A Castle of Sand (A Shade of Vampire 3)

CHAPTER 24: CLAUDIA

That didn’t exactly work out as planned. The idea was to drive a wedge between Derek and Sofia, but it seemed all I managed to do was make Derek realize just how much the redhead loved him.

Of course, the trip wasn’t entirely in vain. My suspicions were correct. Ben was no longer on the island. I couldn’t find him anywhere, and based on what Derek had told me, it seemed he’d been gone for quite some time already. I can’t believe I didn’t know. I always just assumed that he had my boy hidden somewhere on the island.

My suspicions were solidified the moment Derek said, “…she wouldn’t have given up her whole life outside of the island just to come back here to me.”

If my conclusions were correct, Ben and Sofia had already been outside the island after their captivity. Only Sofia came back. I knew then the message that I was going to relay to Lucas. I was about to find a scout in order to relay a note to Natalie Borgia, but just as I was about to head off to the port, Yuri Lazaroff showed up.

The same strange mixture of irritation and affection came over me. I owed the handsome young man so much more than I was willing to admit. Though I couldn’t relate to Derek and his lunacy over the redheaded human, I could relate to the feeling that I didn’t deserve the person I loved. I would rather die than admit it to anyone at The Shade, but I’d always been in love with Yuri, a man I knew I would never in a million years deserve.

“What are you up to, Claudia?” Yuri asked, giving me an irritated glare.

“You’re stalking me again, Lazaroff?” I frowned at him.

“I told you I’d keep an eye on you.”

“Why?” I seductively purred at him—something I knew he detested. “Are you ready to admit how in love you are with me?”

I expected a wisecrack from him, so I was surprised when he just looked at me with a long, meaningful gaze. “Why do you do this, Claudia? You’re no longer a whore. Why must you keep on acting like one?”

“Once a whore, always a whore, Yuri. Do you have any idea why I got out of prison so quickly?” I was recently imprisoned at the Cells for defying Derek during a council meeting. That was before Gregor came back and Derek was still acting like an insane darklord.

Yuri’s lip twitched as he obviously steeled himself to what I was about to say. He was the only person in the world that I was certain cared enough about me to be bothered with what I was about to say. “Enlighten me.”

“Your noble and valiant prince came to my cell to lay with me. He shortened my sentence right after…”

Yuri’s fists clenched. “Claudia…I…”

“Save me your pity and your righteous indignation, Yuri.”

“Derek was in a dark place then. I’m sure he didn’t mean to offer you payment for…”

“For what, Yuri?” I cut him off. “My services?! I can’t believe you’re defending him!”

“Come on, Claudia…you’ve done a lot of screwed up things over the years—a lot of which all of us turned a blind eye to and forgave you for. When are you going to stop playing the part of a victim?”

“Of course you’d side with him.”

“Well, did he force you to bed, Claudia, or did you willingly give yourself to him like you usually do to all men?”

Before I could stop myself from doing it, I slapped him across the face. Never before had I endured a conversation with Yuri as emotionally charged as this one—not since the night he rescued me from the Duke.

Yuri never did shy away from the truth when it came to me. He never treated me like some fragile flower soiled by the hands of the people who sold me into prostitution as a child. He told me things as they were, told me that I could rise up from my past and be better. The reason we could never be together was because I believed that I was irreparable and he didn’t share the same convictions. Being with him meant constantly disappointing him just by being who I was. A whore with a broken, twisted mind.

“When will you learn not to mess with Derek, Claudia?” he asked.

I shook my head. “The prince is going to get his comeuppance someday, Yuri. Just wait and see.”

“Claudia…” Yuri called after me.

“You’re not my conscience, Yuri. Just leave me alone.” The moment I said the words, I realized just how miserable my life would be if he actually ever did leave me alone. I then scoffed at the notion. When have you ever been not miserable, Claudia? I heaved a sigh and nodded resolutely. Revenge was my source of euphoria. I’m going to make Derek Novak just as miserable as I am. Misery, after all, loves company.

Several minutes later, a confidential message was sent to Natalie Borgia to relay to Lucas, perhaps the only vampire I knew who embraced the wicked side of me. My message was simple.

Ben Hudson is no longer on the island. Find him and use him as an ace against Sofia.