A Shade of Vampire (A Shade of Vampire #1)(37)

I hated that he wouldn’t even look at me. When the port came into sight, I’d had enough. Ben was holding my hand and Derek was trailing behind us, making sure no one was following. I stopped walking, hoping that Derek would bump into me. He didn’t. As always, he was aware of my every move.

Ben pulled on my hand. His face fell when I wriggled my hand away from his grasp. “I need to talk to Derek,” was all the explanation that I gave him.

Ben didn’t look happy about it, but he nodded, giving Derek a glare before moving forward – a safe distance away from us.

I turned around to face Derek. I wanted him to look at me. He looked away. “Don’t be this way, Derek.”

“What way?”

“Distant.”

“Why not? That’s what you’ll be once you leave the Shade.”

It was the first time I realized that once I left, it was goodbye forever. It wasn’t like I could just go online and video chat with him.

“That’s exactly why I can’t bear this, Derek.” I held back a sob. “We’ve been through too much… I’d like to think that we’d grown to mean a lot to each other.”

This was such an understatement. And I hated how I sounded so formal. At that moment, it felt like he meant everything to me and with all my heart, I wished that he felt the same. I tried hard to hold back the tears as I continued my attempt to speak out loud what was eating me away inside.

“To part this way… barely even talking, barely even looking at each other… I don’t know how to handle it. I can’t bear it.”

I choked before I could say the words that I knew would forever haunt me. I love you too much to leave everything hanging like this.

My spine tingled when he reached for me, his fingers caressing my cheek and brushing through my hair. Before I could even make sense of what was happening, his lips pressed against mine – hungry, passionate, demanding. His tongue pushed between my lips – claiming, exploring, tasting. I found myself tensing against his touch, then easing into it. I wanted it. I was just as hungry as he was, just as passionate. It shook me to realize how much I wanted this, how much I wanted him. Every second that kiss lasted was another second meant for the truth to sink in.

I’ve already stopped even thinking or dreaming of a life that didn’t have Derek Novak in it.

When our lips parted, I found myself gasping for breath, but desperate for more.

He held me tight.

I sensed his need, his desire for me to stay when he whispered into my ear:

“You don’t want to leave.”

At that, I broke down into tears. He was right. Whether I liked it or not, home had become wherever Derek Novak was.

EPILOGUE: VIVIENNE

I was jolted from my sleep, knowing fully well what had just occurred the moment their lips touched. I grabbed the sheets of my bed as chills ran throughout my body. I saw glimpses of it in a vision. Derek and his beloved Sofia sharing that kiss… It was that kiss that set our destiny in stone. The game had just begun. My mind’s eye began to fill with flood upon flood of conflicting premonitions of what was to come. All of it confusing. Every single one disturbing.

Neither Derek nor Sofia had any clue of what they had up against them. Truth be told, neither did I.

I sensed the dread of what was to come forming deep within me. I sensed Lucas’ resentment and my father’s conflict over his love for Derek and his love for power. I sensed the growing strength of the shadow hunters. But more than anything, I sensed the intensity of emotion Derek held for Sofia.

My brother had unknowingly chosen his mate. All that was left now was for her to prove herself worthy of such a place. I’d never felt more unsure of what the future held than I did then, but there was one thing I knew for certain:

Blood would be shed.

To be continued…