However, at that moment, he hung motionless over the pole, unconscious.
I trembled as I approached him. Cameron and Liana following. The guards untied Derek’s wrists and he slumped to the ground. Cameron came in time to catch his limp form.
“What’s going on? Why isn’t he healing?” I asked, unable to keep the alarm from my voice.
“Let’s take him to Corrine’s,” Liana said.
“Not so fast!” Gregor said, menace lacing his words. “There are four other rebels who haven’t yet met their punishments.”
I drew a breath as I looked at Gavin, Ian and the two other Naturals who were caught with me. If Derek wasn’t able to take the blows, then how on earth would they survive?
“They won’t be able to handle it. They’re going to die…”
Cameron shook his head as his eyes met with Liana’s. It was as if they had some sort of telepathic communication, because Liana worriedly said, “Cam…” But then she paused and nodded.
Cameron stood to his feet. “As a show of loyalty to Derek Novak, I’ll take on the punishment of one of the rebels.”
Xavier stepped forward from the crowd and nodded. “I’ll do the same.”
Eli and Yuri Lazaroff followed and so did at least half a dozen others of the Elite. It was clear to see who it was that held the real power at The Shade, and it definitely wasn’t Derek’s father. My spirits soared on behalf of Derek, but I was more concerned about getting him the medical treatment he so desperately needed.
Corrine approached us. “Let’s get him to Sanctuary. I think Cameron, Xavier and the rest of the Elite are more than capable of handling matters here. Let’s get the prince taken care of, shall we?”
Sam, Kyle and Ashley were soon by our side as we hauled Derek out of there.
At the Sanctuary, we discovered why he wasn’t healing.
“He was administered a suppression serum before he showed up,” Corrine explained. “I’m thinking he already had a confrontation with his father even before he came to the town square. Perhaps that’s what they were talking about when Gregor mentioned him taking Felix’s men down.”
“So he knew he wouldn’t heal?” I asked, my voice choked. “And yet he still went through this.”
Corrine shrugged. “I guess he loves you that much.”
CHAPTER 30: DEREK
When I woke up, the first person I saw was Sofia, staring at me with wide-eyed concern. Despite the excruciating pain on my back, I had to smile at the sight of her. “Hey there…” I greeted softly.
She made her way to my side, kneeling on the ground by the bed, so that she could look into my eyes. “I’m sorry, Derek. I should’ve told you what I knew, but I just…”
“Shhh, Sofia. I understand why you didn’t tell me.” I tried to look around the room we were in and immediately surmised that we were at the Sanctuary. “We’re alone?” I asked.
She nodded. “Corrine’s in the other room developing an anti-serum. Liana and Sam went to check on Cameron and the others. Ashley and Kyle went to the chilling chambers to get you some blood.”
“What happened to Cameron? And what do you mean ‘the others?’”
She told me what Cameron and the rest of the Elite did to show their support toward me and all I could think of was how humbling the whole thing was. At the same time, I sensed the pressure that came with it. The immensity of the prophecy and everything it meant hit me full force. I had no idea if Sofia realized it, but lines had just been drawn. We were at war.
“Don’t worry about them for now…” She tried to soothe me. “Just get yourself healed.” She squeezed my arm tightly. “They’re taking forever. You need blood.”
Something sparked in that pretty little brain of hers and she quickly shoved her wrist in front of my mouth. “You can have my blood. It will help you heal, won’t it?”
I chuckled wryly. “I’m not going to drink your blood, Sofia.”
“Why not?” she insisted indignantly. “You’ve made me drink yours more times than I can count.”
“Do you have any idea how much control I need to have over myself in order not to feed on you? Tasting your blood will be the end of us, Sofia.”
The end of us. I could remember the desperation in her eyes when she thought that I’d turn my back on her. Are you thinking about the future at all, Sofia? Do you dread losing me as much as I dread losing you?
Based on her response, it was as if she was reading my mind. She lowered her wrists, seemingly accepting that nothing she said could ever make me agree to drinking her blood. She gave me a pensive, longing look. “I thought I lost you back there, Derek,” she admitted. “I don’t know what your father was talking about, Derek, but if Ingrid Maslen really is my mother…”
“…it won’t matter,” I assured her. “I know you well enough to know that you could never have been in league with her all this time. What we have is real, Sofia…no matter who your parents are.”
I couldn’t help but wonder what she thought about the possibility of the Maslens’ baby vampire being her mother. It didn’t even seem to be bothering her at the moment, but I couldn’t really blame her. So much was going on. I doubted she had time to let the revelation sink in.
She kissed me gently on the lips. “I adore you for what you did for me back there, and I hate that you’re in so much pain because of it.”
“I’ll be better in no time, Sofia. I’ll get a drink blood when Ash and Kyle get here and I’ll be as strong as I was before.”
“You lied to me. You said that you would heal. You knew that you wouldn’t.”
“I wanted to assure you that everything was going to be alright, and it will be, Sofia.”
She was silent. I wondered what was going through her mind, but I was afraid to ask.
“You love me still, don’t you?” I asked instead, longing to hear her assurance before what I was about to reveal to her.
“Always,” she assured me.
I believed her, but still, I was afraid of what her reaction would be to what I was about to tell her. “The culling is tomorrow, Sofia.”
She gulped. I could see the wheels inside her mind turning as she let the news sink in. “You’re just going to let it happen?”
I hated that we didn’t stand on the same ground regarding the matter, but all I could do was be honest with her. “I don’t know what to say, Sofia. Blood is seen as a necessity at The Shade.”