I couldn’t believe my ears. Does he truly believe that? Does he think that they are irredeemable and they are completely without hope? “I want to see Ingrid. I don’t care if she’s a crazy freak trying to pawn me off to a vampire even crazier than her. She’s still my mother and the idea of you doing to her what Vivienne…” I choked on my words. How could anyone with a conscience treat others this way?

“You’re willing to just forget everything Ingrid did to you? To us?”

“I couldn’t forget even if I wanted to, Aiden. You both scarred me for life when you both abandoned me. She’s done worse things, but you are still guilty. Where were you that night when she came with Borys? Why was I home alone? I’ve been wronged by both of you, by so many other people—vampires and humans alike. That doesn’t mean I want to go around torturing and killing everyone who’s wronged me!”

Aiden looked taken aback by my passionate outburst. He opened his mouth in an attempt to respond, but he quickly shut it again as he processed what I was saying to him.

I was fighting the urge to cry. I was tired of being the victim. Whether or not I was at The Shade or back in California with the Hudsons or here with the hunters, I was always the one in need of saving, always the one who somehow needed someone to rescue her. I’m sick of it. This time, maybe it’s my turn to rescue someone. The thought came with so much conviction, I actually slammed my palm over the counter top making my father jolt back in surprise.

“Sofia, I…” His voice came with a squeak. Tears were beginning to brim in his eyes.

I stared at him, horrified by the thought that my father was about to cry in front of me and I had no idea what I was going to do about it. Looking at him try to swallow back his tears, I couldn’t help but ache with the longing I had for him. All those years growing up, I had wished that he would just look my way, let me know that I was precious to him, but he was never there. I had rehearsed so many times what I would say to him if I got the chance to confront him and let him know how much he broke me by leaving me. Now that I’d already done that, I couldn’t stand it. I couldn’t stand hurting my father.

I came to an understanding of my own personality. This is exactly why I can’t understand the path of vengeance. No matter how much someone has hurt me, I still find no pleasure in seeing them hurt.

He finally managed to compose himself. “I never said sorry for leaving you. I thought it was the best thing to do at that time. I know that’s no excuse for not being the father that you needed, but I couldn’t look at you without thinking of your mother. I couldn’t even be in the same room with you without reliving the pain. After I left you with the Hudsons, I… I just… I got myself in too deep with the hunters. I didn’t want you to be a part of that world. I thought that I was keeping you safe by leaving you with them. I thought that maybe, just maybe…you could have some semblance of a normal life if I left you with them.” He gripped my hand and squeezed tightly. “I’m sorry, Sofia. Believe me when I say that I truly want to make it up to you.”

I knew then that I would remember that encounter as one of the most real and poignant moments that I had ever shared with my father. Overcome by emotion, I got off my seat and hugged him. “You have no idea just how much your apology means to me,” I whispered into his ear before placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me back. “You’re my little girl, Sofia. My precious daughter. I may have a crappy way of showing it, but I love you.”

He then kissed my forehead and it was all I could do to keep myself from breaking down into sobs. I relished that embrace for a couple more minutes before finally pulling away from him.

We knew that we’d made a connection the likes only a father and daughter can have with each other. However, we were still keenly aware of our differences—something neither of us could escape discussing.

With him already having heard my rants, I figured it was time I actually listened to what he was trying to tell me. “So what were you saying before I interrupted?”

“I was trying to tell you that you may be right. There just might be a cure to vampirism.”

My breath hitched. I couldn’t believe my ears. Why wasn’t I listening the first time? Suddenly, I found myself holding my breath, hanging on to his every word.

“If you’re immune, then maybe there’s something in your DNA that makes you immune to the curse. If it’s alright with you, I’m going to have some of our scientists get a sample of your blood and we’ll see where that takes us.”

I stared at him for a couple of seconds, attempting to fully comprehend what he had just said, hope unlike any I’d known before rising up within me. This is it. This is the way Derek and me could actually be together.

“Sofia? What do you say?”

I nodded empathically. “Yes. Yes. I’ll give you whatever you need.” Before I could hold myself back, I threw my arms around his neck a second time. For the first time in eighteen years, it actually felt like I really had a father who cared and sought after my best interests. At that moment, I never could’ve been more thankful that Aiden Claremont was my dad.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

“I love you, Sofia. Don’t you ever forget that.”

“I love you too…Dad.”

CHAPTER 27: DEREK

“We’re in the middle of a siege at the port and you pick tomorrow to call out a general assembly at the town square?” Xavier was obviously trying to reel in the flames of fury building up inside him.

Xavier was never one to treat me like the monarch The Shade portrayed me to be, but in this case, he really wasn’t throwing any deference my way. In fact, as he paced the floor of the room at the Crimson Fortress where we had decided to have our meeting in, he was talking to me like a father scolding his teenage son.

I calmly took my seat at the head of the table where Cameron and Liana, Eli and Yuri were already seated. Xavier, of course, was still on his feet, cooking up a storm. Words were coming out of his mouth, but it was barely registering in my mind. It was mostly about me losing my mind with the whole going on a drive thing and that he’d always known from the beginning that I was crazy.

“And yet, here you are, still fighting by my side.”

That halted him from his steamy tirade and the man paused to give me a pensive look. “Yes…well, you may be crazy, but the times you are brilliant make up for it.”

“Finally.” I threw my hands in the air. “A compliment. Now, could you kindly take a seat so we can get to business?”

Xander begrudgingly sat down before drumming his fingers over the table.

“We have three orders of business,” I began. “One, the general assembly. Two, the siege at the port. Three, the fact that it may take time before we are able to retake the port. This means that I may not be able to attend the meeting Natalie informed us about. The fact that it looks like we’re holding Natalie hostage spells a lot of trouble for us.”

“Can’t Natalie send a message to the covens that there’s a siege going on?” Liana suggested. “I’m sure she knows of a way to contact the other covens from within the island.”

I shook my head. “I’m sure she does, but the other covens are threatening to attack us. Is it really the best recourse to let them know that we’re on the brink of civil war? It’s exposing too much of our weaknesses.”

“We have to retake the port as soon as possible then…” Cameron concluded with the obvious.

“Right.” I nodded curtly. “How?”

“Let’s just go in guns blazing—so to speak—and just kill everyone. The island would be better off without the likes of them if you ask me…” Xavier said. Always the hothead.

Sounds great. Let’s do that. “We can’t afford to do that. We have to be able to do this with as little bloodshed as possible.” In this, I was firm, though I had no doubt in my mind that it was against my natural instincts. Perhaps that’s why Xavier and I got along so well. We’re both so trigger-happy.

“Why?” Yuri spat. “They’ve betrayed you. They’re out to ruin The Shade.”

I’m sure it’s what Sofia would have done. I straightened up on my seat. “These men fought and bled with us through First Blood. They may be misguided by whatever lies my father weaved to discredit me, but if we are to reach true sanctuary then we have to find a way to work together. Our military force is paralyzed without them. If the other covens attack without them on our side, it will be the end of us.”

Silence ensued. None of us knew what to do.

Xavier broke the silence. “Why is the general assembly necessary? And at the town square, Derek? The humans would be like sitting ducks there. What if Gregor and Felix attack?”

“What would they do?” Liana interjected. “Murder the entire human population? Even Felix isn’t stupid enough to do that. Let’s not forget that he’s one of the vampires who once was advocating better rights for the humans…”

“That’s because he was still in love with Anna at that time.” Yuri waved her comment off. “I honestly think that he wouldn’t mind killing her now.”

“Wait…” Eli lifted his glasses over the bridge of his nose.

I could practically see the wheels winding inside Eli’s genius mind.

“This could work to our advantage,” he spoke up. “If we could lure some of the vampires at the port into the assembly, then we’d have a better chance of taking over the port.”

“We still won’t be able to get in.” Xavier shook his head. “They’ll attack us the moment we’re at the narrow staircase.”

“No, no… This can work.” I shook my head before sending Eli an encouraging look. “We don’t have to pass through there. The port isn’t the only way out of the island.” I swallowed hard. The Lighthouse was my long kept secret. Only Vivienne, Cora and Sofia were aware of it. The shore near the lighthouse was where Cora and I drifted to the island from the shipwreck we were in five hundred years ago. Aside from the port and that small patch of shore near the lighthouse, the island was surrounded by rocky boulders and cliffs.