Darkly Devoted (Book 1, 2, 3)

DB Chapter 31 - To the Pier

"DO YOU THINK she is well enough to travel?" Allison asked as Julian drove them to the pier. Vivienne was sleeping in the backseat. She was out cold. Allison had felt her forehead, and she went from running a raging fever to feeling as cold as a corpse. Perhaps they should have taken her to a hospital, but Allison had a feeling that whenever Vivienne was suffering from, had no medical diagnosis.

"She'll live. She's sick because even though the bond is broken, a bond that old takes time to fully fade. He can still draw from her and will be able to for a while."

"Is he trying to kill her?"

"No, but I imagine she's not putting up a fight. Whatever she has to give, it may not be enough to save him. He's more human than vampire."

"What are you planning to do now? Go back to working at Tercel?"

"Not for long. If he dies, there is no Tercel."

"What if I told you there's a way to keep Tercel running without him?" Allison asked as she pressed her palm to the cold car window, leaving a ghostly handprint on the window. That was the only imprint she would leave on Manna City. Her presence would fade as fast as water vapor on a car window.  So, it was all for nothing. She couldn't find that damned ring, no matter how hard she searched.

Blake had trusted her, but he hadn't trusted her that much. She even broke the lock to that giant, ugly wood desk in his office while Vivienne was stewing in her bedroom. It was completely empty.

"Are you going to share that secret with me?" Julian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No," Allison laughed. "But if he kills me, you'll never know. So, when he wakes up, you'd better work your charm on him."

"What a weak threat. If he wakes up, I won't need your witchy secrets."

"If he wakes up, how long will he last as a human? Without an Orlin?"

"Do you really believe your friend Vivienne Weisse is irreplaceable?"

"Yes," Allison said with sincerity. "He won't take another Orlin. He's paranoid to a fault. Mark my words, he'll never take another Orlin."

"Too bad you'll never know the result of this bet."

"Do you think you'll last long at Tercel when he finds out that the only vampire Vivienne is bound to is you?"

Julian sighed. "I told you this before, Devon. He doesn't destroy the things that Vivienne loves. Not everyone loves selfishly as you do." Julian chuckle. "Perhaps my new nickname for you will be Jaduerial reborn. You seem to take a lot of joy in destroying the things that your best friend loves."

"That's the key," Allison mused. "Jaduerial cursed all those that Odelia loved. Maglania, Blake, Gabriel's son."

"Why not Gabriel himself?"

"I don't know. He was too powerful for an Angel of Death to get to?" Allison wondered. "Jaduerial cursed a weak-willed woman and two small boys. From what I heard, Gabriel's son has it the worst. Perhaps if Melody and I had become friends, I would have asked her."

Julian smirked as it started to rain. Perhaps the rain would wash away all the snow. Allison wasn't looking forward to traveling all the way to Lewisville in the rain. Julian would only drive them as far as the pier. Allison knew that there was no future for her in Manna City.

If Blake lived, she would never step into Manna City again.

"Imagine being Melody," Julian said out of the blue. "If Gabriel could convince Blake to break the curse in Aethon and cure Gabriel's son, there would be no more use for her. Why did you think Melody showed an interest in you? If I were her, I would have more of a reason than anyone to want Blake dead."

"She seemed nice," Allison reminisced. "Fun. Daring. Witty. I think in another life, we could have been friends."

"Not in this life," Julian joked and then turned his eyes to the distance again. "With Vivienne gone, Blake's only hope would be Gabriel Balan's help."

"Do you think he'll ask for it?"

"I don't think it would work," Julian replied and slowly pulled into the pier. It was time to say goodbye. Allison never imagined the last person she would see in Manna City would be Julian Namura. "Gabriel is too old. There's a reason why Maglania only sends orphans into Aethon. Grismal only allows the young into Aethon, which contains his altar."

"Why is that?"

"There is a story that Grismal grows weary of ruling the Land of the Dead. The one who Grismal grants that wish to doesn't simply sell their soul to the devil. They agree to become the heir of Grismal." Julian laughed softly. "Blake can't do it. It has to be a single individual who has all six powers. The One With the Power to Challenge the Gods."

"I heard Maglania and Gabriel discuss the altar. They believe he can do it."

"It's their desperation speaking," Julian interjected. "They're running out of time. Or they believe because Blake is wrapped in Orienne's Grace that he could work a miracle. But, it takes more than a goddess' love to break this curse."

"Out of all the people in this world, why do you think Blake has Orienne's Grace?" Allison asked, changing the subject. She had heard enough of Aethon for a lifetime. "Could you think of anyone less deserving of a goddess' blessing than the boy who created Tercel to poison the world with Black Waters?"

"That remains the question, doesn't it?" Julian asked. "Look at what happened to Sebastian Thorne. He tried to dabble in Black Waters, and he instantly met his death. Demons gnaw on his bones in Aethon now. What is special about the Yageron, Sylvirua, and now Tercel? Too bad, Devon. You've come to the end of the line, and you'll never know."