A Shade of Vampire(21)

Vivienne eyed me warily at that breakfast table and I couldn’t help but feel as if she was measuring my worth. She licked her lips before looking at Derek. “We need to discuss something very important about the Blood Shade, something she can’t hear. I don’t trust her as much as you seem to.”

Derek’s eyes lingered on me for a couple of seconds before heaving a sigh. “You may leave, Sofia.”

“And do what?” I couldn’t keep myself from asking.

“Entertain yourself, explore… No… do whatever you wish, but stay at the penthouse. You can have the other girls at your disposal. Find something to do to amuse yourselves.”

I raised a brow, surprised that he would trust me after I’d just tried to escape and surprised at myself for sensing the urge to honor my captor’s trust. “Vivienne said that there are still rooms we can… decorate? May I have one room?”

He seemed curious to find out what I needed an extra room for, but most likely saw no harm in it.

“Of course. I’m sure Vivienne will see to it that you will have all you request. Isn’t that right, Vivienne?”

Vivienne nodded after giving me a quick, irritated look. “Of course.”

That’s when I realized how influential Derek was at the Blood Shade. Even Lucas and Vivienne balked at his command. I wondered why. What made them fear and honor him so much? I wasn’t about to find my answer then, so I bade my leave, eager to get away from my captors. I weaved my way through the walkways to find where they kept the other girls. It didn’t take long for me to find it, because guards were stationed outside their doors.

“The prince sent me,” I told them.

They exchanged glances. One nodded toward the other and the guard made his way to Derek – or so I assumed. I had no choice but to wait for him to get back after receiving instructions from Derek himself. I eyed the guard left there with me. “May I ask you a question?”

He raised a brow, perhaps surprised that I would even speak with him. “Go ahead.”

“Who is Derek Novak exactly? Why is everyone so afraid of him?”

“I would think that after you did the impossible and won his favor in the span of one night, you’d know more about him than anyone else. You must’ve pleased him so much last night that he would actually kill a guard for you.”

I found myself uneasy at what he was trying to imply. “What do you mean please him? Do you think…”

“What else would you have done since you got here?”

I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks, flushing as red as the blood running through my veins.

“That’s not… I would never!” Here I was, a virgin, being rumored to have given the newly awakened prince a pleasurable night in bed.

He furrowed his brows, an amused glint in the corners of his eyes. “You mean you didn’t…”

My eyes widened. “No! I’m not that kind of girl…”

“I’m sure you’re not, but can you blame us for thinking that he would be the kind of man who’d be able to make you do things you wouldn’t normally do?”

I was rendered speechless. My mouth opened to say something in my defense, but none came out. I then creased my brows, because the first thought that came to my mind once I got over my shock was, Derek’s not that kind of guy.

To my relief, the guard seemed over the whole thing. He chuckled, seemingly amused by my shock.

“I’m Samuel,” he introduced himself, an easy smile forming on his lips. The blonde man with a lean build and short stubble was only a couple of inches taller than I was, though I figured he was somewhere in his twenties when he got turned.

I knew I would be a fool to trust him immediately, but it felt like I’d found a friend in him. I flashed him a small smile. “Sofia.”

“Like I don’t know that,” he winked. “The prince is known to be picky with women. The fact that he’s giving you the attention you’re getting practically makes you a celebrity here.”

I wasn’t sure how to react to that. I was used to being obscure and invisible. Being told that I was known by everyone was a sensation I wasn’t used to, but found rather… flattering.

“To answer your question, you’re owned by a legend. Derek Novak made the Blood Shade possible. Many vampires survived the shadow hunters because of his leadership. He found this island, built the Crimson Fortress and won Cora, the most powerful witch of their time, over to our side. He is the most powerful and revered vampire of the Blood Shade.”

I held my breath, taken aback by the information. I knew Derek was somehow important to the coven, but I wasn’t expecting him to have all that legendary history backing him up.