Darkly Devoted (Book 1, 2, 3)

DB Chapter 25 - Under The Willow Trees

"SULIA PALACE," Vivienne ordered as she and Allison boarded Julian's yellow convertible. The car was made for two. Luckily, both of them were extremely underfed and could easily share a single seat.

"And why would I drive you two there?" Julian sighed. "That is the last place I want to go today."

"You're my vampire," Vivienne showed him her gold bracelet. "Now, go, before I force you."

"Now I see why your boyfriend never taught you how to use that thing," Julian grumbled, but did as he was told.

The quiet city streets sped by. The snow had been cleared, but all the trees were still blanketed in white. As Allison saw Vivienne enjoying the morning breeze despite the cold, she forced herself to smile. Vivienne wanted to be free. She didn't want to be locked in that apartment, no matter how luxurious and spacious as it was.

Allison bit her lip before she could ask Vivienne the question that was perpetually on her mind.

Wouldn't you be happier in Lewisville? Where there are no demons and no vampires? Where there's no chance you would accidentally kill someone with your fire?

"You look happy today," Julian remarked. "Good night?"

"The very best night," Vivienne answered and blushed. "A night I want to relive every night for the rest of my life."

Vivienne used one of her hands to catch the wind as the car sped onward. Her eyes were as cold as the icicles hanging from the trees, but her smile was the warmest Allison had ever seen it.

"Be careful!" Allison yelled and caught Vivienne's free hand. As Allison's fingers wrapped around Vivienne's, the Menjure Thread in her neck burned. Blake's attempt to put the thread to sleep was wearing off. Allison saw a vision again. The icicles of the city blocks melted into the crystal chandelier hanging from a snowy willow tree. The boy with the broad shoulders and the dark eyes appeared again. There was a slender, well-dressed woman with black hair and olive skin beside him.

As Allison squinted her eyes, she saw two gravestones standing before an enchanted river that bravely cut through the thick snow.

"Father, mother," the boy who looked to be in his mid-twenties said, and knelt by the first gravestone. "I want you to meet my future wife, Angela Liang." The boy chuckled and wiped away a tear. "I know I brought her home a little late. I wished, I had so badly wished that she could have met you both while you were alive. Wherever you are now, I know you are together. Nothing, nobody, could ever separate the two of you. I can only hope our marriage will be as long-lasting and strong as yours was."

The boy stood up and patted the snow off his knees. He was dressed in a black suit without a hint of any other color. Even though physically, he looked nothing like Blake, everything from the way he spoke, the way he dressed, and the way he carried himself reminded Allison of her friend.

"Your mother never changed her maiden name?" Angela asked, looking down at the second grave.

"You think a woman like my mother would change her name? Even for my father?" the boy joked. "Will you be Angela Oslen Thorne after marriage?"

"No, but you'll be Orion Liang if you hope to inherit Yageron."

Allison blinked, and the vision was gone. Sulia Palace came into view. Its red curtains looked especially ominous on this day of all days. Its snowy white columns blended into the snow until all Allison could see were the red curtains, looking back at her like demon eyes.

"Vivienne," Allison said. "You stay in the front. I'm going to go around back to see if I can find Belig and the others. The guards will be alerted if they see you around back."

Vivienne nodded and jumped out of the car. Julian sighed and put the car into park. He angrily got out of the car and slammed the door shut. It seemed Julian had finally found a cause worth fighting for. He chased after Vivienne, who was boldly wandering into Sulia.

"Whoa, whoa. Slow down. You're not going anywhere alone, Raven. I'm your Prince, remember?"

Allison wanted to groan at Julian's pick-up lines, but she realized it was far safer for Vivienne to have Julian with her. Allison glanced down at the car seat and saw the dagger Vivienne had been carrying. Absent-minded as always, Vivienne had utterly forgotten about it. Allison shoved the weapon into her jeans pocket and disembarked from the car.