Free Mark of Betrayal by A. M. Hudson Page A

beside Eric. “But we must not mess with the will of Fate.”
    “ Here, here.” Another man nodded. “Bad things happen when you meddle in things that already have an order.”
    “ Bad things happen when old vampires get superstitious, like a human, and start using those superstitions to make political decisions,” a Lilithian said.
    A couple of arguments broke out across the table; I looked at Arthur, who seemed to be staying out of this one. And I realised then that the table had been divided; to my left side were all the vampires and to my right were Lilithians. I wondered why they were seated that way—if it was deliberate. The only exception to that seating arrangement was Morgaine’s. It seemed kind of fitting that she was seated on the vampires’ side, given that she’d bedded with Drake. I gagged on my rice for a second, feeling the pinch of vomit rising up my oesophagus.
    “ Look,” Mike said loudly, raising both hands to end the arguments. “The fact is, we need to catch Drake, and it needs to be soon.”
    “ No,” I said. “We actually just need to gain control over all the Sets. All we’re trying to achieve is the enforcement of the new rules so we can have peace between Lilithians and vampires.”
    “ Peace? We should be imprisoning the vampires—killing them all,” one woman said.
    “ I concur,” a man on the Lilithian side added. “Rid the world of their kind.”
    “ And what would we eat, then?” I asked.
    “ Keep some. Farm them. Store them.”
    The vampires rose up in arms, voices reaching across the table, barely holding back violence.
    “ There are to be no more prisoners,” I said loudly; everyone stopped—to my amazement. This queen thing was suddenly growing on me. “I will enforce equal rights for both vampires and Lilithians alike.”
    “ While Drake is still breathing, that will never come to par.” With that statement, the two species broke into heated conversations again—their food untouched.
    “ If Drake wants to live in united peace, he can remain on the throne,” I said in a calm, quiet voice, refusing to enter this shouting contest. “Maybe we can rule together.”
    Conversations around the room ceased abruptly with a unified gasp.
    The portly woman snorted. “You can’t negotiate with him.”
    “ I disagree.”
    “ Of course you do,” a Lilithian added harshly. “You can’t possibly presume to know what is wise—you’re just a baby.”
    “ Here. Here,” an old man said, tapping his finger on the table. “You were not even born when Drake stormed this manor and killed our queen. You did not hear of the horror, or the deaths of so many Lilithians that day. You cannot make a ruling about this, Princess, because you know nothing of our past.”
    “ The past is inconsequential. I’m thinking about the future.”
    “ Future? Future!” One man, so enraged, leaped from his seat, slamming his hands on either side of his plate. “If you want any kind of future, you will send your knights forth at once to seek out and kill Drake.”
    “ I concur,” a man said.
    “ As do I.”
    Several men from each side wrapped their knuckles on the tabletop, nodding, their mutters of agreement uniting them for the first time tonight.
    “ Yes, this is the wisest course of action. We should act immediately.” Moustache man, who I was starting to think might be a position of authority among the House, had the final word, all going silent after.
    “ The thing is,” I addressed the entire table, “I am your leader, and I have to decide which is the right course of action. I’m sorry, but it won’t necessarily always be the wise one.”
    “ Then you will lead us all to ruin,” the portly woman scolded.
    “ That’s enough!” Arthur glared at her. “Show some respect.”
    “ It’s all right, Arthur.” I held my hand up, then smiled at the woman, who bowed her head apologetically. “Look. I know you’re all afraid because I’m young. But I was born for