregnant, they’re not hassling for a wedding or pushing you to bare a child. They’re at ease. If you ‘break up’ with Jason, they may actually force you to fornicate with a man of their choosing, and something tells me it might end up being Walter.”
“Walter? Why him?” I nearly threw up.
David laughed. “The House want him in power. He’s one of the people we’ve been watching closely.”
“But he's Lilithian.”
“I know. Exactly why no one would suspect him.”
“Isn't he sworn to the throne of Lilith?”
David smirked, sniffing once. “Can you keep this to yourself?”
I nodded eagerly.
“You can't tell Jason—or think it around him.”
I nodded again.
“Walt doesn't have a Mark.”
“What?”
David sat back, making himself comfortable, as if he was Jason. “I snuck into his quarters and saw it for myself. He’s pretending to have taken an oath. In fact, I bet if you compelled him to do something, he’d do it just to keep that pretence up.”
“So, what, you think he wants the throne?”
He nodded, squinting in the sun. “Yep.”
I clicked my tongue. “All this royalty and conspiracy stuff really sucks. Will there ever be any rest?”
He laughed and sat up again. “When Drake is gone, yes, I trust that things will change. And…I actually feel better knowing my brother is watching over you.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “He’s one of the most powerful vampires here, Ara, and that’s…partially why I want him to pose as your partner.”
“So you want him with me twenty-four-seven?”
“Not that often.” He reached out and tickled my ribs, making me squirm; I grabbed his hand and held it tight. “But, yes, for the most part, I want him with you—especially now we no longer have your personal guard.”
I looked down. “Do you think I was stupid to do that?”
He lifted my chin. “No. I don't.”
“Mike does.”
“I know. But, I had my suspicions for a while that Mike’s intentions with those guards may not have been professional.”
“So, you think he’s, like, stalking me?”
He laughed aloud. “I think he’s…he’s not used to letting you go off by yourself. He’s always been there—always been your…bodyguard. Even when you were kids. And, I know you liked that because he made you feel safe—he was almost like the father-figure you needed. And that’s a twisted way to look at it, I know, but I believe he’s having a hard time not being the number-one man in your life.”
“You think he’s not over me?”
“I think he is. But it’s a habit for him to be this way with you. And you pulling against that, trying to grow up—go out on your own branch, it’s got him panicked.”
“Like he's gonna lose me?”
“Or just…that things will change.”
“But they have changed. We’re vampires.”
He shook his head. “Not much has changed, Ara. You’re still under his wing. You’re still his little ‘baby girl’.”
I smirked. “Are you jealous?”
He scoffed, straightening his collar. “With a face like this? I got no need to be worried about Mike.”
My mouth opened wide for the breathy giggle his sexy self-appreciation forced from my lips. “I love it when you play around like that. I miss that version of you.”
I saw his heart melt a bit in the warmth of his eyes. “I miss it, too. I miss us.”
“Me too.”
“Are you coping okay—being alone all the time?”
I sat back, clicking my thumbnails over each other. “Yeah, for now. But I miss having someone to talk to, you know—someone who listens and doesn’t roll their eyes at me if I ask a stupid question.”
“What kind of question?”
I looked right at him. “Don't roll your eyes at me, okay?”
He touched his chest. “Promise.”
“Okay. Well, um, Drake never made an oath. So…how come Ja—you could be compelled by him?”
He rolled his eyes, exaggerating the move, and we both laughed. “No, um, it’s actually because, without a true queen—a pure blood that’s connected to the Stone—an oath made to any ruler would be upheld—even the president of the Untied States.”