The Soldier's Hostage

Chapter Thirteen

Arthur made a fairly quick recovery. Zach came to check up on him, as did a few of the others. From what I picked up as they talked, Arthur's relationships didn't last long to begin with. Two years tended to be the maximum. I was a little sad for him, that he was so used to things ending that he could get over it in a few days, but there was no point in me dwelling on it.

Besides, I was much more interested in the scars disappearing from my skin on a daily basis. Arthur worked methodically and refused to acknowledge that it was happening at all. I was a little embarrassed another man was putting his mouth on me so ignoring it worked just fine for me too.

Finally, the last of them were gone. I put breakfast together with a spring in my step that evening and didn't even notice Arthur was seated at the table and watching me until I turned around. I froze with a flush of embarrassment and hurriedly finished putting food on the table.

Arthur just smirked. "Now that all your scars are gone, we need to put Katty's mark on you." He noticed me gingerly taking my seat as dread over this next step set in. The smirk turned into a careful smile. "It's not going to be nearly as extensive as Sophia's mark."

I nodded. "What does her mark look like?"

Arthur focused on his plate again. "A triangle with a moon in it. Not very big. Max apparently got his on his neck, just behind his ear." He lifted his free hand to brush the spot. I guessed the reason I hadn't seen it before was because his hair was long enough to keep it half covered. Arthur glanced up at me again. "Where would you like yours? Wrists or neck would be best."

That sounded much more reasonable. I lifted my right hand and turned my wrist up. Arthur nodded, but didn't take my hand.

"That's alright. We'll get to that later."

I dropped my hand again and nodded. "When?"

"Tomorrow. I'm off then." He finished eating in silence, scraping his plate clean and taking it to the sink when he was done. I smiled when Angel went skittering around his ankles, batting at his toes and trying to trip him. Arthur bent to scoop her up and deposit her on my lap. "See you when I get home."

I nodded and grabbed Angel before she could hop off my lap and run out the door after Arthur. I jumped up and called after him before he could get to far. "Do you mind if I see Isaac while you're gone?"

Arthur shook his head. "I'll give Chris the heads up that you want to come over." Then he was gone.

I grinned as he shut the door and quickly finished eating. After washing up the dishes and taking care of a little housework, I slipped out of Arthur's apartment. My heart thumped rapidly, my brain reminding me that I wasn't supposed to try to escape. I quickly shoved it away with the thought that I had permission, and I wasn't escaping.

I spent a little time with Isaac, making sure he was okay with the whole marking thing. He was taking it very well. He had been getting better even faster now that Sophia had put us firmly in the care of Katty and her Vampires. Chris and Joan had given him work in their bar too, which also helped him with feeling worth something.

Isaac appreciated my concern and relayed some information that Max had told him. Some things about marks that he had learned from Katty. I hadn't realized there were messages in the marks. But then, I had always belonged to Sophia and had never asked about the marks on other humans that got transferred to her.

I left Isaac a little later, thinking hard. I wandered back to Arthur's apartment, catching Angel before she could dart through the door. The mark Arthur had been talking about simply tied me to the Vampire family. It left me free to go and do whatever I wanted. It also left me vulnerable.