Darkly Devoted (Book 1, 2, 3)

DD Chapter 5 - Kissing A Demon

THAT NIGHT, VIVIENNE SLEPT with her door locked. She even wedged a chair under the knob for good measure.

Even in the safety of her room, she had a nightmare. She dreamt about the dragon from the painting in the study. She dreamed that she was standing at the edge of the lake under the house, and there was a serpent slithering right under the rippling surface. Her hand reached for it, and as she did, she saw her own reflection in the waters. And then, her eyes felt impossibly heavy, and she plunged headfirst into the water. Her legs kicked at the cold depths, but she couldn't reach the surface.

Each time she reached for the surface, she sank further underneath. She heard Blake's voice in the distance, even though she couldn't have from deep underwater. Finally, a hand plunged through the surface and grabbed her by the arm. It yanked her out of the waters. Crawling onto the grass and feeling the sand under her fingers, there was only coldness flowing through her veins and into her airless lungs.

Vivienne woke up covered in cold sweat. She gulped in the night air. The dream was so vivid she could still feel the weight of the waters on her chest, inside her lungs. Vivienne stood up and wrapped herself in a robe. She stepped up to the windows of her bedroom and blinked. There in the darkness of the forest, she saw a pair of glowing brownish eyes. Those weren't Blake's eyes. She jumped back into bed and covered her head with her comforter. Even though she couldn't see it anymore, she knew it could still see her. Damn those floor-to-ceiling windows!

Vivienne curled under the covers, listening to the sound of her own rapid breathing for what seemed like hours. Finally, when she dared to peep out again, the eyes were gone.

The next morning, Vivienne went outside for a walk. She wondered if she was slowly going crazy with isolation. Vivienne needed to go outside to convince herself that there was nothing to be afraid of. She started by studying the swimming-pool-sized lake that ran under the house. She knelt on the heated tiles by the edge of the lake-sized pool. It wasn't deep, and the water ran a clear blue. It smelled of chlorine. Vivienne dipped her hand in and cupped a handful of the warm water. Nothing except blow-up floaty animals could live in here. Vivienne took off her sneaker and dropped a foot in. It felt rather lovely and serene to sit here, listening to the chirping birds. If only she had a bathing suit, she could go for a swim.

Yet, even as she sat there, she noticed nervously that she had a perfect view into her bedroom window. As she contemplated asking the maids to draw her blinds, she suddenly saw a flash of green feathers appear. Vivienne blinked and looked again. A large green bird was sitting beside her, by the water's edge. It cocked its head at her in a way that made her laugh. It couldn't be. Was that a Nightjar? Those birds only existed in Manna City, in the hidden depths of River Way, specifically. Its beady bird eyes were intelligent, almost human. Before she could take a closer look, it fluttered away in the direction of the woods.

Vivienne shoved her foot back into her sneaker and ran after it. She had to make sure if it was really what she thought it was. She may have an amusing story to tell Blake that night at dinner. Every time she came close to the slow-moving bird, it continued to move just out of reach. Finally, Vivienne caught hold of one of its glorious tail feathers. It squeaked angrily and escaped further up into the treetops. She was left holding a single green feather. At least she had something to bring back for all her efforts.

As Vivienne glanced around, she suddenly felt her heartbeat quicken. She was standing in a meadow of daffodils, Snake's Head fritillaries, and wild grass. She was hopelessly lost. The sky had turned overcast and gradually — as though things couldn't get any worse — it started to rain.

Vivienne ran back into the forest for cover. As she walked, she saw a flock of birds suddenly scatter into the treetops. The insects were swarming away in the direction of the meadow. Vivienne wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but she thought she heard the sound of bones cracking in the distance. She backed up against the nearest tree and crouched down for cover.