A Shade Of Vampire 4: A Shadow Of Light (11 page)

I stared at Corrine for a couple of seconds, my mind reeling.
Don’t you think I want that? Don’t you think I want Sofia here with me?
But there was no way I could bring Sofia back. I didn’t even know where hunter headquarters was.

“I want her here. You know that,” I reiterated to Corrine,
“but right now, I need to get The Shade back into shape…starting with this lockout. I need the humans back at their posts before the island crumbles.”

“And what if Felix and his men randomly begin attacking people again?”

“I’ll post guards over the Vale and all the other establishments to make sure nobody hurts the humans.”

Corrine scoffed at this. “You’re going to post vampires to stand guard over humans? Do you really think they’ll agree to that?”

“They won’t have a choice. I’m their king.”

“They have a choice to join your father and Felix
in rebellion. Besides, if you have the guards and knights posted mainly at the Vale, how are you going to guard the Crimson Fortress, which we cannot, under any circumstances, allow your father’s men to occupy?”

I was starting to get frustrated. Rosa could probably tell, because she was beginning to nervously flinch on her chair. I decided to spare her from further discomfort and found a way to wave her off. “Rosa, could you please get Sam, Kyle and Ashley here? Ian and Gavin too…”

I didn’t miss the way her face lit up like a bulb the moment I mentioned Gavin’s name. I raised a brow in curiosity and she most likely mistook it as me waiting for her to get out so she practically leaped from her seat, mumbled something undecipherable, before going off.

I then shifted my attention back to Corrine. “What do you want to happen, Corrine? Even if I could get Sofia back here, how is she going to help fix all this?”

Corrine gave me a look that made me feel like the most irritating creature in the planet. Nobody at The Shade could make me feel as stupid as the brown-haired, olive-skinned witch could. She heaved a deep sigh. “You’re being a fool, Derek. Are you really
that
blind to the power Sofia has over the people of The Shade—
especially
the human population?”

I was taken aback. Humbling as it was, I had to admit that Corrine had a point. Sofia had a way about her that seemed to
win the trust and affection of people around her. The people of The Catacombs—Naturals or otherwise—listened to her.

“If she was here, then all you have to do is keep the vampires in check and she can do whatever magic she does with the humans. That’s half of your work done for you.”

“Even if that were true, Corrine,” I said, refusing to admit out loud that it made sense, “I still haven’t got the slightest clue how to bring Sofia here.”

Right then, Ashley and Sam walked into the room, hands clasped together. Kyle and Ian followed right after
—both men occasionally glaring daggers at each other when the other wasn’t looking. Gavin followed after, seemingly deep in thought, while Rosa trailed behind him, looking like a fan girl running after her biggest idol.

“Finally!” Ashley, who apparently heard the tail part of our conversation, exclaimed as she and Sam plopped on the couch beside Corrine. “We’re addressing the elephant in the room! How to get Sofia back here, because let’s face it… It’s been a disaster without the two of you here calling the shots.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. I didn’t know why, but it came as a surprise to me that people around The Shade actually saw Sofia and me not as separate individual entities, but as a unit working together to rule The Shade.

“Well, I’d been bugging him about it, but he seems to think it’s hopeless,” Corrine informed.

Ashley stared at me thoughtfully. “Well, it kind of is…”

I was getting exhausted with the conversation. I wanted Sofia back. How could I not? But to go on and on about it, knowing that it was next to impossible for me to find her was beginning to get irritating.

“It seems impossible,” Ashley reiterated, glancing at Corrine, before addressing me. “Do
you
remember where hawk headquarters is?”

I
shook my head at the baby vampire. “No. You were once a hunter, Ashley. Don’t
you
know where it is?”

“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 squint
ed 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.

“Cam
eron? 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.

A
dding fuel to the fire of my despair, Natalie stated the obvious, “Looks like you’re kingdom’s falling apart, King Derek.”

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.

I knew the risk I was putting myself in by being in a relationship with her. I knew that the higher-ranking officials of the hunters had their eyes on me. The pressure I’d been getting for losing Derek Novak and for keeping vampires alive at headquarters was intense, but I couldn’t do
what they wanted me to do. I couldn’t kill Claudia out of honor for Ben. I couldn’t kill Ingrid because the thought of my daughter suffering another death was beyond what I could handle.
Stop lying to yourself, Aiden. Ingrid is still alive because you can’t stand the idea of losing your wife.

I let go of her hand, fully aware of how tightly I was clinging to our past. The nights I’d spent with Ingrid had been pure ecstasy
—Ingrid was a passionate lover in bed in a way that Camilla never was.

That night, however, I had to shove away any wanton thoughts of having her in my arms and focus on the questions and doubts weighing in my mind. The moment we reached the garden, Ingrid motioned to kiss me, but I quickly pushed her away. I stepped back, keeping a safe distance between her and me, so we could have a conversation.

“How did Sofia know how to get to the garden?” I asked Ingrid.

Her shoulders sagged and she heaved a sigh. “She wanted to escape, Aiden. She asked me for help, so I helped her. My conscience couldn’t stand it though. It felt like I was betraying you, so I had to tell you…”

If she was putting on an act of a conscience-ridden woman, she was good at it. I couldn’t help but still draw a breath at the sight of her.
She will always be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.

I clenched my fists, my recent conversation with Sofia still stuck in my mind. “She’s talking crazy. Sofia.”

That statement seemed to spark delight in Ingrid’s eyes, but she quickly covered that up. “Why do you say that?”

“She’s talking about being immune to vampirism. She’s talking about a cure to the curse.” I looked at Ingrid, not missing how ironic it was that I was discussing this with a vampire.
I’m such a hypocrite. I’m condemning my daughter for loving a vampire, when I myself am in love with one.
I gave Ingrid a lingering look, hoping that she couldn’t see the disgust in my eyes when I thought:
it’s your curse too. How on earth could I allow myself to still love you?

Conflicted was a word that did little justice to the war raging within me ever since Ingrid and I first slept together
.

“Sofia and her delusions…” Ingrid said, sounding melancholic, almost as if she felt sorry for Sofia. “She actually thinks that because she’s immune, there’s some sort of cure that will make a lifetime of bliss possible for her and her beloved. Delusional darling...”

“Immune? She
is
immune?”

“Yes
.” Ingrid stared straight at me before quickly reminding me why I should be revolted by her very being. “Borys tried to turn her the night I gave her to him. She didn’t turn. She’s immune to the curse, if we could even call it
that
.”

I stood there, unable to wrap my mind around the idea that she could speak so nonchalantly about offering her nine-year-old daughter to a century-old vampire and al
lowing him to try and turn her.
How many times must I be reminded that she is not
my
Camilla?

“Don’t look at me like some monster, Aiden
.” She shook her head. “It’s not like you didn’t know that I wanted Sofia to end up with Borys all those times we made love. Does it really make a difference now?” She drew close to me, pressing her body against mine.

This time, however, I found myself
repelled by her. I pushed her away. “This ends now, Ingrid. No matter what we’d been doing these past days, my loyalty remains with our daughter. You were right all along. You lost me to Sofia, and make no mistake about it… If she ever asks it of me, I wouldn’t think twice about killing you.”

Fury unlike anything I’d ever seen before sparked in her eyes as she bared her fangs, poised to attack me, not quite remembering that I was a formidable hunter and compared to other vampires I’d fought before, a decade-old vampire like her was no match for me. As she was about to sink her teeth into my neck, I grabbed her head with both my hands and used all my strength to twi
st her head and snap her neck in two.

Quickest way to maim a vampire.
I thought as she dropped to the ground. She was still alive, but once I instructed someone to snap her neck back into place, she would realize that she had just lost all leverage she had gained from my renewal of love for her—or perhaps lust.

She was going to wake up in a dungeon, her fangs ripped from her mouth, regretting the day she
had ever tried to harm my daughter.