I saw a hint of a smile on her twitching lip. I raised my hands in the air in mock surrender. “Not really you I’m afraid of. Some other woman already beat you to the punch and has already cast a spell on me.”
She nodded knowingly, this time a full smile appearing on her face. “The magic of Sofia Claremont.”
I chuckled, realizing the reality that no matter what happened, Sofia would always be a part of me. A mixture of sadness and affection came with the next thought: Perhaps that’s it. That’s how we’re going to be together. Sofia will forever be immortalized in my thoughts, in my soul, in my heart. Perhaps we don’t really have to be physically together.
That night, for the first time since I had left her, I tried to imagine Sofia’s face and found that I could no longer picture her face as clearly as I had done before. I shut my eyes, holding on to whatever figments of her was left inside me. No. I need to find you, Sofia. I can’t let you slip away. Not ever.
I dreamt of Sophia that night. The dream reminded me how beautiful she was, reminded me that Sofia Claremont would indeed always be a part of me.
CHAPTER 31: SOFIA
Ingrid Maslen was human and she wasn’t happy about it. Aiden and I were watching from surveillance monitors in another room as she tore at her cot’s bedding and screamed her lungs out.
A guard dropped by to give her a plate of food and she looked at the sandwich as if it were the most despicable thing she’d ever laid eyes on. The food tray and the meal were thrown straight against the wall.
“How could you do this to me?!” she yelled into the camera, letting us know that she was aware we were watching her.
“I guess the cure works,” was all Aiden managed to say.
I tilted my head to the side, not knowing whether to be amused or elated or just bothered by what was happening to Ingrid. “I think the cure works to rid the person of vampirism, but it doesn’t work to cure them of their craziness.”
“Did you really believe that she could be cured of that?”
“Don’t lie to me and tell me that you’re not still hoping for the same thing.”
All I got from my father was a bittersweet smile. That was enough of an answer. I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you for believing me.”
The muscles on his face tightened, his eyes once again fixed on the surveillance monitor, watching the woman he loved making a complete fool of herself.
“May I speak with her again?” I asked.
He seemed surprised. “Are you sure? It wouldn’t come as a surprise if she attacks you.”
“I think I can handle it. I’ll be fully equipped like you instructed.” I tapped my thigh where I had a wooden stake and a UV ray gun inside a holster.
“She’s no longer a vampire… The gun or even the stake if not used well could just maim her.”
I had to laugh at how overprotective he was being. “Maiming her is good enough to protect myself I think…”
“Before you go ahead and talk to her,” He gently brushed a hand over my shoulder blade. “How do you intend to get the cure to Derek?”
“I’d have to go back to The Shade.” I shrugged. It seemed like the obvious answer.
“I’m not letting you go back there alone. What if the cure doesn’t work and they keep you captive there?” His face took on a very grim expression as he shook his head, and I could tell that there was no dissuading him from his doubts.
I swallowed hard. “Derek is never going to allow hunters into The Shade.”
“I don’t care if we have to meet him outside of that secret island kingdom of his. I’m going with you, Sofia. And that’s that. I don’t care how in love you are with this person, I can’t lose my daughter again, and if you go back to The Shade alone even your word of honor won’t allow me to believe that I will ever see you again.”
I understood where he was coming from, but I had no idea how to communicate with Derek without going back to The Shade either. Unless… “Well, there’s this girl. Natalie Borgia. You know her?”
My father’s brow rose. The name was clearly one that he’d heard of before.
“I’m sure either Claudia or Ingrid would know how to get in touch with her. We’d have to promise her safety. Messing with her is like messing with every single vampire out there, so…”
“I know how important she is,” Aiden cut me off. “You can trust me. She won’t be harmed.”
I wanted to trust him. I really did, but staring up at him, I couldn’t help but wonder how much of him was Aiden, my father, and how much of him was Reuben, the hunter. Still, I wanted to believe that he was sincere, that he was on my side. Isn’t he already getting so much heat from the higher-ups about his decisions lately?
“I’ll get the information we need from Ingrid or Claudia. I do have one condition…”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “What is it?”
“Claudia and Vivienne will be going with us. They deserve to get back home to The Shade. If they want the cure, then that’s for them to decide, but I don’t want them here any longer.”
“Sofia, you have to realize the trouble I’m gonna get into if I just let them go… I’m already dealing with enough heat after letting Derek go.”
“I know, but I’m not going to leave them here.”
“Leave them? Sofia, you’re talking like you’re not coming back.”