Forbidden Tragedies

Chapter 12

-Kira-

He didn't call overnight. Not that I heard, and I fought sleep quite hard to ensure I would if he did.

So I called again as soon as I woke up. Lucien was up digging through his dresser or something, I didn't really check or look for specifics. I was on a mission.

I just pushed my way through the curtains and sat myself up like I did the day before.

Snagging the phone, I dialed the number but froze under the rather harsh sound of the curtain being opened.

He just stood there, for a moment before leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.

There was an unreadable expression on his lips, but a raise of his brows and wave of his hand insisting me to continue as I was.

I nearly lowered the phone but caught myself before the movement was too noticeable.

I think in that moment I realized that I didn't have too much hope of him picking up, but I still didn't want Lucien to witness that failure.

Since yesterday I could feel myself slipping. I could feel myself breaking down and not being able to cover that with glares or anger the longer it seeped in. The longer I went without a call from the last person I could depend on. The only one left that I had.

Even now I couldn't find it in me to do anything more than just stare at the vampire watching this like it was his own special form of entertainment.

To laugh at my misery.

I hovered my finger over the call button, drawing in a long breath that only seemed to further rise the tension in my body.

And holding that breath, I pushed it.

I straightened my back while lifting it to my ear, faking my own confidence and pulling my focus away from Lucien.

Each dial tone was an extra weight in my chest, an extra stab to the hope I was trying to clink to for Gabe to just pick up the damn phone.

Why wasn't he..? Was he okay? Maybe something happened to him too?

There had to be something going on... I knew he listened to his voicemails.

That lump again formed in my throat during the last ring, and I hung up immediately after it ended.

I didn't have it in me right now to speak another voicemail. Not with the eyes on me that I couldn't bear to look at.

There was a strange kind of embarrassment growing in me with the rest. One I've never felt before now, yet still couldn't completely put my finger on.

Next time... Or maybe he'll call before then.

The phone dropped into my lap with a solemn sigh, trying to reign back the tears threatening to form through the anguish that was fighting its way to the top of my emotions.

I dared to turn toward Lucien, ready to use that anguish and focus it into something sharper if he dared to comment on what he'd just seen, but by the time I looked, he'd already turned and walked elsewhere.