“I never ranked high enough to ever be trusted with exact locations. I was blindfolded and escorted to headquarters whenever I needed to be there.”
“They did the same thing to me. There was absolutely no way I could figure out where exactly it was.” We were at a dead end, and I was hoping they’d just stop talking about it. Thinking of Sofia just made me realize how much I needed her, which was a depressing thought considering I had no idea how to get her back.
“Remind me again why you left her there.” Ashley testily squinted an eye at me.
I remembered the time when she was still human. I had completely lost myself and allowed the darkness to consume me. She suffered the brunt of the consequences that came with that after I attacked her and fed on her several times. I craved her so much after I had first tasted her blood. I left her because I might do to her what I did to you.
Not quite comfortable about discussing my choices with everyone there, I changed the subject. “I didn’t call you here to discuss Sofia. We need to put a stop to this ridiculous lockout. Gavin and Ian, you were working with Sofia as the human leaders of this place. What are your thoughts on this matter?”
Both men exchanged glances and Gavin was about to speak his mind when Xavier showed up. “The lovely Natalie Borgia comes with a message.” From behind him, Natalie emerged and stepped into the room.
I immediately stood up and breathed a sigh of relief. “You’re alright. I was certain that…”
Her eyes widened warning me not to say anymore, reminding me the trouble she would get into should anyone discover what she had done for me.
Thus, I restrained my urge to give her one big, grateful hug and nodded cordially at her. “Your message?”
She eyed all the people present at the room. “This message contains sensitive information threatening the security of this island. You sure you want everyone here to hear it?”
“They’ll find out eventually,” I assured her, steeling myself for the worst.
“The leaders of the other vampire covens want to meet with you,” she announced.
It’s a trap. Natalie wasn’t her usual warm and inviting self when she was around me. Even as a diplomat, she always had this casual way about her when it was me she was talking to. This time, however, she was stiff and guarded. I knew then that no matter what history I had with her, I couldn’t ever fully trust her. “If I don’t go?”
“Why wouldn’t you…” Xavier began to butt in.
I raised a hand midair to make him stop talking. I gave him a look to let him know that he was going to get his answers eventually. Right now, he had to shut up. He knew me well enough to figure out what I was trying to communicate to him.
“If you don’t go.” Natalie shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “They’re going to attack The Shade.”
“And if I go, they’re going to capture me and most likely kill me, right?”
Her eyes softened for a moment, looking at me as if she was about to lose a dear old friend, but she quickly gained composure and maintained her diplomatic air. “I guess you have a decision to make, Derek.”
I couldn’t find a reason for me to go. I didn’t even have the slightest clue how the other vampires even intended to orchestrate an attack on the island without being detected by the outside world.
“Tell them I need time to think about it. I’ll let you know once I’ve made my decision.”
Natalie handed me a sealed envelope. “The details of the meeting are in there.” She gave me a long look—a warning—practically a plea to keep me from going.
“Thank you, Natalie.” I tried to smile as I took the envelope. “For everything.”
As if the world weren’t already crashing on me all at the same time, Cameron showed up—a grave look on the Scot’s freckled face.
“Cameron? What’s wrong? Natalie was just about to leave the island.”
“She can’t,” he said.
“What do you mean I can’t?” Natalie frowned.
“Gregor and Felix just attacked the port. They have control of it,” Cameron announced. “I think they know that Natalie is here. They’re making it look like you’ve taken her hostage.”
I swallowed hard, knowing the implications of being accused of harming—in any way—a rogue vampire as important as Natalie. I eyed her anxiously, wondering if she had had any idea that this was coming. She seemed genuinely surprised.
“We need to take back control of the port,” Xavier mumbled.
The words had barely just escaped his lips when a loud, piercing scream echoed through the cavernous walls of The Catacombs.
Gavin, Ian and Kyle ran out of Sofia’s quarters—located at the topmost levels of the many layers of The Catacombs and within minutes, only Gavin returned, announcing, “A riot. They’re killing one another out there.”
It was my first night back at The Shade and I could think of nothing more appealing than to kill myself right then and there.
Adding fuel to the fire of my despair, Natalie stated the obvious, “Looks like you’re kingdom’s falling apart, King Derek.”
CHAPTER 20: AIDEN
I held Ingrid’s hand in mine as we walked toward the garden where we had our now regular midnight rendezvous—the same garden Sofia had discovered and tried to escape from. I was silent until we reached the garden, lost in my thoughts, relieved that Ingrid wasn’t trying to make conversation.