A Shade Of Vampire 5: A Blaze Of Sun (3 page)

“I am so exhausted,” Ashley complained
, as she leaned back in her seat and laid down her glass of animal blood. “Derek has been putting us through hell in military training.” She shot me a look. “Can you talk him into being a bit more lax? Every bone in my body hurts.”

I grinned. “I am not going to interfere with that,” I said, throwing my hands in the air in surrender
.

“What good is it that the ruler of this island is in love with you
, if you don’t use your connection to him to help your friends out?” Ashley frowned.

I rolled my eyes at her and
, deciding to ignore her, directed my attention toward the more soft-spoken Rosa. “What have you been busy with today, Rosa?”

“The usual
.” She shrugged. “Lily and I have been busy going about our rounds here at The Catacombs. We really need to do something about those who are sick, Sofia. Also, there are a lot of orphans who need care. Isn’t it about time that we get both a hospital and an orphanage here in The Shade?”

“
That
is something we ought to mention at the general assembly,” I said. I wasn’t blind to all that had to be done at The Catacombs, but everything was taking a backseat due to the incoming war. Thinking about all of it at once just felt overwhelming. “Gavin, Ian and Kyle are working it out right now.”

“Kyle?” Ashley narrowed her eye at me. Kyle was the one who turned her into a
vampire, so technically, she was part of his clan. “Why Kyle? Isn’t he supposed to be involved with preparing for the war?”

“Derek allowed him to focus on the humans upon his request,” I explained.

Ashley scowled, seemingly not pleased with the reason behind his request. “Looks like he’s deeply enamored with Anna…”

“You have a problem with that?” I asked,
surprised.

“I don’t know,” she admitted with a shrug. “I guess I have to support whatever makes Kyle happy, but Anna… I don’t know. She’s kind of messed up.”

I was hurt by that. I knew that Ashley had every right and reason to give the comment, considering how Anna had lost her mind from trauma and acted like a blubbering child, but my heart went out to the girl. Perhaps I held Anna close to my heart, because she was the only other immune I knew. I didn’t have to go into that with Ashley though. For some reason, I didn’t like talking to them about the cure or being an immune. Those topics were too heavy, too close to heart, and the time I spent with Ashley and Rosa were times in my day when I could just relax, chat and laugh with them.

It was with them that I could still feel like a
n eighteen-year-old. Lunch with Ashley and Rosa gave me a sense of normalcy, something that was a rare commodity in a place like The Shade.

That day in particular, I hated that lunch had to end.
“Lunch was lovely, Rosa. You really are a great cook.”

Rosa smiled
. “Thanks, Sofia.”

Ashley wrinkled her nose as she stared at the animal blood she just finished drinking. “I miss eating food.
Pizza in particular. Don’t get me wrong… Mozzarella and pepperoni don’t satisfy me as much as human blood does, but considering that we’re on a strict animal blood diet lately, I keep craving.” She narrowed her eyes and grinned as she eyed both mine and Rosa’s necks, implying that she wouldn’t mind having a drink of our blood right then.

“I don’t think Derek would be happy sharing my blood with you,” I told her with a grin.

Ashley turned her eyes toward Rosa, who just smiled sweetly in response. “You can never do that to me, Ash,” Rosa said confidently.

“That I could believe
.” I nodded. Ashley had the tendency to be protective of Rosa, perhaps because we were all aware what a beauty Rosa was starting to become and it was obvious that more than just one man – human and vampire – found her attractive.

I blew out a sigh. “I have to go now. Derek called a council meeting.”

Ashley’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Does that mean there won’t be any training this afternoon?”

I chuckled. “I doubt it. I’m pretty sure he’s going to send either Xavier or Cameron to take over.”

I rose to my feet as I watched Ashley’s face fall in disappointment, mumbling that Xavier and Cameron were just as harsh as Derek when it came to training. I tuned out the complaints she was spouting out, as I began to feel a sense of excitement at the prospect of seeing Derek.

I headed
to the council meeting and, upon arriving, I immediately caught sight of Derek at the head of the table. I took my seat on his right side, his twin sister, Vivienne, sitting across from me. Derek merely glanced my way before clearing his throat and calling the meeting to order.

I swallowed back the disappointment as we began to discuss the war and all the other issues that seemed to be mount
ing up in The Shade. I reported on the situation at The Catacombs and what we were doing about it. The meeting lasted several hours and by the time it was over, I felt mentally exhausted. I couldn’t help but sigh with relief when Derek finally dismissed us all.

I waited for everyone to leave, patiently standing by as the others had their final words with Derek, before approaching him.

When our eyes met, he gave me a tired smile.

“Exhausted?” I asked him.

“More than I can explain.”

“I miss you…”

His bright blue eyes softened as he brushed his fingers through my hair. I stared up at him, admiring him. The dark hair, the blue eyes, the pale skin and tall, lean, muscled physique… I never quite got used to how attractive he was or how small I felt whenever I was standing next to him.

His large hands engulfed my waist as he pulled me closer to himself. His lips pressed against my forehead. “I’m sorry it has to be this way, Sofia. I hate that we can’t spend as much time together as we did before.”

I wanted to assure him that it was alright, that I understood that he was under a lot of pressure, but at that moment, I felt a possessiveness toward him that I had never felt before.
Since when were you so selfish with Derek, Sofia?

I was so sick of all the tension and all the drama. I was so tired of the
political and social problems in The Shade. I was eighteen years old. Normal eighteen-year-olds were busy filling out college applications, moving into their dormitories, falling in and out of love ... I, on the other hand, was trying to figure out how to support a monarch in running his kingdom. And he wasn’t just any other monarch either. He was a vampire. Of course, I couldn’t blame anyone but myself for the mess I’d gotten myself entangled in.
It’s not like anybody forced you to fall in love with a five-hundred-year-old king in an eighteen-year-old’s body.

“What’s going through your mind, Sofia?” he asked.

“A lot,” I admitted. “I’ve been finding it hard to cope…”

I could sense him tense at my admission.

“It’s unfair, the pressure I’m putting on you with all the responsibilities that shouldn’t be yours in the first place…”

I
frowned. “I’m not complaining, Derek. I hope you don’t think that I am. I can still handle it all. I just… I miss laughing with you. I miss seeing you smile. I miss trying to figure out how to teach you to use a phone or how to drive…” I chuckled at the fond memories. “I miss
us
.”

The sadness on his face broke my heart. “I know… I miss us too…” he admitted.

I was waiting for him to promise that things would change, that we would return to what things were like before, but no. It dawned on me how unsure Derek was about the future. He no longer had the confidence that inspired him to fulfill his prophecy. I saw behind his eyes anxiety and self-doubt.

I grabbed his arm, my brows furrowing, as I studied the expression on his face.
Something’s wrong…
He looked away, seemingly bothered by my scrutiny. Had I not been so tired, I would’ve pried… I would’ve asked him what was the matter, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. I wasn’t sure if I could take it. “We’re both obviously tired.” I nodded my head slowly, smiling at him bitterly. “Maybe it’s best we retire to our quarters and have a good night’s rest.”

“I love you, Sofia.”

His proclamation felt weak, practiced and routine. It didn’t move me the way it used to and that bothered me. I couldn’t bear to look at him even as I nodded my head curtly. “I know. I love you too.”

I felt empty as I returned to
The Catacombs, escorted by Ashley and her boyfriend, Sam, who Derek asked to get me home safely. I hated that he didn’t do it himself. There was a time when he would’ve done it no matter how tired he was. 

My two companions were both exchanging some lighthearted banter all the way to the caves, but I remained silent, lost in thought.

A deep sense of loneliness and abandonment took over me. I shivered against the cold night breeze and practically tasted the scent of the pine trees. I was so consumed by my emotions and my surroundings, I barely gave Sam and Ashley a cohesive response when they bade me goodbye.

I dragged myself through the routine of getting myself ready for bed. Everything about
The Shade had begun to feel exactly like that – routine – and I was finding myself weary of it all. I had just climbed into my bed wearing a silk nightgown when the door creaked open. I lifted my head and drew a breath when I saw Derek standing inside my bedroom, closing the door behind him.

“Derek?” I
said, wondering what could’ve brought him to my chambers. Despite my surprise, my heart leapt that he did come. I longed to be in his embrace.

However, when I saw the stare he was giving me, I realized why he’d come. The way his Adam’s apple moved as he gulped at the sight of me made it clear enough exactly what he came for.
He’s craving.

I knelt up on the bed and forced a smile as I pulled my long red locks away from my neck in order to give him the go signal he was
waiting for. He didn’t hesitate… The moment my neck was exposed to him, he sped toward me and sank his teeth into my skin.

I bit my lip at the pain it caused, but I was already so used to it. As I
sat there waiting for my fiancé to have his fill of my blood, I couldn’t help but wonder.

What has become of us?

Her laughter was contagious as she held my hand. Her long, auburn hair was bunched up over her head in a bun, strands of it falling down her lovely face. We were at a beach and the sun was shining on both of us, our wet bodies glistening as we took a walk along the shore.

Sofia had a huge smile on her face, one that I missed seeing.

“Let’s make a sandcastle, Derek,” she suggested.

“What for?” I asked. “No matter how beautiful a sandcastle is, the ocean swallows it up and ruins it.”

She rolled her eyes at me as she wrapped her arms around my waist. “Because beautiful things, even when they are temporary, still manage to leave a part of their beauty with you… even after they’re long gone.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “What does that mean?”

“Keep the beautiful sandcastle in a memory, Derek, and it will remain with you long after the ocean destroys it.” Her green eyes were twinkling with delight. “So? Make a sandcastle with me?”

“How can I resist?” I grinned.

“Perfect!” She skipped all the way to the spot of her choice. My ray of sunshine, a sweet reminder of what it was like to be carefree and full of mirth… We began building the sandcastle, with me stealing glances at her, admiring her beauty, loving it when she peered at me from beneath those long lashes of hers.

It seemed only but a couple of
minutes before she leaped to her feet and announced, “We’re done!”

I creased my brows in surprise as I looked at the s
andcastle. I gasped at the sight. A vortex had formed within the sandcastle, sucking me in until I found myself right inside it. I looked around for Sofia and was disappointed when I couldn’t find her. My disappointment, however, was short-lived, because I eventually saw her.

But suddenly,
I struggled to remember her name. I knew I’d seen her before. I knew that she was someone I couldn’t afford to ignore, but I couldn’t remember her name. All I knew was that the mere sight of her took my breath away. She was the embodiment of what I would’ve described as a perfect woman.

Long, wavy
hazel brown hair and deep violet eyes… A curvy, slender form… Tall with legs that went on forever… She was stunningly beautiful as she stood in the middle of what seemed like a lake right outside the sandcastle.

She smiled at me and lifted her hand in the air in a gesture to reach for me, coaxing me to go to her. I found myself completely drawn by her, as if she were a siren I couldn’t ignore.

“Come,” she whispered, her voice like music to my ears.

I didn’t even hesitate. I just stepped into the lake and began walking
through it, right toward her. I was so focused on getting to her, I barely even thought about the water.

“You belong with me, Derek,” she whispered into my ear the moment I reached her.

“No.” I shook my head, Sofia’s laughter echoing in my ears. “I belong to someone else.”

“Who?”

I sought my thoughts for a name and found that I couldn’t remember one. “I can’t remember just now, but it’s not you.”

“How are you so sure that it’s not me if you can’t remember?”

I narrowed my eyes at her, absolutely taken by her beauty. “I guess I’m not so sure.”

“Yes. You’re not. We belong together. You and I.”

I nodded, but it didn’t feel right. When her lips pressed against mine, I could hear my own voice echoing on my mind. What are you doing, Derek? You don’t belong with her. You are being an absolute fool.

When my eyes shot open, it took me a while to take in my surroundings. My own voice was still echoing in my head.
You’re being an absolute fool.
I creased my brows even as my lips still tingled from the kiss I shared from the woman in the dream. I turned to my side and the sight that greeted me made me feel even worse.
Your dream is right, Derek. You’re an absolute fool.

Lying next to me was
Sofia, sleeping peacefully; unaware of the inner turmoil I was going through. Despite the guilt I felt over betraying her through a dream, I couldn’t help but smile at how beautiful she looked. I began brushing her auburn hair away from her face, so I could take a better look. That’s when I noticed the fresh bite mark on her neck and remembered what I did to her the night before.

After she expressed so clearly how much she missed what we had together, I show
ed up in her chambers demanding her blood.
My stomach clenched at the way I’d been treating her.
She doesn’t deserve this, Novak. What are you doing to her?

I rolled on my back and stared up at the ceiling, succumbing
to some serious self-loathing.

I remembered the time when I cared so much about Sofia that even entertaining the idea of drinking her blood made me
feel sick, but now, it’d become such a norm between us. There were times when I didn’t even bother to ask her anymore. I just took what in reality, wasn’t even really mine, taking advantage of the knowledge that she wouldn’t mind, that she would willingly give to me what I was asking for.

Lost in my own thoughts, I didn’t even realize that she’d already
woken until her side of the bed slightly shifted as she got up. No words were spoken as she set about rummaging through her closet and picking out an outfit. I watched her and I knew that she was aware that my eyes were on her, but she ignored me. She made her way to the bathroom and in a few minutes, I heard the shower running.

“Great,” I mumbled
, as I sat over the edge of the bed. “As if there aren’t enough wars threatening us, Sofia has to go and declare a cold war on me.”

It felt like forever before she emerged from the bathroom, already dressed. Her eyes widened with surprise when she saw me still sitting on her bed.

“You’re still here?” she asked. “Don’t you have a kingdom to run?”

I didn’t miss the ice in her words. “Sofia… about last night… I’m sorry… I was tired and it’s been a while since I had your blood and I couldn’t get it off my mind…” My excuses sounded lame even to me.

She was quick to let me know that she was tired of hearing the same things over and over again. “Yes. I know. I understand.”  She turned her back on me and stood in front of the vanity mirror, getting ready to fix up her hair and do her make up.

I knew from her reaction that I had a lot of making up to do.

I thought about everything that I had to do that day, and immediately concluded that spending time with Sofia was far more important. I rose to my feet and approached her. I held her waist and kissed the back of her neck, breathing in her intoxicating scent.

“You love me, Sofia,” I reminded her, a smile creeping
onto my face. “I’ve been a fool, but you still love me.”

I could see her pout and roll her eyes as she groaned
. “Ugh, don’t remind me.”

I chuckled as I began to rock her from side to side. “
I shouldn’t have done what I did last night. Let me make it up to you.”

“Do you even have time to make it up to me?”

“You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?”

She twisted around and I was surprised when she stood to her tiptoes and pressed her lips against mine. It’d been a while since we last kissed and I
ached to once again feel her soft, full lips kneading against mine, reveling on the taste of her tongue invading my mouth. Any tingling afterthoughts about the girl in my dream were completely overpowered by Sofia’s kiss.

I lifted Sofia
up against me as I returned the kiss, my hand finding the back of her head, my fingers entangled in her hair as my arm wrapped around her waist to keep her close.

I was so caught up in that
kiss, I couldn’t help but gasp when she suddenly pulled her mouth away from mine. A smile formed on her face. I don’t know what possessed her to do it, but she suddenly pinched my nose.

“We’re sooooo serious,” she exclaimed
, before blowing up her cheeks and crossing her eyes.

I was so taken aback by her antics, I couldn’t even find a valid reaction to it, but it reminded me of why Sofia was such a breath of fresh air. She had a way of making even the heaviest of situations feel a lot lighter. After everything
she’d been through in The Shade and even outside of it, after multiple vampires threatened to kill her, she still managed to pick herself up and find a reason to smile.

It’s like nothing could break her – not completely at least.

Her face softened when she realized how intently I was studying her. “Smile for me, Derek Novak,” she pleaded, as she wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me a quick peck on the lips. “Come on… I know the world is crashing all around you, but this moment is ours. This one moment… I want to see you smile.”

I couldn’t voice the words out, but
I was fascinated by her. “How do you do it, Sofia?”

“Do what?”

“Not hold grudges? It’s like you’re immune from it. How do you forgive so easily?”

I wished I hadn’t asked the question because the atmosphere immediately felt a lot heavier
. A frown then marred her beautiful face. She looked away as she gestured for me to put her back on the ground. I gently let her slip through my arms, holding her until her feet were planted on the floor.

She wet her lips and forced a smile. “I’m not c
ompletely grudge-free you know. I visited Aiden yesterday. I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to forgive him for what he did, but it is. He’s broken my heart so many times, and he’s not
supposed
to. He’s my father. Maybe that’s why it’s so hard.” She heaved a sigh and mulled over that thought for a few moments before seeming to decide that she’d had enough of the melancholy. She stared up at me and smirked. “You, on the other hand… there’s something about you, Derek Novak… that makes it easy for me forgive and forget your numerous offenses against me. What is it about you?”

I raised a brow at her, unable to keep the grin from forming on my lips. “I think it’s the charm. You can’t resist my charm.”

She pouted and shook her head. “No.” She grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled it upward so she could look at my stomach. “I’m pretty sure it’s your abs.” She nodded as she stared at my torso. “Yeah… definitely those abs.”

“I knew it. You just want me for my body.”

She let go of my shirt and nodded. “I was wondering when you would finally figure that out. Good thing you’re too in love with me to care.”

I couldn’t keep the smile
from my face. “I missed this, Sofia.” I couldn’t remember the last time I exchanged light-hearted banter or even just a good laugh with her. Now that we were having it, I felt like such a fool for being so consumed by the troubles surrounding us.

How could I forget that she’s my refuge, that
when I’m around her, everything seems to just fade into the background?

She smiled and nodded at me. “I know. I missed this too, but seriously, Derek…”
She drew closer to me and rested her head on my shoulder. “I find it easy to forgive you, because from the moment I gave you my heart, you never once broke it.”

“And I never will.” The words came out instinctively, and I meant every word of it, but the moment I said it, an image of the dream I just had flashed through my mind
. It wasn’t the first time I dreamed of the beautiful brunette with the stunning violet eyes. Now completely aware, I remembered the woman’s name. Emilia. She was the original vampire’s daughter, and I knew without a doubt that she was trouble. Holding Sofia close, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread over what the dreams meant. She might be the reason I was distancing myself from Sofia.

I couldn’t understand them, but I knew they were lies. Sofia and I belonged together. No dream, vision or premonition could ever change that. I wasn’t going to allow it.

“I have an idea,” I told Sofia. “Let’s spend the day together. I’ll call everything off…”

I could see delight spark in her eyes at the suggestion. “Can we actually do that?”

I shrugged a shoulder. “Why not? I’m the king of The Shade. What could they possibly do to me if I miss a few meetings?”

She was about to open her mouth to respond when someone began pounding on her bedroom door.

“Sofia?!” a male voice from behind the door called out. “It’s Gavin. Open the door!”

He sounded alarmed. I was annoyed that Sofia and I were interrupted. “Is he always this demanding and impatient?”

“Yes.” Sofia nodded. “But I think it’s mostly because he doesn’t know you’re here.”

Gavin had been like a bro
ther to her since she met him in The Shade. There was a time when I even found myself jealous over how close they were. Of course, Sofia was quick to reassure me that Gavin didn’t pose a threat to what we had.

I made my way to the door and pulled it open just as Gavin was about to start banging on it once again. When he saw me, surprise registered in his eyes.

“Oh, it’s you. I didn’t know you were here.” He quickly recovered from his shock and walked right in.