I couldn’t help but crease my brows in surprise. “Just one week?”
“Yes. One week with me. At the Blood Keep…”
“The Blood Keep?”
“The Elder’s castle.”
I knew it was a trap, but when another explosion rocked the kingdom, I knew that it was a trap I was finding hard to resist. The bait she set in front of me was far too good. At that moment, staring at the lovely, but terrifying woman in front of me, all I could think of was, don’t do anything you will regret, Derek.
Chapter 22: Sofia
My jaw dropped the moment I stepped into my father’s cell. I’m ruined for life was the first thought that came to mind when I saw Aiden making out with Ingrid in one corner of the cell. In the midst of all the chaos going on in The Shade, my parents were busy kissing and making up.
When they realized I was there, my father’s cheeks turned red as a beet as he exclaimed, “Sofia!”
If vampires could blush, I was sure that Ingrid would already have been blushing as much as Aiden was.
I stood frozen on my spot as I stared at them, trying to remember why I was there in the first place.
Sam, who was standing behind me, cleared his throat, successfully bringing me back to my senses. “Sofia, the hunters…”
I snapped out of my surprise and blinked my eyes so I could get back to my senses. “Is your tracker on?”
“What’s going on?” Aiden creased his brows.
“Just answer my question,” I snapped at him.
“Yes,” he nodded. “It’s always on.”
“I need you to make a call to the hunters to figure out if they’ve located The Shade. Try and hold back any attacks they’re planning to throw on The Shade for now.”
“I thought you said that the island’s protective spell will keep them from detecting the tracker.”
I swallowed hard, wondering if I ought to trust my father with the information I had at hand. Realizing that I didn’t have much of a choice, I just blurted it out, “The spell is down. The Shade is under attack by the other covens and apparently, the original vampire is also involved. If the hunters attack now, it’s the end of The Shade.”
I looked at him, searching for any sign that that was exactly what he wanted to hear – for The Shade to end, but I was surprised when he took one look at my mother and immediately nodded toward me. “I’ll make the call.”
As if that weren’t enough of a surprise, Ingrid approached me. I couldn’t help but flinch when she brushed her fingers over my cheek and looked at me with concern. “Are you alright, Sofia?”
No, I’m not alright! The Shade is under attack and Derek is facing off with a crazy witch vampire woman he is admittedly deeply attracted to and you and Aiden are acting like a weird couple. You’re acting like actual parents for crying out loud. A muscle in my jaw twitched as I nodded at Ingrid. “I’m fine. I’m not sure I should be trusting either of you though.”
At that, Aiden smiled bitterly. “Can’t blame you there, but I won’t let you down.”
Sam handed him a phone and Aiden quickly dialed a number. I listened as he began talking on the phone.
“Zinnia? It’s me, Aiden. I’m fine… Do you know where I am right now? Are you able to track me down?” He paused and waited for a response. “Ok, great. I need you to hold off on all plans to attack The Shade… Because I said so… Well, I’m talking to you now… I’m alive and well, and as far as I know, that means I’m still in charge… so do as I say and tell them that all plans to attack the island is on hold…” Aiden’s eyes widened with fury before he sealed his lips tight.
I couldn’t help but wonder what Zinnia, his right-hand person at hunter territory, could’ve said to cause such a reaction in him. During the time I spent at hunter headquarters, Zinnia was almost like his little pet. She did everything he told her without question. Now, it seemed like she was no longer under his every beck and call.
When Aiden hung up, I knew immediately that we were in deep trouble. He shook his head. “Zinnia said she’s going to have to ask my superiors regarding my command. She’ll call me back when she hears word from them.”
So much for not letting me down. I heaved a sigh, hating the idea of going back to Derek with this news. “We can’t afford an attack from the hunters, Aiden. Not now,” I said with as much conviction as I could mutter. The earth once again shook after another explosion. The battle raging outside the Black Heights was enough indication of the trouble The Shade was in.
“I know Sofia, and I’m going to try and do everything I can to hold the hunters back, but I can only do so much.” Aiden shrugged. “They think that I’ve gone weak, that I’m now siding with the vampires.”
“Are you?” I couldn’t help but ask, wondering how much sway The Shade now had with Aiden.
“No. I can never side with the vampires, but I’m no longer on the hunters’ side either. I’m on yours. I’m siding with my family.”
I didn’t miss the way his hand sought after Ingrid’s and I didn’t miss seeing the sorrow in Ingrid’s eyes when their fingers clasped together. I don’t understand what’s going on. For a moment, I stared at my parents holding hands, wondering what could’ve happened to bring about this change. I looked at Ingrid, hope surging within me. Could it really be possible that she wants to change? That she wants to become Camilla again? I shoved the thoughts away, knowing that I didn’t have the luxury of wallowing in my family drama.
I turned toward Sam. “Take me to Derek.”
Sam pointed at Aiden and Ingrid. “And them?”
I faced Aiden and looked at the phone. I wanted to see Derek. I wanted desperately to know what was going on at The Sanctuary, but as much as I hated to admit it, I still couldn’t trust Aiden. Half of me still believed that he would divulge every secret, every weakness he learned about The Shade in order to further compromise it.
“You can trust me, Sofia,” he assured me after noticing my hesitation.
It broke my heart to do it, but I shook my head. “I should be with Derek right now or even fighting alongside the citizens of The Shade, but I can’t. I want to trust you, but I’ve heard you say that before and then you stabbed me in the back right after.”
It wasn’t so long ago when Aiden told me to trust him, to believe that the cure the hunters found was legitimate, only to find out that he had lied to get into The Shade and figure out its weaknesses, perhaps even end Derek through it.