She nodded knowingly, this time a full smile appearing on her face. “The magic of Sofia Claremont.”

I chuckled, realizing the reality that no matter what happened, Sofia would always be a part of me. A mixture of sadness and affection came with the next thought: Perhaps that’s it. That’s how we’re going to be together. Sofia will forever be immortalized in my thoughts, in my soul, in my heart. Perhaps we don’t really have to be physically together.

That night, for the first time since I had left her, I tried to imagine Sofia’s face and found that I could no longer picture her face as clearly as I had done before. I shut my eyes, holding on to whatever figments of her was left inside me. No. I need to find you, Sofia. I can’t let you slip away. Not ever.

I dreamt of Sophia that night. The dream reminded me how beautiful she was, reminded me that Sofia Claremont would indeed always be a part of me.

CHAPTER 31: SOFIA

Ingrid Maslen was human and she wasn’t happy about it. Aiden and I were watching from surveillance monitors in another room as she tore at her cot’s bedding and screamed her lungs out.

A guard dropped by to give her a plate of food and she looked at the sandwich as if it were the most despicable thing she’d ever laid eyes on. The food tray and the meal were thrown straight against the wall.

“How could you do this to me?!” she yelled into the camera, letting us know that she was aware we were watching her.

“I guess the cure works,” was all Aiden managed to say.

I tilted my head to the side, not knowing whether to be amused or elated or just bothered by what was happening to Ingrid. “I think the cure works to rid the person of vampirism, but it doesn’t work to cure them of their craziness.”

“Did you really believe that she could be cured of that?”

“Don’t lie to me and tell me that you’re not still hoping for the same thing.”

All I got from my father was a bittersweet smile. That was enough of an answer. I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you for believing me.”

The muscles on his face tightened, his eyes once again fixed on the surveillance monitor, watching the woman he loved making a complete fool of herself.

“May I speak with her again?” I asked.

He seemed surprised. “Are you sure? It wouldn’t come as a surprise if she attacks you.”

“I think I can handle it. I’ll be fully equipped like you instructed.” I tapped my thigh where I had a wooden stake and a UV ray gun inside a holster.

“She’s no longer a vampire… The gun or even the stake if not used well could just maim her.”

I had to laugh at how overprotective he was being. “Maiming her is good enough to protect myself I think…”

“Before you go ahead and talk to her,” He gently brushed a hand over my shoulder blade. “How do you intend to get the cure to Derek?”

“I’d have to go back to The Shade.” I shrugged. It seemed like the obvious answer.

“I’m not letting you go back there alone. What if the cure doesn’t work and they keep you captive there?” His face took on a very grim expression as he shook his head, and I could tell that there was no dissuading him from his doubts.

I swallowed hard. “Derek is never going to allow hunters into The Shade.”

“I don’t care if we have to meet him outside of that secret island kingdom of his. I’m going with you, Sofia. And that’s that. I don’t care how in love you are with this person, I can’t lose my daughter again, and if you go back to The Shade alone even your word of honor won’t allow me to believe that I will ever see you again.”

I understood where he was coming from, but I had no idea how to communicate with Derek without going back to The Shade either. Unless… “Well, there’s this girl. Natalie Borgia. You know her?”

My father’s brow rose. The name was clearly one that he’d heard of before.

“I’m sure either Claudia or Ingrid would know how to get in touch with her. We’d have to promise her safety. Messing with her is like messing with every single vampire out there, so…”

“I know how important she is,” Aiden cut me off. “You can trust me. She won’t be harmed.”

I wanted to trust him. I really did, but staring up at him, I couldn’t help but wonder how much of him was Aiden, my father, and how much of him was Reuben, the hunter. Still, I wanted to believe that he was sincere, that he was on my side. Isn’t he already getting so much heat from the higher-ups about his decisions lately?

“I’ll get the information we need from Ingrid or Claudia. I do have one condition…”

He narrowed his eyes at me. “What is it?”

“Claudia and Vivienne will be going with us. They deserve to get back home to The Shade. If they want the cure, then that’s for them to decide, but I don’t want them here any longer.”

“Sofia, you have to realize the trouble I’m gonna get into if I just let them go… I’m already dealing with enough heat after letting Derek go.”

“I know, but I’m not going to leave them here.”

“Leave them? Sofia, you’re talking like you’re not coming back.”

“Dad, I belong with Derek. If the cure works and he turns back into a human, then I owe it to myself and to him to actually give what we have a shot. We’re engaged. If the cure works, we are going to get married.”

His eyes darkened. Clearly, the idea of me marrying Derek Novak—vampire or not—wasn’t something he was happy about.

“We’ll discuss that in due time,” he responded. “You can have a talk with your mother now if you want.”

I nodded, sensing the tension. I could practically see the wheels inside his head turning. I knew that he was thinking about what I had just said. I loved Aiden. He was my father, but this was my life. He couldn’t just stand in the way of what I had with Derek. This was something I was going to fight for.

At that moment, however, the fight I faced was with my mother, or perhaps the lingering affection I still held for her. I had no idea what to expect or why I had even wanted to talk to her. Maybe I wanted to give her another chance.

Visual daggers were thrown my way the moment I entered her cell.

“I can’t believe you would do this to me,” she hissed.

I looked at her, a reflection of me. From the moment I first laid eyes on her, I always thought of her as more beautiful than I was. I sat on the cot—or at least what was left of it as I stared at her.

“I don’t understand, Ingrid…” I mused loudly as the cell doors closed, a guard watching nearby in case Ingrid tried to do anything foolish.

“Understand what, Sofia?”

“How you could turn your back on Aiden… I’m sure you loved him and he loved you. Why would you willingly become something that keeps you away from him?”

“You mean like a vampire? Did you not choose to remain human even in spite of your love for Derek? Isn’t that the same thing?”

“I didn’t want to be turned into a vampire.” I nodded. “But when I realized that it was perhaps the only way I could be with him, I did ask him to turn me—mostly to see if I would turn. When I didn’t, I was devastated to realize that I couldn’t become what I needed to be in order to be with him.”

“Exactly. I couldn’t become what I need to be in order to be with Aiden. I couldn’t become Camilla. I couldn’t become the perfect housewife. I was weak and afraid. Every day I was haunted by the thought that he might see me for the broken creature that I am and leave me. Especially in contrast to your perfection, how could I have stood a chance?”

“I am your daughter, Ingrid. I am Aiden’s daughter. I don’t understand how you could see me as competition.”

At that, she sealed her lips and I knew just by looking at her that my words had somehow triggered dark memories that she dared not speak of.

“You don’t know what you’re saying,” was all she said after a tense silence. “You and Aiden ruined me when you turned me back into a human. I was powerful and strong as a vampire. Now, I’m back to being what I was before: weak and mortal.”

“At least now you and Aiden could have a chance at being together again.”

“Not as long as you’re alive.” She raised her eyes to meet mine and I shuddered to find so much hatred coming from her gaze. “What are you seeking to accomplish with this cure, Sofia? You plan to turn Derek Novak back into a human so you can raise kids in a picket fence house, live the American dream and frolic together in your own happily ever after? Don’t be a fool, Sofia. You and Derek don’t belong together.”

“The same way you and my father don’t?”

“Derek will only make you weak, Sofia. Just like what your father did to me now. Turned me back into a human, into this whimpering pathetic weakling… If you end up with Borys, he will make you strong.”

At that, my eyes softened. I saw how broken she was as she curled up into the corner of the room, knees held to her chest as she fought back sobs. I approached her tentatively, wondering if she was still planning to somehow attack me.

When I reached her and I sat in front of her, she shied away from me, but it wasn’t like she had any space to back into. I brushed a hand against her long auburn locks and she flinched at my touch. I kissed her forehead and was surprised at how she trembled.

“You might be surprised at how powerful a force love is, Mother.” I then pressed my lips against her cheek, realizing that this might be the first and last kiss I could give her for what remained of my life. “For all it’s worth, I do love you, Camilla.”

She glared at me in response, but I meant what I had said. I backed away from her and I signaled for the guard to let me out. As I took a turn toward the hallway that would lead me out of the hawk headquarters’ dungeons, I could swear that I had actually heard Ingrid Maslen sob.