Page 35 of Princess Avenged

“Do you mind?” I say coldly.

“Mind what?” Zuben asks from the screen.

“She was talking to us.” Flame steps forward.

Sensing movement, the camera adjusts so that Flame and Blade also appear on the screen with me. “Ana was subtly asking Blade and I to leave the room.”

“Oh, I see.” Zuben frowns. “Princess?—”

“Call me Ana. Please.” I get so exasperated, having to repeat this over and over with certain vampires. Zuben is undoubtedly handsome—beautiful really—and quite possibly a genius, but he’s wound too tight. I don’t get why Ember loves him. Her other two mates, Axel and Ryker—one a bear and one a pirate—are complete opposites to Zuben and far more appealing, in my opinion.

“If you insist, An-na,” Zuben says stiffly, the two syllables of my nickname distinct from each other.

Ember takes his hand, pulling him down to sit next to her. And the moment they touch, his shoulders visibly relax. That, plus their exchanged look tells me all I need to know about their mutual attraction and love. Witnessing their onscreen love stabs me with deep regret and longing. Phil is gone. I’ll never feel that way again.

“Ana,” Zuben continues, saying my name more naturally this time. “It would be expeditious for Blade to remain in the room during this conversation, with your permission of course. Much of what we have to discuss is based on his research.”

“That’s what you’re calling about?” I look accusatorially into Ember’s eyes. Is she a pawn in this, or a willing participant? Whichever it is, they’ve clearly used her to lure me here.

“What is it?” I snap.

Zuben clears his throat. “Perhaps Blade should begin. He has the most complete informa?—”

“I want you to tell me, Zuben. I trust you.” I shake my head. I trust Ember, and Zuben by extension. I trusted Ember until this call started anyway. “Ember, did they use you to get me to take this call?”

Zuben turns toward his mate.

“No,” Ember responds. “It was my idea. I wanted to call.” She squeezes her mate’s leg. “Zuben came home from DEFTA visibly upset, and I dragged the reasons out of him.” She looks at him with concern in her eyes. “When I heard he was having difficulties reaching you, I offered to do whatever I could. I only know a fraction of what’s going on, but everything I’ve heard is alarming and you need to hear it.”

“Okay, okay.” I lean forward, trying not to let her blatant manipulation bother me. These men have done worse. And I need to remind myself of my role.

Personal pain, grief and anger should not impact my royal duties. “You may proceed.”

“First,” Zuben clears his throat. “We have confirmed that the demon survived Rasputin’s death.”

A shiver traces through me. “But Rasputin is dead.”

He nods. “Yes. That has been confirmed. Rasputin’s demise had an eyewitness.”

I purse my lips. “That fiend has been confirmed dead in the past. Each time with witnesses.”

Zuben glances to the side. “This time there is no doubt.”

Relief floods through me. The man who haunted my childhood dreams, the abuser who stalked me long after he should have perished, is dead. Finally dead.

Then the crux of what Zuben is telling me sinks in. “Rasputin is dead, but the demon survived.”

He nods.

“So, it found a new host?”

Zuben nods again.

“And do you think that host will come after me?”

“That particular answer is complicated.” Again, Zuben glances to the side.

“Complicated because you don’t know who the demon’s new host is? Or because you don’t know whether the host will pursue me?”

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