I stepped away from her, revolted by her touch.

“When was the last time you laid with a woman?”

Every night since Sofia left. I had Vivienne send me a girl or two to keep me company in my bedroom. Without them, my chambers reeked too much of Sofia and her scent. Even with other women to distract me, she was still on my mind.

“I could help loosen you up…” Claudia offered.

I pushed her away before she could lay a hand on me. “That’s not why I’m here. Sit down, Claudia. I wish to discuss something private with you.”

Her brows rose. “Something private.” The idea obviously delighted her. “This ought to be interesting.” She turned her back on me to return to her cot.

I was surprised to find the back of her smock lined with blood stains.

I grabbed her arm to stop her. “The wounds from the lashes… they haven’t yet healed? It’s been days since…”

She shrugged my hand away from her arm and sat back on the cot. “My dear prince…” she hissed. “You really should find out what the extents of your punishments are before you dole them out. I was injected with a serum to delay the healing before the lashes were inflicted on me. As long as the serum is in my system, I will not heal.”

I swallowed hard.

“Oh, don’t worry yourself too much about this,” she smiled bitterly. “Someone has been coming to treat the wounds.”

“Who?” I raised a brow. I didn’t know why I even asked. I already knew the answer before she gave it to me.

“Yuri,” she responded. A sudden spark of delight appeared in her big brown eyes. “Are you going to punish him for helping me? You really should… his ‘treatments’ hurt like hell. I’m starting to think he just enjoys hearing me scream with pain.”

I had half the mind to ask her about the younger Lazaroff, but decided not to. The thought of exploring Claudia’s twisted mind wasn’t all that inviting and it wasn’t why I came.

“Anyway, do tell me why you’re here, Prince Derek. I’m dying to know.”

“Ben…”

Her eyes flickered with recognition at the mention of the name.

“You remember him?”

“Of course. He was special… that one… hard to forget. I regret ever taking him with me when I visited you, but how could I have known that your fiery little pet once knew him? How is she anyway?”

Ignoring her, I got straight to my point. “I’m assuming that you already had a taste of his blood from the first night you had him with you. Am I correct?”

She confirmed my suspicions with a nod.

“How did you manage to drink of him for so long without ending his life? How did you have that kind of control?”

She grew pensive, as if she too were surprised by what she was able to accomplish. “Why do you ask?” She stalled answering my question.

“I crave a girl. I’ve tasted her blood and now I’m desperate to finish the kill.”

“Your lovely redhead? Such a beautiful thing to waste on one kill…”

“Answer my question.” First, Vivienne. Now, Claudia. The constant mention of Sofia was grating on my nerves.

“Always so feisty.” She pouted, and then gave my question thought before responding, “I was never able to control myself from finishing a human off for more than a week or two.”

“But he was with you for many weeks… He was brought to The Shade not long after Sofia was…” Her name left a bitter taste on my mouth.

“He reminded me of someone. Someone from the past.” Something dark and wicked marred Claudia’s countenance. “As I said, he was special… I wanted to keep him for as long as I was able.” She shrugged. “Perhaps rage toward a human gives us some form of control.”

I shook my head, slowly comprehending. “Not rage… emotion…”

“Perhaps. Is that all you came to ask?” She stretched her back and winced at the wounds she forgot she had. She cast me a fleeting glance – unintentional and full of rage.

I did this to her.

“Pretty little Sofia…” Claudia’s gaze was now blank, her words full of venom. It was as if the girl I was speaking to only moments ago was gone and she was now possessed by a whole different person. “Ben spoke of her in his sleep. What is it with her that has got him and even you so wrapped up in her?”

She revisited the memory of their reunion, and forced me to relive it right along with her.

“Do you remember the look on their eyes when they saw each other? The way they embraced each other… so young… so in love… How does that not bother you?”

I swallowed hard. Unwelcome imaginations of Ben and Sofia in each other’s arms, happy and in love, rushed through my mind. I wondered if Claudia was taunting me, but the anger blazing in her eyes told me that she too was living out the jealousy she felt upon seeing them together. Her rage was directed not at me, but at him, at her.

I remembered that day all too well. Claudia came to pay me tribute and Sofia arrived from a walk outside. It was clear to see that she and Ben held affection for each other, so I asked Claudia to give Ben to me – for Sofia’s sake. I remembered how I held Claudia and pulled her body against mine as I gave her my request. I used Claudia just to see how Sofia would react to me placing my hands on the sultry, blonde vampire.

I did not imagine it. I knew I saw jealousy in Sofia’s green gaze.