Chapter 10

Chapter

Ten

Ana

I race down the hall, giving little thought to my destination. I need time alone. I need time to think.

No. I need to talk to Selina.

In truth I have no idea what I need right now. I'm so wound up, so packed with anger. I'm a ticking bomb about to go off.

The walls are closing in. This corridor is wide, it's well lit, and it sports an objectively high ceiling. Everything about my surroundings shouts opulence, splendor and openness, and yet the marble covered surfaces, the paintings and tapestries, the hand-knotted rugs are all conspiring to crush me.

I squeeze shut my eyes, imagining I'm outside and running through the woods, enjoying the night sky.

I smash into someone.

"Anastasia!"

Warm hands fall onto my shoulders, and then rise to cup my face. Lifting my gaze, I confirm what I already knew from his scent and the feel of him. I smashed into my father, the king. Two guards, Knights of the Order of Sanguis, stand at attention, flanking him a few steps back.

I lift my gaze to my adoptive father's eyes, full of concern and as blue as the winter skies I remember from childhood.

"What's wrong, my daughter."

"Oh, Father." Wrapping my arms around him, I press my cheek against the velvet of his ceremonial robe. He must have come from a formal meeting.

My heart is beating at triple the rate of his, and hearing and feeling the strong, slow throb of my father's heart, helps to calm me. "Do you have time to talk?" I ask softly.

"Time? For you, Ana? Always." Using a bent finger under my chin, he raises my gaze to meet his. again.

Then, taking my hand, he leads me down the hall. Stopping, he opens a solid oak door that takes us into a small sitting room I haven't been inside for years. Many decades ago, when I was attending The Academy, I'd often join him here at the end of my school days, telling him about all I'd learned. He'd often quiz me on vampiric law and history. The memories warm my heart, and gratitude swells for this man who provided a parental influence, a sense of family, at a time in my life when I most needed one.

At the room's side, a fire is burning in the fireplace, and the walls are still painted steel blue with gold trim. The familiarity of the space is beyond comforting. The two knights stay outside in the hall, and Dunkan leads me toward two large club chairs placed in front of the fireplace. Gesturing toward one for me, he lowers his large body into the other.

The chairs are huge. Resting my hands on its arms, I push myself up and land cross-legged on the chair's cushion.

A wave of grief slams my chest. How did I never notice Dunkan's resemblance to Phil? Dunkan has Phil's broad shoulders and rugged, freckled complexion, but with Flame's wavy, blond hair and bright blue eyes. And the king has Blade's kindness and intelligence, along with Crusher's commanding aura and confidence.

A deep longing opens inside me.

I push it down. Whatever happened between me and those four men is over. Although, I suppose I am grateful for much of what happened between us. And letting in that feeling amplifies my gratitude for the king.

My adoptive father saved my life. King Dunkan is the reason I am alive to enjoy all the privileges I have. And looking at him now, so handsome and regal, so kind and concerned about me, reaffirms my life's purpose. The purpose I almost let myself ignore.

From here forward, I will dedicate my life to public service, just like he has. I will give all my time to helping vampirekind, especially furthering my father's cause of easing relations between vampires and humans. I'm so proud to know this bold and strong vampire sitting across from me. So grateful to call him father.

After all he's given me, I have no business wanting anything else than to follow in his footsteps. He has never taken a mate. I don't need one either.

"Anastasia, what is troubling you?" Dunkan's large hands slide over the dark leather on his chair's arms. "Selina tells me you've fallen in love?"

Grief again grips my throat, but I draw a deep breath to banish it, finding the strength I know is inside me.

"False alarm." I smile.

His head cocks to the side. "What do you mean?"

I shake my head. "I thought I might be falling in love." I look down. "But the man I declared my love to is gone."

"Ana, I am so sorry."

I shrug as if it's no big deal. As if gone doesn't mean dead.

Sliding toward me, Dunkan takes one of my hands between his. "Ana, I can see that you're hurting, and I've yet to see you in person since Timur was killed. I was so sorry to hear what happened. Have the vampires responsible been brought to justice?"

He thinks I mean Timur. He thinks I declared my love to Timur.

I turn away, unable to face his probing blue eyes with this misunderstanding between us. I'm ashamed that a very big part of me doesn't want to set him straight, but lying would make me a massive hypocrite, especially right now.

"I didn't love Timur." I turn toward him. "Well, I did love Timur, but I wasn't in love with him. Not in a romantic way."

Nodding, Dunkan shifts back in his seat. "I always suspected that he loved you, though."

I nod. "He confessed as much, while we were traveling to Philadelphia."

"I see."

I swallow the lump in my throat along with some conflicted feelings. I do not want to discuss with my father everything that happened between Timur and me—I'm not even sure if the king knows that Timur wasn't really a eunuch—and I definitely do not want to touch on my sexual awakening after I was taken by the brothers. But I also can't leave him hanging.

"What has you so troubled today?" he asks, after giving me some time.

I straighten my back. "I just found out who killed Timur. They confessed."

"Good," Dunkan says. "Now they can be brought to justice."

My chest squeezes, capturing my breath inside. As angry as I am, I do not want to see Crusher, or any of the brothers, arrested for killing Timur. Under the law, self defense is the only clear excuse for vampircide, and Crusher admitted he didn't believe his life was in danger. Protecting another vampire can also be a valid defense, but it's more difficult to prove in court, and Crusher would certainly have to go through a trial to defend his actions. I'd have to testify. His past would come out.

"It was Rasputin's fault," I blurt.

"What?" King Dunkan's back slams against his chair. " Rasputin ? How is that even possible? That fiend was murdered. On December 30, 1916, in fact." He shakes his head. "I will never forget that night. I discussed his death at length with your father the Czar, who was very relieved it had happened, although your mother was grief stricken."

I chew my bottom lip, stalling for time and trying to figure out how to explain this to Dunkan. "Turns out, Rasputin was possessed by a demon, and the demon kept him alive."

"You're joking." Dunkan leans forward. "No, I can see you're not joking." His head tips to the side. "I thought there were no demons left in this realm."

I draw a long breath. "I don't understand it all, but this is the most relevant part. The demon kept Rasputin alive, and worse, even after so many years, Rasputin remained obsessed with finding me."

Dunkan's face twists into a painful grimace. "I hated how your parents allowed that man so close to you and your sisters. He had your mother's full devotion and trust. I should have done more to protect you."

"Dunkan." I smile my reassurance. "You bear absolutely no blame for anything that man ever did to me as a child." Or after.

He nods, stiffly, then confusion fills his expression. "So, he killed Timur because of his obsession with you? Are you still in danger? You must tell me everything that happened."

I shake my head, hoping to reassure his fears. "Rasputin couldn't locate me underground, so I was safe all the years I was here. But he found me in Philadelphia, and using the demon's powers, he killed and then impersonated the head of the Mariano syndicate. And while impersonating Mariano, Rasputin was responsible for Timur's death." It's the truth, even if it's not the whole truth.

"I heard there had been an ambush at your meeting, but I had no idea…" Dunkan shakes his head. "And after that attack, you disappeared for weeks." He rakes his fingers through his hair.

"I was also informed that the vampires who rescued you from that meeting are here with you now?" He smiles. "I would very much like to thank them in person. I thought that it might be one of those men with whom you'd fallen in love."

I turn away. "None of that matters now."

"Ana, rest assured, I will put any resource toward finding Rasputin, and to bringing him to justice. Both for killing Timur, and for what he did to you as a child."

I turn back to face him. "Bringing Rasputin to justice won't be that simple."

"My daughter, wherever that fiend hides, whether or not he's possessed by a demon, we will find him."

"Finding him won't be the issue. "I glance up toward the ornately painted ceiling. "The moment I go above ground, he will find me. The demon gave him the power to track me."

Shock and horror fill the king's face.

I reach toward his chair. "But I'm pretty sure that Rasputin's dead. One of the vampires who…who rescued me that night, he drove a stake through Rasputin's heart." I leave out the part where Rasputin tortured me, the part where he raised an army to attack Phil and Crusher. And the fact that Phil is dead and Crusher is a cold-hearted liar.

"Good." Dunkan nods. "And what of the demon?"

I shrug. I wish I could reassure him that the demon is gone. "One of the vampires who came here with me, his name is Blade, he's been doing research in the archives, hoping to learn more about the demon and how to kill it—if it isn't already dead."

"Ah, yes." Dunkan nods. "I did grant permission for this vampire to access the full archives."

"Thank you for that," I say softly. And my body floods with gratitude again. Gratitude not only for my adoptive father, but also for Blade who's been tirelessly searching for answers. I'm still not sure if I can forgive him for hiding the truth about Timur's death, but I must admit that I just left out huge parts of that story, while telling it to my father.

But I have reasons. I don't want to say anything that might land Crusher, Blade or Flame in trouble. And I'm still so fully in denial about Phil's death, that I can't even bring myself to mention him to Dunkan.

Clearly, I have some thinking to do.

Someone knocks on the door, and we both turn.

"Enter," the king says.

The door opens and Selina peeks inside. " There you are." She smiles broadly. "I'm desperate for a spa day, and I know you need to relax. Care to join me?"