Page 120 of When Night Falls

“The compulsion won’t stick long.”

“I’ve got that covered. Don’t worry about it, love.”

A beat of silence filters through the phone speaker as I reach the threshold of Rivian’s office, seeing it in disarray.

"We'll have to be careful, there’s no way to hide the compulsion of a Royal, considering only another Royal can do so." Unsureness laces the words spoken to me, but I know everything will work out the way we need it.

As I walk deeper into the office, I take note of the vintage furniture and the mess of distressed books that have been tossed around, likely in his fit of anger. I knew it wasn’t much longer before he reacted to the chaos, letting it embrace him. Releasing his humanity is going to be one of the biggest of mistakes he’s made.

I take a seat in Rivian's chair, loving the way the leather feels under me. And the view outside to the grounds of Hollows Trace is a powerful sight to see.

I click my tongue and take a deep breath before responding, "No one suspects a thing."

38

bathed in blood - part 1

Rivian

The sight before me is almost euphoric. I'm deranged enough to feel delectated by it, but the scene is unholy enough for me to hold worry.

My wife is impurely besmeared in blood. The smell of the metallic delight wafts through the air and levitates under my nostrils, causing my eyes to shift in a brutal battle of cravings, my hunger stirring at the smell. Even considering, my brain is concentrated on the thought that I have to remedy this.

"Lucynda, what happened?"

I look at my wife, blood drips from her chin, her neck, her fingers. It's matted in her snow-white hair, the red bleeds into the strands and creates the most sinfully serene sight. Fear paints her expression; her once gray eyes now shatter with an ambiance of black swirls laced with danger against ominous hues of lavenders and silvers. Something I am utterly enthralled by.

The lore of lavender eyes in hungered Nocturnes is another rarity, but the fact behind the notion is that they are driven by the most powerful of emotions only to be concealed by the damage that has been done to their souls. It's rare that someone has enough light and dark energy to harness power from more than one damning feeling, but to comprise yourself of two of the strongest emotions one can feel is impressively dangerous, really.

She is propelled by love but dissembled by wrath.

This can only mean one thing.

Lucynda is a fallen angel incarnate, rebelling against her true desire only to feel powerful in another. In exact terms, Lucynda is alavendulan messoremNocturne. Only now, she's with royal blood.

A beautiful danger to the world if mishandled or abused.

"I didn't mean to, I just-I was so mad at you and I didn't mean to, but I closed my eyes and I was here." Her defense is panicked; her hands are out in front of her, shaking with regret and a slight semblance of terror.

"I watched them for a little bit. Then a little bit turned into hours. I started to feel envy and hatred. They seemed so happy, and I was afflicted with pain and anger. I couldn't control the…" she trails off and I watch as she tries to form her words, guilt pummels my insides as I watch the monster I created fight a battle she'll never win.

"The bloodlust," I answer for her.

"All I wanted was you. I'm trying so hard to get you to see that! I know what you said, and I don't know why I can't just let it go but—God, you really fucked with my head . . . you know that, Rivian.

“I had every intention to stay in my room and never see you again, as childish as that sounds, but I thought about how much I hated you and then I was here." Her tone is hoarse.

"Your brain can't shut off emotions. Your anger with me triggered a memory that felt heightened the most in that moment." The observation is truthful, and I recognize just how much influence I've had over this very moment as I connect the dots.

"The day they stuck the gum to my stupid seat in high school. The day my dad hit me for the first time." Lucynda reluctantly brings up the old memory that led her to this very moment here with me. But only because I didn't give her a chance to prove her worth. I abused her trust and led her to believe she was only strong enough for one thing . . .revenge. And now, her vampirism will likely be as dangerous as mine, only I've let go of my hope for love long ago. Her battered passion is bathed in it.

It's a treacherous idea. A consuming feeling. It would only make sense how that moment of loneliness she revisited would be in comparison to her relationship with me.

"It was the way Birdie was talking to me, and the way you didn't stand up for me. It felt too fucking close to home and I lost it."

Her cadence is dry from pain and quiet from sadness.

I've always given Lucynda credit for reveling in her shadows while still finding a way to be the light.

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