Page 28 of Princess Avenged

“What is it?” I ask her, irritated that I can’t continue reading, even though facing the horrors contained in this book is the last thing I want to do.

“You have a video call,” the archivist says. “Someone named Zuben. He says it’s urgent.” She nods down the hall behind her, indicating I should follow.

“Zuben?” Crusher asks.

“He’s the guy I talked to at DEFTA. The one who’s done research on magic and demons. Although Zuben’s primarily an expert on vampire myths.” I trace my finger over the horrific illustration in front of me.

Crusher pushes back his chair. “Let’s go, then.”

Nodding, I rise and head toward the archivist, feeling like I’m wading through mud.

“You sure you’re okay?” Flame slaps my back as he comes up beside me.

I shake my head, hoping to clear the fog of fear. Today has been the worst day of my life.

Phil is dead. Ana rejected us, and I’ve discovered that if the thing stalking her isn’t dead, it could literally end life on earth as we know it. It if gets hold of Ana, this demon will turn our world into one fueled by torture, pain and cruelty.

The archivist leads us to a room with a screen on the far wall, and various pieces of furniture arranged in between. On the screen, Zuben turns toward us. He’s dressed in a dark suit that looks expensive, and his amber silk tie catches the light over a crisp white shirt. All of it projects money and complements his light brown complexion and golden eyes. This vampire is a picture of sophistication and wealth.

“Blade,” he says looking serious, “have you uncovered any additional information about the demon?”

I stride toward the screen. “I assume you have, since you’ve interrupted my work.”

“Dude, chill.” Flame slaps me on the back and then plops down into a leather sofa facing the screen, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other. Crusher sits on the far arm of the same sofa.

I draw a deep breath, trying to wash away my terror and grief, so I can concentrate on the matters at hand. But my efforts to calm myself aren’t working. I reach into my pocket, my fingers seeking the relief of a sharp razor.

“I apologize.” I nod toward Zuben, as I slide a sharp edge into my fingertip. “I have…” I’m not ready to talk about my most recent discovery yet. Not until I’m more certain. “My research is progressing,” I tell him. “I had to pause when we heard the news about Phil.” I swallow to clear my voice. “I only just started up again.”

Zuben glances to the side, then back toward us.

Flame reaches up, grabs my arm, and pulls me down to the sofa beside him. Seeing the blood blooming on my jeans, he shakes his head. I pull my hand from my pocket, resting it on my thigh and hoping to block the blood stain from Crusher’s view.

“Why did you contact us?” I ask Zuben. “Did you discover something new?”

Again, he glances to the side as if consulting someone, and distrust rises inside me. When we met in Philadelphia, Zuben came off stiff and formal, but also straightforward and truthful. Not shifty, like he’s being right now.

“What’s going on?” I frown. “What are you hiding?”

He draws a deep breath. “Diederik, our former head of security?—”

“We know who the fuck Diederik is,” Crusher interrupts.

Zuben nods. “I wanted to warn you that the demon developed the ability to control the minds of vampires, as well as humans.”

Crusher rises and crosses his arms over his chest. “We fucking know that. I was a direct witness to that!”

“Of course, of course.” Zuben glances to the side again. “As were many here at DEFTA. That’s why they called me in. The leadership team is trying to get to the bottom of what happened. To discover how the demon, using Diederik’s likeness, could take control of so many loyal staff members.” Zuben’s long fingers flex on the desk in front of him, as if he’s trying to drive their tips through the wood.

Crusher takes a step toward the screen. “Was that Diederik or Rasputin, whom Phil and I battled on the roof?”

“Rasputin,” I answer. We already talked about this.

“I agree with Blade,” Zuben adds. “It wasn’t Diederik. We’ve since discovered his body, hidden in an air vent in an unused area of our building. He’s been there a while.”

“Killing Diederik, gave Rasputin the power to use his form,” I tell Zuben. “He did this with at least two other vampires we know of.”

I raise my chin, my confidence returning. “Given that, it was the demon who commanded that army of vampires, not Rasputin. Or Diederik.” Now that I’m back in my comfort zone, explaining my research, I feel calmer. “A demon-possessed human can borrow the form of a dead human or vampire, but demons can’t possess the minds of vampires.”

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