Read Online A Shade of Vampire 15: A Fall of Secrets by Bella Forrest - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bella Forrest
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with this.”
“No problem.”
I waited for all the ball attendees to exit the hall before leaving my mother and following after them. I wandered down the tunnel toward the main exit, brushing my hands along the rough walls. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I had almost reached the last stretch of tunnel before the main exit when a deep baritone voice came from behind me.
“Princess.”
The dragon prince stepped out of the shadows.
“Theon,” I gasped.
He stopped a couple of feet away from me, his amber eyes boring into mine.
“Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“O-okay.”
“Who do you believe is the most worthy maiden?”
His question took me by surprise. “Most worthy maiden,” I began. “Hm. That’s really a tough question. There are, uh, so many worthy maidens.”
His thick eyebrows furrowed as he scrutinized my face.
“Why aren’t you mingling with any of them to just see for yourself?” I asked.
A smile curled the corner of his lips. “I don’t… mingle as freely as my comrades do.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I don’t just dance or talk with anyone.”
I frowned. “Then I’m not sure how you will ever find yourself a partner. If you don’t—”
“My comrades are now seeing the worth of each of the maidens before suggesting whom I ought to grant a private meeting to. I just thought that, in the meantime, I would ask you for your opinion.”
Oh.
A wave of relief washed over me.
“Well, as I said, that’s a tough question for me to answer. I think you’re better off just waiting for your comrades’ feedback on the girls.”
“Very well,” he said, stepping away. “I’m sorry to have held you up.”
“T-that’s quite all right.”
I was taken aback by his courteous behavior. It left me feeling almost guilty for expecting him to try something with me. As he turned around and began walking back down the corridor, toward his apartment, I realized that perhaps he truly was a gentleman. I hadn’t detected him trying to lure me in. Although his very presence was intimidating, he had acted anything but dishonorably.
As I left the Black Heights and began racing back toward Caleb’s and my mountain cabin, I couldn’t help but feel happy for the girl who would eventually end up with him. He would make her very happy indeed.
Chapter 13: Sofia
S oon after Rose left the hall, I left too. I made my way back to our apartment and headed straight to the bedroom. I changed into my most comfortable pair of pajamas before seeking out Derek. He was in his study, as I had expected he might be. He looked up as I entered, leaning back in his chair and stretching out.
“How did it go?” he asked.
“Much smoother than Rose and I could have expected.” I walked over to him and sat down on his lap. I ran a hand through his hair, placing a kiss on his cheek. “I’m so proud of our daughter.”
Derek’s face filled with melancholy—an emotion I’d grown used to seeing in him since Caleb had told him he wanted to propose to our daughter. Derek just didn’t want to let his baby go. Neither did I, but I couldn’t deny that I was thrilled. I trusted Caleb and I knew that he would rather die than see anything happen to our daughter. He was also more grounded and mature than Rose in many ways, and I saw that they complemented each other.
Derek would get used to it. I knew he would. I held his hands and stood up, pulling him up with me.
“You look tired. Come to bed with me?”
He didn’t resist as I tugged him out of his study, back toward our bedroom. I collapsed on the bed almost as soon as we entered and crawled between the sheets. Derek took a shower before settling on the mattress next to me. He lay on his back and stared up at the ceiling.
“At least Caleb seems a much safer vampire to be around than I was for you.”
“I would have to agree with you there,” I said, grinning. I squeezed his warm cheek, turning his head to
“No problem.”
I waited for all the ball attendees to exit the hall before leaving my mother and following after them. I wandered down the tunnel toward the main exit, brushing my hands along the rough walls. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I had almost reached the last stretch of tunnel before the main exit when a deep baritone voice came from behind me.
“Princess.”
The dragon prince stepped out of the shadows.
“Theon,” I gasped.
He stopped a couple of feet away from me, his amber eyes boring into mine.
“Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“O-okay.”
“Who do you believe is the most worthy maiden?”
His question took me by surprise. “Most worthy maiden,” I began. “Hm. That’s really a tough question. There are, uh, so many worthy maidens.”
His thick eyebrows furrowed as he scrutinized my face.
“Why aren’t you mingling with any of them to just see for yourself?” I asked.
A smile curled the corner of his lips. “I don’t… mingle as freely as my comrades do.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I don’t just dance or talk with anyone.”
I frowned. “Then I’m not sure how you will ever find yourself a partner. If you don’t—”
“My comrades are now seeing the worth of each of the maidens before suggesting whom I ought to grant a private meeting to. I just thought that, in the meantime, I would ask you for your opinion.”
Oh.
A wave of relief washed over me.
“Well, as I said, that’s a tough question for me to answer. I think you’re better off just waiting for your comrades’ feedback on the girls.”
“Very well,” he said, stepping away. “I’m sorry to have held you up.”
“T-that’s quite all right.”
I was taken aback by his courteous behavior. It left me feeling almost guilty for expecting him to try something with me. As he turned around and began walking back down the corridor, toward his apartment, I realized that perhaps he truly was a gentleman. I hadn’t detected him trying to lure me in. Although his very presence was intimidating, he had acted anything but dishonorably.
As I left the Black Heights and began racing back toward Caleb’s and my mountain cabin, I couldn’t help but feel happy for the girl who would eventually end up with him. He would make her very happy indeed.
Chapter 13: Sofia
S oon after Rose left the hall, I left too. I made my way back to our apartment and headed straight to the bedroom. I changed into my most comfortable pair of pajamas before seeking out Derek. He was in his study, as I had expected he might be. He looked up as I entered, leaning back in his chair and stretching out.
“How did it go?” he asked.
“Much smoother than Rose and I could have expected.” I walked over to him and sat down on his lap. I ran a hand through his hair, placing a kiss on his cheek. “I’m so proud of our daughter.”
Derek’s face filled with melancholy—an emotion I’d grown used to seeing in him since Caleb had told him he wanted to propose to our daughter. Derek just didn’t want to let his baby go. Neither did I, but I couldn’t deny that I was thrilled. I trusted Caleb and I knew that he would rather die than see anything happen to our daughter. He was also more grounded and mature than Rose in many ways, and I saw that they complemented each other.
Derek would get used to it. I knew he would. I held his hands and stood up, pulling him up with me.
“You look tired. Come to bed with me?”
He didn’t resist as I tugged him out of his study, back toward our bedroom. I collapsed on the bed almost as soon as we entered and crawled between the sheets. Derek took a shower before settling on the mattress next to me. He lay on his back and stared up at the ceiling.
“At least Caleb seems a much safer vampire to be around than I was for you.”
“I would have to agree with you there,” I said, grinning. I squeezed his warm cheek, turning his head to
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