A Shade of Blood

by Bella Forrest

  “Enough of that. Just leave, Claudia.” Derek finally turned to face me and I found myself trembling when I felt his eyes peruse me. “Are you alright, Sofia?”

  I nodded. He noticed the way I was shaking and mistook it as an aftermath of my encounter with Claudia.

  “You don’t have to be afraid of her any longer. I’m right here.”

  The only person I’m afraid of on this island is you, Derek. Without being fully aware of it, I let him penetrate my heart and soul. He consumed me. This terrified me, because despite my instincts nagging at me to believe that he was a good man worth fighting for, the circumstances surrounding us said otherwise.

  Fear enveloped me at the idea of having such affection toward one such as Derek Novak, because as he embraced me, whispering soothing words of comfort into my ear, I couldn’t help but wonder, What if I’d allowed myself to fall in love with a complete monster?

  Chapter 46: Lucas

  I puffed a cigarette as I stood beside a flickering lamp post in Amsterdam. My hunt for my father was proving to be a greater undertaking than I had initially predicted. He wasn’t an easy man to find and I was hoping this would be the last stop I had to take before discovering him.

  I was there to meet with an old acquaintance, Natalie Borgia. The gorgeous Italian vampire didn’t belong to any of the covens. She was one of the few rogue vampires and the most well-connected among all. She was the only one who knew all the locations of the covens and was allowed entrance into all of them. She was the ultimate diplomat, a woman I found incredibly irresistible and totally unattainable.

  “Lucas Novak.”

  I turned toward the sound of the voice and found Natalie approaching, her dark brown hair lifted into a neat updo, her sultry curves covered by a chic red coat. Classy was the only way I could think to describe her.

  “Hey, beautiful.” I smirked.

  She rolled her eyes and stared at me with a poker face. “You look like crap.” She took the cigarette from my mouth and threw it on the ground, crushing it with her heel.

  “That’s not a very diplomatic thing to say or do, Natalie.”

  “Oh please, Lucas. We both know diplomacy is lost on you.”

  We began walking over a bridge, toward a small street café so we could talk. The moment we were comfortably seated, she crossed her legs and nodded for me to state my reason for wanting to meet with her.

  “I’m a busy person, so do make it quick. And please… don’t hit on me. We both know it’s not going anywhere.”

  I frowned. “Don’t flatter yourself, Natalie. I really just want to find my father. You’re the best person to tell me where he is.”

  “I don’t know where he is at this moment in time, but I did get in touch with him after you contacted me. He can’t see you right now.”

  My blood began to boil. “Excuse me?”

  “Word’s out on you, Lucas. You’re not the most subtle person and you’ve been burning right through all the contacts you have outside of your coven. To your disadvantage, you’re not a very well-loved person either. You certainly pale in comparison to your brother and sister.”

  “I don’t care what anybody thinks about me. Where’s my father? Why doesn’t he want to meet with me?” My knuckles began to grip the edge of the metal table between us.

  “Your father asked me to tell you that he is afraid your presence would only compromise what he is trying to accomplish with the other covens. He thinks that it’s best you return to The Shade and resolve whatever issues you have with your brother on your own.”

  “He doesn’t understand. I can’t go back there. Derek will kill me.” I slammed my hand over the top of the table, making a waitress, who was about to approach to take our order, back up and leave. “Why is he doing this? Why are they all turning against me?”

  “I’m just relaying the message I was given, Lucas.” She was treating me so flippantly, I wondered where on earth all her diplomatic skills disappeared to. “I’ll make sure your father hears your response.”

  I was fighting the urge to attack her. She was, however, at least a century older than me. In a fight against her, I was sure to lose.

  “What am I supposed to do now?”

  “That’s entirely your choice.” Natalie shrugged. “But I do have another message for you. From Borys Maslen.”

  “Borys Maslen?”

  “As I already implied, your rogue status has become known throughout the covens.”

  My head was spinning. The thought that my father could turn on me at that time was something I never really considered possible. And now, our family’s worst adversary was trying to get in touch with me.

  “What does he want with me?”

  “He’s offering you sanctuary at the Oasis.”

  The world has gone mad. “In exchange for what?”

  “Loyalty to the Maslens.”

  At this, I scoffed. “Loyalty? To them?”

  “So what do you want me to tell them, Lucas? Does this mean you’re refusing?”

  I gave it some thought, weighing my options. I shook my head. “I think my choice was made for me the moment my family turned their backs on me. Let Borys Maslen know that I’ll be on the first flight to Cairo I can book. Finally, make sure to let my father know that I’ve joined the Maslens.”

  Natalie nodded. Her expression remained stoic. No judgment. No condemnation. She was a channel, our central hub of communication. “I’ll make sure your message is received. Anything else?”

  “Yes. Tell my father that the one person to blame for our falling out is Derek. He’s obsessed with a human slave named Sofia Claremont. Tell my father to beware of her.”

  “Of course.” Natalie rose from her seat. “If that’s all, goodbye, Lucas. I hope everything works out for you.” Without bothering to hear my response, she walked away.

  My eyes followed her until she disappeared. I smiled. I knew the damage my father was going to inflict on Sofia just based on the message I relayed through Natalie. For that night, the knowledge that I once again had contributed to making her life and Derek’s a little bit more miserable, was enough consolation for my woes.

  Thoughts of Sofia made my blood pound and my senses tingle. “You’ll be mine someday, Sofia. Oh, you’ll be mine.”

  Chapter 47: Derek

  News spread quickly throughout the island that Sofia had directly defied a vampire – a member of the Elite at that – and got away with it. Outrage followed soon after.

  “What if the rest of the humans follow her example and decide they can start defying their masters?” Felix, one of my most distrusted among the Elite, brought up during a council meeting at the dome.

  “We can’t afford to have another human uprising, Derek,” Xavier voiced his concern – one which I also shared.

  Felix scoffed, his hands raised in the air. “A human uprising! Perhaps it’s best… With the abductions halted, all the bloodshed an uprising would cause will give us all the blood we need for years to come.”

  Eli, the only one at the stand amidst all the talk being thrown from the seats of the council, stared at Felix as if he were insane. Despite the tension in the room, I couldn’t help but notice the reaction on Eli’s face. He always did look at Felix as if he had no patience for the man.

  Eli spoke: “There’s a reason we avoided touching the Naturals, prince. They are the backbone of this island. All the labor required to keep The Shade in its self-sufficient state is done by the humans born out of generations of humans loyal to the work they were given on this island.”

  “We cannot continue to abduct humans from the outside if that’s what you’re trying to imply, Eli.” In this, I was not to be dissuaded. “They endanger The Shade by risking discovery from the hunters.”

  “We’ve been abducting humans for years, Derek,” Cameron chimed in. “We’ve never been discovered. The Scouts are trained to be stealthy enough not to risk discovery.”

  “The hunters grow more powerful as we speak. We c
annot press our luck. Eli can attest to the hunters’ power based on the little information he managed to squeeze out of one of them we’ve taken captive.”

  “Yet another human slave you seem to favor,” Claudia hissed. “I take punishment for aiding one of our own – our prince, your own brother. These slaves defy everything we stand for and yet they run free.”

  “They are my slaves and I will do with them as I see fit. That’s the end of this discussion.” I stood up to better make my point. “There will be no abductions and while we still have a reserve of blood from the last culling in the chilling chambers, no humans will be taken from the Catacombs.”

  “And when the blood runs out?” Xavier asked.

  My gut clenched at what I knew was necessary to be done. “Then we conduct another culling.”

  “I want fresh blood,” Felix demanded, seconded by ayes and yeahs echoing throughout the dome.

  “Your wants don’t concern me, Felix. It’s what this island needs that is of greater priority.”

  “We fear the human slave you favor – Sofia, is it? – has made you weak, prince,” he pressed on, rising from his seat and walking toward the stand.

  I feared the same thing. The guilt, the pressure and the shame that I felt whenever Sofia asked me to use my rule in order to cause a change to the kingdom weighed heavily upon me. She did not understand the pressures of ruling a kingdom, of serving one’s subjects and making tough decisions on their behalf. And yet she moved me like no other. Even though she’d been spending the past few days ignoring my existence and had barely spoken a word to me for reasons I couldn’t fathom, I found myself satisfied just knowing that she was there.

  I stared at Felix for a moment before speeding toward him, my claws sinking into the skin on his chest. Fear sparked in his eyes when he realized that he’d gone too far and that I could still break his neck in two with my bare hands should I choose to do so.

  “Broach the subject again, Felix, and I will demonstrate just how weak I am by ripping your heart out with my bare hands. Her name is never to escape your lips again. Do you understand?”

  He nodded. “Yes. Of course. My apologies.”

  With no further attempt to address the rest of the council, I walked out of the dome only to have Cameron and Liana trailing behind me afterward.

  “You’re treading dangerous waters, prince,” Cameron warned as he stepped to one side of me while Liana stepped to the other.

  “There hasn’t been this much unrest with the vampires in centuries,” Liana added. “Word is out that some of the Elite have already sent scouts to retrieve your father and get him back here in order to take you under control.”

  “Get to the point.”

  “You can’t keep making enemies out of the Elite, Derek.” Cameron’s voice was tinged with concern. “Even those who have been loyal to you from the very beginning – the Vaughns and Lazaroffs – are finding it difficult to defend the direction you’re taking this kingdom toward.”

  “What would you have me do, Cameron? We both know that the tides are about to turn. War is brewing. You agreed with me on this, did you not?”

  “Yes, I did, but the importance you place upon this girl of yours… enough that you would make enemies out of Claudia and even your own brother on her behalf…” Cameron paused, careful not to offend, but finding the necessity to do so in order to speak his mind. “Is she worth it, prince?”

  I gave one of my dearest comrades a lingering look before heaving a sigh. I had to be honest - if not with them, at least with myself. Was Sofia really worth losing what took centuries for our kind to build?

  Chapter 48: Sofia

  Vivienne stared at her appearance in the mirror. She sighed as she set her long dark hair in its proper place. The violet haltered dress she was wearing highlighted not only her pale skin but also her eyes – more violet than blue against the candlelight. She looked stunning, but there wasn’t a hint of pleasure in her face. Instead, she appeared anxious and afraid.

  A knock on her door made her turn around. Xavier appeared in the doorway, his dark hair closely cropped and his eyes betraying how much he adored her.

  “They’ve arrived,” he announced. “Your father asked me to come and escort you to the dome.” The way he spoke the words revealed that neither of them was fond of the guests he spoke of.

  “Has my father forgotten what I went through under that monster’s hands?” Vivienne asked as she ran both hands over her slender form to smoothen out the slight creases on her dress.

  Xavier’s gaze darkened, pain looming over his handsome face. “Vivienne…”

  She nodded bitterly, defending her father to herself on his behalf. “It has to be done. I guess peaceful relations must be made between the Maslens and Novaks. I just can’t help but think that if Derek were awake, he’d never allow Borys Maslen anywhere near this island.”

  “To be fair to your father, all precautions were taken so that Borys and his company won’t remember how to get back here should a peaceful agreement not be made between the clans.” Xavier sighed. “Still, we both know that your father and older brother combined make for a pale reflection of the kind of leader your twin is.”

  “Be careful that they don’t hear you say that. Father and Lucas already have enough resentment toward Derek as it is.”

  They stared for a couple of seconds, neither saying a word, seemingly lost in their own thoughts until Xavier broke the silence. “Vivienne, we must go…”

  Vivienne stepped forward hurriedly. “Of course…”

  Just as she reached the door, expecting Xavier to follow, he halted.

  “What is it?” Vivienne’s blue-violet gaze was marred with more fear.

  “Borys told me that Ingrid Maslen sent this for you to wear.” He was hesitant and slightly trembling as he retrieved a red velvet pouch from his pocket. He handed it to Vivienne.

  Vivienne raised a brow. “Ingrid Maslen? His new woman? She’s here with him?”

  Xavier shook his head. “No, he would never risk losing someone as valuable as her.” He looked at the pouch. “He said that Ingrid insisted that you have this. He says that it rightfully belongs to you.”

  Vivienne swallowed before taking the pouch from Xavier. She undid the knots that kept the pouch sealed, her fingers shaking as she did. She then retrieved a stunning necklace with a large ruby red heart-shaped pendant from the small bag. Fury loomed in her eyes as tears began streaming down her face. Clutching the necklace, she screamed with such anguish that Xavier stepped back.

  “Vivienne, what…”

  Xavier wasn’t given an explanation, because Vivienne was already launching the necklace into the air. The piece of jewelry hit her vanity mirror. Glass shattered on the floor. Vivienne was a picture of unadulterated fury as she marched past Xavier, screaming, “How dare he! How dare he!”

  Of the many memories Vivienne shared to me, that encounter with Xavier - a vampire I only recently met during preparations for Vivienne’s memorial - was one that often revisited me. I would’ve ignored it, but I couldn’t, because the mere mention of the names Borys and Ingrid Maslen would immediately send chills down my spine. Questions about the memory assailed my mind. Who were the Maslens? What was it about that necklace that got Vivienne so angry? Does Derek know about them? Should I ask Xavier about this day? The memory bothered me, but I felt as if the one person who should be answering them for me was nowhere in sight. Vivienne… Why on earth did you dump all these memories into my head? I can’t make head or tail out of them.

  “Earth to Sofia Claremont.” Paige began waving her hand in front of my face. “Are you still with us, Sofia?”

  I blinked several times, recalling that I was with my friends after a visit to the Vale for some new clothes. They were a little more forgiving and friendly toward me after Ashley’s release.

  “Huh? What?”

  “You keep spacing out on us,” Ashley chuckled. “Are you alright?”

  “I just…” I nodd
ed, not knowing how to explain to them what Vivienne did to me and what was going through my head. “I’m fine.”

  “Are you still not talking to Derek?” Rosa asked.

  I nodded. Ever since that encounter with Claudia, I moved back into one of the guest rooms and no longer slept in Derek’s bedroom.

  “Why, Sofia? He sided with you again against Claudia…” Paige was staring at me like I’d gone mad. “You should be rewarding him, not punishing him.”

  I slowed down my steps as we walked past the woods that led to the Residences before voicing out the questions I feared hearing the answer to most.

  “Is it true that Derek has been sleeping with other women?”

  We all stopped walking and they exchanged concerned glances. Their reactions were enough to answer my question. I was surprised by the pain that gripped my heart. Suddenly, breathing became quite a task.

  “Sofia…” Rosa, the most sensitive and gentle among us, brushed her hand over my arm.

  “I don’t even know why I’m so disturbed. It’s not like we’re together and besides, I left him…”

  “Sofia, he’s a vampire who’s been on earth for centuries. It’s amazing that he’s developed such loyalty and affection for you, but you have to realize that whatever’s going on between the two of you, it can’t possibly last.” Paige, ever the voice of reason, explained in an excruciatingly patronizing manner, before repeating, “He’s a vampire. You’re human. The shelf life of such relationships – if you could even call what you have with him that – doesn’t really last long…”

  I knew she was right. I didn’t even know what I was expecting to happen upon returning to The Shade, but being given that dose of reality from a dear friend was enough to completely shake everything I stood for. I didn’t know what the proper reaction to Paige’s dose of reality was, but to me, it made what I had with Derek more precious – as if the time I had with him was borrowed and I had to make the most out of it while it was still mine.