“Please—” he offered the park bench, “—sit with me.”

I obliged.

“You see,” Arthur continued, resting his ankle on his knee, “when David went to the Blood Rave a few months ago, he set off a chain of events that resulted in the Council learning of your existence—”

“Because of a Blood Rave? We were sent to our deaths because of a Blood Rave?”

“But you’re still alive.” Arthur smiled. “Much to my supreme joy.”

“Didn’t know you cared.”

“But I do, all the same. I cannot convey to you the immeasurable grief of losing my sons.” He lowered his gaze to the grass. “However, I truly am happy to see you, Amara.”

“But you sat there, in the council chamber, and watched your nephew beat me. How can you be so two-faced?”

He nodded. “If it is any consolation at all, I refused to drink your blood there—not even for the sake of pretending to want you dead. I could not bring myself to harm you.”

“But you let them do it.” I thrust a balled fist onto the bench. “Why would you do that if you wanted to help me?”

“What matters is that I’m helping you now,” he said and took my hand.

I just wanted to hit him and run away. My fingers itched to move from his. “Why? Why are you helping?”

“Many reasons; one of them being a promise I made to my son, to always watch over you if ever he was taken away.” His mouth tightened, his eyes going dark. “Of course, when I swore this, neither he nor I foresaw the possibility of death. But I assume David would still wish me to protect you.”

“Don’t say his name.” My eyes watered thinking of the way Jason threw him onto the fire—like he was nothing, and worse still, he was alive, felt everything.

“His mention troubles you greatly. I can see that.” Arthur touched my cheek; his cold, stiff fingers shocked my warm skin, sending a tingle of shivers down my spine. “But, for the purpose of our chat, my dear, I must mention him occasionally. May I ask your blessing for that?”

I turned my face away. “Fine.”

“I understand the Lilithian head of security, Mike, has plans to leave for Loslilian in a few days.”

“I—” I frowned. “Head of security?”

“Were you not made aware?”

I shook my head.

“He leaves in two days to start training the new army.”

“Army?”

Arthur held back a smile. “Yes. The Lilithian Knights. An elite team of vampire hunters; skilled, with the ability to paralyse in one bite. Of course, I assume—” he nodded toward me, “—with your bite, you will create more like Mike.”

“Like Mike?”

“Yes. Those bitten directly by a pure blood also have the ability to end vampires’ lives.” He looked at me, holding a gaze infused with either anger or confusion, or maybe something else. “Tell me they at least educated you on this much.”

“Oh, yeah, they did. Um—but, I don’t know about turning an army. No one even mentioned an army, or security or...” My shoulders dropped. “Or Mike leaving.”

“You see?” Arthur grinned warmly. “You need me. I will be a great ally.”

“We’ll see.” My eyes rolled, but a smile crept up.

“You have no reason to trust me, my dear, not after everything you’ve been through, and I do not expect your trust.” He lifted my chin and turned my face to look at him. “If it’s all the same, though, I will help you win this fight, overrun the Council and take your rightful place as queen of the Three Worlds. I do not need you to trust me in order to do that.”

“Good, because I don’t trust you,” I said coldly.

Arthur nodded softly, pressing his lips together. “I hope, in time, that will change. But, I know my honour and I am a man of my word. I want only to help you rid the world of Drake and take back the throne.”

“Why does it have to be me? I mean, seriously, I’m nineteen years old. I can’t be a queen.”

“It is your birth right, Princess,” Arthur said assertively. “A position taken from Drake, originally, and given to Lilith by her father—the first vampire.”

“Why her? Why my bloodline?”

“Because Drake is blood-thirsty, unkind creature. Power was never intended to fall back to his hands, but he took it, stole it from Lilith when he discovered she could be killed. Our existence began as a race of beings that supported human life, not destroyed it.”

“Is that what Drake does—destroys life?”

“Not so much these days. There were many centuries where he believed humans should be farmed, stored in lots to use for our own nourishment. He did not care for discretion, or for life. It took a curse to show him the error of his ways, but when he fell in love with a Pagan named Anandene, his rule became tyrannic again, and Vampirie was forced to step in.”

“So, Vampirie wasn’t like Drake.”

Arthur laughed. “Not at all. Before Drake was born, vampires lived in peace among the humans—a utopia we, who are true to the original vampire, wish to restore.”

“You said we. Who is we?”

“Those who have broken free of the Set; the Rebellion.”

“So, you’re not with the Set now?”

“For now, I am. I will remain so until you take over, Majesty. Unfortunately, I am sworn in, bound to do all bidding which benefits my people, but I must also maintain my cover in order to help you rise up slowly beneath Drake until you’re powerful enough to take over.”

“Why would you do that? If you’re bound to do what’s best for your people, how is a Lilithian take-over beneficial?”

“I believe a world without Drake will bring peace.” He touched a tight fist to his chest. “I am faithful to the old ways and wish to see balance restored. And it is only by the power of the prophesied that it will ever come to par.”

“Prophesised? This is all too big, Arthur—the first vampire, Drake, ruling the Lilithian Order—how do I do that?”

“It is your destiny.” He squeezed my hand, his blue eyes smiling.

“Why? I mean, why can’t the first vampire just come back and take over—where is he anyway?”