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

CHAPTER 16: Aiden

We had a traitor amongst us.

“It must be Natalie. Who else could’ve informed them that we don’t want a trade?” Claudia hissed. She was pacing the floor, her face healing from a fresh gash.

We had all been at the Port, gearing up to attack The Blood Keep, when the attack had happened. We’d left the Port to find what was left of the Crimson Fortress completely demolished by multiple explosions. It was a miracle the Port still remained intact.

I’d turned toward Vivienne. I was preparing myself to take the helm should she crumble and back down from leading. But she hadn’t. Within minutes after the first explosion, she’d been pointing at people, barking out orders, putting protocol into place. After all, it wasn’t the first time The Shade had faced war.

“Liana, Cameron,” she barked at her best friend and her husband, “organize your team.” She pointed out several of the other members of the Elite, teaming them up in order to lead their own teams. “Gavin, Ian, please take care of leading the humans. You know what to do. Xavier and Aiden, come with me. You guys too,” she added, pointing at Sam and Ashley. “We need to protect the Sanctuary.”

“And us?” Zinnia asked.

Vivienne looked her over from head to foot. “Where’s Arron? I don’t care what you do, idiot. Just prove yourself worth something more than empty threats.”

I almost felt sorry for Zinnia as she looked around in search of her boss while the ground shook beneath us. I, too, was curious over where the head hunter could’ve gone, but I didn’t have time to mull much over it, because Xavier had already grabbed me by the shoulders in order to speed our way to the Sanctuary.

We arrived at the Sanctuary just in time to see Corrine walking out of the temple, fists clenched, eyes blazing fire.

“Who the hell did this?” she screamed, casting a glare at all of us.

“I don’t know,” Vivienne responded. “I think it’s the Elder’s vampires attacking. Who could’ve told them?”

“Natalie hasn’t moved an inch. It couldn’t have been her.” Corrine stopped between the two round pillars in front of the whitewashed edifice.

“Where is the portal, Corrine?” I asked, growing impatient.

Corrine hesitated to answer. I could understand that, considering how any of us could be the traitor.

“We want to protect the portal, Corrine. You have to trust us.” Vivienne sounded desperate.

“It’s…” Corrine took another step forward only to fly back, landing on the ground with a thud.

“What was that?” Xavier ran toward the building only to be thrown back just like Corrine.

“It’s a force field,” Vivienne blurted out as she looked at the Sanctuary in horror. “Only Emilia was powerful enough to do this.”

“My sister had many tricks up her sleeve. After spending hundreds of years with her, I managed to learn more than a few of them.” A red-eyed vampire appeared from behind the Sanctuary, a grin on his face.

Corrine’s eyes widened in horror. “Kiev,” she hissed.

He grinned, cocking his head to the side. “You know me.” He seemed delighted.

“You’re notorious amongst the witches and you know it.”

He chuckled before turning his gaze toward me. “Your daughter’s fine, Claremont. You need not worry about her. I’ll take very good care of her… during her pregnancy.”

My heart stopped. Before thinking it through, I drew my gun and shot him, trusting in my accuracy. The bullet hit the force field and boomeranged towards us, grazing Ashley in the arm. The young vampire began swearing loudly.

I couldn’t think straight. “If you ever do anything to hurt Sofia…” I choked, unable to imagine what it was like for her being under the Elder’s captivity while pregnant. I wondered if Derek even knew that she was having a baby. I wondered if she knew.

I knew for a fact that she hadn’t slept with Derek until after their wedding. She can’t be far enough into her pregnancy to already have symptoms.

“I told you. She’s precious to us. She’s carrying the spawn of a vampire-turned-human and an immune… Worth far more than father and mother combined.”

Vivienne’s moistened eyes met mine. We were both helpless and we knew it.

While Kiev was busy taunting us, Corrine was whispering something beneath her breath. Within minutes, a whirlwind began to form from the sky, forming a funnel whose end was about to suck Kiev in.

Kiev looked up, laughed and snapped his fingers. The whirlwind immediately disappeared. “Nice try, baby witch, but very amateur. You should’ve just agreed to the trade.”

Corrine smirked. “We both know a trade isn’t possible.”

Kiev flinched. “Really now?”

“You don’t fool me, Kiev. Stop trying.”

The expression on his face told us all that Corrine knew far more about him than any of us did. Vivienne’s face hardened. I could tell that the same question that was running through my mind was running through hers. What is Corrine talking about? Clearly, she knew far more than any of us did.

“Corrine?” Vivienne croaked through choked breath. “What’s going on?”

Corrine had a wild-eyed, almost manic, reaction in her face as she stared at Kiev. “You ruined Cora. If it weren’t for you, she never would’ve become Emilia. I’m sorry, Vivienne, but this was the only way I saw to get this monster here and still keep the portal safe.”

Kiev snickered. “Corrine, you really are like your ancestor. A na?ve little fool.”

I had no idea what was going on—especially with the witch the vampires seemed to trust with their lives. One thing, however, was clear. Everyone had an agenda of their own.

All this was made even clearer when Ian arrived, out of breath. He went straight for Vivienne.

“Arron’s gone.” he announced. “He abandoned the hunters.”

I had no idea who Kiev, the red-eyed vampire, was, but he couldn’t have been more right when he cast Corrine then Vivienne an amused look. “All hell’s about to break loose, princess.”