Page 6 of Princess Claimed

“All in good time. Now, you must rest.”

I shake my head. “What aren’t you telling me, Timur? Why haven’t you updated me on the situation with the Marianos?”

“All is well,” he says. “Mariano got what he deserved.”

“He’s in the DEFTA prison?”

Timur nods, stiffly.

“Well, that’s good news at least.” I fight to push down my heartache. I need to focus on what’s important. “And the rest of his syndicate? Did they agree to our terms?”

“All is well.”

I frown. It’s not like Timur to withhold details. He pulls me alongside the car and then opens a door that leads to yet another dark space. It appears to be the cellar of an old building. Where are we? How long did we drive to get here? Wrapped up in my emotions, fully trusting Timur, I paid so little attention.

Closing my eyes, I draw a long breath and try to tune into one of the brothers. I can’t. They’re probably back in Freetown already, hidden under hundreds of feet of rock.

“Come.” Timur roughly takes my hand.

I tug against him. “What are you doing?”

He brushes his other hand over my cheek and looks down into my eyes. “You’re traumatized, Anastasia. In shock. You need rest.”

I drag in a long breath. He’s not wrong. “But there is so much to do. I’ve been gone for so long.”

“Your duties can wait,” he says gently.

And he’s right about that too. I’ve always been able to count on Timur’s counsel. He’s always had my best interests at heart.

“All right.” I nod. “Perhaps I should rest before heading to DEFTA.” If nothing else, I need to regain my wits and push my memories of the last couple of weeks deep enough that I won’t be distracted. The vampire world needs me at my best.

Timur leads me through the basement room, but not toward the rickety flight of stairs as I expect. Instead, he opens a heavy metal door to reveal a bedroom of sorts.

Surely, DEFTA has access to plenty of properties in Philadelphia more comfortable than this. Why are we in this dingy basement? “Are the rooms above ground level not protected from sunlight?” I ask, trying not to question Timur’s attempt to provide me safe shelter.

“That is correct,” he says. “We must stay underground, so you do not burn in the sunlight.” His tone is strange, but I’m spent, still trying to flush out my excess of adrenaline and emotions.

“Lie down.” He gestures toward the bed. “I will care for you.”

I turn back toward him. His wool trousers are tented with an erection, and his eyes have grown dark, filled with a hunger like I’ve never seen from Timur before. Not even after he confessed his love and I agreed to have sex.

I shake my head. “No sex now. Please. It’s too much.”

A growl rises from deep in his throat. “But I hunger for you, Anastasia, and I’ve waited so long.”

Guilt and sympathy rush through me. “Oh. Do you need to feed?” I missed the signals.

“Feed?” He steps toward me. “Yes. That is what I require. I want to devour you.”

As his presence looms before me, I’m repulsed by Timur. Repulsed by a man I’ve always cared for, even if I never loved him.

I shouldn’t be so selfish. I took another vampire’s vein while we were separated, but he clearly did not, and he hasn’t taken mine for a very long time. After he feeds, he’ll likely want sex, but he went without that for a hundred years and he can go without it again today.

But I don’t want to be cruel. Perhaps I can grant him sex this one last time. I owe Timur that much. His feeding will wake my libido too, and might rid me of the disgust that’s risen inside me. We’ve had sex before. Even if that experience paled in comparison to what I’ve shared with Flame and Blade, how bad could it be?

Lying back on the bed, I shift my hair, tipping my head to fully expose my throat so he can feed, but my body stays rigid, as if my blood doesn’t want to give itself to him either. Trying to relax, I tightly close my eyes and try to imagine that it’s one of the brothers about to feed from me. I stop breathing, hoping to minimize Timur’s scent, hoping it will help cast my fantasy.

His hands brush over my dress, and my body tightens even more. My plan isn’t working. Perhaps I need to imagine one particular brother.

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