Page 100 of Princess Claimed

“So, let’s get this straight. You were kidnapped by four dangerous, emotionally stunted vampires?” She frowns, her eyes full of worry. “And they kept you trapped for weeks?”

I shrug. I can’t dispute those facts, as bad as they sound. I only meant to discuss my future with Selina, hoping she could help me figure out whether my feelings are really love, and if so, if my love is strong enough to justify giving up my plans for the future. But she seems to be questioning everything. I can see it in her eyes, in her posture.

Concern in her eyes, she shifts toward me on the red velvet sofa. “Have you ever heard of the Stockholm syndrome?”

“Flame is from Sweden,” I answer, nerves swirling to invade my joy. “But he hasn’t lived there for a couple of centuries, and I don’t think he ever lived in Stockholm.”

Selina shakes her head. “Stockholm syndrome describes a phenomenon where a captive sympathizes and/or falls for their kidnappers. I don’t understand all the psychology of it, but I assume adrenaline plays a part, or a feeling of safety in a dangerous moment…. And in your case, the men claim to be protecting you from something worse.” She grips my hands. “Honey. Are you sure that they’re not the danger?”

“No.” I shake my head. “But everything you’re saying has crossed my mind. I didn’t know there was a name for it, but some of what you’re saying rings true. It at least helps explain how I was feeling at first, because they made me feel both safe and afraid.” They still do if I’m honest.

Looking down, I try to sort through all I’m feeling. “And yes, it’s true they’ve done some bad things, but they had extremely difficult childhoods. They were brutally treated before and after they were turned, and none of them has had any kind of a relationship beyond the ones they have with each other.”

I’m over explaining, sounding super defensive, and don’t like that I’m having to justify the men to Selina. I thought I might have to answer some of these harder questions with my father, but…

Selina squeezes my hands. “I had to ask. It’s clear that you trust them.” Drawing a deep breath, she looks into my eyes. “I take it Flame’s not the only one of these brothers you care about?”

Shaking my head, I draw my legs to my chest and turn toward her on the sofa. “Is it possible that I might love all four of them?”

Her eyes grow wider. “If you do, then I’m happy for you. As long as they feel the same way?”

My heart pounds. “Phil is the only one who’s come right out and said it. And I’ve told him I love him too.”

“What’s Phil like?”

I squeeze my knees into my chest, hoping to keep my heart contained, and I draw a few breaths to calm it. How in the world can I explain Phil to Selina, or how our relationship developed?

“Phil…he’s the biggest of the four. Almost as big as Rock.”

Selina smiles softly as I mention her mate who’s literally part giant.

“To be honest, Phil’s the scariest of the four. By far.” A soft smile punctuates my thoughts, slowing me down. “And although he’s told me he loves me, until recently, Phil claimed to hate me. He acted that way too.” Shifting, I tuck my legs under me, hoping my movement will disguise the heat rising in my cheeks, my entire body.

The worry in Selina’s eyes amplifies. “Are you sure that these men aren’t manipulating your emotions? Phil hated you? But then he suddenly loves you?”

“The brothers were trained to be—” I stop myself to avoid the word killers. “As children, even before they were turned, they were taught to tamp down all their positive emotions. They have no experiences with tenderness, or any soft feelings, so when Phil first felt some kind of way around me, he expressed it using the only emotions he understood—anger, hate and resentment. He used those familiar emotions to squash all his other feelings, just like he was taught to do.”

“Anger? Resentment? Hate?” Selina squeezes my hands. “Honey, this Phil guy…he hasn’t hurt you, has he?”

I shake my head. There’s no way I’m going to tell Selina everything that went on between Phil and me. Maybe someday… But Selina’s far more skeptical about my relationships than I expected. Understandable. She hasn’t even met three of the four.

“Phil and I are in love.” My heart stutters. “I’ve never felt surer of anything. Not in my life.” My relationship with Phil is the one that scares me the most. Scared that it won’t last. Scared of how it will change my life if it does last. But mostly scared that he might not survive, and I’ll never see him again.

“What’s wrong?” Selina asks. “You look terrified.”

“Phil’s in danger,” I tell her. “The demon marked him. That’s why he stayed in America. To protect me. Phil plans to use himself as bait to lure the demon and kill it.”

Selina’s head tips to the side and she tugs on the gold trim of the cushion she’s holding in her lap. “I think I missed a few things. I thought you said that Phil already killed the demon. The demon was inside Rasputin’s mind, right?” She shakes her head in confusion.

“It’s a lot. But yes, we thought Phil had killed the demon when he killed Rasputin. But Blade doesn’t think it’s that simple. Or might not be. That’s why he’s doing research.” I glance down at my trembling hands. “If anything happens to Phil or Crusher, I’ll never forgive myself.”

And I don’t know how I’ll survive once my heart is ripped out.

“Honey.” Selina shifts closer. “Let’s not talk about the demon stuff. Not until Blade finds some answers.”

I smile at her. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do.”

She nods. “Sorry for getting you off topic. You want to talk about your feelings for the men, right?”

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