Page 84 of Princess Claimed

“Divide to fucking conquer.” Phil stands firmly. The look on his face and his posture both tell me there’s no way I’m going to talk him out of this.

Crusher shifts. He’s as unhappy about this as I am, but he’s accepted it as the best option. My two most immovable men are firmly in one camp. Who am I kidding? All four of them are together and against me on this one.

Fear and desperation build inside me, and I wrack my brain for more arguments. I wish I knew more about demonic possessions. Now that my feelings for Phil have clarified, I don’t want to spend a moment without him—at least not so soon. But if a temporary separation is going to happen, I want to understand all I can.

“What if the demon can track me, though? I mean, how did Rasputin—the demon—find me at DEFTA?” I turn toward Blade. “Rasputin’s always been obsessed with me, so why did he wait a hundred years? And how did he know about that meeting with the Marianos?”

My mind jumps between all my uncertainties, as I think back to that meeting where I first saw these men. The meeting which devolved into a re-enactment of my family’s assassination, except it was Timur instead of my family who was killed.

That night seems like a lifetime ago. My life before meeting the brothers is distant and vague.

Cupping my cheek, Blade looks into my eyes, and his silver pools of light make my heart flutter. “You being in Philadelphia was public knowledge,” he says. “The trials to prosecute Octavia and her crew were well known.” He shakes his head. “Thousands of people—mostly vampires, but also some non-vamps—knew that Princess Anastasia was at DEFTA.”

I purse my lips. He’s right. Finding me back then would have been relatively easy.

“So, are you saying the demon can’t track me?”

Blade shrugs. “I’m just saying we don’t know that he can.” Not exactly the reassurance I was hoping for.

Flame steps up behind Blade. “Blade thinks the demon can’t locate people underground.”

“Based on what I’ve read,” Blade clarifies, “and on what that Calix guy said, that’s likely why he never came after you at the vampiric palace.”

I nod. We did discuss this before. And with all Blade’s learned, we still don’t know what this demon can and can’t do. Or if it still exists.

For a hundred years, I rarely left the vampiric palace, impenetrable to non-vampires. Even vampires must be invited to the palace, which is why I need to accompany Blade on his research quest. If I asked, my father would likely admit Blade without me, but I don’t want to explain the reasons for his visit, especially not over the phone. And if anyone at the palace finds out about the brothers’ past as killers…

Fear shivers through me. I need to go with Blade, in case someone tries to arrest him.

Turning my attention back to Phil’s plan, a new fear invades. “If this demon can take the shape of others—” my chest tightens “—how will you know it when you see it? How will you know whom to trust?”

Phil grunts. “The only people I trust are right here.” He looks deep into my eyes, and my love for him expands yet again.

“Based on all we know and what we’ve seen,” Blade’s voice invades the connection between Phil and me, “the demon’s host can only take the form of someone it killed.”

“Or was killed in its presence,” Crusher adds.

“Yeah. Good point,” Blade continues. “Until I can pinpoint the exact type of demon, I won’t know all of its capabilities. But we do know that Rasputin was able to take the forms of both Mariano and Timur.”

I swallow, hard, memories of that evil man snaking through me—both what he did to me recently and the ways he abused me as a child. “Rasputin is definitely dead, right?”

“Yes.” Crusher steps forward. “Rasputin is dead. The DEFTA team is storing his body.”

“That’s yet another argument to support the demon no longer coming after you,” Blade interjects.

I shake my head. “I don’t see the connection.”

“Well,” Blade says. “The demon clearly saved Rasputin’s life in the past—there are historical accounts of him surviving at least three assassination attempts—and the demon kept Rasputin alive for what? Around a hundred and twenty years past that?” Blade shrugs.

“Because the demon didn’t save Rasputin after Phil killed him, it clearly abandoned Rasputin as a host. Therefore, to continue in this realm, the demon would need a new host—and quickly.” Blade’s head tips to the side as if he’s running through all the possible outcomes. “Even if the demon made a deal with a new host in time to remain in this realm, that theoretical host is not infatuated with you.” He grins, reassuringly.

“Everyone who’s infatuated with me is right here,” I say quickly, but then my cheeks flush. I only meant to echo Phil’s earlier statement about whom he trusts but realize what I claimed.

But none of the men disagrees, and my body heats even more.

“Get on the plane.” Phil says sharply, then turns away from me. “Dawn’s coming.”

“Who’s staying back with Phil,” Blade asks, glancing between Flame and Crusher.

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