Page 49 of Shielded Heart

“Alkorin is one of several aliases I utilize to mask my identity,” he said. “My name—mytruename—is Arcanthus.”

Samantha’s brows lowered, and she frowned. He’d lied about hisname? It felt, suddenly, like the very foundations of their relationship were in danger of shattering. She recalled when she’d first entered his hovercar—Drakkal had called himArcbefore Alkorin interrupted him. She hadn’t thought anything of it at the time.

“Why?” she asked.

Holding himself up on one arm, he moved a hand to her face and slowly combed his fingers into her hair. “Because I’m a criminal, Samantha, and it’s safest if other criminals—and the authorities—do not know who I really am. Information is power in my world. I prefer to control the information that’s available concerning myself. Very few know my real name, only those I trust…and I trustyou. I should have told you sooner.”

There was so much she should’ve been concerned with in that moment—that he’d lied to her, that he could very easily harm her, that he’d just admitted to being a criminal—but sheunderstood. What he said made sense; he’d just been protecting himself.

“You…you had no reason to trust me,” she said.

“When they came and asked you about me, what did you tell them?”

Samantha’s heart skipped a beat. “I-I didn’t tell them anything. I swear. I couldn’t—”

Arcanthus pressed his thumb over her lips, silencing her. He held it there for a moment before he brushed it back and forth across her lower lip, following its path with his eyes.

A shiver coursed through Sam’s body.

“I believe you, Samantha. You risked harm to yourself to protect me. That is more deserving of my trust than anything I can think of.” He lifted his gaze to hers. “Which you areneverto do again, is that clear?”

She nodded, though she knew she’d put herself in danger to protect him if a similar situation occurred. She’d risk herself for him again and again—even having learned of his deception. “Do you…kill people? I mean, apart from what happened at the complex…”

Oh God,Ikilled people.

The thought struck her with a blast of shock and guilt.

“I…I shot them, Alkorin. I…”

“Shh,” he soothed. “You did what was necessary to keep us safe. You were very brave, little terran.”

Brave.

That word cut through her shock. Had she been brave? She remembered being terrified, being nearly paralyzed with fear—both for her own life and Alk’s.

Arcanthus, not Alkorin.

She hadn’t thought they’d escape alive. And when those aliens had reached the bottom of the stairwell and fired their weapons at him… She’d simply reacted.

“I was?” she asked, her fingers curling against his chest.

Arcanthus nodded. “You were. Bravery is not a lack of fear but actingdespitefear.” He grinned, flashing his fangs. “I am proud of you.”

The voice that always haunted her—calling her worthless and weak every moment of every day—fell silent for the first time in years.

“I have killed people. I told you I was a fighter before I came to Arthos, and that is true. I killed people then…and I still do, from time to time, when they pose a threat to the safety of myself and my crew. And I do so without remorse.” His smile faded, and a hard, intense light entered his eyes. “I’m not a good person, Samantha…but I wouldneverharm you.Never.”

Samantha stared into his eyes. She believed him without having to think about it. Everything he’d done for her, each of his actions on her behalf, had been to keep her safe. James would never have admitted anything like this to her. He would never have revealed his true self, not like Arcanthus was doing now—James had always blamed his emotions, or drugs, orherfor his behavior. She didn’t think he was even capable of acknowledging his responsibility for his actions.

Arc was being honest—about things he’d done and would do again. About what hewouldn’tdo.

“I believe you,” she said.

Relief softened his expression. “I wanted to tell you sooner, Samantha. I wanted nothing more than to hear my name from your lips…but I couldn’t. I couldn’t risk scaring you away. I couldn’t bear the thought of putting you in danger…but it happened anyway.”

Samantha still couldn’t quite understand what he saw in her, why he considered her worth these risks.

“Besides…killing…what else do you do?” she asked.

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