“Word’s out that Derek has got Cameron out on a full-scale hunt for you. They’re hunting you as we speak.” Six-hundred-year-old Claudia rolled her seventeen-year-old body over the bed so that she was lying on her stomach. She grabbed the cigarette I just lit before I could start smoking it and took a good, long whiff.

I glared at her, noting the amusement in her eyes. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

She laughed. “You know I am. Can you blame me? You preying on Derek’s precious little pet… Derek hunting you down… You, prince of The Shade, the royal highness himself, hiding out with me, ready for my bed whenever I please.” She eyed me pointedly before saying with flair, “How the mighty have fallen.”

I scowled at her, but it wasn’t like I was in any position to dispute her delusions. Whether I liked it or not, I was at her mercy. I hated owing Claudia anything, but she was the only person among the Elite whose depravity and selfishness could equal – perhaps even exceed – mine. We’d had each other’s backs for centuries simply because we allowed each other to indulge our dark sides. Hell, I wasn’t even sure if Claudia had a side that wasn’t made of pure evil. What I was sure of was that she wouldn’t betray me by handing me over to Derek.

I lit another cigarette and pressed it to my lips.

“Do you really think Derek has it in him to kill you?” Claudia asked.

“He was going to. I could see it in his eyes. The human girl stopped him.”

“Oh, that’s rich. She saved you. Now, you owe her your life.”

“I don’t owe her anything.” I blew out smoke, annoyed by where the conversation was going. It was me who found Sofia. She was supposed to be mine. I had the right to do with her as I pleased.

“If you say so… Be that as it may, you can’t keep hiding here forever. What are you planning to do now you’re being hunted down?”

“I don’t know.”

“You could always escape…”

“Oh yeah? And go where?” I took another puff from my cigarette. Claudia had already thrown hers away.

“Well, there’s only one other coven who has it almost as good as we have.”

I scoffed at the implication. “No way.”

“Where else are you going to go? The Oasis is the only logical option.”

I shortly entertained the idea in my mind. I found the prospect appealing for two reasons: seeing the legendary Oasis, and finally meeting Borys’ right-hand woman, Ingrid. She was rumored to possess beauty unlike any other.

“Though the prospect of finally laying eyes on this mysterious pet Borys just added to his clan is not without its allure, you must’ve forgotten who I am, Claudia. I’m Lucas Novak. Novak. The Maslens will have my head the moment my feet hit Cairo.”

Claudia shrugged. “Well, it really isn’t my problem, is it? All I know is that you have to get out of here as soon as possible, because if they find out I’m aiding and abetting a criminal, I’m sure Derek won’t hesitate to rip my heart out.”

I gave her a wary glare. Claudia … such a sympathetic friend. I tossed my cigarette into a nearby ashtray and turned toward her. I pushed her back so that she was lying flat on the bed. “Sometimes, I wonder where your loyalties lie, Claudia.”

“That’s easy.” She smirked. “I’m loyal to me.”

“Of course you are.” I rolled my eyes. “I’ll be out of your hair in no time, Claudia, but for now…” I kissed her deeply. She tasted of blood and nicotine. I distracted myself with the pleasures she provided one more time. I knew I still had a couple of days to spare. The real danger was when the impetuous and insane blonde vampire writhing beneath me finally got bored of me. Until then, she would keep me safe. Until then, escape could wait.

CHAPTER 12: DEREK

I spat on the dirt ground and threw my opponent a disgusted glare. Across from me on the make-shift circle that served as the training grounds’ fighting arena, Xavier Vaughn was trying to catch his breath, his right arm hanging limply at his side with his hand clutching the hilt of his katana like his life depended on it. He was exhausted, bloody, and bruised.

I couldn’t stand the sight of him. Before my sleep, he would’ve bested me in any sword fight nine times out of ten. After four centuries, it took half a dozen strikes from me to completely wear him down.

“We’ve only been at this for about ten minutes, Vaughn.” I watched as the fresh wound the tip of my katana most recently inflicted upon him quickly closed up and healed.

“I haven’t done this in centuries, Novak.” Xavier never did address me as his prince or superior. It was one thing I liked about him. “I’m a little bit rusty.”

I tilted my head to the side in scrutiny of him. “A little bit? Is that a joke? Where’s the warrior that I once knew? If you fought this way during the Battle of First Blood, we’d all be dead by now.”

A hint of amusement showed in the corners of his tired, steel gray eyes. He seemed to suddenly gain a bit more strength, because he raised his katana and lunged forward to attack me.

It took about a minute for me to slash an ugly wound across his back and have him lying face down on the ground. I was annoyed watching the wound heal. The blood that spilled from his back tainted the ground, mixing with that of the others who fought me before him.

What have they been doing for the past four hundred years? My merciless stare followed Xavier as he dragged himself out of the arena. “Looks like we’ve got a lot of work to do. Who’s next?”