Without a word, the newcomers detain Jacques and his guards and then escort them out. The tallest of the group, the one who seems to be the leader, looks over in Solomon’s direction and nods. Before he turns to leave, his deep blue eyes crash with mine, giving me chills. That’s one scary dude.
When they’re gone, Karl faces the headmaster. “This is not over. Jacques will try to get Vivienne, no matter what you decide.”
I begin to tremble like a leaf in the wind. That’s exactly what I need, a psycho Blueblood on my tail.
“I can’t stay here a minute longer,” I say.
Solomon shakes his head. “You must stay. Bloodstone is now the safest place for you.”
I glance at Aurora, hoping she can say something to get me out of this situation.
“Don’t fret about your disguise, child. The spell can be extended,” Solomon continues.
My eyes bug out of my skull. “You know I’m human?”
He smiles. “Of course. From the very beginning.”
33
Lucca
Hating that I was forbidden to accompany Vivienne to Solomon’s office, I go in search of the weasel responsible for putting her in harm’s way—Hanson. Ronan and Saxon follow me, but there’s nothing either can say or do that will stop me from giving Hanson what he deserves.
I find him in the gym. He’s practicing with a couple of blades, moving fast enough that he’d be a blur to human eyes. Not to me though.
He misses a step when he sees my approach. His eyes widen, and I can see he’s ready to launch into a bunch of BS. But my hook finds his jaw first. He goes down on the tatami like a sack of trash. I could do so much more than simply punch the male, but if I rough him up more than that, it will give him too much leverage over me.
Leaning on his elbow, he touches his busted lip. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“That was just a little warning. The next time you try to hurt Vivienne to get to me, you will end up strapped to a tree outside, waiting to greet the sun.”
“You can’t threaten me. I’m a faculty member and a Blueblood!”
“I don’t care how many accolades or titles you have. You’re nothing but a rat to me. You’ve been warned.”
I turn around and walk away, but a prickle in the back of my neck warns me of a new danger. Then comes the whistle of a blade cutting through air. I pivot fast enough to catch the dagger meant for my back. The fucking asshole.
I’d retaliate, but Saxon and Ronan are already on it. In the blink of an eye, Hanson is pinned to the floor in a spread-eagle position by four blades, one for each appendage.
He yells, glancing at his hands, which have been pierced through by his own daggers, “Motherfuckers! You’ve just earned your death sentences.”
“I don’t think so,” Ronan replies calmly. “You attacked a member of the royal family when he had his back turned. That’s treason in my book.” He glances at Saxon.
“Mine too,” he replies with a smirk.
With a chilling smile on my lips, I walk over to Hanson. This is not even close to what this bastard deserves, but I can’t deny it’s satisfying.
I spin his dagger between my fingers, and then I let it fly. It strikes an inch away from his right ear.
“You shouldn’t have crossed me, Hanson. I’m not called the Dark Prince for nothing.”
This time, I do walk out. It won’t take long for him to get free, but I don’t foresee any new sneak attacks from him tonight. He will try again though, probably another stab in the back. It’s what vampires without honor do.
“You should have ended him, Luc,” Saxon says.
“I know. But even having a solid reason to do so, if I kill him, I won’t know what he’s planning.”
“Nothing good. I wouldn’t be surprised if he finally picked Tatiana’s side.”
“One more reason to let him live … for now.”
There are people milling about in the hallway, including Therese and her posse. This is the first time we’ve crossed paths since she tried to kill Vivienne. She’s another Blueblood deserving of punishment, but since her deadly prank is the reason that I was finally able to let go of my revenge plan and accepted my feelings for Vivi, I’ll give the bitch a free pass.
She changes her posture when she sees me. Her spine becomes tense, and she won’t hold my gaze. A moment later, she steers her friends in the opposite direction. I begin to relax, but then I catch Vivienne’s scent. She’s coming back from her meeting with Solomon, sandwiched between Aurora and Karl.
I don’t miss the side-glance Therese throws in her direction though. Vivienne doesn’t acknowledge the female but keeps her stare straight ahead. I know Therese too well; she won’t leave Vivienne alone. Her pride is bigger than her fear of me. I’m surrounded by fucking assholes.
I’m moving toward Vivienne before I know it, meeting her halfway. She stops abruptly, almost as if she’s afraid of what I’m going to do. Not giving a damn that we have an audience, I invade her space, trapping her face between my hands, and kiss her without reservation. My heart is soaring, beating so fast that I’d have a heart attack if I were human.
The hunger is there, ever present, but I push it to the back of my mind and savor Vivienne’s sweetness despite my irrational craving for her blood. When I pull back, her eyes are at half-mast, and her cheeks are flushed. That’s a reaction that’s mostly human, so I pull her into my arms, trying to hide her red face from all those prying eyes.
“I guess it’s official then,” Aurora murmurs.
“What is?” I ask.
“You’re a couple.”
I sense Vivienne tense in my arms. Maybe she has zero interest in that. I can’t blame her if she doesn’t. We’re different species; she’s the prey, and I’m the predator. And worst of all, she’s mortal, and I’m not. Without the ability to turn her into a vampire if she wanted to, I’m fated to watch her die. The thought is gut-wrenching. I don’t want to lose her.
“Let’s get out of here. There’s much to discuss.”
“I’m not leaving,” she says, and I’m equal measures ecstatic and concerned.
“As much as I want you to stay, it’s too dangerous for you here.”
“Not really,” Aurora pipes up. “Jacques wants Vivienne’s head now. He doesn’t know she’s human, but that secret can be easily discovered. Who is going to protect her outside the walls of Bloodstone?”
I glower at the witch. “What does that bastard want with Vivienne?”
“He’s claiming she attacked Boone, not the other way around,” Karl replies from across the room.
I can’t help the roar that comes from deep in my belly. Vivienne winces, stepping away from me. It helps get my rage in check.
“I’m sorry, darling. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“God, will you quit with the sugary nicknames, brother? It’s nauseating.” Manu wrinkles her nose in disgust.
“Shut your piehole, brat,” I retort.
In true Manu fashion, she takes a step forward, aggression levels through the roof. “Make me.”
“Shut up! Both of you.” Aurora gets in between us, arms raised.
Shit. I must be losing my mind for real when an apprentice witch has to run interference.
“Damn, I love a woman who takes charge.” Saxon laughs, giving Aurora an appreciative once-over.
She twists her face in annoyance. “Not even in your dreams, jackass.”
Saxon sticks a blood lollipop in his mouth and smiles. “You can’t stop me from dreaming, sugar.”
“Can everyone stop acting like an ass and focus for a second?” Karl interrupts. “Vivi staying here is only a temporary solution. She can’t pretend to be a vampire forever.”
“There’s only one option then,” I say. “Boone must die.”
Manu snorts. “Good idea, Luc. Just kill Boone and start the damn V wars again.”
“It’s better than living in this fake peaceful time,” Ronan rebuffs. “If we�
�re putting it to a vote, I stand with Lucca.”
“Me too,” Saxon adds.
Soon, another argument breaks out, but I’m no longer invested in it. Vivienne is standing quietly in a corner, withdrawn and paler than before. I whisk her into my arms and take her to my room, locking the door for good measure.
“Are you okay?” I set her on my bed.
“No. I’m scared.”
Sitting next to her, I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “You don’t need to be afraid, darling. I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”
“I’m not afraid for me. It’s you I’m worried about.”
My chest expands and then overflows with joy. This is foolish, and it will only lead to heartbreak. But I’m cursed anyway. One day, I’m going to sleep and never wake up.
My uncle’s last words come to the forefront of my mind. He told me to surrender to the hunger. Could he be talking about the curse?
My mind begins to whirl at the speed of light. I jump out of bed and start to pace.
“Did I say something wrong?” she asks.
“I’ve craved your blood with a feral hunger since the first time I met you.”
She pinches her lips together, hugging herself. “That’s not normal, is it?”
“No.”
I remember the photograph I took from her trailer. I never showed it to Aurora. I’ve been carrying it with me since I stole it, so I pull the folded picture from my pocket and hand it over to Vivienne.
“What is it?” She watches me curiously.
“The night I went to your trailer, I found that photo.”
“You broke into my house?” Her voice rises in indignation.
Damn it. I did awful things to her. I’d better get back there and fix the mess I left behind.
“I’m sorry. I had to know who I was dealing with. You were pretending to be a vampire, and you did try to steal from me.”
Her face becomes beet red. She lowers her gaze to the picture in her hands. “Why did you take this particular photo?”
“I assume that’s your brother. But who is the woman?”
“My mother.”
“You and your brother are wearing similar bracelets with charms on them. Do you remember who gave them to you and what those symbols mean?”
She scrunches her brows together, looking at the photo closer. “I forgot about those bracelets. Rikkon bought them and made me wear mine throughout the entire month of October. I couldn’t take it off, even to sleep.”
“Did he say why?”
She meets my eyes. “No. Do you think the bracelets were magical?”
I’m beginning to suspect as much, but I can’t tell her I think she’s a Nightingale descendant, and thanks to the curse, I’ll be compelled to drink her dry. It’s the only explanation to why her blood keeps giving me bloodlust.
“Maybe. I wanted to show them to Aurora. Maybe she could tell me what they mean.”
Vivienne traces the picture, getting lost in it. “I do remember when this picture was taken. It was a good day. My mother was sober for once, and none of her shady friends were around.”
“I’m sorry she wasn’t the mother you deserved.”
Vivienne pulls my necklace from her pocket. “I wish you still had yours. What happened to her?”
My chest feels tight, and for a moment, I can’t speak. My mother’s demise is directly linked to the curse. I can’t tell Vivi what happened to her without saying too much.
She puts the necklace and the picture on my nightstand and walks over, stopping right in front of me. “You don’t need to tell me if it’s too painful. I understand.”
“Thank you.”
I rub her bee-stung lips with my thumb, dying to kiss her senseless again, but I hold back. She just survived a sexual assault. I can’t possibly try anything now even though my very bones are on fire, yearning for her.
She sucks my thumb into her mouth, making me hiss.
“Vivi, what are you doing?”
Without breaking eye contact, she lets my thumb go with a loud pop. “I can’t stay away from you. Even if it’s not safe.”
“It isn’t safe.” My voice is strained, low.
She walks into my space, grabbing my hands and placing my arms around her waist. “You want to drink my blood, and you’ve been denying yourself all this time.” She tilts her head to the side, offering me her neck.
My gums ache as my fangs extend fully. My nails turn into claws. I’m becoming a monster right in front of her, and I can’t stop it. The entire room disappears. All I can see is her vein pumping blood; all I can hear is her pulse.
“No!” I shove her roughly, sending her to the floor.
She looks at me, startled, and I can’t stand that I did that to her. Ashamed, I do the only thing I’m still able to do. I run.
34
Lucca
As much as I’d prefer to run to my destination, sunrise is only an hour away, and I can’t risk it. I took the SUV, even though I haven’t mastered driving it yet. I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to find my uncle. He has a secret estate in Salem, but he spends a lot of time in Boston too.
He’d better be in Salem because there’s no way I can get to the big metropolis before sunup. The tinted windows in the car won’t prevent me from turning into ashes.
The farther away I get from Bloodstone, the clearer the picture becomes. Vivienne’s blood has been calling to me since I took my first whiff of it. And with all the not-so-subtle hints my uncle gave me, I was an idiot for not piecing it all together. I never asked her where she got the powerful concealment spell, but I’d bet a limb that Uncle Dearest helped.
I take the car through a dirt path in the woods, not bothering to slow down. There isn’t supposed to be anything in this area besides dense forest. The path leads to a dead end, blocked by a large tree. I gun the engine, heading straight for it. A split second before the collision, the tree vanishes, and the rough path gives way to a paved road. After another minute, King Raphael’s mansion appears in the horizon, surrounded by tall stone walls and a thick wrought iron gate. The construction style is similar to my own house but much larger in scale. Nothing less for the king of vampires. Gothic and dark, it belongs in an old horror movie. It’s exactly the kind of place where you’d expect a creature of the night to live.
The gate opens as soon as my car approaches. The moment I crossed the magical barrier keeping his mansion hidden, his familiar was alerted of my imminent arrival.
When I get out of the car, the sky is already lighter. I most definitely won’t be making it back to the institute today. My heart immediately fights the idea. I don’t want to leave Vivi alone for that long, but considering I have a primal desire to kill her, maybe it’s best if I stay away.
Mauricio Libell, my uncle’s familiar and butler, opens the great mahogany door and greets me with a scowl. “For heaven’s sake, Lucca, what are you doing here at this hour?”
“I have an urgent matter to discuss with my uncle. Is he here?”
He moves out of the way, letting me pass, but keeps his glowering strong.
“I’m here,” my uncle replies from the top of the grand staircase. “You can leave now, Mauricio. Thank you.”
With a shake of his head, the towering male walks away. A bear in his animal form, he retained his large frame when he became a familiar. He’s also stubborn like a bear, and when I lived with my uncle, he was a pain in my ass.
“Why are you here this late, Luc? Did something happen?” my uncle asks, already at the bottom of the stairs.
I cut straight to the chase. “Is Vivienne the Nightingale descendant you hinted about?”
Nothing changes in my uncle’s expression. He maintains his calm, emotionless mask. “Yes.”
Yanking my hair back, I snarl, “No! I can’t believe this. You set me up.”
“Luc, I had to intervene. You weren’t even looking for her. It’s like you don’t want to break the curse.”
“The
curse can’t be broken! Maewe made sure of it.” I shake my head, laughing without humor. “And now, I’m in love with the woman I’m fated to kill.”
“You can’t let Maewe get in your head. The fact that you love Vivienne increases the chances of your salvation.”
I glare at him. “Are you mad? I’m not going to risk her life. I’ll never feed from her.”
“The longer you remain close to her, the harder it will become to resist.”
“Then I’ll move away.”
“Stop with this nonsense. I’ve had enough of your whining. You will go through with it and break this damn curse.”
“And if I don’t, are you going to compel me to do it?”
He flinches, a rare reaction from him. I must have hit a nerve.
“You’ve already tried, haven’t you?”
He sighs loudly. “Yes. But I’m not proud of it.”
I could scream or punch him in the face, but what good would that do? He’s the king; he can do whatever he pleases.
“Save it. I’m tired of your half-baked excuses. First, I wake up to find out you bent over to Tatiana, and now, this. I feel like I don’t know you anymore.”
He avoids my gaze, walking over to the fireplace. His shoulders are slumped forward; he looks defeated. Damn it. That’s definitely not the male who braved wars, who inspired thousands of soldiers, who conquered whatever he wanted.
“You’re right; I haven’t been truthful with you. I didn’t want to add another worry to your plate.”
I walk over, stopping next to him. “You can tell me. I can handle it.”
He looks at me, finally letting go of the mask. His eyebrows are pinched together, and his eyes are turbulent, conflicted. “A strange malady has hit the first-generation. They’re losing their grip with reality, imagining things that aren’t there, forgetting others. I suspect it has to do with the Nightingales’ departure from this world.”
Dark Prince: A Vampire Paranormal Romance (Blueblood Vampires Book 1) Page 18
