A Shade Of Vampire 4: A Shadow Of Light(39)

He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me back. “You’re my little girl, Sofia. My precious daughter. I may have a crappy way of showing it, but I love you.”

He then kissed my forehead and it was all I could do to keep myself from breaking down into sobs. I relished that embrace for a couple more minutes before finally pulling away from him.

We knew that we’d made a connection the likes only a father and daughter can have with each other. However, we were still keenly aware of our differences—something neither of us could escape discussing.

With him already having heard my rants, I figured it was time I actually listened to what he was trying to tell me. “So what were you saying before I interrupted?”

“I was trying to tell you that you may be right. There just might be a cure to vampirism.”

My breath hitched. I couldn’t believe my ears. Why wasn’t I listening the first time? Suddenly, I found myself holding my breath, hanging on to his every word.

“If you’re immune, then maybe there’s something in your DNA that makes you immune to the curse. If it’s alright with you, I’m going to have some of our scientists get a sample of your blood and we’ll see where that takes us.”

I stared at him for a couple of seconds, attempting to fully comprehend what he had just said, hope unlike any I’d known before rising up within me. This is it. This is the way Derek and me could actually be together.

“Sofia? What do you say?”

I nodded empathically. “Yes. Yes. I’ll give you whatever you need.” Before I could hold myself back, I threw my arms around his neck a second time. For the first time in eighteen years, it actually felt like I really had a father who cared and sought after my best interests. At that moment, I never could’ve been more thankful that Aiden Claremont was my dad.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

“I love you, Sofia. Don’t you ever forget that.”

“I love you too…Dad.”





Chapter 27: Derek


“We’re in the middle of a siege at the port and you pick tomorrow to call out a general assembly at the town square?” Xavier was obviously trying to reel in the flames of fury building up inside him.

Xavier was never one to treat me like the monarch The Shade portrayed me to be, but in this case, he really wasn’t throwing any deference my way. In fact, as he paced the floor of the room at the Crimson Fortress where we had decided to have our meeting in, he was talking to me like a father scolding his teenage son.

I calmly took my seat at the head of the table where Cameron and Liana, Eli and Yuri were already seated. Xavier, of course, was still on his feet, cooking up a storm. Words were coming out of his mouth, but it was barely registering in my mind. It was mostly about me losing my mind with the whole going on a drive thing and that he’d always known from the beginning that I was crazy.

“And yet, here you are, still fighting by my side.”

That halted him from his steamy tirade and the man paused to give me a pensive look. “Yes…well, you may be crazy, but the times you are brilliant make up for it.”

“Finally.” I threw my hands in the air. “A compliment. Now, could you kindly take a seat so we can get to business?”

Xander begrudgingly sat down before drumming his fingers over the table.

“We have three orders of business,” I began. “One, the general assembly. Two, the siege at the port. Three, the fact that it may take time before we are able to retake the port. This means that I may not be able to attend the meeting Natalie informed us about. The fact that it looks like we’re holding Natalie hostage spells a lot of trouble for us.”

“Can’t Natalie send a message to the covens that there’s a siege going on?” Liana suggested. “I’m sure she knows of a way to contact the other covens from within the island.”

I shook my head. “I’m sure she does, but the other covens are threatening to attack us. Is it really the best recourse to let them know that we’re on the brink of civil war? It’s exposing too much of our weaknesses.”

“We have to retake the port as soon as possible then…” Cameron concluded with the obvious.

“Right.” I nodded curtly. “How?”

“Let’s just go in guns blazing—so to speak—and just kill everyone. The island would be better off without the likes of them if you ask me…” Xavier said. Always the hothead.

Sounds great. Let’s do that. “We can’t afford to do that. We have to be able to do this with as little bloodshed as possible.” In this, I was firm, though I had no doubt in my mind that it was against my natural instincts. Perhaps that’s why Xavier and I got along so well. We’re both so trigger-happy.

“Why?” Yuri spat. “They’ve betrayed you. They’re out to ruin The Shade.”

I’m sure it’s what Sofia would have done. I straightened up on my seat. “These men fought and bled with us through First Blood. They may be misguided by whatever lies my father weaved to discredit me, but if we are to reach true sanctuary then we have to find a way to work together. Our military force is paralyzed without them. If the other covens attack without them on our side, it will be the end of us.”

Silence ensued. None of us knew what to do.