A Castle of Sand (A Shade of Vampire #3)(67)

“Why do you want me? What do you mean, I’m ‘the immune?’”

He chuckled. “Don’t you remember?” He forcefully twisted me around and threw me on the bed. I would’ve screamed but the surprise knocked the breath out of me.

“What are you doing?” I gasped.

He approached the bed and quickly climbed on top of me. “Your blood, Sofia…it’s like a siren call. I wonder how any vampire could ever resist it. Especially after having tasted you already...” His fangs came out and he forcefully yanked my head to the side.

The sight of his fangs etched itself in my mind. And it triggered a memory—an image of him, wearing a different outfit, standing over me, fangs bared. I found myself confused—not sure whether the memory was mine or Vivienne’s, but at that point, it didn’t matter. Borys Maslen was about to feed on me.

I screamed when his fangs sank into my neck. His hand clamped over my mouth to silence me as he fed on me. Tears were streaming down my face as my mind begged for him to stop, his weight crushing my much smaller frame beneath him and making it difficult for me to even breathe. When I heard the door swing open and a voice I recognized as Ingrid’s called out his name, relief washed over me.

“Really, Borys?” Ingrid groaned. “I thought you said you’d only feed on her after your marriage?”

Borys continued to suck on me for a couple more seconds before pulling his fangs away from my neck, sneering down at me as my blood dripped from his lips. “I couldn’t help it. She’s too sweet and enticing.” He turned toward Ingrid. “What do you want now?” he asked through gritted teeth.

Ingrid seemed annoyed and even slightly concerned for me, but she soon seemed to brush away the fact that her king was draining the blood from her own daughter. “Our special guest has just arrived.”

A fearsome grin formed on Borys’ face as he shifted his gaze back to me. “Did you hear that, my lovely Sofia? Derek Novak has come for you.” The hand he had clamped over my mouth tightened as his other hand gently brushed over my hair. “Maybe he really does love you, huh? Do you want to go see him?”

I nodded furiously, wanting nothing other than to once again be in Derek’s arms, and find comfort in his strength.

Borys leaned over and whispered into my ear, “I will enjoy watching the reaction on your face when you see him die.”

CHAPTER 48: BEN

Soon after Ingrid had left with Sofia, the guards dragged me out of the room. I wasn’t entirely sure if they were going against Ingrid’s orders to keep me there for Sofia’s sake or if she just allowed me to stay in order to appease Sofia into being compliant about the idea of being brought to Borys. Either way, it didn’t matter. My best friend—still very much the love of my life—was in the arms of a monster and there was nothing I could do about it. Without my hunting weapons, I was useless against the vampires. I was just another weak human being they could prey on.

“Where are you taking me?” I demanded.

One of the guards smirked. “To the little blonde vampire.”

Terror filled me. “But Ingrid just said…”

The guard hit me on the face, making my surroundings dim and blur. “You are not to call her by name. She is your superior in every way.”

I gritted my teeth as I fought to stay conscious. One guard had already grabbed me by the arm. That’s when an adrenaline rush took over. I wasn’t going to be handed to Claudia on a silver platter. No. Not again. Not without a fight. Summoning all my strength, I managed to tackle him to the ground. He fell with a loud thud. The only way I knew how to kill one without a stake or a UV gun was to rip their hearts out, but I doubted I had enough strength to do it.

Thus, with one vampire down and the other still in shock that a human would dare fight back, I made a run for it. Of course, I was no match for the vampires’ speed and agility, so I didn’t get far before they hit me on the back of my head and forced me unconscious.

When I opened my eyes, my stomach turned, because I was sprawled on a large bed, with Claudia looking down at me.

“Hi, Ben.” She smiled. “I missed you.”

I thought that I would be terrified at the sight of her. I was expecting to feel fear and dread over what she was going to put me through, but there was none of that. Just hatred, hatred the likes of which I’d never felt for anyone or anything before.

I sat up on the bed and backed away from her. She reached out for me and I flinched when her fingers brushed over my shoulder. I glared at her, expecting to see the same glint of manic glee in her eyes—the same look she always gave me when she held me captive at The Shade. Instead, the look on her eyes was soft and pensive—practically moist with tears.

“Do you love her, Ben?”

“Love who?” I practically spat the words out. I was sickened by the way she was acting. I felt as if someone like her had no business talking about love.

“Sofia…”

I stared at her incredulously. She didn’t have the right to talk about Sofia and I had every right not to give her a response. “And if I do?” I managed to say.

She shrugged one shoulder. Her head bowed slightly, a mass of curls falling over her shoulders. “I love someone too. I didn’t realize how much until I got here. I never should’ve left The Shade. I need him.”