Page 103 of Princess Claimed

Whether man or demon, Rasputin is far stronger than he should be, and his skin burns my throat like silver. Trying to pull him off me with one hand, I grab my stake with the other.

But something pokes my chest.

Rasputin’s eyes widen.

His hand around my throat loosens, and he staggers back.

A bolt from Crusher’s crossbow is protruding through Rasputin’s chest, dripping in his blood. Perfectly positioned, it definitely went through his heart. Assuming he has one. But he doesn’t go down.

Looking annoyed, Rasputin stares at the bolt’s protruding point, and then flies back toward me. But I’ve got a battle ax in one hand now, a stake in the other. Aiming for his neck, I slash.

My stroke’s hard enough to take off his head, but he bends back as if spineless, swerving to avoid my attempted beheading.

Crusher fires another bolt. It penetrates Rasputin’s chest, right next to the first one, but the wounds don’t seem to affect him.

“Fools.” His shape transforms into Diederik’s. “Taking the life of an ancient vampire has made me too powerful for your mortal weapons!” He flicks his arm.

Crusher is thrown back against a massive air conditioning unit, and the bang reverberates through the night.

Raising his hand toward me, Diederik makes a fist. My liver wound sears, like I’ve been torn open.

“Where is she?” His voice rakes through my head like silver spikes. “I sensed her on an airplane, then she vanished again. I am losing my patience!”

“Take me instead!” I stagger forward.

“No. I need her!”

“Why?” My voice is strangled with pain. “If it’s power you want, I’m much stronger. Both bigger and more ancient.” Staggering toward him, I grab a retractable silver net hidden inside my jacket. Since he’s in vampire form, it might be effective. At least momentarily.

I toss the net, and it opens in flight.

But Diederik leaps out of its path, landing behind me.

I spin.

“I need Ana,” he says. “Because she is the one I marked!” His eyes turn from red to black, and then to fire again. “Anastasia is mine!”

“I’m marked too.” I grab my side. “Whatever you need, take it from me.”

“No!” Crusher calls out, but I can’t see him.

“Anastasia is special,” Diederik turns back into Rasputin’s form. “Special to me. Long ago, I claimed her as mine. I marked her inside.” He holds up a crooked index finger, its nail unnaturally long and curved, leaving no doubt about what he did to Ana.

My anger builds. No weapon has worked against him yet, but I refuse to give up. I grab another stake, but my body suddenly feels as if it’s under the weight of a thousand boulders, and the pain in my side fires fiercely.

Rasputin laughs. I’m certain the weight and pain are all in my mind. I can defeat him.

Choosing one of Flame’s toys, I draw a flamethrower from my back and fire.

Rasputin’s clothes alight. His scream is the sound of hell itself, but then he raises his arms, and the flames extinguish.

“Your time for cooperation has expired.” He spreads his arms. “Arise!”

Dozens of vampires, many I recognize from DEFTA’s security team, crawl onto the rooftop. They must have been hanging off the edge, waiting for the signal, and I’m shocked that neither Crusher nor I sensed their presence. I’m off my game. Off everything.

“Take him.” Rasputin points toward me. “He will lead me to her.” His eyes flash with pure evil, and my pain soars.

“Over my dead body!” Crusher shouts.

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