“How is she?” I stop in front of her.
“Besides a few lacerations and bruises, she’s fine.” She looks straight into my eyes. “He didn’t accomplish his goal.”
A great weight is removed from my chest, but I’m far from satisfied. He dared to touch Vivienne. He hurt her to punish me, and I won’t let it slide. Accords or not, he’s dead meat.
“Is she awake?” I ask.
“Yeah.”
I step around the witch, but she places a hand on my arm. “Wait, are you sure it’s a good idea for you to see her right now?”
“I’m not going to hurt her.” My response comes out almost like a growl.
“Your crazy vampire eyes say differently.”
Shit. They must be glowing red. “It has nothing to do with bloodlust.”
Saxon and Ronan come through the door, their expressions grimmer than ever. I notice when Saxon’s eyes zero in on Aurora’s hand on my arm and how his posture changes. She steps away from me, and he follows her movements. Whatever is going on between them is not important right now.
“Did you find him?” I ask.
Ronan grimaces. “Yes. You won’t have to worry about him for a while now.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Aurora asks. “Please tell me you didn’t do something foolish.”
“Relax, little witch. We didn’t lay a hand on that son of a bitch,” Saxon replies. “When we got there, he was cut in so many places that he’d have died in a pool of his own blood if he were human.”
My eyes become rounder. “Are you saying that Vivienne did that to him?”
“No. Something much worse got to Boone. He was mumbling words that didn’t make any sense, but one he kept repeating constantly was specter.” Ronan looks at Aurora. “Do you happen to know anything about that?”
I glance at the witch, immediately noticing her ashen face. She doesn’t answer right away, but I bet she knows exactly what attacked Boone in the catacombs. It’s probably the same thing that got Vivienne the other day.
As much as I want to know what secret Aurora’s mother and Solomon are hiding in the bowels of the institute, I have other priorities. I leave my friends behind and veer toward my room. Vivienne is lying in my bed with her eyes closed. I stop near the door, taking a moment to get a grip on my emotions. There’s a tightness in my chest now, a new worry that makes me question everything about my long existence.
I never allowed myself to feel anything for any female. I believed that having the love of my family and friends was enough. It wasn’t fair to get involved with someone while I had this damn curse hanging over my head.
Then, Vivienne came along and changed everything.
She stirs in her sleep and then slowly opens her eyes. When our gazes meet, an enormous lump forms in my throat.
“Lucca,” she whispers.
In the next second, I’m in bed with her and she’s in my arms. I hug her tightly, crushing her face against my chest. The annoying hunger decides to rear its ugly head again, but fuck that shit. I’m not going to let it ruin this moment.
“I’m so sorry, darling. I never should have let you out of my sight.”
“This wasn’t your fault. Boone found a way to get me alone that was completely sanctioned by the institute.”
My gums ache as my fangs descend. It’s not bloodlust that’s making me react like a wild animal; it’s the thirst for revenge.
“Hanson arranged this?” I ask with barely contained rage.
“He assigned me to Boone at his personal request.” She pulls back. “You’re not going to do anything to him, are you?”
“He knew Boone had already attacked you before. He shouldn’t have put you in harm’s way.”
“What about the Accords?”
“The Accords only protect Boone and his followers from me—that is, allegedly. If Boone thinks he’s safe, he’s sorely mistaken.”
Vivienne’s eyes widen in fear. “I’m not going to let you get in trouble to avenge me.”
I capture her beautiful face between my hands. “You deserve to be avenged, darling. Many times over.”
My lips find hers, ending any protests she might have. She’s human, and I still crave her blood with a deranged obsession. Despite that, I want her but not only as nourishment or distraction; I want her wholly for as long as she will allow me to be near her.
Pressing her hands against my chest, she pushes me back, ending the kiss too soon. “Lucca, I need to tell you something.”
She won’t meet my eyes, keeping her gaze fixed on the hollow of my throat.
“What is it, Vivi?”
She releases a shaky breath. “I’m not who you think I am.”
I place my index finger under her chin, lifting her face to mine. “I know who you are, darling. I’ve known since your first day.”
Her beautiful eyes turn as round as saucers. “Wait a second. You know that I’m the girl who tried to steal from you at Havoc? You know that I’m human?”
I smirk. “Yeah.”
Her expression changes suddenly, twisting into a scowl. She jumps out of bed, wearing nothing but her underwear, and glares at me with her hands on her hips. “You knew I was human, and you made me drink blood? What kind of asshole does that?”
Ah hell. I completely forgot about that. Shit.
32
Vivienne
I’m beyond pissed. I’m livid. Lucca knew I was human from the get-go, and he let me drink from that poor woman. That’s the lowest of the low.
“I’m sorry about that, Vivi. Truly.”
“Are you really sorry? Or is that part of your twisted game?”
He jumps out of bed and walks over, hand up in supplication. “This is not part of any game. You need to calm down.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down!” Angry tears roll down my cheeks.
In the back of my head, I know I shouldn’t be yelling at him. I’m in a dangerous situation here, but I don’t care. Maybe being attacked by Boone snapped that part of my brain that had any common sense.
“Fine. Don’t calm down. Yeah, I forced you in that situation because I wanted to know how far you were willing to keep up with the charade. Why you would risk your life, coming here to steal from me.”
I hastily wipe my face, suddenly feeling like a fool for allowing myself to fall for him. This has been nothing but a wicked and drawn-out revenge. “What is my punishment then?”
His eyebrows arch. “Punishment? What are you talking about?”
“You’re not going to simply let me go, are you? I lied to you. I’m a thief.” The words taste bitter in my mouth.
He breaks the distance between us and holds me by the arms. “I’m not going to punish you, silly girl. Yes, I wanted to in the beginning, but it’s been a while since my priorities have changed.”
“Why?”
I search his eyes, which are brown with flecks of red in them. Is he on the verge of succumbing to the bloodlust? Even with that possibility, I don’t have any great survival instinct urging me to run for the hills. I must have a death wish.
“I don’t know. I just can’t stay away from you—and not only because I crave your blood.”
My heart wants to believe him so desperately, but I can’t.
“I’ve been to your neighborhood,” he adds.
“What?”
“And I know about your brother. As a matter of fact, I went to Ember Emporium with every intention to get him out of there.”
“Wh-what happened?”
Lucca lets go of me, stepping back. “My uncle happened. He forbade me to speak with the dragon-shifter. Compulsion was involved.”
I can’t believe this. Lucca tried to help my brother? My brain is whirling. I don’t know what to think anymore.
“Why does Larsson want your necklace?” I ask.
Lucca covers the medallion with his hand. “I don’t know. It was my mother’s. It’s actually the only thing I have left of her.” With a hard pull, he bre
aks the chain off and offers the necklace to me. “Here. If it means your brother’s freedom, you can have it.”
I stare at the offering without blinking, but I don’t move to accept it. My chest feels horribly tight. It doesn’t feel right to deprive Lucca of something so personal to satisfy the whim of a criminal.
“I can’t take it.”
Lucca’s brows furrow together. “You went through all this trouble, risked your life, and now, you won’t accept my gift?”
“I could have stolen your necklace yesterday. I couldn’t do it. It’s not right.”
He reaches for my hand, forces it open, and drops the necklace onto my palm. “This piece of jewelry won’t bring my mother back, Vivi. But it can save your brother.”
Tears form in my eyes again, but they’re different. I stare at Lucca’s necklace, fighting the waterworks. A lump the size of Texas lodges itself in my throat, making it hard for me to breathe.
“Thank you.”
“Now, you can leave.”
I whip my face up so fast that I pull a muscle in my neck. “You want me to go?”
“No. That’s the last thing I want. But you can’t stay here. You’re not a vampire, familiar, or snack. Bloodstone is not a place for you.”
The first fat tear rolls down my cheek. “I used to think so, but now, I’m not so sure.”
Lucca pulls me into his arms and kisses the top of my head. “You’re not safe here. Boone doesn’t know you’re human. You can return to your old life. You can leave Salem behind, follow your dreams.”
“What do you know about my dreams?” I ask through a choke.
“I know a lot, Vivi.”
Unlike me. Everything I thought I knew about Lucca has turned out to be wrong. He’s savage and dark, but he’s not cruel. He’s the vampire I love. But I feel foolish saying that to him out loud, so I don’t.
Someone knocks on the door, and without waiting for a reply, Aurora pushes it open and sticks her head in. “Sorry to interrupt, but we have a situation.”
“What now?” Lucca grumbles.
“The headmaster has sent for Vivienne. It’s about Boone.”
My stomach becomes a twisted mess, hurting like a mother. “I need to give him a statement, don’t I?”
“Yes, most likely,” she replies.
Lucca wraps his arm over my shoulders, pulling me closer. “I’ll come with you.”
“I don’t think that’s wise, Lucca. I’ll take her to Solomon’s office, and if possible, I’ll stay with her.”
Lucca’s body is tense next to mine. “That’s not good enough. If this meeting is anything like the one I attended, I won’t let her go alone.”
“Your presence will only make matters worse,” Aurora retorts.
I turn in his arms, so I can capture his gaze. “I’m fine. I can face the headmaster alone.”
“You’re not fine, and no one expects you to be fine.” Lucca stares at me intensely.
I take a deep breath and step away from his cocoon of safety. As much as I would like to wear him as my armor, this is a battle I must face without the added protection. Besides, if I have to relive every detail of my ordeal at the hands of Boone, I’d prefer if Lucca were not privy to it.
I switch my attention to Aurora. “If you can get me something to wear, I’ll go see the headmaster now.”
Despite Lucca’s many protests, in the end, only Aurora and Karl accompany me to the headmaster’s office. I’m not feeling particularly chatty, and they both leave me alone. From time to time, Karl steals glances in my direction, but I pretend I don’t notice them. I can’t deal with any emotion I might find reflected in his eyes.
He knows about my first vampire attack experience and how it left me with permanent scars. He must be expecting me to break at any minute now. Or perhaps I’ll find reproach or pity in his gaze.
I’m not sure how I’m holding my torn pieces together. Maybe I’m in shock. Lost in my thoughts, I don’t pay attention to my surroundings. I’m letting Aurora lead the way. When she stops in front of a richly decorated door, I turn into a ball of nerves. It seems the numbness is fading, and I can finally feel the full impact of my terror. I bite the inside of my cheek, hoping the pain will distract me from the jitters racking my body.
Aurora knocks once, and then the door opens inward by itself.
The room is austere with dark wood furniture and paneled walls. Bookcases, filled to the brim with old tomes, occupy most of the space, and in the middle, there’s a long, solid oak table where an older male sits behind it. His hair is shaggy and white, and his beady eyes are almost too close together and a little hidden by his bushy eyebrows. I’ve never seen a vampire who looks quite like him.
“So, you’re the infamous Vivienne Gale.” He clasps his hands together, watching me over his wide nose.
“I don’t know about infamous,” I say, trying not to show how freaked out I am.
He switches his attention to Aurora and Karl, who are flanking me. “I’d like to speak to Vivienne alone, please.”
A bout of panic threatens to take hold of me. I look at Aurora, pleading with my eyes for her to stay.
“Vivienne has been through hell. She needs moral support.” Karl speaks before her.
“Oh? Those aren’t the reports I’ve heard from multiple sources.”
“What sources are you referring to?” Aurora butts in.
“Hanson, for starters.”
She takes a step forward with her hands balled into fists. “He’s a snake, and he can’t be trusted. He knew Boone had attacked Vivienne before, and he was more than glad to pawn her off to him.”
The headmaster narrows his gaze, leaning forward. “Aurora Leal, you seem to be forgetting your place in this institution. You’re not a High Witch yet; you’re an apprentice.”
Tired of hearing them talking about me as if I weren’t even in the room, I move closer to his desk. “Boone tried to rape me. Are you saying that because he’s a Blueblood, somehow I’m at fault?”
He leans back, widening his eyes. “That is a serious accusation.”
“He also attacked one of my friends. Cassandra Alencar,” I add.
“What’s your relationship with Lucca Della Morte?”
I’m taken aback by his question. It’s like he didn’t hear a word I said.
“How does Vivienne’s relationship with Lucca pertain to what we’re discussing here?” Karl chimes in, not hiding his angry tone.
“Mr. Eriksson, you’ve been living the past five centuries cut off from this world. Don’t pretend you know a thing about it.”
“It wasn’t by choice. And just because I was banished doesn’t mean I was out of the loop.”
Banished? I didn’t know that. Why was he banished?
“You should know then that my question is not irrelevant,” the headmaster replies.
“Lucca and I are friends,” I say, and it’s the best answer I can come up with. The status of what we have is still unknown to me.
“You said Boone attacked one of your friends?” The headmaster turns to me.
“Yes.”
“That would give you a motive to attack him.”
I freeze for a moment, not daring to breathe as I process his words.
“Vivienne didn’t attack Boone. You know that, Solomon,” Aurora retorts indignantly.
“Is that what he’s claiming? That I attacked him?” My voice rises to a shrill. “He attacked me.”
“He was found in tatters by Hanson in the catacombs.”
“Something else got to him,” I say. “A ghost.”
Solomon’s eyes widen, and then he switches his attention to Aurora. I don’t have time to question that shared glance before the door to his office opens, and a mean-looking male enters, accompanied by three other Blueblood vampires wearing leather dusters and oozing darkness. Those are the types of vampires that used to give me nightmares.
“What’s the meaning of this, Jacques? This is a private meeting.” Solomon
rises to his feet.
“I’m here because I can’t let you handle the situation alone. That lowly vampire dared to attack Tatiana’s heir. She must be punished and used as an example that the Accords are to be followed.”
My head is spinning, making me dizzy. I can’t believe what’s happening. I’m the victim, and in a twisted turn of events, I’m now the aggressor?
“Vivienne didn’t attack Tatiana’s spawn. He’s the predator.” Aurora steps in front of me, followed by Karl.
“Boone can’t even speak coherently after what she did to him. And we all know about her association with Lucca Della Morte.”
“I didn’t do anything to that vermin!” I yell. “But he deserved what he got.”
“See? That’s a confession in my book. Guards, seize her.”
The three Bluebloods advance, but Aurora does some strange movements with her arms, something akin to tae kwon do, and they freeze. There are now two shields made out of pure energy glowing from her hands. Next to her, Karl growls, a sound that’s definitely not human.
“You’re not taking Vivienne anywhere,” Aurora says.
“Insolent girl. How dare you stand in my way.” Jacques moves closer to her, but she doesn’t back down.
I hate that I’m this useless human and that I need others to defend me. Even if I had a weapon on me, I wouldn’t be a threat to anyone.
Solomon calmly walks around his desk, revealing to be much shorter than I anticipated. No longer resembling a mad scientist, he raises his arms wide and releases a powerful blast that knocks Jacques and his guards down.
“I won’t have my authority questioned in my own domain.” Solomon speaks in a voice that feels ancient and powerful, almost familiar. “Vivienne hasn’t been charged with anything, and you won’t be taking her anywhere. You’re advised to leave the premises or deal with the consequences.”
Stunned, Jacques and his minions slowly stagger to their feet. “You’ve just made a huge mistake, Solomon. With the Nightingales gone, you’re nothing but a glorified pet.”
Five males clad in leather uniforms storm the room. They’re huge, built like warriors, and also emotionless. They each carry a short sword that gleams when it catches the moonlight pouring through the window. A flash of red in their vest catches my attention. A stylized red rose is embroidered on the left side above their chests.
Dark Prince: A Vampire Paranormal Romance (Blueblood Vampires Book 1) Page 17
