Darkly Devoted (Book 1, 2, 3)

DB Chapter 7 - A New Home

Chapter 7

"THIS ENTIRE BUILDING, and all the buildings surrounding it, is owned by Tercel," Glenn informed her as he nervously swayed back and forth. Vivienne had a feeling he didn't bring guests up this way very often. "There are tenants on the other floors. Mostly wealthy foreign businesspeople who value their privacy. He likes to be among other people, even if he rarely sees any of them."

Blake's apartment was much more than what she imagined. First, the entire building wasn't visible from the street. It was located behind a hidden driveway that led to an enclosed garden. The building was surrounded by walls cleverly disguised as other townhouses. If that wasn't enough secrecy, Glenn brought her up through a back door leading to a private elevator. 

"If you ever get lost, it's 54 Doru Ave, though I don't think any car is allowed through the entrance unless it's well known to the guards here. This elevator requires a key, though you won't need one. There will always be a servant to greet you downstairs."

"Lichtus is here today. He's the head butler. He'll introduce himself, and hopefully, he'll go back home to River Way. Neither Mr. Oslen nor I like him much. Mr. Oslen likes to surround himself with younger staff, not his mother's old artifacts."

A butler appeared as soon as the elevator doors opened. He bowed and introduced himself, as Glenn predicted. He was a respectful, slender man with snowy white hair.

"Miss Minthe." He stated politely. "I'm Thomas Terrell Lichtus. "

"Oh," Vivienne said. She wasn't sure how to react to the bow except to make a sloppy attempt at a curtsy.

"Your deliveries have already arrived and have been set up in your room."

Vivienne followed Lichtus down a long, ornate hallway to her bedroom at the far corner. The room was big, almost too big for her to feel entirely comfortable there. Three walls were composed of floor-to-ceiling windows that beautiful brocaded curtains could easily block. The lush green and gold curtains were all that reminded her of the mansion from her childhood. Otherwise, the room's furnishings were deceptively modern. The bed and surrounding tables were made of a softly fragrant cypress wood. Vivienne had to check it twice to ensure it wasn't Segais. Not that she was afraid he would impale her in her sleep.

She wasn't surprised that a boy with the power to control trees collected furniture made from rare types of wood. 

Vivienne wandered through her bedroom and found a walk-in closet leading to the ensuite bathroom.  All her clothes had already been unwrapped and hung up. Her new shoes were all resting on the shelves, ready for her to put together an outfit. At the end, there was an entire wall of purses in all different sizes and types. It was as though Julian had moved half of Chastel into her bedroom.

"Wow," Vivienne gasped. The only other person in the room was her own reflection in the floor-to-ceiling mirror. "Janun, if only you could see this now."

"Is the room to your liking?" Lichtus asked, with a raised eyebrow as though Vivienne could critique a room that was bigger than an entire floor of her parents' house.  "If not, there are other options."

"No, this is great," Vivienne resisted the urge to ask for something smaller. "Where does Bl —I mean Mr. Oslen, sleep?"

"Down the hall. He prefers a darker room, for days when he suffers from light sensitivity."

"Figures," Vivienne muttered.

"Now, here, we have a selection of jewels," Lichtus stated as he led Vivienne to a wooden panel that led to a hidden room within the closet. "It isn't much, but you are free to select your own from the vault when you have time."

Vivienne walked into the room and gasped again. Now, this time it was truly ridiculous. She wondered if she was still on earth, because this was like nothing she had ever seen on television or otherwise. The walls of the room were lined with shelves of trays filled with diamonds in all forms: necklaces, tiaras, earrings, bracelets in the shapes of flowers, feathers, birds.

"Lady Odelia was an avid collector of diamonds," Lichtus explained. "Since your arrival was rather sudden, the staff hasn't had a chance to bring over the other precious gems. Our apologies."

"No! No, this is enough. I don't need any more...variety."  Vivienne realized she had never worn diamonds in her entire life except that one time Julian swapped out her cameo necklace. What would her mother think if she saw this room, filled with diamonds in every nook and cranny? Diamonds that Blake gifted her without even being here to hand them to her personally. He gave them to her as casually as other boys would offer their crush an extra napkin at lunch.

See mom? That cameo necklace was worth more than all the diamonds in the world.

Vivienne ran her fingers over the glass cases and sighed. Of course, Odelia Winther, who had the gift of water, loved diamonds. It made sense, just like Blake's fondness for rare, exotic wood furnishings.

What was she supposed to collect now that she had the gift of fire?  Fancy lighters?

Vivienne saw a plush robe waiting for her and realized she stank after a day of travel. The lower half of her body was still covered in mud from Satan's Hollow. She jumped into the ensuite bathroom and took a long, hot shower. This bathroom itself was larger than her bedroom back in Lewisville. It came outfitted with towel warmers and a shower that shot out water from all sides.  Vivienne didn't know what half of these devices were.

Well, this was going to take some getting used to. Vivienne's stomach growled. Suddenly, she wished she had taken up Julian's offer for brunch.

Wandering out of the shower, in her new robe, Vivienne collapsed onto her magnificent bed. Everything smelled sweetly like wood, citrus, and jasmine. She reminded herself that Blake said he would be back later that evening. She really should wait up for him.

Her resolve dissolved as her body sank into the bed. Slowly, her eyelids grew heavy and started to close.  She could see herself in the reflection on the windows as daylight faded. For the first time, perhaps ever, she felt as beautiful as Julian had described her.

That was what beauty was; it wasn't an objective state of being. True beauty existed when no one would ever again dare claim otherwise.