A Castle of Sand

by Bella Forrest

  When I opened my eyes, my stomach turned, because I was sprawled on a large bed, with Claudia looking down at me.

  “Hi, Ben.” She smiled. “I missed you.”

  I thought that I would be terrified at the sight of her. I was expecting to feel fear and dread over what she was going to put me through, but there was none of that. Just hatred, hatred the likes of which I’d never felt for anyone or anything before.

  I sat up on the bed and backed away from her. She reached out for me and I flinched when her fingers brushed over my shoulder. I glared at her, expecting to see the same glint of manic glee in her eyes—the same look she always gave me when she held me captive at The Shade. Instead, the look on her eyes was soft and pensive—practically moist with tears.

  “Do you love her, Ben?”

  “Love who?” I practically spat the words out. I was sickened by the way she was acting. I felt as if someone like her had no business talking about love.

  “Sofia…”

  I stared at her incredulously. She didn’t have the right to talk about Sofia and I had every right not to give her a response. “And if I do?” I managed to say.

  She shrugged one shoulder. Her head bowed slightly, a mass of curls falling over her shoulders. “I love someone too. I didn’t realize how much until I got here. I never should’ve left The Shade. I need him.”

  I practically gawked at her. I had no idea who I was facing at that moment. Gone was the evil, sadistic vampire who made my life a living hell. In her place was this broken young woman looking for love. Does she really expect me to sympathize with her?

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  She began pacing the room as she scratched her head. “I don’t know…because you’re here. I promised Lucas I would help him, and in return he arranged for me to have you. I thought perhaps you could get rid of this longing I have for Yuri, but when they brought you here…just when I was about to feed on you, all I could think about was what Yuri would think of me if I once again tormented you for things you did not do.”

  “Just let me go, Claudia. I can’t stand the sight of you. I can’t stand being in the same room with you. When I look at you, I really just want to kill you.” I was probably crazy for saying those words out loud, because they could only get me into more trouble. Still, the truth remained. I didn’t care about this soft side of Claudia any more than I cared for her wicked villainess act. I just wanted to get as far away from her as I could.

  I was expecting her to slap me in the face and put me in my place, remind me that she was my mistress and I was her slave, but she just stopped pacing and looked at me with a bitter smile.

  What on earth is going on in her mind? Is this for real? Is this Claudia having a heart for once?

  I searched myself for some sort of compassion, any form of empathy for her, and I found none. I still wanted to see her pay. I wanted to kill her myself. Fury was still burning in my veins over what she did to me, over how she ruined the life that I knew. However, deep inside me, I knew that I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t be able to kill her if I had the chance. My time with the hunters had completely eradicated my thirst for vengeance, because I knew without a doubt in my mind that no matter how tempting the notion of killing Claudia was, seeing the life drain out of her would not satisfy me.

  Sofia knew the way all along. No matter what she’d been through, she was never a captive. She’d always been free to love and trust and accept others. She never built walls around herself to protect her from what others could put her through. She remained ready to forgive and to embrace the things that actually mattered in life.

  At that moment, it felt like I understood Sofia completely for the first time. It was the fulfillment of Vivienne’s prophecy about me.

  “What do you want from me, Claudia?”

  She sank over the edge of the bed and buried her face in her palms. She was the abject picture of dejection and I had no idea how to handle it. “I don’t know what I want. I still want to taste you. That much is true, but I want Yuri…I want Yuri more than anything.”

  I didn’t even know who Yuri was. “Then why the hell are you here at The Oasis when whoever this guy you’re pining for is way back at The Shade, where your home is.”

  “I can’t get back to The Shade, not after I betrayed Derek, not after I brought Sofia here.”

  “Derek might not be able to forgive you, but I know Sofia will.” I couldn’t believe the words coming out of my mouth.

  She scoffed in response. “Sofia hates me. After what I did to you…after what I wanted to do to Gavin…”

  I shook my head. “You don’t know Sofia. If you’re actually sincere in what you’re saying, I’m sure she’ll find it in her heart to forgive you.” I scoffed. “Assuming that you’re sincere, of course…I still think you’re playing mind games with me.”

  “Maybe I am…” she said softly.

  “Are you?”

  She shook her head. After a rather awkward silence, she then spoke up, “I want to go back to The Shade.”

  “I don’t.” I grimaced. “I don’t get it...just go back. Who the hell will care?”

  “You don’t understand. If I go back, I don’t think Yuri will ever be able to forgive me. He is fiercely loyal to Derek. Unless I get back in Derek’s and Sofia’s good graces, he would never take me back.”

  I stared at her. I was still wondering who Yuri was and why he was so important to Claudia. I had a vague recollection of a guy paying her a visit once in a while. She never let him in her home. It was as if she was afraid that he would see what she was doing. She always was in a better mood than usual after spending time with him. Maybe that’s Yuri.

  “Will you help me get back there?”

  “How on earth am I supposed to do that?”

  “I know Derek will come here. He loves Sofia enough to come here alone. He won’t stand a chance against the Maslens. Not on their turf. I’m going to help you out of here, but you have to call the hunters. I’d call the vampires and help them get in unnoticed, but they’re too far away and they don’t have the means to get here quicker than the hunters will. If I help Derek and Sofia get out of here alive, knowing that I helped you and that you got the hunters to destroy the Maslens, then Yuri might be willing to give me a second chance…if they die, I’ve lost him. Perhaps forever.”

  I stared at Claudia unbelievingly. I was still waiting for a catch, some cruel twisted thing she had in mind in an exchange for what she was proposing. I narrowed my eyes at her. “If the hunters come, I might not be able to stop them from killing you. I’m not even sure I would want to stop them.”

  “If I can’t go back to The Shade, back to him, then I might as well die.” She sighed with resignation. “Just make sure that Derek and Sofia make it out of here.”

  I blinked my eyes several times to make sure I was hearing right, but I chose not to question her. I chose not to pry. I had to take advantage of Claudia’s momentary lapse of insanity—if this was what was going on. I didn’t have to understand her. I just needed to get Sofia out of here.

  I knew what Reuben would do once I revealed the location of the Maslens’ coven. He wouldn’t hesitate to destroy the place. I knew that Sofia would be spared, but I wasn’t so sure about Derek and I couldn’t help but wonder if Sofia would ever be able to forgive me if anything happened to Derek. That’s when I realized that more than anything, I wanted Sofia to be happy, and I knew that wouldn’t be possible if she had to live a life apart from Derek. I completely let go of any hopes that I could still be with Sofia.

  It’s time to let go of my Rose Red and help fight for her to get her happy ending.

  Chapter 49: Derek

  I knew that it was crazy for me to walk into The Oasis alone. I knew that it was possible that I could be walking toward my own death, but it felt like I had no choice.

  Standing in the middle of the throne room, surrounded by dozens of guards, who were well briefed on my strength and capabilities, I fe
lt vulnerable in a way that I never had before. However, it didn’t matter, because all I could think of was Sofia.

  Thus, when Borys stepped into the room, dragging her beside him, his hand clamped around her arm as she held her bleeding neck, every muscle in my body tensed. I knew right then that there were no peace talks on the horizon. I was going to draw blood—if only to avenge Sofia.

  Borys let go of her and the moment he did, she ran into my arms, tears streaming down her face. I held her tight, unwilling to let go, sickened by the thought of what she’d been through since she arrived at The Oasis.

  I didn’t need to ask if she was alright or if they hurt her. It was clear to see that she wasn’t. It was obvious that they had.

  “Get me out of here, Derek,” she sobbed against my chest. “He’s going to destroy me. Everyone here is insane. Especially my mother…”

  She knows. I shut my eyes, trying to find words to soothe her, wondering how on earth I was going to get her out of there. I could smell the blood on her neck. My mouth watered at the scent, but I was too mortified by the idea that Borys had already tasted her blood to even start craving her. “Sofia, I’m so sorry,” was all I could think of to say.

  She shook her head. “You didn’t do this.”

  “I’ve failed to protect you so many times…”

  “Don’t do this, Derek. Just don’t. We have to get out of here—you, me and Ben. Staying here will be the end of all of us.”

  Borys cleared his throat. “Much as I hate to break up this sweet reunion between husband and wife, I have to interrupt.”

  Husband and wife. I creased my brows in confusion as I reluctantly let go of Sofia. Ignoring Borys, I bit into my palm to draw blood and coaxed Sofia to drink the blood so that the bite on her neck would heal. The moment the skin on her neck closed, I glared at Borys. “I demand the life of whomever it is that has tasted her blood.”

  “You’re king of The Shade, Derek Novak.” Borys frowned. “But I’m king here. I’ve had a taste of your wife. Do you demand my life?”

  “Yes.”

  “You insolent fool!” Borys smirked. “She is my betrothed, offered up to me by her own mother since she was a child. She is mine. You never should’ve touched her in the first place, and because you did, because you spoiled her for me, I’ve invited you a day before our wedding so I could make a widow out of her.”

  Sofia’s hand found my arm and she held on so tightly, it felt like she was trying to break my arm. “Derek…you can’t possibly take on this many men…”

  “I don’t have a choice, Sofia.” I pushed her out of the way and the fight began. One vampire after the other attacked me. I was able to rip several hearts out, but I didn’t stand a chance. Though a lot of Borys’ men proved to be ill-trained and a lot weaker compared to the vampires at The Shade, I was simply outnumbered.

  The moment they had me subdued and bound on the ground, I was sure that it was the end of me. I cast a desperate glance at Sofia who was being held back by Borys, delight evident in his eyes as he saw me fall.

  “Kill him!” Borys gave the order, his eyes fixed on Sofia.

  Sofia took one look at me, tears streaming down her beautiful face. She began shaking her head and I knew how difficult it was for her to do what she did next. She knelt in front of Borys to plead for my life. “Please…don’t do this…I will do anything you want me to do. Anything. Spare his life.”

  Borys sneered as he gestured for the guards to wait. “Anything?”

  “No, Sofia!” I yelled.

  Sofia nodded and all I could think of was the horrors her agreement would put her through.

  “Very well then.” Borys nodded. “Take the king of The Shade to level seven.”

  I didn’t need to ask what level seven was. The terrors done within the walls of The Oasis’ dungeons were no secret to vampires.

  “What are you going to do to him?” Sofia croaked.

  “Whatever it takes to punish you for daring to bargain yourself in exchange for my enemy’s life, my beautiful bride.” His voice was cold and merciless. “You’ll soon find, my love, that there are fates far worse than death.”

  Chapter 50: Sofia

  Borys pushed me into my chamber, a wicked grin on his face. Ingrid stood beside him, staring at me with blank disappointment.

  I tumbled backward, attempting to balance myself from the force of his push. I eventually tripped and crashed to the ground, tears streaming down my face as I glared up at Borys. “What’s in level seven? What are you going to do to Derek?”

  I groaned in pain when Borys leaned over and once again grabbed a fistful of my hair. “You’ll find out tomorrow on our wedding day, my love. Don’t worry about him. I’ll take care of him. Just get some beauty sleep so that you can be the bride that I deserve.”

  I choked on my tears. “Please. We’re not actually married. We’re just engaged. Let him go. I’ll do everything you want. Please…” I sobbed.

  “Kiss me, Sofia.”

  I sealed my lips, sickened by such a horrible thought. “Please…” I whimpered.

  “You let him touch you and you respond to his every touch, his every kiss, his every caress, don’t you? You shall not refuse to do the same with me—especially not after you’ve said your vows and surrendered to the inevitable. The immune will be my wife and you will show me that you enjoy everything I do to you.” He grabbed my jaw. “Do you understand?!”

  I was staring pure madness in the face and all I could do was tremble as I nodded, wondering to myself how on earth I could survive even just a night with him without completely losing my mind. Everything about him revolted me. I couldn’t help but recoil with even just the thought of his touch. To even pretend and act the part of a blushing bride who found pleasure in his presence was sheer torment.

  “Now, respond…” He pressed his lips against mine—painfully, his fangs came out and drew blood from my lower lip. For a moment I thought about forcing myself to return the kiss, but I found that I couldn’t. I simply didn’t know how. Every part of me was just wishing for it to end. It didn’t seem to matter to him, because the blood on my lips quickly shifted his attention from forcing me to kiss him back to his craving for my blood.

  His mouth quickly left mine and found my neck, and he once again sunk his fangs in and drank my blood. I was trembling uncontrollably as his arms clamped around my body, crushing my chest against his. I tried to push him away, but found that I couldn’t. I stared up at Ingrid, who was still standing by the door watching everything that was happening and I wondered how she could do it. What kind of mother do I have? How could she just stand there and watch him do this to her own daughter?

  She looked at me blankly, her arms crossed over her chest.

  “Please…make him stop…” I mouthed at her.

  She rolled her eyes and sighed. “That’s enough, Borys. You’re going to drain her of blood before you marry her.”

  Borys withdrew his mouth from my neck. “I love how she trembles. Your daughter is so beautiful, Ingrid. Untouched.” His eyes darkened. “Except for that brute, Derek Novak.” He let go of me and stood up, looking down at me as I curled into a ball on the floor. “I’m going to make him pay.”

  “Please don’t hurt him…” I begged. For that, I got a kick in the gut.

  As I coughed, he looked at me coldly. “Your pleas only make me want to hurt him further.” He then turned and brushed past Ingrid. “Put a bandage on the bite mark,” he instructed her before leaving. “I don’t want it healed. I want to see the scars tomorrow. It will be a sign that she’s mine. Make sure she’s a stunning sight tomorrow. Make me look forward to our marriage bed.”

  The door closed and I was alone with my mother. That’s when I realized that neither Ben nor the guards were in the room. “Where’s Ben? What did you do to him?”

  “Your best friend is fine. Don’t worry about him. I instructed Claudia to be gentle with him. We need him to be presentable for the wedding tomorrow. He’s th
e best man after all.” She walked past my still curled up form on the floor. “Get up, Sofia. Why must you be so stubborn and pathetic?” She began to rummage through a drawer in one corner of the room.

  “What kind of mother are you?” I managed to say in between broken sobs. “Your king is about to kill the man that I love.”

  I shuddered when she sped my way and threw me onto the bed. “Understand this, Sofia,” she hissed. “The man you love is Borys Maslen, not Derek Novak. The Shade’s prince has obviously brainwashed you…”

  Despite my tears, I laughed wryly. “It’s you who’s been brainwashed, Ingrid…or maybe I ought to call you Camilla…is there still any part of her left in you? Dad was right about you. You are insane. You left your own family to blindly serve this villain of a king.”

  “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You don’t know what my life was like. I loved Aiden. He was everything to me, and then you came along. I never wanted you, but I gave in to his requests for a child, because I loved him. You stole him from me.” She was saying the words calmly, her eyes set on the bite marks on my neck as she proceeded to tend to the wound.

  The spite every word contained mixed with the calmness and affection by which she expressed them made her one of the scariest people I’d ever met. I couldn’t begin to fathom how broken a creature my own mother was. I was certain, however, that even though I had been born of her womb, she was now a complete stranger.

  No more words were exchanged until she was done. As she turned to leave, I couldn’t help but cry out, “Please…help Derek. Help Ben. They are dear to me. I love them.”

  She stopped right by the door. She didn’t bother to face me as she shook her head. “No, Sofia. You love Borys. He’s the only man you’re allowed to love from now on.”