2022-09-13 13:05:31Sensation after sensation assaulted me, and yet my mind was still predominantly fixed on the way Derek had looked in my dream – pale, distant… heartless. Trembling, I pulled my knees against my chest, gathering the beach sand beneath my heels.
"Derek, please be alright. Stay alright…" I whispered, hoping the morning breeze would carry the message back to The Shade and let him know I was still thinking of him.
"Why all the whispering?"
Ben looked at ease and relaxed for the first time since we discovered each other back at The Shade. Still, even with the lighter tone, every word he spoke came with a heaviness I couldn't completely shake. He plopped himself down next to me.
"Where do you think we are?" he asked.
"We're in Cancun." I had no doubt about it. "It makes sense for them to return us where they found us."
Le Meridien. That was the r
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
A Darkness Of Vampire Chapter 30
Focus, Derek. Ignore everything. I stood still and upright, my feet shoulder-width apart. My left hand kept a relaxed grip on my silver bow's handle. I retrieved an arrow from the quiver slung across my bare back. Drown everything out. All that matters now is that you hit the target. Beads of sweat were trickling down my temples. I'd been at this all night. I started with boxing before moving on to sword practice, then firearms practice, and eventually every other training the Crimson Fortress' grounds had to offer until I reached the archery range. From the corner of my eye, I could make out the thick walls of the Crimson Fortress towering at least a hundred feet above me. They surrounded the island, protecting us from everyone who sought to invade us throughout the past centuries. The mere thought of the towering fortress and all its fortifications threatened to bring back a slew of
A Darkness Of Vampire Chapter 31
Steady footsteps echoed through the torch-lit corridors of the Crimson Fortress' west tower. I was discussing with Cameron what had to be done over the next few weeks as we made our way to the Great Dome, where most of our military strategic planning was done. The west tower, standing as high as one hundred and fifty feet and roofed with pointed cross-arches, was one of the first buildings erected in the fortress and had already witnessed many battles in defense of the island."We'll need to gather the Elite Council and the Knights to make sure that everyone is on the same page and knows what we are trying to accomplish."The Elite Council was composed of twenty highly esteemed individuals who represented each of the Elite's clans. Liana, Cameron's wife, was one of them and so was my twin sister, Vivienne. The knights, on the other hand, were members of the Elite's clans who had enlisted as part of The Shade's military force. They composed m
A Darkness Of Vampire Chapter 32
Ben and I checked in to the same resort we stayed at with his family last summer. The moment we arrived at the hotel room, neither one of us could wait to get out. It mattered little to us how beautiful the suite was – in fact, it paled in comparison to the lavish penthouses of The Shade. What mattered more to us was the sun. We were in Cancun and we'd missed the sun for too long to spend that bright, sunny day indoors.It became an unspoken rule between the two of us that for that morning, there would be no mention of The Shade, no mention of anything dark or heavy. For a few hours, we tried to be what we had every right to be – teenagers having fun on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.Without us even noticing at first, we ended up avoiding any kind of shade. We wanted to feel the sunlight against our skin, so we stayed clear of umbrellas and roofs and anything that would block the sun. I was sure that by the end of the day, I'd
A Darkness Of Vampire Chapter 33
As we strolled over the white sands beautifully complementing the clear blue ocean water, I told Sofia my story, not bothering to mention that by making me recount my tale, she was forcing me to live out the horrors of The Shade all over again.I was distraught. I once again let Sofia down. Ditching her on her birthday for Tanya – total babe that she was – was on top of my growing list of screw ups when it came to the best friend I always managed to take for granted. It felt awful to see the hurt look in Sofia's eyes, but I figured she'd take a walk and get over it. After all, I knew that sooner or later, she would forgive me. She always did.I sneaked into her hotel room just before the break of dawn the next day, fully expecting her to still be in bed, with my five-year-old sister, Abby, snuggled against her. I was disappointed to find my mom lying beside Abby. It was clear to see that my mom was pissed off about something, bec
A Darkness Of Vampire Chapter 34
You shouldn't have let her go.I tried everything I could to shut out my sister's words and keep them from continuously circling in my mind, but it was impossible. They gnawed at me and reminded me of the truth that I already felt so immensely. Sofia was no longer around, and no matter whom I surrounded myself with or what activity I tried to immerse myself in, I could still feel her absence with every fiber of my being.Of course, I'd lived long enough to mask what I was going through as I continued my strict schedule of meetings with the vampires I needed to carry out my commands. By the end of the day, word was already out all over the island: The prince is wide awake. He's done taking a break and is about to get right to the bloody business of keeping The Shade safe.I hated to admit it, but Vivienne was right. It was all a ruse, a show I had to put on in order to distract myself from the void that formed upon Sofia'
A Darkness Of Vampire Chapter 35
Night was the only time Ben and I chose to stay indoors. We decided to take a one-bedroom suite at the hotel, considering that as best friends, we'd slept in a single bed without malice dozens of times. For some reason, however, things changed and the idea of sleeping in the same bed as Ben felt uncomfortable, almost like it was a betrayal to Derek.Back at The Shade, after Lucas killed Gwen, Derek asked me to start sleeping in his bedroom. He was more able to protect me that way. I couldn't even explain why, but it seemed the most natural thing for us to be in the same room. I expected for some period of adjustment, with a lot of awkwardness; him being a virile, attractive young man and myself being, well, a young woman. I was surprised by how well we adjusted to one another. It was like a dance. We just naturally knew how to move around each other. He got me and I liked to think that I got him too.I couldn't understand why, but something
A Darkness Of Vampire Chapter 36
Breathless, Claudia and I rolled to our sides on her king-sized canopy bed. I pulled my arm from beneath her bare form, so I could sit over the edge of the bed and reach toward the table where I laid a pack of cigarettes. I propped myself up, leaning my back against the bed's headboard before lighting up a cigarette.I could feel Claudia's eyes on me. She was often the girl I ran to whenever I needed a quick tumble in the bed. She served her purpose well. Of course, the entire time we were screwing each other, it wasn't really Claudia on my mind. It was Sofia.My brother's slave managed to etch herself permanently on my subconscious from the very moment I first laid eyes on her and found myself wanting her – only to realize that she could never be mine. When I finally got a taste of her blood, I was a lost cause. I couldn't get her out of my head. The fragile little twig."Word's out that Derek has got Cameron out
A Darkness Of Vampire Chapter 37
I spat on the dirt ground and threw my opponent a disgusted glare. Across from me on the make-shift circle that served as the training grounds' fighting arena, Xavier Vaughn was trying to catch his breath, his right arm hanging limply at his side with his hand clutching the hilt of his katana like his life depended on it. He was exhausted, bloody, and bruised.I couldn't stand the sight of him. Before my sleep, he would've bested me in any sword fight nine times out of ten. After four centuries, it took half a dozen strikes from me to completely wear him down."We've only been at this for about ten minutes, Vaughn." I watched as the fresh wound the tip of my katana most recently inflicted upon him quickly closed up and healed."I haven't done this in centuries, Novak." Xavier never did address me as his prince or superior. It was one thing I liked about him. "I'm a little bit rusty."I tilted my head
Latest Chapter
Chapter 124
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
Chapter 123
I knew then that should Derek ever ask, I would willingly let him have my blood. The thought scared me, because it was a stunning realization of how much I was willing to give up for him. I drifted off to sleep for the rest of the flight, leaning my head on Derek's shoulder, hoping to escape everything through peaceful slumber. It was the sudden jolt caused by the wheels of the plane hitting the tarmac that woke me. My immediate instinct was to check out the window for the sun and I was relieved to find that it was dark. I knew we were in the US—that much I'd gathered from overhearing several conversations between the hunters, but where exactly in the States we were, I had no clue. I checked on Derek and found him unbuckling his seatbelt. "Hey, beautiful," he said before quickly looking away.Something about him felt distant and cold. I looked toward my father and wondered what he would have to say if I went to him to ask for blood to feed Derek. The prospect seemed insane. I grabb
Chapter 122
It felt like I was riding to my death. I was surrounded by hunters and I was willingly heading toward the last place any vampire should be. The hunters' headquarters.I could feel Aiden's glare burning through me. I knew that in his eyes, I was the enemy. In his eyes, I had brainwashed Sofia into loving me. I knew that he would do everything to take Sofia away from me. It's the way I would've thought had I still been a hunter. I clung to Sofia, driven mad by how much I was craving her blood. I swallowed hard as I pressed my lips against her cheek. I couldn't remember ever wanting anyone as much as I wanted her. The fact that I was in love with her only added to the heavy ache that seemed to permanently settle on my chest. No wonder Lucas couldn't keep himself away from her… Lucas. My jaw tightened at the recollection of seeing my brother burst into flames. I'd never liked him, but he was still my brother. Seeing him meet his end brought no satisfaction whatsoever. I found myself w
Chapter 121
Amidst all the bedlam surrounding me, I was certain of one thing and one thing alone. Claudia had reverted to her old mad and twisted self. I knew it the moment she attacked Sofia and sank her fangs into her neck. "What is wrong with you?!" I hissed at her after seeing her claws come out, ready to put me through another painful ordeal. "She's safer as a vampire than she is as the pathetic little twig that she is," she told me. "I was doing her a favor." She wasn't feeding on Sofia. She was turning her. I couldn't even begin to imagine what was going through her mind. "This place is filled with hunters. Nobody is safe, you crazy bitch." Her claws retracted and she pressed her palm over my chest to keep me down. "You were going to shoot me," she accused. "You were sinking your bloody teeth into Sofia's neck. Of course I was going to shoot you." I pushed her away from me and was slightly surprised when she actually backed off. I searched for Sofia in time to see her pinned to a wall
Chapter 120
The moment the circular glass elevator stopped at level four, I saw my father rising up to his feet as he pulled a wooden stake from a vampire's chest. At the sight of me, his eyes widened. More questions than I could make sense of flashed through my mind at the sight of him. My mother was a vampire and my father was a hunter. It felt like my entire life had been a lie. However, I knew that I wasn't about to get any answers, because this was no time for teary-eyed reunions. War was breaking out all around us. As I stepped out of the elevator, I realized that my father had just begun to take note of the dress I was wearing and the blood on my wrists. He then saw Derek stepping out of the elevator right behind me. My heart stopped when I realized what it looked like. "Dad, no!" I screamed, but he was already pulling out a gun and aiming it at Derek. I immediately acted out of instinct and used myself to cover Derek. I was about to tell Aiden—who was running toward me—that if he ever
Chapter 119
I stepped away when Borys began to run his hand down my shoulder. Borys responded by using one strong arm to grab my waist and pull my back against him, holding me in position so that he could touch me any way he pleased right in front of Derek. I kept my eyes on Derek's, wondering if things would really end this way. I was grasping for any thread of hope. I wanted to be strong for Derek, but I had no idea how to do it. We were both too weak, too broken. When a soft knock interrupted Borys' shameless display, I could hear Derek sigh with relief. "What?!" Borys screamed. A guard entered. He looked terrified. "Your highness…" His voice trembled. "The boy…Ben…he escaped with the blonde vampire. They both left The Oasis…they haven't yet returned." I could feel Borys' breathing suddenly get heavy. His arms clamped around me so tightly, I thought he wanted to snap me in two. Instead, he pushed me to the ground and marched toward the guard. He grabbed the guard's neck. "How long have th
Chapter 118
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
Chapter 117
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
Chapter 116
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 wa
