Harmless or not, whatever the case, I know that I can’t control the future.
I can’t control the world. I can’t make the world a safe place for my children.
They may face trouble and they may struggle. They may even encounter darkness and evil. I cannot change that. That is beyond my control.
What I can do, however, is show them that where there is darkness, there is light. Where there is evil, there is good.
They may face disturbance and conflict, yes… but they can also encounter beauty and bliss. I can assure them that no matter what happens, they can always hope that there’s something worth living for in this world.
All of the bad and good things that come with living become worthwhile once we find love. I should know.
I found it in the most unlikely of places, didn’t I?
Epilogue: Kiev
Why did I let her go?
It was a question that had been plaguing my mind ever since I’d placed that kiss on her forehead.
I just let her… slip through my fingers. Why?
I lay on the damp floor and looked up at the wooden ceiling. The heat and humidity of the cell I’d been locked in weighed down on my chest.
I reached for my back and traced my fingers across the deep wounds Arron had inflicted on me for allowing them to escape.
Then I let my eyelids fall shut. Emerald-green irises flashed before me in my mind’s eye.
You don’t care about her. Just like you never cared about Natalie.
And yet I wanted her still. Even though I knew from the way she’d looked at me that I disgusted her.
Part of me had wanted her to save me from myself.
But then I’d caught the vision of my own red eyes reflected in her teary pupils.
And I’d known that she couldn’t save me.
I would only end up dragging her down with me, just as I had done with Natalie. And the countless other women who’d crossed paths with me.
As I lay in the darkness, I wondered if there truly was anyone, in any realm, whom I could love without ruining.
“The night is darkest before dawn breaks.”
Dear Shaddict,
I’m writing this note to you after I’ve literally just typed the last word.
This book is likely to be the conclusion of Derek and Sofia’s story arc. I say this with tears in my eyes because I have enjoyed writing about their journey so much.
That said, I don’t plan to abandon the world of The Shade.
There are other characters who simply won't leave me in peace until I've told their stories.
Kiev is one such character.
When I first wrote Kiev into the series, I honestly didn't expect much from him. But as the series progressed, his character began haunting me more and more.
Why did he take Ben? How and why did he go to Aviary, and what will happen to him next?
How did he become the man he is today?
Is he even capable of a Happy Ever Afer?
There's a side to Kiev that I find even more interesting and intriguing than our beloved Derek.
I look forward to sharing his story with you in my next book... A Shade of Kiev!
A Shade of Kiev is available for pre-order now!:
Click here if you're in the US.
Click here if you're in the UK.
What do you think of the cover?:
All my love,
Bella (and everyone else in the world of The Shade, both living and deceased).
xxx
P.S. You may still meet Sofia and Derek in future books. I just doubt they will be major characters as they have been up until now.
P.P.S. If you sign up to my “new releases” email list, you'll automatically get notified of all my future releases: www.forrestbooks.com
I don't send emails often; just to inform you when I have a new book coming out.
Table of Contents
Also By Bella Forrest:
Prologue: Derek
Chapter 1: Sofia
Chapter 2: Derek
Chapter 3: Sofia
Chapter 4: Derek
Chapter 5: Sofia
Chapter 6: Sofia
Chapter 7: Derek
Chapter 8: Sofia
Chapter 9: Derek
Chapter 10: Sofia
Chapter 11: Derek
Chapter 12: Sofia
Chapter 13: Sofia
Chapter 14: Derek
Chapter 15: Sofia
Chapter 16: Sofia
Chapter 17: Sofia
Chapter 18: Sofia
Chapter 19: Sofia
Chapter 20: Sofia
Chapter 21: Derek
Chapter 22: Sofia
Chapter 23: Derek
Chapter 24: Derek
Chapter 25: Derek
Chapter 26: Sofia
Chapter 27: Derek
Chapter 28: Sofia
Chapter 29: Derek
Chapter 30: Derek
Chapter 31: Sofia
Chapter 32: Sofia
Chapter 33: Derek
Chapter 34: Sofia
Chapter 35: Derek
Chapter 36: Sofia
Chapter 37: Sofia
Chapter 38: Derek
Chapter 39: Sofia
Chapter 40: Vivienne
Chapter 41: Derek
Chapter 42: Derek
Chapter 43: Sofia
Chapter 44: Sofia
Epilogue: Kiev
A Shade of Vampire 7 Page 19