Xavier wasn’t given an explanation, because Vivienne was already launching the necklace into the air. The piece of jewelry hit her vanity mirror. Glass shattered on the floor. Vivienne was a picture of unadulterated fury as she marched past Xavier, screaming, “How dare he! How dare he!”

Of the many memories Vivienne shared to me, that encounter with Xavier - a vampire I only recently met during preparations for Vivienne’s memorial - was one that often revisited me. I would’ve ignored it, but I couldn’t, because the mere mention of the names Borys and Ingrid Maslen would immediately send chills down my spine. Questions about the memory assailed my mind. Who were the Maslens? What was it about that necklace that got Vivienne so angry? Does Derek know about them? Should I ask Xavier about this day? The memory bothered me, but I felt as if the one person who should be answering them for me was nowhere in sight. Vivienne… Why on earth did you dump all these memories into my head? I can’t make head or tail out of them.

“Earth to Sofia Claremont.” Paige began waving her hand in front of my face. “Are you still with us, Sofia?”

I blinked several times, recalling that I was with my friends after a visit to the Vale for some new clothes. They were a little more forgiving and friendly toward me after Ashley’s release.

“Huh? What?”

“You keep spacing out on us,” Ashley chuckled. “Are you alright?”

“I just…” I nodded, not knowing how to explain to them what Vivienne did to me and what was going through my head. “I’m fine.”

“Are you still not talking to Derek?” Rosa asked.

I nodded. Ever since that encounter with Claudia, I moved back into one of the guest rooms and no longer slept in Derek’s bedroom.

“Why, Sofia? He sided with you again against Claudia…” Paige was staring at me like I’d gone mad. “You should be rewarding him, not punishing him.”

I slowed down my steps as we walked past the woods that led to the Residences before voicing out the questions I feared hearing the answer to most.

“Is it true that Derek has been sleeping with other women?”

We all stopped walking and they exchanged concerned glances. Their reactions were enough to answer my question. I was surprised by the pain that gripped my heart. Suddenly, breathing became quite a task.

“Sofia…” Rosa, the most sensitive and gentle among us, brushed her hand over my arm.

“I don’t even know why I’m so disturbed. It’s not like we’re together and besides, I left him…”

“Sofia, he’s a vampire who’s been on earth for centuries. It’s amazing that he’s developed such loyalty and affection for you, but you have to realize that whatever’s going on between the two of you, it can’t possibly last.” Paige, ever the voice of reason, explained in an excruciatingly patronizing manner, before repeating, “He’s a vampire. You’re human. The shelf life of such relationships – if you could even call what you have with him that – doesn’t really last long…”

I knew she was right. I didn’t even know what I was expecting to happen upon returning to The Shade, but being given that dose of reality from a dear friend was enough to completely shake everything I stood for. I didn’t know what the proper reaction to Paige’s dose of reality was, but to me, it made what I had with Derek more precious – as if the time I had with him was borrowed and I had to make the most out of it while it was still mine.

I started walking again, not knowing how to respond to Paige. They followed my pace, the atmosphere suddenly becoming tense.

Ashley, to my relief, finally broke the silence. “For all it’s worth, Sofia, he’s different when you’re here. He doesn’t seem to be as… dark compared to when you were away.” She rubbed a palm over the back of her neck, before continuing to explain. “Look… I’m not one to pretend to understand how the mind of Derek Novak works, but maybe… just maybe… he had Vivienne send him those girls so he could get his mind off of you.”

She was the last person I expected to stand in defense of Derek. The fact that she did took me aback.

“I guess what I’m saying is,” Ashley droned on “that the best person for you to ask would be him.”

We finally reached the lift that would lead us to the walkway branching toward Derek’s penthouse. We were silent as the lift rose up the full length of the giant redwoods supporting Derek’s home. It didn’t take long before we stepped into the hall that led to the living room. I drew a breath when we found Derek waiting there, standing right in the middle of the room, fists clenched and muscles tensed.

“Where were you?” he asked.

“We went to the Catacombs,” I replied. “…to make sure Gavin has begun to heal of the gashes Claudia inflicted upon him, then we stopped by the Vale.” I motioned to the shopping bags we were holding.

He didn’t even bother looking at the bags. His eyes were on me and suddenly, I felt vulnerable under his gaze – as if his glare alone could break me. “Leave us,” he ordered.

Ashley pried the shopping bags from my hands as all three of them left for their rooms, leaving me with a brooding vampire, whose eyes were drinking in the sight of me like I was a feast he wanted to partake of. I couldn’t remember the last time I was terrified to be around him, but that was exactly how I felt as I stood before him: absolutely mortified.