Our eyes met and the tension – as if it ever really left – came right back as we were once again faced by the fact that Derek was immortal and I was not. I was getting tired of the issue, but the urge to find the cure was even more adamant than it was before. I had no idea how to figure out what the cure was.

Troubled, I shook the thoughts away and finished my breakfast. I then turned toward Derek and said, “I think we better go. Long day ahead.”

Derek groaned and blew out a sigh. I was expecting him to just shrug, bid me goodbye, and run off. Instead, he reminded me why I was so in love with him when he took my hands and coaxed me to stand up. He held my waist and pulled me close before kissing me on the forehead.

“We’re going to find a way to be together, Sofia. I know it.” He said it with so much conviction, I found myself wondering if he didn’t have any doubts about that statement at all. Still, he gave me the hope I needed to get by.

“We’re together now,” I whispered. “That’s what matters.”

Derek was still on my mind when I saw Claudia waiting for me at the entrance of The Catacombs. The blonde smiled when she saw me coming. My heart began to race. There was a time when a smile coming from her was a reason to get worried, because it usually meant she was up to no good, but I had to remind myself that this was a new Claudia I was facing now.

She raised a brow at me, but there was a twinkle in her eyes. “I was told that I was to be your bodyguard.” Her face deadpanned. “Why me of all people? Even Yuri was surprised.”

“Well, you’re the only vampire here who’s actually spent some time with Ingrid. I was thinking you knew what made her tick, so I requested that you come with me. You’re not going to do anything crazy, are you?”

She grinned and shrugged. “Well…” she drawled. “We never really know when the dark Claudia might decide to resurrect, but for now, you’re good.”

“The dark Claudia?” I chuckled.

She smiled and nodded as we began to head for the corridors that would lead to Ingrid’s cell. “Yes… the one who was stupid enough to think that she valued power more than she valued love.”

At that, I had to return her smile. I couldn’t help but notice how she had that certain glow about her whenever she smiled – it was one that could only be found in a person in love. Since I first met her, I never thought I’d ever see Claudia gush, and yet that was exactly what she was doing right then.

I was about to tease her about Yuri, but then her eyes lit up and I quickly realized why. Yuri had just caught up with us.

Everyone in The Shade knew that Yuri was in love with Claudia – even Claudia herself – but for some reason, they never actually got together. They kept fighting and bickering and making each other miserable, but whenever the other was in trouble, they were always there for each other. They were always the first to get worried about the other. It wasn’t until Claudia betrayed Derek by helping to abduct me and take me to Borys Maslen’s territory that she realized how in love she actually was with Yuri. When she got back to The Shade, it didn’t take long before the two of them got together.

“What are you doing here?” Claudia slapped Yuri’s shoulder.

“I wanted to trust you… really, Claudia, I did, but I also wanted to make sure you don’t end up killing Sofia. We all know how crazy you are.”

Claudia rolled her eyes. “That’s actually his way of saying that he wants to spend more time with me.”

“Stop flattering yourself, Claudia,” Yuri scowled. “Why on earth would I want to spend time with you?”

“Because no one else can do this to you…” Claudia reached up and kissed him forcefully.

The public display of affection turned Yuri’s pale vampire skin into a bright pink. Even I blushed as I averted my gaze.

Claudia pulled away and gave Yuri a self-satisfied smile. “No one can do that to you and make your head start reeling.”

It was obvious as Yuri bit his lip that he liked what had just happened, but he quickly recovered and shot me an embarrassed look. “Aren’t you ashamed of what Sofia would think?”

“Ashamed of what she would think?” Claudia’s eyes widened. “Weren’t you there all those times she and Derek publicly professed their love for each other? They’re the king and queen of public displays of affection.”

Yuri chuckled as he shot me a look. I was fighting the urge to blush.

“You got to admit, Sofia,” he teased. “She has a point.”

To my sheer relief, I found I didn’t need to come up with a response or an explanation, because Ingrid’s cell was already in sight. I drew a breath, not quite knowing what to expect. Encounters I shared with my mother weren’t always pleasant and I couldn’t find a reason that this particular one would be any different.

As if the day didn’t have enough surprises, Claudia gently held me by the elbow. “She’s just broken, Sofia. Like I was… She’ll come around.”

Her words tugged at my heart – both moving me and giving me hope. At the same time, an unwelcome emotion also took over me. I found myself detesting the idea that Claudia probably knew my mother more than I did.

Still, I expressed my gratefulness to Claudia before heading to the cell.

When I entered the cell, Ingrid’s eyes actually lit up when she looked at us. I was quickly disappointed to realize that it wasn’t me who caused her delight. It was Claudia.

I found myself standing by the cell door as I watched Ingrid and Claudia embrace and begin chatting with each other. They were a picture of the mother-daughter connection that I never got the chance to have. I knew that they were able to spend time together, but I couldn’t understand how they could’ve gotten so close so quickly.

“Claudia’s been visiting Ingrid,” Yuri, who was standing right behind me, explained in a low voice loud enough just for me to hear. “She says that they’re two of a kind. They have this strange connection between them.”

“I can see that,” I responded, hoping that my voice won’t break. I just can’t help but be jealous. I’ve never seen Ingrid look at me the way she looks at Claudia.

“It’s funny…” Yuri chuckled. “Claudia says that Ingrid is like the mother she never had. It’s ironic considering that Claudia is centuries older than Ingrid.”

The mother she never had. The mother I never had. I swallowed hard and tried not to think about it by diverting my attention to Yuri and Claudia’s relationship instead. “You really do love Claudia, don’t you?”

“From the first moment I ever laid eyes on her… It was a darn long wait, but it was worth every second. Thanks for bringing her back to me.”

I was about to respond, but both Ingrid’s and Claudia’s eyes settled on me. I was unsure what to do.

“I’m sorry.” Claudia smiled sheepishly. “This is your time with Camilla, not mine.”

My brow rose. She’s calling her Camilla?

It seemed Ingrid was reading my mind. “I asked her to call me Camilla. I would prefer to be called that from now on.”

I just stood there, staring at her, not quite sure how to handle her change of character. I didn’t want to accuse her of playing mind games with me, but I didn’t want to be fooled by her again either.

“I know I haven’t given you reason to trust or like me, Sofia, but I want to make amends. I’m thinking it would be harder for me to get into your good graces once again, so I was requesting to be brought to Aiden instead. At least with him I have a history I can bank on.”

“You broke his heart.” I said bluntly.

She nodded. “I know. He didn’t deserve that…” She paused. “I want another chance, Sofia. I have no one left in this world but you and Aiden. Maybe I could still get Camilla back if I tried hard enough.”

It felt like she was messing with my mind. My emotions were in turmoil. I didn’t know how to handle what she was throwing my way. I wanted so much for it to be true. It would’ve been a dream-come-true for me if both my parents came to my wedding, but this was Ingrid Maslen – the same woman who allowed the monster that was Borys Maslen to try and turn me into a vampire when I was nine years old. She was the same woman who stood by and watched as he sank his claws into my thighs and fed on me. She was the same woman obsessed with making me his bride.

“I’ll ask Aiden. If he wants to see you, then so be it.” I nodded, confident that this was the way to go. “If he doesn’t, then I guess you’ll just have to find another way to convince us that you want to change.”

Ingrid gave me a heartbroken smile. “I understand.”

Claudia took a step forward and began to speak on behalf of my mother, but I lifted a hand to stop her. “I know you understand my mother more than I ever will, Claudia, but she’s not the only one who’s broken.”

Claudia closed her mouth and eased herself into Yuri’s arms. There was an electric sense of sadness as we left Ingrid’s cell and began making our way out of The Catacombs.

“I do believe that she’s sorry, Sofia,” Claudia spoke up.

“I know,” I responded. As much as I wanted to believe Claudia, memories of the hatred in Ingrid’s eyes while we were back in hunter territory made it difficult for me to just believe that Ingrid had changed. “If she truly is sorry, Aiden will be able to tell. He knows her more than any of us do.”

“I think he still loves her.” Yuri nodded with assurance.

My eyes shot toward the vampire. “How would you know that, Yuri?”

“I’ve been having some talks with Aiden. Whenever Claudia visited Ingrid, I went to see Aiden.”

My face contorted with bewilderment. “Why?” The idea of my father hanging out with a vampire seemed absurd.

“Well, aside from your father being a very smart man capable of a good conversation, he used to love Ingrid. I figured he’d be the best person to ask for advice on how I’m supposed to keep loving this crazy girl right here.” He began messing with Claudia’s hair and got a loud slap on the shoulder from the petite vampire.