“And when the blood runs out?” Xavier asked.

My gut clenched at what I knew was necessary to be done. “Then we conduct another culling.”

“I want fresh blood,” Felix demanded, seconded by ayes and yeahs echoing throughout the dome.

“Your wants don’t concern me, Felix. It’s what this island needs that is of greater priority.”

“We fear the human slave you favor – Sofia, is it? – has made you weak, prince,” he pressed on, rising from his seat and walking toward the stand.

I feared the same thing. The guilt, the pressure and the shame that I felt whenever Sofia asked me to use my rule in order to cause a change to the kingdom weighed heavily upon me. She did not understand the pressures of ruling a kingdom, of serving one’s subjects and making tough decisions on their behalf. And yet she moved me like no other. Even though she’d been spending the past few days ignoring my existence and had barely spoken a word to me for reasons I couldn’t fathom, I found myself satisfied just knowing that she was there.

I stared at Felix for a moment before speeding toward him, my claws sinking into the skin on his chest. Fear sparked in his eyes when he realized that he’d gone too far and that I could still break his neck in two with my bare hands should I choose to do so.

“Broach the subject again, Felix, and I will demonstrate just how weak I am by ripping your heart out with my bare hands. Her name is never to escape your lips again. Do you understand?”

He nodded. “Yes. Of course. My apologies.”

With no further attempt to address the rest of the council, I walked out of the dome only to have Cameron and Liana trailing behind me afterward.

“You’re treading dangerous waters, prince,” Cameron warned as he stepped to one side of me while Liana stepped to the other.

“There hasn’t been this much unrest with the vampires in centuries,” Liana added. “Word is out that some of the Elite have already sent scouts to retrieve your father and get him back here in order to take you under control.”

“Get to the point.”

“You can’t keep making enemies out of the Elite, Derek.” Cameron’s voice was tinged with concern. “Even those who have been loyal to you from the very beginning – the Vaughns and Lazaroffs – are finding it difficult to defend the direction you’re taking this kingdom toward.”

“What would you have me do, Cameron? We both know that the tides are about to turn. War is brewing. You agreed with me on this, did you not?”

“Yes, I did, but the importance you place upon this girl of yours… enough that you would make enemies out of Claudia and even your own brother on her behalf…” Cameron paused, careful not to offend, but finding the necessity to do so in order to speak his mind. “Is she worth it, prince?”

I gave one of my dearest comrades a lingering look before heaving a sigh. I had to be honest - if not with them, at least with myself. Was Sofia really worth losing what took centuries for our kind to build?

CHAPTER 48: SOFIA

Vivienne stared at her appearance in the mirror. She sighed as she set her long dark hair in its proper place. The violet haltered dress she was wearing highlighted not only her pale skin but also her eyes – more violet than blue against the candlelight. She looked stunning, but there wasn’t a hint of pleasure in her face. Instead, she appeared anxious and afraid.

A knock on her door made her turn around. Xavier appeared in the doorway, his dark hair closely cropped and his eyes betraying how much he adored her.

“They’ve arrived,” he announced. “Your father asked me to come and escort you to the dome.” The way he spoke the words revealed that neither of them was fond of the guests he spoke of.

“Has my father forgotten what I went through under that monster’s hands?” Vivienne asked as she ran both hands over her slender form to smoothen out the slight creases on her dress.

Xavier’s gaze darkened, pain looming over his handsome face. “Vivienne…”

She nodded bitterly, defending her father to herself on his behalf. “It has to be done. I guess peaceful relations must be made between the Maslens and Novaks. I just can’t help but think that if Derek were awake, he’d never allow Borys Maslen anywhere near this island.”

“To be fair to your father, all precautions were taken so that Borys and his company won’t remember how to get back here should a peaceful agreement not be made between the clans.” Xavier sighed. “Still, we both know that your father and older brother combined make for a pale reflection of the kind of leader your twin is.”

“Be careful that they don’t hear you say that. Father and Lucas already have enough resentment toward Derek as it is.”

They stared for a couple of seconds, neither saying a word, seemingly lost in their own thoughts until Xavier broke the silence. “Vivienne, we must go…”

Vivienne stepped forward hurriedly. “Of course…”

Just as she reached the door, expecting Xavier to follow, he halted.

“What is it?” Vivienne’s blue-violet gaze was marred with more fear.

“Borys told me that Ingrid Maslen sent this for you to wear.” He was hesitant and slightly trembling as he retrieved a red velvet pouch from his pocket. He handed it to Vivienne.

Vivienne raised a brow. “Ingrid Maslen? His new woman? She’s here with him?”

Xavier shook his head. “No, he would never risk losing someone as valuable as her.” He looked at the pouch. “He said that Ingrid insisted that you have this. He says that it rightfully belongs to you.”

Vivienne swallowed before taking the pouch from Xavier. She undid the knots that kept the pouch sealed, her fingers shaking as she did. She then retrieved a stunning necklace with a large ruby red heart-shaped pendant from the small bag. Fury loomed in her eyes as tears began streaming down her face. Clutching the necklace, she screamed with such anguish that Xavier stepped back.

“Vivienne, what…”

Xavier wasn’t given an explanation, because Vivienne was already launching the necklace into the air. The piece of jewelry hit her vanity mirror. Glass shattered on the floor. Vivienne was a picture of unadulterated fury as she marched past Xavier, screaming, “How dare he! How dare he!”

Of the many memories Vivienne shared to me, that encounter with Xavier - a vampire I only recently met during preparations for Vivienne’s memorial - was one that often revisited me. I would’ve ignored it, but I couldn’t, because the mere mention of the names Borys and Ingrid Maslen would immediately send chills down my spine. Questions about the memory assailed my mind. Who were the Maslens? What was it about that necklace that got Vivienne so angry? Does Derek know about them? Should I ask Xavier about this day? The memory bothered me, but I felt as if the one person who should be answering them for me was nowhere in sight. Vivienne… Why on earth did you dump all these memories into my head? I can’t make head or tail out of them.

“Earth to Sofia Claremont.” Paige began waving her hand in front of my face. “Are you still with us, Sofia?”

I blinked several times, recalling that I was with my friends after a visit to the Vale for some new clothes. They were a little more forgiving and friendly toward me after Ashley’s release.

“Huh? What?”

“You keep spacing out on us,” Ashley chuckled. “Are you alright?”

“I just…” I nodded, not knowing how to explain to them what Vivienne did to me and what was going through my head. “I’m fine.”

“Are you still not talking to Derek?” Rosa asked.

I nodded. Ever since that encounter with Claudia, I moved back into one of the guest rooms and no longer slept in Derek’s bedroom.

“Why, Sofia? He sided with you again against Claudia…” Paige was staring at me like I’d gone mad. “You should be rewarding him, not punishing him.”

I slowed down my steps as we walked past the woods that led to the Residences before voicing out the questions I feared hearing the answer to most.

“Is it true that Derek has been sleeping with other women?”

We all stopped walking and they exchanged concerned glances. Their reactions were enough to answer my question. I was surprised by the pain that gripped my heart. Suddenly, breathing became quite a task.

“Sofia…” Rosa, the most sensitive and gentle among us, brushed her hand over my arm.

“I don’t even know why I’m so disturbed. It’s not like we’re together and besides, I left him…”

“Sofia, he’s a vampire who’s been on earth for centuries. It’s amazing that he’s developed such loyalty and affection for you, but you have to realize that whatever’s going on between the two of you, it can’t possibly last.” Paige, ever the voice of reason, explained in an excruciatingly patronizing manner, before repeating, “He’s a vampire. You’re human. The shelf life of such relationships – if you could even call what you have with him that – doesn’t really last long…”

I knew she was right. I didn’t even know what I was expecting to happen upon returning to The Shade, but being given that dose of reality from a dear friend was enough to completely shake everything I stood for. I didn’t know what the proper reaction to Paige’s dose of reality was, but to me, it made what I had with Derek more precious – as if the time I had with him was borrowed and I had to make the most out of it while it was still mine.

I started walking again, not knowing how to respond to Paige. They followed my pace, the atmosphere suddenly becoming tense.

Ashley, to my relief, finally broke the silence. “For all it’s worth, Sofia, he’s different when you’re here. He doesn’t seem to be as… dark compared to when you were away.” She rubbed a palm over the back of her neck, before continuing to explain. “Look… I’m not one to pretend to understand how the mind of Derek Novak works, but maybe… just maybe… he had Vivienne send him those girls so he could get his mind off of you.”