Just One Bite »ᴄɵᴍᴘᴌᴇтᴇ«

THIRTY-ONE

THIRTY-ONE

"Vivian?"

Vivian looked up to see Dee's worried eyes looking at her, she was she sat on his lap in the car. Vivian opened her mouth to speak, she had to swallow a couple of times before she could. Her throat was dry as though she'd been screaming. Oh, wait, she had been.

It had been the quick change in temperature's from hot Alex to cool Rikky that had pulled Vivian back into herself. She knew she was worrying Dee. But she was worried too, who had those people in the fire been? Had they survived? Why did she see that when she touched Ashley? Hell, why had she touched Ashley?

As she spoke, the engine roared to life with Tim behind the wheel. "I'll be okay."

"You sure?"

"Yes, it didn't hurt."

Dee frowned. "Vivian, you were screaming."

Carl turned from where he sat in the other back passenger seat. "Yeah, hell girl, I never knew you had such a set of lungs on you."

Vivian felt a blush rise. Covering her cheeks with the colour of a tomato. "I... They were..."

"Shh..." Dee soothed. "We'll talk about it another day if you want. We don't have to talk about it now."

Vivian nodded and laid her head on Dee's chest. Listening to the solid thumps of his heart as it beat solidly. Reminding her that he was there. Alive.

It was as they neared Vivian's home that she spoke. "They were in a house. And it burned. The house burned with them in it. And they screamed." But, thinking back to what she'd heard and seen, Vivian wondered. Had they been screaming in terror and fear or rejoicing that they were about to be burnt to death? Or had it been anger?

Vivian heard Kai's breath catch from the front passenger seat, the seat in front of her and Dee.

Vivian shook her head to try and clear the memory. But the bright flames stuck with her. Almost laughing at her as she couldn't put them out of her mind.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Vivian said weakly as she opened the door once the vehicle had pulled to a stop outside her house.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Dee asked quietly.

Vivian looked at him and knew he would come and stay with her if she asked. But at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to forget. Forget Ashley. Forget the fire. Forget the Dager's. And forget Dee.

Vivian shook her head at him. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Dee looked nearly panicked when she shook her head. And then his words were quick. "Yeah. Tomorrow. I'll see you then."

Vivian climbed out the car then paused. Should she be alone? Just because it was what she wanted, didn't mean that it was the right thing to do. What if she went inside and then regretted not saying yes? Vivian shook herself mentally. She had Kave. She had nothing to worry about.

"You sure?" Dee asked as though he'd been listening to her thoughts.

Vivian nodded.

"Okay," he paused. "Lock the door, we'll leave after your inside."

Vivian looked back at the car that held four Dager's. The other car had already returned home. Dee's door was still open and he watched her with a quiet worry.

Giving a wave, Vivian entered her home that the Vayre company had given them for the duration of the project and locked the door. A moment later Vivian heard the car drive away.