Page 41 of Princess Avenged

“It’s been a while,” she says. “When I lived here in the palace, I had an intimate. But she resigned her position, not long before Timur and I set out for Philadelphia.”

“Intimate?” Blade steps up and slides his hand around her waist. His long fingers span her ribcage and gently stroke in a way that is very intimate. I feel so connected to both Ana and Blade at this moment and hope her letting him touch her like this means she’s forgiven us.

Ana shifts her body an inch closer to mine. “You guys don’t know the term intimate?” She luxuriously rotates her head, and my fingers slip down to her shoulders.

I wish I could touch her everywhere at once. My hardness strains toward her, pressing against my jeans.

“This is feeling kinda intimate,” I say, and relief floods me when her cheeks flush, but not in anger.

“Intimates are humans employed to provide nourishment on a long-term basis for specific vampires at court. My last intimate was with me for twenty-five years.”

Blade’s eyes widen with concern, and he shifts to her side so he can see her face. “You haven’t had human blood since you left here to negotiate with Mariano?”

Her eyes flutter shut again, and she nods.

“Shit, Ana,” Blade says. “You need to feed.”

She sighs in acknowledgement. “With everything that’s been going on…”

“Our stewards in Freetown would have fed you,” I say.

“They offered.” She leans into me and my heart leaps with joy. “It just didn’t seem right in the circumstances, and I wasn’t in dire need then.”

“But you are now.” Blade and I hold her between us, and I turn to see Crusher leaning against the wall at the other side of the room, looking sad and lonely.

“We should all feed,” he says. “Especially if we’re going to travel somewhere remote.”

Ana stiffens in our arms, as if she’s just remembered that Crusher exists. Then she pushes gently on my chest and disentangles herself from Blade’s arms. Pushing up her sleeve, she reveals a watch-like device on her wrist.

She pushes a few buttons, and says, “Four, please.” She pauses, reading something on the tiny screen. “Any gender—no, at least one female.” Another pause. “My apartment.” Pause. “Fifteen minutes. Thank you.”

She steps toward the room’s exit. “Come,” she says. “I have arranged for all four of us to feed.”

“Ana,” I call out and she turns back at the door. “What about… What about after we feed.” My cock twitches, my need for her threatening to burn through my jeans.

She shakes her head. “At this moment, I can only plan one step at a time.”

Chapter

Eighteen

Ana

If I was on a rollercoaster of emotions before, now I’m on a bungee cord.

Whatever ride it is that I’m on, my heart’s now on the exhilarating part, and I’m beyond grateful to discover my gut was correct. Phil is alive.

We can deal with a demonic possession. All will be well.

Filled with joy, my mind casts again into the future. Is there a way I could make a life with Phil? Perhaps with Flame and Blade too? The latter two are supporting me as we walk back to the apartment. After all the adrenaline of the past hours—not to mention the last several days—my body needs nourishment even more desperately than I realized.

Flame opens the door to the apartment, and we all take seats in the main living room, me nestled between Flame and Blade on the plush, red velvet sofa, and Crusher taking a leather club chair on the other side of the room.

I appreciate that Crusher isn’t pushing to gain my forgiveness. It’s not like me to hold grudges, but his confession shifted my understanding of his character, his priorities. And even though he told me he loves me, I can’t see how that’s possible. It’s beyond clear that he doesn’t put me first.

“Did you say there were four humans coming?” Flame kisses the side of my head.

I nod. “To be expeditious, I only requested one to be female.” I glance between Flame and Blade. “I’m sorry. That was selfish of me.”

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