The Knight Of The Rose by A. M. Hudson Read Free Book Online Page A

for each other, Ara. If you couldn’t be changed,
    the phenomenon wouldn’t have occurred.”
    “Did you feel that with the person who changed you—with your uncle?”

    He laughed. “No. You only feel it with your soul mate, and it’s especially rare to feel it with a
    human. My uncle took a risk changing Jason and I, on the hope we would be more like him,
    genetically. There was nothing to l ose anyway. We’d just signed up to j oin the army, and Arthur
    wanted us protected.”
    “Really? That’s how you became a vampire?”
    “Yeah. Well, Arthur had lost everyone he loved by that point. He just couldn’t bear to lose us
    as well—plus he swore an oath to protect our blood-line.”
    “So, he risked killing you—to save you?”
    “Love works in mysterious ways, Ara. Besides, it’s not all bad—being a vampire. You should
    try it.”
    “Don’t joke like that, David. It hur ts that I have to live without you or give up everything I
    want from life. It’s a sucky exchange.”
    “I know. That’s why I’m let ting you go—gracefully. I want to throw a tantrum. Believe me,
    I’m in pain, Ara. Every moment with you just makes me real ise how much it’s goi ng to hurt when
    you’re gone—” his brow tightened, “—or hurt when you get married, have a family, have the life I
    could never have with you. And one day you will di e, and there will be nothing I can do to save
    you.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose.
    My cool fingers twisted into David’s warm gr ip. “It’s kind of ironic, really.” I smiled,
    looking down at our hands. “I’d make a better vampire than you. See? Caramel and vanilla.”
    David’s lips parted and his mouth curved up in the corners. “I’m really going to miss your
    touch.” I sat back in the chair and let my hand fall into my lap. “I wish we could be like t wo
    characters in a book; that some miracle could keep us together. But this is life, David—and reality is
    harsh. Our reality is that fiction doesn’t mix with fact. I wish it did.”
    “No matter. I will never give up hope.” He stol e my hand back. “While you still have life in
    you—I still have a hope of changing your mind.”
    My eyes watered and I looked away. The weight of our sadness felt heavy; if we were made
    of porcelain and dropped from the sky, we could not be more broken inside. I could see him trying to
    hide his pain from me—but you can’t conceal the truth from th e ones who love you—and I love
    David, with all of my heart. “So?” I cleared my throat. “Should I be worried? About Jason?”
    David shook his head and put the car into gear; “I hope not.”
    We pulled away fr om the middle of the r oad and headed for the lake again. I wondered,
    though, if a s mall part of him hoped it would ju st happen; that I becam e a vampi re—outside his
    knowledge. But the part in me that knew Davi d, also knew he would never want me to give up my
    human life. He wanted it for me as much as I did.
    “Hey, I was thi nking?” He grinned as he pulled over on the gravel and shut the engine off .
    “Would you like to go back to the island today?”
    “The island? Yeah.” Before I finished my sentence, David appeared at my side and opened
    my door. He wrapped his ar ms around my waist an d lifted me f rom the car—leaving my jacket
    behind. “David, what are you doing?” I squealed with giggle.
    “I’m getting us there faster.”
    The air rushed past me, and everything went blurry; like looking out the window on a train. I
    slowly inhaled the cool, moist air—softly scented with the sweet perfume of wild flowers.
    As we burst through the trees and into the clearing by the lake, a familiar feeling warmed my
    heart—like coming home. David placed me so slow ly and gently on the gr ound beside the rock
    where we usually sat, and I cast a quick glance at the watery road to the island.
    I wish I’d worn a skirt today—my jeans are so going to get