A Blaze of Sun (A Shade of Vampire #5)(13)

Questions and doubts began to surface in my mind with Derek’s mention of the battle. I wanted to talk about it, but I didn’t want to dampen the light mood we were both in.

It seemed Derek didn’t want to discuss the battle either, because he heaved a sigh and said, “Since I’m refusing to make out with you any more, what are we going to do now?”

I raised a brow at him and chuckled. “You’re refusing to make out with me? Really now?”

“Stop insisting, Sofia.” His face was deadpanned. “It’s not very becoming of a lady like you.”

I rolled my eyes, trying to hide how amused I was by his sarcasm. Before he could stop me, however, I jumped to my feet and spun around to face him, taking both his hands in mine. “We should dance.”

“Dance?” He raised a brow.

“Yes. Not like the sweet, slow dances we usually have. I want to dance.” I began to shake my hips and raise my hands in the air.

He began to laugh. “Who dances like that?”

I widened my eyes and threw my hands in the air in a waving gesture. “Uh, everyone?”

He was looking at me like I was crazy. It took a moment for it to register in my head that Derek lived his teenage years centuries ago. Of course he has no idea how teenagers today dance.

“Okay… We can’t do those silly medieval dances you did in your time… You need to learn how to dance like an eighteen-year-old in a bar.”

I coaxed him to stand up and he hesitantly obliged, laughing at my excitement.

“We don’t have music, Sofia,” he reminded me.

“Didn’t you tell me once that you always have background music playing in your head?” I began humming an upbeat song. I was surprised when he actually began mimicking the beat of a drum with his mouth as he caught on to the tune of the song.

A vampire that can beatbox. Who would’ve thought? I grinned. “That’s great. Now, we can dance.”

For the next half hour, we were dancing to our own music, laughing at how silly both of us sounded and looked. I loved the sound of his laughter. I loved all those moments when we could just spend time together and have fun. I recalled all those times that made me fall in love with Derek Novak and realized how much of my heart he held.

At some point, he just grabbed me by the hips and pulled me against him and kissed me full on the mouth. I was putty in his hands as I responded to the kiss.

When our lips parted, I was surprised by what he said. “Marry me, Sofia.”

I laughed as I raised my ring finger, showing I was already engaged. “Uhh… I already said yes to that before. Don’t you remember?”

He held my raised hand and began thumbing the ring on my finger. “Yes.” He nodded, smiling at the memory of the night I finally agreed to marry him. “Then let’s do it, Sofia. Let’s get married.”

I frowned, searching his face, wondering if he was actually being serious.

He grinned and shook his head, as if having read my mind. “I’m not joking, Sofia. Let’s get married. Let’s tie the knot. Tomorrow if you want!”

I wanted to marry him more than anything, but something about the rush didn’t feel right. I couldn’t help but voice out my apprehensions, despite my desire to keep the night light and free of any serious talk. “I’d love to do that, Derek, but why the rush? Why all of a sudden do you want to do this? We’re in the middle of a war. Is it really the best time to toss this into all the chaos?”

His smile widened as he cupped both my cheeks with his large hands. “That’s the thing, Sofia. As you said, we’re in the middle of a war. All of this could end any time soon. I want to live life to the fullest and if this moment is my last with you, then why not, Sofia? Why can’t we get married now? We want to be together. Why can’t we just give this to ourselves?”

The look in his eyes and his exuberance was my complete undoing. All I can think of was, “Yeah… why not?” and I found myself voicing the words out.

I tried to drift off to sleep, snuggled against him inside the Lighthouse, however, I couldn’t help but feel as if something was amiss, as if he was keeping something from me. I hated that I felt that way, but I couldn’t deny it either. It wasn’t like Derek to just jump into the idea of a wedding while in the middle of a war. I wasn’t sure if I was buying into his reason about living in the moment, simply because to do something so drastic wasn’t exactly the Derek that I knew.

I tried to fend off the thoughts bugging me that night, but it was impossible. I was disturbed by the idea of rushing into marriage. Is it because you’re afraid he might never become mortal? Is it because you fear there might not be a cure after all?

I shook my head. That wasn’t it. I was certain that there was a cure and that we could find it. It was just a matter of time. I stayed up way into the night, asking myself why I wasn’t excited about marrying the love of my life.

It may be because it doesn’t feel like the right time or perhaps we don’t have the right motives. Either way, getting married now just doesn’t feel right.

Chapter 7: Aiden

I stared at my daughter like she had somehow morphed into a strange other-worldly creature. I couldn’t believe the words coming out of her lips. I wasn’t even sure I heard right, because my brain was finding it difficult to register that my only daughter was talking to me about wanting to marry a vampire.