CHAPTER 92: – SHE WAS LEAVING HIM –

"Viviana, why are we even doing this?" Sabrina, who was next to her in the car asked, worried. "I don’t know why you’re listening to that lunatic."

"I know. I know it all seems crazy, but I want to know. I want to find out what in the world he’s talking about. We won’t spend so much time there," Vivaian responded, steering the wheel of her car to take another route.

Sabrina scowled. "Why does it have to be somewhere like this? We’re out of the city, you know?"

"I know and..." Viviana’s words trailed off as she sighted the SUV parked by the side. Whose car was that?

Was someone other than Fernando here? Or did the car belong to Fernando?

"What the hell is going on there?" Sabrina exclaimed, causing Viviana to quickly look up ahead. A house was on fire.

"What the...?" She quickly drove over, parking her car.

Sabrina hopped down with her, and they proceeded to rush closer, but a voice shouted.

"STAY BACK!" That voice!

It belonged to Fernando.

They quickly looked around, finding him behind one of the large trees with his bodyguard. Both men were staring at the warehouse.

Sabrina looked over. And so did she. "What is going..."

CRACK.

CRACK.

The shed fell apart, reducing to nothing on the floor. And there he stood, Nikolas Bastiani, unharmed, but naked, because his entire clothing had burned off. However, up and a bit over his waist to his abdomen were the aura surrounding him.

And this man...looked anything but human at this moment.

Fernando’s eyes broadened. Antonio held his breath. Yes, he knew vampires existed, but he’d never seen one like this—one this powerful.

Nikolas leisurely lifted his eyes over to them, tilting his head. "Were you two trying to burn me?" And then his lips stretched into a grin, mocking them. "But I can’t be burned. I am fire itself."

His words resonated, everyone heard every sentence roll out of his tongue.

And in the very next second, Fernando jumped out, pointing at him. "Do you see it?! He walked out of that burning shed unscathed, not even a single burn on his skin! He’s the fucking devil and if I’d told you without showing you, you’d think I’m crazy."

It was only at this moment that Nikola’s finally realized that more than two people were present here, and because of the fire and burnt shed, he hadn’t noticed her presence nor smelt her scent.

Fearfully turning his head, he froze on the spot, gaze falling on Viviana who was as pale as a ghost unable to take her eyes off him.

The red vanished, and the green of his eyes reappeared. Now, he looked more human, and his expression had grown hunted.

Viviana had seen him...like this?

Sabrina who was standing next to Viviana fainted, dropping to the floor with a heavy stud. The only one who stood, breath held and watching him without saying a word was Viviana.

"Viviana." His voice echoed.

She blinked at him. "What...are you?"

"He’s a vampire!" Fernando snickered, answering the question loudly. "Look at him! The man you seemed to be so head over heels in love with is a monster. He’s not human like you or me!"

"No..." Nikolas slowly shook his head, growing horrified. "I can...I can explain. Viviana, I—"

She quickly stepped back as he tried to take a step toward her. She warned with her gaze. "Don’t. Don’t come close to me."

Her feet carried her backwards and she lifted Sabrina off the ground, tossing her arm over her shoulder to walk back to the car.

Nikolas was too shocked to move, to do anything. He was confused, unable to tell whether this was reality or a dream.

She couldn’t have... She couldn’t have just seen him like this. This thing he is.

’This thing...I am’

Viviana who’d packed up her clothes as roughly as she could, dragged the suitcase, hurrying to the door to leave, however, someone stumbled inside, breathing heavily.

Nikolas.

Her throat bobbed in a swallow.

She hadn’t heard the sound of the car, so how had he gotten here so fast? Her eyes glided over his frame. He was now in a pair of clothes she’d seen before.

Fernando’s clothes...

Her pupils dilated. "W-what did you do to him?"

Nikolas slowly lifted his eyes to meet her gaze. "Why? You care for him?"

She took a step back.

His gaze fell on the suitcase. "Viviana—"

"I’m leaving."

"You can’t leave." He shook his head at her. "You can’t leave me."

He took another step towards her. She moved back as well, feet stuttering.

"You’re...afraid of me," he said, and the pain in his tone made her lift her gaze immediately to meet his eyes. They were sad, and she’d never seen him like this. "You look..." she swallowed down. "You looked frightened. Why?"

"Why wouldn’t I?" she questioned. "Who wouldn’t be afraid of that...of that thing you are? I mean, you could kill me for all I know."

Nikolas’s pupils dilated.

He breathed out, "Kill you?"

She wouldn’t say a word to him.

"You think I would ever... You think I would ever do that just because I’m not human?" He took steps toward her, appearing desperate. "I may not be human, but I’m not an animal. Why are you afraid of me? I haven’t done anything to make you afraid of me. So tell me why you’re looking at me with those eyes!"

"You lied to me!" she screamed into his face, shoving him, but Nikolas wouldn’t budge where he had her frame crowded against the wall. "You lied to me. And that makes me afraid. All these time, I’ve been living with a man I don’t even know. Everything was a lie, even to who you are. Nikolas Bastiani, huh?"

"Viviana, I’m so—"

"Step aside."

"Viviana—"

"Step aside, Nikolas!" Her hazel eyes, devoid of any warmth, rose to meet his gaze. "Let me go," she demanded. And it felt like a knife had been struck into his chest.

Never once had she ever sounded this cold to him. This was a first and that only made reality settle in. She was...

She was leaving him.

She was leaving him.