A Blaze of Sun (A Shade of Vampire #5)(36)
Author: Bella Forrest

She sighed with relief the moment she saw her familiar surroundings. “Finally. I’m home,” she purred even as she fell back into the middle of her four-poster bed.

She then curled up over the large, soft covers and stared at me, propping her head up with her hand, her elbow rested on the bed. “And you’re here with me.”

I grimaced. I looked at her and all I could see was a woman who was as attractive on the outside as she was unattractive on the inside.

She rose from her bed and made her way toward me, exaggerating her every movement, obviously made to seduce. “You’re going to fall in love with me, Derek Novak.”

Despite the tension I was feeling, I actually began laughing at that statement. Full-on, uncontrollable laughter… I couldn’t hold it back. I found it hilarious that she could even think that I would fall in love with her.

She seemed annoyed by my reaction. I didn’t care though.

She must’ve eventually gotten tired of my making a jest out of her, because she threw her arms in my direction and to my shock, I was flung back into the air until my back hit the wall, pinned about two feet above the ground. “What the hell are you laughing at?!” she screamed at me, anger burning in her eyes.

I narrowed my eyes at her and wondered to myself how I could’ve ever seen her as beautiful. Is she really so naïve? I still couldn’t hide the amusement in my voice when I responded to her, “Is that why you brought me here, Emilia? You thought that I could fall in love with you in the span of one week?”

She wrinkled her nose at me, disgusted that I was finding her profession of love entertaining.

I didn’t know what it was about this place, but something about it seemed to bring out the darkness in her. I noted how she never acted this way in The Shade. She always seemed so cool and collected, but in her father’s castle, the Blood Keep, as she referred to it, she was like a volcano waiting to explode.

“I’m glad you’re entertained by my words, Derek, but not for long… You’ll see. All I really have to do is get you to remember, Derek. You’ll remember what we had. You’ll realize that we’ve had far more than just one week. You’ll realize that you’ve been falling in love with me for years.”

“You’re delusional,” I practically spat the words out, finding myself disgusted by her.

She smirked and shook her head before pointing one finger at my head. Suddenly, images began to flood into my mind. Dreams buried in my subconscious. Dreams of her and me enveloped in some sort of mist. Then the scenes changed. The dreams turned into memories – that of me and various hallmarks of my life in The Shade before I went to sleep – each and every one of them a memory I shared with one person alone: Cora.

By the time Emilia was done with me, I couldn’t look her in the eye. She slowly lowered me into the ground. “I know you, Derek. I saw you slowly give in to the darkness. I saw you for exactly who you were back then when you were at your worst and I loved you. I’ve always loved you.”

I stared at her, still trying to make sense of the visions I saw. I steadied myself on the ground and stood to my full height, aware that the woman before me could easily break me in half should she wish it. I flexed my jaw before looking her in the eye and voiced out my question. “You’re Cora?”

She didn’t answer my question. She just smiled and said, “I’m the girl prophesied to help you find true sanctuary. Not Sofia.”

At that, I smirked, my heart swelling with pride as I recalled the woman I loved. Sofia. Her beautiful face, her green eyes, her smile, her touch… I shook my head. “It makes no difference. She has my heart.”

Emilia snapped her fingers, and all of a sudden, I couldn’t remember what Sofia looked like. Panic took hold of me as my eyes shot toward Emilia.

It was her turn to smirk. “Trust me, Derek. I can take every memory you have of Sofia and replace her presence with mine. You’re in my territory now. Sofia Claremont may have your heart today, but believe me when I say that the week won’t end without me taking it from her.”

Emilia’s words hadn’t completely registered in my mind yet when a chilling cold began to sweep throughout the room. I knew Emilia felt it too by the way that she shuddered, her eyes betraying her fear. It was the strangest sensation I’d ever felt – one that I hated to admit wasn’t completely foreign to me. The cold penetrated through my skin to the very core of my bones. I was aware of a presence, dark and foreboding, I could not see. Fear began to envelop me and suddenly I couldn’t see anything but pitch black darkness. I wasn’t even sure if Emilia was still there, because the presence that arrived began to overwhelm my senses and I began to find it hard to breathe.

“Welcome to my castle, Derek Novak,” came a chilling voice. “Finally, my daughter does something right for once.”

Daughter. I shivered. I was in the presence of the Elder. I opened my mouth to speak but I found my throat so dry, no words came out.

“Does this boy bring you happiness, Emilia? Does his presence ignite your bones?”

“Yes, Master. I’ve wanted him for the longest time.”

I never thought I could ever be as elated as I was at that moment to hear Emilia’s voice. At least I’m not alone.

“You gave yourself to me once.”

I felt a caress over my hair, an indication that it was once again me whom the Elder was talking to. I began to remember the time I gave myself over to darkness. I did it so I could make a sanctuary out of The Shade. What sanctuary it turned out to be.

“I’m glad to finally have you back in my territory, Derek Novak. I used to be able to get to you so easily, but ever since you let that impetuous redhead’s light into your life, it’s been more and more difficult to get to you.”

I swallowed back the bile rising from my throat. This was why Vivienne never wanted me to be apart from Sofia. This is why the Elder cannot touch Sofia and just destroy her himself despite all the power that he has. It’s her light. Darkness cannot have control over light.

The caress over my head suddenly turned into a chokehold over my throat. I struggled to breathe, not quite able to comprehend what was going on.

“Now, you’re in my territory, thanks to my daughter’s obsession with you. I now have you in my full control.”

Evil echoed in his voice. I was in the presence of pure and utter evil.

“I must welcome you to my castle, Derek. My daughter, Emilia… you once knew her as Cora… can attest that I welcome all my guests the same way.” He paused, relishing the way I struggled as he choked me. “I hit them where it hurts.”