You’re headed for hunter headquarters. How could you be fine? I knew better than to force information out of him when he was acting all broody and intense so I just nodded and kissed his cheek. The moment I did, I could sense him tense and I realized exactly what was bothering him. He was craving my blood. Of course. He hadn’t had any blood since I had fed him back at level seven.

I wondered if there was anything I could do to divert his attention toward something else and I remembered by encounter with Claudia back at The Oasis. The fact that she was seated somewhere inside the jet was unsettling.

“Back at The Oasis,” I spoke up, careful not to touch Derek in any way, wondering how we were ever going to last as a couple if we couldn’t even make physical contact without him wanting to sink his teeth into me whenever he felt hungry. “I think Claudia tried to turn me.”

His eyes widened. “She did what?”

“She told me that it was her gift for me. She bit into my neck, but Ben came to shoot her and she attacked him…”

“Sofia, if the serum’s injected into your system…” Derek gulped. I knew there was fear and apprehension in his eyes, but there was something else… hope.

My heart fell at the thought that he wanted me to become a vampire. I understood why he would, but still, the thought of becoming one sent shivers down my spine. “Am I going to turn?”

He stared at me with a mixture of confusion and awe. “You’re not exhibiting the symptoms. You saw how it was with Ashley…the moment the serum was in her system, the effect was instant.”

“Strange…” I remembered what Borys kept calling me. The immune. I still wasn’t sure what he meant by it, but I knew that somehow, it tied in to why I wasn’t now convulsing. I didn’t want to discuss that with Derek just yet, so instead, I diverted the topic back to Ben and Claudia. “It’s hard for me to believe that Ben would ever vouch for Claudia, Derek. The fact that she’s alive…I don’t know…something’s not right.”

“We won’t know for sure until we get to talk to her.”

“That’s assuming we even get the chance. How is this supposed to work, Derek? What’s to say that they’re not going to kill you the moment we step out of this plane?” I was voicing out fears that I knew he didn’t have the solutions to. “By the time we get there…”

“Sofia…” he cut me off. “Let’s just get through this journey and worry about all that when we arrive.”

“Maybe we should escape now…while we still can…”

Derek eyed my father warily. Aiden had just walked in after having visited the cockpit. He gave me a quick glance and took his seat, talking to the girl with blue-streaked hair.

“I don’t think your father will just let us go off after having found you. I’m sure he’ll chase us down.”

“At least we have a chance…”

Derek shook his head. “No. If I’m going to marry you, Sofia, then your father’s approval is important to me.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. What is wrong with you? Have you gone mad? “His approval?!” I practically spat the words out. “Derek, my father is one of the leaders of an order sworn to wipe out every vampire on this planet. There is absolutely no way he’d ever agree to me marrying you.”

“Maybe so, but you know that I value you enough to try.”

I stared at him with pure admiration, humbled by the value he was placing on me. After all we’d been through, I found myself still wondering how a man like Derek Novak could possibly love me in that way.

I shifted my gaze from Derek to my father, knowing without a doubt who mattered more to me. While I ached with the longing to get to know Aiden Claremont, to find answers to questions I’d been asking my whole life, my loyalty remained with Derek Novak.

Blood doesn’t always run thicker than water. Or perhaps it does…because Derek’s blood runs in me just as much as mine now runs in his.

I knew then that should Derek ever ask, I would willingly let him have my blood. The thought scared me, because it was a stunning realization of how much I was willing to give up for him.

I drifted off to sleep for the rest of the flight, leaning my head on Derek’s shoulder, hoping to escape everything through peaceful slumber. It was the sudden jolt caused by the wheels of the plane hitting the tarmac that woke me. My immediate instinct was to check out the window for the sun and I was relieved to find that it was dark. I knew we were in the US—that much I’d gathered from overhearing several conversations between the hunters, but where exactly in the States we were, I had no clue.

I checked on Derek and found him unbuckling his seatbelt. “Hey, beautiful,” he said before quickly looking away.

Something about him felt distant and cold. I looked toward my father and wondered what he would have to say if I went to him to ask for blood to feed Derek. The prospect seemed insane.

I grabbed Derek’s arm and was surprised when he flinched.

He gave me an apologetic look. “Sofia…” His lower lip twitched and it was enough for me to understand what he was struggling with, “If I black out…”

I nodded. “I understand.” I knew I’d be able to calm him and keep him from sucking me dry, but if the hunters ever saw him attack me, it would be the end of him, the end of us.

He didn’t respond but the look in his blue eyes was enough to let me know the anguish he felt over the idea of not being able to even touch me. I tried to push back the overwhelming sense of dread that I felt.

Aiden was the first to rise from his seat when the plane finally stopped. He gave me a quick look as he spoke through the intercom system. “We have two vampires from the Novak coven and one vampire from the Maslen coven. None of them are to be harmed. I want this made clear throughout headquarters—especially to those trigger-happy new recruits. The vampires are not to be harmed.”

My mind couldn’t help but add a “for now” to my father’s statement. I would be a fool to think that a vampire as notorious as Derek Novak would be in any way secure at Hawk Headquarters.

“You have to wait here for a while.” The girl with blue-streaked hair approached, sounding perky, but still not withholding any of her death glares from Derek. “I’m Zinnia Wolfe by the way. I was a good friend of Ben’s. We were partners.” She shook my hand but didn’t even bother to look at Derek.

“Sofia Claremont,” I introduced myself. “This is Derek Novak.”

“Yeah.” She gave me a curt nod. “I know. We’re still trying to figure out what to do with you all. If it were up to me, I’d just have you vamps killed, but the boss seems to have other things in mind...”

Derek glared back at her. I noticed his fist clench and I knew that he was trying to keep his temper in check.

“It’s the first time vampires have ever been treated as guests at Hawk Headquarters,” Zinnia continued. She then cocked her head to one side as if she were listening in on something through her earpiece. She nodded. “Unbelievable.” She drew a deep breath before giving both Derek and me pointed looks. “Follow me.”

Derek and I rose from our seats and trudged behind the petite young woman. It gave me some sense of comfort when Derek took hold of my hand as we walked forward. I needed his touch.

We remained silent as we got off the plane and walked across the runway. We were not oblivious to the curious stares being thrown my way and the disdainful glares being shot at Derek. I swallowed hard at the tension, wanting to get away from everyone else and get to somewhere where Derek and I could spend time by ourselves.

In the back of my mind, I knew that there were a lot of arrangements that needed to be done over Ben’s passing away, but I was too overwhelmed to dwell on it. I knew I needed to first catch my breath and gather my wits about me.

Once we reached the main building, glass doors swung open to allow us entrance. Zinnia, still leading the way, headed right in. We passed through several corridors and then an atrium filled with several men in black jumpsuits training in martial arts. We then reached an elevator with large glass windows—reminding me a lot of the central elevator at The Oasis. The mere remembrance of the Maslen coven sent chills down my spine. On the third floor, we stopped and went through another maze of walkways and corridors, before Zinnia finally stopped in front of a door with a brass number eight.

“This used to be Ben’s suite,” was all Zinnia said as she handed us a card key. “In my opinion, neither of you deserve to be in it.”

I doubt that either of us want to be. I think both Derek and I would rather be back at The Shade right now. I hated that she was talking to me like Ben didn’t matter to me. He was my best friend and I was his. Who was she to him?

“Reuben will be coming to have a talk, either later tonight or early tomorrow. We’ll need to figure out what’s to be done with the prince of The Shade here.”

After Zinnia left us, we stepped into the room and closed the door behind us. I switched the lights on and watched as Derek walked right toward the full length windows that covered one side of the room. It was the first time in a long time that I could remember ever feeling awkward around him.

“Nothing’s changed, has it, Derek?” I asked tentatively, afraid to hear his answer.

“Everything’s changed, Sofia. I’ve tasted your blood. I can’t even look at you without wanting to…” he paused and I could sense the inward battle he was fighting. “I’m so hungry.”

I approached him, wrapping my arms around his waist from behind and resting my head on his back, breathing in his scent. “We belong together. We’re going to get married. I am yours just as you are mine. My blood is yours to take whenever you want it.”

“For crying out loud, Sofia…” He spun around so quickly, I found myself stepping back in surprise. “Do you even understand what you’re saying? How can we go on this way? I…”