“If I disagree?” The hunter raised a brow in question.

Derek shrugged. “Well, it’s not like there’s anything you can do about it, is there? I would think that you’d prefer our cooperation instead of taking us by force, and we both know that you’re not going to blow the island up. It’s a waste of a valuable resource.”

Zinnia chuckled. “I don’t believe this. He’s talking about a partnership between hunters and the vampires of The Shade.”

I could swear that I saw a flicker of respect in the way Arron eyed Derek as he gave thought to what Derek was saying.

He nodded. “Two weeks. I expect your honeymoon to be over in two weeks, and then we can discuss how to proceed. During that time, I expect to have full access to all the people and resources of The Shade, as well as the cooperation of everyone in finding out a way to multiply the blood of the immunes. Do we have a deal?”

I was expecting a smile to appear on his face. Instead, I found the same fierce expression. Derek shook his head. “No.”

“Excuse me?” Clearly, Arron was getting irritated.

“One month. Our honeymoon will last for a month, and during that time, none of you will get in touch with us. You will give us the privacy we deserve. You are not to try to find us. Give my wife and me a chance to enjoy each other’s company.”

“How do I know you’re not just going to run off?” Arron asked, squinting an eye in suspicion.

“We couldn’t do that even if we wanted to,” I spoke up. “We’ve both fought and bled for the people of The Shade. We wouldn’t abandon them. We couldn’t.”

Arron shifted his gaze away from Derek and let it settle on me. He seemed to want to say something but thought better of it, but the way he was looking at me sent shivers down my spine. I could almost feel the hatred oozing out of his pores as he looked me over.

I had no idea who Arron was or what he was capable of, but I knew that he couldn’t be trusted. I made a mental note to ask Aiden about him at some point, but for now, I found solace that even in his human form, Derek was still in charge and still presenting himself as a force to be reckoned with.

Arron rose to his feet. “Very well. One month,” he conceded.

I searched Derek’s face for some sign of relief, but found none. He kept his cold poker face on as he stood up to shake Arron’s hand. “One month.”

“Don’t try anything foolish, Novak. I acknowledge that you are right. There is value to The Shade, but don’t esteem its value too high. Our curiosity and patience can only last so long.”

Derek’s grip on the older man’s hand tightened. “I am a man of my word. I will see you in a month, and hopefully, no sooner than that.”

Arron smirked. “I share the sentiment. Your presence grates at my every nerve, Novak. Make no mistake about it.”

“In our absence, my sister, Vivienne and Sofia’s father, Aiden, will be in charge. I trust that they will see to it that only what’s best for The Shade will be done.”

I was surprised that Derek would trust my father in such a way, but whatever surprise I felt was overshadowed when I saw the reaction on Vivienne’s face. Fear, uncertainty, apprehension… qualities that I rarely saw in the seer’s cool and confident countenance…

That same reaction on her face was etched in my mind the first day Derek and I spent on the sandy beaches of Tahiti. I felt guilty that I was worrying over Vivienne and The Shade. I knew I had every right to enjoy my honeymoon, but I couldn’t help it.

“How do you think they’re doing back in The Shade?” I asked. We were a few feet away from the water, bright orange beach towels spread on the ground, a picnic basket and our clothes sprawled above our heads. We were both seated and propped up, enjoying the sun’s rays.

“It’s our first day here, Sofia. You’re already worried about what’s happening back home?”

Home. The word struck a chord. Derek was right. The Shade, along with all its craziness, had become our home. I still couldn’t wrap my mind around the idea that I was married to the ruler of The Shade.

“I can’t help it,” I responded. “It feels selfish that we’re having a great time, while having no idea what’s going on in there. I mean, do you really trust that Arron will keep his word and…”

“Trust me on this, Sofia… The cure changes everything. Arron would be a fool to go against us. With the cure in play, The Shade has become a sanctuary to all vampires. I have my reasons for believing that he won’t do anything he’ll regret, but I don’t want to discuss it right now.” He sat up and began running his hands through my hair. “Be here with me, Sofia. Let’s enjoy this. Let’s be that normal young couple for once. After everything we had to go through to get here, I think we deserve that… don’t you?”

He gently brushed his fingers over my cheeks, tucking lose strands of my hair behind my ear. I looked at him and smiled. “Of course I do.” I took a deep breath and forced myself to enjoy this moment with my husband. My husband. I never dreamed that I would get married at eighteen, but I had no regrets. Derek was more than I could ever have hoped for.

We both set our sights on our surroundings, enjoying the scenery and the sound of those waves. At some point, I shifted my attention from the view to Derek. I couldn’t remember ever seeing him as happy as he was at that moment. He seemed light and carefree. If I didn’t know better, if I didn’t know what a burdened, old soul he was, I would’ve pegged him for just another teenager, enjoying a vacation with his lover.

I loved watching how much he was enjoying the sunlight. His skin was white as a sheet when seen in broad daylight, but even though I warned him that he might end up looking like a bright red tomato by the end of the day, he didn’t care. He hadn’t had the privilege to bask in sunlight for hundreds of years.

“Don’t you know that it’s rude to stare?” he quipped without even bothering to look at me. “I can’t believe you, Sofia… You’re shamelessly checking me out in public.” This time, he looked my way, winked and flashed me a toothy grin. “Don’t make it so obvious that you think I’m hot.”

“I married the most humble man on earth…” I muttered. He playfully shoved a fistful of sand my way. “Hey!” I squealed, jumping up from my beach towel. I began patting off the sand from my bare legs before scowling at him.

“Come on, Sofia… Admit it. You think I’m hot.” He stretched out on his towel, his hands tucked behind his head.

I rolled my eyes. “I think…” I paused and narrowed my eyes at him “that…” I leaned forward toward him, while fisting a clump of sand with the hand I was using to support my weight “you’re going to get sunburn if you don’t let me massage some more sun block on you…” I grinned before throwing the fistful of sand onto his bare chest. “I also think that you can be an arrogant pain in the neck sometimes.” I winked. “No pun intended.”

He didn’t seem to mind the sand on his chest at all. He grabbed me by the waist and pulled me on top of him. He then ran his hands through my hair, lowering my head so he could kiss me. Both of us had yet to explore all the changes that we were dealing with since he turned back into a human, but one thing I knew for sure: he was just as good a kisser as a human as he was a vampire.

By the time our lips parted, I was out of breath and flushed red. I could feel the heat climb from the tips of my toes right up to the freckles on my cheekbones. I drew a breath before looking at him. He had a self-satisfied, smug smirk on his face. “See? Hot.” He flicked his dark brows at me, obviously proud with his performance.

I could barely think straight, so coming up with a good comeback was close to impossible. I was surprised by how ridiculously attractive I found him at that moment. I can’t believe he still has this effect on me. Annoying that he is fully aware of it too…

“That’s a first.” He made a face as if he were giving something some deep thought. “I don’t think I remember ever rendering Sofia Novak speechless.” He grinned, before wistfully rolling his eyes and once again uttering my name in a sweet slur. “Sofia Novak.” His hands tightened around my waist, his thumbs gently caressing my skin.

I placed both hands over his chest as I propped myself up to look him straight in the eyes. “We did it, Derek. We made it.”

He smiled. “Didn’t I tell you that I was going to marry you? You should believe me more often.”

“What is it about you turning back into human that has made you so arrogant?” I teased, though I had to admit that I was greatly amused by this sweet, somewhat irritating, playful side of him.

He was about to respond when we heard a grumbling sound. His eyes widened and his arms clasped around me protectively. “What was that?”

I listened and there it was again.

“Did you hear that?” he asked, looking alarmed.

The rumbling sound came again and I burst out laughing. “That was your stomach, dummy!”

He frowned. “Mine? Are you sure it wasn’t yours?”

“Poor baby… You’ve forgotten what it’s like when a human gets hungry. Your fangs – not that you still have them anyway - won’t begin to ache and your blood won’t begin to pound. Not anymore. When you’re hungry, your stomach growls.” I reached for our picnic basket and grabbed half a cheese sandwich. I shoved the whole thing into his mouth before he could even respond to what I had just said. So whatever it was he was going to say got muffled by the sound of his own chewing.

I snickered as I watched him slowly chew and swallow the food. “I never thought I would find the sight of a man eating food sexy…”

“You admit it finally!” He raised his arms in the air in triumph. “You’re so into me…”

“Well, I married you…” I shoved a chocolate-covered strawberry into his mouth. “But, we both know that you’re just as into me as I am into you.”