A Castle of Sand (A Shade of Vampire #3)(66)

“Tomorrow?” My grip on Ben’s hand tightened.

“Yes. Tomorrow. Did you not know? You’re to be wed to Borys tomorrow.”

“Why? Why would you do this? Why would you force your own daughter to marry that brute?”

She began brushing strands of my hair away from my face. “You just don’t know him, Sofia. Borys deserves the best and you, Sofia, are the best. Why wouldn’t you be? You’re my blood, my beautiful, perfect little girl. You belong to Borys.”

Chills ran down my spine as she straightened to her full height. “I’ve changed my mind,” she announced. “Leave the boy here. The Shade’s little blonde vampire can have him after the wedding. Right now Borys is requesting the presence of his blooming bride. Have my daughter brought to his chambers.”

It was as if everything stood still. I could make out Ben trying to put up a fight as the guards took me away. I knew what was happening, but I couldn’t understand it. I couldn’t comprehend how such a vile creature like Ingrid Maslen could ever be the mother I remembered that I had.

By the time I reached Borys’ chambers, I was in tears. I was pushed inside, with Ingrid following shortly after me. Borys was pouring alcohol into a bronze chalice. He turned and frowned at the sight of me. “Why is she crying?”

My stomach turned when I realized that he was wearing nothing but a loincloth to cover his bulking frame. His gaze quickly went from my face to my body. I wasn’t even sure if he heard Ingrid’s explanation that I was just nervous to be presented to my bridegroom.

“Leave us,” he ordered, his eyes traveling the length of my body. Ingrid gave him a nod. I grabbed her hand before she could move. “Please…don’t leave me…”

“You’ll be fine, my love. He won’t take you to his bed until after the wedding. He’s a gentleman that way.”

A gentleman. I almost laughed at the thought. How could she call him that after what she had witnessed him do to me?

Ingrid shook my hand away and quickly strode out of the room. “Enjoy getting to know each other, children!” she chirped before closing the door behind her.

Standing in the middle of the room, I couldn’t control the way my body quivered as Borys slowly approached. He began circling me like a vulture, his eyes taking in my form, violating me with mere looks.

I shut my eyes and tried to remember Derek. His eyes. His smile. Of all the times that Derek had overstepped his boundaries, threatened to hurt me, threatened to take me, he never made me feel the way Borys did at that time. Derek had many times over made me feel vulnerable and fragile under his touch, but he never made me feel like he would enjoy breaking me and hurting me.

Even on the first night I met him, with him throwing me up a post and threatening to suck at my neck and drain me of my blood, I could sense goodness and light in Derek. I feared him, but he was never without hope.

The way I felt around Borys was different. He made my blood run cold in a way even Lucas and Gregor were never able to accomplish. Whenever he looked at me, it felt as if he was finding delight in all the cruel things he planned to do with me.

He reached for me and I flinched. He laughed at my reaction, but reached forward anyway. He began to thumb the necklace I was wearing—the one Derek gave me for my birthday. “Beautiful,” Borys complimented. “Who gave it to you?”

“Someone I love dearly.”

He scowled. “I don’t like it. Remove it. I never want to see you wear it in my presence again.”

I stood still, not knowing what to do.

“Remove it!” Borys growled right into my ear and then reached behind my neck and unclasped the necklace and threw it on the ground. He then grabbed a clump of my hair and said, “The next time I tell you to do something, you obey immediately. Do you understand that, Sofia?”

I nodded, knowing that defiance toward him would only lead to more pain. He brushed his lips over mine and I felt as though I was about to throw up. I found everything about him absolutely revolting.

“You’re shaking,” he sneered. “I like that. Vivienne shook the same way when she first came to me.”

The fact that he would brag about what he had put Vivienne through made my blood boil and it was taking all my self-control not to attack him. “What did you do to her? She was a broken spirit by the time Derek took her away from you.”

He let go of me and turned away. “I had fun with her. That’s all. Of course, that husband of yours always was a party pooper. I still hate that he’s soiled you already.” He began rummaging for something inside a desk drawer. “But you’re the immune, Sofia. I can’t help but want you.” He took out a velvet pouch.

My heart almost stopped beating at the sight of it. I knew what it contained. Vivienne’s memories and my recurring nightmares were enough to let me know that the item he was retrieving from the pouch was a necklace—a heart-shaped, ruby-red pendant.

He approached me, the necklace dangling in his hand. “I want you to wear this every time you’re in my presence, Sofia. Do you understand?”

Was this what the nightmares were warning me about? Does this mean that I will really lose Derek forever and be Borys’ toy instead? He put the necklace on me, taking liberties by tracing his fingers down my neck and shoulders as he did so. “It looks beautiful on you, does it not?”