A Shade Of Vampire 4: A Shadow Of Light Read Online Free

“heal my daughter.” I was transfixed by the sight of Sofia whimpering on the ground. I had no idea what to do. I wanted to help her out and ease her pain. Yet another part of me just wanted to get as far away from her as possible.
    I ordered two guards to help me take her to her bedroom.
    “Be gentle with her,” I snapped at them. “She is, after all, to become your queen.”
    They gave me strange glances, but I ignored them and walked ahead to the bedroom. Later, I had vampire blood brought to her in order for the wounds on her legs to heal.
    “You’ve drunk vampire blood before,” I told her, noticing how the idea of drinking the blood didn’t seem to faze her at all.
    She just glared at me. That’s when I realized that she wasn’t like me at all. I thought that she was weak —and from her appearance alone, it seemed that way—but I could see underneath her shaking exterior. I couldn’t help but shudder, because at that point, I could only sense one thing from Sofia: power.
    Intimidated by her, I tried to break her down the next time I had an encounter with her. Borys sent me to her so that I could bring her to his chambers. I wondered if he was being cruel or if he was testing me to see if my loyalty would belong to him or to Sofia. I found the idea ridiculous. Hadn’t I already proven how loyal I was to him?
    I went to Sofia’s bedroom and found her speaking to her best friend, Ben —Amelia’s son. I found myself missing my best friend—one who’d been there for me during some of the toughest days of my life, while I was Camilla Claremont. I hated looking at Ben because of how much he reminded me of Amelia, and I couldn’t stand being around him.
    “I want time alone with my dau ghter,” I told the guards. “Have the young man brought to the little blonde vampire from The Shade. She’s been harping on about him since she got here.”
    I could feel the atmosphere tense as I watched the look of horror on Sofia’s face. For some reason, I found delight in evoking terror in her.
    “No…” Sofia begged. “ Please…no… Not her… Not Claudia… Mother, please.”
    Mother. The word was like a splash of cold water calling out to the remaining fibers of maternal instinct left in me—a final plea for me to show the motherly affection my daughter was clearly starving for. I raised a hand toward the guards who were already approaching to take Ben. “Wait. What did you just call me?” I asked, hungry to hear the word again.
    “Mother…” Sofia’s lips trembled as she spoke. She grabbed Ben’s hand, seeming to both give and draw strength from him. “Isn’t that what you are? My mother?”
    “Yes. That’s right, Sofia .” I smiled, confused by the emotions whirling inside me. “I’m your mother.” Despite the delight I felt over this truth, the powerful Ingrid would always win over weak and pathetic Camilla. “That means you do what I say, right?”
    She nodded. “Of course.”
    “So you’re not goin g to cause any trouble tomorrow?”
    “Tomorrow?” I noticed how her grip on Ben’s hand tightened.
    “Yes. Tomorrow. You’re to be wed to Borys tomorrow.”
    “Why? Why would you do this? Why would you force your own daughter to marry that brute?”
    I began brushing strands of her hair away from her face. At that point, I found myself once again shoving Camilla back into my subconscious and letting Ingrid take over. “You just don’t know him, Sofia. Borys deserves the best and you, Sofia, are the best. Why wouldn’t you be? You’re my blood, my beautiful, perfect little girl. You belong to Borys.” I then straightened to my full height. “I’ve changed my mind,” I announced. “Leave the boy here. The Shade’s little blonde vampire can have him after the wedding. Right now, Borys is requesting the presence of his blooming bride. Have my daughter brought to his chambers.”
    I watched as the guards dragged my daughter away to whatever fate Borys had for her that day. I