A Shade of Vampire(24)

Chapter 15: Sofia


It was impossible not to know that Derek had already arrived at the penthouse. I and the girls – Gwen, Ashley, Paige, and Rosa – were in the kitchen making what we assumed would be dinner. It was hard to tell considering the lack of sunlight, but we all decided that we were starved and based on our estimates of how many hours had passed, it was dinner.

We were actually having a good time. I’d already told the girls that there was no way of escaping – at least not yet – not until we had a solid plan, so we just went through the day trying to do what Derek suggested we do – entertain ourselves. We watched TV, read books, and made plans for what I wanted to do with the extra room Derek allowed me to have. Even the guards, Sam and Kyle, seemed to be enjoying our company. They definitely made no signs of wanting to suck any of us dry.

So when Derek barged into the penthouse, screaming my name like it was bloody murder, I really had no idea what I did wrong or why he seemed so angry with me. What I did know was that I felt nothing but sheer terror as I approached him as quickly as I possibly could.

He was standing in the middle of the living room, muscles tensed, blood dripping from the corners of his lips, looking more menacing than I’d ever seen him before. The leanness of his physique bulged with his every breath as he took a few steady strides toward me.

“What happened?” I managed to squeak out in question.

In response, he grabbed my shoulders and lifted me off the ground. I inwardly groaned, pretty sure that my back was once again about to hit a wall or any surface hard enough to slam my body over. Instead, I found myself being pushed into a couch while he paced the ground in front of me, exuding intensity I’d never quite seen from anyone. I gripped the arm rests of the white leather couch I was sitting on – a way of steadying myself for what kind of outburst this brooding vampire was about to throw my way.

Watching Derek act like a bull seeing red, I wondered if all vampires were as he was. Brooding and intense and incapable of laughter or even the slightest hint of mirth… I recalled Sam and Kyle and how they seemed to be in such a light and casual mood when dealing with us girls that afternoon. I wondered why they could be so relaxed while the Novaks were so intense and uptight.

Derek finally stopped pacing and stood right in front of me. He then sat over the edge of the coffee table and rested his elbows over his knees, his hands clasped together, his eyes downcast before he spoke out whatever was on his mind.

“What you told me that night… at the Sanctuary, when you first saw me… why did you say it?”

I struggled to recall what I told him. His presence was so overpowering, so consuming, it felt like he was filling up the entire room. “I don’t recall…”

“I was about to feed on you. I told you that I couldn’t help myself. You said…”

“…that I know an excuse when I hear one and that you shouldn’t make yourself out to be the victim.”

“Am I a victim?”

I thought it was a trick question. I stared at him for a couple of seconds, wondering if he realized how insane that question sounded coming from him. Of course he wasn’t the victim! He wasn’t the one who was captured against his own will and imprisoned - in an admittedly breathtaking and lavish penthouse – but imprisoned nonetheless! He was lord of the vampires, feared, revered and admired. How on earth could he possibly be a victim?

I studied his appearance, wondering what was going through his mind. Before I could even think it through I reached out and wiped the blood off his mouth with a tissue.

“You fed on someone.”

It was almost as if he stopped breathing as his fists clenched.

“She wasn’t much older than you are. Eighteen or nineteen. She was a shadow hunter. She was the enemy. I found pleasure in sucking every bit of her blood out.” He raised his blue eyes to meet mine and the slightest of smirks formed on his lips. “I enjoyed it the same way I would’ve enjoyed you.”

I tensed, confused by what he was attempting to say. “Why are you telling me this, Derek?”

A painful expression twisted his features as he began to fumble with his fingers. He shook his head slowly before responding, “Because I don’t want to enjoy it. I actually miss being the victim, but that night... you saw me as someone playing the part of a victim. Why?”

I gave it some thought. Why did I say that? At that time, all I really wanted was for him not to kill me, but I could’ve said so many things. Why that? I dared grab his hand before answering.

“Because I don’t believe that you are a slave to what you’ve become. I don’t believe that you simply can’t.”