Darkly Devoted (Book 1, 2, 3)

OTF Chapter 10 - Words Unspoken

Chapter 10

VIVIENNE MET Blake back in their box. Sallen and Lord Kruther had long since gone. Blake approached her and wrapped her gold sable coat around her shoulders. She noted that he didn't notice the absence of the necklace at all. She had a feeling he probably had a servant pick it out for her. It had gone to a worthy cause. By throwing the tantrum in the bathroom, Vivienne had been able to make herself seem approachable by Maglania. Now, she was finally making progress to take down the royal family.

"She was here, wasn't she?" he asked. Vivienne knew immediately who he meant. There was no point keeping it from him this time.

"Yes, I lured her out, as we had planned. She invited me to follow her, to know her." Vivienne sucked in a breath. "She wants me to take Allison's place."

"And what did you say?" Blake asked as he led her out of the Opera House. He didn't seem shocked by anything that she was telling him. Perhaps, he already knew all this would come to pass.

"I agreed to meet her at the palace tomorrow," Vivienne said.

"Regardless of what she tells you, if you refuse her, she will kill you," Blake whispered. "Be careful what you say to her."

"And if I say yes," Vivienne asked, raising one eyebrow at him. She searched for a reaction on his face. "What would become of me? Will you kill me?"

Blake laughed at that. "You would never agree to it. Not because you don't desire power but because you would refuse to share it with anyone, not me and especially not her."

Vivienne couldn't help herself, she chuckled along with him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him close. Perhaps, that was the nature of love, it was impossible to stay angry at him or, at this point, keep her hands off him. Outside, in the December night, snow was starting to fall.

"Although, if you do agree, may I request you beat me with a Himalayan crocodile belt, instead. Thornes have a reputation to uphold." Blake wrapped his arms around her. Then he did a perplexing thing as they descended the stairs in front of the Opera House.

He shivered.

"I feel cold," he reflected as though the sensation amazed him. Vivienne supposed it was odd for a vampire to be cold. She held him closer but she had a feeling it wasn't the fact that he was cold that was bothering him; it was that he hadn't been able to feel it before.

"Are you doing this to me?" He asked incredulously.

Vivienne shook her head. "I don't know."

They silently entered the town car that was waiting for them outside the Opera House. He stared out the window pensively, as though the new development troubled him. Vivienne looked down at her hands in befuddlement. What was happening to her? And to him?

~*~

Back at home, Vivienne had been hoping to continue where they left off last night. As they went up the elevator to their penthouse, Blake started to kiss her neck. Within seconds, he pinned her up against the gold gilded and mirrored walls. She could feel the hardness inside his pants pressing up against her thigh. She wrapped her satin gloved arms around his neck and hungrily kissed him back. A dark thought occurred to her as she felt his warm heaving body pressing up against her. She could do this, eliminate Maglania, rule Ignis, become their dark queen. As Blake's hand wrapped around her breast and caressed his way down to her thighs, she began to imagine herself sitting on that Segais throne in the royal palace.

"If I ruled Ignis," Vivienne whispered in his ear as he slowly kissed his way down her neck. "I would have you chained naked to my bed."

Blake's hand went up her skirt and he grabbed her by the delicate yearning between her legs. He met her eyes and enjoyed the pained longing in her face. "I always knew you were most cruel," he whispered back.