A Castle of Sand (A Shade of Vampire #3)(39)

“Save me your pity and your righteous indignation, Yuri.”

“Derek was in a dark place then. I’m sure he didn’t mean to offer you payment for…”

“For what, Yuri?” I cut him off. “My services?! I can’t believe you’re defending him!”

“Come on, Claudia…you’ve done a lot of screwed up things over the years—a lot of which all of us turned a blind eye to and forgave you for. When are you going to stop playing the part of a victim?”

“Of course you’d side with him.”

“Well, did he force you to bed, Claudia, or did you willingly give yourself to him like you usually do to all men?”

Before I could stop myself from doing it, I slapped him across the face. Never before had I endured a conversation with Yuri as emotionally charged as this one—not since the night he rescued me from the Duke.

Yuri never did shy away from the truth when it came to me. He never treated me like some fragile flower soiled by the hands of the people who sold me into prostitution as a child. He told me things as they were, told me that I could rise up from my past and be better. The reason we could never be together was because I believed that I was irreparable and he didn’t share the same convictions. Being with him meant constantly disappointing him just by being who I was. A whore with a broken, twisted mind.

“When will you learn not to mess with Derek, Claudia?” he asked.

I shook my head. “The prince is going to get his comeuppance someday, Yuri. Just wait and see.”

“Claudia…” Yuri called after me.

“You’re not my conscience, Yuri. Just leave me alone.” The moment I said the words, I realized just how miserable my life would be if he actually ever did leave me alone. I then scoffed at the notion. When have you ever been not miserable, Claudia? I heaved a sigh and nodded resolutely. Revenge was my source of euphoria. I’m going to make Derek Novak just as miserable as I am. Misery, after all, loves company.

Several minutes later, a confidential message was sent to Natalie Borgia to relay to Lucas, perhaps the only vampire I knew who embraced the wicked side of me. My message was simple.

Ben Hudson is no longer on the island. Find him and use him as an ace against Sofia.

CHAPTER 25: SOFIA

Insane was the only way to describe what they were planning to do.

I had no clue where Gavin was taking me when he told me about “what’s really happening here at the Catacombs,” but I certainly wasn’t expecting us to walk into a room—or in The Catacomb’s case, a cave—occupied by over a dozen young men and women—most of which couldn’t have been any older than I was. All eyes focused on us as we walked in and I began tugging on Gavin’s sleeve.

“What’s going on, Gavin?” I mumbled.

“Yeah, Gav…” One of the young men nodded. “What’s going on? What’s the prince’s pet doing here?” At the sight of him, the first thing I noticed was the scar that lined his face from the middle of his forehead to his left cheekbone. It was clear to see that he held some sort of authority in the group.

“Relax, Ian. We can trust her. She won’t rat us out.”

“And I’m supposed to take your word for it?” Ian challenged.

Gavin shrugged and nodded. “Yes.”

Ian shifted his focus on me. “Why should we trust you? For all we know, the prince allowed you to live here in The Catacombs to spy on us.”

I chuckled dryly. “Yes. That’s me. A spy.” I rolled my eyes as I made myself comfortable on one of the vacant wooden chairs in the room. “Spying on the humans here in The Catacombs is the last thing on Derek’s mind.”

“Derek? So you’re on a first name basis with him?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “How is that a problem?”

“It’s not…it’s just that the last time I’ve heard a human refer to a vampire from the Elite on a first name basis was Anna.”

My stomach turned at the information I was given, but I turned my thoughts to other things. “What exactly is going on here?”

Gavin leaned back in his seat and looked at our companions. “These fools are planning a revolt.”

Murmurs and protests filled the room as the group made it known how indignant they were that Gavin would just blurt their secret out like that.

I was staring at them like they’d gone bat crazy. “A revolt?” I asked, after the murmurs subsided. “Against the vampires? That’s insanity.”

“That’s exactly what I told them.” Gavin shrugged.

“Look around you, Red.” Ian gestured to our surroundings. “Can you blame us for wanting something better? But of course, you wouldn’t understand, would you? You’re living in that suite of yours lavished upon you by your lover boy, the prince. You’ve no idea what it’s like to grow up here at The Shade, to live every single day in fear. We’ve had enough.”

It took a moment to register that it was me he was referring to with the name Red. Memories of Ben came flooding back, but I shoved them away in place of more urgent matters. “When was the last time an uprising was ever held at The Shade? Do you remember?” I asked, remembering the information I read from Derek’s journal at the Lighthouse.

The silence was enough of an answer.