Semua Bab BETRAYED BY HER BLOOD, CLAIMED BY THE NIGHT: Bab 11 - Bab 20

SOFIA QUISPE)“Since they initiated the process of Marking you, they have the right to know the truth. So that they may make an informed decision about how to proceed with the Blood Union.”“How to proceed?” Sofia echoed. She felt like the world was going a mile a minute, but her brain seemed to have crawled to a near standstill. “What's that supposed to mean?”“It means you’re not a pureblood,” Zack said icily. If Sofia had thought he looked at her like he couldn't stand her before, it had nothing on this moment. His face was a mask of aristocratic disdain.Sofia was at a complete loss for how to respond, or whether to settle on immediate rage or profound hurt. She looked at the others, hoping they might interject in her defense as usual, but neither Klaus nor Zilo was willing to meet her gaze directly. They weren't exactly avoiding it, no noble would allow such an obvious sign of guilt. Especially not when it came to a female consort who was clearly so far beneath their station now.

POV: Sofia QuispeSofia had anticipated being delivered in the city by the car provided for her by the Covenant when she saw them go by all three major exits and remained on the highway. She did not know what to make of this, other than Lord Aron Quispe had decreed she was to be put further out of mind and a far piece from sight among the human cities.Where they were going, she had asked the driver, a taciturn Blooded middle-ranker who did not look at her, and all he would say is that he would deliver her where her father had told him to deliver her. Eventually, she stopped trying to convince him otherwise because, frankly, he did not seem to give a shit if she wanted to take up either the apartment or the allowance. She understood at this point that not even "charity" was a request, but an order she had no choice but to obey.With a couple of hours having elapsed to allow her stormy emotions to adjust, now she was in a state of freeze-over fear. What was she, a protected and powerle

SOFIA QUISPE'S POV"Good taste," Mari mused, tracing a finger along the rim of her drink. "Bit of a pureblood extremist, but definitely a Sanguine Ritualist pioneer."I had just taken another sip of the blood wine that I choked on as soon as those words left her lips.She smiled, making it very evident she enjoyed such a response. "Dhampir, you really do come straight from the streets, don't you?""Streets?" I echoed,"You're new," she clarified. "I'm guessing it's your first time away from your Covenant.""Is it that obvious?" I muttered."Yeah," she admitted. "But bad things exist in abundance. So, you are hiding from a forced Blood Union?"I hesitated, not sure if telling a complete stranger that truth was a good idea—but it was pretty nice to actually be talking to another human being. “Not running,” I admitted. “More like the opposite.”Curiosity sparkled in her flecked red eyes, but she didn't pursue it."And I. kind of got cast out," I continued.She blinked a few times. "Cast

"Still not totally sure myself," I admitted. "Or at least I haven't come to terms with it, but the short version is he's not my true Sire,"“And the long version?”*shrug* "That is because my mother alone knew the name of my human father, and since she is no longer with me, I don't think I'll be figuring this out anytime soon either,""Sorry," Pella whispered. "But how did it all come to light, anyway?""Just about the worst way possible," I admitted. "It was during my Blood Union ceremony. The second half, anyway. I was supposed to undergo the Rite of Ascension and awaken my dormant vampiric powers," I confessed."The gift of awakening? Oh, yes," she said quickly. "That’s one of those examples they used when we were Fledglings to make sure we were glad we didn’t have a draconian covenant relationship."I blew a bit of air through my nose. "That's reasonable, I suppose. Though to be honest, I wasn't able to awaken any powers, which got me a whole series of intrusive bloodline tests an

"The military awards ceremony is tonight, which means all the other guys are with their wives. Soft mortals, a bunch of 'em," he said in a voice as dry as the desert, though a glint in his eyes betrayed him.Sofia smiled and placed the pint with a head on it in front of him. "Big waste of time if you ask me,""Aw, come on, I'm sure a pretty thing such as you likely has a rotation with the blood-suckers,"‘Sure,’ Sofia drawled, resting her elbow on the counter. ‘Well, I have a Blood Pact going with the local delivery boy—and don’t ask—and a Fledgling with a fascination with my throat at the blood bank, where I replenish my glucose supplyevery month. And with these two, my social calendar’s chock-full.’He chuckled, taking a sip of his drink. A piece of foam stuck to his gray mustache, which he wiped off with the back of his other hand. "Well, if you want some old man's advice, you better keep it this way. Men are a complete waste of time," he said."All the ones who aren't married or e