A Castle of Sand (A Shade of Vampire 3)

CHAPTER 12: SOFIA

I was used to people forgetting my birthday. The only time I could remember actually celebrating my birthday was when I turned thirteen. Ben treated me to burgers, fries and milkshakes before taking me to a party I wasn’t exactly invited to. To my relief, he stuck with me the whole time. He made me feel special that night—but even while we were dating last year and he was actively trying to pursue me, Ben was never able to make me feel as special as Derek did on my eighteenth birthday.

Our first stop, of course, was the lighthouse. Our secret place. Our private hideout. All the candles were replaced with new scented ones. Rose petals were scattered all over the floor. In the middle of the room was a mannequin. Hanging on it was one of the most stunning dresses I’d ever laid eyes on. The upper part was a tubed pink satin with intricate beading and beautifully embroidered sleeves. The lower part was made of light pink chiffon, its hem reaching just below my knees. A pair of silver, strappy heels were set on a wooden pedestal beside it.

I approached the dress tentatively, tracing my fingers over its beautiful fabric.

“You like it?” Derek asked from behind me.

I nodded. “It’s gorgeous.”

“Well, put it on. I’ll wait outside.”

I grinned, wondering what he was talking about. It’s not like you haven’t seen me undressed before. Then I remembered his promise to treat me differently than “all those other women.” I searched myself for what this made me feel. After we first slept together, I never told anyone, but I struggled deep inside. As I sketched his image the morning after I lost my virginity to him, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of insecurity and fear. I had just given him all of me. Just like that—in the span of a night. He was my first kiss, my first love…my first everything. On the other hand, I was only one among many women that came before me. Doubts of him losing interest in me and finding me unable to equal the more experienced women he’d been with plagued me.

Then he did this. He set me apart from everyone else. That night, as I watched him step out of the room in order to give me privacy, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratefulness toward him.

I got dressed as quickly as I could, not wanting him to wait too long. When I was done, I headed for the door and opened it. I drew a breath when I saw him wearing a black coat over his outfit. He looked stunning and refined.

“Hey, handsome.” I smiled.

He grinned, seeming to genuinely appreciate the compliment, before giving me a good look. “You look incredible.”

“Thanks to you.” I blushed.

He took hold of my hand, his every motion gentle and much like a sweet caress. He then led me to the middle of the room and gently placed his hands on my waist. He began leading me to a slow dance. He told me once that music was always playing in his head. This wasn’t the first time he made me dance to music that only he could hear.

I smiled, enjoying the feel of his hands on me. It was a balm to the yearning ache I’d been feeling for him over the past few days. Being in his arms was bliss in and of itself, so it was even more of a treat when he began humming a tune, allowing me to hear the music playing in his mind.

Just like every moment I spent with him, I wanted it to last for an eternity, but the song came to a close. He then uttered words that sent my brain into a tailspin.

“Marry me, Sofia.”

I froze. I guess I should’ve seen it coming. He was pursuing me. He wanted me. Why is this request taking me by surprise? Every fiber of my being was begging me to nod my head and say yes. There was nothing more I wanted than to be his wife, but what kind of life would he have with me? It didn’t make any sense for an immortal to commit his entire lifetime to a mortal such as me. I looked up at him, seeing the longing there, mirroring exactly what I felt.

“Derek…” My voice was choked and slightly broken. “I want to…you know that, right?”

“But you can’t…” he muttered sadly, his head slowly nodding to show his attempt to understand. His eyes betrayed the pain inside, however, and I wanted nothing other than to ease his pain. But I had no idea how to do that.

My grip tightened over his arms. “I’m so sorry…”

“Don’t be. I knew you’d say no, but I wanted to try anyway. I know that someday, I’ll hear you say yes to that request, Sofia.” He nodded resolutely. “Someday, you’re going to be my wife.”

You have no idea how much I want to say yes right now. A soft gasp escaped my lips when he pulled away from me. He kept on talking about marriage as if only he wanted it, as if I didn’t want it just as much as he did, but how could we take such a step? I didn’t even want to think about tomorrow, because the hopelessness I felt whenever I thought about the future always ate me up. I didn’t want to think of a future without Derek. I wanted to just live today. Marriage was a commitment that forced me to look ahead and wonder what would happen.

Confused, I stepped away from him and looked into his eyes, wondering what was going through his mind. I was relieved to see his melancholy fade away with one bright smile. He lifted his forefinger in the air in a gesture for me to wait.

He walked toward a small chest placed on top of a wooden desk in one corner of the room. He took out a square blue velvet box just about the same length and width as my hand. He brought it to me and opened it. Inside was a golden chain with a small heart-shaped pendant. I brushed my fingers over the pendant, marveling over its beauty. I really had no idea how to tell if a piece of jewelry had any worth, but my gut told me that the necklace he was offering to me was more expensive than I would care to know.

He verified this when he announced, “It’s a diamond. It was my mother’s. It was the most valuable thing she owned. She had to pawn it off before she passed away, because of some difficulties we were having at the farm. It took me years to find it.”

“Derek, I can’t possibly take this. It’s too valuable…”

“No. I want you to have it. I know that she would’ve wanted you to have it.” He took the necklace from the box. “Lift your hair up,” he instructed.

“Derek…” I said breathlessly, wanting to object, knowing how precious the item he was offering to me was.

“Sofia…please…” His voice was husky. “I want you to have it. Wear it always. It will remind you of me. Take it as a promise from me—a promise that I will find a way to be with you.”

I lifted my hair up with my hand. My skin tingled as he put the necklace over my neck. I was fighting back tears. I couldn’t remember anyone ever giving me something so precious. When he faced me, I could barely look at him.

“Thank you…” I brushed a hand over the pendant. “I love it.”

“I have another surprise…” He smiled, his hand squeezing mine.

I adored him for what he showed me next, but a part of me wished he hadn’t done what he did, because the moment I saw the lavish quarters he’d prepared for me, Paige and Rosa in The Catacombs, I knew without a doubt that life there wasn’t going to be easy.