I found myself watching as they dragged Emilia away from the field.

“Word is that the other squads are also finding it easy to take down the attackers from the other choppers.” Pierre stood beside me, his eyes set on the chopper on the field. “What are we going to do with that?”

I shrugged. “I’m sure we’ll figure something out.” I momentarily glanced at the chopper before turning back to see Emilia’s body being dragged away. There’s just something about her. We have a connection and I can’t deny it. I couldn’t keep my eyes off Emilia until I saw another breathtaking sight coming toward me.

Sofia.

No matter how many times I’d seen her, Sofia still took my breath away and that moment was no exception. The realization relieved me, because despite the connection I felt with Emilia, catching my breath upon seeing Sofia running toward me was enough assurance that the connection I had with my lovely redhead was far greater than the one I had with the intriguing brunette.

Sofia threw herself into my arms and I held on to her tight. “We won, Derek,” she whispered into my ear, her breath hot against my skin.

“Yes…” I nodded before kissing her on the cheek. “We did. We won.” I stated the words without any hint of triumph or pride.

She pulled away from me and looked up at my face. She narrowed her eyes. “You don’t seem happy at all. Why?”

I tried to make sense of what just happened. “I don’t know. I’ve fought many battles before, Sofia. This win seemed too easy. I might sound crazy, but it’s almost as if they wanted us to win this one.”

From the expression on her face, I knew that something was bothering her about the battle too. She began to look around the field. We barely lost any of our men, but we practically annihilated all of those who attacked.

Sofia wet her lips as she once again gazed up at me. “Why on earth would they let us win?”

I shrugged at Sofia, but I couldn’t help but look in the direction where they had dragged Emilia. I have a feeling it has something to do with her.

Chapter 6: Sofia

The romantic setting of the top floor of the Lighthouse was dangerous and I knew it. Surrounded by candlelight and having Derek all to myself, feeling his passionate kisses on my lips and his hands on my body, I knew we were in danger of once again going too far. I couldn’t allow that, because I knew Derek well enough to know that he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

So when things were getting heated, I was the one who pulled away. When he gave me a questioning look, I simply smiled and said, “You know why.”

He understood immediately and nodded at me before stealing another peck on the lips.

After making sure that everything was in order after the battle, Derek suggested that we both spend the night at the Lighthouse, something I eagerly agreed to.

The Lighthouse was the only man-made structure outside of the Crimson Fortress. Only recently did anyone aside from me and Vivienne find out that it existed. It served as our escape from the troubles of The Shade. It was where we always went to when we didn’t want to be found. This time, however, there were people who would know how to find us if they wanted to, but it was already a given that if Derek and I decided to spend time at the Lighthouse, it was because we didn’t want to get interrupted. The citizens of The Shade respected that so we were never interrupted when we were there.

“I wish we could get some sort of musical instrument up here,” Derek mused, as he leaned back on the couch and motioned for me to sit on the space beside him and snuggle against him, a request I quickly obliged.

I leaned my head on his shoulder, smiling at his love for music and the skill by which he was able to handle any instrument he got his hands on. “Why not? We could have a guitar up here or even a violin…”

“You like it when I play?”

“I love it when you play.”

He grinned, knowing full well that I meant it and that I wasn’t just trying to flatter him. Of course, he wasn’t exactly the kind who needed to be flattered. “Of course you do. How could you not? I’m amazing.”

I hit him on the face with one of the pillows. “You’re awfully humble.”

“I think it’s the victory getting into my head.”

Questions and doubts began to surface in my mind with Derek’s mention of the battle. I wanted to talk about it, but I didn’t want to dampen the light mood we were both in.

It seemed Derek didn’t want to discuss the battle either, because he heaved a sigh and said, “Since I’m refusing to make out with you any more, what are we going to do now?”

I raised a brow at him and chuckled. “You’re refusing to make out with me? Really now?”

“Stop insisting, Sofia.” His face was deadpanned. “It’s not very becoming of a lady like you.”

I rolled my eyes, trying to hide how amused I was by his sarcasm. Before he could stop me, however, I jumped to my feet and spun around to face him, taking both his hands in mine. “We should dance.”

“Dance?” He raised a brow.

“Yes. Not like the sweet, slow dances we usually have. I want to dance.” I began to shake my hips and raise my hands in the air.

He began to laugh. “Who dances like that?”

I widened my eyes and threw my hands in the air in a waving gesture. “Uh, everyone?”

He was looking at me like I was crazy. It took a moment for it to register in my head that Derek lived his teenage years centuries ago. Of course he has no idea how teenagers today dance.

“Okay… We can’t do those silly medieval dances you did in your time… You need to learn how to dance like an eighteen-year-old in a bar.”

I coaxed him to stand up and he hesitantly obliged, laughing at my excitement.

“We don’t have music, Sofia,” he reminded me.

“Didn’t you tell me once that you always have background music playing in your head?” I began humming an upbeat song. I was surprised when he actually began mimicking the beat of a drum with his mouth as he caught on to the tune of the song.

A vampire that can beatbox. Who would’ve thought? I grinned. “That’s great. Now, we can dance.”

For the next half hour, we were dancing to our own music, laughing at how silly both of us sounded and looked. I loved the sound of his laughter. I loved all those moments when we could just spend time together and have fun. I recalled all those times that made me fall in love with Derek Novak and realized how much of my heart he held.

At some point, he just grabbed me by the hips and pulled me against him and kissed me full on the mouth. I was putty in his hands as I responded to the kiss.

When our lips parted, I was surprised by what he said. “Marry me, Sofia.”

I laughed as I raised my ring finger, showing I was already engaged. “Uhh… I already said yes to that before. Don’t you remember?”

He held my raised hand and began thumbing the ring on my finger. “Yes.” He nodded, smiling at the memory of the night I finally agreed to marry him. “Then let’s do it, Sofia. Let’s get married.”

I frowned, searching his face, wondering if he was actually being serious.

He grinned and shook his head, as if having read my mind. “I’m not joking, Sofia. Let’s get married. Let’s tie the knot. Tomorrow if you want!”

I wanted to marry him more than anything, but something about the rush didn’t feel right. I couldn’t help but voice out my apprehensions, despite my desire to keep the night light and free of any serious talk. “I’d love to do that, Derek, but why the rush? Why all of a sudden do you want to do this? We’re in the middle of a war. Is it really the best time to toss this into all the chaos?”

His smile widened as he cupped both my cheeks with his large hands. “That’s the thing, Sofia. As you said, we’re in the middle of a war. All of this could end any time soon. I want to live life to the fullest and if this moment is my last with you, then why not, Sofia? Why can’t we get married now? We want to be together. Why can’t we just give this to ourselves?”

The look in his eyes and his exuberance was my complete undoing. All I can think of was, “Yeah… why not?” and I found myself voicing the words out.

I tried to drift off to sleep, snuggled against him inside the Lighthouse, however, I couldn’t help but feel as if something was amiss, as if he was keeping something from me. I hated that I felt that way, but I couldn’t deny it either. It wasn’t like Derek to just jump into the idea of a wedding while in the middle of a war. I wasn’t sure if I was buying into his reason about living in the moment, simply because to do something so drastic wasn’t exactly the Derek that I knew.

I tried to fend off the thoughts bugging me that night, but it was impossible. I was disturbed by the idea of rushing into marriage. Is it because you’re afraid he might never become mortal? Is it because you fear there might not be a cure after all?

I shook my head. That wasn’t it. I was certain that there was a cure and that we could find it. It was just a matter of time. I stayed up way into the night, asking myself why I wasn’t excited about marrying the love of my life.

It may be because it doesn’t feel like the right time or perhaps we don’t have the right motives. Either way, getting married now just doesn’t feel right.

Chapter 7: Aiden

I stared at my daughter like she had somehow morphed into a strange other-worldly creature. I couldn’t believe the words coming out of her lips. I wasn’t even sure I heard right, because my brain was finding it difficult to register that my only daughter was talking to me about wanting to marry a vampire.

I was so overcome by surprise, I started tuning her out right after she said, “Derek wants to get married as soon as possible. I agreed.”

I was going through another set or two of push-ups when she arrived in my cell, sat on my cot and just began talking. I actually appreciated that she decided to come to me in order to pour her heart out, but I was nowhere near prepared to hear about the things she was saying.