Darkly Devoted (Book 1, 2, 3)

LOMD Chapter 7 - Chasing the Henton Boy

Chapter 7

VIVIENNE STOOD up and ran in the direction of a clearing where she could see the sun. She came upon a giant sinkhole in the ground. Vivienne knew she would not be able to go down there without some rope or climbing gear.

Vivienne felt a pull toward a figure that was partially shrouded by the shrubbery. She swallowed hard and walked toward it. Her heart was nearly beating out of her chest as she glimpsed behind the shrubs.

There was a foot leading to a body of a boy. He was filthy. Vivienne felt for a second that she was certain it was Blake. It was like there was an invisible gold thread leading her to him, as though he was an extension of her. Vivienne wanted to call out his name even as her eyes took in the large square gladiator-like shoulders, the Frankenstein-like jaw. That was not Blake's body at all. Her heart still wanted to believe up until the last second when the boy turned his face to her. There was a bond that led her here, alright, the bond between an Orlin and an Anemoi.

"Calbert," Vivienne whispered.

Vivienne knelt down beside him and checked for a pulse. Even as her hand brushed against his jaw, Calbert flinched at her touch and jumped. His lips trembled as he saw her. Although he was in a wretched state, he was on his feet in an instant. He held out a sharpened piece of flint at her in defense.

"Don't come any c-closer," Calbert said, his eyes glancing about wildly, checking to see if there was anyone with her.

"It's me!" Vivienne said, holding her hands out to show him she was unarmed. "Put the knife down. It's me, Vivienne, your friend!"

"My friend?" Calbert demanded, shaking his knife at her. "Do you know what they did to me, after you left? What they did to my family? They even imprisoned my uncle. You have a lot of g-guts calling yourself. . .my friend." Calbert turned, wrapped his meaty arms around himself and sobbed. It was horrifying to see him this way.

"How can I help?" Vivienne demanded. "Tell me if there's anything I can do."

"Break your bond," Calbert said. "Please, it's the only way."

"My bond?" Vivienne asked as her hand instinctively wrapped around the cameo necklace she wore around her neck. "Which bond?"

"Your bond with him!" Calbert yelled and loudly blew his nose into his hand. "He can sense me inside you and I can sense him. "Break it or they'll find me and kill me."

"Who is they?" Vivienne asked.

"This place, this town, it's all damned. Can't you see? Open your eyes, Vivienne. No one is making it out alive." Calbert started to laugh madly to himself until he was red in the face. Vivienne sighed. She reached out and took his large hand in her tiny one.

"Let's get you out of here."Vivienne didn't know what to do with Calbert. She couldn't bring him home with her. What if her parents called the police? If Manna City was after him she would be sending him back into danger. First things first, she had to find her way out of the woods. It was with the greatest sigh of relief that she saw the tops of the Ferris Wheel from the carnival poking out from the tops of the trees ahead. She squeezed Calbert's cold fingers in hers and tugged him along urgently. He followed along in eerie silence.

"I am going to take you somewhere safe," Vivienne said. "Maybe I'll hide you in our basement. It's moldy and messy down there. As long as you promise to be quiet, my mom will never notice."

"There's no place left to hide," Calbert whispered. "He'll find me. He's been drinking from me."

"Who? Blake?" Vivienne asked, perplexed. She turned and studied Calbert and saw two large puncture holes on the base of his neck. Calbert hid the marks with his hand as though he was ashamed of the wound.