CHAPTER 1: DEREK
A cold wind howled as it whipped through the giant redwoods surrounding us. The port was in sight. The sound of the ocean waves crashing against the island’s ragged cliffs was clearly audible – even to less sensitive human ears.
It wouldn’t be long until I’d have to watch her go. I knew the risks that came with letting them leave The Shade. Still, I had no choice. She chose to go and I had to respect that decision. It hurt that she didn’t trust me enough to protect her; that she chose the human lad, Ben, over me, but I knew she would be safer if I let her go.
Yet holding her in my arms, with my lips still tingling from the kiss I claimed – perhaps even demanded – from her, I was aware of every curve of her slim, fragile body flush against mine. My fingers were entangled with her long, soft auburn locks and her sweet scent invaded my senses. No other woman had ever made me feel the way Sofia Claremont did, and at that very moment, I couldn’t bear the thought of her leaving me.
Her beautiful, freckled face was buried against my shoulder as she broke down into tears for reasons I couldn’t fully understand. Each sob was cutting me to the core. From the corner of my eye, I saw Ben tentatively approach us. He had been watching us from the moment I pulled Sofia into my arms and pressed my lips against hers. I didn’t need to look at him to know that his eyes were screaming murder at the sight of me.
I ignored him. The only reason he mattered to me was because he mattered to her. I didn’t even trust him, but she did and that was supposed to be enough.
I shifted my focus back to Sofia, sensing how her arms tightened around my waist, clinging to me in much the same way I was clinging to her. The motion gave me hope that yes… she might choose to stay.
“Sofia…” My voice came out in a husky, breathless whisper.
My heart sank when she slowly pulled away from me. I was certain that she was about to say goodbye. Thus, I was surprised when she laid both hands on my shoulders, stood on her tiptoes and leaned into me, her lips gently brushing against my own. It propelled all my senses into overdrive and it took all of my will power to not let my passions take over. I didn’t want to scare her, so I shut my eyes and let her take the lead. My fists clenched when our lips parted. I opened my eyes and found her emerald green gaze fixed on me. She was studying my face so closely – almost as if she were trying to memorize me.
I did the same. I committed every part of her adorable face – her long eyelashes, every freckle, and every other detail – into my memory.
Sensing how deeply she had begun to mean to me, I was unable to keep myself from voicing out what was going through my mind. I knew it was selfish of me to ask it of her, but the words flooded out of my lips before I could second guess them.
“Sofia, stay.”
I hoped that the words wouldn’t come across as a command, that she would know them for what they were – a plea. I, Prince of The Shade, was begging her – supposedly my slave – not to leave me, because I knew without a doubt in my mind that her departure would only serve to plunge me deeper into the darkness that took over my life five hundred years ago when my own father turned me into the monster that I was.
CHAPTER 2: SOFIA
Sofia, stay.
The words took me aback as they replayed over and over in my head. It almost sounded like a command and for a moment, it felt like I had no choice but to comply. It wasn’t until I looked into those electric blue eyes of his that I saw the statement for what it was. I bit my lip. Is it possible that I really mean that much to him?
“I promise you, Derek … I’ll never do anything to compromise you, to bring harm to The Shade…” I was babbling, trying to convince myself that he wanted me to stay for reasons that went far beyond my comprehension.
His face tensed – offended – as he shook his head. “It’s not about that, and you know it.”
“Then what is it about?” I needed him to give me a reason to stay. I wanted to hear it from his lips.
He gritted his teeth and ran a hand through his dark hair. Derek Novak never was very good at expressing himself in words – that much I knew about him. Since the moment I first met him, there were only a few occasions I could remember when I was sure he was saying exactly what he was thinking. It seemed he spoke louder through his actions, and in a way, I admired him for this.
He opened his mouth to say something, but before the words could come out, someone grabbed my arm from behind.
“Let’s go, Sofia.”
Ben.
My eyes were still fixed on Derek’s handsome face, the contrast of his blue eyes and pale skin never failing to make me catch my breath. I watched as his eyes darkened into a deep, dusky blue the moment Ben’s fingers coiled around my arm. I noticed the way his arm muscles flexed when his hands balled into fists.
I tried to break away from Ben’s grasp, but he held on fast.
“We don’t have time,” Ben hissed. “Say your goodbyes and let’s go.”
The expression on Derek’s face wasn’t giving me much reason to be confident about my best friend’s safety. After all, it wasn’t too long ago when much – too much, in my opinion – had been said about whom I belonged to.
Derek’s. Lucas’. Ben’s. It’s beyond me what I must do to make them realize that I’m neither object nor possession. I don’t belong to any of them.
I had to intervene before a testosterone-charged battle could spark. I turned to look at Ben straight in the eye.
“Let go of me, Ben. Now.”
Ben’s jaw tightened. Before our captivity at The Shade, I would’ve done anything he asked of me, but The Shade had changed us both.
When his grip on me didn’t slacken one bit, Derek took a step forward. “You heard the lady.” His deep, baritone voice took on a threatening tone.
I stared pleadingly at Ben, hoping that he wouldn’t try Derek’s patience. Do you not realize that you don’t stand a chance against him?
Over the past few days since Derek forced Claudia – Ben’s mistress at The Shade – to turn Ben over to his custody, I saw how Derek took great lengths to at least be polite to my best friend. Ben, on the other hand, being quite the stubborn fool, had done nothing but shoot cold and accusing glares at Derek. I’d been on edge trying to keep them apart, fearing a confrontation between the two egotistic young men.
I spoke more gently this time. “Let go, Ben.”
He let go, but the pointed glare he sent my way showed he was not giving in. “Don’t even think about staying.” The words came through clenched teeth and with a slight shake of his head.
“Sofia…” Derek spoke up as if to remind me that his opinion mattered too.
“I need time to think.” The words came out of my lips in what sounded like a growl.
“Now?” Ben protested.
“There’s no time for that.” Derek seconded.
Finally! You two agree on something. I stood my ground and raised a brow. “Well, then make time.”
They exchanged glances for a moment. It was almost endearing how helpless both of them looked. A small smile threatened to creep over my face. Who owns whom now?
I found it ironic that it was Derek who first relented. I was still mystified by what he saw in me that continuously made him give in to me. After all, of the three of us, he was still the one holding any real power. He could simply decide that neither Ben nor I could leave and that would be that.
Still, he gave in. His blue eyes softened the moment they landed on me. He nodded and said, “Fine, but not here.”
He then scowled at Ben before possessively laying his hand on the small of my back, gently pushing me forward.
“Unbelievable…” Ben grumbled, throwing his hands into the air as he followed after us.
We made our way through the rest of the woods, weaving our way past large rocks and wild bushes. My brain took note of every single detail of the hidden paths that led us from Derek’s penthouse to the port. The trees seemed to get smaller and smaller as we neared a clearing. The quiet rustle of our shoes over the twigs beneath us, the ocean waves nearby and our soft, even breathing were the only sounds filling the air. The natural scent of the trees surrounding us and the sea nearby mixed with Derek’s intoxicating musk. It made me sense his proximity, along with the gentle heaving of his chest and the feel of his arm gripping my waist.
My heart ached at the idea of never again being as close as I was to him at that moment.
“We’re close,” he eventually spoke up.
I snapped to attention. The port had been in sight even before we stopped to talk back in the woods. However, now that we had climbed down into a clearing, I found myself confused. There was nothing in sight but high, rocky cliffs.
“What the hell is going on?” Ben said.
“I don’t understand.” I eyed Derek questioningly as I looked around. “Where’s the port?”
I tried to slow down, but Derek kept moving forward, tugging on me to keep me walking.
“Hey, your highness…” The acerbic sarcasm in Ben’s voice was unmistakable. “Where are you taking us?” He used both hands to push Derek and me apart.
I stumbled aside at the force of Ben’s motion, but Derek didn’t even budge. When the prince of vampires turned to face my best friend, I was half-expecting Ben to keel over and die just from sheer fright. Derek looked nothing short of menacing.
I was impressed however that Ben stood his ground. I guess he didn’t care that Derek was perfectly capable of breaking every bone in his body. My best friend was never one to back down from a fight, and it seemed he wasn’t about to start now.
I couldn’t remember ever being around so much testosterone, but I could feel the blood drain from my face the moment Ben stepped forward – a blatant challenge toward Derek – and said, “We’re headed for nowhere, vampire.”
I was torn between forever admiring him for his braveness and slapping some sense back into him for his stupidity. What the hell are you doing, Ben? Are you intentionally trying to get yourself killed?