A Gate of Night (A Shade of Vampire #6)

CHAPTER 9: Derek

Every bone in my body screamed out in pain. Those red eyes were ingrained in my memory as a symbol for excruciating agony. I wanted to heal. I wanted to somehow recover the ability I’d taken for granted all those years. I was surprised to even be alive. I couldn’t understand how a mortal human being could survive what Kiev had just put me through.

The things we survive, I mused, thinking of the many things Sofia had to endure. Was it this painful for her too? A wave of guilt swept over me at the recollection of all the pain she’d gone through ever since she got entangled in my life. I struggled to meet her gaze, moaning at how even the slightest motion caused currents of agony to flow from the nape of my neck to the tips of my toes.

I drew a breath at the look on Sofia’s face. “I’m so sorry, Derek,” she whispered, obviously afraid to even touch me. “I’m so sorry.”

I couldn’t understand why she was apologizing. She wasn’t the one who’d done this to me. “No. Don’t.”

“If I hadn’t pushed for a cure… If I’d just… I’m so sorry.”

I hated the Elder and his children more than I ever had before. “I love you, Sofia, but you really need to stop this nonsense you’re sputtering out.” I tried to chuckle but the attempt only caused spasms of pain to go through my throat.

“You’re not supposed to be kidding around, Derek.” She choked back her tears. “What have they done to you? Who are these monsters? What do they want with us?”

I pressed my palms on the ground and pushed my upper body up, groaning. “Help me up.”

She helped me sit up, leaning my bleeding back against the wall. Now that I was sitting upright, my head began to whirl.

“You should lie down.” Sofia’s gentle hands ran over my matted hair before she pulled me to rest my head over her lap.

I tried not to groan too much, noticing how she winced. She was trying to be as gentle as possible with me—as if she were afraid that if she touched me, I would break.

Is this how she used to feel around me? So vulnerable?

“It’s all right, Sofia. We’ll be all right,” was my feeble attempt to assure her. Soft lips touched my forehead then my cheek then my lips. The contact caused my bruised face agony and yet my soul came alive just to have her shower those kisses on me.

I dared not groan, steeling myself against the pain. I had an inkling that the memory of those kisses would be the only thing I could hold on to in the coming months.

“Rest,” she whispered as she brushed slender fingers over my hair. I shifted my head on her lap to find the least painful position I could manage.

Only then did I notice the little girl backed up into one corner of the cell. She had her arms wrapped around her knees, her big eyes set on me. I felt like I was being assessed. I tried to recall where I’d seen the little blonde before. She looked awfully familiar.

“That little girl,” I moaned, my voice hoarse from all the screaming I’d done in Kiev’s hands. “Is that Ben’s sister?”

Sofia frowned. “You see her?”

“Why wouldn’t I see her? She’s right there.”

“It’s pitch black in that corner.”

I blinked as I scanned the room. The light left something to be desired, but I could still see everything clearly.

The little girl spoke up.

“Sofia?” she squeaked out.

“Abby, do you see me?”

“Not so much. Who are you with?”

“He’s my husband, Derek. He was there during Ben’s funeral. Don’t you remember?”

“Is he safe? He won’t hurt me, will he?”

“Honey, he’s not going to hurt you. Derek, you remember Abby, right?”

“I’m too hurt to even move, Abby. So yes. You’re safe with me.”

We were met with silence. The little girl was just staring straight right in front of her.

“Come here where I can see you, sweetie,” Sofia coaxed.

Abby crawled toward us, following the sound of Sofia’s voice, feeling the space in front of her.

Questions were running through my mind—ones I wasn’t sure I wanted answered. Why was she here? What had happened to the Hudsons? What would the Elder want with a little girl like her?

Abby finally arrived by Sofia’s side, snuggling against her. Small hands began to brush through my hair. “They hurt you really bad, Mr. Derek.”

“They did, didn’t they?” I groaned, her statement reminding me of the dull ache I felt all over my body. I was desperately trying to make light of the situation, perhaps draw a laugh from my wife. I was afraid that we only had a few moments left with each other, and I would’ve rather seen her smile than her tears.

“I thought Sofia was going to marry Ben. I saw them kissing a lot.”

I could already see the blush on Sofia’s face without having to look at her. I grinned, remembering how jealous I’d been of Sofia’s best friend. At that time, I’d lost all hope that I could ever be with her. How was I going to compete with all those years of history? Now she was my wife. A wife you’re about to lose.

I swallowed hard. I would’ve shaken my head, but it would be too painful so I just shut my eyes and bit my lip, trying to regain hope that both Sofia and I were going to get out of this mess in one piece.

“Sofia.” I spoke up. “I need you to listen to me. We’re being held captive by the Elder and his children. The vampires who took us at the hotel—they’re his children. The red-eyed one is Kiev. The brunette is his sister, Clara. I think they want to kill me.”

“Derek, don’t…”

“Listen to me.” I cut her off. “There’s little chance we can get away from this, Sofia. I’ll be honest with you. Even as a vampire, I was already vulnerable against them. Right now…” I tried to choose my words carefully, to assure her that I wasn’t blaming her for what I was now, that I adored her for finding the cure and making me feel like normalcy was a possibility. “Sofia, whatever they ask you to do, don’t give in.”

“Of course. I would never—”

“Even if they threaten to kill me.”

Her breath hitched. I could almost see the wheels turning furiously in her mind. I knew then that no matter what she said, even if she promised me that she wouldn’t risk her life or everything we worked for to save me, she wouldn’t be able to help herself.

I wondered then if the prophecy that we were strongest together and weakest apart was true, because I had become Sofia’s greatest weakness and she had become mine.

I would do anything to keep from losing Sofia and from the looks of it, the same was true of her.