I nodded. He stepped in and I closed the door behind him. He spun around to face me. "Every single human in this building—me included—perhaps my daughter being the only exception—wants you dead." At that, I couldn't help but chuckle wryly. "So I've gathered." "The great Derek Novak. One of the best hunters the order has ever known…now prince of the vampires." King actually…I looked up at him…but then you don't really need to know that. "This thing you have with my daughter stops now. You can't keep using her for whatever reason you have for wanting her." "I'm in love with her," I said through gritted teeth. "I fully intend to marry her." "Marry her? She's mortal! If you loved her, you wouldn't deprive her of the future she deserves. You wouldn't deprive her of an education, a family, children of her own…" At that, I couldn't find a proper response. I'd been plagued by that thought ever since Sofia returned to The Shade. I knew I was being selfish with her. "Be straight with me
I never once imagined that my life would play out the way that it did. To be fair, I guess I could say that life never really unfolds the way we expect it to.I know my father's didn't, but I doubt there's a teenager in the world who could expect her life to play out like mine.I'd just turned seventeen when my life changed completely and irreversibly. It was only one night before that I was thinking of the future, of my dreams and aspirations. I wanted to become a social worker or even a lawyer in hopes of helping others like me who were abandoned by their families. It was my birthday, and at my age, it felt like I had my whole life ahead of me. Granted, I wasn't so sure that it would be much of a great life, but at least I was certain that I was going to have a life.That following evening, I wasn't so sure any more. How could I have been when, within the span of twenty four hours, I'd gone from high school senior and certified wallflower to captive of the prince of the largest and
I blinked several times, hoping that I would see a bit more clearly if I did it enough. No chance. I was enveloped by darkness and it didn't look like that was about to change any time soon.I sensed my claustrophobia about to kick in, afraid that, for all I knew, I could be in some sort of extremely enclosed space, but the cold, airy feel of the room soon assured me that I was not.I tried to move about the space and quickly realized that the lack of lighting was the least of my concerns. For one thing, I was being held by metal restraints on my wrists and ankles.I could barely even raise my arms without requiring a considerable amount of effort. I tried to pull against my chains. They were fastened to the wall. I felt straw beneath my bare feet. I ran my hands over my body and felt the soft linen fabric of the white cover-up I pulled over my swimsuit before my untimely walk earlier that evening.I had intended to go for a swim.Yet another one of your brilliant ideas, Sofia. Now yo
"Lucas!"I could already feel the sharp edge of his fangs on my skin when a shrill female voice brought me an unexpected reprieve.He growled with frustration and roughly pushed me away, causing my head to jerk back and bump against the concrete wall.I glared every sort of sharp blade imaginable at my captor. So your name is Lucas.He seemed to be reading my mind, because an ugly frown marred his handsome features."Yes. The name's Lucas, my sweet innocent. Not that knowing that will do you any good.""What do you think you're doing?!" the female voice once again demanded of him.I strained my neck to see who my savior was, but Lucas was blocking my view."What do you think I'm doing, Vivienne?" His chest heaved and sighed as he said the words. He looked just about ready to rip the head off of this Vivienne woman. "So sorry about this, Sofia dear."Of course. How dare she interrupt your dinner. Happy birthday, Sofia. You just happen to be the birthday feast.He looked at me as though
The moment my eyes shot open, I could hear everything, smell everything, feel everything within at least a quarter mile radius around me. I was sure that the sensation alone would bring my body into complete shock, until my vision settled on a familiar face. The woman I had trusted enough to provide my escape from everything."Cora?"It was strange. The last thing I remembered was Cora's face as I'd faded off into slumber. It felt like I had only slept for a few moments before being jolted awake. I wondered if something had gone wrong with the spell. Looking at the witch, I couldn't help but wonder how it was possible that she looked younger. I found my answer when the buxom beauty with light brown skin and long, cascading locks of chestnut hair shook her head."I'm not Cora. I'm Corrine."I lifted myself up from the slab of stone that served as my resting place…for how long, I could only muse. I took in my surroundings - I was in a candlelit hall with marble floors and giant pillars.
My eyes were glued to the young man Vivienne was embracing only moments ago. There was no question in my mind that it was him. He was the one Vivienne told Lucas that I was here for. He was the one the guards and servants were whispering about. He was Derek Novak.Soon after Vivienne left me inside the dungeon, guards arrived to bring me to another area of the place they called the Blood Shade. I and several other women around my age were brought out of a network of underground caves they called The Cells. I assumed it was the Shade's prison system of sorts. My first instinct was to try to figure out where we were.All I saw were the tallest trees I ever laid my eyes on – I assumed they were giant redwoods that I'd read about in books. They surrounded us on all sides except for one – our side – which from what I saw, consisted of a huge mountain range, whose ragged cliffs spelled danger. It was in the intricate cave system of this mountain range that they managed to carve out dungeons
I couldn't pry my eyes away from her. I wanted to stop, but I found myself inching closer.She was beautiful to behold – not just because her physical appearance drew me in above and beyond that of the other girls. No. In my eyes, she was most beautiful because at a time when she had every right to be terrified, she managed to show comfort to another person who needed it.The moment I saw her grab the hand of the girl beside her, all the others paled in comparison. She showed me a humanity I longed to return to.But I was the predator. She was my prey. And even as I admired her for that one simple gesture, I was battling to prevent myself from relishing the sweet delicacy that she was to my kind.I muttered several curses under my breath. I knew my sister well enough to know why she was putting me through this. She knew my struggle to maintain control when it came to satisfying my hunger. So it was the first thing she put to the test. Why on earth she was testing me was still somethin
Four hundred years. Gone. Just like that.As Lucas and Vivienne led me out of the Sanctuary, apparently Corrine's dwelling place, I couldn't help but marvel over what they'd managed to turn the Blood Shade into over the past four centuries. Before the spell, the island we'd occupied and called the Blood Shade was nothing but a fortress surrounded by a dark forest with its towering redwoods and giant sequoias. We made a small clearing in the middle of the forest and called it The Vale. That was where we began making plans regarding what the Blood Shade would someday be like. I never thought it possible that the plans would actually materialize, but here it was – right before my very eyes – more amazing than it was in my imagination.As we left the Sanctuary and eventually entered into what was now the Vale, I asked question after question to satisfy my curiosity and make me forget my hunger. Sofia and the other slaves were walking right behind us, escorted by the guards. I was still so