Darkly Devoted (Book 1, 2, 3)

DD Chapter 28 - A Forbidden Kiss

EVERYTHING FROM the Masquerade Ball came back to her. Vivienne suddenly recognized the flash of that philanderer smile. That was the smile that had captured a thousand hearts in Manna City. Suddenly, his charm and his beauty all made sense. What chance did Janun have against him? After all, Julian was such a magnificent vampire; even a sophisticated, high-born girl like Wisteria had no chance.

"I hate that stupid nickname," he groaned as he brushed a strand of his chestnut hair out of his eyes. "Julian is my real name. I didn't lie to you about that, Vivienne."

"Y-you said if I came within an hour, you'll let her go!" Vivienne stammered.

"I said if you didn't bring Tercel," Julian corrected calmly.

"I didn't!"

"Oh?" Julian asked and strolled over. He snatched Vivienne's purse out of her grasp. He retrieved her phone and tossed the rest of the contents into the waters below them. Julian checked her phone and made a tsking sound. "You have more than a couple of missed calls, beautiful."

Vivienne felt her cheeks grow hot. Yes, Blake probably tried to reach her after she hung up on him.

"I don't know if there's any cell reception here," Julian remarked as he clicked the dial back button. "Let's see if we can get your boyfriend on the line."

The phone barely rang once before Blake picked up the call. Julian held the phone out as he broadcast it on speaker.

"Vivienne?" Blake asked.

"No, guess again," Julian answered in a high-pitched voice.

"Julian?" Blake said after a short pause. When he spoke next, his tone remained cordial, but Vivienne heard the hostility lurking beneath. "What do you want?"

"When this is over, you can buy me a drink and I'll explain to you how I got past all your guards," Julian joked. "But for now, I'll make this quick. I know you're on your way over. Judging by the timestamp on her call to you, you're about ten minutes away."

"Five."

"Liar," Julian chuckled. "It doesn't matter. When you get close, you'll come across some unexpected company courtesy of the Princess."

"What is the purpose of this call, Julian?" Blake sighed deeply as though all this were profoundly boring. "If you want to hear the sound of my voice, use your own damn phone."

"I'm calling to tell you I've parted your Orlin with her necklace. That necklace is on its way back to Manna City. You have a choice now. Go after the necklace, which you may have a chance of catching, or come here to this muddy pit to save your raven. You can't have both."

"If the necklace is in Manna City, then there's no purpose to saving her. If she is dead, there is no purpose in chasing the necklace. In short, Namura, go ahead, and kill her."

"Are you daring me to do it?"

"Vivienne," Blake stated in an ice-cold voice. "You entered the caves when I repeatedly warned you not to. Now, like your band of brainless friends, you will reap what you sow. Farewell."

With that, the call was ended. Vivienne stared at the phone in shock. Julian tossed the device into the Black Waters, joining the rest of the contents of her purse.

Vivienne held up her pistol at Julian as he turned his glowing eyes back to her and Janun.

"This is no ordinary gun," Vivienne choked out and waved her weapon in Julian's general direction. The safety lever continued to jam. There must be a trick to releasing it. Vivienne continued to struggle with it to Julian's bemusement. "Stay back, vampire."