Chapter 9: Babel, the Vampire City
After a few seconds, I opened my eyes again. The kiss didn't materialise and I followed Viktor's gaze. The shadow of the vampire that saw us had changed course. Not being able to find us, the horrid vampire grumbled to himself and turned away, finally losing interest. We waited until he disappeared in the distance and Viktor turned away from me, leaving me feeling wanton and desolate once more. Carefully, we continued walking through the caves.
The heated moment between us was almost too much to bear. Our breaths had mingled against each other, and all I could think about was wanting his mouth on mine once again. He had always been so intense, and my body couldn't help but react to every one of his movements.
I heaved a sigh of relief, though still felt embarrassed at how hopelessly I needed Viktor at all times. My only consolation prize was his erection, standing firm and proud against his new attire. I desperately wanted to touch it, just to feel his need again, but it was no use - he kept turning away from me, no matter how hard I tried.
“Viktor, what was that awful creature?” I asked, trying to catch up to him.
He seemed more angry than usual, snubbing me as he refused to turn around. I reached out and grabbed his sleeve, needing him to turn around to face me. “Viktor, why are you ignoring me?” I asked, now feeling even more abandoned.
He sighed and turned towards me so fast I squealed and jumped back. “You need to be more careful, Lucy.” He brushed the back of his neck, looking frustrated. “I let you come with me, hoping you would be alert, but at the first sign of trouble, you attract attention. This isn’t going to work if you keep jumping like this.”
I didn’t even know what to say. I couldn't stand his harsh tone and stern looks any longer. I hadn’t chosen to be a part of this! I was perfectly fine before I got married to him. Now, I was turning into a vampire, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Of course, I had wanted him to let me come along. He was the only one that could protect me. I wouldn’t leave his side again and be left alone. I was feeling frustrated at his complete lack of understanding about what was going through my head. I kept trying to make him out to be a good person, but I could tell he wasn’t, and never would be. I scoffed and turned away from him, refusing to talk any longer. He seemed to grasp the message almost immediately and continued walking.
It didn’t take much longer for us to appear in front of a great opening, revealing the city of Babel, or as Viktor described it to me, the biggest underground city of vampires in Europe. My jaw hung open the entire time we walked past the opening, revealing a vast network of catacombs, which twisted and turned through the earth like the veins of some great beast. It was a bustling metropolis, a place of darkness and mystery, and I was surprised by the sheer number of vampires present. I was now… a part of this world, but my heart ached for the one I had just left. I tried to shake the feeling of being unwanted, but I couldn't help feeling like I didn't belong.
The layout of the streets and alleys was so complicated I could barely remember where we were going. Viktor twisted and turned through tunnels and caverns as if he knew them like the back of his hand. I saw lavish mansions and grandiose palaces dotting the landscape, revealing how rich the vampires really were. They wore the finest clothes and had an air of superiority I had definitely seen in regular humans. There were also vampires on the streets, wearing old clothes with many patches, indicating a clear divide in the hierarchy. The poor vampires had hunched backs and pointy ears, similar features to those of the vampire that detected us in the tunnel, but not as awful. Babel was a place of opulence and decadence, but horror and death as well. The city of London had a darker twin that seemed to stretch for miles, far beyond what I could even imagine. It was awe-inspiring and slightly intimidating all at the same time.
Viktor avoided the main streets and kept to the shadows, making sure we weren’t noticed or spotted. He bought us some cloaks in a shabby store and carefully dodged out of the way of most of the other vampires. I was grateful for all the effort he put in to look after me, and yet I yearned for him to open up and tell me about this strange and menacing environment I had stumbled into. I desperately wanted to understand it, but the silence between us felt like a void that could not be filled.
We kept walking for what felt like days, though I couldn’t tell from the lack of sunlight. Viktor continued to ignore me the entire time, though I had no desire to speak with him, either. I felt my resentment for him growing with each step we took, as if the oppressive darkness was seeping into my veins and fueling my rage. I could feel his cold gaze stabbing into me, though his face remained a mask of indifference, and I longed to break through his apathetic facade.
We were passing by a shabby and desolate area of the city when I began to feel strange. I couldn’t tell what was happening to me, but my skin was warm, so warm that I loosened up my clothing, just to get some air. I started to sweat, and I panted as I tried to catch up to Viktor. My back was completely soaked, but I didn’t want to hold him back any more than I already had. He had been walking slower just for me. The heat became harder and harder to bear throughout as the hours passed by, and I could feel myself feeling faint. I attempted to grab onto his sleeve to tell him I needed to take a break, but it was too late. I stumbled on a stone tile and gasped as I fell over, my knees landing hard on the ground. Viktor turned around, his usual cold eyes shifting into worry. He bent down and touched my forehead, seemingly like he had expected this to happen.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He growled, his cold hands still pressed against my forehead.
I moaned, not able to help myself, and rested my entire weight on his arms. “I didn’t want to slow you down.” I admitted, my voice barely audible.
He looked even more frustrated, and I realised how foolish I was in trying to act brave. It was the opposite of what he had asked of me. I felt like every inch of my body was on fire, as if I'd been stabbed by Eponine all over again. A sharp pain shot through my core, radiating out through my limbs. Viktor looked scared, an emotion I had never seen before on his face. He lifted me up, letting my head rest against his shoulders as he carried me like I weighed nothing. I felt warm and safe between his masculine arms, and I wanted to stay there forever, despite how hot I felt.
I could vaguely hear him making demands around him, asking for the closest tavern. Some ugly vampire pointed him in the direction of one and even in my feverish state I became aware of the gravity of the situation. We had been avoiding stopping at any inns or lodges since we might be discovered.
"Wait, Viktor! Isn't it dangerous?" I muttered, my words thick with apprehension.
"It'll be okay, Lucy. Just let me handle it".
I heard his voice repeat sweet nothings to me over and over, and I could feel myself falling in and out of consciousness, trying to remain with him for as long as possible.
Thank you for reading! 🤗 I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The following episode comes next week, but if you really can’t wait, the book is available now! Oh, and the audiobook too!
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