I looked at the tattoo of a hawk on my wrist. It was the sign that I was now a hunter—one of them, part of the international order devoted to ridding the planet of vampires. I wondered to myself what Sofia would think once she saw the tattoo. I steeled myself for when I had to kill Derek Novak—even if I had to do it right in front of her eyes.
It’s necessary, Sofia. He has to die before he totally corrupts you. When the time comes, I hope you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me.
“You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?” Zinnia asked me, her brown eyes set on my face. “Sofia?”
I was surprised to hear her mention Sofia. I tried to recall the last time I heard my best friend’s name spoken out loud. Was it from Reuben? I couldn’t remember, but an unwelcome memory did haunt me. It was that of Vivienne Novak, Derek’s twin sister. As a last ditch attempt to pry information out of her, Reuben sent me into her cell to speak with her. She was bloodied, bruised and tortured, her fangs ripped from her mouth.
Her words haunted me. You have no idea how much you mean to her. One day, Ben, you’re going to look beyond yourself and you’re going to see Sofia as she is. Once you see the world through her eyes, you will understand. You could be great, Ben.
Ignoring Zinnia’s question, I shook my head and began walking toward the showers. “What happened to Vivienne? Is she dead?”
Zinnia kept pace with me, having to take at least two strides with every one of mine. “I don’t know. I never thought to ask. Didn’t Reuben say that he had her executed?”
“Yeah… I just…” I sighed and shook my head. “It’s nothing.” I stopped in front of the locker room and pointed toward the door. “I’ll just take a quick shower, okay?”
I miss you so much, Sofia. As I took a shower, I went through for the umpteenth time everything that happened between us. She was into me for so long. I took advantage of that knowledge and in so doing, I lost her. She deserves better than me, but ‘better than me’ definitely isn’t Derek Novak. My gut clenched to think that she felt more valued being with the vampire prince than with me. I really screwed it up with her.
It felt hopeless, like I could never get her back, but I refused to entertain that particular emotion. She was too important to me to just give up on. I was going to get her back.
I twisted the shower’s brass knobs and the steady stream of water rushing down onto my body stopped. My resolution was clear. I’m going to get Sofia back. Right after I help destroy The Shade and every single vampire within it.
CHAPTER 8: DEREK
The Catacombs were composed of several levels of intricately networked caves, located within the base of a giant mountain range known to the island as the Black Heights. The human population not housed within the vampire residences was given quarters within The Catacombs, and it was to be my beloved’s home.
I couldn’t help but wince whenever I visited The Catacombs. It was no place for a vampire—this was made clear by the stares that came my way; some curious, and some tainted with blatant animosity. I couldn’t blame them. The Catacombs was their haven—their place away from our kind, and my presence there only served to remind me that they were a generation of captives—they and their ancestors before them.
Still, I steeled myself against their glares, because I had work to do. If Sofia was going to live there, she wasn’t about to live the same way the others did.
Corrine, witch of The Shade, served as the humans’ champion. Though one could never underestimate my own position and power within The Shade, she was one of the few people in that island whom I was severely wary of.
“You can’t be serious!” she exclaimed when I broached the topic of clearing out half of the entire top level so I could have it turned into Sofia’s quarters.
“I want it done,” I responded firmly.
“Derek…this is insanity. You do realize that, don’t you?” she asked as she paced the floor of the Sanctuary, her home.
“My father made laws that I cannot defy, but if Sofia is to stay here, I will not have her live like a pauper. Not while I’m prince of the island and commander of its army.”
“I understand that, Derek.” The brunette nodded as she planted her hands on her hips and took several deep breaths. “There’s really nothing any of us can do if you demand that this be done, but do you realize that this will only earn Sofia the other human citizens’ ire? She’s a Migrate, for crying out loud. To give her such lavish treatment is a slap in the face to those who’ve been loyal Naturals for generations!”
“They know who she is to me. I will have the head of anyone who dares lay a hand on her.”
“Does she know about this?”
I shook my head. “I want it to be a surprise. A birthday gift.”
“Derek, are you still so naive when it comes to what kind of person Sofia is?”
My ears stung at her words, but I was unrelenting. I ran my hand through my hair in frustration as I responded to the witch. “What would you have me do, Corrine? Would you have me just send her there, living in the same dire conditions as the rest of them?”
“If you help improve the living conditions of all the humans there, then she wouldn’t have to!”
“That action could turn all the vampires against me. Everything I do for Sofia puts me and her in danger against the other vampires. If I start siding with the humans…” my voice trailed off, refusing to think of the implications. “Are you going to get this done or not, Corrine?”