Darkly Devoted (Book 1, 2, 3)

DD Chapter 30 - Return To Manna City

BLAKE CARRIED Zissa's body out of the caves. Vivienne held onto his arm as he led her out the same way he had come in. The gates that had fallen and blocked the entrance from Julian's detonator had been cut through by the Tercel forces.

Gevidar was waiting at the entrance of the caves along with his men. Vivienne realized it was barely noon. Everything that had occurred in the eternal darkness of the caves had happened in less than an hour.

Blake handed Zissa over to his medical team. "Take her to the nearest hospital," he ordered and wiped his hands free of her blood with a towel that one of the medical personnel handed him. Vivienne could tell he had no interest in her blood, even though he probably dearly needed to drink to heal from his wounds. He was lucky the medical personnel didn't recognize how injured he was because he bled in black.

"If she lives, your life here will never be the same," Blake remarked as he discarded the bloody towel. "She had seen everything. Knows everything. You can't continue at Remin High."

"Then what will I do?"

"I'll have Glenn stay behind to help you and your family find a new place to settle."

"Where are you going?"

"Back to Manna City," Blake offered with a bittersweet, fleeting smile. "Immediately."

When Vivienne's eyes widened, he explained. "Maglania has the necklace now. My will isn't my own anymore."

He leaned in and placed the briefest of all kisses on her lips. It felt like more of a formality than a proper kiss. She supposed he wasn't going to kiss her passionately in front of all his employees.

All the same, it left her wanting more. This couldn't be goodbye. This couldn't be it.

"Wait!" Vivienne caught Blake by the sleeve as he turned to leave. "I want to come with you."

Slowly, she saw the weary resignation in his blue-green eyes turn to joy.

"You will?"

"Yes!" Vivienne exclaimed and ran after him. "I want to go to Manna City. With you."

"You're not afraid? Of being alone with me?"

"No. You idiot. I'm not afraid of you anymore. I haven't been, for a long time."

"Very well," he seemed to require a moment to take it all in. "I'll send you off with Glenn. He'll take you to my apartment in Manna City in the morning. I'll rejoin you there once I am done with Maglania."

"No, I don't want to go with Glenn. I don't want to be separated from you again," Vivienne begged. "I don't trust myself, not after what happened down there in that cave."

Blake turned to her. He wrapped his hands around hers, and Vivienne saw him smile despite all the pain he was in. He stared at the row of mysterious black vans at the foot of the mountain and hesitated. He seemed to be thinking things over.

"You can come with me, but I have to warn you. Where I am going, there will be many, many vampires."

"I just incinerated an entire mob of demons with my bare hands. Maglania's vampires should be afraid of me."

Blake laughed softly. For a second, Vivienne saw the briefest trace of the boy inside the man. Suddenly, Vivienne understood why he had been testing, prodding her to reveal her gifts. Now, she was safe from Maglania. Now, she could accompany him back to his home without fear.

"You'll learn to control your fire," Blake whispered as he held her hand in his without the slightest hint of fear. "I learned to hide my gifts early on. It takes time, but it will be second nature to you."